Back-to-School: The Promise in Action
September 29, 2025
This year’s back-to-school theme—The Promise in Action—celebrates the real, measurable ways superintendents and district leaders are delivering on their commitments to students, families, and communities.
From student-centered experiences to stronger partnerships and real-world readiness, explore each section below to find tools, programs and inspiration to help you lead with purpose—and turn your district’s promise into action.
Promise Keeper Blog Series
This series features inspiring stories and insights on how superintendents and district leaders are living out their commitment to providing every child in every community with a highly effective education that prepares them for college, career, and real life in the real world.
Camille Hibbler
Still Standing: A Superintendent's First-Year LessonsFerndale’s new superintendent reflects on year one, leading with trust and vision to pass a $115M bond and reshape student success.
Randy Squier
Redefining Readiness: How One Rural District Is Building Tomorrow’s LeadersA rural New York school district ditched test-driven education for a holistic "Readiness Dashboard" that actually prepares students for real life.
Carol Birks
What We Learn in the Fire: Emerging into the LightA seasoned educational leader shares how career setbacks become a transformative "crucible" that teaches essential lessons about resilient, authentic leadership.
Kelli Joseph
Punching Above Our Weight: How St. Helena Parish is Meeting Louisiana’s New Accountability Challenge Head-OnA small rural district is rising to Louisiana’s new accountability challenge by ensuring every learner gains real-world experience.
Christopher Harris
Leading for Results: How Shared Leadership Transformed Our SchoolsHow Warren County Schools in Georgia transformed its culture and outcomes by embracing shared leadership across all staff. The results: Higher 3rd grade reading scores, 100% graduation rate at the high school level and more!
Todd Dugan
From 1962 to 2025: Reimagining of Real Skills for Real LifeAmerica's unchanged 1962 educational model must be reevaluated for real world success, shifting to modern skills like critical thinking and adaptability.
Ivan Duran and Tove Tupper
Redesigning High School to Prepare Students for the FutureHighline Public Schools is redesigning high schools to prepare students for their chosen futures through industry partnerships, hands-on career pathways, and student-centered learning.
Below are some resources to:
"Learner-Centered Assessment That Empowers Students" by Mike Duncan and Shannon King
This article highlights how the Portrait of a Graduate model guides districts in creating assessments that measure durable skills and engage students in self-reflection to support future readiness.
"Students Co-authoring Their Own Learning" by Ton Vander Ark
As schools work to better prepare students for an unpredictable future, traditional assessments often fall short in capturing the skills students need most. This article explores how co-authored learning and student-driven assessment models can foster
agency, deepen engagement, and build essential competencies like collaboration, creativity, and problem solving.
"Student-Led Instructional Debriefings" by Joanne Buckheit
Student-Led Instructional Debriefings highlights a Staten Island school’s innovative approach to classroom observation by involving students directly in instructional rounds. This model not only elevates student voice but also strengthens teacher-student collaboration, offering educators real-time feedback to enhance learning experiences across all grade levels.
Webinar Recording: Real Skills for Real Life: Unlocking the Power of Executive Function
This webinar recording explores how educators can build students' executive function skills to help them thrive in school and life, with practical strategies aligned to the demands of tomorrow’s workforce.
"Rethinking Report Cards: Emphasizing Soft Skills In An AI World" by Joseph Anthes, Laura Link and Maureen Leeson
This blog article explores evolving grading models to better reflect student readiness by highlighting soft skills and reducing bias.
"Expanding Dual Credit Options" by Dennis Roch
Expanding dual credit access improves proficiency and transforms student pathways, particularly for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Finding, Developing, and Supporting Teachers: Challenges for Today’s School Leaders
This journal issue highlights teachers' broader impact, especially amid debates over curriculum. It emphasizes the social-emotional support role educators play and the lifelong relationships they build with students.
"Building a Collaborative Infrastructure" by Anne McKenzie and Kenneth Richards
Hadley Public Schools improved educator support and student success by applying principles of healthy conflict and labor-management collaboration.
School Principal Cultural Proficiency and Transformational Leadership
This study explores how principals’ cultural proficiency influences transformational leadership and supports efforts to close achievement gaps.
Âܲ·AVÊÓƵRadio Podcast: Creative, Practical, and Powerful Ways School Leaders Are Amplifying Family and Student Voices
In this episode, school leaders share strategies to foster engagement and collaboration with families and students.
Community Engagement Using Future Search: A Systematic Evaluation of The Wisconsin Experience
This research addresses superintendent ambivalence toward engagement and highlights the rising complexity and conflict in community conversations.
"Transform Student & Parent Voice for Trust, Engagement and Impact"
Learn how Edison Township Public Schools moved from passive feedback to active partnerships, embedding voice into district strategy and innovation.
Bridging the Summer Gap: What District Leaders Say About Learning Beyond the School Year
This study shows how district leaders value summer learning to support academic achievement, engagement, and equity.
A Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway in a Rural, Midwest State
South Dakota’s apprenticeship pathway helps paraprofessionals stay in their communities while earning their teaching licenses—addressing rural shortages.
"Dousing the Flames of Grading Reform"
This article explores why grading reform often meets resistance and what leaders can do to implement change with clarity and trust.
What is your promise to your school community this year?
Add yours to the interactive board below:
Join Us at NCE  2026!
Public school leaders are gathering in Nashville, February 12–14, 2026, for AASA’s National Conference on Education.
This is your chance to transform bold commitments into meaningful change for students, staff, and communities. Dive into forward-thinking sessions, hands-on strategy labs, and energizing connections that empower you to lead with purpose. Register early and save by October 31!
Join Âܲ·AVÊÓƵToday
Be part of a community of more than 10,000 school system leaders committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. You’re leading the promise. Âܲ·AVÊÓƵis here to grow it with you.
Tell us on Social
Use this Canva template and include #AASAPromiseInAction on your social posts to share what your promise is this year.
United for Our Children's Futures
The Public Education Promise is AASA’s commitment to providing every child in every community with a highly effective education that prepares them for college, career, and real life in the real world.
Our Future-Ready Education Framework represents a fundamental redesign of education—flexible enough for each community's unique context, yet robust enough to prepare all students for futures we can't yet imagine.
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