Category: schools

  • Regulation builds walls between different levels of education, but universities can build bridges

    Regulation builds walls between different levels of education, but universities can build bridges

    Education in England remains segmented by regulation.

    Schools operate within Ofsted’s education inspection framework and the statutory regimes of the DfE. FE colleges navigate the new suite of Ofsted frameworks alongside funding and skills accountability structures. Universities face OfS oversight, TEF metrics, and the expectations of the professional standards framework (PSF).

    Even within universities, initial teacher training (ITT) can sit slightly apart. It is tightly regulated, operationally complex, and often detached from wider higher education teaching development.

    This fragmentation undermines the very professional identity that all sectors claim to cultivate. Educators, whether in early years, FE, HE or the workplace, share core capabilities: pedagogical reasoning, reflective practice, evidence-informed decision-making and relational skill. Yet current inspection and quality structures often privilege compliance over coherence. The new regulatory climate – with Ofsted’s expanded reach and the Office for Students’ growing emphasis on outcomes – risks hardening rather than healing these divides.

    Connected teacher formation

    The development of educators should be understood as a connected professional landscape spanning all phases of education. Early-years practitioners cultivate curiosity and foundational learning; FE teachers integrate academic knowledge with technical and vocational practice; HE staff foster critical inquiry and disciplinary expertise; workplace trainers translate theory into competence and innovation.

    These contexts differ, yet the core professional capabilities – reflective practice, relational pedagogy, and evidence-informed judgement – are deeply aligned. It is this alignment that offers the potential for genuine coherence across the system.

    Yet policy and regulation often pull in the opposite direction. Current agendas, including the post-16 white paper and recent ITT reforms, prioritise measurable outcomes and workforce supply. While these imperatives matter, they risk reducing professional formation to a compliance exercise they privilege evidence collection over reflection and credentials over capability. Entrenching directive, overly prescribed curricula that constrain professional judgement rather than deepen it.

    The challenge for higher education is not to reject accountability, but to reclaim its meaning: to own, shape, and model what intelligent, developmental regulation could look like in practice for our educational professionals.

    Connecting silos

    Higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to reconcile accountability with professional growth across sectors. They already engage in ITT partnerships with schools, support FE teacher education through validated programmes, and offer HE teaching qualifications, from PGCerts to Advance HE fellowships.

    Yet in practice these streams often operate in splendid isolation, reinforcing sector barriers, constraining professional mobility, and limiting opportunities for genuine cross-sector learning.

    Recognising teacher formation as relational and interconnected allows universities to model genuine professional coherence. QTS, QTLS and HE-specific qualifications should not be seen as separate territories – but as mutually informing frameworks that share a commitment to learning, reflection and the public good. At their best, reflective and research-informed practices become the collaborative engine that drives dialogue and professional mobility to connect schools, FE and HE teaching, fostering shared inquiry, and generating innovation that travels across boundaries rather than staying within them.

    The central challenge is one of narrative and ownership. Policy discourse too often frames teacher education as a workforce pipeline and a mechanism for filling vacancies, meeting recruitment targets whilst delivering standardised outputs. While workforce priorities matter, they must not be allowed to define the profession. The new Ofsted frameworks for ITT and FE, and the emerging regulatory language in HE, offer a moment of reckoning: will these instruments shape teachers, or will teachers and universities shape them?

    Universities have the intellectual capital, research capacity, and civic role to do the latter. They can reposition teacher education as the means by which professional agency is restored. They can demonstrate that robust accountability can coexist with autonomy, and that inspection need not stifle innovation.

    As I’ve set out, ITT, education and training, and HE teaching frameworks share a foundational logic: reflective practice, evidence-informed professionalism, and a commitment to learner outcomes. Treating these frameworks as interdependent rather than siloed gives HEIs the permission to shape, not just satisfy, regulation.

    Bridging the gaps

    The spaces between sectors – the school-to-FE transition, FE-to-HE pathways, and workplace interfaces – are where professional formation is most fragile. Policy and inspection regimes often treat these spaces as administrative handovers, yet they are precisely where higher education can add value.

    Universities can convene cross-sector networks, support shared professional learning, and promote collaborative research that spans education from the early years to lifelong learning. In doing so, teacher education becomes both the hub and the bridge: a central space where insight, evidence and practice converge, and a connective route through which ideas, people and purpose move freely.

    When universities play this role with intent, they enable knowledge, skill and reflective practice to travel with educators, strengthening the coherence of teaching as a truly lifelong, connected profession.

    Looking forward

    Teaching is the connective tissue of education, yet current regulatory and inspection frameworks continue to partition the profession into sector-specific silos, limiting transitions and weakening shared professional identity. The post-16 white paper, ITT reforms, and evolving HE teaching frameworks present more than compliance obligations – they offer a pivotal moment to restructure teacher education towards collaborative, cross-sector and shared professional agency.

    HEIs are uniquely positioned to seize this opportunity. By bringing schools, FE, and HE into constructive dialogue, aligning teaching pathways, and engaging inspection regimes strategically, universities can model a profession that is both coherent and adaptive. In doing so, they can collectively lead the sector in addressing complex challenges, ensuring teacher education supports not just quality, but innovation, inquiry, and resilience across the system.

    The pressing question is this: if teaching is the thread that binds the system, will higher education step forward to unite the sectors, shape regulation, and demonstrate what it truly means to teach without borders?

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  • Why K-12 educators need data literacy, not just data

    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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  • Reimagining teacher preparation to include student mental health supports

    Reimagining teacher preparation to include student mental health supports

    Key points:

    Teacher preparation programs have long emphasized curriculum, instruction, and assessment. However, they often fall short in one critical area: social-emotional and mental health needs of students.

    We work daily with students whose academic success is inseparable from their psychological well-being. Nonetheless, we witness new educators wishing they were trained in not just behavior management, but, nowadays, the non-academic needs of children. If preservice programs are going to meet the demands of today’s classrooms, they must include deeper coursework in counseling, psychology, and trauma-informed teaching practices.

    Students today are carrying heavier emotional burdens than ever before. Anxiety, bullying, depression, grief, trauma exposure (including complex trauma), and chronic stress are unfortunately quite common. The fallout rarely appears in uniform, typical, or recognizable ways. Instead, it shows up as behaviors teachers must interpret and address (i.e., withdrawal, defiance, irritability, avoidance, conflict, aggression and violence, or inconsistent work).

    Without formal training, it is easy to label these actions as simple “misbehaviors” instead of asking why. However, seasoned educators and mental health professionals know that behaviors (including misbehaviors) are a means of communication, and understanding the root cause of a student’s actions is essential to creating a supportive and effective classroom.

    Oftentimes, adults fall into a pattern of describing misbehaviors by children as “manipulative” as opposed to a need not being met. As such, adults (including educators) need to shift their mindsets. This belief is supported by research. Jean Piaget reminds us that children’s cognitive and emotional regulation skills are still developing and naturally are imperfect. Lev Vygotsky reminds us that learning and behavior are shaped by the quality of a child’s social interactions, including with the adults (such as teachers) in their lives. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy further reinforces that psychological safety and belonging must be met before meaningful learning or self-control can occur, and teachers need to initiate psychological safety.

    Traditional classroom management training is often sparse in traditional preservice teacher training. It often emphasizes rules, procedures, and consequences. They absolutely matter, but the reality is far more nuanced. Behavior management and behavior recognition are not the same. A student who shuts down may be experiencing anxiety. A child who blurts out or becomes agitated may be reacting to trauma triggers in the environment. A student who frequently acts out may be seeking connection or stability in the only way they know how. Trauma-informed teaching (rooted in predictability, emotional safety, de-escalation, and relationship-building) is not just helpful, but is foundational in modern schools. Yet, many new teachers enter the profession with little to no formal preparation in these practices.

    The teacher shortage only heightens this need. Potential educators are often intimidated not by teaching content, but by the emotional and behavioral demands that they feel unprepared to address. Meanwhile, experienced teachers often cite burnout stemming from managing complex behaviors without adequate support. Courses focused on child development, counseling skills, and trauma-informed pedagogy would significantly improve both teacher confidence and retention. It would also be beneficial if subject-area experts (such as the counseling or clinical psychology departments of the higher education institution) taught these courses.

    Of note, we are not suggesting that teachers become counselors. School counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychometrists play essential and irreplaceable roles. However, teachers are the first adults to observe subtle shifts in their students’ behaviors or emotional well-being. Oftentimes, traditional behavior management techniques and strategies can make matters worse in situations where trauma is the root cause of the behavior. When teachers are trained in the fundamentals of trauma-informed practice and creating emotionally safe learning environments, they can respond skillfully. They can collaborate with or refer students to clinical mental-health professionals for more intensive support.

    Teacher preparation programs must evolve to reflect the emotional realities of today’s classrooms. Embedding several clinically grounded courses in counseling, psychology, and trauma-informed teaching (taught by certified and/or practicing mental-health professionals) would transform the way novice educators understand and support their students. This would also allow for more studies and research to take place on the effectiveness of various psychologically saturated teaching practices, accounting for the ever-changing psychosocial atmosphere. Students deserve teachers who can see beyond behaviors and understand the rationale beneath it. Being aware of behavior management techniques (which is often pretty minimal as teacher-prep programs stand now) is quite different than understanding behaviors. Teachers deserve to be equipped with both academic and emotional tools to help every learner thrive.

