Digital Promise

We wrapped our 2025 Policy to Action Summit yesterday with a visit to Capitol Hill, where several members from the League were joined by education and policy experts, including Jean-Claude Brizard and the Digital Promise team. Together, they: 💵 Elevated the urgent need for sustained federal investment in K-12 research and development to generate evidence that informs and strengthens state and local efforts to design, implement, and scale effective solutions for student success. 🎒 Advocated for support for tools, practices, and systems that help districts improve student outcomes at scale. 🏛️ Made the case for the role of federal policy in enabling local innovation, ensuring districts have the long-term capacity to drive and sustain progress. We’re so grateful to all our Summit participants for coming together and working to make a difference for students and educators across the country. #DigitalPromise #DPLIS #Collaboration #EducationInnovation #EdLeadership #DPLIS 

These past few days in Washington, D.C., at the League Policy to Action Summit, I was reminded of just how powerful the League of Innovative Schools truly is. Over 100 superintendents, district leaders, and staff from Digital Promise and our partners at the Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI) came together in 23 groups for more than 60 meetings on Capitol Hill 🏛️, some of which were organized directly by superintendents knocking on their representatives’ doors 🚪, all with a shared purpose: ensuring federal policy meaningfully supports what works for learners and educators in classrooms and communities. I had the privilege of joining our Ohio coalition to advocate for learners in my home state. At the heart of these conversations was a simple truth: schools need the ability to learn, adapt, and innovate locally 💡. That’s why education research and development (R&D) is so essential. It gives districts the space to test promising approaches, respond to real-time challenges, thoughtfully integrate new technologies, and scale solutions that truly improve outcomes for students 📚. This is how innovation becomes something districts can sustain, not just hope for. The realities facing our schools are complex and evolving. Many districts continue to navigate lingering academic gaps, rising student disengagement, and growing mental health needs. At the same time, schools are preparing students for a rapidly changing world shaped by new technologies and fast-shifting workforce demands. Locally-led R&D helps districts respond with agility and purpose, grounding decisions in evidence, keeping students and communities at the center, improving practice in real time, and sharing what works across districts. Our discussions were grounded in Competitive Edge: An Action Agenda for How School Systems Can Advance Learning Through R&D, developed with the District Education R&D Advisory Committee and our partners at ALI. More than a report, it reflects a bold vision for making locally-led, continuous education R&D a core function of how school systems improve, adapt, and lead, offering a roadmap to unlock the full potential of R&D to transform classrooms and strengthen communities 🚀. I’m deeply grateful to every League member who raised their voice in D.C. This week was a powerful reminder that when district leaders show up together, local innovation can turn into system-wide impact for learners everywhere 🌟. That’s the real strength of this network, not just learning together, but standing together to help shape the future of education. Learn more about the District Education R&D Advisory Committee: https://lnkd.in/gAbdUrkR Read the full Competitive Edge: An Action Agenda for How School Systems Can Advance Learning Through R&D: https://lnkd.in/gBfuc8h5 #DPLIS #EducationInnovation #EdLeadership

The future of public education rests with school districts as centers of bold, innovative ideas informed by research, leading the way to meet today’s challenges and shape what comes next. Several of our League members are gathered together again, this time in Washington D.C., at the League Policy to Action Summit to lead the way for innovation and bright futures for our students. Yesterday, attendees spent the day in the “Turning District Insights into Policy Influence” Workshop, where they prepared to share their district stories and make the case for strategic federal investments in localized education research and development (R&D). Through the Workshop, League members: 💡 Unpacked how education policy is shaped and where district leaders can make the greatest impact. 💡 Learned how to frame local priorities using compelling evidence, student outcomes, and lived experience. 💡 Practiced translating complex ideas into clear, persuasive messages. 💡 Walked away with the tools and strategies they need to advance policy effectively during their visit to Capitol Hill and beyond. We’re so excited to put these insights into practice today on Capitol Hill! #DigitalPromise #DPLIS #Collaboration #EducationInnovation #EdLeadership