<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss xmlns:a10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵNews and Press Releases</title><link>/</link><description>Stay up-to-date with the latest news and announcements by subscribing to our RSS.</description><category>Press Release</category><category>Advocacy &amp; Policy</category><category>District &amp; School Operations</category><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><category>Technology &amp; AI</category><category>ed-tech</category><category>education technology</category><category>edtech</category><category>ai</category><category>ed tech</category><category>tech</category><category>Finance &amp; Budgets</category><category>Staffing, HR &amp; Talent Development</category><category>Leadership Development</category><category>Public Education Promise</category><category>Real Skills for Real Life</category><category>Community &amp; Family Engagement</category><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:contributor><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:contributor><a10:link rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="/feeds/aasa-news-and-press-releases" /><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:20f6af78-b11a-4512-9250-daeb069d035d</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/08/14/edlinc-urges-fcc-to-keep-schools-connected-protect-e-rate</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Advocacy &amp; Policy</category><category>District &amp; School Operations</category><title>EdLiNC Urges FCC to Keep Schools Connected: Protect E-Rate</title><description>EdLiNC urges the FCC to keep E-Rate focused on affordable, reliable connectivity for schools and libraries nationwide.</description><pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:47:31 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lara Wade&lt;br /&gt;Director of Communications&lt;br /&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ALEXANDRIA, VA &lt;/strong&gt;&amp;mdash; The &lt;a href="https://www.edlinc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;Education and Libraries Networks Coalition&lt;/a&gt; (EdLiNC)&amp;mdash;co-chaired by &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;; the &lt;a href="https://www.ala.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;American Library Association&lt;/a&gt;; and &lt;a href="https://www.bsg-dc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;Bernstein Strategy Group&lt;/a&gt;&amp;mdash;today reaffirmed its strong support for the E-Rate program and called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure its ongoing rulemaking remains focused on the program's core purpose: &lt;strong&gt;providing affordable, reliable connectivity for schools and libraries across the nation.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;For nearly 30 years, E-Rate has helped schools and libraries obtain the broadband services and network infrastructure necessary to support teaching and learning, school operations, and community access to information. E-Rate was established to support connectivity, and any review of the program should remain grounded in that mission.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the &lt;a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/14/2026-16590/fcc-to-review-e-rate-program-to-ensure-congresss-vision?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&amp;amp;utm_medium=email&amp;amp;utm_source=federalregister.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;FCC considers significant changes to the program&lt;/a&gt;, EdLiNC welcomes the opportunity for stakeholders to provide meaningful feedback on the many questions raised in the proceeding.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;STATEMENT FROM EdLiNC CO-CHAIRS&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;"The FCC has both the authority and responsibility to oversee E-Rate, and EdLiNC welcomes a thoughtful, fact-based review of the program.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;E-Rate was established by Congress for a specific purpose - to ensure affordable connectivity for schools and libraries, and that mission must remain the focus of this proceeding. For nearly three decades, E-Rate has been successful in connecting students, educators, and library patrons in rural, suburban, and urban communities alike.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Questions about curriculum, instructional practice, or student behavior should not be used to undermine a proven program that helps schools and libraries maintain the networks modern education depends on.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The FCC should not be focused on whether E-Rate has fulfilled its mission and should be terminated, or which communities deserve access to it - the question is how to strengthen and modernize one of the nation's most successful education and connectivity programs.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any proposal that limits E-Rate to certain communities or redirects it from its core mission would leave students behind and undermine decades of bipartisan progress. EdLiNC is prepared to fight for a strong, stable E-Rate program that serves every community and every student who depends on it."&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/about-aasa/person/noelle-ellerson-ng" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;Noelle Ellerson Ng&lt;/a&gt;, Chief Advocacy &amp;amp; Governance Officer, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ- EdLiNC Co-Chair&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bernstein-7a89a63/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;Jon Bernstein&lt;/a&gt;, President, Bernstein Strategy Group - EdLiNC Co-Chair&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-janicki-86455534/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;Megan Janicki&lt;/a&gt;, Deputy Director, Strategic Initiatives, American Library Association - EdLiNC Co-Chair&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;EdLiNC will continue working with educators, librarians, policymakers, and community leaders to ensure the FCC and Congress hear directly from the schools and libraries that rely on E-Rate. The coalition is looking forward to providing substantive feedback on the rulemaking and advocating for policies that preserve and strengthen affordable connectivity for all students and communities.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information, visit &lt;a href="https://erate.aasa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;Keep Schools Connected: Protect E-Rate&lt;/a&gt; or join &lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/09/09/default-calendar/keep-schools-connected-protect-e-rate-virtual-town-hall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;AASA's &lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/09/09/default-calendar/keep-schools-connected-protect-e-rate-virtual-town-hall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;live virtual Town Hall&lt;/a&gt; on &lt;strong&gt;September 9 at 2:00 p.m. ET.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the American Library Association&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America&amp;rsquo;s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit &lt;a href="https://www.ala.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;www.ala.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About EdLiNC&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Education and Libraries Networks Coalition (EdLiNC) is a national coalition of education and library organizations dedicated to protecting and strengthening access to affordable broadband connectivity for schools, libraries, and the communities they serve.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:5a07c9bf-8062-4b1f-bdf8-51d5515594f2</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/08/12/hope-back-to-school</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><title>The Promise of Hope: AASA's 2026 Back-to-School Campaign</title><description>Join AASA's Promise of Hope back-to-school campaign. Submit a blog, share a video, or post using our graphics. Get involved today.</description><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:30:47 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;h5 dir="ltr"&gt;Hope shows up in a lot of ways this time of year. &lt;/h5&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;It shows up when a student comes through the door on the first day and finds a place that's theirs. It shows up in the daily work of educators who put children first. And it shows up in the leaders who keep showing up, year after year, for their districts and communities. &lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;a href="/back-to-school" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img sf-image-responsive="true" src="/images/default-source/resources/well-being-playbook-2026-final-transparent-(1).png?sfvrsn=9097118b_1" height="200" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" title="PromiseOfHope-Logo" width="400" alt="" sf-size="27740" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;AASA's 2026 back-to-school campaign, &lt;em&gt;The Promise of Hope&lt;/em&gt;, is celebrating the hope built by district leaders, one school, one classroom, one child at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;We're inviting district leaders to help tell that story. Here's how you can get involved:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Submit a blog post&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have a story from your district that shows hope in action? We're looking for posts from superintendents and school leaders about how you're showing up for children and your communities this year. Need a little inspiration? Visit these prompts to help you get started. &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://form.asana.com/?k=hhHPjge7UFcHo3q9FbDl9w&amp;amp;d=1190117139682703"&gt;Submit your blog post using this form&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share a video&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Record or upload a short video, 60 to 90 seconds, answering: &lt;em&gt;What does hope look like in your district? Why are you hopeful for the future of public education?&lt;/em&gt;&amp;nbsp;We'll feature submissions on the campaign landing page and AASA's social media channels throughout the school year. &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://voicesofaasa.gv-one.com/?gId=4631&amp;amp;rId=20485"&gt;Record or upload a quick video here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share on social media&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We've put together a set of graphics you can use to help spread the word about why you are hopeful for the future of public education. &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iLeE3fnRh-6JIY9VPmrdJn4_GYqWTfAG?usp=sharing"&gt;Download them here&lt;/a&gt; and share using #PromiseOfHope, #PublicEducationPromise, and #AASABackToSchool.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Every child deserves an education that prepares them to contribute, to lead, and to build a life on a path of their choosing. A life filled with hope. Thank you for helping carry that promise forward this year.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="/back-to-school" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="button button--action"&gt;Visit Campaign Page&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:07733c87-8ac5-42c6-be5e-bd603bda62be</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/08/03/students-produce-national-framework-for-ai-in-america's-schools</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Technology &amp; AI</category><category>ed-tech</category><category>education technology</category><category>edtech</category><category>ai</category><category>ed tech</category><category>tech</category><category>District &amp; School Operations</category><title>Students from All 50 States Produce National Framework for AI in America's Schools</title><description>Students representing 50 states have developed a sweeping national framework for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in K-12 education.</description><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:54:17 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BOSTON, MA AND ALEXANDRIA, VA &lt;/strong&gt;- Students representing all 50 states have developed a sweeping national framework for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in K-12 education, proposing protections for authentic learning, student privacy, fairness, human judgment, and the relationships at the heart of education.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The &amp;ldquo;STUDENTS FIRST Act of 2026&amp;rdquo; was created at &lt;a href="https://www.dayofaiusa.org/festival"&gt;America&amp;rsquo;s Youth AI Festival -&lt;/a&gt; a first-of-its-kind gathering that took place July 17-19, 2026 on the UMass Boston and MIT campuses. Select students participated in a &lt;a href="https://www.dayofaiusa.org/festival/student-senate"&gt;&amp;ldquo;National AI Student Senate&amp;rdquo; &lt;/a&gt;which replicated the Senate process, in an exact model of the Senate chamber at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. The &amp;ldquo;Student Senators&amp;rdquo; were divided into subcommittees to create, debate, and vote on a comprehensive bill that represented their thoughts, views, and hopes for the future of AI in public schools.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The effort was organized by &lt;a href="https://dayofai.org/"&gt;Day of AI&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://raise.mit.edu/"&gt;MIT RAISE&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="/home"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;; and the &lt;a href="https://emkinstitute.org/"&gt;Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate.&lt;/a&gt; The Act, which passed by a vote of 82-16, would:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Require AI-literacy instruction when students first use digital devices in school&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Prohibit students from using AI to complete artistic assignments or generate written assignments&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Starting in 9th grade, allow students to use AI - with teacher permission - as a supplementary aid for brainstorming, studying, and editing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Give students the right to appeal accusations of improper AI use and require meaningful human review&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Prevent schools from using AI to profile students or independently determine grades, discipline, or hiring&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Allow students to demonstrate subject matter mastery through oral defenses, handwritten assessments, or in-person discussions&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Protect sensitive student information and establish transparency around data collection&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Preserve the right of high school students and educators to decline AI use in appropriate circumstances&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The student-authored proposal rejects an outright ban on artificial intelligence, or its unrestricted adoption. Instead, it establishes clear boundaries around when AI can support education, and when original student work, professional judgment, and human connection must remain paramount. As the STUDENTS FIRST Act of 2026 states, educators should avoid AI use in situations where &amp;ldquo;human connection is irreplaceable in the learning environment.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;ldquo;This is written by students, for students,&amp;rdquo; said Day of AI Executive Director Jeff Riley. &amp;ldquo;Students from across the country examined the benefits and risks of AI, debated difficult tradeoffs, and developed a serious framework that education leaders can now evaluate, test, and strengthen.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;Key features of the STUDENT FIRST Act of 2026 include:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Protecting authentic learning and creativity&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The Act distinguishes between using AI to support learning and allowing it to replace students&amp;rsquo; intellectual or creative work. Students at every grade level would be prohibited from using AI to generate written or artistic assignments. Beginning in 9th grade, students could use AI for brainstorming, studying, or editing their own writing, but only with teacher permission and clear disclosure.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;AI use would also be prohibited on graded assessments. Students would have to verify AI-generated claims and disclose how authorized tools contributed to their work. Teachers could require an oral defense, handwritten assessment, or in-person discussion to confirm independent understanding, providing an alternative to relying solely on AI-detection software.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guaranteeing fairness and due process&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Recognizing concerns about false positives from AI-detection tools, the Act gives students the right to appeal findings of improper AI use. Suspected violations would require human investigation and review by multiple school officials. Teachers and administrators could not rely exclusively on automated detection to determine a grade or impose discipline.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Schools would also be required to publish clear policies explaining when AI is permitted, restricted, or prohibited, along with the consequences for misuse.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Beginning AI literacy early&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The Act calls for age-appropriate AI-literacy instruction before students receive or use digital devices in school. Instruction would address how AI works, misinformation, plagiarism, system bias, privacy, responsible use, and AI&amp;rsquo;s environmental effects. Educators would also receive recurring training on responsible AI use, academic integrity, accessibility, and student privacy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Protecting privacy, identity, and student choice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Students would have to be informed about what data an AI system collects, how it will be used, and whether the collection is necessary. Schools could not use AI to profile students by ethnicity, religion, appearance, beliefs, or values, and educators could not enter identifiable or sensitive student information into AI tools.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The Act would permit appropriate AI-assisted supports in IEP and 504 plans while maintaining strict privacy safeguards. High school students who decline to use AI would be entitled to an alternative assignment, while teachers and administrators could also opt not to use AI, provided they continue to meet applicable educational standards.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keeping consequential decisions human&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Schools could not rely solely on AI to determine grades, identify misconduct, hire employees, or make other consequential decisions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Teachers could use AI to support lesson planning, practice materials, feedback, and classroom organization, but they would remain responsible for reviewing all materials for accuracy, bias, and appropriateness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The proposal also draws a firm line around emotional support. AI systems should not replace school counselors or trusted adults, and students seeking serious life advice or mental-health assistance should be connected with qualified people.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Addressing deepfakes and AI-enabled harassment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The Act would prohibit students from using AI-generated images, video, audio, or messages to bully, harass, defame, or falsely accuse members of the school community. The provision addresses growing concerns that synthetic media can make traditional forms of harassment more scalable, convincing, and damaging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The path ahead: A national process of review and refinement&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The STUDENTS FIRST Act of 2026 is intended to begin, not conclude, a broader national conversation about AI in education. In the months ahead, Day of AI, AASA, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, and MIT RAISE will work with the Student Senators as well as school leaders to share and examine the policy framework through webinars, workshops, public discussions, and in-person school visits. Âܲ·AVÊÓƵwill also share the STUDENTS FIRST Act of 2026 with its network of more than 10,000 school leaders nationwide.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;This process will give the Student Senators an ongoing role in explaining the reasoning behind their recommendations and to hear directly from school communities. In addition, it will allow districts to begin or continue their conversations about AI policies, consider if the STUDENTS FIRST Act of 2026 framework can be strengthened or adapted, and enable Day of AI to gather feedback from across the U.S.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;ldquo;Students are not asking schools to ignore AI, nor are they asking schools to adopt AI without limits,&amp;rdquo; said Edward M. Kennedy Institute Chief Educator Officer Sarah Yezzi. &amp;ldquo;They want clear, fair rules that protect privacy, preserve the ability to think, and ensure this transformative technology supports and enhances human relationships. In fact, the collaborative, human relationships these students developed during the Youth AI Festival allowed them to work together across geographic and ideological differences to offer real solutions for this complex issue of AI use in schools.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;You can read the STUDENT FIRST Act of 2026 in its entirety &lt;a href="https://dayofai.org/news/student-senate-student-first-act#policy"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. You can also watch the live student debate and Student Senate vote on AASA&amp;rsquo;s website &lt;a href="/resources/resource/youth-ai-festival-national-ai-policy"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, and get more details on the ongoing conversation and the school district events across the nation on Day of AI&amp;rsquo;s website &lt;a href="https://dayofai.org/"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Media Contacts:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Dan Rea - Day of AI; &lt;a href="mailto:dan@dayofai.org"&gt;dan@dayofai.org&lt;/a&gt;; (508) 451-0193&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Lara Wade - AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ; &lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;; (813) 833-1498&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Olivia Wong - Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate; &lt;a href="mailto:olivia.wong@emkinstitute.org"&gt;olivia.wong@emkinstitute.org&lt;/a&gt;; (857) 271-3322&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;About Day of AI: Founded in 2021 through MIT&amp;rsquo;s RAISE initiative, Day of AI helps K&amp;ndash;12 students, families, and educators thrive in the age of artificial intelligence. Day of AI became an independent nonprofit in 2024 and continues to work closely with MIT researchers. Its mission is to equip educators worldwide with the tools and knowledge to teach AI responsibly through free curriculum and resources available at &lt;a href="http://www.dayofai.org/"&gt;www.dayofai.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;About MIT RAISE: The MIT RAISE Initiative (&lt;a href="http://raise.mit.edu/"&gt;raise.mit.edu&lt;/a&gt;) empowers everyone to use AI responsibly, authentically, and with impact. Based at the &lt;a href="https://www.media.mit.edu/about/overview/"&gt;MIT Media Lab&lt;/a&gt;, its mission is to advance science and innovation of AI-enabled technologies, experiences, and global programs to deepen learning, spark creativity, and empower everyone to make a better world with AI.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ: AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit &lt;a href="http://aasa.org/"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;About the Edward M. Kennedy Institute: Founded in 2015, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities. Home to the only full-scale replica of the United States Senate in the world, the Kennedy Institute also facilitates experiential civic education programs that has to date served nearly 200,000 students nationally. Learn more at &lt;a href="http://emkinstitute.org/"&gt;emkinstitute.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:36b0dea4-0d32-4aae-9c3a-a7cbd9b4f612</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/07/24/2026-regular-bloggers</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><title>Meet This Year's Âܲ·AVÊÓƵSchools of Thought Regular Bloggers</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵintroduces the ten new regular blogger volunteers for the 2026-27 school year.</description><pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:24:54 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵis excited to introduce the district leaders who will be sharing their voices, ideas, and lessons from the field on the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/resources/schools-of-thought-blog"&gt;Schools of Thought&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/em&gt;Blog this year. &lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;img sf-image-responsive="true" src="/images/default-source/schools-of-thought-blog/schools-of-thought-logo.png?sfvrsn=ac1f16e7_3" height="296" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" title="Schools of Thought logo" width="500" alt="Schools of Thought, Brought to you by AASA" sf-size="42802" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Ten leaders from across the country have stepped up to write, reflect, and connect with colleagues nationwide &amp;mdash; bringing perspectives from districts of all types and sizes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;This year's &lt;a href="/resources/schools-of-thought-blog/meet-the-bloggers" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵRegular Bloggers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rub&amp;eacute;n Aurelio&lt;/strong&gt;, Vallejo City Unified School District (Calif.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Carol D. Birks&lt;/strong&gt;, Allentown School District (Pa.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tim Dawkins&lt;/strong&gt;, South Glens Falls Central School District (N.Y.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jeff Feucht&lt;/strong&gt;, Community High School District 117 (Ill.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Al Lewis&lt;/strong&gt;, Glassboro Public School District (N.J.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jeremy Owoh&lt;/strong&gt;, Jacksonville North Pulaski School District (Ark.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Barbara Sargent&lt;/strong&gt;, Hermon School Department (Maine)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kerri B. Stroka&lt;/strong&gt;, Orange-Ulster BOCES (N.Y.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Marco Taylor&lt;/strong&gt;, Siskiyou County Office of Education (Calif.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alena Zachery-Ross&lt;/strong&gt;, Ypsilanti Community Schools (Mich.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Throughout the year, they'll  share candid stories on the realities, opportunities, and wins that come with leading a school system.&amp;nbsp;Stay tuned for their first posts of the school year in the weeks ahead!&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:8ff35d95-3a9a-42e8-a827-afd57645b631</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/07/22/applications-and-nominations-open-for-two-awards-recognizing-women-leaders</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><title>Applications and Nominations Open for Two Awards Recognizing Women Leaders</title><description>AASA's Women in School Leadership Awards now accepting nominations and applications for 2026.</description><pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:30:07 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;h6&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵis Now Accepting Nominations &amp;amp; Applications for Two Awards Recognizing Women in School Leadership&lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p&gt;The&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="/about-aasa/awards-grants/women-in-school-leadership-awards"&gt;Women in School Leadership awards&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;recognize women in leadership whose talent, creativity and vision are exemplary.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Two awards are available:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Superintendent Award&lt;/strong&gt;: Awarded to any female superintendent who has been in the position for two or more years.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Central Office/Principal Award&lt;/strong&gt;: Awarded to any female central office or building-level leader (e.g. assistant superintendent, central office administrator, principal, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;p&gt;Honorees will be recognized at&amp;nbsp;AASA's 2027&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://nce.aasa.org/" target="_blank"&gt;National Conference on Education&lt;/a&gt; in&amp;nbsp;Atlanta, Ga.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nominations must be made by September 3, 2026, and applications must be received by October 2, 2026.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/awards-grants/women-in-school-leadership-awards"&gt;&lt;span class="button button--action"&gt;Learn More&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:e43195c4-de53-4f76-81b1-49d3d58d34ff</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/07/01/david-r.-schuler-named-learning-first-alliance-board-chair</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><title>David R. Schuler Named Learning First Alliance Board Chair</title><description>Executive Director of Âܲ·AVÊÓƵelected Board Chair of the Learning First Alliance</description><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:50:09 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lara Wade&lt;br /&gt;Director of Communications&lt;br /&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ALEXANDRIA, VA &lt;/strong&gt;&amp;mdash; The Learning First Alliance (LFA), an alliance of executives from leading K-12 education organizations, is pleased to announce that &lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/person/david-schuler"&gt;David R. Schuler, Ph.D.&lt;/a&gt;, executive director of AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, has been elected Board Chair for 2026-27.