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  • Using generative tools to deepen, not replace, human connection in schools

    Using generative tools to deepen, not replace, human connection in schools

    Key points:

    For the last two years, conversations about AI in education have tended to fall into two camps: excitement about efficiency or fear of replacement. Teachers worry they’ll lose authenticity. Leaders worry about academic integrity. And across the country, schools are trying to make sense of a technology that feels both promising and overwhelming.

    But there’s a quieter, more human-centered opportunity emerging–one that rarely makes the headlines: AI can actually strengthen empathy and improve the quality of our interactions with students and staff.

    Not by automating relationships, but by helping us become more reflective, intentional, and attuned to the people we serve.

    As a middle school assistant principal and a higher education instructor, I’ve found that AI is most valuable not as a productivity tool, but as a perspective-taking tool. When used thoughtfully, it supports the emotional labor of teaching and leadership–the part of our work that cannot be automated.

    From efficiency to empathy

    Schools do not thrive because we write faster emails or generate quicker lesson plans. They thrive because students feel known. Teachers feel supported. Families feel included.

    AI can assist with the operational tasks, but the real potential lies in the way it can help us:

    • Reflect on tone before hitting “send” on a difficult email
    • Understand how a message may land for someone under stress
    • Role-play sensitive conversations with students or staff
    • Anticipate barriers that multilingual families might face
    • Rehearse a restorative response rather than reacting in the moment

    These are human actions–ones that require situational awareness and empathy. AI can’t perform them for us, but it can help us practice and prepare for them.

    A middle school use case: Preparing for the hard conversations

    Middle school is an emotional ecosystem. Students are forming identity, navigating social pressures, and learning how to advocate for themselves. Staff are juggling instructional demands while building trust with young adolescents whose needs shift by the week.

    Some days, the work feels like equal parts counselor, coach, and crisis navigator.

    One of the ways I’ve leveraged AI is by simulating difficult conversations before they happen. For example:

    • A student is anxious about returning to class after an incident
    • A teacher feels unsupported and frustrated
    • A family is confused about a schedule change or intervention plan

    By giving the AI a brief description and asking it to take on the perspective of the other person, I can rehearse responses that center calm, clarity, and compassion.

    This has made me more intentional in real interactions–I’m less reactive, more prepared, and more attuned to the emotions beneath the surface.

    Empathy improves when we get to “practice” it.

    Supporting newcomers and multilingual learners

    Schools like mine welcome dozens of newcomers each year, many with interrupted formal education. They bring extraordinary resilience–and significant emotional and linguistic needs.

    AI tools can support staff in ways that deepen connection, not diminish it:

    • Drafting bilingual communication with a softer, more culturally responsive tone
    • Helping teachers anticipate trauma triggers based on student histories
    • Rewriting classroom expectations in family-friendly language
    • Generating gentle scripts for welcoming a student experiencing culture shock

    The technology is not a substitute for bilingual staff or cultural competence. But it can serve as a bridge–helping educators reach families and students with more warmth, clarity, and accuracy.

    When language becomes more accessible, relationships strengthen.

    AI as a mirror for leadership

    One unexpected benefit of AI is that it acts as a mirror. When I ask it to review the clarity of a communication, or identify potential ambiguities, it often highlights blind spots:

    • “This sentence may sound punitive.”
    • “This may be interpreted as dismissing the student’s perspective.”
    • “Consider acknowledging the parent’s concern earlier in the message.”

    These are the kinds of insights reflective leaders try to surface–but in the rush of a school day, they are easy to miss.

    AI doesn’t remove responsibility; it enhances accountability. It helps us lead with more emotional intelligence, not less.

    What this looks like in teacher practice

    For teachers, AI can support empathy in similarly grounded ways:

    1. Building more inclusive lessons

    Teachers can ask AI to scan a lesson for hidden barriers–assumptions about background knowledge, vocabulary loads, or unclear steps that could frustrate students.

    2. Rewriting directions for struggling learners

    A slight shift in wording can make all the difference for a student with anxiety or processing challenges.

    3. Anticipating misconceptions before they happen

    AI can run through multiple “student responses” so teachers can see where confusion might arise.

    4. Practicing restorative language

    Teachers can try out scripts for responding to behavioral issues in ways that preserve dignity and connection.

    These aren’t shortcuts. They’re tools that elevate the craft.

    Human connection is the point

    The heart of education is human. AI doesn’t change that–in fact, it makes it more obvious.

    When we reduce the cognitive load of planning, we free up space for attunement.
    When we rehearse hard conversations, we show up with more steadiness.
    When we write in more inclusive language, more families feel seen.
    When we reflect on our tone, we build trust.

    The goal isn’t to create AI-enhanced classrooms. It’s to create relationship-centered classrooms where AI quietly supports the skills that matter most: empathy, clarity, and connection.

    Schools don’t need more automation.

    They need more humanity–and AI, used wisely, can help us get there.

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  • Modernizing education communications for safety and simplicity

    Modernizing education communications for safety and simplicity

    Key points:

    Schools, colleges, and universities face growing challenges in keeping their communities informed, connected, and engaged. From classroom collaboration to campus-wide alerts, reliable communication is critical to creating positive learning environments and student experiences.

    Currently, many educational institutions are weighed down by outdated and disjointed communication systems that hinder learning, experience, and even safety. Educators need technology that is both flexible and responsive, and these systems are falling short.  

    The campus communication disconnect

    Many schools find themselves in a fragmented communication trap, juggling a complex tech stack with outdated systems. On its own, each tool might work well, but when different applications are used for texts, emails, virtual classrooms, and emergency alerts, each with separate logins and interface, communication can become disjointed.

    School district IT teams are notoriously spread thin, and having fragmented communication tools that requires their own training, trouble shooting, and management is burdensome. This also adds unnecessary complexity for the wider faculty that can easily lead to missed messages or alerts. When taking safety into account, hampered communications in times like severe weather or lockdown can have serious repercussions.

    Outside of safety and complexity, patchworked communication systems can weigh schools down financially. Many platforms come with their own hidden fees or inconsistent licensing costs across departments. Those seeking to upgrade might face a block if budgets don’t have room for the initial investment, even though it could lead to long-term savings. This has left many schools in the position of maintaining a web of outdated tools like on-site servers or phone lines where potential benefits are overshadowed by price and complications.

    Key benefits of unified communications

    Faculty, students, families, and communities must be connected for impactful learning. Effective connection requires simplified and streamlined information sharing, which can be achieved through unifying communications. Modern, unified communication systems bring together channels like alerts, email, phone, messaging, and virtual learning into one platform, making it easier for schools to stay informed and engaged.

    Driven by a need for reliability, security, and budget predictability, 62.5% of educational institutions are now moving to UCaaS platforms, according to a 2025 Metrigy study. In practice, these platforms can enable teachers to reach the school nurse, contact a parent, or join a virtual classroom–all without switching platforms. For administrators, these tools can provide ecosystem management through one simple dashboard, reaching from individual campuses to entire school districts.

    Today’s learning environment requires flexibility. Whether class is fully remote or in person, modernized communication ensures both staff and students maintain consistent access to learning. Modern tools are also simplified–they can exist on the cloud in one platform, decreasing the need for separate servers, phone systems, or emergency alert tools.

    Modernized communication isn’t just convenient, but functions to bolster safety and responsiveness. For example, if a safety threat is reported, in real time, a unified system can automatically alert first responders, prompt crisis notifications, and confirm message distribution. Outside of emergencies, in a more day-to-day function, administrators can benefit from smoother operations like automated attendance alerts and streamlined family communications. 

    Uplevel with AI

    AI has emerged as a valuable partner for school administrators who perpetually need to do more with less. Within unified communications systems, AI can identify overlooked patterns and inefficiencies, such as if parent engagement rates climbed when sending a text as opposed to a phone call.

    Faculty can use AI to automate more administrative tasks like summarizing meeting notes, routing calls, or translating messages for multilingual families. These tools can help staff focus more on hands-on teaching and human interactions. Collated over time, these learnings can aid in decision making around staffing, communication approach, and resource allocation.

    Where to start

    Modernizing communication requires alignment between faculty, IT departments, and leadership. Before selecting a solution, school leaders should work to identify pain points and align goals across departments to ensure any updates serve both operational and academic priorities.

    When evaluating a consolidated communication solution, it’s important to consider tools that fit the specific needs of your institution, offering both flexibility and scalability. These solutions should work to unify legacy systems where needed, instead of completely gutting them. For example, an effective solution for your school might have the ability to work with bell or hardware phone systems while modernizing the rest of your communication tools into a single platform to minimize disruption and protect previous investments.

    A complete overnight rework of current communication systems is intimidating, and frankly, unrealistic. Instead, start by evaluating where a few systems can be consolidated and then gradually expand. This could look like first integrating messaging and emergency alerts before looking to incorporate analytics and collaboration tools.

