The Winter R&D Institute was held in February. ERDI’s R&D Institutes are held biannually in winter and summer.
The report organized the insights from sessions and roundtable discussions at the event into five main themes, each with challenges and proposed solutions.
The Leadership Crisis in K-12 Education
Leadership challenges identified included superintendent turnover and burnout, a lack of mentorship and PD opportunities, and the need to navigate community expectations and public pressure.
Proposed solutions:
Investing in leadership development programs
Strengthening networks of peer collaboration
Advocating for policies that protect and sustain educational leadership
The Role of AI in Learning and Instruction
Concerns about the role of AI centered on data privacy, a lack of teacher PD about AI use, and equity of access for all student populations.
Proposed solutions:
Developing clear acceptable use guidelines
Providing robust PD for educators
Investing heavily in technology infrastructure
Student Well-Being and the Strength of School Communities
Concerns about school culture and community focused on increasing levels of stress and anxiety among students and teachers, educator retention, and the need to develop a sense of belonging to address issues such as chronic absenteeism.
Proposed solutions:
Strengthening wellness infrastructure
Revolutionizing educator support
Reimagining student engagement
Prioritizing relationships and connection
Measuring schools beyond academic achievement
The Evolving Landscape of Teaching and Learning
Current challenges when it comes to instruction include ongoing pandemic learning loss, chronic absenteeism and disengagement, a lack of mental health supports, inequity of access, and navigating concerns about the use of AI
Proposed solutions:
Targeted assessments and interventions
Redesigning approaches to attendance
Building comprehensive wellness systems
Operationalizing equity commitments
Developing thoughtful AI implementation frameworks
Resource Constraints and Sustainability
Concerns about operational effectiveness and learning environments included the need to create safe facilities that are also welcoming, planning for financial sustainability, and designing flexible, inspiring learning spaces.
Proposed solutions:
Developing comprehensive security frameworks
Establishing multi-year financial roadmaps
Designing flexible learning ecosystems
Building collaborative crisis response networks
