Build Momentum - Thought Leadership for Education, Global Workforce Edition

S03E09 - Futurecasting 2023: Predictions from CEOs, Superintendents and Education Leaders

January 12, 2023 Sarah Williamson and Katie Lash / Jeff Patterson, Tammy Laughner, Dennis Carpenter, Tom Burton, Sonny Thadani, & Michael Barnes Season 3 Episode 9
Build Momentum - Thought Leadership for Education, Global Workforce Edition
S03E09 - Futurecasting 2023: Predictions from CEOs, Superintendents and Education Leaders
Show Notes Transcript

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are kicking off this first episode of the year with their predictions for 2023 in the education space, along with some influential people across the industry.

Some Questions We Ask:

  • What are your projections for K12 and ed tech this year?
  • What are some of the challenges and themes we will see in 2023?
  • What are you hopeful and/or excited about for education in 2023?

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Sarah’s and Katie’s projections in education for 2023 (1:37)
  • Jeff Patterson’s projections in education for 2023 (11:44)
  • Tammy Laughner’s projections in education for 2023 (14:03)
  • Dennis Carpenter’s projections in education for 2023 (16:05)
  • Tom Burton’s projections in education for 2023 (19:59)
  • Sonny Thadani’s projections in education for 2023 (27:49)
  • Michael Barnes' projections in education for 2023 (29:07)

Quotes:

“We're going to start hearing about looming budget issues. Many districts are already pinched by declining enrollment and its effects on the recurring budget. If we see an economic slowdown, there will be state budget shortfalls. Two, the ed tech market has plateaued. We have too many solutions, many that are a little more than beta products. The venture capital funding bubble will contract but not die. The result will be considerable consolidation and a focus on proven quality.”

"Internet for All that was passed by our government will provide high-speed broadband for everyone by 2029. That's a big deal. It will be a game changer.”

“Technology is definitely going to continue to gain traction. There's a lot on the horizon as it relates to artificial intelligence, and it has substantially less bias in judgment. So look for that AI to be coming about, and look for those companies to be able to demonstrate how they are showing up in innovative, anti-bias ways.”

“We grow the most when we push each other to learn—and that can happen with powerful, purposeful dissension. To some people, it may seem negative, but it certainly isn't. And in Princeton [City Schools], I know that you really want to rumble, if you will, using terminology from Brené Brown. But rumbling with vulnerability and not being afraid to share your opinion is a theme we're going to see more and more.”

“Every day of our lives, we have three things that happen—and only three things: We get better, we get worse, or we stay the same. And two of the three, you don't advance. So I feel like every single day is an opportunity to get better. And we can help each other get better by making sure we challenge each other professionally.”

Connect with us:
Jeff Patterson LinkedIn
Tammy Laughner LinkedIn
Dennis Carpenter LinkedIn
Tom Burton LinkedIn
Sonny Thadani LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
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About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
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Sarah Williamson  0:04  
Hello, and welcome to Build Momentum, a show where we explore thought leadership in education. I'm Sarah Williamson, the founder of SW PR group.

Katie Lash  0:14  
And I'm Katie Lash, the director of the East Central Educational Service Center.

Sarah Williamson  0:17  
Together, we explore how to leverage key partners, your constituencies, and immediate to authentically impact your organizations and the leaders who champion them. We can't wait to get started. So let's dive into today's show. Hi, Katie. We're back. And it's 2023. How do you feel? 

Katie Lash  0:36  
Like a whole new year! 

Sarah Williamson  0:38  
Happy new year! 

Katie Lash  0:40  
Actually, my girls league learned this joke, you know, for the like, see you next year, or I haven't seen you all year. They've learned it this year. They think they're hilarious. So

Sarah Williamson  0:51  
we got so many jokes. Okay. I love it. Well, I'm glad you're back. And joining us for this first episode of 2023. We are actually going to repeat an episode we did earlier in the year at the IEI Hilton Head Summit, where we got input from many different district leaders CEOs talking about their plans or strategies, their thoughts for the future. Well, now we're going to talk to people about projections for 2023. And their hopes for this year, it does feel like things have shifted a little bit they're getting a little dicey, or or just a little more intense. And people are a little anxious entering the air. That's how it feels to me. But I think there's optimism and hope for sure, but I do sense a lot of little squeamishness about you, Katie.