  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Daaiyah Bilal-Threats, senior director, Education Policy &amp;amp; Implementation Center, National Education Association (NEA), has been elected Secretary-Treasurer, and Barbara M. Hunter, APR, executive director of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), will serve as the Immediate Past Chair.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Throughout his distinguished career, Schuler has championed student success, driven innovation, and strengthened public education in rural, urban, and suburban communities. As executive director of AASA, he leads the organization&amp;rsquo;s efforts to support and develop school system leaders while advocating for high-quality educational opportunities for every student. A former state and national Superintendent of the Year, Schuler is widely recognized for his collaborative leadership, commitment to educational excellence, and dedication to empowering school leaders and advancing public education nationwide.

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A respected advocate for public education, workers&amp;rsquo; rights, and social justice, Bilal-Threats has played a leading role in shaping education policy, building strategic partnerships, and advancing initiatives that support educators, students, and communities.

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;It is an honor to serve as chair of the Learning First Alliance and work alongside organizations that represent every facet of the education profession,&amp;rdquo; said David Schuler. &amp;ldquo;By listening, learning, and working together, we can help schools meet today&amp;rsquo;s challenges while creating new opportunities for students to thrive. I look forward to advancing this important work with our member organizations in the year ahead.&amp;rdquo;

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;David is a collaborative, action-oriented leader. I look forward to his leadership as Chair,&amp;rdquo; said Danny Carlson, executive director of LFA. &amp;ldquo;Together with David, Daaiyah, and our Board, we will continue to amplify the collective voice of our member organizations on behalf of students and educators at this critical moment for public education.&amp;rdquo;
    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;###&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit &lt;a href="http://aasa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;aasa.org.&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Learning First Alliance&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.learningfirst.org/"&gt;The Learning First Alliance&lt;/a&gt; is an alliance of associations advancing trust, investment, and equity in public education for each and every learner. Alliance members include: AASA: Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ; American Federation of Teachers; American School Counselor Association; Association of Educational Service Agencies; Consortium for School Networking; Learning Forward; National Association of Elementary School Principals; National Education Association; National PTA; National School Boards Association, and National School Public Relations Association.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:d31f185b-9900-48a0-9f7a-425ebcbc48b6</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/06/22/study-examining-budgetary-impact-health-care-costs-on-public-schools</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Advocacy &amp; Policy</category><category>Finance &amp; Budgets</category><category>Staffing, HR &amp; Talent Development</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand ASBO International Release First-of-Its-Kind Study Examining the Budgetary Impact of Health Care Costs on Public Schools</title><description>Health care costs are squeezing school budgets, cutting staff, and shortchanging students. See what 767 district leaders revealed.</description><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:00:35 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lara Wade&lt;br /&gt;Director of Communications&lt;br /&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ALEXANDRIA, VA &lt;/strong&gt;&amp;mdash; &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://asbointl.org/"&gt;The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)&lt;/a&gt; today released &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rising Premiums, Falling Opportunities: The Budgetary Impact of Health Care Costs on School Districts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, a new &lt;a href="/resources/resource/rising-premiums--falling-opportunities--the-budgetary-impact-of-health-care-costs-on-school-districts" target="_blank"&gt;national report&lt;/a&gt; examining how escalating health care costs are affecting public school district budgets, staffing decisions, and educational opportunities for students.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;Based on responses from 767 school superintendents and school business officials across 42 states, the report is focused on the impact of rising health care expenditures on K-12 school systems.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;Health care costs have surged in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by increased demand for services, high-cost treatments and prescription drugs, rising labor and supply costs, and broader demographic pressures associated with an aging population. School districts are experiencing the same financial pressures affecting employers nationwide, but unlike many private-sector organizations, they often have limited flexibility to redesign benefits packages, shift costs to employees, or change insurance providers.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;The report highlights a growing challenge that affects districts of every size and demographic across the country.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;Among the report's key findings:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;98% of district leaders&lt;/strong&gt; reported that rising health care costs have had a measurable impact on their district budgets.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;During the 2025-26 fiscal year, 9&lt;strong&gt;2% of districts spent up to 30% of their operating budget on employee insurance benefits.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The leading drivers of premium increases were rising prescription drug costs (60%)&lt;/strong&gt;, more claims for expensive treatments (56%), and increased utilization of high-cost specialty medications such as GLP-1 drugs (56%).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;52% of districts reported tapping reserves or rainy-day funds&lt;/strong&gt; to cover premium increases.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="5" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;To navigate increasing healthcare costs,&lt;strong&gt; 46% of districts modified employee benefits packages&lt;/strong&gt;, while &lt;strong&gt;34% delayed hiring staff&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;strong&gt; 31% reduced or postponed spending on instructional materials and technology&lt;/strong&gt;, and&lt;strong&gt; 28% reported offering less generous insurance coverage&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;The report reveals the consequences extend beyond the district balance sheet&amp;mdash;school leaders described implementing self-imposed hiring freezes, delaying critical facility improvements, postponing technology and curriculum investments, reducing student mental health supports, and scaling back other educational services to absorb growing health care costs. Some districts have exhausted available reserves and are pursuing tax increases or bond measures to sustain health insurance obligations.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;At the same time, districts are struggling to remain competitive in recruiting and retaining teachers and staff. Many school leaders reported being unable to provide meaningful salary increases while simultaneously covering rapidly rising insurance premiums, creating additional workforce retention challenges.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;The report concludes that without additional funding, flexibility, and policy solutions at all levels, school districts will continue to face unsustainable trade-offs that undermine educational opportunities and workforce stability.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;You can read the full report, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rising Premiums, Falling Opportunities: The Budgetary Impact of Health Care Costs on School Districts&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;a href="/resources/resource/rising-premiums--falling-opportunities--the-budgetary-impact-of-health-care-costs-on-school-districts" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;here&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US" aria-level="3"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US" aria-level="3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit &lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="http://aasa.org/"&gt;aasa.org.&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US" aria-level="3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About ASBO International&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p lang="EN-US"&gt;Founded in 1910, the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) is a professional association supporting school business leaders responsible for finance, operations, technology, facilities, procurement, and other essential functions that help school districts serve students effectively. Through professional development, certification, advocacy, and networking opportunities, ASBO International advances excellence in school business leadership worldwide. Learn more at &lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://asbointl.org/"&gt;asbointl.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:6a72761c-6f71-4516-bc18-4561075e826b</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/06/15/day-of-ai--mit-raise--aasa---edward-m.-kennedy-institute-announce-list-of-100-students---50-school-leaders-for-new-ai-fellowship-in-boston</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Technology &amp; AI</category><category>ed-tech</category><category>education technology</category><category>edtech</category><category>ai</category><category>ed tech</category><category>tech</category><title>Day of AI, MIT RAISE, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp; Edward M. Kennedy Institute Announce List of 100 Students &amp; 50 School Leaders for New AI Fellowship in Boston</title><description>New collaboration will help Âܲ·AVÊÓƵturn the collective insights of thousands of school districts into stronger programs, research, and leadership support.</description><pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:20:43 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Lara Wade &lt;br /&gt;Director of Communications &lt;br /&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498 &lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;Students &amp;amp; school leaders from all 50 states will convene in Boston in July to create National AI Policy for public K-12 classrooms and learn about latest AI breakthroughs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE, MA; ALEXANDRIA, VA&lt;/strong&gt; - &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://dayofai.org/"&gt;Day of AI&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://raise.mit.edu/"&gt;MIT RAISE&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a target="_blank" href="/home"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;; and the &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://emkinstitute.org/"&gt;Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate&lt;/a&gt; today announced the national class of students and school leaders who will participate in a new &lt;a target="_blank" href="/news-media/news/2026/03/19/aasa-and-day-of-ai-launch-national-fellowship"&gt;2026 Leadership and Innovation Fellowship&lt;/a&gt; at &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.dayofaiusa.org/festival"&gt;America&amp;rsquo;s Youth AI Festival&lt;/a&gt;, a first-of-its-kind gathering taking place July 17-19, 2026, in Boston and Cambridge during the nation&amp;rsquo;s 250th celebration.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Fellowship will bring together representatives from across the U.S. - two high school &amp;ldquo;Student Senators&amp;rdquo; from each state, and 50 school system leaders, for a three-day leadership residency on AI. The students and school leaders will explore how artificial intelligence can be used responsibly, ethically, and productively in schools, communities, and with the broader society that students will inherit.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The participants will be separated into two groups. Student Senators will gather at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute to deliberate and pass a new &amp;ldquo;National AI Policy&amp;rdquo; for public K-12 classrooms, which Âܲ·AVÊÓƵwill share with its network of 10,000+ school leaders following the event. Student voice is a key element in AI implementation, but is often overlooked. Students will offer their insight on how AI should be incorporated and taught throughout the country. &lt;strong&gt;Their work will have real-world impact - a policy made for students, by students&lt;/strong&gt;.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The 50 school leaders will participate in workshops with MIT RAISE, Day of AI, and Kennedy Institute personnel, including &lt;a href="https://www.media.mit.edu/people/cynthiab/overview/" target="_blank"&gt;Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, Director of MIT RAISE and one of Time Magazine&amp;rsquo;s 100 most influential people in AI&lt;/a&gt;. Together they will discuss best practices and learn about responsible AI implementation, school system leadership, and the future of K&amp;ndash;12 education.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xuM0eTlIWj9aZQj9qQ1wuL5gWD34pPI4/view" target="_blank"&gt;Please click here for the full list&lt;/a&gt; of Student Senators and School Leaders participating in July&amp;rsquo;s event.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.dayofaiusa.org/festival" target="_blank"&gt;America&amp;rsquo;s Youth AI Festival&lt;/a&gt; will be bringing together a total of 250 students, educators, school leaders, and partners for programs focused on AI literacy, civic engagement, student leadership, and the future of learning. In addition to the Student Senate, the Festival weekend includes a &amp;ldquo;Me, Myself, and AI&amp;rdquo; student art contest, with winners showcased at the MIT Museum, on July 18; an &amp;ldquo;AI for a Better World&amp;rdquo; competition presented by Britebound and facilitated by MIT Solve, with five winning student teams from across the country sharing their solutions to community and global problems at the MIT Media Lab, on July 18; a live, AI-enabled art performance at the MIT Museum entitled &amp;ldquo;AI Live&amp;rdquo; presented by the Mathworks, on July 18; and a welcome reception at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, on July 17.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Artificial intelligence is already shaping the world in which students are maturing, and young people deserve a meaningful voice in how that future is built,&amp;rdquo; said Jeff Riley, Executive Director of Day of AI and former Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. &amp;ldquo;This national class of Student Senators represents an extraordinary opportunity to listen to students not as passive users of technology, but as leaders, citizens, and problem-solvers.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Students need more than access to AI tools - they need the knowledge, confidence, and ethical foundation to understand and shape this technology,&amp;rdquo; said Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, Director of MIT RAISE. &amp;ldquo;America&amp;rsquo;s Youth AI Festival reflects a shared commitment to making AI education engaging, responsible, and available to all students.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;School system leaders are facing urgent questions about how to prepare students and educators for a future shaped by artificial intelligence,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA. &amp;ldquo;This fellowship ensures that those conversations are grounded in student voice, as well as real classroom experience.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;At the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, we believe civic life is strengthened when young people have the opportunity to participate, deliberate, and lead,&amp;rdquo; said Sarah Yezzi, the EMK&amp;rsquo;s Chief Education Officer. &amp;ldquo;We are proud to welcome Student Senators from across the country, and facilitate their deliberation as they craft policy proposals on how artificial intelligence should shape their schools, communities, and futures.&amp;rdquo;

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;"&gt;###&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Day of AI&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Started in 2021 through MIT&amp;rsquo;s RAISE (&amp;ldquo;Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education&amp;rdquo;) initiative, Day of AI enables K-12 students, families, and educators to thrive in the age of AI. Day of AI&amp;rsquo;s mission is to equip educators around the world with the knowledge and tools to integrate AI responsibly into their classrooms, and its free curriculum is available at &lt;a href="http://www.dayofai.org" target="_blank"&gt;www.dayofai.org&lt;/a&gt;.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About MIT RAISE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The MIT RAISE Initiative (&lt;a href="http://raise.mit.edu/" target="_blank"&gt;raise.mit.edu&lt;/a&gt;) empowers everyone to use AI responsibly, authentically, and with impact. Its mission is to advance science and innovation of AI-enabled technologies, experiences, and global programs to deepen learning, spark creativity, and empower everyone to make a better world with AI.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="http://aasa.org/"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Edward M. Kennedy Institute&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Founded in 2015, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities. Home to the only full-scale replica of the United States Senate in the world, the Kennedy Institute also facilitates experiential civic education programs that has to date served nearly 200,000 students nationally. Learn more at &lt;a href="http://emkinstitute.org" target="_blank"&gt;emkinstitute.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:7ed93eaa-6260-42fe-8c47-253eabc93d73</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/06/02/aasa-and-thoughtexchange-announce-partnership-to-harness-strategic-insight-and-support-school-system-leaders-nationwide</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Technology &amp; AI</category><category>ed-tech</category><category>education technology</category><category>edtech</category><category>ai</category><category>ed tech</category><category>tech</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand ThoughtExchange Announce Partnership to Harness Strategic Insight and Support School System Leaders Nationwide</title><description>New collaboration will help Âܲ·AVÊÓƵturn the collective insights of thousands of school districts into stronger programs, research, and leadership support.</description><pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:06:26 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Lara Wade &lt;br /&gt;Director of Communications &lt;br /&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498 &lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;New collaboration will help Âܲ·AVÊÓƵturn the collective insights of thousands of superintendents and the school districts they serve into stronger programs, research, and leadership support through ThoughtExchange&amp;rsquo;s Strategic Insight Platform.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, VA and Rossland, BC &amp;mdash; June 2, 2026&amp;nbsp;&amp;mdash;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, and ThoughtExchange today announced a strategic partnership designed to help Âܲ·AVÊÓƵconvert member voice into long-range strategic insight to better understand, learn from, and support school system leaders across the country.

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Through the partnership, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵwill leverage &lt;a href="https://thoughtexchange.com/" target="_blank"&gt;ThoughtExchange&lt;/a&gt;, a strategic insight platform to gather, analyze, and harness insight from the collective perspectives of its members over time. By creating a continuous system for listening and learning, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵwill be able to distill member voice into clearer priorities, stronger leadership programs, and more effective support for superintendents navigating the complex challenges facing public education.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote class="pull-quote pull-quote--right"&gt;This partnership with ThoughtExchange will allow us to continuously learn from the experiences and perspectives of our members and translate that insight into stronger programs, advocacy efforts, and leadership supports.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵrepresents more than 10,000 school system leaders nationwide and more than 50 million students. Our mission is to support school leaders and ensure they have the knowledge, networks, and tools needed to effectively lead,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA. &amp;ldquo;This partnership with ThoughtExchange will allow us to continuously learn from the experiences and perspectives of our members and translate that insight into stronger programs, advocacy efforts, and leadership supports.&amp;rdquo;

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The partnership will also support engagement and insight generation during key events such as the &lt;a href="/professional-learning/national-conference-on-education" target="_blank"&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵNational Conference on Education&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="/advocacy/legislative-advocacy-conference" target="_blank"&gt;Legislative Advocacy Conference&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="/edleader-promise/innovation-conference" target="_blank"&gt;EdLeader Promise Innovation Conference&lt;/a&gt;, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵsuperintendent symposiums, and summits.

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Our partnership with Âܲ·AVÊÓƵis about helping the association harness the collective intelligence of Superintendents and the systems they serve,&amp;rdquo; said Dave MacLeod, CEO of ThoughtExchange. &amp;ldquo;When constituent voices are captured and connected over time, this loop allows insight and trust to compound rather than reset, helping organizations build institutional understanding that advances public education and persists even as leadership and priorities change.&amp;rdquo;

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Together, the organizations aim to transform the collective insight of education leaders into actionable understanding that strengthens the work of Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand advances the &lt;a href="/the-public-education-promise" target="_blank"&gt;Public Education Promise&lt;/a&gt; nationwide.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="http://aasa.org/"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About ThoughtExchange&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;ThoughtExchange is the strategic insight platform designed to help school systems turn stakeholder voice into longitudinal and contextualized insight and informed action.

        &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By combining innovative voice data collection methods, AI-integrated analysis, and sustained partnership, ThoughtExchange enables school systems to build institutional understanding, preserve knowledge across leadership transitions, and translate collective insight into meaningful progress.

