Leading Educators

As school systems navigate a time of rapid change, how we support future-ready improvement in teaching and learning must evolve, too.

We’re excited to share that Karolyn Belcher has been named President of Leading Educators.

This new role reflects an important step forward for our organization. As our work grows in scale and complexity, we’re strengthening how we deliver—so we can support school systems to continuously improve while building for what comes next.

Karolyn will lead ex*****on across our programs, growth strategy, and operations, helping ensure our partnerships are coherent, aligned, and built for lasting impact. She shared this perspective on stepping into the role:

“What inspires me most about this role is the opportunity to deepen our partnerships with school systems at a time when the work feels both more complex and more important than ever. I believe deeply in the power of educators—and in the importance of building systems that support them consistently and coherently. I’m excited to continue working alongside our partners to strengthen teaching, support leaders, and expand what is possible for every student.”

Read more: https://hubs.la/Q04bC_tm0

We’re grateful for Karolyn’s leadership and excited about what this next chapter makes possible—for our partners, educators, and students.

Today, we’re excited to share the second edition of the Value Add of Technology on Teaching framework, updated and upgraded for the age of AI.

Educators and leaders face new questions as artificial intelligence influences classrooms:

⚡How might technology add real value to teaching and learning?
⚡When might it unintentionally disrupt deep thinking or quietly introduce new risks?

The new Value Add of Technology on Teaching is designed to help teams find clarity and focus, centering what has always mattered about excellent instruction: human work and collaborative learning.

It offers a practical lens for understanding how technology can deepen thinking, strengthen instructional quality, and preserve professional judgment.

Don’t wait to get your copy! →
https://hubs.la/Q045_wFJ0

Science is where math and literacy come to life—and where students learn how to shape the world ahead.

When students investigate real-world phenomena, read complex texts, analyze data, test ideas, and communicate evidence, they are not just learning science content. They are practicing how to reason, question, and solve problems in unfamiliar situations.

⚡ Solona Hollis reflects on what must be true of science education to make this vision possible everywhere:

What Do Students Need from Science Instruction? - Leading Educators Science instruction is in need of a real-world makeover. Learn how phenomena-based lessons can support every scientific thinking.

We’re thrilled to welcome Sarah Ledon as our new Senior Vice President of Partnerships!

Sarah brings deep experience supporting districts and states through instructional improvement. Her leadership is grounded in a deep belief in educators, a commitment to coherence, and a passion for cultivating the kinds of relationships that sustain enduring progress.

Here’s what inspires her about this moment and this work:

“I’m inspired by Leading Educators’ vision of helping educators and students thrive amid rapid change—from AI to evolving workforce demands—while safeguarding the uniquely human aspects of teaching and learning. I look forward to drawing on my past experiences to nurture partnerships that strengthen leadership, sustain powerful instructional practice, and empower educators to expand opportunity for every student.”

Sarah will guide our efforts to help more states and communities spread what works and plan confidently for the future.

Big news from Leading Educators!

We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Shelbi Cole as our first Managing Director of Mathematics, alongside Alexandra Magiera and Emily Schriber, who are stepping into new roles as Managing Directors of Innovation and AI Strategy.

Together, they’ll help shape the future of teaching and learning—modernizing math supports, advancing human-centered AI strategy, and designing new improvement models that prepare educators and students nationwide for a rapidly changing world.

Learn more:

Leading Educators Expands Leadership Dr. Shelbi Cole, Alexandra Magiera, Emily Schriber will serve in new roles as as Managing Director of Mathematics, Innovation, and AI Strategy.

Strong teacher-student relationships are the foundation of every student’s classroom experience—yet they remain underemphasized in typical teacher professional learning. So, what are some evidence-based ways to address this need within collaborative learning, planning and practice?

RPPL's new report explores what works so teachers can:

✅ Strengthen teacher-student bonds
✅ Transform classroom climates
✅ Support student well-being and success

Explore the findings: https://hubs.la/Q03M4b4k0

How are educators actually using AI in classrooms?

That’s the question we set out to answer with the School Teams AI Collaborative and FullScale, working alongside nearly 80 educators across 19 schools to test, refine, and share emergent practices.

Our brand new report, Generative Practice: Practical Insights for Unlocking the Instructional Potential of AI, captures what we learned:

✅ How teachers are experimenting with AI responsibly in real classrooms
✅ What’s working for students, from feedback to differentiation supports
✅ The conditions schools and systems need to move from small pilots to lasting transformation

The conversation about AI in education is no longer about “if.” It’s about how—and who will shape it. Get your copy of the report today: https://hubs.la/Q03HwNNK0

You won’t want to miss this! Our CEO, Chong-Hao Fu, talks with Alex Sarlin on the latest episode of the EdTech Insiders podcast about the future of learning.

🎧Listen here: https://hubs.la/Q03Hhczx0

What to listen for:
⚡ Why coherence is the engine for systemwide improvement in schools
⚡ How AI can make teachers pilots, not passengers
⚡ The essential “future-ready” skills AI can’t replace — and how students are already building them
⚡ Stories from Charleston, Harlem, Denver, and beyond about what’s working right now

“We’re at an inflection point where people are asking: ‘What is the purpose of education? How do we design a future-ready system for our kids?’ There’s space now, more than ever, to think bigger and differently.”

Want the highlights? Read a recap on our blog: https://hubs.la/Q03HhbP70

Building AI School Teams: How Leading Educators is Rethinking Teacher Support with CEO Chong-Hao Fu - Edtech Insiders Chong-Hao Fu is the CEO of Leading Educators, a national nonprofit specializing in comprehensive instructional improvement. Over the past 14 years, he’s worked to scale exceptional teaching and leadership in some of the country’s fastest-impr...

Progress is possible! Students across New York City Public Schools, including our partners at CECD5 Harlem NYC, achieved meaningful reading gains this year thanks to sustained, research-driven literacy efforts.

With Superintendent Sean L. Davenport and Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta guiding this journey, educators and students are reaching new heights together.

N.Y.C. Schools Change How Reading Is Taught, and Test Scores Rise Mayor Adams cast the upswing as evidence of efforts to improve instruction, while rivals in the mayoral race argued that teachers need better training.

More districts are moving away from reading programs featuring practices that aren’t supported by research, and toward programs that are rated highly by external organizations as understanding of the “science of reading” takes hold.

However, many school system leaders still report that they’re instructing educators to use multiple programs together, or supplementing their core offerings with add-ons according to Education Week and The Center for Education Market Dynamics (CEMD).

💭 What do you think is behind this trend? What challenges have you experienced with using HQIM?

Districts Using 'High-Quality' Reading Curricula Still Supplement With Other Materials. Why? A new report maps the shifting reading curriculum market.

New from K-12 Dive: Yes, professional learning can drive meaningful change.

Daniel Obregon writes, "School systems like Charleston County School District, Baltimore City Public Schools, and New York City Public Schools' Harlem Community School District 5 are achieving historic results after systemic investments in coherent, curriculum-based instructional work. If leaders are serious about improving instruction at scale, professional learning is nonnegotiable."

📰Read the story:

Yes, it’s possible to see results from professional learning District leaders’ resources are limited, and they can't afford initiatives that fail to show measurable impact, writes Leading Educators’ Daniel Obregon.