Katie Lash  1:37  
Yeah, I'm so excited as we talked to all of these other guests to hear their perspectives. And I love that we kept it pretty open ended. So how they're gonna answer this, it's got to be really interesting. But I agree that we have seen folks talked about, like, during the pandemic, and like, I mean, technically, are we out of the pandemic, yet? I'm not kinda I don't know. But like, in the heat of it, you know, there was just tons of like forgiveness of and grace, because we didn't know what we were doing. And like, that's just wearing off. I think that that's contributing to some of that, like, why there's a stress, right, it's like, there's this pressure to like, go back to normal, but what is it normal? So I think that that's a little bit of that tension that exists of where are we headed now. But again, I think that it taught us a lot of lessons. And so for all of those reasons, we're going to hear people say, really, really cool things that they're doing that and just what's ahead, and even guests we've already had on the show that are talking about what they know, and the technology that's been developed and all of the new players who have come to the table during COVID. That's been exciting.

Sarah Williamson  2:35  
Yeah, I think there's a lot to look forward to, it'll be interesting to see how the year plays out. I am curious to see how the influx of so many tech companies during the pandemic, I sense that we're going to see a shake up on who survives the next couple of years as ESSER dollars go away, and things stabilized a bit. And we're relying on it on technology, but it's not the predominant source of teaching, necessarily. So that will be interesting. What do you think about that, Katie? 

Katie Lash  3:08  
Oh, I mean, definitely, there's been no secret that the clip was coming, right. The moment was coming in this these dollars ending. And so I feel like people have tried to be really thought I mean, I've been good about the school leaders that I work with a lot. They've tried to be thoughtful and plan for that, knowing that time was ahead. But you're so right, like, the reality is going to be different when they can't pay for any more of these programs. And so yeah, companies, some will make it some will, even if they were good ideas, honestly, that's gonna be the interesting part two is there are some good ones out there. It's very I usually say this verbally processing. It's very interesting Economic, I don't know, situation to think about how, ESSER dollars, yes, helped the schools but really, ESSER dollars funded innovation in a big way, like more of that's interesting. I mean, again, maybe that sounds so obvious, but I never really framed it that way. Until I'm saying it out loud. We really did a lot of innovation. Yeah, we'll do the schools to enterprise. I don't know. Interesting.

Sarah Williamson  4:07  
I know. And it'll be interesting to see if that innovation sticks or not, because I've heard both sides of that. So that'll be fascinating. I also think going into 2023. It'll be interesting to see, I've noticed a trend with a lot of the companies sometimes when you go to summits or events or conferences, you see a lot of companies focusing on pitching themselves from the perspective of talking about themselves and talking about the problems they perceive districts are having, instead of leading with how can we help. We're here to support you staying nimble, staying flexible, and also stopping for a moment and listening and asking what those challenges are currently. I think that's going to be really important and it's sometimes I think, some missed by some.

Katie Lash  4:51  
Well, yeah, that's an interesting point, too, because I've heard people actually using that we've heard from schools that you need teachers are like, okay, yes, you've you've heard like, but they're using that as actually like a strategy to say we've heard you were responding to you like. So it's an interesting tactic that's like, responding to that. But also that's different than actually hearing and pivoting. Like I'm always so impressed. That's I kind of love that about some startups that are nimble, like if I'm like, Hey, I actually have this need that's doesn't really fit your box. But can you do it? I love when companies are able to pivot quickly. And but I also recognize that that can meet every single need possible. But you're so right, if they'll listen to the school and what the needs are. And they're going to continue to shift, I mean, the needs are going to continue to shift. So it's going to continue to evolve in what we needed. Six months ago, a year ago, it's addressing with a few of these grants that were running, I wrote the grant. And I go back and read what I wrote. And it was true for that moment in time. But I'm already like, Oh, I feel differently than I did. Now.

