ReportWire

Tag: educators

  • Despite platform fatigue, educators use AI to bridge resource gaps

    Key points:

    Sixty-five percent of educators use AI to bridge resource gaps, even as platform fatigue and a lack of system integration threaten productivity, according to Jotform‘s EdTech Trends 2026 report.

    Based on a survey of 50 K-12 and higher education professionals, the report reveals a resilient workforce looking for ways to combat the effects of significant budget cuts and burnout. The respondents were teachers, instructors, and professors split about equally between higher education and K-12.

    While 56 percent of educators are “very concerned” over recent cuts to U.S. education infrastructure, 65 percent are now actively using AI. Of those using AI, nearly half (48 percent) use it for both student learning and administrative tasks, such as summarizing long documents and automating feedback.

    “We conducted this survey to better understand the pain points educators have with technology,” says Lainie Johnson, director of enterprise marketing at Jotform. “We were surprised that our respondents like their tech tools so much. Because while the tools themselves are great, their inability to work together causes a problem.”

    Key findings from the EdTech Trends 2026 report include:

    The integration gap: Although 77 percent of educators say their current digital tools work well, 73 percent cite a “lack of integration between systems” as their primary difficulty. “The No. 1 thing I would like for my digital tools to do is to talk to each other,” one respondent noted. “I feel like often we have to jump from one platform to another just to get work done.”

    Platform fatigue: Educators are managing an average of eight different digital tools, with 50 percent reporting they are overwhelmed by “too many platforms.”

    The burden of manual tasks: Despite the many digital tools they use, educators spend an average of seven hours per week on manual tasks.

    AI for productivity: Fifty-eight percent of respondents use AI most frequently as a productivity tool for research, brainstorming, and writing.

    Data security and ethics: Ethical implications and data security are the top concerns for educators when implementing AI.

    This press release originally appeared online.

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • Beyond the dashboard: Why K-12 educators need data literacy, not just data

    Key points:

    Walk into any data meeting at a K-12 school today, and you’ll likely see a familiar scene: educators huddled around printed reports, highlighters in hand, trying to make sense of student data spread across multiple dashboards. If you’ve ever left one of these meetings feeling mentally exhausted without clear next steps, you’re not alone. The problem isn’t that we lack data in education, but rather that most dashboards show us the past–not the path ahead. It’s like trying to drive while only looking in the rearview mirror.

    The education sector sits on massive amounts of student data, yet most schools lack data maturity. They’ve committed to using data and may even have systems that centralize records. But they haven’t embraced what’s possible when we move from having data to using it well; from describing what happened to predicting what’s likely to happen if nothing changes.

    We have dashboards–now what?

    Every district has dashboards. We can see attendance rates, assessment scores, and demographic breakdowns. These tools tell us what happened, which is useful–but increasingly insufficient for the challenges facing K-12 schools. By the time we’re reacting to chronic absenteeism or declining grades, we’re already behind. And, when does an educator have time to sit down, pull up multiple dashboards, and interpret what they say about each student?

    The power of any data dashboard isn’t in the dashboard itself. It’s in the conversations that happen around it. This is where data literacy becomes essential, and it goes far beyond simply reading a chart or calculating an average.

    Data literacy means asking better questions and approaching data with curiosity. It requires recognizing that the answers we get are entirely driven by the questions we ask. A teacher who asks, “Which students failed the last assessment?” will get very different insights than one who asks, “Which students showed growth but still haven’t reached proficiency, and what patterns exist among them?”

    We must also acknowledge the emotional dimension of data in schools. Some educators have been burned when data was used punitively instead of for improvement. That resistance is understandable, but not sustainable. The solution isn’t to check professional expertise at the door. It’s to approach data with both curiosity and courage, questioning it in healthy ways while embracing it as a tool for problem-solving.

    From descriptive to predictive: What’s possible

    Let’s distinguish between types of analytics. Descriptive analytics tell us what happened: Jorge was absent 15 days last semester. Diagnostic analytics tell us why: Jorge lives in a household without reliable transportation, and his absences cluster on Mondays and Fridays.

    Now we get to the game-changers: predictive and prescriptive analytics. Predictive analytics use historical patterns to forecast what’s likely to happen: Based on current trends, Jorge is at 80 percent risk of chronic absenteeism by year’s end. Prescriptive analytics go further by helping the educator understand what they should do to intervene. If we connect Jorge’s family with transportation support and assign a mentor for weekly check-ins, we can likely reduce his absence risk by 60 percent.

    The technology to do this already exists. Machine learning can identify patterns across thousands of student records that would take humans months to discern. AI can surface early warning signs before problems become crises. These tools amplify teacher judgment, serving up insights and allowing educators to focus their expertise where it matters most.

    The cultural shift required

    Before any school rushes to adopt the next analytics tool, it’s worth pausing to ask: What actually happens when someone uses data in their daily work?

    Data use is deeply human. It’s about noticing patterns, interpreting meaning, and deciding what to do next. That process looks different for every educator, and it’s shaped by the environment in which they work: how much time they have to meet with colleagues, how easily they can access the right data, and whether the culture encourages curiosity or compliance.

    Technology can surface patterns, but culture determines whether those patterns lead to action. The same dashboard can spark collaboration in one school and defensiveness in another. That’s why new tools require attention to governance, trust, and professional learning–not just software configuration.

    At the end of the day, the goal isn’t simply to use data more often, but to use it more effectively.

    Moving toward this future requires a fundamental shift in how we think about data: from a compliance exercise to a strategic asset. The most resilient schools in the coming years will have cultures where data is pervasive, shared transparently, and accessible in near real-time to the people who need it. Think of it as an instructional co-pilot rather than a monkey on the back.

    This means moving away from data locked in the central office, requiring a 10-step approval process to access. Instead, imagine a decentralized approach where a fifth-grade team can instantly generate insights about their students’ reading growth, or where a high school counselor can identify seniors at risk of not graduating with enough time to intervene.

    This kind of data democratization requires significant change management. It demands training, clear protocols, and trust. But the payoff is educators empowered to make daily decisions grounded in timely, relevant information.

    Turning data into wisdom

    Data has been part of education from the very beginning. Attendance records, report cards, and gradebooks have always informed teaching. What’s different now is the volume of data available and the sophistication of tools to analyze it. K-12 educators don’t need to become data scientists, but they do need to become data literate: curious, critical consumers of information who can ask powerful questions and interpret results within the rich context of their professional expertise.

    The schools that harness their data effectively will be able to identify struggling students earlier, personalize interventions more effectively, and use educator time more strategically. But this future requires us to move beyond the dashboard and invest in the human capacity to transform data into wisdom. That transformation starts with data literacy, and it starts now.

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    Dr. Curt Merlau, Resultant

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  • 5 tips for educators using video

    Key points:

    When you need to fix your sink, learn how to use AI, or cook up a new recipe, chances are you searched on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or even Facebook–and found a video, watched it, paused it, rewound it, and successfully accomplished your goal. Why? Videos allow you to get the big picture, and then pause, rewind, and re-watch the instruction as many times as you want, at your own pace.  Video-based instruction offers a hands-free, multichannel (sight and sound) learning experience. Creating educational videos isn’t an “extra” for creating instruction in today’s world; it’s essential.

    As an educator, over the past 30 years, I’ve created thousands of instructional videos. I started creating videos at Bloomsburg University early in my career so I could reinforce key concepts, visually present ideas, and provide step-by-step instruction on software functionality to my students. Since those early beginnings, I’ve had the chance to create video-based courses for Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) and for my YouTube channel.

    Creating instructional videos has saved me time, expanded my reach, and allowed me to have more impact on my students.

    Tips

    Creating educational videos over the years has taught me a number of key lessons that can help you, too, to create impactful and effective instructional videos.

    Be yourself and have fun

    The first rule is to not overthink it. You are not giving a performance; you are connecting with your students. In your instructional video, talk directly to your students and connect with them. The video should be an extension of your personality. If you tell silly jokes in class, tell silly jokes in the video. You want your authentic voice, your expressions, and your energy in the videos you create.

    And don’t worry about mistakes. When I first did Lynda.com courses, any small mistake I made meant we had to redo the take. However, over the years, the feedback I’ve received on the videos across LinkedIn Learning indicated that flawless performances were not the way to go because they didn’t feel “real.” Real people make mistakes, misspeak, and mispronounce words. Students want to connect with you, not with flawless editing. If you stumble over a word, laugh it off and keep going. The authenticity makes the student feel like you’re right there with them. If you watch some of my current LinkedIn Learning courses, you’ll notice some mistakes, and that’s okay–it’s a connection, not a distraction.

    Speak with the students, don’t lecture

    Video gives you the chance to have an authentic connection with the student as if you were sitting across the desk from them, having a friendly but informative chat. When filming, look directly into the camera, but don’t stare–keep it natural. In actual conversations, two people don’t stare at each other, they occasionally look away or look to the side. Keep that in mind as you are recording. Also make sure you smile, are animated, and seem excited to share your knowledge. Keep your tone conversational, not formal. Don’t slip into “lecture mode.” When you look directly into the camera and speak directly to the student, you create a sense of intimacy, presence, and connection. That simple shift from a lecture mindset to conversation will make the video far more impactful and help the learning to stick.

    Record in short bursts

    You don’t have to record a one-hour lecture all at once. In fact, don’t!  A marathon recording session isn’t good for you. It creates fatigue, mistakes, and the dreaded “do-over” spiral where one slip-up makes you want to restart the entire video. Instead, record in short bursts, breaking your content into segments. Usually, I try to record only about four to five minutes at a time.  The beauty of this technique is that if it’s completely a mess and needs a total “do over,” you only need to re-record a few minutes, not the entire lecture. This is a lifesaver. Before I began using this technique, I dreaded trying to get an entire one-hour lecture perfect for the recording, even though I was rarely perfect in delivering it in class. But the pressure, because it was recorded, was almost overwhelming.

    Now, I record in small segments and either put them all together after I’ve recorded them individually or present them to students individually. The advantage of individually recorded videos for students is that it makes the content easier to learn. They can re-watch the exact piece they struggled with instead of hunting through an hour-long video to find just what they need.

    Keep it moving

    A word of caution: We’ve all seen those videos. You know the ones: A tiny talking head hovers in the corner, reading every bullet point like it’s the audiobook version of the slide while the same slide just sits there for 15 minutes with no movement and no animation–not even a text flying in from the left. Ugh. Don’t let your visuals sit there like wallpaper. Instead, strive for movement. About every 30 seconds, give learners something new to look at. That could mean switching to the next slide, drawing live on a whiteboard, cutting to you speaking and then back to the slide, or animating an illustration to show movement. The point is that motion grabs attention. For a video, cut down your wall-of-text slides. Use fewer words and more slides. If you have 50 words crammed on one slide, split it into three slides. Insert an image, a chart, or even a simple sketch. If you’re teaching software, demonstrate it on screen instead of describing it in words. If you’re explaining a process, illustrate the steps as you go. The more movement, the more likely you are to hold the learner’s attention.

    Keep production simple

    The good news about creating educational videos is that you don’t need a big budget or a film crew to get started. All you need is a camera, a good microphone, and a simple video creation tool. Now, I would advise not using your laptop’s built-in camera or microphone. They don’t do the job well. You don’t want a grainy, pixelated picture or muffled audio. They make it too hard for students to focus and even harder for them to stay engaged. For video, I recommend using an external webcam. Even a modest one is a huge step up from what’s baked into most PCs. For audio, go with an external microphone, or even a good-quality headset. For the video tool, I have not found a simpler or easier-to-use tool than Camtasia’s free online, cloud-based tool. The free version lets you record your screen, capture your voice, do slight edits, and add backgrounds.  It is more than enough to create clear, useful videos that your students can actually learn from. Remember, the goal isn’t Hollywood production. You want clear, effective, and authentic instructional videos.

    By using these five tips, educators can create instructional videos to save time, expand their reach, and create greater impacts on their students. Grab a good camera, a decent headset, and free video software, and create your first instructional video. Just simply start. You’ll wonder why you waited so long.