        &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Trusted by over 10,000 education leaders across North America, ThoughtExchange helps organizations move from episodic engagement toward systems where insight, trust, and learning compound over time. Visit &lt;a href="https://thoughtexchange.com/" target="_blank"&gt;ThoughtExchange.com&lt;/a&gt; for more information. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:119698a9-bb92-42df-9b43-f70cc5def802</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/05/19/aasa-earns-three-national-azbee-awards</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵPublications Earns Three National Azbee Awards</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵreceives three national Awards of Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE).</description><pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 16:21:24 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, has received three national Awards of Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) in this year&amp;rsquo;s &lt;a href="https://asbpe.org/news/2026/05/14/2026-national-azbee-awards-winners/"&gt;Azbee Awards&lt;/a&gt; &amp;mdash; one of the most competitive recognition programs for B2B media.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;img sf-image-responsive="true" src="/images/default-source/news/2026-azbee-badges_national-gold.png?sfvrsn=dc52e1e1_1" height="240" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;margin-bottom:10px;" title="2026 Azbee Badges National Gold" width="150" alt="2026 Azbee Badge National Gold" sf-size="30700" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Azbees honor outstanding editorial, design and digital work across business, trade, association and professional publications. AASA&amp;rsquo;s national recognition follows regional honors in the Mid-Atlantic competition, which qualified the association's entries for the national stage. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵearned the following national awards:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gold &amp;mdash; Best Single Topic Coverage&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;School Administrator&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;a href="https://azbeeawards.secure-platform.com/a/gallery/rounds/76/details/29559"&gt;January 2025&lt;/a&gt; &amp;mdash; a full issue devoted to the experience of parenting as a superintendent&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Silver &amp;mdash; Best Department&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;School Administrator&lt;/em&gt;&amp;rsquo;s &lt;a href="https://azbeeawards.secure-platform.com/a/gallery/rounds/76/details/29602"&gt;Ethical Educator&lt;/a&gt; column, recognized for consistent excellence as a recurring feature&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gold &amp;mdash; Best Web Special Section&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://azbeeawards.secure-platform.com/a/gallery/rounds/76/details/29478"&gt;Conference Daily Online&lt;/a&gt;, 2025 edition &amp;mdash; AASA&amp;rsquo;s digital coverage of its annual national conference&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;img sf-image-responsive="true" src="/images/default-source/news/2026-azbee-badges_national-silver.png?sfvrsn=9a094104_1" height="240" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" title="2026 Azbee Badges National Silver" width="150" alt="2026 Azbee Badges National Silver" sf-size="30145" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Azbee Awards draw entries from major trade and professional associations including the American Bar Association, the American Bankers Association, IEEE and Restaurant Business, making the recognition a meaningful benchmark for editorial quality in the association publishing world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These awards reflect the strength of the Âܲ·AVÊÓƵcommunity. We&amp;rsquo;re grateful to the members, contributors and superintendents whose voices, insights and stories make &lt;em&gt;School Administrator&lt;/em&gt; and our digital publications worth reading and worth recognizing.&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:b6fe8e43-aad5-40ed-9050-6098b1edba25</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/04/28/aasa-asu-launch-possibilities-summit</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><category>Technology &amp; AI</category><category>ed-tech</category><category>education technology</category><category>edtech</category><category>ai</category><category>ed tech</category><category>tech</category><category>Leadership Development</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation Launch the Possibilities Summit</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp; ASU bring superintendents together to reimagine district strategic planning using AI and possibilities thinking. October 28–29, 2026</description><pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:34:46 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;h6 dir="ltr"&gt;Reimagining Strategic Planning for School Districts with AI&lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;This October, AASA, in partnership with &lt;a href="https://education.asu.edu/"&gt;Arizona State University&amp;rsquo;s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation&lt;/a&gt;, will convene district leaders from across the country for a new kind of learning experience designed to fundamentally change how strategic planning is done in public education. &lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;img sf-image-responsive="true" src="/images/default-source/professional-learning/aasa-possibilities-summit-2026600x400.png?sfvrsn=971279a9_1" height="400" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" title="Possibilities Summit 2026" width="600" alt="Possibilities Summit: Reimagining Strategic Planning with AI October 28 - 29 with ASU" sf-size="110705" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The &lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/28/default-calendar/possibilities-summit" target="_blank"&gt;Possibilities Summit: Reimagining Strategic Planning with AI&lt;/a&gt;, taking place October 28&amp;ndash;29, 2026, on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe, Arizona, invites superintendents and district leadership teams to go beyond incremental planning and into a more ambitious, values‑driven way of designing for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Many strategic planning processes ask leaders to project forward from what already exists. The Possibilities Summit starts somewhere else entirely &amp;mdash; with what could be, for every student and community, if leaders had the tools and frameworks to think and plan beyond today's boundaries.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Fundamentally Different Way to Plan&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;At the heart of the Summit is a powerful shift in how leaders approach strategy. By combining possibilities thinking with artificial intelligence, participants will explore a planning approach that doesn&amp;rsquo;t simply optimize the present, but actively expands what leaders can imagine and design.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;AI will not be introduced as a shortcut or a substitute for leadership judgment. Instead, it will become a planning partner &amp;mdash; one that helps leaders see more, question assumptions, and explore options that might otherwise remain invisible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Grounded in Principled Innovation&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; and the Public Education Promise&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The Possibilities Summit is anchored in Arizona State University&amp;rsquo;s &lt;a href="https://pi.education.asu.edu/"&gt;Principled Innovation&amp;reg; framework&lt;/a&gt;, which places values, context, and community at the center of decision‑making. Participants won&amp;rsquo;t just learn how to use AI&amp;mdash;they&amp;rsquo;ll learn how to use it responsibly and intentionally, guided by what matters most to their districts and the people they serve.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Preparing students for real life requires leaders willing to reimagine how districts are designed, not just refine what already exists. That conviction is at the heart of the &lt;a href="/the-public-education-promise"&gt;Public Education Promise&lt;/a&gt;, and it&amp;rsquo;s what the Possibilities Summit puts into practice. Possibilities thinking, guided by principled values, becomes a leadership practice that keeps students, families, and communities at the forefront while helping districts design bold, grounded, and lasting change.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The &lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/28/default-calendar/possibilities-summit" target="_blank"&gt;Possibilities Summit&lt;/a&gt; will take place October 28&amp;ndash;29, 2026 in Arizona. Superintendents and their district leadership teams are encouraged to attend together. Âܲ·AVÊÓƵmembers receive a special registration rate!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:b848ea84-a7e1-41ae-ab57-3f068efe4f23</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/04/27/aasa-expands-certification-portfolio</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><category>Leadership Development</category><category>Public Education Promise</category><category>Real Skills for Real Life</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵExpands Certification Portfolio with Two New Programs for Leaders at Every Stage</title><description>New from AASA: certification programs for superintendent-level coaching and equipping students with the executive function skills they need.</description><pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:29:12 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;h6&gt;New professional learning credentials support the full arc of educational leadership, from the classroom to the coaching relationship.&lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The &lt;a target="_blank" href="/the-public-education-promise"&gt;Public Education Promise&lt;/a&gt; asks something of leaders at every stage of their career &amp;mdash; not just while they&amp;rsquo;re in the seat, but in how they develop the leaders who come after them, and in how they ensure every child leaves school genuinely ready for what's ahead.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵis expanding the resources available to answer that call, with two new certification programs launching this fall!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Educational Leadership Executive Coaching Certification Program&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;em&gt;In partnership with Arizona State University&amp;rsquo;s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/28/default-calendar/educational-leadership-executive-coaching-program" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img sf-image-responsive="true" src="/images/default-source/professional-learning/executivecoaching600x400.png?sfvrsn=3b46c45c_1" height="400" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" title="Educational Leadership Executive Coaching Certification 600x400" width="600" alt="Educational Leadership Executive Coaching Certification" sf-size="96078" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Developed for retired, transitioning, or active superintendents, the &lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/28/default-calendar/educational-leadership-executive-coaching-program"&gt;Educational Leadership Executive Coaching Certification Program&lt;/a&gt; is the only national coaching credential designed specifically for the realities of public education leadership.&amp;nbsp;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The program formalizes what experienced superintendents have always done &amp;mdash; developing leaders, redirecting careers, asking the right question at exactly the right moment &amp;mdash; and makes it intentional, scalable, and credentialed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Coaches who earn this credential will join the roster Âܲ·AVÊÓƵturns to when districts and leaders are looking for coaching grounded in real superintendent-level experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The program runs October 2026 through September 2027, with an in-person launch at the &lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/28/default-calendar/possibilities-summit"&gt;Possibilities Summit&lt;/a&gt; at Arizona State University, October 28&amp;ndash;30, 2026. Applications are now open.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/28/default-calendar/educational-leadership-executive-coaching-program" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="button button--action"&gt;Apply Today&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Real Skills for Real Life Certification Program&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;em&gt;In partnership with the Families and Work Institute and University of Minnesota&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;For superintendents and educational leaders focused on what students carry out of school with them, the Real Skills for Real Life Certification Program provides a research-backed practical framework for embedding executive function skills &amp;mdash; working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and reflection &amp;mdash; across an entire district. &lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/06/default-calendar/real-skills-certification" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img sf-image-responsive="true" src="/images/default-source/professional-learning/realskillscertification_600x400.png?sfvrsn=fa89c9df_1" height="400" style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" title="Real Skills Certification" width="600" alt="Real Skills for Real Life Certification Program with blue, red and white shapes" sf-size="85690" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The six-module virtual program connects directly to Principle 2 of the Public Education Promise, equipping leaders with the language and tools to build the skills that make learning, and lifelong success, possible for every child, in every community.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="/professional-learning/event/2026/10/06/default-calendar/real-skills-certification" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="button button--action"&gt;Learn More&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Two programs. One promise.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="/professional-learning/certification" target="_blank"&gt;Explore AASA's full certification portfolio.&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;
 &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:0aee817e-2a38-431e-a26c-5123f1b7d7cf</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/04/09/aasa-announces-new-governance-members</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵAnnounces New Governance Members</title><description>Nine superintendents from areas across the country have been elected to the executive committee of AASA.</description><pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:59:02 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="556975828" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{12}"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1052849787" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{14}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="73503285" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{16}"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="655197195" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{18}"&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1269898298" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{20}"&gt;Director of Communications&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="229568157" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{22}"&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="2029280438" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{24}"&gt;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1198658127" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{26}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="2147086276" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{28}"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. &amp;ndash; April 9, 2026&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp;Nine&amp;nbsp;superintendents from areas across the country have been elected to the executive committee of&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="/home"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, the nation&amp;rsquo;s premier organization serving&amp;nbsp;10,000+&amp;nbsp;public school system leaders&amp;nbsp;throughout&amp;nbsp;the U.S.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1586487140" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{30}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1650161521" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{32}"&gt;AASA&amp;rsquo;s executive committee&amp;nbsp;represents&amp;nbsp;the nation from seven designated governance regions. The executive committee is elected and appointed&amp;nbsp;in accordance with&amp;nbsp;AASA&amp;rsquo;s bylaws and meets quarterly to conduct the ongoing business of the organization.