For nearly six decades, the Bainum Family Foundation has believed deeply in the power of education to change lives. Our founders, Stewart and Jane Bainum, experienced that transformation firsthand during their time in the Seventh-day Adventist school system — the second-largest parochial school system in the world. Their vision for improving education continues to guide our work today through our Seventh-day Adventist Initiative, one of our two legacy programs. This year, we took an important step toward building on their legacy, unveiling a partnership with the Southwest Region Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (SWRC) and, together, shared a vision for the SDA Model System — a collaborative effort to transform Adventist education and lay the groundwork for long-term change.
The SDA Model System is rooted in partnership and built on the combined leadership, insight, and momentum generated by both the SDAI and SWRC over the past several years. While the SDAI has focused on leadership development and field-building, SWRC has brought deep operational expertise, regional stewardship, and a clear commitment to reimagining what is possible for Adventist schools under its care. From the foundation’s side, this journey began in 2022 with a repurposed focus on developing exceptional education leaders through SDAI’s programmatic group, Advancing Christian Education Academy, and then in 2023 with a comprehensive, nationwide survey of Adventist education leaders to best identify the perceived needs of leaders in the field of education. Now, in FY25, the foundation and SWRC have taken the bold next step of formalizing an agreement to jointly design and launch an entirely new school management model — the SDA Model System.
Together, we are building a foundation for change that begins with five states, eight schools, and 250 students, but it is designed to spark transformation across the entire SDA educational system. This model is not just about improving what already exists; it is also about testing new approaches, creating replicable structures, and demonstrating what is possible when schools, communities, and funders commit to going beyond business as usual.
Like laying tracks before a train can run, building a model system requires careful groundwork. Over the past year, our SDAI team in partnership with SWRC leadership have invested in designing governance structures, strengthening internal operations, reimagining what transformative education looks like in the classroom, and engaging education experts in shaping the path forward. These early steps are essential to ensuring the system is not just functional but also sustainable — prepared to scale while maintaining standards and equity at its core.
The opportunity is urgent. Across the SDA network, educators and families alike have voiced a desire for more resources, stronger professional development, and innovative practices that prepare students not just to succeed academically but also to thrive in life and deepen the roots of their faith. By starting small and focusing deeply, the SDA Model System is endeavoring to provide a proof point for what can be achieved when a community comes together around shared purpose. And because it is designed as a model, the lessons learned here can be applied across the broader SDA school system, creating ripple effects far beyond these initial eight schools.
This work is not without challenges. Transforming a system takes time, persistence, and trust. It means building consensus across diverse stakeholders, committing to investing in infrastructure that may not yield immediate results, and embracing the reality that meaningful change unfolds over years, not months. Navigating this complexity has been possible because of SWRC’s steady leadership, deep relationships with school communities, and willingness to engage long-term transformation alongside the foundation. This type of intentional partnership reflects the Bainum Family Foundation’s broader approach across its work — whether in early childhood education, family philanthropy, or now in Adventist education.
As we look ahead, we remain inspired by the vision that fueled our founders and continues to guide our work: that education can open doors and change trajectories. By helping lay the tracks for the SDA Model System, we are building not just for today’s 250 students but also for generations of students, families, and educators who will benefit from a stronger, more equitable, and more resilient SDA school system. We are deeply grateful to SWRC and its leadership for their partnership, trust, and shared commitment to this vision. With the groundwork underway, the system is on track to launch in fall 2026 — a milestone that will mark the beginning of a new chapter for Adventist education.
