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Lori Gracey

Lori Gracey currently serves as the executive director of the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) and is responsible for training technology directors, administrators, curriculum supervisors, librarians, and teachers across the country. Since 2009, she has led TCEA in membership and revenue growth, helped to pay off their building and purchase a new, larger building, and implemented new conferences, partnerships with other associations, and professional development opportunities for members and non-members. She serves more than 75,000 members and oversees a staff of 20. Lori has served on the board of the Texas Society of Association Executives and SXSWedu, and she has served as the Regional Program Chair for the ISTE 2017 and 2021 Convention in San Antonio. Lori has 28 years of experience in education, with 22 years as a curriculum and technology director.

Planning and PreparationTCEA News

What to Expect in 2026

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

I think we can all agree that 2025 has been a wild ride. But as we get ready to close it out, it brings up the question “What can I expect for 2026?” I’ve dusted off my crystal ball and invite you to peer with me as we take a look at the trends that will affect all of us soon.

World Events

America’s 250th Birthday: The semiquincentennial (say that three times fast!) will be on July 4, 2026, marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The official celebration will run for a full year—with a heavy emphasis from Memorial Day 2025 through July 4, 2026—as nationwide events commemorate the nation’s past, present, and future. In fact, student contests are already happening across the nation. How will your school district celebrate?

2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics: The Olympics will be held from February 6 to 22, 2026, followed by the Paralympics from March 6 to 15, 2026. The event will be co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, and will bring countless spectators to Northern Italy’s Alps.

2026 FIFA World Cup: This will be a landmark tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, from June 11 to July 9, 2026. Matches will take place in 16 host cities across the three countries, including Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Mexico City. The opening match is in Mexico City, and the final will be at MetLife Stadium in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area.

Technological Development

Concerns Over AI: Whether the AI bubble bursts or not, the world will continue to question the value and expense of artificial intelligence. And educators will be right there in the mix. What are the implications of AI’s electrical and water usage? How can students be taught to use AI effectively, safely, and without plagiarism? What new products will AI create to make life easier or better for overworked administrators and teachers? How will the job market change with AI in the picture, and how can we prepare for that change? As AI evolves seemingly overnight, how can we ensure that everyone is current and feels confident in using the tool? 

The Growth of AI: Despite the concerns of artificial intelligence use in schools, AI will move from the experimental/pilot stage to standard practice, powering personalized learning platforms, automating administrative tasks (like grading), and providing 24/7 AI tutors. The “one size fits all” lesson plan will become less common as the technology enables each student to receive customized support, leading to improved academic performance and student confidence. Teachers will not be replaced, but will finally begin to have the time to full meet each student’s needs.

Educational Insights

Reduced Administrative Burden: In 2026, AI will streamline administrative tasks such as grading, attendance tracking, and scheduling. This will free up significant time for educators to focus on mentorship, fostering creativity, and providing social-emotional support, all areas where the human touch is invaluable. Teachers and administrators will have access to real-time analytics and data dashboards that provide insights into student performance and learning patterns. This data will allow them to quickly identify at-risk students and tailor interventions more effectively, making instruction more responsive and effective.

Enrollment Declines and Diversification in Higher Education: Higher education institutions will face a sustained decline in traditional-aged undergraduate enrollment; a “demographic cliff” beginning in 2026. The decline in the number of traditional-aged college students is a predictable outcome of falling birth rates following the Great Recession (2007-2011). Demographers and higher education experts have been tracking this for years, and the consensus is that the decline in high school graduates will begin precisely with the class of 2025, impacting college enrollment from 2026 onwards.

In addition, students and families will place a greater emphasis on the return on investment (ROI) of a degree leading to growth in non-traditional programs, such as short-term certificates, micro-credentials, and accelerated “degree in three” programs. To adapt, universities will target adult learners seeking reskilling, dual-enrollment students, and individuals who started college but did not finish previously. 

Funding Remains Tight: Potential federal budget proposals for FY 2026 signal a push for expanded school choice programs (e.g., charter schools and vouchers) and significant cuts to the Department of Education and core student aid programs like Pell Grants and TRIO. A major feature is the creation of a K-12 Simplified Funding Program (SFP), which would consolidate 18 existing K-12 formula and competitive grant programs into a single block grant for states. While framed as offering state flexibility, this move would represent a reduction in funding for these programs by nearly 70% collectively.

Healthcare Advancements

Precision Medicine and Gene Editing: Significant progress is expected in gene-editing technologies like CRISPR with the continued growth and integration of AI in healthcare. Researchers hope that this will lead to new therapies for genetic conditions and cancers, offering potential cures rather than just symptom management.

AI for Diagnostics and Efficiency: AI is expected to become standard in clinical diagnostics, improving the accuracy of medical imaging analysis (like X-rays and pathology slides) and reducing diagnostic errors. AI will also automate much of the administrative burden (e.g., clinical documentation, scheduling), freeing up healthcare professionals for more direct patient care.

Societal and Lifestyle Shifts

Focusing on the “Human Experience:” Following a period of intense digital life, there is an anticipated shift toward prioritizing authentic human experiences, intimacy, and depth in interactions.

Prioritizing In-Person Interactions: People are already spending more time outdoors or in nature and meeting friends in real life. By 2026, this “social rewilding” is expected to be more prominent, with a greater push for physical proximity and face-to-face communication over digital-only exchanges.

What are you expecting in 2026?