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="96395508" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{34}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1344222547" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{36}"&gt;Incoming president LaTonya Goffney (Houston, TX) will welcome these&amp;nbsp;new executive committee members&amp;nbsp;to&amp;nbsp;their&amp;nbsp;new&amp;nbsp;role during an installation ceremony at AASA&amp;rsquo;s summer governance and advocacy meeting&amp;nbsp;in July:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="69021057" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{38}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="1257447516" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{40}"&gt;Laurie Barron, Evergreen School District 50, Kalispell, Mont. (Region 1)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="1566680264" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{42}"&gt;Daniel Bridges, Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Naperville, Ill. (Region 4)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="1701193778" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{44}"&gt;Tim Dilg, Valley Park School District, Valley Park, Mo. (Region 4)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="2146932603" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{47}"&gt;Walter Jackson, La Porte Independent School District, La Porte, Texas (Region 2)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="230173357" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{49}"&gt;Kevin McGowan, Brighton Central School District, Rochester, N.Y. (Region 7)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="6" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="1264226749" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{51}"&gt;Bridget O&amp;rsquo;Connell, Palisades School District,&amp;nbsp;Kintnersville, Pa. (Region 6)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="7" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="45645092" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{53}"&gt;Kristy Somerville-Midgette, Lynchburg City School District, Lynchburg, Va. (Region 5)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="8" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="1508210500" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{55}"&gt;David Sovine, Washington County School District, Hagerstown, Md. (Region 6)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="9" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="801002389" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{57}"&gt;Katy Xenakis-Makowski, Johannesburg Lewiston Area School District, Johannesburg, Mich. (Region 3)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul role="list"&gt;&lt;li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="ï‚·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"ï‚·","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="10" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"&gt;&lt;p paraid="1980234736" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{59}"&gt;To be&amp;nbsp;announced - incoming president-elect Jennifer Kelsall&amp;nbsp;(IL)&amp;nbsp;will appoint one member&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1929654418" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{61}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1648669061" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{63}"&gt;&amp;ldquo;We are excited&amp;nbsp;for these&amp;nbsp;newly elected members&amp;nbsp;to join&amp;nbsp;AASA&amp;rsquo;s executive committee&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;bring&amp;nbsp;their&amp;nbsp;innovative ideas,&amp;nbsp;deep expertise,&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;strong&amp;nbsp;commitment&amp;nbsp;to&amp;nbsp;guiding&amp;nbsp;our organization,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, executive director. &amp;ldquo;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵcontinues its proud tradition of superintendents electing peers who demonstrate outstanding&amp;nbsp;leadership in their districts and communities&amp;mdash;and most importantly, an unwavering dedication to serving children across our nation&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;ensuring&amp;nbsp;they thrive&amp;nbsp;both&amp;nbsp;in school and after graduation.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="98288213" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{65}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1688354603" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{67}"&gt;New executive committee members will&amp;nbsp;begin their&amp;nbsp;terms&amp;nbsp;effective July 1, 2026.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="168560842" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{69}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="494650177" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{71}" style="text-align:center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="809523434" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{73}" style="text-align:left;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="1493334277" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{75}"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://aasa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p paraid="2140541712" paraeid="{cb59ecce-70dc-46c4-8eaa-08ac6f305b00}{77}"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:25c28b79-8eb0-4094-af74-40823768e430</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/03/26/aasa-releases-2025-26-superintendent-salary-benefits-study</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Finance &amp; Budgets</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵReleases 2025-26 Superintendent Salary &amp; Benefits Study</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵreleases the 2025-26 Superintendent Salary &amp; Benefits Study.</description><pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:00:03 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contact:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Director of Communications&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. &amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp;March&amp;nbsp;26, 2026&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;mdash;&amp;nbsp;A significantly higher percentage of superintendents reported declining economic conditions this year (38%) compared to last year (30%),&amp;nbsp;according to&amp;nbsp;the 14th annual superintendent salary study released today by AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ.&amp;nbsp;Higher percentages of superintendents in districts with enrollments of 1,000 or more students reported stable or growing economic conditions,&amp;nbsp;whereas&amp;nbsp;higher percentages of superintendents leading districts with fewer than 1,000 students reported declining economic conditions.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The report,&amp;nbsp;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/resources/resource/superintendent-salary-benefits-study"&gt;2025-26 Âܲ·AVÊÓƵSuperintendent Salary &amp;amp; Benefits Study&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;nbsp;is used to gauge school district leadership compensation and&amp;nbsp;benefits,&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;is released in two versions&amp;nbsp;-&amp;nbsp;a full version for Âܲ·AVÊÓƵmembers and an abridged version for wider/public circulation.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The&amp;nbsp;2025-26&amp;nbsp;survey received&amp;nbsp;1,951&amp;nbsp;responses from superintendents in 49&amp;nbsp;states,&amp;nbsp;and the sample is&amp;nbsp;generally representative&amp;nbsp;of the larger population of superintendents. The&amp;nbsp;annually revised&amp;nbsp;and updated survey tracks the demographics, salary, benefits,&amp;nbsp;and other elements of the employment agreements of school superintendents throughout the country.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵhas collected superintendent salary information&amp;nbsp;annually&amp;nbsp;since 2012 to provide critical insight into the conditions of the superintendency,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵexecutive director. &amp;ldquo;Our continued commitment to this survey means we can capture not only real-time data, but also inform a broader narrative, allowing longitudinal analysis and comparisons on the progress school systems have made and the work that still remains.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Additional&amp;nbsp;demographics and key findings include:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Respondents reported having an average of 7.3 years of experience as&amp;nbsp;a superintendent. Contrary to the often-cited statistic of average tenure of a superintendent being less than 3 years, respondents reported an average time in the current position as 5.4 years.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Similar to&amp;nbsp;findings over the last three years, almost 9/10 (88.88%) of respondents intend to&amp;nbsp;remain as&amp;nbsp;superintendent in their current district for the upcoming 2026&amp;ndash;2027 school year.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pay ratios are more&amp;nbsp;equitable&amp;nbsp;in public education than in the corporate world. The average ratio of superintendent salary to starting teacher salary was 3.53:1,&amp;nbsp;compared to approximately 285:1 in the S&amp;amp;P 500 group of for-profit corporations.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Base salary correlated strongly with enrollment. Salaries increased as district enrollment increased.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="5" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Female superintendents earned approximately 98% of what males earned in 2025&amp;ndash;2026.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="6" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Higher percentages of superintendents who identified as Black or African American (80.41%) held a doctorate compared to those who identified as White (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (57.7%).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="7" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;A noticeably higher percentage of females held a doctorate (50.63%) compared to males (40.52%).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Schuler&amp;nbsp;stated,&amp;nbsp;&amp;ldquo;We are grateful for the excellent work of the research team and extend our appreciation to school superintendents across the nation who took time to reply to the survey and make this work possible.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/resources/resource/superintendent-salary-benefits-study" target="_blank"&gt;Click here&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;to access a copy of the 2025-2026&amp;nbsp;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵSuperintendent Salary &amp;amp; Benefits Study. For specific questions about the report&amp;nbsp;or&amp;nbsp;long-term&amp;nbsp;trends, contact Tara Thomas, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵGovernment Affairs Manager, at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="mailto:tthomas@aasa.org" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;tthomas@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="http://aasa.org/"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:bfdb331c-15cb-49ea-a835-1958f8af805d</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/03/23/nce-2027-call-for-proposals-open</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><category>Leadership Development</category><title>NCE 2027 Call for Proposals Now Open</title><description>The 2027 National Conference on Education call for proposals is open now through May 29, 2026.</description><pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:00:07 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/nce/2027/nce27-save-the-date-header.png?sfvrsn=d01dd3b8_0" alt="NCE 2027" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 style="text-align:center;"&gt;The 2027 National Conference on Education Call for Proposals is Now Open&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;p&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵis calling on education's most visionary leaders and practitioners to bring their best thinking to the 2027 National Conference on Education in Atlanta, Ga.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenting at the 2027 conference is a chance to be part of something bigger &amp;mdash; sharing bold ideas, building leadership capacity, and seizing the extraordinary opportunity we have right now to reimagine what public education can and should be for every child.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Focus Zones for 2027 Include:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Prioritize Student-Centered Learning&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The New Basics: Real Skills for Real Life&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Attract, Hire, Retain and Reward the Best Employees&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Build Highly Engaged School, Family and Community Partnerships&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Measure What Matters&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;School Safety, Well-Being and Mental Health&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Future-Ready Systems: Finances, Technology and Operations&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Submissions are due by 11:59 pm ET on May 29, 2026.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/professional-learning/national-conference-on-education/call-for-proposals" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="button button--action"&gt;Learn More &amp;amp; Submit Today&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Questions?&lt;/strong&gt; Contact AASA's NCE team at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a target="_blank" data-fontcolor="6" href="mailto:aasance@aasa.org"&gt;aasance@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:96caf3d6-dccf-4e54-9a3f-e5288c1b85c9</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/03/19/aasa-and-day-of-ai-launch-national-fellowship</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Technology &amp; AI</category><category>ed-tech</category><category>education technology</category><category>edtech</category><category>ai</category><category>ed tech</category><category>tech</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand Day of AI Launch National Leadership &amp; Innovation Fellowship Focused on AI and the Future of Learning</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵlaunches the 2026 Leadership &amp; Innovation Fellowship with MIT RAISE &amp; Day of AI to prepare school leaders for AI in K-12 education.</description><pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:00:24 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;School superintendents will mentor high-school students from across the country at a three-day workshop in Boston, MA in July to create a National AI Policy for the responsible, productive, and ethical use of AI in public schools.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Alexandria, VA &amp;mdash;&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, in partnership with&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://dayofai.org/"&gt;Day of AI&amp;nbsp;&lt;/a&gt;and MIT RAISE born out of the MIT Media Lab, is launching the&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;2026 Leadership &amp;amp; Innovation Fellowship&lt;/strong&gt;, a new national professional learning opportunity designed to support school leaders and K-12 students as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in public education.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Fellowship brings together 50 superintendents and 100 high-school-aged student leaders from across the country for an immersive experience taking place in Boston, Massachusetts in July 2026 focused on ethical AI use, systems-level leadership, policy, and the future of AI teaching and learning.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every state will have a designated superintendent who will attend the event, and they will each select and send two high-school &amp;ldquo;student senators&amp;rdquo; who will debate&amp;nbsp;different aspects&amp;nbsp;of AI. All 50 states will be represented, ensuring broad geographic participation and diverse district perspectives from across the country. School districts were chosen by AASA&amp;rsquo;s Governing Board in February 2026, during the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/"&gt;National Conference on Education&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;(NCE).&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;AI is changing education, and it&amp;rsquo;s essential that leaders and students help shape what comes next, together,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA. &amp;ldquo;This Fellowship creates the space to engage thoughtfully with emerging technologies while staying grounded in learning, ethics, and community.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;AI is impacting every field and area of society, and nowhere is the potential for disruption greater than in education,&amp;rdquo; said Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, Director of MIT RAISE and a member of the Time 100 AI 2025 list of the 100 most important people in AI. &amp;ldquo;Our teams at MIT RAISE and Day of AI are grateful to have a collaborator and thought leader such as Âܲ·AVÊÓƵworking with us to convene a one-of-a-kind gathering of leading educator and student voices in Cambridge and Boston this upcoming July.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Boston Residency: AI and the Future of Learning&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the core of the Fellowship is a fully funded,&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;three-day leadership residency in Boston, Massachusetts, taking place from July 17&amp;ndash;19, 2026,&amp;nbsp;alongside the&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.dayofaiusa.org/festival"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;America&amp;rsquo;s Youth AI Festival&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.dayofaiusa.org/festival"&gt;,&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;during the nation&amp;rsquo;s 250th anniversary celebration.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The residency is structured as a workgroup convening&amp;mdash;not a traditional conference&amp;mdash;bringing together superintendents, researchers, policymakers, and students to explore how AI can be integrated responsibly and equitably into K&amp;ndash;12 systems.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Participants will:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Engage directly with researchers from MIT RAISE to examine how AI is being applied in innovative school systems.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Participate in policy-focused sessions at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston, Massachusetts to explore the connection between classroom innovation and national decision-making. The Edward M. Kennedy Institute includes an exact replica of the U.S. Senate chamber.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-list-defn-props="{" data-listid="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="ï‚·" aria-setsize="-1"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Elevate the student voice with two high school &amp;ldquo;Student Senators&amp;rdquo; from every state who will take part in a legislative simulation at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, with the goal of creating a comprehensive National AI Policy for K-12 students that will outline principles for the responsible, productive and ethical use of AI in public schools.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;The next revolution in education will be shaped by artificial intelligence, and our students must help lead it,&amp;rdquo; said Jeffrey Riley, former Massachusetts Education Commissioner and Executive Director of Day of AI.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;ldquo;Ensuring they are AI literate and equipped to use these tools safely and productively isn&amp;rsquo;t optional - it&amp;rsquo;s essential.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;All travel, lodging, and meals for participating leaders and student delegates are fully covered, and the&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;National AI Policy will be shared with AASA&amp;rsquo;s 10,000+ members, following the event.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leadership, Ethics, and Student Voice&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Fellowship is grounded in the belief that the future of AI in education must be shaped by educators and students&amp;mdash;not technology alone. By pairing district leaders with students in meaningful civic and policy experiences, the program emphasizes ethical leadership, real-world learning, and long-term system impact.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Additional&amp;nbsp;details, including participation information, will be released in the coming months.