Design work on the strategy commenced in October 2011 and five pilot networks representing 55 schools (feura) were established. The strategy went live in October 2012 with 57 networks established involving 373 schools (feura) (approximately 15% of New Zealand schools [feura]), with an average of 6 to 7 schools per network. There is a particular focus on priority groups traditionally under-served by the system - Maori, Pasifika, those from lower socioeconomic groups, and those with special education needs - along with their families (whanau), teachers, school and community leaders. As some of the distinctive features, Learning and Change Networks put an explicit and prominent focus on an applied theory of making professional learning communities and networks work so as to achieve outcomes that individual schools and teachers cannot readily do by themselves and on a sophisticated set of leadership and management arrangements that puts the onus on action and change on the networks and their members, while embedding these in regional and national structures of support.