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    Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D., Learning and Development Mentor Academy

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  • AI use is on the rise, but is guidance keeping pace?

    Key points:

    The rapid rise of generative AI has turned classrooms into a real-time experiment in technology use. Students are using AI to complete assignments, while teachers are leveraging it to design lessons, streamline grading, and manage administrative tasks.

    According to new national survey data from RAND, AI use among both students and educators has grown sharply–by more than 15 percentage points in just the past one to two years. Yet, training and policy have not kept pace. Schools and districts are still developing professional development, student guidance, and clear usage policies to manage this shift.

    As a result, educators, students, and parents are navigating both opportunities and concerns. Students worry about being falsely accused of cheating, and many families fear that increased reliance on AI could undermine students’ critical thinking skills.

    Key findings:

    During the 2024-2025 school year, AI saw rapid growth.

    AI use in schools surged during the 2024-2025 academic year. By 2025, more than half of students (54 percent) and core subject teachers (53 percent) were using AI for schoolwork or instruction–up more than 15 points from just a year or two earlier. High school students were the most frequent users, and AI adoption among teachers climbed steadily from elementary to high school.

    While students and parents express significant concern about the potential downsides of AI, school district leaders are far less worried.

    Sixty-one percent of parents, 48 percent of middle school students, and 55 percent of high school students believe that increased use of AI could harm students’ critical-thinking skills, compared with just 22 percent of district leaders. Additionally, half of students said they worry about being falsely accused of using AI to cheat.

    Training and policy development have not kept pace with AI use in schools.

    By spring 2025, only 35 percent of district leaders said their schools provide students with training on how to use AI. Meanwhile, more than 80 percent of students reported that their teachers had not explicitly taught them how to use AI for schoolwork. Policy guidance also remains limited–just 45 percent of principals said their schools or districts have policies on AI use, and only 34 percent of teachers reported policies specifically addressing academic integrity and AI.

    The report offers recommendations around AI use and guidance:

    As AI technology continues to evolve, trusted sources–particularly state education agencies–should provide consistent, regularly updated guidance on effective AI policies and training. This guidance should help educators and students understand how to use AI as a complement to learning, not a replacement for it.

    District and school leaders should clearly define what constitutes responsible AI use versus academic dishonesty and communicate these expectations to both teachers and students. In the near term, educators and students urgently need clarity on what qualifies as cheating with AI.

    Elementary schools should also be included in this effort. Nearly half of elementary teachers are already experimenting with AI, and these early years are when students build foundational skills and habits. Providing age-appropriate, coherent instruction about AI at this stage can reduce misuse and confusion as students progress through school and as AI capabilities expand.

    Ultimately, district leaders should develop comprehensive AI policies and training programs that equip teachers and students to use AI productively and ethically across grade levels.

    Laura Ascione
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    Laura Ascione

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  • 25 predictions about AI and edtech

    eSchool News is counting down the 10 most-read stories of 2025. Story #2 focuses on predictions educators made for AI in 2025.

    When it comes to education trends, AI certainly has staying power. As generative AI technologies evolve, educators are moving away from fears about AI-enabled cheating and are embracing the idea that AI can open new doors for teaching and learning.

    AI tools can reduce the administrative burden so many educators carry, can personalize learning for students, and can help students become more engaged in their learning when they use the tools to brainstorm and expand on ideas for assignments and projects. Having AI skills is also essential for today’s students, who will enter a workforce where AI know-how is becoming more necessary for success.

    So: What’s next for AI in education? We asked educators, edtech industry leaders, stakeholders, and experts to share some predictions about where they think AI is headed in 2025. (Here’s our list of 50 predictions for edtech in 2025.)

    Here’s what they had to say:

    In 2025, online program leaders will begin to unlock the vast potential of generative AI, integrating it more deeply into the instructional design process in ways that can amplify and expedite the work of faculty and instructional designers. This technology, already making waves in instruction and assessment, stands poised to transform the creation of online courses. By streamlining time-intensive tasks, generative AI offers the promise of automation, replication, and scalability, enabling institutions to expand their online offerings at an unprecedented pace. The key is that we maintain rigorous standards of quality–and create clear guardrails around the ethical use of AI at a time when increasingly sophisticated models are blurring the lines between human design–and artificial intelligence. Generative AI holds extraordinary promise, but its adoption must be grounded in practices that prioritize equitable and inclusive access, transparency, and educational excellence.
    –Deb Adair, CEO, Quality Matters

    In 2025, education in the United States will reflect both the challenges and opportunities of a system in transition. Uncertainty and change at the federal level will continue to shift decision-making power to states, leaving them with greater autonomy but also greater responsibility. While this decentralization may spark localized innovation, it is just as likely to create uneven standards. In some states, we’ve already seen benchmarks lowered to normalize declines, a trend that could spread as states grapple with resource and performance issues. This dynamic will place an even greater burden on schools, teachers, and academic leaders. As those closest to learners, they will bear the responsibility of bridging the gap between systemic challenges and individual student success. To do so effectively, schools will require tools that reduce administrative complexity, enabling educators to focus on fostering personal connections with students–the foundation of meaningful academic growth. AI will play a transformative role in this landscape, offering solutions to these pressures. However, fragmented adoption driven by decentralized decision-making will lead to inequities, with some districts leveraging AI effectively and others struggling to integrate it. In this complex environment, enterprise platforms that offer flexibility, integration, and choice will become essential. 2025 will demand resilience and creativity, but it also offers all of us an opportunity to refocus on what truly matters: supporting educators and the students they inspire.
    —Scott Anderberg, CEO, Moodle

    As chatbots become more sophisticated, they’re rapidly becoming a favorite among students for their interactive and personalized support, and we can expect to see them increasingly integrated into classrooms, tutoring platforms, and educational apps as educators embrace this engaging tool for learning. Additionally, AI is poised to play an even larger role in education, particularly in test preparation and course planning. By leveraging data and predictive analytics, AI-driven tools will help students and educators create more tailored and effective learning pathways, enhancing the overall educational experience.
    —Brad Barton, CTO, YouScience 

    As we move into 2025,  we’ll move past the AI hype cycle and pivot toward solving tangible classroom challenges. Effective AI solutions will integrate seamlessly into the learning environment, enhancing rather than disrupting the teaching experience. The focus will shift to practical tools that help teachers sustain student attention and engagement–the foundation of effective learning. These innovations will prioritize giving educators greater flexibility and control, allowing them to move freely around the classroom while effortlessly managing and switching between digital resources. An approach that ensures technology supports and amplifies the irreplaceable human connections at the heart of learning, rather than replacing them.
    –Levi Belnap, CEO, Merlyn Mind

    The year 2025 is set to transform science education by implementing AI-driven learning platforms. These platforms will dynamically adjust to the student’s interests and learning paces, enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in education. Additionally, virtual labs and simulations will rise, enabling students to experiment with concepts without geographical constraints. This evolution will make high-quality STEM education more universally accessible.
    –Tiago Costa, Cloud & AI Architect, Microsoft; Pearson Video Lesson Instructor 

    In the two years since GenAI was unleashed, K-12 leaders have ridden the wave of experimentation and uncertainty about the role this transformative technology should have in classrooms and districts. 2025 will see a shift toward GenAI strategy development, clear policy and governance creation, instructional integration, and guardrail setting for educators and students. K-12 districts recognize the need to upskill their teachers, not only to take advantage of GenAI to personalize learning, but also so they can teach students how to use this tech responsibly. On the back end, IT leaders will grapple with increased infrastructure demands and ever-increasing cybersecurity threats.
    —Delia DeCourcy, Senior Strategist, Lenovo Worldwide Education Team

    AI-driven tools will transform the role of teachers and support staff in 2025: The advent of AI will allow teachers to offload mundane administrative tasks to students and provide them more energy to be at the “heart and soul” of the classroom. Moreover, more than two-thirds (64 percent) of parents agreed or strongly agreed that AI should help free teachers from administrative tasks and help them build connections with the classroom. Impact of technological advancements on hybrid and remote learning models in 2025: AI is revolutionizing the online learning experience with personalized pathways, tailored skills development and support, and enhanced content creation. For example, some HBS Online courses, like Launching Tech Ventures, feature an AI course assistant bot to help address learners’ questions and facilitate successful course completion. While the long-term impact remains uncertain, AI is narrowing the gap between online and in-person education. By analyzing user behavior and learning preferences, AI can create adaptive learning environments that dynamically adjust to individual needs, making education more engaging and effective. 
    –David Everson, Senior Director of Marketing Solutions, Laserfiche

    In education and digital publishing, artificial intelligence (AI) will continue transitioning from novelty applications to solutions that address real-world challenges facing educators and students. Successful companies will focus on data security and user trust, and will create learner-centered AI tools to deliver personalized experiences that adapt to individual needs and enhance efficiency for educators, enabling them to dedicate more time to fostering meaningful connections with students. The ethical integration of AI technologies such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is key to this evolution. Unlike traditional large language models that ingest information from the Internet at large, RAG delivers AI outputs that are grounded in authoritative, peer-reviewed content, reducing the risk of misinformation while safeguarding the integrity of intellectual property. Thoughtfully developed AI tools such as this will become partners in the learning journey, encouraging analysis, problem-solving, and creativity rather than fostering dependence on automated responses. By taking a deliberate approach that focuses on ethical practices, user-centered design, and supporting the cultivation of essential skills, successful education companies will use AI less as innovation for its own sake and more as a means to provide rich and memorable teaching and learning experiences.
    —Paul Gazzolo, Senior Vice President & Global General Manager, Gale, a Part of Cengage Group

    Adaptive learning technologies will continue to personalize curriculum and assessment, creating a more responsive and engaging educational journey that reflects each student’s strengths and growth areas. Generative AI and other cutting-edge advancements will be instrumental in building solutions that optimize classroom support, particularly in integrating assessment and instruction. We will see more technology that can help educators understand the past to edit materials in the present, to accelerate teachers planning for the future.
    —Andrew Goldman, EVP, HMH Labs

    We’ll witness a fundamental shift in how we approach student assessment, moving away from conventional testing models toward more authentic experiences that are seamless with instruction. The thoughtful integration of AI, particularly voice AI technology, will transform assessment from an intermittent event into a natural part of the learning process. The most promising applications will be those that combine advanced technology with research-validated methodologies. Voice-enabled assessments will open new possibilities for measuring student knowledge in ways that are more natural and accessible, especially for our youngest learners, leveraging AI’s capabilities to streamline assessment while ensuring that technology serves as a tool to augment, rather than replace, the critical role of teachers.
    –Kristen Huff, Head of Measurement, Curriculum Associates

    AI is already being used by many educators, not just to gain efficiencies, but to make a real difference in how their students are learning. I suspect in 2025 we’ll see even more educators experimenting and leveraging AI tools as they evolve–especially as more of the Gen Z population enters the teaching workforce. In 2024, surveyed K-12 educators reported already using AI to create personalized learning experiences, provide real-time performance feedback, and foster critical thinking skills. Not only will AI usage continue to trend up throughout 2025, I do believe it will reach new heights as more teachers begin to explore GenAI as a hyper-personalized asset to support their work in the classroom. This includes the use of AI as an official teacher’s assistant (TA), helping to score free response homework and tests and providing real-time, individualized feedback to students on their education journey.
    –John Jorgenson, CMO, Cambium Learning Group

    The new year will continue to see the topic of AI dominate the conversation as institutions emphasize the need for students to understand AI fundamentals, ethical considerations, and real-world applications outside of the classroom. However, a widening skills gap between students and educators in AI and digital literacy presents a challenge. Many educators have not prioritized keeping up with rapid technological advancements, while students–often exposed to digital tools early on–adapt quickly. This gap can lead to uneven integration of AI in classrooms, where students sometimes outpace their instructors in understanding. To bridge this divide, comprehensive professional development for teachers is essential, focusing on both technical skills and effective teaching strategies for AI-related topics. Underscoring the evolving tech in classrooms will be the need for evidence of outcomes, not just with AI but all tools. In the post-ESSER era, evidence-based decision-making is crucial for K-12 schools striving to sustain effective programs without federal emergency funds. With the need to further justify expenditures, schools must rely on data to evaluate the impact of educational initiatives on student outcomes, from academic achievement to mental health support. Evidence helps educators and administrators identify which programs truly benefit students, enabling them to allocate resources wisely and prioritize what works. By focusing on measurable results, schools can enhance accountability, build stakeholder trust, and ensure that investments directly contribute to meaningful, lasting improvements in learning and well-being.
    —Melissa Loble, Chief Academic Officer, Instructure

