Connecting Leaders, Impacting Education: 5 Key Takeaways from the EdLeader21 Annual Event
Battelle for Kids
We empower educators so that every student has hope, resilience, and the knowledge and skills to be future-ready.
The EdLeader21 Annual Event took center stage in the heart of Indianapolis last month, with hundreds of future-focused educators from all corners of the U.S. and beyond on hand to learn, connect, and collaborate.
The three-day event included thought-provoking keynotes, impactful learning sessions, team time and networking opportunities, and school tours at nearby MSD of Warren Township.
The Annual Event is exclusive to members of EdLeader21, the nation’s only professional community dedicated to Portrait of a Graduate. EdLeader21 is more than just a network to join. It’s a movement towards reimagining the future of education, ensuring students not only succeed academically but thrive with the durable skills necessary to be future-ready. Click here to explore membership .
Here are five key takeaways from this year’s EdLeader21 Annual Event:
1. Our education system must evolve to meet the needs of today's students and tomorrow's workforce.
Bill Daggett, Ed.D. , Founder and Executive Chair of the Successful Practices Network , delivered a powerful keynote highlighting the evolving challenges facing students today and how we must adapt.
As AI reshapes the job market, many roles—like computer programmers, coders, content creators, and journalists—are at risk. Yet, as Dr. Daggett emphasized, AI doesn’t diminish the importance of content; it increases it. The key differentiator will be those who effectively use AI and pair it with durable skills.
Districts must shift from a command-and-control learning environment to one that inspires creativity and innovation, ensuring that AI skills and practical applications are integrated into the curriculum.
It’s clear that the entire education system needs to evolve to meet the needs of today's students and tomorrow's workforce. How are we, as a system, preparing learners to thrive in an AI-driven world?
2. Educators must embrace innovation – namely, artificial intelligence (AI) – as part of this evolution.
The opening plenary session featured member district Eden Prairie Schools (Minnesota) with Superintendent Dr. Joshua Swanson , and Executive Director of Personalized Learning Robb Virgin , Ph.D., sharing their journey to effectively integrate AI throughout their district.
The Eden Prairie leaders detailed their strategies and lessons learned through a number of engaging metaphors, including Spaghetti Junction in Minneapolis, a maze of onramps and pit stops. Just like navigating a busy freeway, innovation requires getting on the road, even if you need a few pit stops along the way.
The Eden Prairie leaders also shared a stunning image of Beartooth Pass, Montana — an exhilarating yet narrow road that requires both adventure and caution. In innovation, the lesson is clear: Learn from mistakes, set your guardrails, and stay the course.
EdLeader21 members can participate in a new AI Innovation Group this year. This group will create an AI strategy tool to assist school leaders in responsibly harnessing AI technologies to enhance educational outcomes, streamline administrative processes, and create personalized learning experiences.
3. Innovative districts are rethinking their accountability systems and exploring how to measure the attainment of durable skills.
A powerful theme was present throughout the Annual Event: essential academic content is critical, but it’s not enough. To truly prepare students for the future, we must focus on durable skills—those competencies that enable students to thrive in an ever-changing world.
This theme took center stage during the Future-Ready Impact Panel on the main stage featuring:
The panel’s conversation centered around durable skills and the Portrait of a Graduate, including North Carolina’s grassroots approach to creating and implementing its statewide Portrait . The state has designed and deployed performance tasks and professional learning that align durable skills with academic standards, ensuring that learning is meaningful and relevant for all students.
As part of this shift towards attaining durable skills, districts are rethinking their accountability systems. Traditional assessments, while still important, don’t capture the full spectrum of student abilities. Moving forward, leaders and educators must rethink their accountability systems and how to effectively measure the attainment of durable skills.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recently announced it has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to pilot the Skills for the Future (SFF) project. North Carolina joins four other states — Indiana, Wisconsin, Nevada,? and Rhode Island — that will partner with ETS, Carnegie Foundation, and Battelle for Kids on the project.
These states are collectively pioneering the integration of durable skills assessments, creating a comprehensive, portable skills transcript that will provide students, educators, and employers real-time insights into students' skill development.
4. Hope and resilience create the conditions for successful future-ready learning environments.
Some of the biggest challenges we face in education today center around chronic absenteeism , lack of engagement , burnout, and declining student motivation .?
School communities can combat these issues and create a thriving culture by fostering hope and resilience.
Hope, when paired with resilience, isn’t just supportive. It’s a superpower with the potential to transform how we approach education, creating school cultures that empower every learner and support educator well-being.
Well-being was one of the most popular session topics at the Annual Event, with standing-room crowds at learning sessions led by Battelle for Kids and member districts.
The Ephrata Area School District (Pennsylvania) instructional coaching team presented a session on building a thriving workforce through belonging, hope, and agency. The team shared innovative approaches to professional learning that promote well-being while improving instruction.
Battelle for Kids’ Sara Stockwell, Ed. S. , who travels the country talking to educators about the power of hope and resilience, led a learning session on the topic. She shared the latest research and detailed practical, evidence-based strategies that empower educators and students to navigate stress, combat burnout, sustain motivation, and enhance overall well-being.
Stockwell leads the new Well-Being Lab by Battelle for Kids – an innovation hub dedicated to developing resources, workshops, and practices to support the comprehensive well-being of students and staff.?
Hope and resilience are not just essential to our overall well-being – they are empowering forces that enable us to embrace change, navigate challenges, and persevere in the face of adversity.
5. EdLeader21 is at the forefront of this movement to impact the future of education.
For more than a decade, EdLeader21 members have led the way in creating shared visions – Portraits of a Graduate – and infusing durable skills into classroom experiences.?
It’s no different now as this concept takes on even greater importance in education today. Educators across the country are realizing the power of equipping students not just with the requisite knowledge but also with the durable skills that prepare them for an evolving future.
The EdLeader21 Network is here to support leaders on this journey, providing actionable tools and resources, connections with like-minded educators, and collaborative innovation opportunities.?
New for the 2024-2025 school year, EdLeader21 members are participating in two Innovation Groups to research, develop, and pilot tools and resources around the timely topics of AI and Purposeful Assessment.
The AI Innovation Group will work on an AI strategy tool to assist school leaders in responsibly harnessing AI technologies to enhance educational outcomes, streamline administrative processes, and create personalized learning experiences.
The Purposeful Assessment Innovation Group will help districts implement and scale a Purposeful Assessment System that supports deeper learning and student growth, focusing on piloting Cornerstone Experiences as an onramp.
About Battelle for Kids
Battelle for Kids (BFK) is a national, not-for-profit organization helping to empower educators so that every student has hope, resilience, and the knowledge and skills to be future-ready. BFK has helped hundreds of school districts and state agencies design, launch, and bring their shared community visions—the Portrait of a Graduate—to life, impacting the learning experiences of millions of students nationwide. For more information, visit bfk.org .
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2 周Excellent take aways from our time together. Grateful for thought partners and leaders like Battelle for Kids!