Tag: Trends

  • 4 education legal and policy trends to watch in 2026

    4 education legal and policy trends to watch in 2026

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    After a tumultuous 2025, education policy and legal experts expect no let-up in 2026. The second Trump administration and its Education Department are continuing to reshape the direction of federal support for K-12, and courts are routinely hearing cases of great consequence for school district policies. 

    Continual change to the education landscape “makes it very difficult to plan and prepare, and to provide students with the quality public education they deserve,” said Sasha Pudelski, director of advocacy for AASA, The School Superintendents Association. “School district leaders are facing mounting uncertainty, and should brace for more in 2026.”

    Here are four K-12 legal and policy trends for district leaders to monitor in the coming year. 

    Uncertainty around federal support

    The Trump administration’s push to “return education to the states” means that superintendents can expect less federal support and more change in 2026. This ranges from less help with administering the National Assessment of Educational Progress and managing federally funded programs, to unpredictability around the availability of federal funds and the makeup of the U.S. Education Department, education policy experts said. 

    “Anything that they’re used to getting from the federal government, I would expect them to essentially expect less,” said Jonathan Collins, assistant professor of political science and education at Columbia University’s Teachers College.

    Collins said districts in blue states can also anticipate being targeted for policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion —  including programs that support diversifying the teacher workforce — as well as LGBTQ+ rights.

    “You should expect them to turn up the heat,” Collins said of the federal government’s crackdown on Title VI and Title IX issues, which bar race- and sex-based discrimination, respectively, in federally funded education programs. 

    In the past, the federal government typically invoked the statutes to protect underserved students, but the Trump administration has instead used them to target DEI efforts and protections for LGBTQ+ students. “I think the nozzle on the gas is going to change to an even higher level this upcoming year,” Collins added. 

    A bigger religious footprint in public education

    Recent years have seen a surge in First Amendment lawsuits related to the religious rights of parents and teachers, especially spurred on by the parental choice movement circling around issues like curriculum and LGBTQ+ culture in schools. 

    In 2025, for example, the U.S. Supreme Court required a Maryland district to allow curriculum opt-outs for parents who don’t want their children exposed to LGBTQ+-related content. That ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor set legal precedent for other districts’ policies on such opt-outs. 

    In 2026, additional rulings on similar issues are expected to influence district policies, according to education policy experts. For example, lawsuits are pending on LGBTQ+ student pronoun usage and state laws requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms. 

    Districts, especially those in red states, can expect “to exercise even more authority” over school prayer, teaching of the 10 Commandments, “and just any initiative or program or aspect of schooling that especially caters to Christianity,” said Collins. “I think you can expect to see an even bigger upsurge in those kinds of things happening.” 

    Religious-based organizations are also likely to continue pushing — under the mantle of the First Amendment — for the creation of religious public charter schools.

    As a result of a deadlock due to Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s recusal in one such case, the Supreme Court kept in place an Oklahoma ruling that blocked what would have been the nation’s first religious public charter school. However, after that Catholic school’s failed launch, another religious charter was proposed for Oklahoma in November —  this time by a Jewish organization. Whether that school succeeds, and what it could mean for other efforts to establish religious public schools, will be watched in 2026.

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  • Designing the 2026 Classroom: Emerging Learning Trends in an AI-Powered Education System – Faculty Focus

    Designing the 2026 Classroom: Emerging Learning Trends in an AI-Powered Education System – Faculty Focus

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  • 6 higher education trends to watch in 2026

    6 higher education trends to watch in 2026

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    The first year of President Donald Trump’s return to office brought unprecedented and far-reaching changes to the higher education sector, and 2026 is poised to continue the trend.

    The conservative-led spending and tax bill, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is set to go into effect in July. But effects of the forthcoming policy changes, including how certain students can finance their college educations, are still in flux.

    The Trump administration also looks poised to continue opening investigations into colleges as a means of gaining influence over the sector, putting higher ed leaders in a tight spot. And federal officials are likely to further restrict the ability of certain international students to study in the U.S.

    All that comes as analysts predict a tough financial year ahead.

    To help higher education leaders prepare for the year ahead, we’ve rounded up six trends we expect to shape the sector in 2026.

    Enforcement actions against universities may escalate

    The federal government under President Donald Trump last year launched a flurry of investigations into colleges, often suspending or canceling their federal research funding to pressure them into implementing vast policy changes. If the final days of 2025 offer any clue, the Trump administration doesn’t plan to slow down this tactic. 

    On Dec. 22, the U.S. Department of Education opened a Clery Act investigation into Brown University over the shooting on its campus earlier that month that left two dead and nine injured. The Clery Act requires federally funded colleges to warn their campuses of emergencies in a timely manner and provide support to victims of sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking. 

    “After two students were horrifically murdered at Brown University when a shooter opened fire in a campus building, the Department is initiating a review of Brown to determine if it has upheld its obligation under the law to vigilantly maintain campus security,” U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. 

    The new investigation capped a year in which the Trump administration pursued probes against dozens of colleges over potential civil rights violations. 

    Notably, Brown is one of a handful of institutions that struck formal agreements with the administration to settle these investigations in 2025. But its July deal did not prevent the Education Department from opening a probe into Brown over its actions that occurred after the deal — and does not preclude more such activity from the Trump administration in the future.

    And in its ongoing battle with Harvard University, the Trump administration has even threatened to take over patents for inventions made with the help of government research funding. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security also revoked Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, but a federal judge blocked the move.

    James Finkelstein, professor emeritus of public policy at George Mason University, said he expects federal enforcement actions to ramp up in 2026. 