    With AI literacy in the spotlight, lifelong learning will become the new normal. Immediate skills need: The role of “individual contributors” will evolve, and we will all be managers of AI agents, making AI skills a must-have. Skills of the future: Quantum skills will start to be in demand in the job market as quantum development continues to push forward over the next year. Always in-demand skills: The overall increase in cyberattacks and emerging risks, such as harvest now and decrypt later (HNDL) attacks, will further underscore the continued importance of cybersecurity skills. Upskilling won’t end with AI. Each new wave of technology will demand new skills, so lifelong learners will thrive. AI will not be siloed to use among technology professionals. The democratization of AI technology and the proliferation of AI agents have already made AI skills today’s priority. Looking ahead, quantum skills will begin to grow in demand with the steady advance of the technology. Meanwhile cybersecurity skills are an evergreen need.
    —Lydia Logan, VP of Global Education & Workforce Development, IBM

    This coming year, we’ll see real progress in using technology, particularly GenAI, to free up teachers’ time. This will enable them to focus on what they do best: working directly with students and fostering the deep connections crucial for student growth and achievement. GenAI-powered assistants will streamline lesson planning after digesting information from a sea of assessments to provide personalized recommendations for instruction to an entire class, small groups, and individual students. The bottom line is technology that never aims to replace a teacher’s expertise–nothing ever should–but gives them back time to deepen relationships with students.
    —Jack Lynch, CEO, HMH

    Looking to 2025, I anticipate several key trends that will further enhance the fusion of educators, AI and multimodal learning. AI-powered personalization enhanced by multimedia: AI will deliver personalized learning paths enriched with various content formats. By adapting to individual learning styles–whether visual, auditory, or kinesthetic–we can make education more engaging and effective. Expansion of multimodal learning experiences: Students will increasingly expect learning materials that engage multiple senses. Integrating short-form videos created and vetted by actual educators, interactive simulations, and audio content will cater to different learning preferences, making education more inclusive and effective. Deepening collaboration with educators: Teachers will play an even more critical role in developing and curating multimodal content. Their expertise ensures that the integration of technology enhances rather than detracts from the learning experience.
    –Nhon Ma, CEO & Co-founder, Numerade

    AI and automation become a competitive advantage for education platforms and systems. 2025 will be the year for AI to be more infused in education initiatives and platforms. AI-powered solutions have reached a tipping point from being a nice-to-have to a must-have in order to deliver compelling and competitive education experiences. When we look at the education sector, the use cases are clear. From creating content like quizzes, to matching students with education courses that meet their needs, to grading huge volumes of work, enhancing coaching and guidance for students, and even collecting, analyzing and acting on feedback from learners, there is so much value to reap from AI. Looking ahead, there could be additional applications in education for multimodal AI models, which are capable of processing and analyzing complex documents including images, tables, charts, and audio.
    —Rachael Mohammed, Corporate Social Responsibility Digital Offerings Leader, IBM

    Agentic and Shadow AI are here. Now, building guardrails for safe and powerful use will be key for education providers and will require new skillsets. In education, we expect the start of a shift from traditional AI tools to agents. In addition, the mainstream use of AI technology with ChatGPT and OpenAI has increased the potential risk of Shadow AI (the use of non-approved public AI applications, potentially causing concerns about compromising sensitive information). These two phenomena highlight the importance of accountability, data and IT policies, as well as control of autonomous systems. This is key mostly for education providers, where we think there will be greater attention paid to the AI guardrails and process. To be prepared, educators, students, and decision makers at all levels need to be upskilled in AI, with a focus on AI ethics and data management. If we invest in training the workforce now, they will be ready to responsibly develop and use AI and AI agents in a way that is trustworthy.
    —Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President & Chief Impact Officer, IBM

    Rather than replacing human expertise, AI can be used as a resource to allow someone to focus more of their time on what’s truly important and impactful. As an educator, AI has become an indispensable tool for creating lesson plans. It helps generate examples, activity ideas, and anticipate future students’ questions, freeing me to focus on the broader framework and the deeper meaning of what I’m teaching.
    –Sinan Ozdemir, Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Shiba Technologies; Author, Quick Start Guide to Large Language Models 

    Data analytics and AI will be essential towards tackling the chronic absenteeism crisis. In 2025, the conversation around belonging will shift from abstract concepts to concrete actions in schools. Teachers who build strong relationships with both students and families will see better attendance and engagement, leading more schools to prioritize meaningful connection-building over quick-fix solutions. We’ll see more districts move toward personalized, two-way school communications that create trust with parents and the larger school community. In order to keep up with the growing need for this type of individualized outreach, schools will use data analytics and AI to identify attendance and academic patterns that indicate students are at risk of becoming chronically absent. It won’t be dramatic, but we’ll see steady progress throughout the year as schools recognize that student success depends on creating environments where both students and families feel valued and heard.
    —Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education and Engagement, SchoolStatus

    As access to AI resources gains ground in classrooms, educators will face a dire responsibility to not only master these tools but to establish guidelines and provide best practices to ensure effective and responsible use. The increasing demand for AI requires educators to stay informed about emerging applications and prioritize ethical practices, ensuring AI enhances rather than impedes educational outcomes.. This is particularly critical in STEM fields, where AI has already transformed industries and is shaping career paths, providing new learning opportunities for students. To prevent the exacerbation of the existing STEM gap, educators must prioritize equitable access to AI resources and tools, ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have the opportunity to engage with and fully understand these technologies. This focus on equity is essential in leveling the playing field, helping bridge disparities that could otherwise limit students’ future success. Achieving these goals will require educators to engage in professional development programs designed to equip them with necessary skills and content knowledge to implement new technology in their classrooms. Learning how to foster inclusive environments is vital to cultivating a positive school climate where students feel motivated to succeed. Meanwhile, professionally-trained educators can support the integration of new technologies to ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive in this new educational landscape.
    —Michelle Stie, Vice President, Program Design & Innovation, NMSI

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to increase in use in K-12 classrooms, with literacy instruction emerging as a key area for transformative impact. While educators may associate AI with concerns like cheating, its potential to enhance human-centered teaching is gaining recognition. By streamlining administrative tasks, AI empowers teachers to focus on connecting with students and delivering personalized instruction. One trend to watch is AI’s role in automating reading assessments. These tools reduce the time educators spend administering and analyzing tests, offering real-time insights that guide individualized instruction. AI is also excelling at pinpointing skill gaps, allowing teachers to intervene early, particularly in foundational reading areas.  Another emerging trend is AI-driven reading practice. Tools can adapt to each student’s needs, delivering engaging, personalized reading tutoring with immediate corrective feedback. This ensures consistent, intentional practice–a critical factor in literacy growth. Rather than replacing teachers, AI frees up educator time for what matters most: fostering relationships with students and delivering high-quality instruction. As schools look to optimize resources in the coming year, AI’s ability to augment literacy instruction can be an important tool that maximizes students’ growth, while minimizing teachers’ work.
    —Janine Walker-Caffrey, Ed.D., Chief Academic Officer, EPS Learning

    We expect a renewed focus on human writing with a broader purpose–clear communication that demonstrates knowledge and understanding, enhanced, not replaced by available technology. With AI making basic elements of writing more accessible to all, this renaissance of writing will emphasize the ability to combine topical knowledge, critical thinking, mastery of language and AI applications to develop written work. Instead of being warned against using generative AI, students will be asked to move from demand–asking AI writing tools to produce work on their behalf, to command–owning the content creation process from start to finish and leveraging technology where it can be used to edit, enhance or expand original thinking. This shift will resurface the idea of co-authorship, including transparency around how written work comes together and disclosure of when and how AI tools were used to support the process. 
    —Eric Wang, VP of AI, Turnitin

    GenAI and AI writing detection tools will evolve, adding advanced capabilities to match each other’s detectability flex. End users are reaching higher levels of familiarity and maturity with AI functionality, resulting in a shift in how they are leveraged. Savvy users will take a bookend approach, focusing on early stage ideation, organization and expansion of original ideas as well as late stage refinement of ideas and writing. Coupling the use of GenAI with agentic AI applications will help to overcome current limitations, introducing multi-source analysis and adaptation capabilities to the writing process. Use of detection tools will improve as well, with a focus on preserving the teaching and learning process. In early stages, detection tools and indicator reports will create opportunities to focus teaching on addressing knowledge gaps and areas lacking original thought or foundation. Later stage detection will offer opportunities to strengthen the dialogue between educators and students, providing transparency that will reduce student risk and increase engagement.
    —Eric Wang, VP of AI, Turnitin

    Advanced AI tools will provide more equitable access for all students, inclusive of reaching students in their home language, deaf and hard of hearing support through AI-enabled ASL videos, blind and visually impaired with real time audio descriptions, tactiles, and assistive technology.
    –Trent Workman, SVP for U.S. School Assessments, Pearson 

    Generative AI everywhere: Generative AI, like ChatGPT, is getting smarter and more influential every day, with the market expected to grow a whopping 46 percent every year from now until 2030. By 2025, we’ll likely see AI churning out even more impressive text, images, and videos–completely transforming industries like marketing, design, and content creation. Under a Trump administration that might take a more “hands-off” approach, we could see faster growth with fewer restrictions holding things back. That could mean more innovative tools hitting the market sooner, but it will also require companies to be careful about privacy and job impacts on their own. The threat of AI-powered cyberattacks: Experts think 2025 might be the year cybercriminals go full throttle with AI. Think about it: with the advancement of the technology, cyberattacks powered by AI models could start using deepfakes, enhanced social engineering, and ultra-sophisticated malware. If the Trump administration focuses on cybersecurity mainly for critical infrastructure, private companies could face gaps in support, leaving sectors like healthcare and finance on their own to keep up with new threats. Without stronger regulations, businesses will have to get creative–and fast–when it comes to fighting off these attacks.
    –Alon Yamin, Co-Founder & CEO, Copyleaks

    Laura Ascione
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    Laura Ascione

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  • Key Resources to Foster Student Engagement in Math

    I was a classroom teacher for over two decades and now I support teachers in developing quality math instruction. One of the most challenging things I see educators encounter is student engagement. Engagement can be particularly challenging in a math class where students can become overwhelmed, and your own teaching success is often contingent on the skills taught by the teachers who preceded you. 

    The Education Insights Report shows that engagement is a key driver of success. In fact, over 90% of teachers, principals, and superintendents agree that student engagement is a critical metric for understanding overall achievement.

    Even so, the topic of engagement dominates much of my coaching conversations because many teachers I support can’t put a finger on exactly how to foster student engagement. When you think of maintaining student engagement, do you picture yourself performing a nonstop comedy routine or redesigning every lesson to be a visual masterpiece? Unfortunately, that’s a recipe for burnout.

    The good news? Fostering student engagement doesn’t require a circus act; instead, it’s about discovering the key that unlocks student learning. Each student has a unique lock and is waiting for the right engagement key. This really is the art of teaching: understanding the engagement’s natural cycle and adjusting accordingly.

    Below are some advice and keys to build classroom engagement in math instruction:

    The Engagement Cycle

    Engagement follows a rhythm as engagement naturally rises and wanes. If you recognize engagement, and disengagement, as a natural cycle, then managing it becomes another tool in your teaching toolbox.

    The duration of each cycle varies based on factors both within and beyond your control, so recognizing the signs to an engagement reset is essential. The key is knowing how to activate, sustain, and reset engagement. 

    Activate thinking with a math challenge. Reframe a problem from the day’s lesson and have students solve it using any creative thinking process they can devise. This could include modeling, descriptions, or illustrations.

