Think Education, Author at Think Education

An Immersive Leadership Experience Begins June 2026

SANTA ANA, Calif., June 9, 2026 – Think Transcend, a division of Think Education, and leader in educational professional development, and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) are proud to launch the Transcendent Leader Institute, an innovative, 10-month leadership experience for current and aspiring California superintendents and system leaders. The inaugural cohort begins in June 2026.

The Transcendent Leader Institute represents a bold investment in the future of educational leadership in California –one that centers not only on technical expertise, but deep personal, relational, and soul-centered capacities required to lead complex systems in service of student success. Rooted in the belief that every single student deserves access to thriving schools, strong relationships and transformative opportunities, the Institute is designed to cultivate leaders who can create lasting impact for students, staff, families, and communities.

“At a time when the demands on educational leaders have never been greater, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to developing leaders who can create conditions for students, staff, and communities to thrive – even amid complexity,” said Dr. Paul Gothold, President and Founder of Think Transcend. “Together with ACSA, we are creating a space where leaders can grow not just in skill, but also in their sense of purpose, presence, and capacity to inspire meaningful change across their organizations.”

The 10-month Institute is grounded in a comprehensive leadership framework built around 12 core competencies for effective superintendency. Participants engage in immersive in-person sessions, ongoing virtual learning, coaching, and collaborative experiences. The design emphasizes real-world application, personal discovery, and the cultivation of a strong, enduring leadership community committed to advancing excellence, equity and student-centered leadership.

Participants in the Institute will explore topics such as systems leadership, data-driven leadership, socially conscious leadership, and empowering and cultivating people. The experience culminates in a capstone project where leaders apply their learning to real-time leadership within a district or organization, with focus on creating stronger outcomes and opportunities for students.

“This collaboration reflects our belief that leadership development must evolve to meet the realities of today’s educational landscape,” said Dr. Edgar Zazueta, Executive Director of ACSA. “This Institute creates space for deep reflection and growth, equipping leaders to strengthen systems, empower people, and drive meaningful and lasting change that positively impacts students and communities.”

Participants will also become part of the Transcendent Leader Fellowship, a lifelong network of leaders committed to ongoing growth, connection, and collective impact in support of California’s students and communities.

Applications and interest for the inaugural June 2026 cohort are open now. Space will be limited to ensure a highly personalized and impactful experience.

To increase access to school leaders from all backgrounds, Think Transcend is seeking philanthropic sponsors for candidates to participate in the inaugural institute.

For more information or to express interest, please visit ThinkTranscend.org or contact the team directly at collaborate@thinktranscend.org.

About Think Transcend
Launched in 2025, Think Transcend offers a soul-centered leadership approach that inspires hope and promise for public education. Designed by three former superintendents who created lasting student impact in their respective districts, Think Transcend strives to elevate and celebrate the possibilities of education systems.

A division of Think Education, Think Transcend’s mission is energizing a movement of transcendent leaders with heart, skill and will anchored in the success of every single student. Think Education is grounded on a simple but powerful belief: when schools and communities work together, students thrive.

Follow Think Transcend on LinkedIn. Follow Think Education on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

AI-powered platform reduces administrative resources and helps leaders focus on student outcomes

Santa Ana, Calif. (June 8, 2026) — Think Digital, a division of Think Education, today announced the launch of Raly Report, an AI-powered platform designed to simplify and strengthen the development of the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) for California educators and administrators.

Developed specifically for California school systems, Raly Report helps education leaders navigate the complex and time-intensive LCAP process by reducing manual work, improving accuracy, and streamlining document development.

“Raly Report was built in close partnership with education leaders who understand the demands of this process,” said Matt Scharpnick, Chief of Innovation at Think Education. “The goal is to simplify the mechanics of LCAP development while preserving the integrity of the work, so leaders can focus on planning and outcomes.”

A requirement for all school systems in California, the LCAP serves as a key planning document that outlines district goals, actions, services, and resource allocation intended to improve student outcomes. The process often requires extensive coordination across multiple data sources, evolving state requirements, and detailed documentation.

Raly Report was created to help address common challenges associated with LCAP development, including administrative workload, repetitive manual tasks, and the potential for errors that can delay county review and approval.

“We worked closely with experienced education leaders and LCAP experts throughout the development process to ensure Raly Report reflects the realities schools face every day,” added Scharpnick. “Their feedback and hands-on testing helped validate that the platform not only improves efficiency, but also supports the level of accuracy, transparency, and strategic planning that districts need to confidently move through the LCAP process.”

Designed to align with current California state requirements, Raly Report was developed with direct input from education leaders and practitioners with experience across California school systems.

Raly Report supports multiple stages of the LCAP development process. Together, these capabilities are designed to reduce manual entry, improve accuracy, and simplify navigation of complex, non-linear documents.