    “They’re going to weaponize almost every available tool, whether it’s Title VI investigations, adding new conditions to federal grants and contracts, reviewing tax exempt status, putting pressure on accreditors, [or] going after individual presidents,” Finkelstein said. 

    Will college boards stand up for their leaders?

    In the latter half of 2025, the Trump administration tried a new tactic in its quest to reshape the higher education sector — pressuring college presidents to step down. 

    The U.S. Department of Justice successfully deployed this strategy in June, when then-University of Virginia President Jim Ryan abruptly resigned. He said he was leaving to avoid endangering federal funding for the university, which faced a Trump administration investigation into institutional diversity efforts pursued under his tenure.

    Ryan was not alone. Following a short investigation, the U.S. Department of Education found George Mason University in violation of civil rights law and called out its president, Gregory Washington, for what it has described as illegal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. 

    Washington has pushed back on the Trump administration, calling the allegations a “legal fiction” through his attorney. 

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  • 6 trends to watch for K-12 in 2026

    6 trends to watch for K-12 in 2026

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    Declining birthrates and growing competition from school choice threaten public school enrollment counts — and therefore school district budgets. Student data privacy concerns are on the rise and only complicated by the explosive rise in artificial intelligence tools and usage. And administrators are continuing to adjust to new policy priorities for curriculum, staffing and more under the second Trump administration. These are but a few of the challenges facing public schools in 2026.

    As we head into a new calendar year — and the second half of the 2025-26 school year — here are six trends for K-12 leaders to watch.

    Education funding faces pressure from multiple directions

    Education funding will face pressures on several fronts in 2026, including strained state coffers, unpredictability in federal funding and competition for local dollars.

    Marguerite Roza, director of Edunomics Lab and a research professor at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, predicts flat but stable federal funding for schools in 2026.

    Still, state and local education systems are bracing for more uncertainty when it comes to federal funding cycles, according to education researchers and professionals. Last summer, many states and districts were caught off guard when the Trump administration froze federal funding for multiple programs. Likewise, some states and districts worry about potential federal funding restrictions if their policies don’t align with the Trump administration’s priorities.

    Roza said that while federal education funding in 2025 was “very drama-infused,” states were level-funded from the previous year, with allocations for Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — the two largest pots of federal K-12 money — distributed to states as usual.

    And since Congress did not finalize a fiscal year 2026 budget for the U.S. Education Department in 2025, all eyes will be on actions to be taken before the next appropriations deadline on Jan. 30.

    At the state level, a fall 2025 fiscal survey from the National Association of State Budget Officers found that 23 states projected general fund spending to decline or remain flat in FY 2026 budgets compared to FY 2025 levels.

    This has school systems jockeying for state dollars against other state-supported programs like healthcare and public safety. “If districts were hoping for some big new investment from the states, I would say, ‘This is not your year,’” Roza said.

    At the local level, shifting public school enrollment will influence allocations for per-pupil spending, leading to less funding for districts with declining enrollments. That drop in revenue means school systems will need to make tough decisions on closing or consolidating schools and shrinking their workforce, Roza said.

    Closing schools is “hard for communities,” and localities will likely approach this in a variety of ways in 2026, Roza said.

    Competition for students heats up

    Several factors influencing shifts in public school enrollment will continue into the new year, including a shrinking population of young children and a growth in private school choice programs.

    The public school versus private school choice debate will intensify as more states launch voucher programs in the 2026-27 school year that use taxpayer dollars to fund private school tuition — and while a nationwide school choice program prepares for a 2027 launch.

    Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice, a nonprofit research and school choice advocacy organization, predicts more families will choose options that aren’t necessarily their neighborhood public school.

    “There’s no doubt that the demand for choice has continued since COVID,” Enlow said.

    The number of students participating in state-led universal private school choice programs has grown from about 64,000 in 2022-23 to 1.3 million in 2024-25, according to EdChoice. Still, most students — about 49.6 million — attend public schools, based on fall 2022 numbers, the most recently available federal data.

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  • Learning Data Trends You Must Know in 2026

    Learning Data Trends You Must Know in 2026

    Learning data has played a larger role in the planning and operations of education systems. In 2026, the focus will shift from reporting what happened to actually using data to make informed decisions. Institutions are already tracking a wider range of learning conditions. System‑level indicators are being used to understand how students experience education in real settings. As data governance expectations mature, this evolution is a strategic opportunity and an operational requirement.

     

    The State of Learning Data in 2025: A Retrospective

    In 2025, learning data practices moved beyond experimentation and into daily operations. Several patterns stood out across the sector.

    As many platforms started responding dynamically to learner behavior, AI‑driven personalization and real‑time analytics became harder to ignore. The U.S. Department of Education’s AI report shows how real‑time data signals support educators with decision‑making tools like content pacing and targeted feedback. It also highlights why human oversight and transparency in AI‑supported systems are necessary.

    At the same time, institutions began using large‑scale datasets to identify intervention points earlier. CoSN’s 2025–26 emerging technology trends show that K–12 leaders are using aggregated engagement data to inform decisions earlier in the academic year.

    With the expansion of personalization, concerns about privacy and bias also increased. Ethical AI and federated learning models gained traction. Distributed data approaches that limit centralized storage while still enabling learning insights became more relevant, particularly for organizations serving multiple districts or states.

    Another notable shift was the rise of immersive and multimodal data sources. Deloitte’s analysis of higher‑education trends shows growing use of simulations, virtual labs, and experiential learning environments, all of which generate complex engagement data that goes beyond clicks or completion rates.