Sarah Williamson  5:53  
Isn't that funny? 

Katie Lash  5:53  
Yeah, 

Sarah Williamson  5:54  
I know. It's so funny. I think that'll all be interesting to see play out. And then in terms of my hopes for the future, I think it's going to be it's an exciting, exciting time to be in education. And in edtech. I mean, we've never had the opportunities that we have, we've never seen the innovation, we've never seen the disruption other than, you know, online curriculum coming on board 15-20 years ago, this is a powerful time to be here. So I'm excited to be a part of that and to support companies and help tell their stories this year. How about you?

Katie Lash  6:25  
Absolutely. Well, I think I just heard even again, through this podcast, through other conversations, just hearing about what some people are doing, like I think about when we met with Deputy Secretary of, was it deputy ed tech officer, Ed Tech, when we were talking about this AI on the table. I was in a conversation this week about VR. And so it's an again, those are a little bit of what maybe is perceived as a little bit more of the Sci Fi ideas, but they're really not. But I'm just saying there's a million different ways technology is helping that's not AI or VR. But those are a couple of examples to say we were having this conversation that you know, when electricity came to be right, people like we're slow to say like, we'll never see a day that everybody has, you know, lights in their house like so that's kind of the vibe right now of VR or something, right? Well never see the day that VR is in every school. And I think we're seeing it like so that's exciting. Like it's coming. There are very neat innovations on Horizon. And they're out there right now. But to see them scale will be fun, 

Sarah Williamson  7:29  
It will be fun. 

Sarah Williamson  7:31  
Are you looking to build brand awareness and expand your impact as an organization. But maybe you're struggling to find the ROI with your general marketing and PR efforts, it could be time to try something a little different. At SWPR Group, we approach every organization through the lens of how you can help them add the most value to the conversations that are happening in education today for one of our clients, the Institute for Education innovation, this led to the launch of Supe's choice, an award that we co created to build incredible brand awareness and his firmly established organization as an industry leader driving impact, growth and awareness on every level. For Edmentum. This meant the launch of thought leadership panels at education conferences, and a new webinar series featuring influencers and partners that are making a difference in education. What will your success story be? Let me know when you're ready to get started. Reach out at Sarah sarah@swpr-group.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sarah Williamson  8:36  
Okay, Katie, what are you projecting for 2023?

Katie Lash  8:39  
What am I projecting? Like something concrete, like a measurable goal or something?

Sarah Williamson  8:46  
What do you envision any other thoughts? Any other thoughts for 2023?

Katie Lash  8:51  
I mean, I do envision a few of these, like examples are just I do think that the impact that AI is going to have the more that I read about honestly, seriously, I'm not just saying that because we're on this podcast, like I'm really saying I never had thought so critically about it until we had that conversation. And now I've been reading about it. And again, I probably sound really silly to some companies, if they tune into this that saying like, Katie, you're way behind the types. It's kind of like the electricity, we just got electricity.

Sarah Williamson  9:22  
On lights now,

Katie Lash  9:24  
I know you're probably sound like that to some people. I'm excited. The more that I've read about it. And the more that I've seen it integrated into so many of these tools in education. That is exciting to me. So totally, yeah. What about you? What are you excited about?

Sarah Williamson  9:37  
Oh, well, I kind of shared but you know, I'm excited about ASU GSB this year. I think it's going to be a blast. And I think we have some panels coming up. Hopefully some good panels, potentially you on some panels. We'll see. 

Katie Lash  9:51  
Hopefully, 

Sarah Williamson  9:52  
hopefully, but I think it's going to be a fascinating show and some exciting things and we'll come out of that. I don't know I'm just So like I said, I think it'll be fascinating to watch as we evolve out of this internal recession. Who knows? And how does that recession impact edtech? And how is edtech companies going to survive and thrive? I'm curious to see who does. That will be?