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="http://aasa.org/"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Day of AI&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Started in 2021 through MIT&amp;rsquo;s RAISE (&amp;ldquo;Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education&amp;rdquo;) initiative, Day of AI enables K-12 students, families, and educators to thrive in the age of AI. Day of AI became a stand-alone nonprofit in 2024, while still working closely with MIT&amp;rsquo;s best-in-class team of researchers. Day of AI&amp;rsquo;s mission is to equip educators around the world with the knowledge and tools to integrate AI responsibly into their classrooms, through a free curriculum available at&amp;nbsp;dayofai.org.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contacts:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, The School Superintendent Association &amp;ndash; Lara Wade, Director of Communications&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;(813) 833-1498,&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Day of AI&amp;nbsp;&amp;ndash; Dan Rea, Head of Strategy and Development&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;(508) 451-0193,&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="mailto:dan@dayofai.org" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;dan@dayofai.org&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:1bcb109f-5351-4800-9393-56dd78815834</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/03/19/aasa-and-acsa-launch-new-leadership-academy-women-superintendents</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Leadership Development</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand ACSA Launch New Leadership Academy to Grow the Next Generation of Women Superintendents</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand ACSA partner to launch the Aspiring Superintendent Academy® for Women Leaders, expanding leadership development across the western U.S.</description><pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:00:03 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Press Contacts:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Director of Communications, AASA&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt;Naj Alikhan&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, ACSA&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mobile: (916) 832-2818&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="mailto:nalikhan@acsa.org"&gt;nalikhan@acsa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. / Sacramento, Calif&lt;/strong&gt; - AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) today announced a new partnership to launch the  &lt;a href="https://acsa.org/professional-learning/academies?_gl=1*160ld52*_ga*MTc4NjQwMDE1OC4xNzU1MDE1ODMx*_ga_XQ38JQDC1G*czE3NzE1Mzk1MDckbzE2NiRnMCR0MTc3MTUzOTUwNyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.#tab4" target="_blank"&gt;ACSA-Âܲ·AVÊÓƵAspiring Superintendent Academy&amp;reg; for Women Leaders&lt;/a&gt;, a cohort-based leadership development program designed to expand and strengthen the pipeline of women pursuing the superintendency across California and the western United States.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Nationwide, women remain significantly underrepresented in superintendent roles. This new Academy responds directly to that challenge by creating a pathway aligned with AASA&amp;rsquo;s nationally recognized leadership development work, extending the impact of Aspiring Superintendent Academy&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; for Women Leaders through a regional partnership with ACSA.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;ldquo;This partnership between Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand ACSA represents a powerful commitment to building the next generation of women leaders in public education. The Aspiring Superintendent Academy&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; for Women Leaders is more than a professional development program &amp;mdash; it is an investment in equity, excellence, and the future of our schools,&amp;rdquo; said Dr. Edgar Zazueta, ACSA Executive Director. &amp;ldquo;Women have long been the backbone of education, yet remain underrepresented in the superintendency. Together, we are changing that, and we are doing it with the urgency our students and communities deserve.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;ldquo;This Academy reflects what we&amp;rsquo;ve heard from leaders across the country - that trusted professional networks matter,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, executive director of AASA. &amp;ldquo;We&amp;rsquo;re excited to partner with ACSA to offer an experience that not only prepares women to pursue the superintendency, but supports them in excelling once they get there.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Designed by Women, Led by Women&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;What sets the Academy apart is its design and delivery. The program is created and led exclusively by women superintendents, current and retired, who serve as faculty, mentors, and coaches. Participants receive candid, practical guidance from leaders who have navigated the realities of district leadership and bring lived experience to every aspect of the program.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;ldquo;Women lead best when they are deeply supported, well-prepared, and connected to a powerful professional network,&amp;rdquo; said Candy Singh, co-lead of the ACSA-Âܲ·AVÊÓƵAspiring Superintendent Academy&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; for Women Leaders. &amp;ldquo;This Academy was intentionally designed to reflect those conditions while centering access and opportunity for students and communities.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Comprehensive, Cohort-Based Experience&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The Academy blends multiple learning modalities across four multi-day, in-person convenings, including sessions hosted at ACSA offices in Sacramento, participation in the ACSA Leadership Summit, and engagement at AASA&amp;rsquo;s National Conference on Education. Participants will benefit from embedded mentorship and ongoing virtual coaching between convenings, ensuring continuity and sustained support throughout the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The curriculum addresses the full scope of superintendent leadership, including governance and board relations, equity-driven systems leadership, navigating political and community complexity, leading change, and sustaining leadership through resilience and professional support.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;ldquo;This partnership represents a meaningful investment in the future of district leadership,&amp;rdquo; said Valerie Truesdale, senior vice president of AASA's Leadership Network. &amp;ldquo;By combining authentic mentorship with rigorous preparation, we&amp;rsquo;re strengthening the pipeline of women superintendents and supporting their long-term success.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Launching Fall 2026&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The ACSA-Âܲ·AVÊÓƵAspiring Superintendent Academy&amp;reg; for Women Leaders will launch in Fall 2026, welcoming an inaugural cohort of women educational leaders from California and across the western United States. Additional details, including application information and program timelines, can be found on  &lt;a href="https://acsa.org/professional-learning/academies?_gl=1*160ld52*_ga*MTc4NjQwMDE1OC4xNzU1MDE1ODMx*_ga_XQ38JQDC1G*czE3NzE1Mzk1MDckbzE2NiRnMCR0MTc3MTUzOTUwNyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.#tab4" target="_blank"&gt;ACSA&amp;rsquo;s website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;For women leaders considering the superintendency, or seeking clarity about their next leadership step, the Academy offers a rare opportunity: to learn directly from women who have walked the path before them, supported by two organizations deeply committed to advancing equity-driven leadership in public education.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="/home"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit &lt;a href="/home"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About ACSA&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Founded in 1971, the &lt;a href="https://acsa.org/" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;white-space:inherit;"&gt;Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"&gt; is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the United States, serving more than 17,000 California educators. Its top priority is advocating for public school students in kindergarten through grade 12, as well as adult learners. ACSA is the only association in the nation that encompasses the full spectrum of the management and leadership team, serving school administrators across 19 regions throughout California, each comprised of local charters.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:91e8cc05-f95a-4a18-a49b-aea8f5d99c4a</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/03/10/illinois-superintendent-jennifer-kelsall-named-aasa-president-elect</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><title>Illinois Superintendent Jennifer Kelsall Named Âܲ·AVÊÓƵPresident-Elect</title><description>Jennifer Kelsall, Superintendent of Ridgewood High School District 234 in Norridge, IL was voted as the 2026-27 president-elect of AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ.</description><pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:42:55 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Director of Communications&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. &amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp;March&amp;nbsp;10, 2026&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp;Jennifer Kelsall, Superintendent of Ridgewood High School District 234&amp;nbsp;in&amp;nbsp;Norridge, IL&amp;nbsp;was voted as the 2026-27&amp;nbsp;president-elect of AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ,&amp;nbsp;which&amp;nbsp;represents&amp;nbsp;more than 13,000&amp;nbsp;school system leaders&amp;nbsp;nationwide&amp;nbsp;and serves&amp;nbsp;as the&amp;nbsp;voice for education and district leadership on Capitol Hill.&amp;nbsp; &lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/advocacy/jennifer-kelsall.png?sfvrsn=419e564_1" style="margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;" alt="" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kelsall has&amp;nbsp;been the&amp;nbsp;superintendent of Ridgewood High School District 234 since&amp;nbsp;2014,&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;she&amp;nbsp;previously served as principal in the district from 2008 to 2014. Throughout her career, she has focused on strengthening school-community partnerships, supporting innovative learning opportunities, and ensuring that all students have access to meaningful educational experiences.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;I&amp;nbsp;am honored and humbled to have been&amp;nbsp;elected&amp;nbsp;by my peers to serve as the next President-Elect of AASA. I am incredibly excited to begin this work alongside such dedicated leaders from across the country,&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;Kelsall&amp;nbsp;said. &amp;ldquo;As Âܲ·AVÊÓƵpresident-elect,&amp;nbsp;I will ensure that our association&amp;nbsp;remains&amp;nbsp;a steadfast, credible advocate for every superintendent in every context. Leadership is earned through doing the work. &amp;nbsp;I look forward to serving those in the organization and the students we represent by elevating our collective voice and amplifying the&amp;nbsp;Public&amp;nbsp;Education&amp;nbsp;Promise.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Thank you for your trust; I am ready to get to work.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kelsall was selected through AASA&amp;rsquo;s national election process and will work alongside the association&amp;rsquo;s leadership&amp;nbsp;and governing boards&amp;nbsp;to advance AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission of supporting and developing effective school system leaders,&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;to&amp;nbsp;advocate for the students and communities they serve.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;As an&amp;nbsp;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵmember since 2014, Kelsall has played an active role in the association&amp;rsquo;s leadership and professional initiatives. She served on the Âܲ·AVÊÓƵGoverning Board from 2018&amp;ndash;2024,&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;she&amp;nbsp;currently serves on the AASA&amp;nbsp;Executive Committee. She has also contributed to the organization as a conference presenter and mentor in AASA&amp;rsquo;s Aspiring Superintendent Cohort.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Superintendent&amp;nbsp;Kelsall&amp;nbsp;has been an integral part of Âܲ·AVÊÓƵfor more than decade&amp;nbsp;&amp;ndash; and&amp;nbsp;in&amp;nbsp;her role&amp;nbsp;as Superintendent of Ridgewood High School District 234, she has provided&amp;nbsp;strong,&amp;nbsp;transformative&amp;nbsp;leadership for&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;students,&amp;nbsp;families&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;community&amp;nbsp;she serves&amp;nbsp;by&amp;nbsp;building strong partnerships and&amp;nbsp;supporting innovation in teaching and learning,&amp;rdquo; David R. Schuler, executive director, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵsaid. "I look forward to working closely with&amp;nbsp;Jennifer&amp;nbsp;in her new role as president-elect to&amp;nbsp;help&amp;nbsp;create&amp;nbsp;brighter futures for district leaders and&amp;nbsp;to&amp;nbsp;ensure&amp;nbsp;that&amp;nbsp;students across the country&amp;nbsp;are&amp;nbsp;prepared&amp;nbsp;to thrive and succeed&amp;nbsp;in&amp;nbsp;a&amp;nbsp;future&amp;nbsp;we have yet to imagine."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kelsall holds a Ph.D. from Illinois State University, a master&amp;rsquo;s degree from Governors State University,&amp;nbsp;and a bachelor&amp;rsquo;s degree from Illinois State University.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information about Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its leadership initiatives, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to&amp;nbsp;equitable&amp;nbsp;access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:3a9583a9-d849-481b-89d1-295208324aad</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/03/07/aasa-wins-gold-trendy-award-for-best-advocacy-campaign</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate</category><category>Advocacy &amp; Policy</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵWins Gold TRENDY Award for Best Advocacy Campaign</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵhonored with the gold TRENDY Award for Best Advocacy Campaign by Association Trends.</description><pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:04:00 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, has been honored with the gold TRENDY Award for Best Advocacy Campaign by&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.associationtrends.com/"&gt;Association Trends&lt;/a&gt;, one of the association management community&amp;rsquo;s most respected honors. The award recognizes AASA&amp;rsquo;s&amp;nbsp;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="/news-media/news/2025/07/22/fy25-funding-freeze-impact"&gt;FY25 Funding Freeze on Students Across America&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;campaign, a rapid-response advocacy initiative that mobilized school system leaders nationwide and helped secure the release of approximately&amp;nbsp;$7 billion&amp;nbsp;in federally appropriated education funds.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;figure class="img-right"&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/awards/aasa-trendy-group-picture-2026.jpg?sfvrsn=27042d3d_1" alt="5 Âܲ·AVÊÓƵStaff pose for group picture at the 2026 Salute to Association Excellence Luncheon" /&gt;&lt;figcaption&gt;From L to R: Amiela Arcellana, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵMarketing Coordinator; Meghan Moran, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵSenior Director of Marketing and Communications;&amp;nbsp;Kat Sturdevant, AASA&amp;nbsp;Advocacy &amp;amp; Governance Manager; Sasha Pudelski, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵAdvocacy Director; and Jay Goldman, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵEditor of School Administrator. Staff receive the award at the 2026 Salute to Association Excellence ceremony in Washington, D.C.&lt;/figcaption&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;The campaign generated extraordinary media impact, earning Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ1,885 media stories in July&amp;nbsp;2025.&amp;nbsp;Coverage spanned the Associated Press,&amp;nbsp;The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR&amp;rsquo;s All Things Considered, Good Morning America, CNN, Newsweek, The Atlantic, and dozens of national and local education outlets. AASA&amp;rsquo;s social media engagement during the campaign reached an 8.7% engagement rate &amp;mdash; more than triple the association&amp;rsquo;s typical average and the nonprofit industry benchmark.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By transforming superintendent voices into compelling testimonials and&amp;nbsp;maintaining&amp;nbsp;sustained pressure on decision-makers, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵwas instrumental in securing the full release of FY25 education funds&amp;nbsp;and helped protect essential services and programs for millions of America&amp;rsquo;s children.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The TRENDY Awards, presented by Association Trends, celebrate the most innovative and effective work in association communications, marketing, and advocacy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to&amp;nbsp;equitable&amp;nbsp;access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:95621f92-6172-49d4-aaf6-6f10b9a8a5bf</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/02/14/miami-superintendent-receives-21st-annual-save-the-music-foundation-award-for-distinguished-support-of-music-education</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Leadership Development</category><title>Miami Superintendent Receives 21st Annual Save The Music Foundation Award for Distinguished Support of Music Education</title><description>Dr. Jose L. Dotres of Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Miami, FL, is the 2026 recipient of the Save The Music Foundation’s (STM) 21st Annual Administrator Award for Distinguished Support of Music Education.</description><pubDate>Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:00:09 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Director of Communications&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h6 style="text-align:center;"&gt;Award Presented During AASA&amp;rsquo;s National Conference on Education &lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nashville, TN&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;ndash; February 14, 2026 &amp;ndash; Dr. Jose L. Dotres of &lt;a href="https://www3.dadeschools.net/home" target="_blank"&gt;Miami-Dade County Public Schools&lt;/a&gt; in Miami, FL, is the 2026 recipient of the &lt;a href="http://savethemusic.org/" target="_blank"&gt;Save The Music Foundation&lt;/a&gt;&amp;rsquo;s (STM) 21st Annual Administrator Award for Distinguished Support of Music Education.