     

    5 Must-Know Learning Data Trends in 2026

    1. From Retrospective to Predictive Data Analytics

    The shift from retrospective analysis to predictive insights is the most vital learning data trend as we move into 2026. Dashboards that explain what already happened are giving way to models that signal what is likely to happen next.

    Predictive retention models are becoming central to student‑success strategies. Enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse show continued volatility in postsecondary enrollment, reinforcing the importance of early identification of at‑risk students rather than reactive interventions.

    Adaptive learning systems increasingly use AI‑driven signals to adjust content difficulty, recommend resources, or trigger educator outreach before learners disengage. Institutions are also applying predictive analytics to enrollment forecasting and resource planning, helping leaders prepare for demand shifts rather than responding after the fact.

    For 2026, the value lies in proactive decision‑making.

    • K–12 Districts: Predictive signals support early‑warning systems for attendance, disengagement, and dropout risk.
    • Higher Education: Predictive advising models help institutions support persistence and degree completion more effectively.
    • EdTech Companies: Usage analytics can identify friction points in the learner experience before they affect retention or outcomes.

    The shift toward prediction marks a practical change in how learning data is used.

    2. Ethical, Privacy‑First Data Governance

    As learning data becomes more powerful, governance expectations are tightening. In 2026, ethical and privacy‑first data practices will be foundational, not optional.

    Federated learning and decentralized analytics models are gaining relevance because they reduce the need to move or duplicate sensitive student data. Federal guidance on student privacy emphasizes minimizing data exposure while still enabling legitimate educational use, particularly when advanced analytics or AI are involved.

    At the same time, compliance requirements are becoming more explicit. Updated FERPA resources and guidance reinforce schools’ responsibilities around data access, consent, and transparency, while COPPA and state‑level privacy laws continue to evolve.

    In 2026, strong governance will not slow innovation. It will determine which organizations are trusted to scale it.

    3. Data Unification Across Platforms and Systems

    Learning data still sits in separate systems. LMS platforms track activity. SIS tools store records. Assessment and engagement tools add another layer. As a result, information often remains fragmented. As noted in market analysis, interoperability challenges continue to slow integration across these systems. When data are brought together, their role changes.

    What unification enables:

    • Attendance and grades establish academic context
    • Engagement signals reveal patterns as they emerge
    • Assessment outcomes confirm where support is effective

    Viewed together, this information supports earlier and more informed decisions across instruction and operations. District leaders are actively pushing for integrated data  environments to make this possible at scale.

    By 2026, leadership teams will expect consolidated learner views rather than disconnected reports generated by individual systems.

    4. Analytics for Product‑Led Growth in EdTech

    For EdTech companies, analytics are no longer limited to reporting usage. They increasingly influence how products evolve.

    Teams are using analytics to understand how features are adopted, where learners disengage, and which workflows support sustained use. Feature‑level usage data are becoming a core input for continuous‑improvement decisions across learning products.

    Common areas of focus include:

    • Feature adoption across different learner groups
    • Drop‑off points within learning flows
    • Signals that indicate confusion or friction

    Product teams are also relying more on controlled testing to validate changes before scaling them. Evidence‑based iteration is increasingly tied to quality and accreditation expectations, reinforcing the role of analytics in product decision‑making.

    By 2026, EdTech companies that consistently use analytics to guide product iteration will be better positioned to respond to changing learner needs.

    5. Visual, Explainable Analytics for Educators

    As learning data grows in volume, usability becomes a limiting factor. Information that cannot be interpreted quickly rarely informs day‑to‑day decisions in classrooms or academic teams.

    Clear and accessible data presentation has long been tied to better decision‑making in education systems, particularly when insights are intended for non‑technical users. This emphasis on clarity becomes more important as analytics move closer to instructional practice.

    Educators tend to engage with analytics when:

    • Signals are easy to interpret
    • Alerts include context, not just flags
    • Recommendations are tied to observable evidence

    By 2026, trust in learning analytics will depend less on model sophistication and more on  whether educators can understand where insights come from and how to act on them.

     

    Segment Spotlight: Unique Needs and Data Trends

    Different segments are solving different problems with learning data.

    K–12 School Districts

    • Early‑warning indicators
    • Attendance and behavior trends
    • Equity and access signals

    Higher Education

    • Enrollment forecasting
    • Learner‑pathway analysis
    • Retention monitoring

    EdTech Product Teams

    • Feature‑adoption metrics
    • Cohort‑behavior analysis
    • Real‑time engagement signals

     

    Preparing for 2026 and Beyond: Actionable Recommendations

    Focus on execution, not frameworks

    • Define where prediction adds value
    • Set clear rules for data access and use
    • Reduce duplication across systems
    • Present insights in educator‑friendly formats
    • Reassess data maturity as tools evolve

     

    Preparing for the Next Phase of Learning Data

    The next phase of learning data will be shaped not by how much insight organizations generate, but by how consistently they act on it. As data move closer to everyday decisions, they start influencing instruction, product design, and learner support in real ways.

    That shift brings opportunity, but it also raises expectations. Insight needs to be usable. Systems need to be trustworthy. Decisions need to be grounded in evidence, not noise.

    Organizations that treat learning data as a practical tool rather than a theoretical asset will be better positioned for what 2026 demands.

     

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  • Trends in higher education student success for 2026

    Trends in higher education student success for 2026

    The higher ed sector underwent rapid change in 2025, as leaders navigated new and evolving federal and state policy, emerging technologies and shifting employer expectations for graduates, all while responding to the diverse and pressing needs of students.

