I write this as summer closes and classrooms across the country fill with life again. Millions of students return with hope and possibility. Families entrust schools with their children’s future, trusting they will be seen, supported, and guided toward their full potential. Teachers step into the sacred art of teaching and learning, setting expectations and nurturing new relationships.
And behind the scenes, often unseen and unthanked, district administrators exhale. Once again, they’ve stood up another school year.
Plan Forward was built for administrators.
Our mission begins with deep respect for these leaders—the unsung heroes navigating new programs, policies, and mandates, often without the tools or data to know what’s working or how to adjust. They face constant demands for results but rarely have the real-time feedback, space to reflect, or continuity of support they deserve. Instead, they inherit a cycle of short-term initiatives, leadership turnover, and relentless urgency.
At Plan Forward, we believe administrators deserve something better.
Why I started Plan Forward
The seeds of Plan Forward were planted long before the platform itself. First in the classroom in Miami-Dade where I learned the value of understanding what strategies are working for which student groups.
Then in 2019, a village in Burkina Faso, West Africa, that had been my home years before, was attacked. In response, I turned to long-distance triathlons as a way to raise awareness for families forced from their homes. Along the way, I met an elite coach who used my weekly data to guide me toward goals I once thought impossible.
That experience revealed something profound:
High expectations are uncompromisable, yet must be paired with continuous support.
Progress requires demonstration of impact with real-time, feedback data.
Lasting change is only possible through sustained, supported growth.
This lesson wasn’t new, it has echoed throughout my life. Again and again, continuous support has allowed me to defy the odds, to heal, to grow, to transform.
And that is the heart of Plan Forward.
Moving Forward Together
If a coach could help me become an athlete I never dreamed I could be, imagine what our nation’s administrators can do with the right support system.
Because when administrators thrive, schools thrive. And when schools thrive, students thrive.
We move forward—together.
If you believe in leading change through support, not just managing it, join us.
If you’re interested in bringing our continuous support model to your cohort, team, or organization, we would be honored to speak with your group.
With gratitude and solidarity,
Dr. Anne Spear
Founder & CEO, Plan Forward