Education Research & Development Institute - ERDI

🌟 Thrilled to Share the Inaugural Report from the National Council of Innovative Instructional Leaders (NCIIL)! 🌟

The release of "Trailblazing Leadership: Shaping Education for Generation Alpha in an Era of AI" marks a transformative step in guiding K-12 education toward a future where technology enhances—not replaces—human connections in the classroom. As we face unprecedented changes, this publication captures vital insights on integrating AI responsibly and effectively in our schools.

I’m incredibly proud of the collaborative work behind this report, drawing from over 100 visionary district and ed tech leaders nationwide. Together, we explored critical elements of AI implementation:
-Building an innovative AI ecosystem for schools
-Prioritizing ethical considerations and data privacy
-Empowering teachers and district leaders through comprehensive upskilling

A heartfelt thank you to my fellow founding NCIIL team members, who champion public education through relentless innovation and solution-seeking. Jeff McCoy Casey Rimmer, CoSN CETL Shawn Bird, Ed.D. Sean Precious Dr. Kimberley Markus Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong Ankhe Bradley Ed.D Berj Akian Anna Strassner Rob Warren Barbara Nesbitt Gretchen Thompson

Special gratitude to all contributors for advancing our shared mission to equip Generation Alpha with the tools and mindsets they need to thrive.

The future of education is here, and it's exciting to be a part of shaping it. Let's continue to pioneer, inspire, and lead! ✨

Education Research & Development Institute

National Council of Innovative Instructional Leaders Inaugural Report (2024).pdf

We are honored to celebrate Kathy Hurley for her many contributions to the field through mentorship. She is one in a million!

Congratulations to InnovateHERs co-author Kathy Hurley on receiving the Education Research & Development Institute - ERDI inaugural Distinctive Mentor Award presented last week in Baltimore by ERDI President and CEO Jennifer Ferrari. Kathy is a senior advisor to educational technology companies, education associations, and school superintendent networks, and also serves on the board of directors for several non-profit and for-profit organizations. Way to go, Kathy! #RiseToTheTop #mentorship #entrepreneurialleadership #entrepreneurialmindset #InnovateHERs

Jennifer Ferrari, president and CEO of Education Research & Development Institute - ERDI, an organization that convenes educational thought leaders to collaboratively shape, influence, and inform the development of PK–12 education products and services. Prior to joining ERDI, Jennifer spent 25 years in the field of public education in school leadership roles in Chicagoland. Her areas of expertise include leadership development, change management, strategic planning, curriculum and instruction, personalized learning, and dual language education. In , Jennifer's story of how she led her team through the COVID-19 crisis is an exercise is excellent leadership through chaos. Jennifer leveraged her incredible ability to adapt and complemented it with her team's preference for structure to build an organizational strategy based on trust and communication. These qualities allowed ERDI to provide crucial services to superintendents and school districts throughout the pandemic.

Pivot away from the status quo - and towards innovative solutions with more effective outcomes.

Pivot Education is a national campaign on the future of education and is open to all who wish to participate. The campaign strategically and organically facilitates school ecosystems - educators, families, students and community members - coming together to imagine, ideate, and ultimately implement a better plan for their kids.

Through innovative crowdsourcing, your ideas can help shape the future of education. Join the movement and spark a conversation. Learn more at http://pivot.education

In this time of social distancing, learning and engaging is more important than ever before. That's why ERDI, in partnership with the newly-forming nonprofit Alliance for Education Impact, have developed a series of master classes. Led by experts in the field, master classes serve as a forum for learning, engagement, networking, and more. Skip the pre-recorded lectures and webinars - let's learn from each other!

Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity - spaces are limited.

Browse the master class catalog & register now: www.erdius.org/master-classes

In partnership with the newly forming non-profit Alliance for Education Impact, ERDI is pleased to offer a series of highly engaging virtual master classes. The classes have been designed to address the trends and topics that continue to emerge in the quickly changing education landscape.

Browse the master class catalog now:
https://www.erdius.org/master-classes.html

Are you looking for professional development opportunities from the comfort of home? Check out our catalog of master classes. Led by true experts in education, master classes are designed to address the trends and topics that continue to emerge in the quickly changing education landscape.

Are master classes for you? If you're looking for high quality content shared by true experts in the field, two-way dialogue among colleagues and peers (no pre-recorded lectures), professional networking and thought partnership, and proof of participation to support your continuing education requirements, then this is for you.

Learn more & register now: https://www.erdius.org/master-classes.html

In partnership with the newly forming non-profit Alliance for Education Impact, ERDI is pleased to offer a series of highly engaging virtual master classes. The classes have been designed to address the trends and topics that continue to emerge in the quickly changing education landscape.

Led by true experts in the field, these master classes are an excellent opportunity to learn from some of the best and brightest. Don't wait, you might miss them!

Browse the master class catalog, and register today:https://www.erdius.org/master-classes.html

In partnership with the newly forming non-profit Alliance for Education Impact, ERDI is pleased to offer a series of highly-engaging executive briefings to address trends and challenges in the field of education.

In the first briefing, A Critical Briefing on Recovery of Costs for School Districts in the National Opioid Litigation, three attorneys discuss a class action filed on behalf of independent school districts in the National Opioid Litigation. If you're a school district leader, you won't want to miss this!

Register now: https://bit.ly/AllianceBriefing

ERDI CEO Joseph Wise virtually sat down with NWEA CEO Chris Minnich and host Todd Hand on the latest episode of the Knowledge Leaders Podcast.

They discuss how ERDI and NWEA are planning for after the pandemic, as well as what questions school districts are asking. How can teachers bridge learning gaps in September? Will fall be normal? How do we ensure kids have access to wifi and edtech tools?

All this and more on the episode. Listen now:

K-12 School Districts and The Current Crisis with Joseph Wise & Chris Minnich Joseph Wise and Chris Minnich discuss how K-12 School Districts and how this is currently the biggest upheaval K-12 education has ever experienced.