    For practitioners, faculty, staff and administrators looking to impact student success in the new year, Inside Higher Ed identified 26 data points that outline the major trends of 2025 and those to watch out for in 2026.

    1. 80 percent of college students rate the quality of their education as good or excellent, up 7 percentage points from 2024.
    2. 83 percent of the class of 2023 remained enrolled for two terms and the national persistence rate rose to 77.6 percent, up from 74.8 percent in 2019.
    3. Two-thirds of Americans say a four-year degree isn’t worth the cost because graduates leave without a specific job and with large amounts of debt.
    4. Nearly 10 percent of incoming first-year students speak a first language other than English; of these students, approximately half are U.S. citizens.
    5. One-third of students said they’re thriving, reporting high levels of success in relationships, self-esteem, purpose and optimism.
    6. 15 percent of colleges are using AI for student advising and support; an additional 26 percent use genAI for predictive analytics in student performance and trends.&
    7. 70 percent of Americans believe higher education is “going in the wrong direction” due to high costs, poor preparation for the job market and ineffective development of students’ life skills.
    8. 62 percent of students said they have “very high” or “somewhat high” trust in their college or university; 11 percent rate their trust as “somewhat low” or “very low.”
    9. 23 percent of stop-outs said they won’t re-enroll because they can’t afford upfront costs; 15 percent said they are already too burdened by student debt to re-enroll.
    10. 45 percent of students want colleges to encourage faculty members to limit high-stakes exams to improve their academic success; 40 percent want to see stronger connections between classroom learning and their career goals.
    11. 36 percent of students have not participated in any extracurricular or co-curricular experiences while in college; an additional 39 percent say they’re very involved in at least one activity.
    12. 71 percent of students have experienced financial trouble while enrolled in college, and 68 percent said they ran out of money at least once since the start of the year.
    13. 43 percent of students say they study in the evening, while 18 percent said they study at night.
    14. 84 percent of students say they know when and whether to use generative artificial intelligence to help with their coursework; the majority attributed this knowledge to faculty instruction or syllabi language.
    15. 24 percent of parenting students said they missed at least one day of class in the past semester due to a lack of childcare.
    16. 71 percent of students said it was acceptable to shout down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus; 54 percent believe it’s acceptable to block other students from attending a campus speech.
    17. International enrollment declined 1 percent in fall 2025, with 17 percent fewer new students coming to U.S. campuses this past fall.
    18. As of August, 37 percent of students said federal actions to limit diversity, equity and inclusion have had no real impact on their college experience.
    19. 57 percent of students said cost of living is “a major problem,” for college students today; 55 percent said mental health issues are a major problem, as well.
    20. 49 percent of high school students who didn’t apply for FAFSA said they didn’t believe they qualified for aid.
    21. 59 percent of Americans are in favor of awarding green cards to foreign students who graduate from American universities so they can work in the U.S.
    22. 87 percent of Gen Z said they feel unprepared to succeed at work due to limited guidance, unclear paths to career from school and uncertainty about which skills matter most.
    23. Two-thirds of college presidents are concerned about student mental health and well-being.
    24. Only 44 percent of students say they know some information about post-graduation outcomes for alumni of their college or university; 11 percent say they’re not sure where to find this information.
    25. 67 percent of students said they don’t use AI in their job searches; 29 percent said they avoid it because they have ethical concerns about using the tool.
    26. 94 percent of employers think it’s equally important for colleges to prepare a skilled and educated workforce and to help students become informed citizens.

    Want more data? Subscribe to our weekday newsletter on Student Success here.

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  • 2026 Higher Education Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions

    2026 Higher Education Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions

    Hushed conversations about the budget, a shrinking applicant pool and that dreaded enrollment cliff are no longer whispers. The numbers are in and they tell a story you know all too well: the old way of doing things isn’t working any more.

    The traditional models are failing to keep pace with a new generation of students and a rapidly evolving job market. We’ve moved beyond the “enrollment cliff” as a future threat; it’s a present reality that is forcing institutions to fundamentally rethink their approach to marketing and enrollment.

    The old playbook of generic campaigns and static brochures is obsolete. In 2026, the game is no longer about reaching the most students but about connecting with the right students in the most authentic way possible. This new landscape is defined by data, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and built on a foundation of radical transparency. It’s a world where the institutions that survive will be those willing to break away from the establishment and challenge the status quo.

    Explore the 2026 trends and predictions that are shaking up digital marketing for education industry, what it means for the next generation of enrollment and how institutions can position themselves to thrive in a new era of higher education.

    Shift to GEO/AEO and “Search Everywhere Optimization”

    With the rise of social search and AI Overviews, traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is becoming insufficient. The new paradigm is “Search Everywhere Optimization.” This includes GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) to ensure your institution is favorably mentioned in AI-generated answers and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) to appear in direct answers in AI Overviews as well as on platforms like TikTok, Reddit, Quora and voice assistants. By 2026, success will not be measured by a #1 ranking on a Google page, but by being the embedded answer wherever a student asks a question. 

    Conversational AI as the 24/7 Admissions Counselor

    AI is already strongly embedded in advertising platforms to capture student interest, but the next frontier is how institutions leverage AI in lead nurturing and admissions. As shown in EducationDynamics’ latest Engaging the Modern Learner Report, 60% of students use AI chatbots for college research, a significant jump from 49% just a year ago.  This will move beyond simple chatbots into sophisticated conversational AI that manages entire nurturing funnels, providing instant, personalized answers to complex questions about financial aid, credit transfers and program specifics via SMS and web chat. These AI assistants will be able to schedule campus tours, triage inquiries to the correct human counselor and provide 24/7 support, dramatically improving the prospective student experience and freeing up admissions teams to focus on high-intent, high-value interactions.

