Schools aren’t the only facet of education being transformed by technology — teachers are too.
No one knows this better than Cambridge-based BetterLesson, which raised a $10 million Series B round today led by Owl Ventures, with participation from existing investors Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Reach Capital and New Markets Venture Partners.
The startup, which offers a virtual coaching program for K-12 teachers, told BostInno the funding will be used to ramp up hiring efforts in sales, marketing and product development, as well as to scale its professional development software.
BetterLesson pairs teachers with coaches (often former teachers) who help them identify and remediate classroom challenges, and encourages instructors to try out innovative teaching tactics.
The company, which employs about 50 in Cambridge, was launched in 2008 by former teachers Alex Grodd and Erin Osborn. Originally, BetterLesson’s platform focused on helping teachers share lesson plans and curriculum with one another, but the founders quickly realized there was a larger market opportunity.
By 2014, BetterLesson shifted its focus to offering professional development classes that can be purchased at the school or district level. Teachers enrolled in the program receive research-based instructional methods and are asked to measure their impact on student learning. The teachers also meet with their virtual coach every other week.
Currently, the company’s program is being used by 55 school districts across the United States.
