Meet Jordan McKee of ALLY Education Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan McKee.

Hi Jordan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started in education because I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, specifically, I wanted to empower students, especially girls, to find and keep their math identity. I built strong connections with students, families, and colleagues, and moved from teacher to Athletic Director to Assistant Principal to Principal of a high school here in LA.

Then the pandemic hit, and my son was born. I realized that if I wanted to truly be present in his life, and in the lives of any future children, I couldn’t stay a principal. So I moved into the EdTech and Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELOP) space, working with companies that partner with school districts. I found myself surrounded by people who were also trying to make a difference in students’ lives, just in a different and more creative way.

That’s when I really saw how sacred the after-school space is. Families work — they can’t pick up their kids at 2:30, especially our TK and Kindergarten students. Kids need a safe place to build connections and have experiences they can’t get during the school day or at home. And this is exactly the time of day when behavior challenges surface — kids have been in school all day, they miss their families, they’re tired and hungry. Who shows up for them in those hours matters enormously.

Through my years in education, my relationships with district leaders, and honestly, the stories my own son brought home each day, I saw a gap. I knew I could do better than what was out there. I wanted to build a company that provides a launchpad for future educators — a place to build their resumes, their pedagogy, and their professional networks — while keeping the main focus on what matters most: fun, engagement, and creating a welcoming environment for kids.

That brings me to today. ALLY Education Collective is only four months old, and we’re launching three district contracts next week with nearly 60 employees. I’m incredibly grateful for the people who have trusted us — whether that’s a district choosing us to serve their students, or an educator uprooting their career to join something brand new. We’re just at the beginning. We’re an educator-led company helping future educators find mentors and community, all while making space for the most important people in our neighborhoods: our children.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, no. Once I moved to the vendor side of education, I realized something surprising: most people in this space aren’t actually trained in K-12 education. Many have never stood in front of a room of 25+ students, and they don’t understand how many things are happening all at once for a school administrator, or how many competing priorities land on their plate every single day.

At one company, I noticed that the only people who actually came from education were the salespeople. They understood school sites’ needs and challenges, and they could speak credibly about the product. But when they brought feedback back to the rest of the company — real, on-the-ground insight about how to make the product better for educators — nobody listened. It was a frustrating cycle to watch, over and over.

The deeper issue was that too many companies had lost sight of who the client really is: the student. Conversations centered on margins and “five-star service,” while student safety — the thing that should be non-negotiable — barely came up. That disconnect was concerning, and honestly, it’s a big part of why I knew I had to build something different.

That said, once I made the decision to build my own company and put my vision and goals on paper, the process has actually been surprisingly smooth. I think that’s because the need for what we’re offering is so clear — districts, educators, and families were already looking for exactly this. When you’re solving a real problem, the right people show up.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
ALLY Education Collective is a specialized staffing partner for ELO-P and ASES expanded learning programs, the after-school hours where, as I mentioned, the right adults matter most. We recruit future educators and prepare them through educator-led training to support every child from the moment school lets out.

Our mission is simple: to make sure every student enters a learning space that’s inclusive, ready for them, and led by someone who truly sees them — from day one.

Here’s what that looks like in practice. Every ALLY instructor completes our ALLY BRIDGE™ training, which is in person & educator-led, before they ever step onto a campus. The training covers inclusive practices, TK/K readiness for our youngest learners, and special education access and co-regulation, all aligned with MTSS and PBIS frameworks. We also walk every hire through their clearances so districts get someone who is genuinely Day-One Ready, not a warm body filling a ratio.

Then there’s the part I’m most proud of: every instructor is selected, trained, and mentored by an Educator Growth Coach, who is a current or former credentialed educator. Our promise to districts is that their students will never be supported by someone dropped into a classroom alone or unprepared. Our promise to our instructors is the same: you show up as part of the school team, not a visitor, with a coach in your corner from day one.

What sets us apart is the model underneath it all. We’re building a pipeline, not just filling positions. We partner with colleges and universities to recruit aspiring educators, give them paid, resume-building experience in real classrooms, surround them with mentors and a professional network, and help them move toward a teaching credential and a full-time career in education. Districts get trained, mission-aligned staff. Students get consistent, caring adults. And the future educator workforce gets a real on-ramp. Everyone wins — especially the kids.

Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is that we lead with our values, and they aren’t just words on a wall: We are Space-Makers — we create room for every student to belong. We Lead with the Heart — empathy, care, and patience come first. And We Speak with Integrity — we do what we say we’ll do. In an industry where I watched too many companies forget who the client really is, we’ve built everything around one idea: educators hire, train, and coach educators, and the student is always the focus.

If readers take one thing away, it’s this: the after-school space doesn’t have to be an afterthought. When you staff it with trained, coached, future educators who truly see kids, those hours between dismissal and pickup become some of the most valuable of a child’s day.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Have confidence in yourself. If you’re thinking about starting your own thing — do it. The idea that’s been sitting in the back of your mind probably deserves more credit than you’re giving it.

But confidence doesn’t mean doing it alone. Surround yourself with people who know more than you about certain aspects of the business. I came in knowing education inside and out, but I had to lean on people who understood the business side — and that combination is what makes it work. You don’t have to be the expert in everything; you have to be honest about what you don’t know and humble enough to find the people who do.

As for what I wish I knew when I was starting out: the leap is scarier in your head than it is in reality. I spent years watching other companies get it wrong before I believed I could do it better. If I could go back, I’d tell myself to trust that conviction sooner. When your vision is rooted in something real — a genuine need, something you actually know from lived experience — the right people and opportunities will meet you there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.allyeducationcollective.com
• Instagram: @allyeducationcollective
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ally-education-collective/