Katie Lash  10:15  
Yeah, you actually just gave me one more reflection, as you said that. So like a lot of work. I know this is happening across the country, but like, probably something that's impacting me pretty directly is showing students what all is out there, like the world is at their fingertips, right. And like, there's a big push in our area for implementing more career exploration type of work, all throughout your school experience, which I mean, some of that's inherent, but doing with some more intentionality. So there are obviously companies out there focused on this as well. But when you mentioned ASU GSB, like I have a friend, some colleagues that they've kind of created another conference to have this conversation about World of Work. And so I think that that's kind of fun, too, is just seeing people Yes, innovate ed tech, yes, innovate in education, but you're seeing people like innovate, how they get the word out, or I think that's kind of fun, too.

Sarah Williamson  11:05  
That sounds like it's gonna be a great conference and Growing Valley couldn't be a better district to showcase that.

Katie Lash  11:11  
So yeah, yeah, they have a very proven successful model. So there's somebody out there, I think that's what's fun, too, is like, we've talked about that in one of the earlier episodes of like, sometimes people don't realize what they're doing is as cool as it is like people need to know about it. So

Sarah Williamson  11:26  
I know they need some better PR, I think is what they need.

Katie Lash  11:31  
You need PR Yeah.

Sarah Williamson  11:32  
And now we have the opportunity to hear from a variety of CEOs, superintendents and education leaders from across the industry can't wait to hear what their predictions are for 2023.

Jeff Patterson  11:44  
Hi, my name is Jeff Patterson, and I'm the CEO and founder of Gaggle. My projections for K12 And Ed Tech this year. One, we're going to start hearing about looming budget issues. Yes, there are ESSER dollars, that many districts are already pinched by declining enrollment and the effect on the recurring budget. If we see an economic slowdown, there will be state budget shortfalls in the coming years. Two, the ed tech market has plateaued. We have too many solutions, and many that are a little more than beta products. The venture capital funding bubble will contract but not die. The result will be considerable consolidation of companies, and a focus on proven quality. If you're a startup executive, preserve your cash and survive. Three, If we see a slowing economy, which seems likely the teacher shortage will disappear. teaching jobs are good. They are meaningful work that is stable and offers good benefits. Next, what are some of the challenges and themes that we will see in 2023? That I mentioned the budgets, the themes start slowly and builds.  Two, the student mental health crisis will persist some of the teachers issues, I expect our mental health problem to continue growing, albeit not as fast in the coming years. Three, the drama and the politics at school board level will persist, but hopefully not be as divisive. Can we focus on what's good for kids as opposed to our dogmatic political briefs on both extremes? All right, the last question, what am I hopeful for? And what am I excited about? First, great advances and improvements will continue to happen in areas people are not paying attention to the world is constantly improving in many wonderful ways. In spite of what you hear in the media. Number two, the media's attempt to sensationalized topics and create controversy will start getting ignored. At least a little. I personally don't even read the newspaper or pay attention to the news anymore, because it's all political drama and opinion. And my last prediction that I'm hopeful about, Twitter may become a little more tolerable, will cancel culture finally get canceled, I'm hoping. Anyway, those are my thoughts and predictions for this new year. Enjoy whatever it else has to say. I'm the Simon Cowell of edtech. Good luck.

Tammy Laughner  14:03  
Hi, my name is Tammy Laughner. I am the Founder and Managing Member of VimMe learning and online math curriculum. And I'd like to share with you my predictions for 2023 in ed tech for K 12. First of all, about five and 10. Schools currently are using some kind of digital content in our country. I think that's going to grow exponentially. And I think you're going to start to see more and more schools just ditch textbooks altogether, too. I think you're gonna start to see cracks and an old business model practice we've seen with curriculum purchases. These have historically been four or five, six year long contracts that really box in schools that are six and seven figures and cost. I think that's going to change with Ed Tech and curriculum. The interesting thing about Ed Tech is the costs are sunk up front. So I actually think the cost is going to start to drop and so these textbook rentals for families will hopefully become not as costly. Some of the challenges were going I just see, we're still gonna struggle with connectivity in the rural areas of our country, it's really an issue with kind of leveling the playing field with Ed Tech. I think also any kind of struggle at times with the aging population of teachers and the embracing of Ed Tech, the younger generation really likes a lot of data, they, you know, are digital natives. They love simplicity. So I think that's something that's somewhat of a struggle, what's hopeful clearly internet for all that was passed by our government, this will provide a high speed broadband for everyone by 2029. That's a big deal. And that will be a game changer. And like I said before, we'll certainly level the playing field for Ed Tech across this country. And the last thing I'd like to share as far as the theme of being hopeful, I feel like there's just been a huge push to try and get students caught up after COVID. And it's been impressive, and the different ways that school districts have gone about doing this, and I'm hopeful that we will start to see many of these gaps filled, especially in math was such a brutally sequential subject.