    Authentic Storytelling 

    Authentic user generated content will be a vital part of a brand’s storytelling as more students turn to social channels and short form video to research and validate individual brands. Brands will increasingly leverage content creators’ sphere of influence, leveraging short-form video to tell showcase their brand story.  This creates a massive opportunity for institutions to leverage user-generated content and partner with student-creators who can showcase the real, unpolished and relatable brand story. Think a “Day in the Life” series on TikTok or a student ambassador Q&A on Instagram Live—these genuine interactions build trust and connection in a way a static brochure never could.

    AI for Personalization

    AI picks up on individual user preferences and can serve ad creative that they are more likely to engage with due to better relevance. AI will use existing ad assets (images, videos, headlines, descriptions, etc.)  and landing page experiences to create unique and personalized ads. Landing page personalization will also emerge in 2026 as a way to increase relevance and conversion rate optimization. To be successful, advertisers need to provide a wide variety of existing assets and have a strong landing page experience. For example, if a prospective student has previously browsed your computer science program page, an AI-powered ad could then automatically show them a video testimonial from a current computer science student, rather than a generic campus tour video.

    Rise of Social for Search

    Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen students turning to social for search, we will continue to see this pattern and expect it to increase. Unlike a traditional search engine that provides a list of links, social platforms offer an immersive experience. Students can search for a university’s name and instantly see “day in the life” videos, unscripted dorm tours and Q&A sessions with real students. This content feels more genuine and trustworthy than a polished university-produced video. For them, a hashtag search is less about finding a fact and more about getting a feel for a school’s culture. Having an organic and paid presence on social channels will be vital for brands to be present where their audience is searching. 

    More Ads in AIOs/AI Mode

    To date, there have been very few instances of EDU ads within AI Overviews or AI Mode, but in 2026, we expect this to change dramatically. Google is actively integrating ads directly into its AI-generated summaries and institutions need to be prepared to take advantage of this new frontier for digital advertising for higher education.

    This shift is about more than just a new ad placement; it represents a fundamental change in how advertisers reach prospective students. Instead of relying solely on keywords, digital advertising for universities in AI Overviews are triggered by the full conversational context of a user’s query. This means an ad for your nursing program could appear not just on a search for “nursing school near me,” but also on a more exploratory query like “what are the best career paths in healthcare?” that generates an AI Overview response.

    To secure a presence in these valuable new placements, institutions will need to embrace Google’s AI-powered ad solutions. These include:

    • Broad Match:
      This uses Google’s AI to match your ads to a much wider range of relevant searches, including long-tail and conversational queries that are common in AI Overviews.
    • Performance Max:
      This campaign type leverages automation to find high-value conversions across all of Google’s channels, including Search, Display, YouTube and, increasingly, AI Overviews.
    • AI Max for Search (Beta):
      The newest iteration of Google’s AI-powered ad solutions, AI Max for Search is designed specifically to enhance creative relevance and expand reach within AI-driven search experiences.

    As AI-generated results take up more screen space, being present in these ad placements is crucial. This is a chance to get your brand in front of students at a new moment of discovery, where they are actively seeking complex, nuanced information. Shifting to these AI-powered tools is the key to ensuring your institution remains visible and competitive.

    First-Party Data is the Ultimate KPI

    As audience targeting and keywords continue to get broader, across paid search and paid social, properly training AI to find and optimize to the right user will be crucial to a campaign’s success. The best signal institutions can provide is through their own data. Institutions will need to prioritize regularly importing their 1st party data to fuel their audiences and bidding strategies. Bidding to outcomes will drive quality and as a result CPCs as a KPI will decrease in importance, especially as CPCs continue to increase. Instead, the focus should remain on the cost per outcome, such as cost per application and cost per enroll. Focusing on and optimizing to these ultimate KPIs will bypass front-end noise, ensure quality and prioritize outcomes that more closely correlate to business goals.

    Ready to Break Free From the Old Playbook in the Higher Education Industry?

    The time for waiting is over. The institutions that will survive and thrive in this new era are those that abandon the outdated playbooks of the past and embrace a new, data-driven and authentic approach to enrollment.

    This is not a time for incremental change. It’s a time for bold, strategic action. By leveraging AI for personalization and operational efficiency, embracing authentic storytelling and prioritizing first-party data, you can build a recruitment strategy that not only attracts the right students but also proves the enduring value of your institution.

    Ready to transform your enrollment strategy and secure your institution’s future? EducationDynamics is the only partner with the expertise, technology and end-to-end solutions to help you not just adapt, but thrive. Contact us today to future-proof your institution.

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  • 5 Trends Reshaping K-12 Education Across the U.S. – The 74

    5 Trends Reshaping K-12 Education Across the U.S. – The 74


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    Since 2020, interest in homeschooling, microschooling, and other alternatives to conventional education has soared. Entrepreneurial parents and teachers have been building creative schooling options across the U.S. Kerry McDonald, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education and contributor to The 74, was so inspired by these everyday entrepreneurs that she wrote a book about them: Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling.The following is an adapted excerpt from McDonald’s book. It is reprinted here with permission from the publisher.