Key features of Raly Report include:

Import of prior LCAPs to serve as a starting point

Integration with California Dashboard data

Guided prompts to support development of narrative sections

Automated review of spelling, calculations, and internal consistency

Export of a formatted, submission-ready document

Raly Report is part of a growing suite of solutions developed by Think Digital, the AI, innovation, and technology division of Think Education. Built on more than 30 years of direct partnership with California schools, Think Digital translates practical, field-tested expertise into technology solutions designed to help education leaders operate more effectively and better support student success.

Through Think Education’s broader Impact Portfolio, Raly Report reflects the organization’s commitment to developing tech-enabled solutions that strengthen school systems and expand educational opportunity for students across California.

“As education systems continue to evolve, we believe technology should serve as a tool that strengthens the important work happening in schools every day, not complicates it,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Education. “Raly Report reflects our commitment to developing innovative solutions that help education leaders operate more effectively, make informed decisions, and create the conditions that allow every student to thrive.”

Think Education continues to expand its portfolio of leadership development, digital innovation, staffing services, and expanded learning programs while remaining deeply rooted in partnership with California public schools. Through continued investment in people, systems, and collaboration, the organization aims to help create inclusive, supportive learning environments where every student has access to all of life’s possibilities.

About Think Digital

At Think Digital, we’re building the operating system for excellent schools by partnering with pioneers in education to build tools that help every school system achieve excellence for all kids. A division of Think Education, Think Digital was launched to develop innovative digital solutions designed to support educators, administrators, and education systems in improving operational efficiency and student outcomes. Its solutions are designed specifically to meet the evolving needs of California schools and education leaders through technology-driven innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Learn more about Raly Report at Raly.Report. Follow Think Digital on LinkedIn.

About Think Education

Think Education is grounded on a simple but powerful belief: when schools and communities work together, students thrive. What began in 1994 as a grassroots afterschool program in a single neighborhood has grown into deep partnerships with over 120 school systems across California. Today, we bring together innovators and educators to design and implement solutions to the complex challenges in public education. We are a mission-driven, results-oriented nonprofit dedicated to the success of every single student. 

Follow Think Education on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

The new name reflects a commitment to creating conditions for student success, including strong school leadership, collaborative instruction, supportive learning environments, and family and community engagement.

Santa Ana, Calif. (April 7, 2026), Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together, one of California’s leading K-12 education nonprofits, today announced its new name: Think Education. The name reflects the evolution of Think Together’s work and brings together a growing suite of services that, alongside school partners, help create the conditions for every student to succeed.

Under the Think Education umbrella, early learning, afterschool, and expanded learning services will continue to be delivered by Think Together, the organization’s flagship offering and largest division. Additional service divisions include Orenda Education (school improvement) and Think TalentEd (school system staffing services), along with new services including Think Transcend (leadership) and Think Digital (AI tools for school system administrators), launching publicly this year.

“This is a significant moment in our journey,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Education. “Think Education reflects our roots and the communities that shaped us, while also signaling the organization we have grown into. It represents how we are working shoulder to shoulder with school systems to strengthen student outcomes and build innovative solutions that meet the needs of today’s learners.”

Barth’s journey in education began more than 30 years ago with the launch of a critically needed afterschool program in a rented apartment on Shalimar Drive in Costa Mesa. What started as a single afterschool program grew into Think Together, a full-service education partner working with school systems across the state. Throughout its history, the organization has expanded its reach, deepened its expertise, and developed a range of services to support learning both in and out of the school day.

“With this evolution, the organization is affirming its commitment to deepening how it supports schools,” said Think Education Board Chair Dan Young. “Think Education not only provides tools, practices, and system-level solutions that help all students achieve, it’s also an engine for ideas that can be implemented and scaled statewide.”

As Think Education advances the goals outlined in its 5-year strategic plan, the organization remains focused on expanding its reach, deepening school partnerships, and continuously improving its services to help create the conditions for student success in school and beyond.

Building on its strong foundation, Think Education will continue to expand its portfolio of leadership development, digital innovation, staffing services, and expanded learning programs, while remaining deeply rooted in partnership with California’s public schools. Through continued investment in people, systems, and collaboration, Think Education aims to help create inclusive, supportive learning environments where every student has the opportunity to thrive.

About Think Education

Think Education is grounded on a simple but powerful belief: when schools and communities work together, students thrive. What began in 1994 as a grassroots afterschool program in a single neighborhood, has grown into deep partnerships with over 120 school systems across California. Today, we bring together innovators and educators to design and implement solutions to the complex challenges in public education. We are a mission-driven, results-oriented nonprofit dedicated to the success of every single student. 

Follow Think Education on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Think Together on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Think Transcend and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Announce Launch of the Transcendent Leader Institute for California Education Leaders