    A more connected future

    The current education landscape is intrinsically dynamic, hybrid, and interconnected. Learning now takes place across both physical and digital spaces, requiring students and educators to collaborate seamlessly across locations and time zones.

    As advanced technology like AI continues to integrate into schools and universities, those that modernize their communications now will ensure they are ready to meet current and future educational needs for more effective, seamless, and safe learning environments.

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  • What school leaders need to know

    What school leaders need to know

    Key points:

    Special education is at a breaking point. Across the country, more children than ever are being referred for evaluations to determine whether they qualify for special education services. But there aren’t enough school psychologists or specialists on staff to help schools meet the demand, leaving some families with lengthy wait times for answers and children missing critical support. 

    The growing gap between need and capacity has inspired districts to get creative. One of the most debated solutions? Remote psychoeducational testing, or conducting evaluations virtually rather than face-to-face. 

    Can a remote evaluation accurately capture what a child needs? Will the results hold up if challenged in a legal dispute? Is remote assessment equivalent to in-person? 

    As a school psychologist and educational consultant, I hear these questions every week. And now, thanks to research and data released this summer, I can answer with confidence: Remote psychoeducational testing can produce equivalent results to traditional in-person assessment. 

    What the research shows

    In July 2025, a large-scale national study compared in-person and remote administration of the Woodcock-Johnson V Tests of Cognitive Abilities and Achievement (WJ V), the latest version of one of the most widely-used and comprehensive assessment systems for evaluating students’ intellectual abilities, academic achievement, and oral language skills. Using a matched case-control design with 300 participants and 44 licensed school psychologists from across the U.S., the study found no statistically or practically significant difference in student scores between in-person and remote formats. 

    In other words: When conducted with fidelity, remote WJ V testing produces equivalent results to traditional in-person assessment.

    This study builds on nearly a decade of prior research that also found score equivalency for remote administrations of the most widely used evaluations including WJ IV COG and ACH, RIAS-2, and WISC-V assessments, respectively. 

    The findings of the newest study are as important as they are urgent. They show remote testing isn’t just a novelty–it’s a practical, scalable solution that is rooted in evidence. 

    Why it matters now

    School psychology has been facing a workforce shortage for over a decade. A 2014 national study predicted this crunch, and today districts are relying on contracting agencies and remote service providers to stay afloat. At the same time, referrals for evaluations are climbing, driven by pandemic-related learning loss, growing behavioral challenges, and increased awareness of neurodiversity. 

    The result: More children and families waiting longer for answers, while school psychologists are facing mounting caseloads and experiencing burnout. 

    Remote testing offers a way out of this cycle and embraces changes. It allows districts to bring in licensed psychologists from outside their area, without relocating staff or asking families to travel. It helps schools move through backlogs more efficiently, ensuring students get the services they need sooner. And it gives on-site staff space to do the broader preventative work that too often gets sidelined. Additionally, it offers a way to support those students who are choosing alternate educational settings, such as virtual schools. 

    Addressing the concerns

    Skepticism remains, and that’s healthy. Leaders wonder: Will a hearing officer accept remote scores in a due process case? Are students disadvantaged by the digital format? Can we trust the results to guide placement and services?

    These are valid questions, but research shows that when remote testing is done right, the results are valid and reliable. 

    Key phrase: Done right. Remote assessment isn’t just a Zoom call with a stopwatch. In the most recent study, the setup included specific safeguards:

    • Touchscreen laptops with screens 13” or larger; 
    • A secure platform with embedded digital materials;
    • Dual cameras to capture the student’s face and workspace;
    • A guided proctor in-room with the student; and
    • Standardized examiner and proctor training protocols.

    This carefully structured environment replicates traditional testing conditions as closely as possible. All four of the existing equivalency studies utilized the Presence Platform, as it already meets with established criteria.

    When those fidelity conditions are met, the results hold up. Findings showed p-values above .05 and effect sizes below .03 across all tested subtests, indicating statistical equivalence. This means schools can confidently use WJ V scores from remote testing, provided the setup adheres to best practices.

    What district leaders can do

    For remote testing to succeed, schools need to take a thoughtful, structured approach. Here are three steps districts can take now.

    1. Vet providers carefully. Ask about their platform, equipment, training, and how they align with published research standards. 
    2. Clarify device requirements. Ensure schools have the right technology in place before testing begins.
    3. Build clear policies. Set district-wide expectations for how remote testing should be conducted so everyone–staff and contractors alike–are on the same page. 

    A path forward

    Remote assessment won’t solve every challenge in special education, but it can close one critical gap: timely, accurate evaluations. For students in rural districts, schools with unfilled psychologist positions, virtual school settings, or families tired of waiting for answers, it can be a lifeline.

    The research is clear. Remote psychoeducational testing works when we treat it with the same care and rigor as in-person assessment. The opportunity now is to use this tool strategically–not as a last resort, but as part of a smarter, more sustainable approach to serving students. 

    At its best, remote testing is not a compromise; it’s a path toward expanded access and stronger support for the students who need it most.

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  • What K-20 leaders should know about building resilient campuses

    What K-20 leaders should know about building resilient campuses

    Key Points:

    When a school building fails, everything it supports comes to a halt. Learning stops. Families scramble. Community stability is shaken. And while fire drills and lockdown procedures prepare students and staff for specific emergencies, the buildings themselves often fall short in facing the unexpected.

    Between extreme weather events, aging infrastructure, and rising operational demands, facility leaders face mounting pressure to think beyond routine upkeep. Resilience should guide every decision to help schools stay safe, meet compliance demands, and remain prepared for whatever lies ahead.

    According to a recent infrastructure report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the nation’s 98,000 PK-12 schools received a D+ for physical condition–a clear signal that more proactive design and maintenance strategies are urgently needed.

    Designing for resilience means planning for continuity. It’s about integrating smarter materials, better systems, and proactive partnerships so that learning environments can bounce back quickly–or never go down at all.

    Start with smarter material choices

    The durability of a school begins at ground level. Building materials that resist moisture, mold, impact, and corrosion play a critical role in long-term school resilience and functionality. For example, in flood-prone regions, concrete blocks and fiber-reinforced panels outperform drywall in both durability and recovery time. Surfaces that are easy to clean, dry quickly, and don’t retain contaminants can make the difference between reopening in days versus weeks.

    Limit downtime by planning ahead

    Downtime is costly, but it’s not always unavoidable. What is avoidable is the scramble that follows when there’s no plan in place. Developing a disaster-response protocol that includes vendors, contact trees, and restoration procedures can significantly reduce response time. Schools that partner with recovery experts before an event occurs often find themselves first in line when restoration resources are stretched thin.

    FEMA’s National Resilience Guidance stresses the need to integrate preparedness and long-term recovery planning at the facility level, particularly for schools that often serve as vital community hubs during emergencies.

    Maintenance as the first line of defense

    Preventative maintenance might not generate headlines, but it can prevent them. Regular inspections of roofing, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems help uncover vulnerabilities before they lead to shutdowns. Smart maintenance schedules can extend the lifespan of critical systems and reduce the risk of emergency failures, which are almost always more expensive.

    Build flexibility into the design

    Truly resilient spaces are defined by their ability to adapt, not just their physical strength. Multi-use rooms that can shift from classroom to shelter, or gymnasiums that double as community command centers, offer critical flexibility during emergencies. Facilities should also consider redundancies in HVAC and power systems to ensure critical areas like server rooms or nurse stations remain functional during outages.

    Include restoration experts early

    Design and construction teams are essential, but so are the people who will step in after a disaster. Involving restoration professionals during the planning or renovation phase helps ensure the layout and materials selected won’t hinder recovery later. Features like water-resistant flooring, interior drainage, and strategically placed shut-off valves can dramatically cut cleanup and repair times.

    Think beyond the building

    Resilient schools need more than solid walls. They need protected data, reliable communication systems, and clear procedures for remote learning if the physical space becomes temporarily inaccessible. Facility decisions should consider how technology, security, and backup systems intersect with the physical environment to maintain educational continuity.

    Schools are more than schools during a crisis

    In many communities, schools become the default support hub during a crisis. They house evacuees, store supplies, and provide a place for neighbors to connect. Resilient infrastructure supports student safety while also reinforcing a school’s role as a vital part of the community. Designs should support this extended role, with access-controlled entries, backup power, and health and sanitation considerations built in from the start.

    A resilient mindset starts with leadership

    Resilience begins with leadership and is reflected in the decisions that shape a school’s physical and operational readiness. Facility managers, superintendents, and administrative teams must advocate for resilient investments early in the planning process. This includes aligning capital improvement budgets, bond proposals, and RFP language with long-term resilience goals.

    There’s no such thing as a truly disaster-proof building. But there are schools that recover faster, withstand more, and serve their communities more effectively during crises. The difference is often found in early choices: what’s designed, built, and maintained before disaster strikes.

    When resilience guides every decision, school facilities are better prepared to safeguard students and maintain continuity through disruption.

