How One Local Company is Rebuilding the Foundation of K–12 Education
If you’ve walked the halls of a school lately, you’ve felt it: classrooms feel heavier. Teachers are tired. Students are anxious. And school leaders are juggling a dozen crises before the first bell even rings.
Across the Twin Cities suburbs and throughout Minnesota, the data confirms what many already know in their gut: we are in the middle of an education crisis that isn’t just academic. It’s emotional.
In 2022, the Minnesota Student Survey revealed that one in four high school students reported long-term mental health challenges. Teacher burnout is now cited as one of the top barriers to learning by school leaders across the state. And behavior incidents, absenteeism, and disengagement are rising at rates most educators have never seen before.
“It’s not just about teaching math anymore,” said one suburban middle school teacher. “It’s about helping kids manage emotions, build confidence, and feel like they belong. But we were never given the tools to do that.”
The Problem Behind the Problem
For decades, social-emotional learning (SEL) was treated like a bonus—important, but optional. Many schools patched it in with an off-the-shelf curriculum or a poster on the wall. But the past few years have made it clear: academic success is deeply tied to emotional well-being, and no amount of lesson planning can overcome burnout, trauma, or disconnection—especially when staff are struggling too.
What schools need now isn’t another add-on. They need a shared language, a simple system, and a way to support everyone—students, teachers, and leaders—with tools that actually fit the realities of modern classrooms.
Better Together Cubed: A Homegrown Solution with National Impact
That’s where Better Together Cubed (BT3) comes in—a Minnesota-based company founded by longtime educators who saw what wasn’t working and decided to build something better.
BT3 is not just a curriculum. It’s a complete ecosystem for school transformation, offering:
- K–12 SEL lessons that are customizable, culturally responsive, and scenario-based.
- Asynchronous educator wellness and professional development modules designed to fit full schedules, reduce training costs, and support staff in building resilience and well-being.
- Leadership learning tools that help principals and superintendents align priorities, build trust, and lead SEL implementation with clarity.
- Family engagement resources to help carry the work beyond the school walls.
Built in collaboration with local educators and piloted in Minnesota schools, BT3 has quickly gained national recognition. This year, it received the CASEL SELect designation, placing it among the top-tier SEL programs in the country—an achievement that validates its impact and usability at scale.
Traction—and Transformation
BT3 has already been adopted by districts across the Midwest, with a growing footprint nationally with a presence in 12 states.. School leaders report increased student engagement, stronger staff retention, and healthier school culture. And because the platform is digital-first and plug-and-play, it fits seamlessly into even the most complex schedules.
One Twin Cities principal shared: “We all know the challenges that educators are facing professionally, but what we often overlook is the impact of what they are going through in their personal lives. This program allows leaders to focus time and attention to supporting the social and emotional needs of our staff, so they are more balanced people and better equipped to show up for kids.”
From its planning calendar to its AI assistant and personalized dashboards, every feature is designed with one goal in mind: to make it easier for educators to do what they came to do—connect, teach, and lead with purpose.
Built in Minnesota. Built for What’s Next.
BT3 was born here, but it was built for a national need. The social-emotional learning market is projected to reach $3.4 billion by 2030, and the demand for responsive, integrated SEL that supports both students and adults continues to grow.
Better Together Cubed is now raising funds to expand nationwide—with a mission of partnering with districts in all 51 states and being part of a movement where every student can thrive.
Join us in bringing this Minnesota innovation to classrooms everywhere—and in building schools where wellness and belonging aren’t add-ons, but the foundation for learning.
Learn More
Explore the platform, hear from educators, or get involved at: www.bettertogethercubed.com