    Sustain attention by changing the lesson format. This can be done in several ways.

    • Reconnect students by going beyond the trusted KWL chart to incorporate a variety of instructional strategies. You can include things like multiple formats of graphic organizers, a variety discourse setups, and scaffolded collaborative tasks. I recommend the vast array of SOS strategies available on Discovery Education Experience.
    • Reduce the length of a long worksheet and turn some of the questions into an activity or a game. A fast, low budget yet highly interactive way to do this is to cut up questions from the worksheet and put them in a grab bag. Then, students can grab- and-go the questions and answer them. You could take this a step further by making teams or implementing a rapid-fire round!
    • If your lesson runs for over 15 minutes, mix it up. Turn to Edpuzzle or Wevideo to help instruction in multiple ways while also freeing you up to provide personalized and small group instruction.

    Reset the engagement cycle with a brain break. A whole bunch of numbers and concepts all at once can freeze students. Give students a quick break by asking them to decipher an optical illusion, solve a brain teaser, or you can insert a corny joke. This mini moment gives them a moment to breathe and helps realign student focus back to the lesson.

    Personalized and Individual Attention

    Personalized and individual attention also helps sustain interest in learning, especially when difficulty levels increase. Engaging students in your small group is easy. The hard part is engaging the students not in your small group. I find that personalized attention is easiest to achieve through technology tools. For example, with Wayground, you can differentiate your students’ tasks to align with learning needs and levels, all in just a few clicks.

    I also have found success with Dreambox Math. With a focus on conceptual understanding, you can count on this tool to keep your students in the zone of proximal development as it adapts to each student’s skill level to guide them through learning curriculum-aligned math lessons.

    For example, if you’re a do-it-yourself kind of teacher, like me, Google Forms might be a good option for you. I’ll create a Google Form with sections to offer a learning experience with targeted remediation and learning support contingent on student responses.

    Sustain Interest During Direct Instruction

    Let’s be real here: you cannot expect students to understand mathematical relationships and apply mathematical reasoning by clicking and talking through a presentation.

    Hands-on learning can save the day and transform a student’s understanding of a math concept. A good tool for this is FluidMath which places each student into the center of the learning experience with interactive direct instruction. I also recommend Geogebra for a community-generated library of activities created and tested by fellow teachers. 

    Finding the Right Key

    Learning, especially in mathematics, develops in layers as concepts unfold and conceptual understanding leads to math application. When we view engagement as a natural ebb and flow, we develop professional practices and integrate technology to shape learning environments that are both productive and enjoyable. The heart of this journey is the teacher. The teacher-to-student connection supported by the integration of thoughtful tools brings math to life.

    With a combination of tools and connection, the question shifts from “Why won’t they listen and do their work?” to “How can we unlock the key to their potential?”

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      Tamara Ferguson, former Secondary Math Curriculum Coach at Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District, Product and Training Specialist at SkillTech Learning Solutions




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    Grace Maliska

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  • How AI can fix PD for teachers

    Key points:

    The PD problem we know too well: A flustered woman bursts into the room, late and disoriented. She’s carrying a shawl and a laptop she doesn’t know how to use. She refers to herself as a literacy expert named Linda, but within minutes she’s asking teachers to “dance for literacy,” assigning “elbow partners,” and insisting the district already has workbooks no one’s ever seen (awalmartparkinglott, 2025). It’s chaotic. It’s exaggerated. And it’s painfully familiar.

    This viral satire, originally posted on Instagram and TikTok, resonates with educators not because it’s absurd but because it mirrors the worst of professional development. Many teachers have experienced PD sessions that are disorganized, disconnected from practice, or delivered by outsiders who misunderstand the local context.

    The implementation gap

    Despite decades of research on what makes professional development effective–including a focus on content, active learning, and sustained support (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; Joseph, 2024)–too many sessions remain generic, compliance-driven, or disconnected from day-to-day teaching realities. Instructional coaching is powerful but costly (Kraft et al., 2018), and while collaborative learning communities show promise, they are difficult to maintain over time.

    Often, the challenge is not the quality of the ideas but the systems needed to carry them forward. Leaders struggle to design relevant experiences that sustain momentum, and teachers return to classrooms without clear supports for application or follow-through. For all the time and money invested in PD, the implementation gap remains wide.

    The AI opportunity

    Artificial intelligence is not a replacement for thoughtful design or skilled facilitation, but it can strengthen how we plan, deliver, and sustain professional learning. From customizing agendas and differentiating materials to scaling coaching and mapping long-term growth, AI offers concrete ways to make PD more responsive and effective (Sahota, 2024; Adams & Middleton, 2024; Tan et al., 2025).

    The most promising applications do not attempt one-size-fits-all fixes, but instead address persistent challenges piece by piece, enabling educators to lead smarter and more strategically.

    Reducing clerical load of PD planning

    Before any PD session begins, there is a quiet mountain of invisible work: drafting the description, objectives, and agenda; building slide decks; designing handouts; creating flyers; aligning materials to standards; and managing time, space, and roles. For many school leaders, this clerical load consumes hours, leaving little room for designing rich learning experiences.

    AI-powered platforms can generate foundational materials in minutes. A simple prompt can produce a standards-aligned agenda, transform text into a slide deck, or create a branded flyer. Tools like Gamma and Canva streamline visual design, while bots such as the PD Workshop Planner or CK-12’s PD Session Designer tailor agendas to grade levels or instructional goals.

    By shifting these repetitive tasks to automation, leaders free more time for content design, strategic alignment, and participant engagement. AI does not just save time–it restores it, enabling leaders to focus on thoughtful, human-centered professional learning.

    Scaling coaching and sustained practice

    Instructional coaching is impactful but expensive and time-intensive, limiting access for many teachers. Too often, PD is delivered without meaningful follow-up, and sustained impact is rarely evident.

    AI can help extend the reach of coaching by aligning supports with district improvement plans, teacher and student data, or staff self-assessments. Subscription-based tools like Edthena’s AI Coach provide asynchronous, video-based feedback, allowing teachers to upload lesson recordings and receive targeted suggestions over time (Edthena, 2025). Project Café (Adams & Middleton, 2024) uses generative AI to analyze classroom videos and offer timely, data-driven feedback on instructional practices.

    AI-driven simulations, virtual classrooms, and annotated student work samples (Annenberg Institute, 2024) offer scalable opportunities for teachers to practice classroom management, refine feedback strategies, and calibrate rubrics. Custom AI-powered chatbots can facilitate virtual PLCs, connecting educators to co-plan and share ideas.

    A recent study introduced Novobo, an AI “mentee” that teachers train together using gestures and voice; by teaching the AI, teachers externalized and reflected on tacit skills, strengthening peer collaboration (Jiang et al., 2025). These innovations do not replace coaches but ensure continuous growth where traditional systems fall short.

    Supporting long-term professional growth

    Most professional development is episodic, lacking continuity, and failing to align with teachers’ evolving goals. Sahota (2024) likens AI to a GPS for professional growth, guiding educators to set long-term goals, identify skill gaps, and access learning opportunities aligned with aspirations.

    AI-powered PD systems can generate individualized learning maps and recommend courses tailored to specific roles or licensure pathways (O’Connell & Baule, 2025). Machine learning algorithms can analyze a teacher’s interests, prior coursework, and broader labor market trends to develop adaptive professional learning plans (Annenberg Institute, 2024).

    Yet goal setting is not enough; as Tan et al. (2025) note, many initiatives fail due to weak implementation. AI can close this gap by offering ongoing insights, personalized recommendations, and formative data that sustain growth well beyond the initial workshop.

    Making virtual PD more flexible and inclusive

    Virtual PD often mirrors traditional formats, forcing all participants into the same live sessions regardless of schedule, learning style, or language access.

    Generative AI tools allow leaders to convert live sessions into asynchronous modules that teachers can revisit anytime. Platforms like Otter.ai can transcribe meetings, generate summaries, and tag key takeaways, enabling absent participants to catch up and multilingual staff to access translated transcripts.

    AI can adapt materials for different reading levels, offer language translations, and customize pacing to fit individual schedules, ensuring PD is rigorous yet accessible.

    Improving feedback and evaluation

    Professional development is too often evaluated based on attendance or satisfaction surveys, with little attention to implementation or student outcomes. Many well-intentioned initiatives fail due to insufficient follow-through and weak support (Carney & Pizzuto, 2024).

    Guskey’s (2000) five levels of evaluation, from initial reaction to student impact, remain a powerful framework. AI enhances this approach by automating assessments, generating surveys, and analyzing responses to surface themes and gaps. In PLCs, AI can support educators with item analysis and student work review, offering insights that guide instructional adjustments and build evidence-informed PD systems.

    Getting started: Practical moves for school leaders

    School leaders can integrate AI by starting small: use PD Workshop Planner, Gamma, or Canva to streamline agenda design; make sessions more inclusive with Otter.ai; pilot AI coaching tools to extend feedback between sessions; and apply Guskey’s framework with AI analysis to strengthen implementation.

    These actions shift focus from clerical work to instructional impact.

    Ethical use, equity, and privacy considerations

    While AI offers promise, risks must be addressed. Financial and infrastructure disparities can widen the digital divide, leaving under-resourced schools unable to access these tools (Center on Reinventing Public Education, 2024).

    Issues of data privacy and ethical use are critical: who owns performance data, how it is stored, and how it is used for decision-making must be clear. Language translation and AI-generated feedback require caution, as cultural nuance and professional judgment cannot be replicated by algorithms.

    Over-reliance on automation risks diminishing teacher agency and relational aspects of growth. Responsible AI integration demands transparency, equitable access, and safeguards that protect educators and communities.

    Conclusion: Smarter PD is within reach

    Teachers deserve professional learning that respects their time, builds on their expertise, and leads to lasting instructional improvement. By addressing design and implementation challenges that have plagued PD for decades, AI provides a pathway to better, not just different, professional learning.

    Leaders need not overhaul systems overnight; piloting small, strategic AI applications can signal a shift toward valuing time, relevance, and real implementation. Smarter, more human-centered PD is within reach if we build it intentionally and ethically.

    References

    Adams, D., & Middleton, A. (2024, May 7). AI tool shows teachers what they do in the classroom—and how to do it better. The 74. https://www.the74million.org/article/opinion-ai-tool-shows-teachers-what-they-do-in-the-classroom-and-how-to-do-it-better

    Annenberg Institute. (2024). AI in professional learning: Navigating opportunities and challenges for educators. Brown University. https://annenberg.brown.edu/sites/default/files/AI%20in%20Professional%20Learning.pdf

    awalmartparkinglott. (2025, August 5). The PD presenter that makes 4x your salary [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMGrbUsPbnO/

    Carney, S., & Pizzuto, D. (2024). Implement with IMPACT: A framework for making your PD stick. Learning Forward Publishing.

    Center on Reinventing Public Education. (2024, June 12). AI is coming to U.S. classrooms, but who will benefit? https://crpe.org/ai-is-coming-to-u-s-classrooms-but-who-will-benefit/

    Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/product-files/Effective_Teacher_Professional_Development_REPORT.pdf

    Edthena. (2025). AI Coach for teachers. https://www.edthena.com/ai-coach-for-teachers/

    Guskey, T. R. (2000). Evaluating professional development. Corwin Press.

    Jiang, J., Huang, K., Martinez-Maldonado, R., Zeng, H., Gong, D., & An, P. (2025, May 29). Novobo: Supporting teachers’ peer learning of instructional gestures by teaching a mentee AI-agent together [Preprint]. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.17557

    Joseph, B. (2024, October). It takes a village to design the best professional development. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-it-takes-a-village-to-design-the-best-professional-development/2024/10

    Kraft, M. A., Blazar, D., & Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of teacher coaching on instruction and achievement: A meta-analysis of the causal evidence. Review of Educational Research, 88(4), 547–588. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654318759268

    O’Connell, J., & Baule, S. (2025, January 17). Harnessing generative AI to revolutionize educator growth. eSchool News. https://www.eschoolnews.com/digital-learning/2025/01/17/generative-ai-teacher-professional-development/

    Sahota, N. (2024, July 25). AI energizes your career path & charts your professional growth plan. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilsahota/2024/07/25/ai-energizes-your-career-path–charts-your-professional-growth-plan/

    Tan, X., Cheng, G., & Ling, M. H. (2025). Artificial intelligence in teaching and teacher professional development: A systematic review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 8, 100355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100355

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    Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

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  • Modernizing the special education workforce is a national imperative

    Key points:

    America’s special education system is facing a slow-motion collapse. Nearly 8 million students now receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), but the number of qualified teachers and related service providers continues to shrink. Districts from California to Maine report the same story: unfilled positions, overworked staff, and students missing the services they’re legally entitled to receive.