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  • 49 predictions about edtech, innovation, and–yes–AI in 2026

    49 predictions about edtech, innovation, and–yes–AI in 2026

    As K-12 schools prepare for 2026, edtech and innovation are no longer driven by novelty–it’s driven by necessity. District leaders are navigating tighter budgets, shifting enrollment, rising cybersecurity threats, and an urgent demand for more personalized, future-ready learning.

    At the same time, AI, data analytics, and emerging classroom technologies are reshaping not only how students learn, but how educators teach, assess, and support every learner.

    The result is a defining moment for educational technology. From AI-powered tutoring and automated administrative workflows to immersive career-connected learning and expanded cybersecurity frameworks, 2026 is poised to mark a transition from experimental adoption to system-wide integration. The year ahead will test how effectively schools can balance innovation with equity, security with access, and automation with the irreplaceable role of human connection in education.

    Here’s what K-12 industry experts, stakeholders, and educators have to say about what 2026 will bring:

    AI becomes fully mainstream: With clearer guardrails and safety standards, AI will shift from pilot projects to a natural part of daily classroom experiences. AI tackles the biggest challenges: learning gaps and mental health: Chronic absenteeism, disengagement and widening readiness levels are creating urgent needs, and AI is one of the only tools that can scale support quickly. Hyper-personalized learning becomes standard: Students need tailored, real-time feedback more than ever, and AI will adapt instruction moment to moment based on individual readiness. AI tutoring expands without replacing teachers: Quick, focused bursts of AI-led practice and feedback can relieve overwhelmed teachers and give students support when they need it most. The novelty era of AI is over: In 2026, districts will prioritize solutions that measurably improve student outcomes, relevance and wellbeing, not just cool features.
    –Kris Astle, Education Expert and Manager of Learning and Adoption, SMART Technologies

    In 2026, workforce readiness will no longer be seen as someone else’s responsibility, but will become a collective mission. Schools, employers, families, and policymakers will increasingly work together to connect students’ strengths to real opportunities. Career and technical education (CTE) and industry certifications will move to the center of the conversation as districts rethink graduation requirements to prioritize alignment between student aptitudes and workforce demand. The goal will shift from ‘graduation’ to readiness. Students don’t lack ambition, they lack connection between what they’re good at and where those talents are needed. When education, industry, and community align, that connection becomes clear. The result? A generation that enters the world not just credentialed, but confident and capable.
    —Edson Barton, CEO & Co-Founder, YouScience

    As the number of edtech applications continues to surge across classrooms nationwide, teachers and administrators will need to become increasingly discerning consumers. The challenge for 2026 won’t be finding tools, it will be identifying which ones truly move the needle for teaching and learning. To maximize impact, district leaders should look for tools that demonstrate clear instructional value, support data-driven teaching, and extend what humans alone can accomplish. This includes intentionally selecting tools that embody strong learning science, effectively personalize the learning experience, empower teachers with meaningful data, and align tightly to instructional goals. If a tool doesn’t demonstrably provide purposeful practice to enhance student learning or make teachers’ work easier, it’s unlikely to earn a place in the modern classroom.
    –Dr. Carolyn Brown, Chief academic Officer & Co-Founder of Foundations in Learning, Creator of WordFlight

    In 2026, schools will continue to prioritize clear, consistent communication between families, students and staff. The expectations around what good communication looks like will rise significantly as communication modality preferences evolve and expand. Parents increasingly rely on digital tools to stay informed, and districts will feel growing pressure to ensure their online presence is not only accurate but intuitive, engaging, accessible and available in real time. New elements such as AI chatbots and GEO practices will shift from “nice-to-have” features to essential components of a modern school communication toolbox. These tools help families find answers quickly, reduce the burden on office staff and give schools a reliable, user-friendly way to reach every stakeholder with urgent updates or important news at a moment’s notice. Historically, digital methods of school-to-home communication have been overlooked or deprioritized in many districts. But as competition for students and teachers increases and family expectations continue to rise, schools will be forced to engage more intentionally through digital channels, which are often the only reliable way to reach families today. As a result, modernizing communications will become a core strategic priority rather than an operational afterthought.
    –Jim Calabrese, CEO, Finalsite

    Educator wellness programs will increasingly integrate with student well-being initiatives, creating a truly holistic school climate. Schools may roll out building-wide morning meditations, joint movement challenges, or shared mindfulness activities that engage both staff and students. By connecting teacher and student wellness, districts will foster healthier, more resilient communities while boosting engagement and morale across the school.
    —Niki Campbell, M.S., Founder/CEO, The Flourish Group

    In 2026, we will see more talk about the need for research and evidence to guide education decisions in K-12 education. Reports on student achievement continue to show that K-12 students are not where they need to be academically, while concerns about the impact of new technologies on student well-being are on the rise. Many in the education space are now asking what we can do differently to support student learning as AI solutions rapidly make their way into classrooms. Investing in research and development with a focus on understanding  teaching and learning in the age of AI will be vital to addressing current education issues.
    —Auditi Chakravarty, CEO, AERDF

    District leaders will harness school safety as a strategic advantage. In 2026, K-12 district leaders will increasingly see school safety as a key driver of their biggest goals–from increasing student achievement to keeping great teachers in the classroom. Safety will show up more naturally in everyday conversations with teachers, parents, and students, underscoring how a secure, supportive environment helps everyone do their best work. As districts point to the way safer campuses improve focus, attract strong educators, and build community trust, school safety will become a clear advantage that helps move the whole district forward.
    —Brent Cobb, CEO, CENTEGIX 

    Learning is no longer confined to a classroom, a schedule, or even a school building. New models are expanding what’s possible for students and prompting educators to reconsider the most effective strategies for learning. A key shift is asking students, “What is school doing for you?” Virtual and hybrid models provide students the space and time to reflect on this question, and these non-traditional approaches are expected to continue growing in 2026. Education is shifting from a focus on test-taking skills to an approach that helps students become well-rounded, self-directed learners who understand what motivates them and are better prepared for career readiness and long-term success. With that comes a need for a stronger emphasis on fostering independence. It’s equally important that students learn to build resilience themselves, and for parents and teachers to recognize that letting students stumble is part of helping them without life-altering consequences will support the best citizens of the future. Aligning education with these priorities is crucial to advancing learning for the next generation.
    –Dr. Cutler, Executive Director, Wisconsin Virtual Academy

    With reading skills continuing to lag, 2026 will be pivotal for improving K–12 literacy–especially for middle school students. Schools must double down on evidence-based strategies that foster engagement and achievement, such as targeted reading interventions that help students build confidence and reconnect with reading. We’ll likely see a strong push for tools like digital libraries and personalized reading programs to help learners gain ground before entering high school. Audiobooks and other accessible digital formats can play a key role in supporting comprehension and fluency, particularly when paired with interactive resources and educator guidance. Middle school remains a crucial stage for developing lifelong reading habits that extend beyond the classroom. The top priority will be closing learning gaps by cultivating meaningful, enjoyable reading experiences for students both in and out of school.
    –Renee Davenport, Vice President of North American Schools, OverDrive

    Virtual set design, which is popular in professional theaters and higher education institutions, is now making its way into K-12 theaters. It allows schools to use the technologies they are familiar with such as short-throw projection technology, and combine it with computer graphics, 3D modeling, real-time rendering, and projection mapping technologies to create visually-stunning sets that could not be created by building traditional sets. A great example of this is highlighted in this eSchool News’ article. Overall, virtual sets elevate theater productions at a fraction of the cost and time of building physical sets, and when students are involved in creating the virtual sets, they learn a variety of tech-related skills that will help them in future careers.
    –Remi Del Mar, Group Product Manager, Epson America, Inc.

    In 2026, more school districts will take deliberate steps to integrate career-connected learning into the K–12 experience. As the workforce continues to evolve, educators recognize that students need more than academic mastery – they need technical fluency, transferable skills, and the confidence to navigate unfamiliar challenges. Districts will increasingly turn to curricula that blend rigorous instruction with meaningful, hands-on experiences, helping students understand how what they learn in the classroom connects to real opportunities beyond it. In turn, we’ll see a growing emphasis on activity-, project-, and problem-based learning that promotes relevance, exploration, and purposeful engagement. This shift will also deepen partnerships between schools, local industries, and higher education to help ensure learning experiences reflect real workforce expectations and expose students to future pathways. By embedding these experiences into daily learning, schools can help students develop a strong foundation for lifelong learning and adaptability–redefining educational success to include readiness for life and work.
    –David Dimmett, President & CEO, Project Lead the Way

    AI will push America’s century-old education system to a breaking point. AI will make it impossible to ignore that our current education priorities are obsolete and, for millions, downright harmful. The root cause? Education’s very failed ‘success’ metrics. At long last, high-school math will get its day of reckoning, with growing calls for redirecting focus toward the ideas that matter, not micro-tidbits that adults never use and smartphones perform flawlessly. Society is in a technology revolution, but how we teach our youth hasn’t changed. Frustration is growing. Students are bored and disengaged. Parents are fearful for their children’s future. Career centers will soon become ghost towns as young people question the relevance of what and how they’re being prepared for the future. The schools that rebuild around problem-solving, reasoning, and genuine human creativity will thrive, while the rest stagnate in unavoidable debate about whether their model has any real-world value.
    —Ted Dintersmith, Founder, What School Could Be