Dr. Dennis Carpenter  16:05  
Hi, I'm Dr. Dennis Carpenter. I'm a longtime school superintendent. And I currently serve the CEO of Aspirational Insights Consulting. When I start thinking about 2023, there are a few predictions that come to mind. Number one, I think we're going to see this continue term of trench warfare as it relates to politics in the polarization of our society, this is going to be another critical factor that our superintendents and our school district and building leaders will have to continue leading to if they're going to bring communities together and build consensus in the best interests of all children, this is going to be challenging, they're going to be all sorts of loud voices. And these loud voices will attempt to dominate their conversations, the winning districts and the winning school district communities will be those that can access the voice of the silent majority, because that silent majority will assist in bringing forth those efforts that might be both beneficial and mediate for all children in our local community, that's going to be a challenge for our leaders, technology, definitely going to continue to gain traction, there's a lot on the horizon, as it relates to artificial intelligence, and how it's going to continue to be doubled down on in a place called school. And it has substantially less bias in judgment than some of the things that we see when we work directly with ourselves as as adults and leaders in the workplace. So look for that AI to be coming about look for those companies to be able to demonstrate how they are showing up in terms of their technology, innovative anti bias way. And that's going to be something to keep on our radar in the coming year. The third thing, thinking about ESSER funds, and those funds that districts have been able to draw down since COVID, from the federal government, as those funds start to go away, what you're going to really see in school districts is something that I like to call strategic abandon, because those dollars are drying up, there will be a careful, careful look at what is working and what's not working. And school districts will have to make the tough decisions of what do we do more of what do we do less of? And what do we actually just stop doing, because those dollars are no longer there. And we're going to have to stick with that program. And that's really, really impacting students. And that's going to need to be quantified. So those are three big issues that I see on the horizon for this coming year. challenging thing, again, is this this level of polarization. And when you think about the 2024, election year looming, that's going to be a challenge that we are all going to have to contend with. So to all of our leaders, I say show up authentic, show up courageous, and make certain that you do the work that is needed for your school district, and your school districts community and its children. So I'm hopeful. And I'm excited when I see the involvement of our young people when I see this generation, and their willingness to not only be involved, but be courageous to show up with their most authentic voice that makes me proud. And that gives me extreme hope for the future. In addition, they get it they get this notion of work life balance, and they get this notion of taking care of their mental health because they have to do difficult things to take us further and further into this millennium. So it's an exciting time to be alive. It's an exciting time to be an educational leader. It's an exciting time to be an edtech leader. But most of all, it's an exciting time to be a thought leader and a world changer. Thank you for listening to this podcast and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Tom Burton  19:59  
Hello, my name is Is Tom Burton on the proud Superintendent of Princeton city schools located just north of approximately 80 miles north of Cincinnati, Ohio. So I was asked to take a look at the projections for the K 12. World and Ed Tech this year. So I have a couple of different thoughts, couple different ideas. I think during the past three years, there's been a lot of great movement when it comes to the space of edtech in the K 12, or pre K 12. realm. So I think the biggest thing for school districts moving forward is really looking at what is working and what's not working. So I don't necessarily feel like anything, a new invention, or new product or new app is necessarily called for right now, although you never know what the future may bring. But right now, I feel like the biggest thing in the ed tech world and in the education realm, is the fact that really looking to see what's working, what's not working. And just like the Master Gardener, the Master Gardener doesn't just keep planting new flowers all the time, they actually get rid of some. So I would say that that's the biggest kind of piece of advice that I would have for superintendents to really kind of look down to see what's working using data to see what app what type of technology is working. And specifically in the ad tech world, I would just push all the businesses to make sure you provide valuable data that shows why your app or product is working in that district or can work in that district. I would also say to that, you know, technology is something that is always ever changing. And when you look at innovation in general, a lot of times people think that innovation is something that's always brand new. Well, that's not the case at all. So I would really encourage both school districts and those in the tech world to really look and kind of delve down deep to see how can you make your product more responsive to the ever changing needs that exist in public schools, private schools, again, specifically in their pre K 12 realm. And then lastly, I would just want to kind of make sure that whatever product that you're trying to