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This prestigious award was presented at the &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/"&gt;National Conference on Education&lt;/a&gt;, hosted by AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ.

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This award recognizes one superintendent or school district CEO who has exhibited outstanding commitment to restoring music education in his or her school district. Dr. Dotres was chosen for his unwavering devotion to providing students across the community of Miami-Dade County with a well-rounded education that includes music.

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Music education is not an extracurricular&amp;mdash;it is an essential part of a well-rounded education,&amp;rdquo; said Dr. Jose L. Dotres. &amp;ldquo;Through our committed partnership with Save The Music Foundation, we have expanded comprehensive music education in a deliberate, scaled approach&amp;mdash;ensuring that students, particularly those with limited resources, have access to high-quality music instruction taught by qualified educators and musicians during the regular school day. I am grateful for a partnership that helps us bring the power of music to more students across our community.&amp;rdquo; Over the past 9 years, STM has supported Miami-Dade County&amp;rsquo;s investment in K-12 comprehensive music education across the district with musical instrument and technology grants, music teacher professional development, and ongoing program support, totaling more than $2.75M to date. This project is fueled by a strategic partnership with Dr. Dotres, who has pledged to ensure every student in the district has equitable access to music education taught by qualified teachers as part of the regular school day.

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Through Superintendent Dotres&amp;rsquo;s leadership, all students across Miami-Dade County Public Schools have the opportunity to express themselves through music making in school,&amp;rdquo; said Chiho Feindler, Chief Program Officer for Save The Music Foundation. &amp;ldquo;We are thrilled to celebrate him with this national honor and look forward to our continued partnership.&amp;rdquo;

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With Save The Music Foundation grants, 57 Miami-Dade County schools have been able to expand their music programs. Students now have access to new instruments and music technology without the worry of financial burden being a barrier to them participating in the arts.

