Learning Policy Institute
The Learning Policy Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education policy research institute that conducts and disseminates independent, nonpartisan research to inform federal, state, and local policymakers on teacher preparation, school finance, early childhood education, and educational equity.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersPalo Alto, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Learning Policy Institute does
The Learning Policy Institute (LPI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education policy research institute founded in September 2015 by Linda Darling-Hammond, headquartered in San Francisco with a regional office in Washington, DC. The institute conducts independent, nonpartisan research and translates findings into actionable recommendations on teacher preparation and shortages, school finance, early childhood education, community schools, educator diversity, and educational equity. Its product surface is research-centric: in-depth reports, policy briefs, fact sheets, tools and playbooks, videos, themed blog series, and interactive resources such as the State of the Teacher Workforce tool, all distributed free of charge under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 license through its website, email newsletter, webinars, social channels, and policy briefings. The institute does not sell products or services; it is funded by foundation grants and individual philanthropy from a roster of 13+ major donors led by a $16 million MacKenzie Scott gift in 2022 and including William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Sandler Foundation, S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, Ballmer Group, Raikes Foundation, and others. Its primary user segments are federal, state, and local education policymakers, education researchers and academics, educators and school administrators, and community/advocacy groups; documented high-profile engagements include work with the Texas Education Agency, Delaware Public Education Funding Commission, and California Community Schools and Universal PreK initiatives. Leadership transitioned in April 2025 when Elena Silva succeeded Darling-Hammond as President and CEO; Darling-Hammond continues as Chief Knowledge Officer, and the organization operates an expanded C-suite across policy, programs, strategic communications, operations, and development.
Learning Policy Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Learning Policy Institute
- Legal name
- Learning Policy Institute
- Website
- https://learningpolicyinstitute.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Learning Policy Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education policy research institute that conducts and disseminates independent, nonpartisan research to inform federal, state, and local policymakers on teacher preparation, school finance, early childhood education, and educational equity.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Learning Policy Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Policy Research
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research (EDADADAF), Teacher Workforce & Professional Standards Policy Research (EDADADAG), Curriculum, Standards & Assessment Policy Research (EDADADAH)
Keywords
Where Learning Policy Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palo Alto
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Learning Policy Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Foundation and Philanthropic Grants: LPI operates as a nonprofit and receives funding from foundations and philanthropists including MacKenzie Scott ($16M gift), S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Raikes Foundation, Sandler Foundation, Ballmer Group, Kelson Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Skyline Foundation, and others.
- Research Publication Sales: LPI produces reports, briefs, fact sheets, and other publications that are distributed freely under Creative Commons licenses. Revenue is not generated from sales but through grants that fund research production.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Learning Policy Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Learning Policy Institute conducts high-quality, independent, nonpartisan research to improve education policy and practice across the United States. The institute produces research reports, policy briefs, fact sheets, tools, playbooks, blogs, videos, and interactive resources covering teacher preparation, school finance, early childhood education, community schools, school leadership, and educational equity, then disseminates findings to federal, state, and local policymakers at no cost under Creative Commons licensing.
Product overview
The Learning Policy Institute operates as a single unified research and knowledge platform focused on education policy research and dissemination. The organization's product portfolio consists of research publications (reports, briefs, fact sheets), digital tools (interactive resources), and content channels (blogs, videos). Key products include research reports on teacher preparation, community schools, and early childhood education; policy briefs synthesizing findings for policymakers; the interactive State of the Teacher Workforce tool; and specialized reports such as performance assessment studies and early childhood workforce preparation analyses. These products are distributed through the Institute's website as downloadable PDFs and interactive content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Transitional kindergarten enrollment doubled from 75,500 to 151,500 in California
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Learning Policy Institute
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Learning Policy Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Learning Policy Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- The Pathways Alliance (Principal Apprenticeship Working Group)minorLPI supports the development of National Guideline Standards for K-12 Principal Apprenticeship Programs, working with states and school districts to create high-quality apprenticeship pathways for school leadership.
- Arts Ed Accelerator Fund (Hewlett Foundation led)minorLPI is part of a panel including Create CA and other organizations to identify solutions for expanding arts programming in schools. The $11.3M fund addresses a shortage of 5,500+ arts educators in California K-12 schools.
- EdSourceminorPartnership for polling California voters on teacher shortages and education issues. EdSource conducted The Field Poll survey of 1,002 registered voters.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Learning Policy Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Brookings Institution (Brown Center on Education Policy): Brookings' Brown Center produces influential empirical research on U.S. K-12 education, including teacher quality, school finance, and accountability. It is a leading establishment think tank that competes for policy mindshare and foundation funding with LPI.
- American Institutes for Research (AIR):
- RAND Corporation: RAND operates a major education policy research division that conducts empirical studies on teacher quality, school finance, and education systems, very similar in subject matter and methodology to LPI. Linda Darling-Hammond previously directed RAND's education program, making it a directly comparable incumbent.
Direct peers
- New America: New America runs a well-resourced Education Policy program that conducts research, advocacy, and convenings on federal and state education issues. LPI's new President and CEO Elena Silva came directly from New America, and the two organizations compete for the same foundation funders and policy audiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Learning Policy Institute social profiles
Digital presenceLearning Policy Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Learning Policy Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Learning Policy Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Learning Policy Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Learning Policy Institute
What does Learning Policy Institute do?
Learning Policy Institute conducts high-quality, independent, nonpartisan research to improve education policy and practice across the United States. The institute produces research reports, policy briefs, fact sheets, tools, playbooks, blogs, videos, and interactive resources covering teacher preparation, school finance, early childhood education, community schools, school leadership, and educational equity, then disseminates findings to federal, state, and local policymakers at no cost under Creative Commons licensing.
Is Learning Policy Institute a public or private company?
Learning Policy Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Learning Policy Institute founded?
Learning Policy Institute was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Learning Policy Institute based?
Learning Policy Institute is headquartered in Palo Alto, United States, in the North America region.
How does Learning Policy Institute make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Foundation and Philanthropic Grants are the primary driver. The others are research Publication Sales.
Who are Learning Policy Institute's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Brookings Institution (Brown Center on Education Policy), American Institutes for Research (AIR) and RAND Corporation. New America is listed as a direct peer.
Does Learning Policy Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Learning Policy Institute.
What industry is Learning Policy Institute in?
Learning Policy Institute's product category is Education Policy Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADADAA, Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks, with a secondary code of EDADADAF, Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research. Its NAICS code is 541720 and its SIC code is 8700.