    “The promise of IDEA means little if there’s no one left to deliver it.”

    The data tell a clear story. Since 2013, the number of children ages 3–21 served under IDEA has grown from 6.4 million to roughly 7.5 million. Yet the teacher pipeline has moved in the opposite direction. According to Title II reports, teacher-preparation enrollments dropped 6 percent over the last decade and program completions plunged 27 percent. At the same time, nearly half of special educators leave the field within their first five years.

    By 2023, 45 percent of public schools were operating without a full teaching staff. Vacancies were most acute in special education. Attrition, burnout, and early retirements outpace new entrants by a wide margin.

    Why the traditional model no longer works

    For decades, schools and staffing firms have fought over the same dwindling pool of licensed providers. Recruiting cycles stretch for months, while students wait for evaluations, therapies, or IEP services.

    Traditional staffing firms focus on long-term contracts lasting six months or more, which makes sense for stability, but ignores an enormous, untapped workforce: thousands of credentialed professionals who could contribute a few extra hours each week if the system made it easy.

    Meanwhile, the process of credentialing, vetting, and matching candidates remains slow and manual, reliant on spreadsheets, email, and recruiters juggling dozens of openings. The result is predictable: delayed assessments, compliance risk, and burned-out staff covering for unfilled roles.

    “Districts and recruiters compete for the same people, when they could be expanding the pool instead.”

    The hidden workforce hiding in plain sight

    Across the country, tens of thousands of licensed professionals–speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, school psychologists, special educators–are under-employed. Many have stepped back from full-time work to care for families or pursue private practice. Others left the classroom but still want to contribute.

    Imagine if districts could tap those “extra hours” through a vetted, AI-powered marketplace. A system that matched real-time school requests with qualified providers in their state. A model like this wouldn’t replace full-time roles; it would expand capacity, reduce burnout, and bring talent back into the system.

    This isn’t theoretical. The same “on-demand” concept has already modernized industries from medicine to media. Education is long overdue for the same reinvention.

    What modernization looks like

    1. AI-driven matching: Districts post specific service needs (evaluations, IEP meetings, therapy hours). Licensed providers choose opportunities that fit their schedule.
    2. Verified credentials and provider profiles: Platforms integrate state licensure databases and background checks to ensure compliance and provide profiles with all candidate information including on-demand, video interviews so schools can make informed hiring decisions immediately.
    3. Smart staffing metrics: Schools track fill-rates, provider utilization, and service delays in real time.
    4. Integrated workflows: The system plugs into existing special education management tools. No new learning curve for administrators.

    A moment of urgency

    The shortage isn’t just inconvenient; it’s systemic. Each unfilled position represents students who lose therapy hours, districts risking due-process complaints, and educators pushed closer to burnout.

    With IDEA students now representing nearly 15 percent of all public school enrollment, the nation can’t afford to let a twentieth-century staffing model dictate twenty-first-century outcomes.

    We have the technology. We have the workforce. What we need is the will to connect them.

    “Modernizing special education staffing isn’t innovation for innovation’s sake, it’s survival.”

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    Kevin Eberly, FillerB

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  • Solving the staffing crisis is key to the Science of Reading movement

    Key points:

    As someone who’s dedicated my career to advancing the Science of Reading movement, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to help every child become a strong, fluent reader. We’ve made incredible strides in shifting the conversation toward evidence-based instruction, but I know we’re at a critical inflection point. While we–obviously–continue our work helping schools and districts adopt SOR, there’s an issue that stands in the way of real, sustained, progress: the staffing crisis and leadership churn that are leaving our educators overwhelmed and skeptical toward “change.” Without addressing these deeper structural issues, we risk stalling the momentum we’ve worked so hard to build.

    The hidden costs of constant turnover

    The data on teacher and leader turnover is bleak, and I’ve seen how it undermines the long-term commitment needed for any meaningful change. Consider this: Roughly 1 in 6 teachers won’t return to the same classroom next year, and nearly half of new teachers leave within their first five years. This constant churn is a massive financial burden on districts, costing an estimated $20,000 per teacher to recruit, hire, and onboard. But the real cost is the human one. Every time a new leader or teacher steps in, the hard-won progress on a literacy initiative can be jeopardized.

    I’ve watched districts spend years building momentum for the Science of Reading, providing extensive training and resources, only to see a new superintendent or principal arrive with a new set of priorities. This “leader wobble” can pull the rug out from under an initiative mid-stream. It’s especially frustrating when a new leader decides a program has had “plenty of professional learning” without taking the time to audit its impact. This lack of continuity completely disrupts the 3-5 years it takes for an initiative to truly take hold, especially because new teachers often arrive with a knowledge gap, as only about one-quarter of teacher preparation programs teach the Science of Reading. We can’t build on a foundation that’s constantly shifting.

    Overwhelmed by “initiative fatigue”

    I know what it feels like to have too much on your plate. Teachers, already juggling countless instructional materials, often see each new program not as a solution but as one more thing to learn, implement, and manage. Instead of excitement, there’s skepticism–this is initiative fatigue, and it can stall real progress. I’ve seen it firsthand; one large district I worked with rolled out new reading, math, and phonics resources all at once.

    To prevent this, we need to follow the principle of “pull weeds to plant flowers.” Being critical, informed consumers of resources means choosing flowers (materials) that are:

    • Supported by high-quality, third-party research
    • Aligned across all tiers of instruction
    • Versatile enough to meet varied student needs
    • Teacher-friendly, with clear guidance and instructional dialogue
    • Culturally relevant, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of students

    Now, even when a resource meets these standards, adoption shouldn’t be additive. Teachers can’t layer new tools on top of old ones. To see real change, old resources must be replaced with better ones. Educators need solutions that provide a unified, research-backed framework across all tiers, giving teachers clarity, support, and a path to sustainable student progress.

    Building a stable environment for sustained change

    So, how do we create the stable environment needed to support our educators? It starts with leadership that is in it for the long game. We need to mitigate turnover by using data to understand why teachers are leaving and then acting on that feedback. Strengthening mentorship, clarifying career pathways, and improving school culture are all crucial steps.

    Beyond just retaining staff, leaders must foster a culture of sustained commitment. It’s not enough to have a few “islands of excellence” where a handful of teachers are getting great results.

    We need system-wide adoption. This requires strong leaders to balance support and accountability. I’ve seen how collaborative teams, engaged in problem-solving and data-based decision-making, can transform a school. When teachers see students as “our students” and not just “my students,” shared ownership grows.

    A leader’s job is to protect and sustain this vision, making sure the essential supports–like collaborative planning time, ongoing professional development, and in-classroom coaching–are in place. But sustaining change goes beyond daily management; it requires building deep capacity so the work continues even if leadership shifts. This means hiring, training, and retaining strong educators, investing in future leaders, and ensuring committed advocates are part of the implementation team. It also requires creating a detailed, actionable roadmap, with budgets clearly allocated and accountability measures established, so that any initiative isn’t just a short-term priority but a long-term promise. By embedding these structures, leaders can secure continuity, maintain momentum, and ensure that every step forward in literacy translates into lasting gains for students.

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    Laura Stewart, 95 Percent Group

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  • The end of one-direction career pathways: Why empowering students sets the best course for future success

    Key points:

    When middle school students make the leap to high school, they are expected to have a career path in mind so their classes and goals align with their future plans. That’s a tremendous ask of a teenager who is unaware of the opportunities that await them–and emerging careers that have yet to exist.

    Mentors, parents, and educators spend so much time urging students to focus on their future that we do them a disservice by distracting them from their present–their passions, their interests, their hobbies. This self-discovery, combined with exposure to various career fields, fuels students’ motivation and serves as a guidebook for their professional journey.

    To meet their mission of directing every student toward an individualized post-secondary plan, schools need to prioritize recognizing each student’s lifestyle goals. That way, our kids can find their best-fit career and develop greater self-awareness of their own identity.

    Give students greater autonomy over their career exploration

    The most problematic aspect of traditional career-readiness programs is that they’re bound so tightly to the classes in which a student excels.

    For example, a high schooler on a technology track might be assigned an engineer as a mentor. However, that same student may also possess a love for writing, but because their core classes are science-based, they may never learn how to turn that passion into a career in the engineering field, whether as a UX writer, technical editor, or tech journalist. 

    Schools have the opportunity to help students identify their desired lifestyle, existing strengths, and possible career paths. In Aurora Public Schools in Nebraska, the district partnered with our company, Find Your Grind, an ESSA Tier 2 validated career exploration program, to guide students through a Lifestyle Assessment, enabling them to discover who they are now and who they want to become. Through this approach, teachers helped surface personalized careers, mentors, and pathway courses that aligned with students’ lifestyle goals.

    Meanwhile, in Ohio, school districts launched Lifestyle Fairs, immersive, future-ready events designed to introduce students to real-world career experiences, industry mentors, and interactive learning grounded in self-discovery. Hilliard City Schools, for example, welcomed more than seventh-grade students to a Lifestyle Fair this past May. 

    Rather than rely on a conventional booth-style setup, Hilliard offered interactive activations that centered on 16 lifestyle archetypes, including Competitor, Explorer, Connector, and Entrepreneur. The stations allowed students to engage with various industry leaders and participate in hands-on activities, including rocket launch simulations and creative design challenges, to ignite their curiosity. Following the Fair, educators reported increased student engagement and a renewed enthusiasm for learning about potential career paths.

    Create a fluidity path for future success

    According to the World Economic Forum, by 2030, 97 million jobs will be displaced by AI, significantly impacting lower-wage earners and workers of color. At the same time, 170 million new jobs are expected to be created, especially in emerging fields. By providing students more freedom in their career exploration, educators can help them adapt to this ever-changing 21st-century job market.

    Now is the time for school districts to ensure all students have access to equitable career planning programs and work to close societal disparities that hinder professional opportunities. Instead of setting students on a predetermined pathway toward a particular field–which may or may not exist a decade from now–educators must equip them with future-proof and transferable core skills, including flexibility, initiative, and productivity, in addition to job-specific skills. As the job market shifts, students will be prepared to change direction, switch jobs, and pivot between careers. 

    In Hawaii, students are taking advantage of career exploration curriculum that aligns with 21st-century career and technical education (CTE) frameworks. They are better prepared to complete their Personal Transition Plans, which are required for graduation by the state, and have access to micro-credentials that give them real-world experience in different industries rather than one particular field.

    For decades, career planning has placed students in boxes, based on what the adults in their lives expect of them. Ensuring every child reaches their full professional potential means breaking down the barriers that have been set up around them and allowing them to be at the center of their own career journey. When students are empowered to discover who they are and where they want to be, they are excited to explore all the incredible opportunities available to them. 

