3DE: For Every Student & Every Dimension of Life

3DE isn’t a one-off program for “high achievers” or a niche track for a select few. It’s a fully integrated model designed with every learner in mind—from Tampa Bay to Southern California.  

For too many young people, school feels disconnected from their lives, their interests, and their futures. 3DE changes that reality. We are re‑engineering the high school experience to work for all students. 

As researchers Christenson, Reschly, and Wylie (2012) identified, “student engagement is the behavioral engine that drives achievement.” When students see purpose in their learning, they show up differently. They lean in. They discover what they’re capable of.  

Teachers see it every day. As one 3DE educator shared, “Being a 3DE teacher has made me see what my students are really capable of, which is much more than I ever realized.” That shift in mindset and expectations is at the heart of why the model works. We must deliver learning that effectively unlocks potential, empowering students to go beyond the world they know at 14 years old. 

To fully do that, the 3DE model expands beyond the classroom into every dimension of life. 3DE schools are tapping into students’ innate desire to learn. We are building communities of engaged, aspirational teens who feel empowered and are becoming equipped with the mindset, skills, and behaviors to thrive inside and outside the classroom, and for whatever comes next.  

Families feel the difference. One parent reflected, “3DE teaches students so much more than their core curriculum. It’s giving my son the skills he needs to succeed.” Confidence, agency, and belonging aren’t abstract ideas in 3DE. They’re lived experiences that shape how students view themselves and what they believe is possible. 

The results are compelling: 3DE is a catalyst for change—improving engagement, strengthening academic performance, and increasing graduation rates and post-secondary outcomes. 

Our goal is bold. 3DE is built for scale, and we aim to reach one-third of comprehensive metro high schools across the country. We want to be the inflection point for broader systemic change, because 3DE is committed to every student, in every dimension of life. 

Christenson, S. L., Reschly, A. L., & Wylie, C. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of research on student engagement. Springer Science & Business Media.