superintendent

Smart Teachers

Kinds of Thinking (& Prompts for More Thinking)

Guest Author

May 7, 2026

Ed Policy

The Quiet Quitting Principal: What Districts Can Do to Re-Engage School Leadership

Guest Author

Apr 28, 2026

Leadership

5 Obstacles (and Solutions) to Transforming School Systems for the 21st Century

Guest Author

Feb 13, 2025

Vibrant split illustration showing community members collaborating at a table and innovators brainstorming beneath a glowing lightbulb

Future of Learning

One Goal, Two Journeys: The Role of Community and Workforce in Defining Graduate

Guest Author

Nov 7, 2024

Three diverse students laughing and collaborating on a hands-on tech project at a SparkNC learning space.

Competency-Based Education

First-Year Insights into Building a Truly Learner-Centered Approach with SparkNC

Guest Author

Oct 25, 2024

Students gathered outside Eastern Hancock High School's brick entrance on a cloudy day in Charlottesville, Indiana.

Leadership

4 Promises Drive Rural School Transformation at Eastern Hancock Schools

Tom Vander Ark

Oct 21, 2024

Subscribe to Our Podcast

This podcast highlights developing trends in K-12 education, postsecondary and lifelong learning. Each week, Getting Smart team members interview students, leading authors, experts and practitioners in research, tech, entrepreneurship and leadership to bring listeners innovative and actionable strategies in education leadership.

View Series

Find us on:

apple spotify stitcher

Seven diverse students and educators smiling together in a government office setting, representing student advocacy in education.

Equity & Access

Empowering Student Voice to Drive Change

Guest Author

Oct 14, 2024

Empowering student voices can drive change in education by integrating student input into decision-making, fostering leadership and inclusivity.

Diverse teens collaborating on an architectural blueprint outdoors, sketching and reviewing plans together

Learning Design

Centering Learners by Design: Shaping the Future of Education

Katie Martin, Devin Vodicka

Oct 3, 2024

Discover how innovative, learner-centered designs are transforming education to better prepare students for the future.

A group of students and educators work together to create a Portrait of a Graduate.

Competency-Based Education

Kindling the Spark: How the Portrait of a Graduate Becomes the Catalyst for Transformation

Guest Author

Sep 26, 2024

Adopting a Portrait of a Graduate fosters student agency, meaningful learning, and real-world application, transforming education systems for success.

Diverse students brainstorming tech and innovation ideas, illustrated in comic style with thought bubbles showing gears and devices.

Leadership

The Next Horizon

Sujata Bhatt

Sep 13, 2024

"Horizon Three" aims to redesign education for a future-ready system grounded in equity and learner agency, highlighting innovative examples like Reggio Emilia.

	Beginning	Piloting	Implementing
From Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery	BeginningFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Beginning	PilotingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Piloting	ImplementingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Implementing
From One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning	BeginningFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Implementing
From Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry	BeginningFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Beginning	PilotingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Piloting	ImplementingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Implementing
From Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning	BeginningFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Implementing
From Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities	BeginningFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Beginning	PilotingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Piloting	ImplementingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Implementing
From Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment	BeginningFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Beginning	PilotingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Piloting	ImplementingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Implementing
From Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets	BeginningFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Beginning	PilotingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Piloting	ImplementingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Implementing

Advocacy

Advisory

Topics

Recent Releases

superintendent

Subscribe to Our Podcast

Find us on: