February 3, 2026 (Nashville, TN) – Accelerate, a national nonprofit founded to dramatically improve student outcomes at scale by turning evidence into action, today announced the integration of the State Implementation Fund (SIF) into its core work. The move strengthens Accelerate’s ability to help states turn effective education policies into measurable classroom impact, bridging the gap between research and results.
Launched in 2024 with support from the Walton Family Foundation, SIF addresses a critical challenge in public education: ensuring that strong policies translate into consistent, scalable improvements for students. By working directly with governors and state education chiefs, SIF provides both strategic guidance and funding to help states implement evidence-backed reforms that deliver real outcomes in literacy, math, and beyond.
“States don’t need more ideas—they need practical help turning proven strategies into results,” said Kevin Huffman, CEO of Accelerate and former Tennessee Commissioner of Education. “By integrating SIF into our core work, we’re helping states translate evidence into lasting impact—right when students need it most.”
“State leaders are stepping up and demanding better for students,” said Romy Drucker, Education Program Director for the Walton Family Foundation. “Turning that ambition into results at scale takes more than policy—it takes partnership. The State Implementation Fund helps realize bold commitments for students and teachers in classrooms.”
SIF partnerships are already underway in Tennessee, Maryland, Louisiana, Iowa, Ohio, and South Carolina, with the goal of demonstrating measurable gains in student performance within three years.
“The South Carolina Surge is growing as we do for math what we’ve done for reading—pairing high expectations with high support to deliver real results for students,” said South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. “Accelerate is living up to its name—helping us move faster to equip and empower our hardworking teachers with the high-quality instructional materials, training, and coaching they need to deliver excellent, evidence-based instruction in their classrooms every day. When great teaching is supported and celebrated, Palmetto State students succeed.”
Through these partnerships, SIF aims to:
- Implement evidence-based policy solutions at district, school, and classroom levels to improve student learning outcomes.
- Transition states to sustain reforms long-term through ongoing public funds after the initial SIF investment.
- Measure results through independent evaluations ensuring transparency and accountability.
Since its founding in 2022, Accelerate has helped states leverage more than $400 million in public funding for proven personalized learning interventions, expanding access to individualized instruction for more than 500,000 students across 29 states.
By integrating SIF, Accelerate will deepen its ability to identify which policies and practices are driving the fastest gains, support states in sustaining progress, and replicate successful approaches nationwide.
“For years, the education sector has known what works—but too often we’ve lacked the systems to implement those solutions consistently at scale,” said Accelerate Board Chair Dr. Janice Jackson, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Education and Society Program and former CEO of Chicago Public Schools. “Accelerate is uniquely positioned to close that gap by combining research expertise, hands-on state experience, and operational know-how to make durable change possible.”
As states feel the urgency to deliver results, Accelerate’s integration of the State Implementation Fund marks a pivotal step toward ensuring proven strategies reach every classroom—turning policy into practice and promise into progress for millions of students.