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Past recipients of this award include: Dr. Adrienne Battle, superintendent, Metro Nashville School District (TN); Dr. Amy J Carter, superintendent, Meridian Public School District (MS); Christopher Downing, superintendent, Anaheim Elementary School District (CA); Elizabeth Lolli, superintendent, Dayton Public Schools (OH); Leon Rogers, superintendent, Newark Public Schools (NJ); Keely Roberts, superintendent, Zion Elementary District 6 (IL); Francisco Escobedo, superintendent, Chula Vista Elementary School District (CA.); Nancy Sarra, superintendent, Consolidated School District of New Britain (CT); Kevin George, superintendent, St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools (LA); Russell Freitas, superintendent, Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District (CA); Kristi Wilson, superintendent, Buckeye Elementary School District (AZ); Reginald Mayo, retired superintendent, New Haven Public Schools (CT); Rita Bishop, superintendent, Roanoke City Public Schools (VA); Kathy L. Kelly, superintendent, Columbia Heights Public Schools (MN); Duncan N. P. &amp;ldquo;Pat&amp;rdquo; Pritchett Jr., former superintendent, Indianapolis Public Schools (IN); John Lange, former superintendent, Adams County School District 14 (CO); Carol Johnson, former superintendent, Memphis City Schools (TN) and current superintendent, Boston Public Schools (MA); Richard Kaplan, superintendent, New Brunswick Public Schools (NJ); Eugene White, retired superintendent, Indianapolis Public Schools (IN); and James A. Williams, former superintendent, Buffalo Public Schools (NY).

    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Âܲ·AVÊÓƵNational Conference on Education is the premier national event for superintendents and K&amp;ndash;12 school system leaders, hosted by AASA. It offers professional development, leadership insights, and networking to support student achievement and district excellence. NCE is one of the largest national gatherings of superintendents, attracting over 4,000 education leaders from all 50 states. 
    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Save The Music Foundation:&lt;/strong&gt; 

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Save The Music Foundation (STM) is an independent 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to helping students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music.  Since 1997, STM has worked to address systemic inequities in music education by investing in culturally rich American communities - supporting music teachers and donating musical instruments, equipment and technology to public schools. Numerous studies show students who receive music education demonstrate improved math and verbal performance.* To date, the organization has donated over $78 million worth of instruments, equipment and technology to over 2,900 schools across hundreds of school districts, impacting the lives of millions of students nationwide.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="note"&gt;*National Library of Medicine, Harvard, University of the Pacific&lt;/span&gt; 

 

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;STM Press Contacts:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Lisa Gottheil (Grandstand), &lt;a href="mailto:lisag@grandstandhq.com"&gt;lisag@grandstandhq.com&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Kate Jackson (Grandstand); &lt;a href="mailto:katej@grandstandhq.com"&gt;katej@grandstandhq.com&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Hallie Cross (Save The Music), &lt;a href="mailto:hallie.cross@savethemusic.org"&gt;hallie.cross@savethemusic.org&lt;/a&gt; 
    &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:8cc4b02e-2f6b-4434-9702-5dda77ed7cd2</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/02/13/aasa-announces-2026-women-in-school-leadership-award-winners</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Leadership Development</category><category>Press Release</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵAnnounces 2026 Women in School Leadership Award Winners</title><description>Two outstanding women educational leaders from Pennsylvania and Maryland were honored today.</description><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:03:25 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lara Wade&lt;br /&gt;Director of Communications&lt;br /&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498 &lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. &amp;ndash; February 13, 2026 &amp;ndash;&lt;/strong&gt; AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 Women in School Leadership Awards.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="2026 Womens Award finalists" src="/images/default-source/awards/women-in-school-leadership/2026-womens-award-finalists.png?sfvrsn=c80c1d99_1" sf-size="357105" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As part of a long-standing tradition to create more pathways for women who wish to enter the field of education administration, AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Âܲ·AVÊÓƵWomen in School Leadership Awards.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The awards, sponsored by Horace Mann and AASA, pay tribute to the talent, creativity and vision of outstanding women educational administrators in our nation&amp;rsquo;s public schools. Today&amp;rsquo;s announcement was made at &lt;a href="https://nce.aasa.org/" target="_blank"&gt;AASA&amp;rsquo;s National Conference on Education&lt;/a&gt; in Nashville, Tennessee.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h6&gt;The winners for each category are: &lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Central Office/Principal Category&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/person/janeen-peretin"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Janeen Peretin&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, assistant to the superintendent, Baldwin-Whitehall School District (Pa.)
    &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Superintendent Category&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/person/myriam-rogers"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Myriam Rogers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, superintendent, Baltimore County Public Schools (Md.)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Horace Mann is proud to partner with Âܲ·AVÊÓƵto celebrate these exceptional women leaders in education,&amp;rdquo; said Marita Zuraitis, president of Horace Mann Educators Corporation. &amp;ldquo;Their passion and leadership make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve and inspire students and educators alike. We&amp;rsquo;re honored to recognize their lasting impact and continued excellence.&amp;rdquo;



&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;The Âܲ·AVÊÓƵWomen in School Leadership Awards were created for amazing leaders like our honorees and winners today,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, executive director, AASA. &amp;ldquo;They have a wealth of knowledge and an unwavering dedication to student success, staff development, and innovation in K-12 education. We are proud to recognize these educators and showcase their outstanding achievements and successes. We thank Horace Mann for supporting this important program.&amp;rdquo;



&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/news-media/news/2025/11/20/aasa-announces-2026-women-in-school-leadership-award-finalists"&gt;Award finalists were announced November 20, 2025&lt;/a&gt; and evaluated on their leadership in meeting the learning needs of students, personal and organizational communication strength, constant professional improvement of knowledge and skills, and active community involvement.



&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information about the Women in School Leadership Awards, please visit the Âܲ·AVÊÓƵwebsite or contact Jennifer Rooney, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵsenior director of meetings and awards, at jrooney@aasa.org.
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission is to support and develop effective school system
    leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit &lt;a target="_blank" href="/home"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Horace Mann&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Horace Mann Educators Corporation is the largest financial services company focused on helping America's educators and others who serve the community achieve lifelong financial success. The company offers individual and group insurance and financial solutions
    tailored to the needs of the educator community. Founded by Educators for Educators&amp;reg; in 1945, the company is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois.&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:300e58a6-ddec-447b-94cb-0bae331c1d80</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/02/12/roosevelt-nivens-of-texas-named-2026-aasa-national-superintendent-of-the-year</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><title>Roosevelt Nivens of Texas Named 2026 Âܲ·AVÊÓƵNational Superintendent of the Year®</title><description>Dr. Roosevelt Nivens of Lamar Consolidated Independent School District named 2026 Âܲ·AVÊÓƵNational Superintendent of the Year®.</description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:11:56 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Director of Communications&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span class="img-right"&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/news/roosevelt-nivens-wins-nsoy-2026.jpg?sfvrsn=47b11495_1" alt="Roosevelt Nivens wins NSOY 2026" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. &amp;ndash; February 12, 2026 &lt;/strong&gt;&amp;ndash; &lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/person/roosevelt-nivens"&gt;Roosevelt Nivens&lt;/a&gt;, superintendent of Lamar Consolidated Independent School District in Texas, has been named the 2026 Âܲ·AVÊÓƵNational Superintendent of the Year&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt;. Today&amp;rsquo;s announcement came at the National Conference on Education, hosted by AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now in its 39th year, the National Superintendent of the Year&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; program is co-sponsored by AASA, Corebridge Financial and Sourcewell, and recognizes exceptional superintendents for their outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing public education in their communities. &amp;shy;



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The other 2026 National Superintendent of the Year&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; finalists, named December 15, 2025, are:&lt;/strong&gt;


 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/person/demetrus-liggins"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Demetrus Liggins&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Superintendent, Fayette County Public Schools, Ky.

        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/person/heather-perry"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Heather Perry&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Superintendent of Schools, Gorham School Department, Maine

        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/person/sonia-santelises"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sonja Santelises&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Chief Executive Officer, Baltimore City Schools, Md.
        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Congratulations to Dr. Roosevelt Nivens on this well-deserved honor. Dr. Nivens commitment to creating a high-quality learning environment that drives the short- and long-term success of the students, educators and staff of Lamar Consolidated exemplifies life-changing leadership,&amp;rdquo; said Terri Fiedler, president of Retirement Services at Corebridge Financial. &amp;ldquo;Corebridge is honored to support this long-standing program, and we extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Nivens, this year&amp;rsquo;s finalists, and all the State Superintendents of the Year for their shared passion of making a positive impact on the lives of students across the country.&amp;rdquo;



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;We&amp;rsquo;re thrilled to congratulate Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, the 2026 National Superintendent of the Year&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt;,&amp;rdquo; said Chad Coauette, CEO of Sourcewell. &amp;ldquo;We know superintendents are integral to the success of students and ensure that each learner in their district reaches their full potential. Superintendent Nivens and the three other finalists selected for this recognition represent education excellence. Sourcewell is honored to partner with Âܲ·AVÊÓƵin celebrating these finalists whose leadership demonstrates the vital role of superintendents nationwide and drive meaningful change now and into the future.&amp;rdquo;



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;It is an honor to congratulate Dr. Roosevelt Nivens of Texas as the 2026 National Superintendent of the Year&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt;,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, executive director, AASA. Dr. Nivens, as well as our three other finalists, are committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunities, experiences, and education that prepares them for college, career, and real life in the real world &amp;ndash; and can lead us into the future. I thank Corebridge Financial and Sourcewell for continuing to support this important and impactful program.&amp;rdquo;



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Each of the finalists were nominated by their state association and honored with the title of State Superintendent of the Year. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The nominees were then measured against the following criteria:&lt;/strong&gt;



 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leadership for Learning: &lt;/strong&gt;Creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in his or her school system.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Communication:&lt;/strong&gt; Strength in both personal and organizational communication.

        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Professionalism: &lt;/strong&gt;Constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team.

        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Community Involvement:&lt;/strong&gt; Active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national, and international issues.



        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;A $10,000 college scholarship will be presented in the name of the 2026 Âܲ·AVÊÓƵNational Superintendent of the Year&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; to a student attending the high school from which the superintendent graduated, or the school now serving the same area.



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Access a complete list of the 2026 State Superintendents of the Year, awarded independently by each state association, &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://soy.aasa.org/winners-2026"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;View Dr. Niven's &lt;a href="https://nce.aasa.org/conference-daily-online/2026-nsoy-profile/" target="_blank"&gt;profile in AASA's Conference Daily Online here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information about the program, contact Jennifer Rooney, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵsenior director, meetings and awards, at &lt;a href="mailto:jrooney@aasa.org"&gt;jrooney@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.
 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;"&gt;###&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;,
 founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable
        access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;
 &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Corebridge Financial&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;
 &lt;p&gt;Corebridge Financial, Inc. (NYSE: CRBG) makes it possible for more people to take action in their financial lives. With more than $385 billion in assets under management and administration as of December 31, 2025, Corebridge Financial is one of the largest providers of retirement solutions and insurance products in the United States. We proudly partner with financial professionals and institutions to help individuals plan, save for and achieve secure financial futures. For more information, visit &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.corebridgefinancial.com/"&gt;corebridgefinancial.com&lt;/a&gt; and follow us on &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/corebridgefinancial/about/"&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;,
 &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLKS7ZPjX1nkdUi3pbolphA"&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.instagram.com/corebridgefinancial/"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;.
 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Sourcewell&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sourcewell partners with K-12 schools across North America to deliver streamlined procurement solutions that support student success. With access to hundreds of competitively awarded contracts, schools can
        efficiently purchase technology, classroom supplies, transportation, and professional development resources while saving time and money. Our trusted cooperative purchasing process ensures compliance and transparency, with contracts delivered
        through local dealers to strengthen communities. From modernizing classrooms to enhancing student well-being, Sourcewell empowers schools to create enriching learning environments. Focus on what matters most&amp;mdash;empowering students&amp;mdash;while
        we handle the procurement process with care and expertise. Learn more at &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.sourcewell-mn.gov/aasa-k12-buying"&gt;www.sourcewell-mn.gov/aasa-k12-buying&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:422efd61-27ee-4cb9-93b7-01db00dedac3</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/01/21/aasa-and-national-pta-honor-nashville-superintendent-with-family-engagement-award</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Community &amp; Family Engagement</category><title>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand National PTA Honor Nashville Superintendent with Excellence in Family Engagement Award</title><description>Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand National PTA announce Dr. Adrienne Battle as the 2026 Excellence in Family Engagement Award recipient.</description><pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:00:04 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Director of Communications&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. (Jan. 21, 2026) &lt;/strong&gt;&amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, and National PTA are pleased to announce the winner of this year&amp;rsquo;s &lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/awards-grants/excellence-in-family-engagement-award"&gt;Excellence in Family Engagement Award&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;nbsp;Dr.&amp;nbsp;Adrienne Battle, superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools (Tennessee).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;In its second year, the award celebrates excellence in family-school partnerships and recognizes superintendents who have implemented exemplary best practices to integrate family engagement across strategic plans,&amp;nbsp;budgets&amp;nbsp;and district infrastructure.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Excellence in Family Engagement Award serves as a symbol to encourage other school system leaders to intentionally engage families and contribute to national efforts that sustain public and private funding for family-school partnerships.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;As part of the award,&amp;nbsp;Dr.&amp;nbsp;Battle&amp;rsquo;s school district will receive $5,000 to support family engagement initiatives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Superintendent Battle has&amp;nbsp;demonstrated&amp;nbsp;exceptional leadership in advancing family engagement as a cornerstone of student success. She has helped create lasting connections between schools, families, and the communities they serve,&amp;rdquo; said David R. Schuler, executive director of AASA. &amp;ldquo;Her work reflects a core tenet of public education: that strong relationships, trust, and shared responsibility between schools and families create better outcomes for students and stronger communities.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;At PTA, we strongly believe that every strategy to accelerate learning must include families, and we are thrilled to join Âܲ·AVÊÓƵin honoring Superintendent Battle with the Excellence in Family Engagement Award,&amp;rdquo; said Yvonne Johnson, president of National PTA. &amp;ldquo;Superintendent Battle's commitment to family engagement and understanding of the power of school-community partnerships exemplify the amazing things that can be achieved when schools and families unite to accomplish common goals.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Battle will be recognized during AASA&amp;rsquo;s 2026 &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/"&gt;National Conference on&amp;nbsp;Education&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;February 12 in Nashville. The award was made possible by funding from&amp;nbsp;Overdeck&amp;nbsp;Family Foundation.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Winner&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span class="img-left"&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/headshots/adrienne-battle.jpg?sfvrsn=9850c6a_2" alt="Adrienne Battle" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dr. Adrienne Battle, superintendent, Metro Nashville Public Schools (Tennessee)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Adrienne Battle has served as Superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools since 2019, making history as the first woman and first MNPS graduate to lead Tennessee&amp;rsquo;s second-largest school district. A Nashville native, she is a graduate of the district&amp;rsquo;s John Overton High School, Missouri State University, and Tennessee State University.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;MNPS has achieved historic outcomes under Dr. Battle, including four consecutive years of Level 5 TVAAS growth &amp;ndash; the highest possible rating &amp;ndash; in the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 and the highest graduation rate in district history for the 2023-2024 school year. The district recently received national recognition for the second year in a row in the Education Recovery Scorecard for its work on post-pandemic academic recovery, with Top 10 rankings among large urban districts for growth in both reading and math from 2022 to 2023 and again from 2023 to 2024.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Battle's tenure reflects a relentless commitment to ensuring that every student is known, supported, and prepared for success in college, career, and life. As an MNPS parent, she understands the power of partnerships with all stakeholders, families, and the community.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;"&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://aasa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:e3a87bf9-918e-4fa0-832a-d4699cb1a861</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/01/16/k-12-leaders-to-gather-in-nashville-for-aasa-2026-national-conference-on-education</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><category>Leadership Development</category><title>K-12 Leaders to Gather in Nashville for AASA’s  