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    Nick Gross, Find Your Grind

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  • Natomas teachers ready to strike over contract disputes

    Educators in Natomas have informed the district of their readiness to strike if a new contract is not secured, marking a significant development in ongoing negotiations.The Natomas Teachers Association, representing more than 600 educators, has been working without a contract since June. Outside the Natomas Unified School District Wednesday evening, dozens gathered in support of the Natomas Teachers Association, chanting, “We can’t wait!” and “When we fight, we win!” They are advocating for a new contract with fully paid benefits and competitive wages.Ashley Battle, a parent of a student in the district and the wife of a teacher, said that educators are the backbone of the district and are being underpaid. “If you’re not paying them, how are they supposed to support their family? You want them to support everyone else’s child, but you don’t want to pay to help them support themselves?” Battle said. Battle brought these concerns to the board meeting, where dozens of teachers, parents, and students filled the room. Nico Vaccaro, president of the NTA, also spoke to the board, urging the district to use its millions of dollars in reserves to pay teachers more.”We know they have the ability to reprioritize their budget with the resources that they have. And that’s what we’re asking for,” Vaccaro said. KCRA 3 reached out to the district about the ongoing contract negotiations. They replied with an emailed statement reading:“We value our employees and prioritize providing competitive salaries and high-quality programs for our students. Even with the staffing crisis across California and the nationwide shortage of teachers, Natomas Unified has a high fill rate with 98.4% of our classrooms filled with credentialed teachers. For the classroom positions that are not filled, fully credentialed contractors or substitute teachers serve our students while recruitment efforts continue and candidates are in the hiring process.While prioritizing employee compensation, we are committed to being good stewards of our district finances. Our reserve protects us against unexpected expenses or changes in funding. This allows us to continue to pay staff, utilities and other basic services, all while maintaining consistent support to students. Reserves should not be used to fund ongoing salary or benefit increases, as reserves are one-time funds that are gone once they are spent, much like a savings account. In NUSD, the category that NTA leadership frequently refers to as the budget for “consultants” or “contractors” covers a wide range of professional services for the district. These funds provide more than just training and professional development to teachers and contractors who fill vacant certificated staff positions. They actually include expenses for essential services such as fire and safety requirements, heating/air conditioning maintenance, routine and preventative pest control, needed classroom repairs, vital health services for our students, after-school programs, staff training to implement state-required curriculum and assessments, and general district operations. Without allocating funding for these areas, we would not be able to provide these necessary services for our students and staff.”Vaccaro presented the board with a copy of the union’s strike readiness petition, which he said more than 90% of their members have signed. “While we do not want to strike, we are ready to strike if that’s what it takes to reprioritize the NUSD’s budget for our schools and our students,” he said. The Natomas Teachers Association will return to the negotiation table on Dec. 10.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Educators in Natomas have informed the district of their readiness to strike if a new contract is not secured, marking a significant development in ongoing negotiations.

    The Natomas Teachers Association, representing more than 600 educators, has been working without a contract since June.

    Outside the Natomas Unified School District Wednesday evening, dozens gathered in support of the Natomas Teachers Association, chanting, “We can’t wait!” and “When we fight, we win!” They are advocating for a new contract with fully paid benefits and competitive wages.

    Ashley Battle, a parent of a student in the district and the wife of a teacher, said that educators are the backbone of the district and are being underpaid.

    “If you’re not paying them, how are they supposed to support their family? You want them to support everyone else’s child, but you don’t want to pay to help them support themselves?” Battle said.

    Battle brought these concerns to the board meeting, where dozens of teachers, parents, and students filled the room.

    Nico Vaccaro, president of the NTA, also spoke to the board, urging the district to use its millions of dollars in reserves to pay teachers more.

    “We know they have the ability to reprioritize their budget with the resources that they have. And that’s what we’re asking for,” Vaccaro said.

    KCRA 3 reached out to the district about the ongoing contract negotiations. They replied with an emailed statement reading:

    “We value our employees and prioritize providing competitive salaries and high-quality programs for our students. Even with the staffing crisis across California and the nationwide shortage of teachers, Natomas Unified has a high fill rate with 98.4% of our classrooms filled with credentialed teachers. For the classroom positions that are not filled, fully credentialed contractors or substitute teachers serve our students while recruitment efforts continue and candidates are in the hiring process.

    While prioritizing employee compensation, we are committed to being good stewards of our district finances. Our reserve protects us against unexpected expenses or changes in funding. This allows us to continue to pay staff, utilities and other basic services, all while maintaining consistent support to students. Reserves should not be used to fund ongoing salary or benefit increases, as reserves are one-time funds that are gone once they are spent, much like a savings account.

    In NUSD, the category that NTA leadership frequently refers to as the budget for “consultants” or “contractors” covers a wide range of professional services for the district. These funds provide more than just training and professional development to teachers and contractors who fill vacant certificated staff positions. They actually include expenses for essential services such as fire and safety requirements, heating/air conditioning maintenance, routine and preventative pest control, needed classroom repairs, vital health services for our students, after-school programs, staff training to implement state-required curriculum and assessments, and general district operations. Without allocating funding for these areas, we would not be able to provide these necessary services for our students and staff.”

    Vaccaro presented the board with a copy of the union’s strike readiness petition, which he said more than 90% of their members have signed.

    “While we do not want to strike, we are ready to strike if that’s what it takes to reprioritize the NUSD’s budget for our schools and our students,” he said.

    The Natomas Teachers Association will return to the negotiation table on Dec. 10.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • AI in the classroom: Preparing for a new era of teaching and learning

    Key points:

    When I first started experimenting with AI in my classroom, I saw the same thing repeatedly from students. They treated it like Google. Ask a question, get an answer, move on. It didn’t take long to realize that if my students only engage with AI this way, they miss the bigger opportunity to use AI as a partner in thinking. AI isn’t a magic answer machine. It’s a tool for creativity and problem-solving. The challenge for us as educators is to rethink how we prepare students for the world they’re entering and to use AI with curiosity and fidelity.

    Moving from curiosity to fluency

    In my district, I wear two hats: history teacher and instructional coach. That combination gives me the space to test ideas in the classroom and support colleagues as they try new tools. What I’ve learned is that AI fluency requires far more than knowing how to log into a platform. Students need to learn how to question outputs, verify information and use results as a springboard for deeper inquiry.

    I often remind them, “You never trust your source. You always verify and compare.” If students accept every AI response at face value, they’re not building the critical habits they’ll need in college or in the workforce.

    To make this concrete, I teach my students the RISEN framework: Role, Instructions, Steps, Examples, Narrowing. It helps them craft better prompts and think about the kind of response they want. Instead of typing “explain photosynthesis,” they might ask, “Act as a biologist explaining photosynthesis to a tenth grader. Use three steps with an analogy, then provide a short quiz at the end.” Suddenly, the interaction becomes purposeful, structured and reflective of real learning.

    AI as a catalyst for equity and personalization

    Growing up, I was lucky. My mom was college educated and sat with me to go over almost every paper I wrote. She gave me feedback that helped to sharpen my writing and build my confidence. Many of my students don’t have that luxury. For these learners, AI can be the academic coach they might not otherwise have.

    That doesn’t mean AI replaces human connection. Nothing can. But it can provide feedback, ask guiding questions, and provide examples that give students a sounding board and thought partner. It’s one more way to move closer to providing personalized support for learners based on need.

    Of course, equity cuts both ways. If only some students have access to AI or if we use it without considering its bias, we risk widening the very gaps we hope to close. That’s why it’s our job as educators to model ethical and critical use, not just the mechanics.

    Shifting how we assess learning

    One of the biggest shifts I’ve made is rethinking how I assess students. If I only grade the final product, I’m essentially inviting them to use AI as a shortcut. Instead, I focus on the process: How did they engage with the tool? How did they verify and cross-reference results? How did they revise their work based on what they learned? What framework guided their inquiry? In this way, AI becomes part of their learning journey rather than just an endpoint.

    I’ve asked students to run the same question through multiple AI platforms and then compare the outputs. What were the differences? Which response feels most accurate or useful? What assumptions might be at play? These conversations push students to defend their thinking and use AI critically, not passively.

    Navigating privacy and policy

    Another responsibility we carry as educators is protecting our students. Data privacy is a serious concern. In my school, we use a “walled garden” version of AI so that student data doesn’t get used for training. Even with those safeguards in place, I remind colleagues never to enter identifiable student information into a tool.

    Policies will continue to evolve, but for day-to-day activities and planning, teachers need to model caution and responsibility. Students are taking our lead.

    Professional growth for a changing profession

    The truth of the matter is most of us have not been professionally trained to do this. My teacher preparation program certainly did not include modules on prompt engineering or data ethics. That means professional development in this space is a must.

    I’ve grown the most in my AI fluency by working alongside other educators who are experimenting, sharing stories, and comparing notes. AI is moving fast. No one has all the answers. But we can build confidence together by trying, reflecting, and adjusting through shared experience and lessons learned. That’s exactly what we’re doing in the Lead for Learners network. It’s a space where educators from across the country connect, learn and support one another in navigating change.

    For educators who feel hesitant, I’d say this: You don’t need to be an expert to start. Pick one tool, test it in one lesson, and talk openly with your students about what you’re learning. They’ll respect your honesty and join you in the process.

    Preparing students for what’s next

    AI is not going away. Whether we’re ready or not, it’s going to shape how our students live and work. That gives us a responsibility not just to keep pace with technology but to prepare young people for what’s ahead. The latest futures forecast reminds us that imagining possibilities is just as important as responding to immediate shifts.

    We need to understand both how AI is already reshaping education delivery and how new waves of change will remain on the horizon as tools grow more sophisticated and widespread.

    I want my students to leave my classroom with the ability to question, create, and collaborate using AI. I want them to see it not as a shortcut but as a tool for thinking more deeply and expressing themselves more fully. And I want them to watch me modeling those same habits: curiosity, caution, creativity, and ethical decision-making. Because if we don’t show them what responsible use looks like, who will?

    The future of education won’t be defined by whether we allow AI into our classrooms. It will be defined by how we teach with it, how we teach about it, and how we prepare our students to thrive in a world where it’s everywhere.

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    Ian McDougall, Yuma Union High School District

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  • Room to grow: Creating a classroom built for success

    Key points:

    For decades, curriculum, pedagogy, and technology have evolved to meet the changing needs of students. But in many schools, the classroom environment itself hasn’t kept pace. Classic layouts that typically feature rows of desks, limited flexibility, and a single focal point can often make it harder for educators to support the dynamic ways students learn today.

    Classrooms are more than places to sit–when curated intentionally, they can become powerful tools for learning. These spaces can either constrain or amplify great teaching. By reimagining how classrooms are designed and used, schools can create environments that foster engagement, reduce stress, and help both teachers and students thrive.

    Designing a classroom for student learning outcomes and well-being

    Many educators naturally draw on their own school experiences when shaping classroom environments, often carrying forward familiar setups that reflect how they once learned. Over time, these classic arrangements have become the norm, even as today’s students benefit from more flexible, adaptable spaces that align with modern teaching and learning needs.

    The challenge is that classic classroom setups don’t always align with the ways students learn and interact today. With technology woven into nearly every aspect of their lives, students are used to engaging in environments that are more dynamic, collaborative, and responsive. Classrooms designed with flexibility in mind can better mirror these experiences, supporting teaching and learning in meaningful ways, even without using technology.

    To truly engage students, the classroom must become an active participant in the learning process. Educational psychologist Loris Malaguzzi famously described the classroom as the “third teacher,” claiming it has just as much influence in a child’s development as parents or educators. With that in mind, teachers should be able to lean on this “teacher” to help keep students engaged and attentive, rather than doing all the heavy lifting themselves.

    For example, rows of desks often limit interaction and activity, forcing a singular, passive learning style. Flexible seating, on the other hand, encourages active participation and peer-to-peer learning, allowing students to easily move and reconfigure their learning spaces for group work or individual work time.

    I saw this firsthand when I was a teacher. When I moved into one of my third-grade classrooms, I was met with tables that quickly proved insufficient for the needs of my students. I requested a change, integrating alternative seating options and giving students the freedom to choose where they felt most comfortable learning. The results exceeded my expectations. My students were noticeably more engaged, collaborative, and invested in class discussions and activities. That experience showed me that even the simplest changes to the physical learning environment can have a profound impact on student motivation and learning outcomes.

    Allowing students to select their preferred spot for a given activity or day gives them agency over their learning experience. Students with this choice are more likely to engage in discussions, share ideas, and develop a sense of community. A comfortable and deliberately designed environment can also reduce anxiety and improve focus. This means teachers experience fewer disruptions and less need for intervention, directly alleviating a major source of stress by decreasing the disciplinary actions educators must make to resolve classroom misbehavior. With less disruption, teachers can focus on instruction.

