In every thriving educational institution, the foundation lies in a strong, positive culture that nurtures growth, collaboration, and excellence. Transformation within schools is not just about policies or curricula, but about cultivating environments where educators and students alike can prosper. Leaders who pioneer these cultural shifts pave the way for lasting progress and innovation in education, equipping schools to meet the diverse challenges of today’s learners with resolve and vision.
Dr. Anthony Muhammad, a renowned education consultant and author, serves as the CEO of New Frontier 21 Consulting. With nearly two decades of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, he is an internationally recognized expert in school culture and professional learning communities. Through his consulting, bestselling books, and inspiring presentations, he empowers educational leaders worldwide to create collaborative, positive environments that foster meaningful change and improved student outcomes.
A Career Dedicated to School Improvement
Dr. Anthony Muhammad founded New Frontier 21 Consulting in 2007. His journey toward establishing this organization was inspired by his deep desire to make a positive impact on society through education. Dr. Muhammad’s own background began in 1991 as a 7th-grade teacher at Rich Middle School in Lansing, Michigan. Growing up in Flint, Michigan, he witnessed firsthand the negative effects of deindustrialization on his friends, family, and community. His mother, a teacher herself, emphasized the importance of education, which helped him avoid some of the hardships faced by others in his community after the decline of manufacturing jobs.
Dr. Muhammad’s career in education progressed quickly, and by 1999, he was serving as a middle school assistant principal in Waterford, Michigan, and then as a principal from 2001 to 2007 in Southfield, Michigan. His leadership roles allowed him to expand his influence and focus on improving schools. The turning point came in 2001 when he attended a conference on the Professional Learning Community at Work framework in Illinois.
Impressed by the concept, he implemented it in his own school, which saw record growth in student achievement. Recognized for his success, Dr. Anthony Muhammad was invited by the framework’s architects to share his strategies with others. This experience motivated him to start his own consulting firm, with the aim of helping more schools achieve similar success and fulfill his lifelong goal of improving the educational experience for children.
The Impact of Dr. Richard DuFour’s Guidance
The most significant moment of growth for Dr. Muhammad in his journey as an educator was meeting Dr. Richard DuFour in 1991 and being mentored by him until DuFour’s passing in 2017. Dr. Muhammad considers himself privileged to have been DuFour’s student, as he received profound insights into both his professional and personal philosophies. This mentorship played a crucial role in transforming Dr. Anthony Muhammad from someone who simply cared about students into an educator skilled in building systems that ensure student success and inspire others to join in this important work.
This experience with Dr. DuFour helped Dr. Muhammad understand how to create environments where teachers and students can thrive. It also provided him with the tools and understanding needed to develop effective systems for school improvement. This mentorship significantly shaped his approach to education and leadership, reinforcing his commitment to making a positive difference in schools and communities.
Building a Business with Purpose and Growth
Since its founding in 2007 in a spare room of Dr. Muhammad’s home, New Frontier 21 Consulting has grown significantly. As a child, Dr. Muhammad never imagined becoming an entrepreneur, largely because his stepfather’s business struggles had a negative impact on his family. Entrepreneurship was something he wanted to avoid. However, his passion for education gradually transformed into a successful business.
In the early years, the company primarily earned revenue through Dr. Muhammad’s speaking engagements with educators, requiring him to travel extensively – sometimes over 200 days a year – across the country. While this work was impactful and profitable, it demanded a heavy personal toll, especially time away from his family.
This led to important changes in how the business operated: Dr. Anthony Muhammad diversified his services by organizing conferences and ticketed events to attract audiences to him, expanded his team by hiring associate consultants to represent his work in his absence, and strengthened partnerships, particularly with his publisher, Solution Tree, which helped distribute his content through online courses and streaming videos. Dr. Muhammad realized that sustainable business growth happens when trust is placed in others and when leadership empowers a team rather than depending solely on individual effort.
Powerful Frameworks Driving School Success
New Frontier 21 Consulting utilizes two key frameworks to address complex educational challenges, setting its solutions apart in the industry. The first is the Professional Learning Communities at Work framework, developed from the work of Dr. Richard DuFour and Dr. Robert Eaker. This model emphasizes that schools can significantly enhance student learning when educators collaborate intentionally around core teaching practices. It is built on three essential ideas: a focus on student learning outcomes, a collaborative culture, and a results-oriented approach. Within this framework, educators work through four critical questions: what students should learn, how to measure their learning, how to respond if they don’t learn, and how to extend learning when they do.
The second and signature approach of Dr. Anthony Muhammad’s work is based on his bestselling book, Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division. This innovative framework helps educators identify and address the root causes of disruptive conflicts within schools. It guides teachers and administrators in aligning their behaviors with promising instructional practices, thereby improving school culture and student success. Dr. Muhammad’s strategy involves a team of 24 certified associate consultants who implement this model, ensuring that schools are able to sustain meaningful change. Both frameworks underscore the importance of system-level thinking, collaboration, and behavioral alignment, making the solutions of New Frontier 21 unique and effective in tackling educational challenges.
Driving Student Success Across Diverse Schools
New Frontier 21 Consulting’s impact is demonstrated through the success of many schools that have adopted its frameworks, especially the Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work model. The website AllThingsPLC honors 876 schools as models of this concept, with many using the Transforming School Culture framework to prepare for this recognition.
For example, Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Maryland, led by Dr. Yetunde Reeves – who was named Maryland High School Principal of the Year in 2024 and is a certified Transforming School Culture associate – achieved remarkable outcomes. In the 2024-2025 academic year, 100% of enrolled seniors graduated. Maryland Academic Testing (MCAP) proficiency in English/Language Arts improved from 33.6% in 2022 to 63.4% in 2025, nearly doubling in three years.