2026 National Conference on Education</title><description>More than 5,000 school leaders will gather in Nashville for NCE 2026 to discuss future-ready practices and innovative approaches to student-centered learning.</description><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:39:29 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Director of Communications&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. &amp;ndash; January 16, 2026&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;ndash; More than 5,000 K-12 public school superintendents, district administrators and advocates from across the country are set to gather in Nashville, Tennessee from February 12-14 for the &lt;a href="https://nce.aasa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"&gt;2026 National Conference on Education (NCE),&lt;/a&gt; hosted by &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;The Future is Ready&amp;rdquo; is the theme of this year's conference, because the future isn&amp;rsquo;t waiting &amp;ndash; it's already here. The duty of educators and school system leaders is to ensure every child in every community is prepared to find success on a path of their choosing. That means embracing innovation and equipping students, staff, and community with the tools and essential skills they need to thrive in a fast-changing world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s National Conference on Education unites leaders to fulfill the &amp;ldquo;Public Education Promise&amp;rdquo; for every student across the nation &amp;ndash; and to help shape what&amp;rsquo;s next.
    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;Conference keynote speakers include:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Joe Sanfelippo, Leadership Coach, Joseph M Sanfelippo LLC, Fall Creek, WI (February 12)
        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Marcus Whitney, Co-Founder and Minority Owner of MLS team, Nashville Soccer Club; Founding Partner of Jumpstart Health Investors, Nashville, TN (February 13)
        &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Marcelle Haddix, Dean, Karen A. Falk Distinguished Chair of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education, Madison, WI (February 14)
            &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NCE will hold various &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/thought-leader-sessions/"&gt;Thought Leader Sessions&lt;/a&gt; as well as &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/education-sessions/"&gt;Educational&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/roundtable-sessions/"&gt;Roundtable Sessions&lt;/a&gt; on topics such as:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building Capacity for Political Leadership&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Summer Learning and Student Success: Lessons from the Field&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why Rural Matters: From Data to Advocacy for Your District&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Grow Your Own, Keep Your Own: A Proven Strategy to Cultivate and Retain High-Impact Educators&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;People First: A Superintendent Panel on Boosting Morale, Retention and Pride in Public Education&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Using Lessons from the NFL Draft Board to Address the Teacher Shortage&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Happiness Advantage in Education: A Proven Path to Thriving Schools&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;AI in HR: Transforming School District Personnel Management.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/schedule/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can see the full education schedule here.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The conference includes an &lt;a href="https://nce.aasa.org/nce-exhibit-hall/" target="_blank"&gt;Exhibit Hall&lt;/a&gt; that houses an Advocacy Action Center and a &lt;a href="https://nce.aasa.org/health-wellness-center/"&gt;Health &amp;amp; Wellness Center&lt;/a&gt; where conference goers can relax and recharge with yoga and meditation, drink fruit-infused water, enjoy meeting friendly pups in the dog-petting lounge, and learn about sleep hygiene for better rest.



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;AASA&amp;rsquo;s &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/social-media-lounge/"&gt;Social Media Lounge&lt;/a&gt; is also located in the Exhibit Hall, where superintendents and school administrators can enhance their communication skills and attend sessions such as &amp;ldquo;Centering Student Voice: Storytelling on Social Media that Builds Trust&amp;rdquo; and &amp;ldquo;Investing in People: Social Media That Strengthens Your Educator Pipeline.&amp;rdquo;



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a target="_blank" href="/news-media/news/2025/12/15/finalists-named-for-aasa-s-2026-national-superintendent-of-the-year--award"&gt;2026 National Superintendent of the Year&lt;/a&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;/sup&gt; winner will be announced on the first day of the conference. Recipients of the &lt;a target="_blank" href="/news-media/news/2026/01/14/champions-for-education-to-receive-aasa-humanitarian-award"&gt;2026 Dr. Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award&lt;/a&gt; as well as the winners of the &lt;a target="_blank" href="/news-media/news/2025/11/20/aasa-announces-2026-women-in-school-leadership-award-finalists"&gt;Women in School Leadership Award&lt;/a&gt; will also be recognized at NCE.



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attendees and those interested in the conference can follow &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://nce.aasa.org/conference-daily-online/"&gt;AASA&amp;rsquo;s Conference Daily Online&lt;/a&gt;. The award-winning, multimedia publication is updated each day and provides a comprehensive report on conference proceedings and events, coverage of key speakers, award winners and Âܲ·AVÊÓƵgovernance activities, along with photos, video clips and blog postings.



    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information about the 2026 National Conference on Education, visit the &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/"&gt;NCE website&lt;/a&gt;.
 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/a&gt;, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA&amp;rsquo;s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit &lt;a href="/home" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;www.aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</a10:content></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">urn:uuid:0832ee8a-5989-4f29-922f-4bf59bf1db14</guid><link>/news-media/news/2026/01/14/champions-for-education-to-receive-aasa-humanitarian-award</link><a10:author><a10:name> </a10:name></a10:author><category>Press Release</category><title>Champions for Education to Receive Âܲ·AVÊÓƵHumanitarian Award</title><description>Leaders from Virginia, New York, and Minnesota receive the Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ2026 Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award.</description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:02:31 Z</pubDate><a10:content type="text">&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Lara Wade&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Director of Communications&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mobile: (813) 833-1498&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="mailto:lwade@aasa.org"&gt;lwade@aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;Public education leaders to be recognized at AASA&amp;rsquo;s 2026 National Conference on Education.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alexandria, Va. (January 14, 2026)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;ndash; AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 &lt;a target="_blank" href="/about-aasa/awards-grants/effie-h-jones-humanitarian-award#0"&gt;Dr. Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award&lt;/a&gt;, an annual recognition of education leaders committed to the advancement and mentorship of women and underrepresented groups in our nation&amp;rsquo;s public schools.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;The 2026 honorees were selected for this award because they exemplify the qualities modeled by the late Dr. Effie Hall Jones, a school administrator, teacher, counselor and former Âܲ·AVÊÓƵassociate executive director. The 2026 recipients are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Monique Darrisaw-Akil&lt;/strong&gt;, superintendent, Uniondale Union Free School District (Long Island, New York)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aaron Spence&lt;/strong&gt;, superintendent, Loudoun County Public Schools (Ashburn, Virginia)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stacie Stanley&lt;/strong&gt;, superintendent, Saint Paul Public Schools (Saint Paul, Minnesota)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;"These honorees represent the very best of public education leadership. Through their commitment to mentorship, access, and opportunity, they are creating lasting impact for the students and communities they serve," said David R. Schuler, executive director of AASA. "Dr. Jones dedicated her career to opening doors for others, and her legacy lives on in leaders like these, whose service, generosity, and conviction continue to move public education forward."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Darrisaw-Akil, Spence, and Stanley will receive their awards during the second general session at AASA&amp;rsquo;s 2026 &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://nce.aasa.org/"&gt;National Conference on Education&lt;/a&gt;, Feb. 12, in Nashville.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;On the second day of the conference, the awardees will be honored at the Dr. Effie Hall Jones Memorial Luncheon, an event co-hosted by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents and the National Alliance of Black School Educators, and graciously sponsored by the Institute for Educational Innovation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span class="large"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Honorees&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span class="img-left"&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/headshots/monique-darrisaw-akil336ae5ab-cba7-4286-a078-037c8e489ef2.png?sfvrsn=95f32afc_1" alt="Monique Darrisaw-Akil" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Monique Darrisaw-Akil&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Superintendent, Uniondale Union Free School District (Uniondale, New York)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil is a transformative educational leader who believes that within every child resides a unique "genius" waiting to be affirmed. As the Superintendent of the Uniondale Union Free School District, she oversees the success of over 6,000 students through a leadership framework of equity, academic excellence, culturally responsive education, and authentic leadership. Under her stewardship, the Uniondale school district has achieved national acclaim for dramatic increases in the high school graduation rate, being named one of only 27 "My Brother&amp;rsquo;s Keeper" communities by the Obama Foundation and receiving the College Board&amp;rsquo;s AP Spotlight for remarkable increases in advanced placement participation, particularly for young men of color.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;An active leader at the local and national levels, Dr. Darrisaw-Akil currently serves on the Governing Board of AASA, the Diversity and Equity Commission of the New York State Council of School Superintendents and was recently recognized as a "Superintendent to Watch" and the Uniondale Herald&amp;rsquo;s 2023 Person of the Year.&amp;nbsp; A sought-after speaker and mentor, she serves as a lead faculty member for the AASA/Howard University Aspiring Superintendents&amp;rsquo; Academy, where she cultivates the next generation of diverse executive leaders.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span class="img-left"&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/headshots/aaron-spenceda63d9cc-2dfb-466c-97f7-659845954edf.png?sfvrsn=c6f57bdc_1" alt="Aaron Spence" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aaron Spence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Superintendent, Loudoun County Public Schools (Loudoun, Virginia)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;A passionate and visionary leader in public education for over three decades, Dr. Aaron Spence is dedicated to ensuring all students have access to rigorous coursework, innovative learning opportunities, and resources they need to succeed. Known for fostering a culture where differences are celebrated and where student and staff voices are valued, Dr. Spence is committed to creating an inclusive and empowering environment for all.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;As Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, Dr. Spence oversees the instructional leadership and administrative operation of 100 schools and centers serving nearly 83,000 students. He leads LCPS with the belief that every student deserves opportunities to thrive academically, socially and emotionally, preparing them to excel in an ever-changing world.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span class="img-left"&gt;&lt;img src="/images/default-source/headshots/stacie-stanley.png?sfvrsn=a34039ef_1" alt="Stacie Stanley" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stacie Stanley&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Superintendent, Saint Paul Public Schools (Saint Paul, Minnesota)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Dr. Stacie L. Stanley serves as Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, Minnesota's second-largest district, where she began her tenure in May 2025. She previously served as Superintendent of Edina Public Schools, a first ring suburb of Minneapolis, for four years. Throughout her career spanning mathematics teacher, director of equity, school principal, director of curriculum and instruction, and associate superintendent, Dr. Stanley has championed equity and access for all students. She is a systems thinker who has led efforts across several districts to eliminate tracked systems and open doors to rigorous and culturally responsive learning for historically marginalized students.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;A fierce advocate for youth voice and equitable learning environments, Dr. Stanley centers her leadership on dignity and belonging for all students and staff. She currently serves as President of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) where she facilitates its monthly Women In Leadership affinity group.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;###&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;AASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵand its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit &lt;a href="http://aasa.org"&gt;aasa.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</a10:content></item></channel></rss>