    Supporting teachers’ well-being

    Just as classroom design can directly benefit student outcomes, it can also contribute to teacher well-being. Creating spaces that support collaboration among staff, provide opportunities to reset, and reduce the demands of the job is a tangible first step towards developing a more sustainable environment for educators and can be one factor in reducing turnover.

    Intentional classroom design should balance consistency with teacher voice. Schools don’t need a one-size-fits-all model for every room, but they can establish adaptable design standards for each type of space, such as science labs, elementary classrooms, or collaboration areas. Within those frameworks, teachers should be active partners in shaping how the space works best for their instruction. This approach honors teacher expertise while ensuring that learning environments across the school are both flexible and cohesive.

    Supporting teacher voice and expertise also encourages “early adopters” to try new things. While some teachers may jump at the opportunity to redesign their space, others might be more hesitant. For those teachers, school leaders can help ease these concerns by reinforcing that meaningful change doesn’t require a full-scale overhaul. Even small steps, like rearranging existing furniture or introducing one or two new pieces, can make a space feel refreshed and more responsive to both teaching and learning needs. To support this process, schools can also collaborate with learning environment specialists to help educators identify practical starting points and design solutions tailored to their goals.

    Designing a brighter future for education

    Investing in thoughtfully designed school environments that prioritize teacher well-being isn’t just about creating a more pleasant workplace; it’s a strategic move to build a stronger, more sustainable educational system. By providing teachers with flexible, adaptable, and future-ready classrooms, schools can address issues like stress, burnout, and student disengagement. When educators feel valued and empowered in their spaces, they create a better work environment for themselves and a better learning experience for their students. Ultimately, a supportive, well-designed classroom is an environment that sets both educators and students up for success.

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    Dr. Sue Ann Highland, School Specialty

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  • 3 strategies to boost student reading fluency this school year

    Key points:

    With the new school year now rolling, teachers and school leaders are likely being hit with a hard truth: Many students are not proficient in reading.

    This, of course, presents challenges for students as they struggle to read new texts and apply what they are learning across all subject areas, as well as for educators who are diligently working to support students’ reading fluency and overall academic progress. 

    Understanding the common challenges students face with reading–and knowing which instructional strategies best support their growth–can help educators more effectively get students to where they need to be this school year.

    Understanding the science of learning

    Many districts across the country have invested in evidence-based curricula grounded in the science of reading to strengthen how foundational skills such as decoding and word recognition are taught. However, for many students, especially those receiving Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, this has not been enough to help them develop the automatic word recognition needed to become fluent, confident readers.

    This is why coupling the science of reading with the science of learning is so important when it comes to reading proficiency. Simply stated, the science of learning is how students learn. It identifies the conditions needed for students to build automaticity and fluency in complex skills, and it includes principles such as interleaving, spacing practice, varying tasks, highlighting contrasts, rehearsal, review, and immediate feedback–all of which are essential for helping students consolidate and generalize their reading skills.

    When these principles are intentionally combined with the science of reading’s structured literacy principles, students are able to both acquire new knowledge and retain, retrieve, and apply it fluently in new contexts.

    Implementing instructional best practices

    The three best practices below not only support the use of the science of learning and the science of reading, but they give educators the data and information needed to help set students up for reading success this school year and beyond. 

    Screen all students. It is important to identify the specific strengths and weaknesses of each student as early as possible so that educators can personalize their instruction accordingly.

    Some students, even those in upper elementary and middle school, may still lack foundational skills, such as decoding and automatic word recognition, which in turn negatively impact fluency and comprehension. Using online screeners that focus on decoding skills, as well as automatic word recognition, can help educators more quickly understand each student’s needs so they can efficiently put targeted interventions in place to help.

    Online screening data also helps educators more effectively communicate with parents, as well as with a student’s intervention team, in a succinct and timely way.

    Provide personalized structured, systematic practice. This type of practice has been shown to help close gaps in students’ foundational skills so they can successfully transfer their decoding and automatic word recognition skills to fluency. The use of technology and online programs can optimize the personalization needed for students while providing valuable insights for teachers.

    Of course, when it comes to personalizing practice, technology should always enhance–not replace–the role of the teacher. Technology can help differentiate the questions and lessons students receive, track students’ progress, and engage students in a non-evaluative learning environment. However, the personal attention and direction given by a teacher is always the most essential aid, especially for struggling readers. 

    Monitor progress on oral reading. Practicing reading aloud is important for developing fluency, although it can be very personal and difficult for many struggling learners. Students may get nervous, embarrassed, or lose their confidence. As such, the importance of a teacher’s responsiveness and ongoing connection while monitoring the progress of a student cannot be overstated.

    When teachers establish the conditions for a safe and trusted environment, where errors can occur without judgment, students are much more motivated to engage and read aloud. To encourage this reading, teachers can interleave passages of different lengths and difficulty levels, or revisit the same text over time to provide students with spaced opportunities for practice and retrieval. By providing immediate and constructive feedback, teachers can also help students self-correct and refine their skills in real time.

    Having a measurable impact

    All students can become strong, proficient readers when they are given the right tools, instruction, and support grounded in both the science of learning and the science of reading. For educators, this includes screening effectively, providing structured and personalized practice, and creating environments where students feel comfortable learning and practicing skills and confident reading aloud.

    By implementing these best practices, which take into account both what students need to learn and how they learn best, educators can and will make a measurable difference in students’ reading growth this school year.

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    Dr. Carolyn Brown, Foundations in Learning

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  • Making career readiness meaningful in today’s classrooms

    Key points:

    As a high school STEM teacher at Baldwin Preparatory Academy, I often ask myself: How can we make classroom learning more meaningful for our students? In today’s rapidly evolving world, preparing learners for the future isn’t about gathering academic knowledge. It is also about helping all learners explore potential careers and develop the future-ready skills that will support success in the “real world” beyond graduation.

    One way to bring those two goals together is by drawing a clear connection between what is learned in the classroom and future careers. In fact, research from the Education Insights Report shows that a whopping 87 percent of high school students believe that career connections make school engaging–and as we all know, deeper student engagement leads to improved academic growth.

    I’ve tried a lot of different tactics to get kids engaged in careers over my 9 years of teaching. Here are my current top recommendations:

    Internship opportunities
    As many educators know, hands-on learning is effective for students. The same goes for learning about careers. Internship opportunities give students a way to practice a career by doing the job.

    I advise students to contact local businesses about internships during the school year and summer. Looking local is a wonderful way to make connections, learn an industry, and practice career skills–all while gaining professional experience.

    Tallo is another good internship resource because it’s a digital network of internships across a range of industries and internship types. With everything managed in Tallo, it’s easy for high school students to find and get real-world work experience relevant to school learning and career goals. For educators, this resource is helpful because it provides pathways for students to gain employable skills and transition into the workforce or higher education.

    Career events
    In-person career events where students get to meet individuals in industries they are interested in are a great way for students to explore future careers. One initiative that stands out is the upcoming Futures Fair by Discovery Education. Futures Fair is a free virtual event on November 5, 2025, to inspire and equip students for career success.

    Held over a series of 30-minute virtual sessions, students meet with professionals from various industries sharing an overview of their job, industry, and the path they took to achieve it. Organizations participating in the Futures Fair are 3M, ASME, Clayco, CVS Health, Drug Enforcement Administration, Genentech, Hartford, Honda, Honeywell, Illumina, LIV Golf, Meta, Norton, Nucor, Polar Bears International, Prologis, The Home Depot, Verizon, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

    Students will see how the future-ready skills they are learning today are used in a range of careers. These virtual sessions will be accompanied by standards-aligned, hands-on student learning tasks designed to reinforce the skills outlined by industry presenters. 

    CTE Connections
    All students at Baldwin Preparatory Academy participate in a career and technical education pathway of their choosing, taking 6-9 career specific credits, and obtaining an industry-recognized credential over the course of their secondary education. As a STEM teacher, I like to connect with my CTE and core subject colleagues to learn about the latest innovations in their space. Then I connect those innovations to my classroom instruction so that all students get the benefit of learning about new career paths.

    For example, my industry partners advise me about the trending career clusters that are experiencing significant growth in job demand. These are industries like cybersecurity, energy, and data science. With this insight, I looked for relevant reads or classroom activities related to one of those clusters. Then, I shared the resources back with my CTE and core team so there’s an easy through line for the students.

    As educators, our role extends beyond teaching content–we’re shaping futures. Events like Futures Fair and other career readiness programs help students see the relevance of their learning and give them the confidence to pursue their goals. With resources like these, we can help make career readiness meaningful, engaging, and empowering for every student.

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    Jessica Stanford, RN, Baldwin Preparatory Academy

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  • Why busy educators need AI with guardrails

    Key points:

    In the growing conversation around AI in education, speed and efficiency often take center stage, but that focus can tempt busy educators to use what’s fast rather than what’s best. To truly serve teachers–and above all, students–AI must be built with intention and clear constraints that prioritize instructional quality, ensuring efficiency never comes at the expense of what learners need most.

    AI doesn’t inherently understand fairness, instructional nuance, or educational standards. It mirrors its training and guidance, usually as a capable generalist rather than a specialist. Without deliberate design, AI can produce content that’s misaligned or confusing. In education, fairness means an assessment measures only the intended skill and does so comparably for students from different backgrounds, languages, and abilities–without hidden barriers unrelated to what’s being assessed. Effective AI systems in schools need embedded controls to avoid construct‑irrelevant content: elements that distract from what’s actually being measured.

    For example, a math question shouldn’t hinge on dense prose, niche sports knowledge, or culturally-specific idioms unless those are part of the goal; visuals shouldn’t rely on low-contrast colors that are hard to see; audio shouldn’t assume a single accent; and timing shouldn’t penalize students if speed isn’t the construct.

    To improve fairness and accuracy in assessments:

    • Avoid construct-irrelevant content: Ensure test questions focus only on the skills and knowledge being assessed.
    • Use AI tools with built-in fairness controls: Generic AI models may not inherently understand fairness; choose tools designed specifically for educational contexts.
    • Train AI on expert-authored content: AI is only as fair and accurate as the data and expertise it’s trained on. Use models built with input from experienced educators and psychometricians.

    These subtleties matter. General-purpose AI tools, left untuned, often miss them.

    The risk of relying on convenience

    Educators face immense time pressures. It’s tempting to use AI to quickly generate assessments or learning materials. But speed can obscure deeper issues. A question might look fine on the surface but fail to meet cognitive complexity standards or align with curriculum goals. These aren’t always easy problems to spot, but they can impact student learning.

    To choose the right AI tools:

    • Select domain-specific AI over general models: Tools tailored for education are more likely to produce pedagogically-sound and standards-aligned content that empowers students to succeed. In a 2024 University of Pennsylvania study, students using a customized AI tutor scored 127 percent higher on practice problems than those without.
    • Be cautious with out-of-the-box AI: Without expertise, educators may struggle to critique or validate AI-generated content, risking poor-quality assessments.
    • Understand the limitations of general AI: While capable of generating content, general models may lack depth in educational theory and assessment design.

    General AI tools can get you 60 percent of the way there. But that last 40 percent is the part that ensures quality, fairness, and educational value. This requires expertise to get right. That’s where structured, guided AI becomes essential.

    Building AI that thinks like an educator

    Developing AI for education requires close collaboration with psychometricians and subject matter experts to shape how the system behaves. This helps ensure it produces content that’s not just technically correct, but pedagogically sound.

    To ensure quality in AI-generated content:

    • Involve experts in the development process: Psychometricians and educators should review AI outputs to ensure alignment with learning goals and standards.
    • Use manual review cycles: Unlike benchmark-driven models, educational AI requires human evaluation to validate quality and relevance.
    • Focus on cognitive complexity: Design assessments with varied difficulty levels and ensure they measure intended constructs.

    This process is iterative and manual. It’s grounded in real-world educational standards, not just benchmark scores.