    In 2026, I anticipate several meaningful shifts in early childhood education. First, with growing recognition of the academic, social-emotional, and physical benefits of outdoor learning, more schools will prioritize creating intentional outdoor learning environments. More than just recess time, this means bringing indoor activities outdoors, so children have the chance to not only learn in nature but about nature. Additionally, as we see expansion in early childhood programs across the nation, I expect a continued focus on play-based learning. Research indicates that is how children learn best, and while there is pressure for academics and rigor, early childhood educators know play can provide that very thing. Lastly, while it’s widely known that children use their senses to learn about the world around them, I see educators being more intentional about meeting the sensory needs of all learners in their classrooms. We’ll continue to see a quest to provide environments that truly differentiate to meet individual needs in an effort to help everyone learn in the way that works best for them.
    –Jennifer Fernandez, Education Strategist, School Specialty

    As district leaders look ahead to 2026, there is a widening gap between growing special ed referrals and limited resources. With referrals now reaching more than 15 percent of all U.S. public school students, schools are under increasing pressure to make high-stakes decisions with limited staff and resources. The challenge is no longer just volume–it’s accuracy. Too often, students–especially multilingual learners–are placed in special ed not because of disability, but because their learning needs are misunderstood. Ensuring that every student receives the right support begins with getting identification right from the start. The districts that will make the most progress in the new year will focus more on improving assessment quality, not speed. This means leveraging digital tools that ease the strain on special ed teachers and school psychologists, streamlining efficiency while keeping their expert judgment at the heart of support. When accuracy becomes the foundation of special ed decision-making, schools can reallocate resources where they’re needed most and ensure that every learner is understood, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive.
    —Dr. Katy Genseke, Psy.D., Director of Clinical Product Management, Riverside Insights

    In the coming year, we’ll see more districts formalize removing cell phone access in classrooms and during the school day, along with reducing passive screen time, as educators grapple with student disengagement and rising concerns about attention, learning, and well-being. This shift will spark a renewed emphasis on real-world, hands-on learning where students can physically explore scientific principles and understand where mathematical and scientific ideas come from. Schools will increasingly prioritize experiences that connect scientific concepts to the real world, helping students build curiosity and confidence in their science and math skills. Ultimately, these changes will result in learners seeing themselves in roles connected to these experiences, such as health sciences, bio tech, engineering, agricultural science, and many more, as a way to engage and prepare them for meaningful and in-demand postsecondary professions or further education.
    –Jill Hedrick, CEO, Vernier Science Education

    Across the country, I’m inspired by how many districts are embracing evidence-based literacy practices and seeking stronger alignment in their approach. At the same time, I see areas where teachers require more consistent training, tools, and support to implement these practices effectively. This moment presents a genuine opportunity for leaders to foster greater coherence and enhance implementation in meaningful ways. Looking toward 2026, my hope is that district leaders embrace a comprehensive, long-term vision for literacy and commit to true alignment across classrooms and grade levels. That means giving teachers the time, structure, and support required for effective implementation; leading with empathy as educators adopt new practices; and recognizing that real change doesn’t come from training alone but from ongoing coaching, collaboration, and commitment from leadership. National data make the urgency clear: reading gaps persist in the early grades and beyond, and too many students enter adolescence without the foundational literacy skills they need. It’s time to change the story by building teacher capacity, strengthening implementation, and ensuring every learner at every level in every classroom has access to high-quality, science-backed reading instruction.
    —Jeanne Jeup, CEO & Founder, IMSE

    If 2023-2025 were the “panic and pilot” years for AI in schools, 2026 will be the year habits harden. The policies, tools, and norms districts choose now will set the defaults for how a generation learns, works, and thinks with AI. The surprise: students use AI less to shortcut work and more to stretch their thinking. In 2023 the fear was simple: “Kids will use AI to cheat.” By the end of 2026, the bigger surprise will be how many students use AI to do more thinking, not less, in schools that teach them how. We already see students drafting on their own, then using AI for formative feedback aligned to the teacher’s rubric. They ask “Why is this a weak thesis?” or “How could I make this clearer?” instead of “Write this for me.” Where adults set clear expectations, AI becomes a studio, not a vending machine. Students write first, then ask AI to critique, explain, or suggest revisions. They compare suggestions to the rubric and explain how they used AI as part of the assignment, instead of hiding it. The technology didn’t change. The adult framing did.
    –Adeel Khan, CEO, MagicSchool

    School safety conversations will include more types of emergencies. In a 2025 School Safety Trends Report that analyzed 265,000+ alerts, 99 percent of alerts were for everyday emergencies, including medical incidents and behavioral issues, while only 1 percent involved campus-wide events, such as lockdowns. Effective school safety planning must include a variety of types of emergencies, not just the extreme. While most people think of lockdowns when they hear “school safety,” it’s critical that schools have plans in place for situations like seizures or cardiac arrest. In these scenarios, the right protocols and technology save lives–in fact, approximately 1 in 25 high schools have a sudden cardiac arrest incident each year. In 2026, I believe wearable panic buttons and technology that maps the locations of medical devices, like AEDs, will become the standard for responding to these incidents.
    —Jill Klausing, Teacher, School District of Lee County 

    One quarter of high seniors say they have no plans for the future, and that percentage will only grow. Educators, nonprofits, and policymakers must work to connect learning with real world skills and experiences because most kids don’t know where to start. DIY digital career exploration and navigation tools are dramatically shaping kids’ futures. High quality platforms that kids can access on their phones and mobile devices are exploding, showing options far beyond a college degree.
    –Julie Lammers, CEO, American Student Assistance

    A significant trend emerging for 2026 is the focus on evidence-based learning strategies that directly address cognitive load and instructional equity. For example, as districts implement the Science of Reading, it will become even more imperative for every student to audibly distinguish soft consonant sounds and phonemes. The hidden challenge is ambient classroom noise, which increases extraneous cognitive load, forcing students to expend unnecessary mental energy just trying to hear the lesson, and diverting their focus away from processing the actual content. Therefore, instructional audio must be treated as foundational infrastructure—as essential to learning as curriculum itself. By delivering the teacher’s voice to every student in the classroom, this technology minimizes the hearing hurdle, enabling all learners to fully engage their brains in the lesson and effectively close achievement gaps rooted in communication barriers.
    –Nathan Lang-Raad, VP of Business, Lightspeed

    AI-driven automation will help schools reclaim time and clarity from chaos: School districts will finally gain control over decades of ghost and redundant data, from student records to HR files through AI-powered content management. AI will simplify compliance, communication, and collaboration: By embedding AI tools directly into content systems, schools will streamline compliance tracking, improve data accuracy, and speed up communication between departments and families. Accessible, data-driven experiences will redefine engagement: Parents and students will expect school systems to deliver personalized, seamless experiences powered by clean, connected data.
    –Andy MacIsaac, Senior Strategic Solutions Manager for Education, Laserfiche

    In the K-12 sector, we are moving away from a ‘content delivery’ model, and toward what I call ‘The Augmented Educator.’ We know that AI and predictive algorithms are improving on the technical side of learning. They can analyze student performance data to spot micro-gaps in knowledge – like identifying that a student is struggling with calculus today because they missed a specific concept in geometry three years ago. That is predictive personalization, and it creates a perfect roadmap for what a student needs to learn. However, a roadmap is useless if the student isn’t fully on board. This is where human-connection becomes irreplaceable. AI cannot empathize with a frustrated 10-year-old. It cannot look a student in the eye and build the psychological safety required to fail and try again. The future of our industry isn’t about choosing between AI or humans; it’s about this specific synergy: Technology provides the diagnostic precision, but the human provides the emotional horsepower. I predict that the most successful tutors of the next decade will be ‘coaches’ first and ‘teachers’ second. They will use technology to handle curriculum planning, allowing them to focus 100 percent of their energy on motivation, pedagogy, and building confidence. That is the only way to keep K-12 students engaged in a digital-first world.
    —Gaspard Maldonado, Head of SEO, Superprof

    If there’s one thing we see every day in classrooms, it’s that students learn differently and at their own pace, which is why committing to personalized learning is the next big step in education. This means moving beyond the old “one-size-fits-all” model and finally embracing what we’ve always known about how learning actually works. Personalization gives students something incredibly powerful: a clear sense of their own learning journey. When the curriculum, instruction, and pacing are tailored to their strengths, interests, and needs, students have better clarity and allow them to engage with their education in a way that they wouldn’t be able to in other ways. And for teachers, this shift doesn’t have to mean more complexity. With the support of smarter tools, especially AI-driven insights, the administrative burden lightens, making space for what matters most: mentoring, connecting, and building meaningful relationships with students. But personalization isn’t just about improving academic outcomes. It’s about helping students grow into resilient, self-directed thinkers who understand how to navigate their own path. When we move from generalized instruction to student-centered learning, we take a real step toward ensuring that every student has the chance to thrive.
    –Lynna Martinez-Khalilian, Chief Academic Officer, Fusion Academy