    In 2019, I gave a keynote presentation at the Alternative Education Resource Organization’s (AERO) annual conference in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1989 by Jerry Mintz, AERO has long supported entrepreneurial educators in launching new schools and spaces, with a particular focus on learner‑centered educational models. It was about a month after my previous book Unschooled was published, and I was talking about the gathering interest in unconventional education. Homeschooling numbers were gradually rising, and more microschools and microschooling networks were surfacing. I predicted that these trends would continue, but I said they would remain largely on the ­edge— as alternative education had for decades. They would offer more choices to some families who were willing to try new things, similar to those of us who eagerly embraced Netflix’s mailed DVDs when they first appeared. But I didn’t think these unconventional models would upend the entire education sector the way Netflix ultimately did with entertainment. I thought they would remain small and niche. I was wrong.

    The COVID crisis catapulted peripheral educational trends into the mainstream, not only creating the opportunity for new schools and spaces to emerge but, more importantly, permanently altering the way parents, teachers, and kids think about schooling and learning. The pre‑pandemic tilt toward homeschooling and microschooling has converged with five post‑pandemic trends that are profoundly reshaping American education for families and founders. Together, these trends are shifting the K–12 education sector from being an innovation laggard to an innovation leader.

    Trend #1: The growth of homeschooling and microschooling

    The nearby microschool for homeschoolers that my children attended before COVID was one of only a sprinkling of schooling alternatives in our area. Now, it’s part of a wide, fast‑growing ecosystem of creative schooling options— both locally and nationally— representing an array of different educational philosophies and approaches. Families today are better able to find an education option that aligns with their preferences. From Maine to Miami to Missouri to Montana, the majority of the innovative schools and spaces I’ve visited have emerged since 2020, and many already have lengthy waitlists, inspiring more would‑be founders. The demand for these options will grow and accelerate over the next ten years, as will the number of homeschooling families, many of whom will be attracted to homeschooling as a direct result of these microschools and related learning models. Indeed, data from the Johns Hopkins University Homeschool Hub reveal that homeschooling numbers continued to grow during the 2023/2024 academic year compared to the prior year in 90 percent of the states that reported homeschooling data, shattering assumptions that homeschooling’s pandemic‑era rise was just a blip. Parents that otherwise wouldn’t have considered a homeschooling option will do so because homeschooling enables them to enroll at their preferred microschool or learning center.

    One particularly striking and consistent theme revealed in my conversations with founders as I’ve crisscrossed the country is that their kindergarten classes are filling with students whose parents chose an unconventional education option from the start. These parents aren’t removing their child from a traditional school because of an unpleasant experience or a failure of a school to meet a child’s particular needs. They are opting out of conventional schooling from the get‑go, gravitating toward homeschooling and microschooling before their child even reaches school age. This trend is also likely to accelerate, as younger parents become even more receptive to educational innovation and change.

    Trend #2: The adoption of flexible work arrangements

    Today’s generation of new parents grew up with a gleeful acceptance of digital technologies and the breakthroughs they have facilitated in everything from healthcare to home entertainment. These parents see the ways in which technology and innovation enable greater personalization and efficiency, and expect these qualities in all their consumer choices. It’s no wonder, then, that parents of young children today are generally more curious about homeschooling and other schooling alternatives. They are often perplexed that traditional education seems so sluggish.

    The response to COVID gave these parents license to consider other options for their children’s education. The school closures and extended remote learning during the pandemic empowered parents to take a more active role in their children’s education. That trend persists, as does the remaking of Americans’ work habits. The number of employees working remotely from home rather than at their workplace has more than tripled since 2019. 

    As more parents enjoy more flexibility in their work schedules, they will seek similar flexibility in their children’s learning schedules. While remote and hybrid work generally remain privileges of the so‑called “laptop class” of higher‑income employees, the growing adoption of flexible work and school arrangements is driving demand for more of these alternative learning models, including many of the ones featured in Joyful Learning that offer full‑time, affordable programming options for parents who don’t have job flexibility. Remote and hybrid work patterns are here to stay, and so is the trend toward more nimble educational models for all.

    Trend #3: The expansion of school choice policies

    The burst of creative schooling options since 2020 is now occurring all across the United States, in small towns and big cities, in both politically progressive and conservative areas, and in states with and without school choice policies that enable education funding to follow students. 

    Education entrepreneurs aren’t waiting around for politicians or public policy to green‑light their ventures or provide greater financial access. They are building their schools and spaces today to meet the mounting needs of families in their communities.

    That said, there is little doubt that expansive school choice policies in many states are accelerating entrepreneurial trends. Founders I talk to who are developing national networks of creative schooling options, are intentional about locating in states with generous school choice policies that enable more parents to choose these new learning models. Other entrepreneurs are moving to these states specifically so that they can open their schools in places that enable greater financial accessibility and encourage choice and variety. Jack Johnson Pannell is one example. The founder of a public charter school for boys in Baltimore, Maryland, that primarily serves low‑income students of color, Jack grew discouraged that the experimentation that defined the early charter school movement in the 1990s steadily disappeared, replaced by an emphasis on standardization and testing that can make many—but certainly not all—of today’s charter schools indistinguishable from traditional public schools. He saw in the choice‑enabled microschooling movement the opportunity for ingenuity and accessibility that was a hallmark of the charter sector’s infancy. In 2023, Jack moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to launch Trinity Arch Preparatory School for Boys, a middle school microschool that families are able to access through Arizona’s universal school choice policies. 

    Trend #4: The advent of new technologies and AI

    New technologies are also accelerating the rise of innovative educational models, while making it harder to ignore the inadequacies of one‑size‑fits‑all schooling. The ability to differentiate learning, personalizing it to each student’s present competency level and preferred learning style, has never been easier or more straightforward. It no longer makes sense to say that all second graders or all seventh graders should be doing the same thing, at the same time, in the same way—and failing them if they don’t measure up. 

