Pulse #12: Teaching in a Time of Tech, Tension, and Transformation

Educators can build student confidence and support deeper learning by starting the year with a focus on normalizing mistakes. Low-stakes activities, reflection journals, and teacher modeling can reduce fear and foster a growth mindset. School leaders can support this shift by celebrating risk-taking and creating a culture where errors are seen as essential to learning.

Educators are using AI to teach “durable skills” like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. The biggest opportunity we have with AI is not about saving time. It’s teaching students to use AI to brainstorm, personalize learning, and solve real-world problems in creative ways. As we shift how content is delivered, it’s also time to rethink how we assess learning in an AI-enhanced world.

More students are turning to AI chatbots to discuss personal issues and one Montana district offers advice to keep conversations safe and meaningful:

While AI will never replace counselors, it can give students a place to open up about things they might not yet feel comfortable sharing with friends or family.

Digital learning requires more than adding new tools. Instead of memorizing facts, students must learn how to search for, evaluate, and apply credible information. This means moving from teacher-led lectures to student-centered, project-based learning with an emphasis on research and media literacy.

A New Jersey district helped reduce chronic absenteeism in nearly all schools, even through COVID. One key strategy was forming a "Be There Team" at each school focused on climate and attendance, supported by trained coaches and data-informed action plans. These efforts built a culture that encouraged students to show up.

Detroit students say yes. After interviewing chronically absent high schoolers, the district found that many would attend more regularly if they had access to bikes. Since introducing this strategy, absenteeism rates have dropped by 10%. Other districts across the country have also used bikes as effective incentives, especially in communities where transportation is a major barrier.

Twenty-four states and D.C. are suing the Trump administration for unlawfully withholding $6.8 billion in federal education funds, including money for teacher training, English learner support, academic enrichment, and after-school programs. As schools cancel programs and lay off staff, critics warn about the impact an unstable environment has on learning. No Republican-led states have joined the lawsuit yet.

School funding still follows neighborhood wealth and continues to disadvantage Black, Latinx, and low-income students. High-rated schools remain clustered in affluent ZIP codes, while families in under-resourced communities face fewer opportunities and greater barriers. Solutions include revisiting zoning policies and adopting equity-driven strategies like Weighted Student Funding to give every child a fair shot.

[Economic Strain Is Harming Young Children’s Development] Nearly half of U.S. families with young children struggle to afford housing, food, and health care. A new Stanford study finds these hardships are linked to distress, behavior challenges, and developmental delays in young children. Researchers urge leaders to expand early learning, offer economic relief, and involve family voice in policymaking.

[Tech Makes CTE More Future-Ready] Today’s career and technical education (CTE) classrooms are embracing tools like VR, AR, AI, and simulation software. Students in these classrooms gain hands-on experience with industry-relevant tech that builds their job-ready skills. Experts say this tech integration improves learning outcomes and attracts a wider range of students to high-demand careers.

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