Innovation in Action: Volume 16

A Big, Bold Start: The 2026 Yass Prize Roadshow

Feb 26, 2026

Welcome to Innovation in Action, a bi-weekly news brief highlighting transformative voices from within the Yass Prize community of awardees. The Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless education - now in its sixth year - is a rapidly growing effort to find, reward, celebrate and expand best-in-class education organizations from every sector, in every state.

On the annual Roadshow for Opportunity, we celebrated five Yass Prize alumni schools who are redefining what is possible for students and families in Florida… and made a surprise announcement at our first stop.

National Competition Launches at Chesterton

On Monday, February 9, at the Orlando campus of the 2025 $1 million Yass Prize winner - Chesterton Schools Network - this year’s Yass Prize competition was officially launched.

Currently operating 70 schools nationwide, with 18 planned to open in 2027 and 30 more in development, Chesterton aims to grow from 100 to 1,000 schools by 2040. “We are grateful, energized, and ready,” Executive Director Emily de Rotstein shared. “The Yass Prize is not only the recognition – it is the fuel.”

Learn more about our Chesterton Roadshow, and watch highlights from the day.

Second Stop: WonderHere

At our next stop in Lakeland, WonderHere, a 2025 Yass Prize Finalist, shared that in the coming year, the school plans to open a 9,000-square-foot campus in a neighboring community, pilot two microschool classrooms within a low-performing public school, and construct new classroom cottages on its existing property - impressive growth in such a short amount of time.

Dive into our WonderHere Roadshow and see insightful moments from the day.

Next Up: Pepin Academies

Our third stop took us to Pepin Academies, a 2025 Yass Prize Finalist, who has been educating students since 1999. This charter network serves over 1,200 students with disabilities in grades 3-12 across three campuses.

“If we believe that disability affects learning, we have to meet it head-on,” shared Executive Director Jeff Skowronek.

Read more about our Pepin Roadshow and watch key takeaways from the visit.

Rounding Out the Week: Primer Microschools

At our last stop, Primer Microschools, 2024 $1 million Yass Prizer Winner, showed first hand how they are creating student-centered microschools and giving great teachers the tools to create their own schools.

Currently operating in Arizona and Florida with future expansion to Texas, Primer is embodying how exceptional education can be accessible for all students.

Dive into our Primer Roadshow and experience the visit firsthand.

With the 2026 Yass Prize application open, forward this to a leader who should apply. Who knows? They could be part of our 2027 Roadshow!

💐 Congrats To…

Mike Long, CEO of SailFuture (2022 Finalist), for being selected as the Keynote Speaker at the 53rd Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships speaking on Social Mobility and Sailing.
Cris Gulacy-Worrel, VP of Oakmont Education (2022 Finalist), for her role as a witness at the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) hearing where she testified to “Empowering Families Through Educational Choice in America.” Listen to her full testimony here.

STOP for Education is an initiative focused on developing and expanding the transformational impact of Yass Prize awardees and partners who are dedicated to the four core STOP principles - Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless education. This new publication, Innovation in Action, will feature the latest from best-in-class education providers.

Follow along STOP for Education on X @edreform. Learn more about STOP for Education and CER’s initiatives here.