I’ve wanted to improve people’s lives for as long as I can remember. At the age of eight, I noticed that some neighborhood families seemed less well off, less prosperous and happy, than my own. I asked someone—I don’t recall who it was—what adults can do to make life better for others. I must have pointed to the decrepit housing nearby because the answer was city planning. For years afterward, I dreamed of becoming a city planner.

I discovered economics during my sophomore year at Cornell, and after college I went on to earn a PhD in economics from MIT. In September of 1983 I joined the faculty of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where I remain. Still, I lacked a clear idea of how to help my community.

Then, early in 1984, I designed and taught a new course called State and Local Economic Development Policy. My goal was to explore ways in which community and government entities could help create jobs and raise income levels. To my surprise, the theme of education surfaced again and again in the literature I read. Employers are constantly in search of people with the skills they need—skills learned in school, and skills for which they are willing to pay. By 1990, I knew that education was the answer I had sought as an eight-year-old.

My work with K-12 educators produced the first Tripod survey more than a dozen years ago. From the beginning, the goal has been to learn together with our students, valuing their perspectives and feedback. Among thousands of other educators, each of us is a single person—a small entry in the grand scheme of things. But for your students, your role is huge. Next to their parents, you stand at the center of their world.

We who endeavor to change the world through education wield great privilege along with great responsibility: the privilege of doing what we know is important, and the responsibility to serve our students well. If you are a teacher, thank you for your commitment to your students. If you are an administrator, thank you for supporting your teachers as we strive together for excellence.

With the launch of Tripod Education Partners, I am excited about the team we have assembled and the work we can do together with educators. Please join us in a growing Tripod professional community.