    Personalization needs structure

    AI’s ability to personalize learning is promising. But without structure, personalization can lead students off track. AI might guide learners toward content that’s irrelevant or misaligned with their goals. That’s why personalization must be paired with oversight and intentional design.

    To harness personalization responsibly:

    • Let experts set goals and guardrails: Define standards, scope and sequence, and success criteria; AI adapts within those boundaries.
    • Use AI for diagnostics and drafting, not decisions: Have it flag gaps, suggest resources, and generate practice, while educators curate and approve.
    • Preserve curricular coherence: Keep prerequisites, spacing, and transfer in view so learners don’t drift into content that’s engaging but misaligned.
    • Support educator literacy in AI: Professional development is key to helping teachers use AI effectively and responsibly.

    It’s not enough to adapt–the adaptation must be meaningful and educationally coherent.

    AI can accelerate content creation and internal workflows. But speed alone isn’t a virtue. Without scrutiny, fast outputs can compromise quality.

    To maintain efficiency and innovation:

    • Use AI to streamline internal processes: Beyond student-facing tools, AI can help educators and institutions build resources faster and more efficiently.
    • Maintain high standards despite automation: Even as AI accelerates content creation, human oversight is essential to uphold educational quality.

    Responsible use of AI requires processes that ensure every AI-generated item is part of a system designed to uphold educational integrity.

    An effective approach to AI in education is driven by concern–not fear, but responsibility. Educators are doing their best under challenging conditions, and the goal should be building AI tools that support their work.

    When frameworks and safeguards are built-in, what reaches students is more likely to be accurate, fair, and aligned with learning goals.

    In education, trust is foundational. And trust in AI starts with thoughtful design, expert oversight, and a deep respect for the work educators do every day.

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    Nick Koprowicz, Prometric

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  • Dream Big: Apply Now for the 2026 Disney Dreamers Academy

    High school students with big dreams and unstoppable drive have until October 31 to apply for the 2026 Disney Dreamers Academy, a life-changing mentorship program held at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. This transformative, multi-day experience offers students the chance to explore their passions and gain inspiration for their future careers.

    The program is open to U.S. high school students ages 13 to 19, who will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World—along with one parent or guardian. A panel of distinguished leaders will review all applications, and 100 participants will be selected and announced in early 2026.

    Now entering its 19th year, Disney Dreamers Academy continues to empower students from diverse backgrounds through days filled with inspiration, discovery, and personal growth. Participants engage in hands-on learning, career exploration, and leadership development, discovering how to dream bigger and achieve more. Students are introduced to career fields ranging from STEM and business to entertainment and the arts, while learning directly from educators, executives, celebrities, and Disney cast members who offer real-world insight and mentorship.

    Throughout the program, Dreamers develop essential life skills—leadership, communication, and networking—to help turn their aspirations into action.

    Those interested can apply or nominate a student at www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com.

    The Disney Dreamers Academy reflects Walt Disney World’s commitment to uplifting diverse communities, inspiring young people to dream boldly, pursue their passions, and make a meaningful impact on the world around them.

    For more information, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com or follow along on social media:

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  • How Windows 11 is powering the next generation of K-12 innovation

    Key points:

    As school districts navigate a rapidly evolving digital landscape, IT and academic leaders face a growing list of challenges–from hybrid learning demands and complex device ecosystems to rising cybersecurity threats and accessibility expectations. To stay ahead, districts need more than incremental upgrades–they need a secure, intelligent, and adaptable technology foundation.

    That’s the focus of the new e-book, Smarter, Safer, and Future-Ready: A K-12 Guide to Migrating to Windows 11. This resource takes an in-depth look at how Windows 11 can help school districts modernize their learning environments, streamline device management, and empower students and educators with AI-enhanced tools designed specifically for education.

    Readers will discover how Windows 11:

    • Protects district data with built-in, chip-to-cloud security that guards against ransomware, phishing, and emerging cyberattacks.
    • Simplifies IT management through automated updates, intuitive deployment tools, and centralized control–freeing IT staff to focus on innovation instead of maintenance.
    • Drives inclusivity and engagement with enhanced accessibility features, flexible interfaces, and AI-powered personalization that help every learner succeed.
    • Supports hybrid and remote learning with seamless collaboration tools and compatibility across a diverse range of devices.

    The e-book also outlines practical strategies for planning a smooth Windows 11 migration–whether upgrading existing systems or introducing new devices–so institutions can maximize ROI while minimizing disruption.

    For CIOs, IT directors, and district technology strategists, this guide provides a blueprint for turning technology into a true driver of academic excellence, operational efficiency, and district resilience.

    Download the e-book today to explore how Windows 11 is helping K-12 districts become smarter, safer, and more future-ready than ever before.

    Laura Ascione
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    Laura Ascione

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  • Beyond the Screen: How Trading Cards Support Learning in a Digital Age

    Tisha Lewis Ellison

    Parents, teachers, and even pediatricians have tried everything to manage kids’ screen time — banning phones from bedrooms, requiring outdoor play, encouraging reading, even prescribing medications. But the pull of technology isn’t going away. Social media, streaming platforms, and artificial intelligence tools are programmed to grab the attention of young people with remarkable effectiveness.

    That has raised alarms and prompted calls for a solution to what some describe as the attention crisis among young people. FormerU.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy proposed warning labels on social media platforms, blaming them for the youth mental health crisis. Lawmakers at both the state and federal levels are considering new limits on how young people use these platforms. But banning – or severely restricting –  digital technologies won’t solve the problem.

    And the truth is we probably should not go down that path anyway. Today’s kids are not just passive scrollers. They are active consumers of digital media – creating graphic content, composing unique sounds and beats, designing their own video games, as well as producing digital stories and podcasts to express themselves, empower others, and bring awareness to issues that matter to them.

    The challenge, therefore, is not about depriving kids of these creative outlets. It is about finding balance and giving young people appealing alternatives that provide slower, more tactile experiences that strengthen skills they will need in school and beyond. And one old pastime that is gaining popularity is showing us why this balance matters: trading cards.

    Collecting and trading cards may sound nostalgic, but the hobby is a powerful developmental tool with lessons that prior generations likely took for granted. Kids who collect and trade cards aren’t just chasing favorite players or characters. They are exercising executive function – a set of mental skills that allow people to plan, organize, focus, follow instructions, and manage time.

    And the wider world is beginning to take notice. The global trading card market, valued at $15.8 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to $23.5 billion by 2030. Driving this surge are parents tapping into nostalgia, kids drawn in by Pokémon or star athletes, and a growing awareness that card collecting isn’t just a pastime, it can be a profitable venture. Yet beyond propelling the trading card market to financial heights, the hobby leaves children with practical instruction and meaningful interactions.

    Collecting and trading cards encourage negotiation, compromise, persuasion, and other skills valuable in any society, let alone one built on commerce like our own. Unlike the instant gratification of the online world, the act of collecting and trading cards also demands patience and long-term thinking – just as journals, jigsaw puzzles, board games, and other recreational activities of the past do.

    Consider what it takes to amass and maintain a collection: saving money, making calculated acquisitions, and learning to assess the value of what you have in your collection. It means knowing what conditions to sell in, or when to trade for something with greater promise. In the process, kids learn to work with peers and, like budding entrepreneurs, develop the focus and accountability that endless clicking and swiping rarely demand.

    Educators are noticing too. Some teachers use trading cards for real-life applications of math skills and reading comprehension. Others bring them into classrooms to promote focus and spur constructive social interaction. The same qualities that make cards fun—organizing, tracking, forecasting, and making comparisons—mirror the very skills students will need to succeed in school and later in the workplace.

    None of this, however, means kids should abandon what the digital world has to offer. Quite the contrary. My research in digital and STEAM literacies (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) shows that young people thrive when they move fluidly between digital and analog practices—gaining strength both academically and socially. Digital tools, when used well, can open doors to creativity and opportunity that analog practices alone cannot. But in an age of constant pings, alerts, and distractions, analog activities like card trading require kids to plan, adapt to challenges, weigh options—and pause long enough to reflect.

    Breaking the digital trance may be closer than we think. In a world that moves faster every day, slowing down with something tangible, like a pack of trading cards, reminds us that learning, connection, and joy can still be held in our hands.

    Tisha Lewis Ellison, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia, Mary Frances Early College of Education. Dr. Lewis Ellison has received numerous accolades and awards for her research, which examines the intersections of family literacy, multimodality, and digital and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) literacy practices among Black and Latinx families and youth. 

    Dr. Tisha Lewis Ellison

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  • AI, CTE are key to preparing students for future careers

    This press release originally appeared online.

    Key points:

    Educators are embracing AI and career and technical education (CTE) as keys to preparing students for their future after high school, according to the 2025 Savvas Educator Index from K-12 learning solutions provider Savvas Learning Company.

    The annual national survey of K-12 teachers and administrators offers a pulse check on what educators see as the most pressing challenges and promising solutions in U.S. education this coming school year and beyond.

    “Educators are embracing new possibilities for student success and are eager for innovative tools that empower more effective, relevant learning experiences,” said Bethlam Forsa, CEO of Savvas Learning Company. “This year’s Savvas Educator Index highlights a collective demand for solutions that meet the moment, including AI and CTE, without compromising durable, essential skills like critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.”

    AI in classrooms? Only if it builds real-world skills

    Educators are cautiously optimistic about AI, with 66 percent planning to increase AI use in the 2025-26 school year–up from 57 percent last year. Of those who teach or oversee high school, more than half (56 percent) believe understanding AI is “very” or “extremely” important for students’ future success.

    But that optimism is tempered by concern.

    • Only 5 percent of educators are confident that their students know how to use AI responsibly and critically.
    • The majority (70 percent) of educators say they have received no professional development to support students in learning to use AI for schoolwork.
    • Nearly half (43 percent) of all educators believe current AI use is negatively impacting students’ development of durable skills like communication and critical thinking. This increases to 51 percent among grade 6-8 teachers and 68 percent among high school teachers.

    The disparity between educators’ optimism around implementation and concern around students’ durable skills sends a clear signal: educators want AI tools that come with guardrails, guidance for implementation, and controls meant to develop those skills, not create shortcuts.

    CTE Is the leading model for future workforce readiness

    While traditional academic routes like Advanced Placement (AP) courses have fallen behind in educator favor, CTE is the clear frontrunner when it comes to preparing students for life beyond high school, according to the survey.

    • More than double the number of educators selected CTE (63 percent) as the top program to best prepare students for success after high school compared to those who selected AP courses (26 percent).
    • Among educators who believe CTE programs help students be successful after high school, 87 percent identified job-ready skills and technical training and 79 percent identified early exposure to career pathways and interests as the key benefits students gain from participating in CTE programs while in high school.
    • Among teachers who believe CTE programs help students be successful after high school, 77 percent said CTE enhances students’ employability after high school; that number jumps to 79 percent among administrators.

    Dual enrollment is a critical bridge to success

    As part of the broader shift toward workforce readiness, the survey found dual enrollment programs are also powerful tools to help students prepare for college and career pathways. Among high school educators whose schools offer these courses, the benefits are clear and compelling.

    • The opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school was cited by 88 percent of educators as a major advantage.
    • Reduced tuition costs followed closely behind as a major advantage at 75 percent, and a smoother transition to postsecondary education at 70 percent, underscoring dual enrollment’s role in making higher education more affordable and accessible.

    Beyond cost savings, educators emphasized the importance of early exposure to college-level work and future career pathways, aligning with a national push to introduce students to postsecondary options earlier in their academic journeys.

    Without relevance, students struggle to stay motivated

    Educators are also sounding the alarm on a persistent and systemic issue: student motivation.

    • Three-fourths of educators surveyed (75 percent) cited lack of motivation as a leading challenge for the coming school year, with half of those respondents saying it is the top challenge students face.
    • Sixty-four percent of high school educators said motivation is a major barrier to earning a living wage after high school, and 45 percent said it hinders students’ college success.

    These concerns further reinforce the demand for learning that feels connected to students’ lives and futures, and educators overwhelmingly point to intentional use of AI-powered tools and CTE offerings as ways to deliver student success beyond their K-12 education.

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