push, or for schools, whatever product that you're really kind of looking at, I would really ask for a kind of a deep embedded pilot program, to really make sure that all the staff on board in the district that you know that when you go time to implement whatever program that exists, that that program will be able to be implemented as smoothly as possible, because I can tell you, everyone smile, we haven't done the best job. And I'll take full responsibility as a superintendent, that we certainly haven't done the best job. And I could have done a better job of articulating the vision and making sure that as you implement whatever product or app that exists, we will do so in a really smooth fashion to eliminate some of the hiccups, if you will, as you move into 2023, and ultimately the school year 2023 24, I think we're going to see a couple different challenges and themes that are going to emerge. One of the biggest challenges, I think when we look at the Astrid dollars and AARP dollars going away, it's really going to be school districts are going to wrestle with what stays and what's going to go it's also going to really challenge superintendents and boards of education and central office administrators really kind of look at Where's the proof to show that the money that we've spent to help close some of the learning gaps that we certainly have seen, not just during COVID, but also during some of the summer, last summer slide, if you will, it's really kind of really examining the proof to show that different programming is working. I know at Princeton, we've hired some staff, as well. And that's one of the biggest things we're evaluating right now is a look, where's the biggest bang for the buck as we move forward, And the money kind of runs out? Unfortunately. And I would say this, that we should always have proper funding for all schools. And we don't always see that, unfortunately. But nevertheless, great support that we've seen from the federal government, state government with AARP and ESSER dollars, it's really going to be that what are we going to eliminate? What are we going to stop funding? And what are we most importantly going to continue to do to help change and save lives and to help students improve and learn at rates, perhaps previously unknown. So that's kind of the biggest challenge that I foresee. And one of the themes, I feel that's going to permeate across our country, we're going to be continuing to look at ways to innovate at the highest all levels. And I mentioned earlier that innovation isn't necessarily always doing something new. It could be innovating with a specific instructional design that you have instructional methodology. It could be some innovation when it comes to leadership. And I would say this that we grow the best and the most when we push each other to grow, when we push each other to learn and that can happen a lot of times with powerful purposeful dissension and decision may to some people listening right now it may seem as a negative word, but it certainly isn't. And in Princeton and I know that you really want to kind of rumble, if you will, using some of the terminology from Brene Brown, but rumbling with vulnerability and not being afraid to share your opinion, I think that is going to be a theme that we're gonna see more and more, we're gonna have to do that as we kind of addressed the biggest challenge and one of the biggest challenges. Now what do we do when we had all this money now we no longer do. And then lastly, I would say that one of the things I'm most hopeful for or excited about is just as we continue to take what we've learned over the last three years and implement them at the highest of all levels, I feel like with the challenges and the different themes that we believe we're going to see, you know, the future is so very bright. And you know, every day of our lives, we have three things that happen and only three things we get better, we get worse, or we stay the same, and two of the three of those, you don't advance. So I feel like every single day is an opportunity to get better. And I feel like we can help each other get better by making sure that we push each other that we challenge each other professionally, that when we look at that. So if I come up with some harebrained idea, as a superintendent, I think, Boy, this is the best way. It is beholden upon those people that have worked so very closely with us say Tom, where you don't necessarily see that that's the best way for us to go. And here's why. And have that professional dialogue going back and forth. And I think, well, I know that as we continue to move forward as a people that this year will be a year that's going to see us get along better see us challenged each other in a respectful manner more, so we can be the best people, the best educators, the best business people that we possibly can be. And you know, it's funny, as I conclude my remarks about when I'm most hopeful and excited about, I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the fact that when kids transition back into school, after a long break, whether it's over the winter, or spring or summer, I would just challenge us all to look at the eyes of the kids as they come in. Next morning. Sometimes, you know, they may be a little bit sleepy, but those are the eyes are going to change the future they're going to see the future. So what kind of future do you want it to be? And an education is so unbelievable that we have this huge responsibility, but also the joy and the pleasure of working with the future. We have an opportunity to impart our knowledge, but also our hopes and dreams and matched up with the hopes and dreams of kids. Boy, we can make this world that's more equitable, a world that's more loving, a world that's free of hate, and will allow us to advance as a people better than we could ever imagine. Thank you.

