Success from the start

Every child should enter their first classroom on day one confident and ready to learn.

Waterford.org seeks to blend the best aspects of learning science, mentoring relationships, and innovative technologies to form community, school, and home programs that deliver excellence and equity for all learners.

Our Mission

Waterford.org seeks to blend the best aspects of learning science, mentoring relationships, and innovative technologies to form community, school, and home programs that deliver excellence and equity for all learners.

Our Story

Waterford.org was founded by Dr. Dustin Heuston, a pioneering educator who believed every child is entitled to lifelong learning success. Over the years, Dr. Heuston built a collaborative model of child, family, and educator engagement that delivers significant and lasting academic achievement gains. In 2009, that model was launched in Utah with Dr. Claudia Miner as Waterford UPSTART, a kindergarten readiness project serving 4-year-old children and their families. Funded by the Utah State Legislature, Waterford UPSTART delivers computer-adaptive instruction at home alongside personalized support from Family Education Liaisons, who monitor progress and empower parents as their child’s first teachers. Thanks to generous sponsors and partners, Waterford UPSTART has expanded to more than 15 states, and Waterford serves over 300,000 children annually through at-home and in-school programs. And that number is continuously growing!

Our Beliefs

Waterford.org believes while every individual has the capacity for growth at every stage of life, childhood academic experiences are uniquely critical for setting a lifetime learning trajectory.

Waterford.org believes the thoughtfully coordinated support of parents, teachers, and other mentors gives students the ambition and resilience they need to reach their full potential.

Waterford.org believes learning is intrinsically motivating, and it is accelerated when properly matched to an individual’s needs and interests.

Waterford.org believes effective approaches for teaching and learning are best identified by research that is rigorous, iterative, and pragmatic.

Waterford.org believes rapid advancements in technology will continue to increase the precision, adaptivity, and availability of high-quality learning programs, and these innovations offer hope that all individuals can receive excellence and equity in education.

Waterford.org believes policymakers, philanthropists, and others who have the power to make proven, cost-effective educational solutions available to those in need have an urgent responsibility to do so.

Careers

Join our team, and help give every child a great start

Make something that matters
We work together to combine the best technology with research-based, engaging curriculum. As a nonprofit, we strive first and foremost to make a difference in the lives of children, reaching them early, and helping build a strong foundation for their future.

Sound like a mission you can get behind? We are looking for creative, collaborative and passionate people to help make it happen. Join us!