    Emerging and maturing technologies help prioritize students over schools and systems, but the widespread introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and bots like ChatGPT, will hasten this repositioning. New AI bots can act as personal tutors for students, helping them navigate through their set curriculum. The real promise, according to founders focused more on agency‑ based or learner‑directed education, is for AI tools to work for the students themselves, helping them to control their own curriculum.

    “We don’t have a set pathway for our learners. It’s personalized,” said Tobin Slaven, cofounder of Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale, which he launched with his wife Martina in 2021. Part of the global Acton Academy microschool network, Tobin’s school prioritizes student‑driven education in which young people set and achieve individual goals in both academic and nonacademic areas, participate in frequent Socratic group discussions, engage in collaborative problem‑solving and shared decision‑making, and embark on their own “hero’s journey” of personal discovery and achievement. 

    When we spoke in 2024, Tobin had recently founded an educational technology startup building AI companion tools that act as a personal tutor, life coach, and mentor all in one. He sees AI tools like his as being instrumental in helping learners have more independence and autonomy over their learning. Rather than AI bots guiding a student through a pre‑established curriculum, Tobin thinks the truly transformative potential of AI lies in tools that help students lead their own learning—answering their own questions and pursuing their own academic and nonacademic goals.

    “When I hear the visions of some other folks in the education space, their visions are very different from mine,” Tobin said, referring to many of today’s emerging AI‑enabled educational technologies. He offered the example of a device known as a jig, used often in carpentry, to further illustrate his point. “The jig tells you exactly where the curves should be, where the cut should be. It’s like a template. The template that most of the AI folks are using is traditional education. It was broken from the start. It’s a bad jig,” Tobin said.

    Instead, he sees the potential of AI to help reimagine education rather than reinforce a top‑down, traditional model. He is helping to create a new and better educational jig.

    Trend #­ 5: Openness to new institutions

    The final trend that is merging with the others to transform American education is the shift away from established institutions toward newer, more decentralized ones. Some of this is undoubtedly due to emerging technologies that can disrupt entrenched power structures and lead to greater awareness of, and openness to, new ideas, but the trend goes beyond technology. Annual polling by Gallup reveals that Americans’ confidence in a variety of institutions has fallen, with their confidence in public schools at a historic low. Only 26 percent of survey respondents in 2023 indicated that they had a “Great deal/Quite a lot” of confidence in that institution. The good news is that confidence in small business remains high, topping Gallup’s list with 65 percent of Americans expressing a “Great deal/Quite a lot” of confidence in that institution in 2023. The falling favor of public schools occurring at the same time that small businesses continue to be well‑liked creates ideal conditions for today’s education entrepreneurs. Families who are dissatisfied with public schooling may be much more interested in a small school or space operating or opening within their community. 

    For another signal of the shift away from older, more centralized institutions toward newer, more customized options, look at what the Wall Street Journal calls the “power shift underway in the entertainment industry,” as YouTube increasingly draws viewers away from traditional television networks. Individual YouTube content creators, such as the world’s top YouTuber, MrBeast, who has some 300 million subscribers, appeal to more viewers than the legacy media networks with their more curated content. New content creators are particularly attractive to younger generational cohorts like Gen Z, who prefer decentralized, user‑generated content over traditional, top‑ down media models. Consumers today are looking for more modern, responsive, personalized products and services, especially those being developed by individual entrepreneurs who bear little resemblance to legacy institutions. This is as true in education as it is in entertainment and will be an ongoing, indefinite, and transformational trend in both sectors.

    Shortly before completing this manuscript, I spoke again at the annual AERO conference, this time in Minneapolis. Gone was my measured optimism of 2019. In its place was a mountain of evidence showing how popular alternative education models have become since 2020, and how steadily that popularity continues to grow. This isn’t a pandemic- era fad or an educational niche destined for the edges. This is a diverse, decentralized, choice‑filled entrepreneurial movement that is shifting American education from standardization and stagnation toward individualization and innovation.

    We are only at the very early stages of a fundamental change in how, where, what, and with whom young people learn. Over the next decade, homeschooling and microschooling numbers will continue to grow, work flexibility will trigger greater demand for schooling flexibility, expanding education choice policies will make creative schooling options more accessible to all, AI and emerging technologies will help create a new “educational jig” fit for the innovation era, and declining confidence in old institutions will enable fresh ones to arise. The future of learning is brighter than ever. Families and founders are finding freedom, happiness, and success beyond conventional schooling, inspiring the growth of today’s joyful learning models and the invention of new ones yet to be imagined.


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  • 6 higher education trends to watch for in the 2025-26 academic year

    6 higher education trends to watch for in the 2025-26 academic year

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    This year has already brought big challenges to the higher education sector, from major shifts in federal policy to massive cuts in government research funding. 

    As college leaders gear up for the 2025-26 academic year, they’re staring down even more change ahead.

    The U.S. Department of Education is undertaking massive regulatory changes, the Trump administration is ramping up investigations into colleges, and Republican lawmakers are continuing their crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

    Below, we’re rounding up six trends we’re keeping tabs on.

    Trump and Republicans usher in a new era of financial retrenchment

    Last year, colleges slashed spending on staff, faculty, programs and more in response to difficult enrollment realities and rising costs. The budget pressures have only intensified for many in the higher education world since President Donald Trump took office in January. 

    The Trump administration has targeted about $3.3 billion in grant funding for termination at public and private universities nationwide — about $206 per student — according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress. 

