SparkED was founded by Art Worrell, Mike Taubman, and Scott Kern, who have been teachers and leaders for a combined 60+ years. Since 2004, we’ve helped schools, departments and teachers cultivate student thinking and voice through intellectually rich analysis, writing, and discussion, all with the goal of helping students create transformative change in their own lives and in our society.

Our approach has led to pathbreaking academic results. Under our leadership, students have annually exceeded the national average on AP History and English exams for over a decade and averaged English SAT scores 100 points higher than College Board’s college readiness benchmark – all some of the strongest AP and SAT results nationwide among schools serving low-income communities.

Our work has been featured in multiple prominent books on education, including Make History (written by Art and Paul Bambrick-Santoyo), Teach Like a Champion, Leverage Leadership, and Love and Literacy, and in books by education researchers. Our classrooms have been covered by the Washington Post and Chalkbeat twice.

Our approach, built on instructional frameworks refined over decades, also incorporates cutting-edge pedagogies and technologies. Our AI Driver's License framework and curriculum — aligned to AI4K12 and ISTE standards — helps students become AI drivers, not passengers, combining practical AI skills with ethical reasoning and career-connected learning. Mike was a three-year Stanford Digital Education Fellow and is a member of CRPE’s inaugural Think Forward Fellowship. Scott and Mike are currently Vanguard Fellows with AI for Equity and CIOB Innovation Fellows with Playlab.

Most importantly, our approach helps students see the humanities, career exploration and holistic AI literacy as lifelong pursuits that pay lifetime dividends.