    The conversation around AI in education won’t be about replacement, it will be about renaissance. The most forward-thinking schools will use AI to automate the mundane so teachers can focus on what only humans can do: connect, inspire, and challenge students to think critically and create boldly. The future belongs to those who can harness both computational power and human imagination.
    –Jason McKenna, VP of Global Educational Strategy, VEX Robotics

    Across sectors, educational ecosystems are rapidly evolving toward skills-focused, technology-enabled, models that prepare students for a dynamic future of work. Learners are using online platforms such as iCEV to access course work, create artifacts, and share their knowledge of the subject in a creative and improved manner. Platforms like this will be utilized by CTE teachers to assist learners in building technical competencies by implementing a variety of learning models.
    –Dr. Richard McPherson, Agricultural Science Teacher, Rio Rico High School in the Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District

    In 2026, districts will confront a widening gap between the growing number of students diagnosed with specialized needs and the limited pool of clinicians available to support them. Schools will continue to face budget constraints and rising demand, which will push the field toward greater consolidation and more strategic partnerships that expand access, especially in regions that have long lacked adequate services. The organizations that succeed will be those able to scale nationally while still delivering localized, student-first support. We expect to see more attention focused on the realities of special education needs: the increasing number of students who require services, the truly limited resources, and the essential investment required in high-quality, integrated support systems that improve outcomes and make a measurable difference in students’ lives.
    –Chris Miller, CEO, Point Quest Group

    The future of K-12 projectors lies in integrated, high-performance chipsets that embed a dedicated Small Language Model (SLM), transforming the device into an AI Instructor Assistant. This powerful, low-latency silicon supports native platforms like Apple TV while primarily enabling real-time, on-board AI functions. Instructors can use simple voice commands to ask the projector to perform complex tasks: running real-time AI searches and summarization, instantly generating contextual quizzes, and providing live transcription and translation for accessibility. Additionally, specialized AI handles automated tasks like instant image auto-correction and adaptive light adjustment for student eye health. This integration turns the projector into a responsive, autonomous edge computing device, simplifying workflows and delivering instant, AI-augmented lessons in the classroom. Epson makes a great ultra short throw product that is well suited for a chipset such as this in the future.
    –Nate Moore, Executive Director of Technology, Kearsley Community Schools

    I anticipate a renewed focus on the classroom technologies that most directly strengthen student engagement. In recent research, 81 percent of K–12 IT leaders reported that student engagement is their primary measure of success, and 91 percent expect interactive tools like interactive displays, classroom cameras, and headsets to increase classroom participation in the coming year. This signals a shift toward investing in tools that enable every student to see and be seen, and hear and be heard across all learning environments. Rather than investing in the next big trend, I believe districts will prioritize technologies that consistently help learners stay focused and engaged. The year ahead will be defined not by rapid experimentation, but by the thoughtful adoption of tools that make learning more immersive, inclusive, and meaningful.
    —Madeleine Mortimore, Global Education Innovation and Research Lead, Logitech

    Technology advancements will continue to accelerate in 2026 which will have a direct impact on teaching and learning. As schools seek out new and innovative ways to engage students and support deeper learning, I predict immersive technologies such as VR (virtual reality), XR (extended reality), and hybrid learning models which integrate traditional in-person teaching and online learning with VR experiences, will become more mainstream.
    –Ulysses Navarrete, Executive Director, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)

    In 2026, mathematics education will continue to shift toward teaching math the way the brain learns, prioritizing visual and meaningful context over rote memorization. By presenting concepts visually and embedding them in engaging, real-world context first, students can better understand the structure of problems, build reasoning skills, and develop confidence in their abilities. Districts that implement research-backed, neuroscience-informed approaches at scale will help students tackle increasingly complex challenges, develop critical thinking, and approach math with curiosity rather than anxiety—preparing them for a future where problem-solving and adaptive thinking are essential.
    –Nigel Nisbet, Vice President of Content Creation, MIND Education

    My prediction for 2026 is that as more people start to recognize the value of career and technical education (CTE), enrollment in CTE programs will increase, prompting schools to expand them. Technology will enhance curricula through tools such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence, while partnerships with industry will provide students with essential, real-world experiences. Moreover, there will be a greater emphasis on both technical and soft skills, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.
    –Patti O’Maley, Vice Principal & CTE Coordinator, Payette River Tech Academy & Recently Profiled in Building High-Impact CTE Centers: Lessons from District Leaders

    In 2026, schools are poised to shift from using AI mainly as a time saver to using it as a genuine driver of better teaching and learning. Educators will still value tools that streamline tasks, but the real momentum will come from applications that sharpen instructional practice and strengthen coaching conversations. Observation Copilot is already giving a glimpse of this future. It has changed the way I conduct classroom observations by capturing evidence with clarity and aligning feedback to both district and state evaluation frameworks. As tools like this continue to evolve, the focus will move toward deeper instructional insight, more precise feedback, and richer professional growth for teachers.
    –Brent Perdue, Principal, Jefferson Elementary School in Spokane Public Schools

    The upper grades intervention crisis demands action. Most science of reading policies focus on K-3, but the recent NAEP scores showing historically low literacy among graduating seniors signal where policy will move next. States like Virginia are already expanding requirements to serve older students, and I expect this to be a major legislative focus in 2026. The pandemic-impacted students are now in seventh grade and still struggling. We can’t ignore them any longer.
    –Juliette Reid, Director of Market Research, Reading Horizons

    High schools and career and technical education (CTE) centers are increasingly seeking out opportunities to provide immersive, hands-on experiences that prepare students for the workforce. In 2026, we will see a surge in demand for virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) tools to fill this need. VR/AR experiences promote deeper understanding, better knowledge retention and faster skills acquisition, giving students a realistic way to experience different careers, understand job expectations, and learn transferable skills like communication and teamwork. Whether it’s by letting students virtually step into the role of a nurse, welder, or chef; or enabling them to participate in a VR simulated job interview, VR/AR helps students build knowledge, skills and confidence as they explore career paths and it will be a critical technology for workforce development in 2026 and beyond.
    –Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer, Avantis Education, Creators of ClassVR

    In 2026, expect growing urgency around middle school literacy. The students who were in K–3 during the pandemic are now in middle school, and many still haven’t caught up–only 30 percent of eighth graders are reading proficiently, with no state showing gains since 2022. While there is a myth that students transition from learning to read to reading to learn after third grade, the reality is that many older students need ongoing reading support as they take on more complex texts. Years of testing pressure, fragmented time for reading instruction, and limited focus on adolescent literacy have left students underprepared for complex, content-rich texts. In 2026, expect more states and districts to invest in systemic literacy supports that extend beyond elementary school: embedding reading across subjects, rethinking instructional time, and rebuilding students’ stamina and confidence to tackle challenging material. The middle school reading crisis is as much about mindset as mechanics – and solving it will require both.
    —Julie Richardson, Principal Content Designer for Literacy, NWEA

    In 2026, I expect AI in education to shift from novelty to essential infrastructure, provided we keep human involvement and student safety at the center. Across districts we’ve worked with, we consistently see that the  real value of AI is not just in creating faster workflows, but in providing students and teachers with personalized support to result in more effective teaching and learning outcomes. Research and pilot programs show the strongest gains when AI augments human teaching, offering individualized feedback and tailored practice while educators focus on higher-order instruction and student connection. As adoption accelerates, the work ahead is less about whether to use AI and more about building systems that ensure it’s safe, equitable, and pedagogically sound. Beyond just product development,  means districts will need AI strategies that center governance, privacy protections, and investing in professional development so educators have the tools and confidence they need to use AI responsibly.
    —Sara Romero-Heaps, Chief Operating Officer, SchoolAI

    In 2026, K–12 education will reach a critical moment as students navigate an increasingly complex, AI-enabled world. The widening gap between the skills students develop in school and the demands of tomorrow’s workforce will draw growing attention, underscoring the need for Decision Education in classrooms nationwide. Students, parents, teachers, and education leaders are all experiencing uncertainty about the future. Schools and districts will need to integrate Decision Education more systematically so students build the dispositions and skills to make informed choices about their learning, careers, and lives. Strengthening decision-making skills gives students greater agency and helps them navigate uncertainty more effectively. Education leaders who prioritize practical approaches to closing this skills gap will be best positioned to help students thrive in a rapidly changing world.
    –David Samuelson, Executive Director, Alliance for Decision Education

    I believe 2026 will be defined by the power of local communities stepping up. We’ll see grassroots networks of educators, families, and community organizations building new models of support at the city, state, and regional levels. There will be even greater local reliance on family engagement organizations and public-private partnerships ensuring no learner gets left behind. The resilience and creativity of local communities will be education’s greatest strength in the year ahead.
    —Julia Shatilo, Senior Director, SXSW EDU