The school also saw a 5.5% increase in Algebra proficiency over the same period. Additionally, the number of Advanced Placement courses quadrupled in three years, with students achieving an 80% pass rate on the English Literature AP exam and 88% on the AP Spanish Language exam. These achievements represent significant growth in Maryland.
Another example is Lanigan Elementary School in Farmington, Michigan, where student outcomes improved under the leadership of Greg Smith, a certified Transforming School Culture associate who later became superintendent of the Lincoln School District. Notably, students with disabilities doubled their proficiency rate on the state math exam compared to the state average (37% proficiency at Lanigan versus 16% statewide for students with an Individualized Education Program). Despite over half of the student population living below the poverty line, the school’s English proficiency was close to the state average (44% versus 42%).
These examples illustrate the measurable success and value of New Frontier 21 Consulting’s approaches across diverse educational settings.
Research, Speaking, and Impact in Education
Dr. Anthony Muhammad has produced extensive research and thought leadership content that reinforces his authority in the education sector. His work is showcased on the Transforming School Culture landing page, which includes white papers, books, videos, events, and information about associate consultants (Transforming School Culture Professional Development). He also promotes the Professional Learning Community at Work framework on its dedicated landing page, offering similar resources such as white papers, books, videos, and events (PLC at Work®: Become a Thriving Professional Learning Community).
Dr. Anthony Muhammad is a highly sought-after speaker, delivering nearly 80 ticketed conferences and events annually, in addition to over 80 direct engagements with schools and districts. His speaking engagements span all 50 U.S. states and six inhabited continents worldwide. In February 2024, he was an honored delegate at the Human Capability Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Muhammad also serves as an Associate Professor of School Leadership at Academica University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Looking ahead, he is scheduled to be the featured speaker at the Cost of School Culture Institute in Sydney, Australia in 2026 (The Cost of School Culture Summit – Sydney).
Dr. Anthony Muhammad’s Awards & Recognitions
- Michigan State University Distinguished Alumni (Trailblazer Award), 2022
- Recognized in Global Gurus’ Top 30 Education Thought Leaders, 2021–2025
- Achieved peak ranking of #2 in Global Gurus Education List, 2025
Collaborating for Global Educational Reach
Dr. Muhammad’s primary partner is Solution Tree. Their collaboration has been essential in scaling his work widely. Solution Tree has developed innovative ways to distribute his books and scholarship, providing access to schools through multiple platforms. Additionally, Academica University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam is a valued partner. They promote his scholarship throughout Europe, while Dr. Muhammad contributes content to support its impact on students.
This partnership model ensures that Dr. Muhammad’s educational insights reach a broad audience efficiently and with strong support from trusted organizations.
Influential Scholarship and Global Speaking Engagements
Dr. Muhammad and New Frontier 21 Consulting have been featured in numerous articles, interviews, and media platforms that highlight their leadership and impact in education. These include a YouTube feature titled Van PLC Light naar PLC Right? #401, and podcast appearances such as the FS Podcast Shorts – Fearless Schools Podcast and Episode 58: Time For Change – Cognia Leader Chat.
Other notable features include The Authority Podcast – The Way Forward with Anthony Muhammad, and S3 E37: Addressing Challenges in Education Using PLC at Work®.
Together, these appearances showcase Dr. Muhammad’s expert insights on school culture, professional learning communities, and transformational leadership, further establishing his authority in the education sector.
Vision for a Fair and Authentic Education
Dr. Muhammad’s vision for the future of education is clear and straightforward: to fully embrace and live by the values schools profess. He believes that if every school commits genuinely to excellence for all students, dedicating every professional hour to this goal without exceptions, the current gap between the ideal of equality and the reality of inequity will eventually close. Dr. Anthony Muhammad hopes that his legacy will be defined by courage, deep scholarship, and authenticity. Moreover, he aspires for his willingness to challenge the status quo to inspire others to join in the effort to create a better, more equitable educational system worldwide.
Open Letter for Emerging Leaders, Entrepreneurs, and Professionals
Dear emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals,
My advice to you is simple: pursue purpose, not greed or recognition. When your work is driven by greed or the desire for recognition, even the best ideas and well-designed structures will ultimately fail because these foundations are not ethical.
People are naturally drawn to authenticity. They want to invest their time, energy, and resources in something that truly adds value to their lives. If you provide genuine value, success and a loyal customer base will follow. Business is fundamentally about human relationships.
When both parties are sincere and the entrepreneur approaches their work as a true servant, success becomes a natural and expected outcome.
Sincerely,
Dr. Anthony Muhammad, CEO
New Frontier 21 Consulting
5 Key Takeaways from Dr. Anthony Muhammad’s Impact in Educational Leadership
- Culture is the Foundation for School Success: Dr. Muhammad’s central belief is that lasting improvement in education is driven by creating a strong, positive school culture where both teachers and students can grow and thrive.
- Mentorship Transformed His Approach: His long-term mentorship with Dr. Richard DuFour was a crucial turning point, moving him from an educator who simply cared to one who could design effective, system-wide structures that guarantee student success.
- Success is Built on Two Core Frameworks: New Frontier 21 Consulting achieves results by using the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work framework for teacher collaboration and Dr. Muhammad’s own Transforming School Culture model to resolve staff division and align behavior.
- Business Growth Requires Team Empowerment: After years of extensive travel, Dr. Muhammad learned that for a business to grow sustainably, the leader must diversify services, place trust in a team of associate consultants, and not rely solely on individual effort.
- Purpose Over Profit Leads to True Success: Dr. Muhammad advises all emerging leaders to focus on pursuing purpose and providing genuine value to others; he believes that being a “true servant” and authentic in one’s work is the ethical foundation upon which lasting success is built.
 
 
