The Summer 2025 National Insights Report drew from quantitative and qualitative data collected at ERDI’s Summer R&D Institute, a professional learning and strategic networking event for education leaders and solution providers, focused on collaboratively developing approaches to real-world challenges facing K-12 educators. ERDI’s R&D Institutes are held biannually in winter and summer.
The report identifies the main forces shaping public education in 2025:
Instructional excellence and achievement accountability under pressure
MTSS and whole child development
The AI Revolution
Mental health, belonging, and wellness
Financial sustainability
Recruitment, retention, and human capital development
Equity work among political headwinds
Postsecondary, career, and workforce readiness
Strategic planning, systematic transition and leadership succession
Federal policy, political climate, and advocacy
The report also outlined key observations including:
- The pace of change is accelerating when it comes to technology, policy, and community expectations, requiring districts to change how they operate and plan ahead.
- Many challenges are interconnected. AI implementation, for example, simultaneously impacts instruction, equity, and infrastructure, requiring cohesive responses.
- Rising leaders are entering senior roles faster than ever, often without the benefit of mentorship or preparation, driving urgent needs for intentional leadership development.
- Districts are under pressure from rising costs, deferred maintenance, and shifting funding structures, all while trying to retain talent and sustain quality education.