    Chronic absenteeism hasn’t eased as districts hoped–it’s proving sticky. At the same time, families are exploring and normalizing hybrid and home learning models. These two patterns may share roots in flexibility, agency, and the search for alignment between how students learn and how schools operate. Taken together, they suggest ​​significant changes in how families relate to school. In response, we’ll likely see districts and states focus on earlier, more flexible outreach and clearer visibility into alternative learning pathways–not sweeping reform, but steady adjustments aimed at keeping students connected, however and wherever learning happens.
    —Dr. Joy Smithson, Data Science Manager, SchoolStatus

    The goal for literacy remains the same: Every child deserves to become a capable, confident reader. But our understanding has deepened, and this will shape conversations and best practices ahead. Too often, we’ve examined each dimension of literacy in isolation–studying how children decode words without considering how teachers learn to teach those skills; creating research-backed interventions without addressing how schools can implement them with integrity; and celebrating individual student breakthroughs while overlooking systemic changes needed for ALL students to succeed. We now recognize that achieving literacy goals requires more than good intentions or strong programs. It demands clarity about what to teach, how to teach, how students learn, and how schools sustain success. The future of literacy isn’t about choosing sides between competing approaches, but about understanding how multiple sciences and disciplines can work together through an interdependent, systems-thinking approach to create transformative change. We must strengthen pathways into the profession, provide high-quality teacher preparation programs, support strong leadership, and focus on effective implementation that facilitates high-impact instruction at scale. These aren’t technical challenges but human ones that require solutions that emerge when multiple sciences and systems-thinking converge to drive lasting literacy change–and educational change more broadly.
    –Laura Stewart, Chief Academic Officer, 95 Percent Group

    In 2026, K-12 leaders are done tolerating fragmented data. Budgets are tightening, every dollar is under a microscope, and districts can’t keep making uninformed decisions while insights sit scattered across disconnected systems. When 80 percent of spending goes to people and programs, guesswork isn’t an option. This is the year districts flip the script. Leaders will want all their insights in one place–financial, staffing, and student data together–eliminating silos that obscure the ROI of their initiatives. Centralized visibility will be essential for confident decision-making, enabling districts to spot ineffective spending, remove redundant technology, and strategically redirect resources to interventions that demonstrably improve student outcomes.
    –James Stoffer, CEO, Abre

    America’s 250th anniversary this year will offer an opportunity to connect students with history and civic learning in more interactive and engaging ways. Educators will increasingly rely on approaches that help students explore the stories behind our nation’s landmarks, engage with historical events, and develop a deeper understanding of civic life. By creating hands-on and immersive learning experiences–both in-person and virtually–schools can help students build connections to history and foster the skills and curiosity that support informed citizenship.
    –Catherine Townsend, President & CEO, Trust for the National Mall

    In 2026, AI will move beyond static personalization to create truly adaptive learning paths that adjust in real time. We’ll see systems that can read engagement, emotional tone, and comprehension using signals like voice cues, interaction data, or optional camera-enabled insights. These systems will then adjust difficulty, modality, and pacing in response. The result will be the early stages of a personal tutor experience at scale, where learning feels less like a fixed curriculum and more like a responsive conversation that evolves with the learner. We are going to increasingly see the exploration of immersive learning, and how we can use VR or XR to create tailored experiences to meet specific learning goals. The real potential comes from immersive learning which is backed by learning science and has clear pedagogical patterns: brief, targeted activities that reinforce concepts, whether through gamified exploration or realistic skill-building. The market will mature into offering both creative conceptual journeys and hands-on practice, making immersive learning a strategy for deepening understanding and building real-world skills.
    —Dave Treat, Global CTO, Pearson

    In 2026, edtech will move decisively beyond digital worksheets toward tools that truly enrich the teaching experience. Educators will increasingly expect platforms that integrate curriculum, pedagogy, and professional learning–supporting them in real time, not adding to their workload. With AI and better learning design, edtech will help teachers focus more on student inquiry and collaboration, igniting deeper learning rather than just digitizing old practices.
    —Chris Walsh, Chief Technology & Product Officer, PBLWorks

    This year, a major pivot point will be how schools choose to allocate funding—toward emerging AI programs like ChatGPT’s education initiatives or toward hands-on materials and science equipment that ground learning in the physical world. Determining how we leverage edtech and AI without sacrificing teacher expertise, nuance, or the human connection that makes classrooms thrive will be especially important.
    –Nick Watkins, Science Teacher, Franklin Pierce School District & Vernier Trendsetters Community Member

    In 2026, independent schools will continue to navigate a period of momentum, with many experiencing rising applications and stronger retention. At the same time, leaders will face ongoing challenges: managing tighter staffing ratios, rising operational costs, and the growing gap between financial aid need and available resources; schools that prioritize strategic and nimble framing of the school’s future, innovative partnerships and programs, and intentional community engagement will be best positioned to support their students and families effectively. Independent schools will also face new opportunities and challenges that come from external forces such as the expansion of school choice and the growth of artificial intelligence. Their overall focus will continue to be on creating sustainable, student-centered environments that balance academic excellence and engagement with social-emotional care and access, ensuring independent schools remain resilient, inclusive, and impactful in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
    –Debra P. Wilson, President, National Association of Independent Schools

    In 2026, technological advancements will continue to transform test preparation, making learning more accessible, personalized, and efficient. AI, adaptive learning, and optimized UI/UX will enable students to focus on mastering content rather than managing resources or navigating cognitive overload. These tools allow learners to target areas of improvement with precision, creating study experiences tailored to individual strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. AI will play an increasingly central role in personalizing education, such as smarter study plans that adapt in real time, instant explanations that accelerate comprehension, and 24/7 AI tutoring that provides continuous support outside the classroom. As these technologies evolve, test prep will shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to highly customized learning journeys, enabling students to optimize their preparation and achieve measurable outcomes more efficiently. The next wave of AI-driven tools will not just assist learning, they will redefine it, empowering students to engage more deeply and achieve higher results with greater confidence.
    –Scott Woodbury-Stewart, Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep

    Edtech is advancing at an extremely rapid pace, driven by the proliferation of AI and immersive tools. In the next year, there will be leaps in how these technologies are integrated into personalized learning pathways. Specifically, schools will be able to utilize technology to make education much smarter and more personalized via AI, and more immersive and experiential via augmented and virtual reality. Additionally, the integration of gamification and true learning science is likely to broaden the ways students will engage with complex material. With these advancements, educators can expect the emergence of holistic and integrated ecosystems that go beyond just teaching academic content to ones that monitor and support mental health and well-being, build work-applicable skills, offer college and career guidance, develop peer communities, and follow students throughout their academic careers.
    –Dr. A. Jordan Wright, Chief Clinical Officer, Parallel Learning

    In 2026, meaningful progress in math education will depend less on chasing the next new idea and more on implementing proven instructional practices with consistency and coherence. Schools and districts will need to move beyond fragmented reforms and align leadership, curriculum, and instruction around a shared vision of high‑quality math learning. This includes cultivating strong math identity for learners and educators, balancing conceptual understanding with procedural fluency, and ensuring learning builds logically and cumulatively over time. When systems commit to these evidence‑based principles and support teachers with aligned professional learning, the conditions are set for sustained improvements in student math outcomes nationwide.
    –Beth Zhang, Co‑President of Lavinia Group, K12 Coalition

    Laura Ascione
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  • What happens after the U.S. Department of Education is dissolved?

    What happens after the U.S. Department of Education is dissolved?

    eSchool News is counting down the 10 most-read stories of 2025. Story #1 focuses on the Trump Administration’s goal of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.

    Key points:

    In light of Donald Trump assuming a second presidential term in 2025, conversations concerning dismantling the United States Department of Education have resurfaced. Supporters argue that federal involvement in education undermines state authority, while critics fear that removing the federal role could exacerbate inequities and hinder national progress. To evaluate the proposal, it is crucial to examine the federal and state roles in education, the historical and constitutional context, and the potential benefits and challenges of such a shift.

    The federal role in education

    The United States Constitution does not explicitly grant the federal government authority over education. As Lunenberg et al. (2012) noted, “Education is not a function specifically delegated to the federal government” (p. 327). Instead, under the Tenth Amendment, powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved for the states (McCarthy et al., 2019). This leaves education primarily under state jurisdiction, with federal involvement historically limited to indirect support rather than direct control.

    The United States Department of Education was established in 1979. It is responsible for overseeing federal funding for schools, enforcing federal laws in education, and ensuring equal access for students across the country.  Furthermore, it has played a significant role through legislation such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and its successors: NCLB (No Child Left Behind) and ESSA (the Every Student Succeeds Act). These laws link federal funding to specific requirements, which aim to address inequities in education. Currently, federal contributions account for approximately 8 percent of funding for elementary and secondary education, with the remaining 92 percent coming from state and local sources (“The Federal Role,” 2017).

    The role of state and local control in education

    Education policy and administration have traditionally been state functions. States determine funding formulas, establish teacher certification requirements, and oversee curricula through their departments and boards of education (Lynch, 2016). Governors and state legislatures allocate funds, which are often distributed to schools based on enrollment, need, or specific programs (Lunenberg et al., 2012).