Sonny Thadani  27:49  
Good morning. My name is Sonny Thadani, the founder and CEO of Robin. Today, I'm gonna tell you a little bit more about my projections and challenges and themes for K 12 And Ed Tech in 2023. Some of my projections and predictions, schools will focus on staff this year, I think with retention issues, recruiting issues, not only for teachers, but they will turn their head to the janitorial staff, cafeterias, bus drivers, whether it's for mental health or salaries are creating growth opportunities for them in the school. I think there'll be a big focus on that this year. For edtech as a category and these companies, companies are going to be much more outcome-driven this year. And we're going to see a lot of consolidation is my prediction for 2023. Some of the challenges and themes I think we're gonna continue to see mental health be at the top of that list. However, this year, my prediction is we're going to see the biggest push come from parents and students, not necessarily from just the administration and school staff. I'm hopeful and excited about kids getting back to normal and this school year and heading into the next school year with COVID. Hopefully, significantly behind us kids will go back to learning fun and doing the things they used to do. Thanks so much and talk to you soon. Bye bye. 

Michael Barnes  29:07  
Hi, my name is Michael Barnes and I am the superintendent of the Mayfield City School District. My projections for k 12 And Ed Tech this year are one, we will witness improve student achievement, growth and engagement. Some might say why? It is because of a greater focus on student data and progress monitoring. Our laser focus on ensuring that we are moving the needle for each student feels more urgent now than ever before post pandemic. My second projection is expanded opportunities for students to access curriculum anytime, anywhere. By leveraging technology during the pandemic, teachers were able to provide greater and more flexible access to curriculum for their students. Now that we are on the other side of the pandemic, why would we want to now restrict this access for our students? In Mayfield, we don't and we won't simply put, we call these types of discoveries COVID keepers. One of the challenges we will see and face in 2023 is the need to innovate and find ways to restore students social, emotional, and behavioral functions to his pre COVID state. There is a social component to education that perhaps we all took for granted prior to having to close our doors in response to the global pandemic. Social skills that are common in early childhood classrooms like sharing, taking turns, lining up, etc. Simply were not happening when students were at home. Our current fourth graders here in Mayfield learn how to read at home for example, it will take some time to overcome the drawbacks of social isolation. The good news is however, at least we know that this needs to be addressed and we can look forward to doing something about it. And I am excited about communities giving themselves grace as they transition into a sort of Renaissance or rebirth post pandemic. In the sport of boxing, at times the boxers are separated and forced to their respective corners. We similarly during the pandemic as communities were forced to our respective corners. This calls distrust anger and frustration. Accusations of lack of transparency etc. Communities haven't been damaged by this. Communities are damaged by this. But as an optimist, however, I feel the renewed hope a renewed sense of community, a renaissance or new birth if you will, all stemming from communities being able to reconnect. This really gets me extremely excited.

Sarah Williamson  31:52
Okay, let us know what you think. And we'll see you next time. 

Sarah Williamson  31:59  
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai