Despite decades of so-called reform, most K-12 classrooms remain remarkably unchanged. This post examines some of the many underlying factors that make schools resistant to change, and highlights well-established but too often overlooked roadmaps for leading meaningful and powerful system-wide improvement.

In times of disruption — whether from a global pandemic, AI-driven change, or shifting social or policy trends — educators face the same essential challenge: how to adopt new approaches and seize on new technologies without losing direction. This updated post highlights the importance of building a data-informed, change-oriented professional culture while anchoring the change process in enduring principles of effective instructional design — like Backwards Planning and Bloom’s Taxonomy — so teachers stay grounded, purposeful, and innovative when everything else is in motion.

Grant Funding for Community Schools in 2022! If you haven’t started yet, it may not be too late. August is the month to submit your grant proposal for Community School funding from the OESE.

The AI wave is here, but beneath the hype, will students measurably benefit? Past lessons about EdTech adoption tell us the opportunities are there, but so are the roadblocks. Will innovators in the K-12 sector be able to navigate school setting complexities and cultures? Will educators be nimble and agile, adopting an innovation mindset?

This post explores the complex realities of school systems, the cultural and organizational forces that shape adoption, and how educators and ed-tech innovators can move beyond the “us vs. them” mindset to co-design technology that truly advances teaching, learning, and equity.