    Local school boards also play a critical role, managing day-to-day operations and responding to community needs. This decentralized structure reflects a longstanding belief that local authorities are better positioned to address the diverse needs of their communities. However, it has also led to significant disparities between states and districts in terms of funding, resources, and student outcomes.

    Dismantling the United States Department of Education 

    One of the most compelling arguments for dismantling the United States Department of Education lies in the principle of localized control. Critics argue that education is best managed by state and local governments because they are closer to the specific needs of their communities. Localized governance could allow schools to tailor their policies, curriculum, and resource allocation in ways that best fit the unique demographics of their regions. For example, schools in rural areas may have vastly different needs than those in urban centers, which is why local authorities are likely better equipped to address these disparities without the interference of federal oversight.

    The concern extends beyond general education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is enforced by the United States Department of Education, mandates that students with disabilities receive free and appropriate public education (FAPE) along with necessary services and accommodations. Similarly, the department oversees federal programs that support English Language Learner (ELL) students by helping schools provide tailored instruction and resources to students who are not native English speakers. Without federal oversight, it is possible that these programs could lose funding or be inconsistently applied across states, causing vulnerable populations to be without critical support.

    Advocates of dismantling the United States Department of Education also point to the financial burden of maintaining a federal agency. They argue that billions of dollars allocated to the department could be redirected to state education budgets, thereby allowing for more impactful initiatives at the forefront. By eliminating bureaucratic layers, states could potentially deliver education funding more efficiently, thereby focusing resources directly on teachers, classrooms, and students.

    Another critical function of the United States Department of Education is establishing and enforcing national education standards. Programs such as NCLB and ESSA aim to hold schools accountable for student performance and ensure consistency across states (albeit, there are arguments those programs have led to a culture of “teaching to the test” and have stifled creativity in the classroom), but allowing states and local districts to have greater freedom to design their own standards and assessments may fostering innovation while also leading to the quality of education varying dramatically from state to state and can cause challenges for students in transient populations due to a lack of cohesion disrupting their education and limiting their opportunities.

    Keeping the United States Department of Education 

    Dismantling the United States Department of Education raises significant concerns about equity. The department plays a crucial role in addressing disparities in funding education, as well as in funding access. Federal programs (i.e., Title I, free meals, counseling, after-school programs, etc.) provide additional resources to schools serving high numbers of low-income students, many of which are located in inner-city areas. Without the United States Department of Education, these programs might be eliminated or left to the discretion of states that have historically struggled to prioritize funding for underserved communities.

    Inner-city urban schools often face unique challenges (i.e., overcrowding, insufficient funding, higher rates of poverty among students, etc.). Many of these schools also serve disproportionately high numbers of students with disabilities and ELL students, thereby making federal support even more vital. The United States Department of Education enforces civil rights protections that ensures that all students (including vulnerable subgroups) receive equitable treatment. Dismantling the department could weaken these safeguards, thereby leaving marginalized communities more vulnerable to neglect. Therefore, the loss of federal oversight is a serious concern for public education. Historically, states have not always allocated resources equitably, and urban school districts have often been underfunded compared to their suburban counterparts. Federal intervention has been essential in addressing these disparities. Without it, inner-city schools may struggle to maintain even basic standards of education, thereby exacerbating poverty and inequality.

    All schools (not just inner-city schools) will be adversely impacted by dismantling the United States Department of Education. Federal funding supports Advanced Placement (AP) courses, STEM initiatives, and dual-enrollment opportunities. Dismantling the United States Department of Education could lead to inconsistencies in college admissions processes because states might adopt different graduation requirements and assessments. This lack of standardization could complicate admissions for students applying to out-of-state or prestigious universities. Furthermore, the United States Department of Education funds research initiatives that lead to the development of new teaching methods, technologies, and curricula. These innovations often benefit all schools, but without federal support, such research might stagnate leaving schools without access to cutting-edge educational resources.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, the debate pertaining to dismantling the United States Department of Education has taken on new urgency under the Trump administration in 2025. While advocates of dismantling the department argue for greater local control and efficiency, the critics highlight the potential risks to equity and access.  As the nation grapples with this issue, it is essential to prioritize the needs of students (and communities). The ultimate goal must be to create a more equitable and effective education system that serves all students regardless of their background or zip code.

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  • Lerner Publishing Group Launches Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s Genius and Joy Curriculum

    Lerner Publishing Group Launches Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s Genius and Joy Curriculum

    MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Lerner Publishing Group, a leading publisher of K-12 educational materials, is proud to announce the launch of Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s groundbreaking Genius and Joy curriculum in Summer 2026. This new, all-in-one supplemental curriculum for Grades K–5 is grounded in Dr. Muhammad’s Five Pursuits Framework, a research-based educational model that enhances student engagement and intellectual growth.

    Within her research and scholarship in literacy development, English education and writing instruction, and culturally responsive pedagogies, Dr. Muhammad posed the question, “What if the purpose of schools and curriculum was to recognize and elevate the genius and joy of teachers and students?” The result is the Genius and Joy curriculum. This innovative curriculum prioritizes academic rigor by developing literacy skills, building subject area knowledge and centering students’ learning experience on joy. The curriculum is deep in content and thought while also practical and easy for teachers to use.

    Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s Five Pursuits framework of Identity, Skills, Intellect, Criticality, and Joy is a research-based instructional approach that enhances student engagement and achievement by focusing on literacy, identity development, and historical awareness. Its impact is evident in the Lemon Grove School District in California, where implementation of the framework has led to measurable gains: Black and African American students have consistently increased their academic achievement, even surpassing the overall student population in English Language Arts proficiency. Additionally, Multilingual Learners (MLLs) in the district have experienced a tripling in reclassification rates, reflecting the effectiveness of equity-centered, data-informed practices that align with the framework’s core tenets. Schools and districts across forty-three states have implemented the Five Pursuits Framework into their instructional practices, and have been clamoring for an official curriculum.

    “I wanted teachers to see curriculum as the stories we teach and tell, as the world around us, and as the legacy that we leave in the lives of our children,” said Dr. Gholdy Muhammad. “It is my hope that this curriculum is a genius and joy experience for youth and teachers alike. We all deserve a comprehensive curricular experience.”

    The Genius and Joy Curriculum

    • Celebrates Joy in Teaching and Learning: The Genius and Joy Curriculum provides easy-to-implement approaches and strategies that include space within the learning experience where students can live out and discover their fullest potential. Joy is a safe and creative space to be free—free to learn, free to dream, and free to be.
    • Recognizes the Genius Within Every Child: Through powerful stories and dynamic activities, every lesson is designed to spark curiosity, encourage inquiry, and build students’ confidence in their own unique brilliance.
    • Elevates Learning Through the Five Pursuits: Through innovative pedagogy, students explore more than simple skill building. The five pursuits—identity, skills, intellect, criticality, and joy—of the HILL model are intended to teach the whole student and honor the goals of genius and joy.

    “We know that true learning happens when students see themselves in the material, feel their voices are valued, and are encouraged to think critically about the world around them,” said Adam Lerner, Publisher and CEO of Lerner Publishing Group. “We are proud to partner with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad on Genius and Joy to create an environment where students can not only excel academically, but also engage with Lerner’s award-winning books in ways that help them grow as whole individuals.”

    Genius and Joy will be available for purchase through Lerner Publishing Group starting Summer 2026. The curriculum will be accompanied by professional development resources to help educators implement the framework effectively, ensuring that the values of joy and academic excellence reach students in classrooms across the country.

    For more information about Genius and Joy visit geniusandjoycurriculum.com.

    Click here to watch Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s webinar Celebrate the Genius and Joy of Every Student in Your Classroom.

    About Dr. Gholdy Muhammad
    Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is the John Corbally Endowed Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois Chicago. She has previously served as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, school district administrator, curriculum director, and school board president. She studies Black historical excellence in education, intending to reframe curriculum and instruction today. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books. She has also received numerous national awards and is the author of the best-selling books, Cultivating Genius and Unearthing Joy. She also co-authored the book, Black Girls’ Literacies. Her Culturally and Historically Responsive Education Model has been adopted across thousands of U.S. schools and districts across Canada. In 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, she was named among the top 1% Edu-Scholar Public Influencers due to her impact on policy and practice. She has led a federal grant with the United States Department of Education to study culturally and historically responsive literacy in STEM classrooms. In the fall of 2026, her first curriculum, entitledGenius and Joy, will be available to schools and educators.

    About Lerner Publishing Group™Lerner Publishing Group™ creates high-quality fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Founded in 1959, Lerner Publishing Group is one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers with seventeen imprints and divisions: Carolrhoda Books®, Carolrhoda Lab®, Darby Creek™, ediciones Lerner, First Avenue Editions™, Gecko Press™, Graphic Universe™, Kar-Ben Publishing®, Lerner Publications, LernerClassroom™, Lerner Digital™, Millbrook Press™, Soaring Kite Books, Sundance Newbridge, Twenty-First Century Books™, Zest Books™, and Lerner Publisher Services™. For more information, visit www.lernerbooks.com or call 800-328-4929.                                  

    eSchool News Staff
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