    In addition to contractions in research spending, institutions are juggling myriad changes to federal policy by Trump and congressional Republicans that could have significant effects on institutional budget planning. This includes a more fraught environment for international students, cuts to federal student lending and a higher endowment tax, to name just a few. 

    As they brace for a painful new era of higher ed, institutions of all kinds — from Stanford University to the University of Nebraska — are freezing hiring, offering buyouts, laying off faculty and staff, and pulling back on capital projects.

    The new legal minefield

    The Trump administration’s legal and financial warfare against Harvard University has grabbed an outsized share of headlines, and arguably for good reason. Harvard is the richest and oldest college in the U.S. If the administration succeeds in a multi-agency, omnidirectional attack on the institution, where does that leave the rest of the nation’s colleges? 

    Facing this question, some institutions have already made deals with the Trump administration as they attempt to maintain their federal funding and stay out of legal battles. Others are reported or confirmed to be in negotiations with the federal government. And many colleges are facing a difficult balancing act between mission and compliance.

    In its attacks on colleges, the Trump administration has introduced novel and aggressive readings of civil rights laws and U.S. Supreme Court cases, as well as threatened vast sums of funding for colleges it considers out of compliance with federal statute. 

    For instance, the Education Department deemed the University of Pennsylvania in violation of civil rights law for prior policies allowing transgender women to play on sports teams aligning with their gender identity. Penn became one of the first colleges to strike a deal with the administration rather than risk the sort of multi-agency attack — complete with prolonged litigation — being deployed against Harvard. 

    Meanwhile, federal agencies suspended nearly $600 million in funding from the University of California, Los Angeles over allegations that it violated civil rights law because it didn’t do enough to respond to a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on its campus in spring 2024. Police cleared the encampment at the university’s request after less than a week. 

    Among other legal risks under Trump, policies meant to support transgender students or diversity programs can now potentially prompt prosecution of a college under the False Claims Act, a federal law dealing with fraud in government contracting. That’s according to a May message from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche introducing the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative that specifically listed colleges as potential False Claims Act targets.

    New regulations coming down the pike

    The Education Department has its work cut out for it over the next year. That’s because the agency must craft regulations to carry out the higher education-related provisions of the sweeping domestic policy bill passed by Republican lawmakers this summer. 

    The changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — which has been slammed by many higher education advocates — are vast. 

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  • These 4 trends are shaping the 2025-26 school year

    These 4 trends are shaping the 2025-26 school year

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    A new school year is upon us — and as with any year, the return to the classroom brings with it an array of challenges both novel and familiar.

    Shifting enrollments alone present existential challenges for many school systems as declining birth rates result in lower student populations, which public schools are now in greater competition to attract and retain. Compounding those challenges are newer hurdles like artificial intelligence and a changing federal policy landscape that are impacting approaches to teaching and learning.

    To help you unpack the obstacles and opportunities on the table this fall, here are four trends to watch in the 2025-26 school year.

    Enrollment crucial as budgets tighten

    As the new school year begins, fall enrollment numbers will be crucial for district budgets, said Marguerite Roza, a research professor and director of Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab. 

    Due to federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds, many districts appeared to ignore the realities of their declining enrollment, she said. However, when relief funding dissipates and budgets tighten, districts need to keep a very close eye on their fall enrollment: Even if it’s just 1% lower or higher than forecasted, that will be “super important” for schools’ bottom lines, Roza said.

    For some districts, an influx of migrant students has offset declines in non-migrant student populations, Roza said. But that kind of enrollment growth is worth keeping an eye on, she said — especially amid the Trump administration’s heightened immigration enforcement policies. Though schools cannot record a student’s immigration status, a drop in English learners could be a signal of that change, she said.

    Additionally, districts should look for declines in kindergarten or at secondary grade levels, Roza said. If a district has fewer kindergarteners but strong high school enrollment, for instance, then it has a birthrate problem, she said. But if it’s a more widespread issue, it may be that people are moving out of the area.

    Growing school choice policies may also have an impact on enrollment down the line, Roza said.

    Some districts with significant and ongoing enrollment drops will also have to make tough decisions this school year about the future of their schools. For instance, district leaders in Atlanta, Austin and St. Louis public schools are all currently considering whether they should close or consolidate school buildings due to budget challenges and enrollment declines.

    Federal policy whiplash persists

    Schools continue to face the whiplash of the Trump administration’s drastic shift in and rapid enforcement of federal policies, which have included the withholding of federal funding in some cases. That’s especially true for districts’ policies related to LGBTQ+ issues as well as diversity, equity and inclusion.

    Whereas the Biden administration encouraged the inclusion and protection of transgender students, for instance, the Trump administration quickly and forcefully reversed course. Federal officials have so far made an example out of multiple education agencies — including in Maine, California, Minnesota and major districts in Northern Virginia — for what it says are violations of Title IX. Those violations have included allowing transgender students to play on women’s and girls’ sports teams.

    Schools have also been under the microscope for practices meant to level the playing field for Black and brown students, which the administration says are discriminatory against White and Asian students in some cases. In April, for example, the department launched an investigation into Chicago Public Schools for its “Black Students Success Plan.”

    Many civil rights organizations, teacher organizations and sometimes even school districts, however, have challenged the Trump administration’s policies, which they say have been made in some cases without going through the proper legal channels and violate students’ rights. As those cases work their way through the courts, policies continue to shift. In one case, key efforts by the administration to roll back DEI measures — including a requirement from the administration that asked districts to certify they are not incorporating DEI in their schools — were blocked by a judge in August, at the launch of the 2025-26 school year.

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