About Higher Learning Lab
Higher Learning Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for the students that systems were not designed to serve. We focus on vulnerable students across K–12 and higher education.
Who we mean by vulnerable students
Vulnerable students are learners, from early childhood through higher education, whose circumstances make them more susceptible to harm, more reliant on whatever support is available, less likely to benefit equally from new tools and programs, or less visible in the research meant to protect them. They include students:
- at sensitive developmental stages, from early childhood through adolescence
- with disabilities or learning differences, with or without an IEP or 504 plan
- learning in a language other than their first, including English learners and international students
- facing poverty, food or housing insecurity, or homelessness
- in foster care, involved with the justice system, from migratory families, or military-connected
- who are racially minoritized, LGBTQ+, immigrant, refugee, or undocumented, or who live in rural communities
- on less-traveled paths, including first-generation college students, student parents, adult learners, and students who are behind academically
- with mental health needs, or who are lonely or socially isolated
Many students belong to more than one group. Vulnerability describes circumstances and risk, not deficits in the student. Read the full definition, with sources →
Our work is grounded in a simple conviction: every student deserves access to evidence-based support, and every institution serving those students deserves access to rigorous research and evaluation. We bridge that gap through applied research, program evaluation, technical assistance, and freely accessible resources.
Higher Learning Lab operates through grant-funded partnerships and contract-based technical services. We partner with universities, school districts, foundations, and other nonprofits to design and conduct the research that drives better decisions for students. We also build and share free resources—literature reviews, practical guides, and data briefs—because the people doing this work on the ground deserve tools that are evidence-based and immediately useful.
Governance
Higher Learning Lab is governed by a board of directors and led by Genevive Bjorn, Ed.D., who founded the organization to formalize a career-long commitment to the students that educational institutions too often fail.
Founder
Genevive Bjorn holds a doctorate in Education from Johns Hopkins University and brings more than twenty years of experience in higher education as a researcher, educator, and institutional consultant. A Knight Digital Media Fellow and award-winning science teacher, she has written more than 50 articles for Nature, Science, The New York Times, and other outlets, and has taught critical reading in 15+ countries. Her published work includes How to Critically Read the Scientific Research Literature: Introducing the CERIC Method (Cambridge University Press, 2026) and Effective Communication and Academic Success for International Students (Routledge, 2026). She co-created the CERIC Method with UC San Diego astrophysicist Adam Burgasser, Ph.D., and teaches it through workshops and a free introductory course.