That’s what my crystal ball had to say. What about yours? What are you seeing for the future? How might these changes impact you, your role, your students, or your school? Keep following TCEA as we try to keep you up to date!

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AI/VRDigital Citizenship

AI Safety for Grades 7–12: Privacy, Consent, and Media Smarts

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

While I love using AI—and have found that it saves me time and helps me think through things more clearly—I will be the first one to say that it has a dark side, especially for students. AI has made it easy to create convincing fake or sexualized content fast. Apps that can take a photo of someone who is dressed and undress it or face-swap it with someone else’s face can be used to harass, humiliate, or extort students. As educators, we need to prepare our students to safely navigate the AI world with age-appropriate AI safety for grades 7-12. The goal isn’t to scare them, but to equip them—and us—with clear norms, quick responses, and compassionate support.

The Dangers of AI

Here are just a few of the scenarios that are currently possible with AI tools: A ninth-grader’s yearbook photo is pulled from Instagram and “undressed” with AI, then posted to a group chat. A senior’s face is swapped into a sexual video and used in an extortion scheme demanding gift cards. A coach’s voice is cloned from a game livestream and used to prank-call a student with hateful remarks. These ai-facilitated incidents, and others like them, can escalate quickly; students need to know how best to prevent them and what to do if and when it happens.

Teach “Privacy by Default”

Many of us, including students, share too much information with the online world. And while it’s fun to post photos of our new car or our redecorated bedroom, it may not be the smartest thing to do. Instead, we must learn to use privacy by default, especially when using AI.

  • Remember that anything shared with a public AI (including the vast majority of tools being used today) is not private and can be seen by others or used by the AI company to train its model.
  • Keep identities separate. Never use full name + school + team + daily routine in posts or prompts.
  • Never upload classmates’ images, voices, or schoolwork to public AIs without explicit permission: a clear “yes” from them for this specific upload. Silence or “they won’t mind” doesn’t count.
  • Model safe prompting. Use placeholders (e.g., “Student A”), blur faces, and avoid unique photos/videos.

As adults, we must emphasize that editing or sharing someone’s image/voice without permission is a violation of consent and community norms and possibly the law. If students encounter harmful content, teach them: don’t forward it, support the targeted student, and report it immediately to a trusted adult. Use plain language, visuals, translated materials, captions, and alt-text so ELLs and students with disabilities understand both the risks and their rights.

Show Students Ways to Check Information

The teacher should model quick checks without turning the class into detectives. 

  • Run a reverse image search (Google Lens/Bing) to find the earliest appearance of a photo.
    • Upload an image or paste its URL into the Google Images search bar and click on the camera icon, or use the “Search with Google Lens” option in the Chrome browser’s right-click menu.
    • Google will display search results that may include visually similar images, websites where the image appears, and more information about the image. 
  • Scan for obvious AI artifacts (warped text, mismatched lighting or reflections). 
  • Look for Content Credentials (C2PA) labels that attach verifiable provenance to media. Explain the limits: a C2PA label can help confirm origin when present, but absence doesn’t prove a fake. 

What Adults Should Do If Harm Happens

Stay calm, believe the student, and preserve evidence (URLs, usernames, timestamps, screenshots). Report on-platform and through school channels (administrator or counselor). For minors’ sexual images, either real or AI-generated, use:

For other help, you can reach out to:

AI Safety Lessons You Can Use Tomorrow 

Open with a short, calm mini-lesson: “Three Red Flags Before You Upload,” followed by two anonymized scenarios. Give students a decision check—Would I post this if my principal and family were in the room? Does this include someone else’s identity without consent? How would I feel if a post like this about me was uploaded? Then have them rewrite a risky prompt into a safe, consent-respecting version. Close by revisiting your campus norms (ask first, anonymize always, never forward harm, report immediately). Keep in mind that safety instruction works best when it is steady, routine, and judgment-free. Pair boundaries with empathy; remind students that mistakes can be fixed, and help is available.

An Important Call to Action

Talk with others in your grade level, department, or campus about what you can do to help students remain safe while using AI tools. Consider scheduling a meeting with parents to share this information with them. AI safety for grades 7-12 isn’t just a good idea. It’s vital to the safety of our teenage students.

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TCEA Convention & ExpositionTCEA News

Save the Date for TCEA 2026: Registration opens Sept. 18!

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

The 2026 TCEA Convention & Exposition is headed back to San Antonio on Jan. 31–Feb. 4, 2026. And while registration doesn’t open for another week or so, you can kickstart your planning today by saving the date and starting your district approval process so you’re ready when registration opens on Sept. 18.

This year’s event will be my 43rd TCEA convention (yes, I really am that old!), and I’m still as excited as I was for the first one. Why? Because I’ve made life-long friends here. I’ve found colleagues who challenge me and support my professional growth. And I’ve learned things I genuinely needed—but wouldn’t have learned anywhere else. The ideas matter, but it’s the people who help you tailor those ideas to your context. That’s the TCEA difference: we’re all about the people.

What’s in This “Educational Technology Conference” for Me?

I know “educational technology conference” can sound a lot like “shiny tools that just add more to my plate,” but that’s not what this is. TCEA’s convention program is built around evidence-based teaching first, followed by the tools that make those practices doable at scale. This year, you’ll find sessions that help with three challenges I hear about constantly from educators: 

  • Reaching reluctant or disengaged students with strategies you can use immediately
  • Tackling burnout and retention through workload-smart routines and community
  • Sharpening coaching moves so support actually sticks in classrooms

And yes, you’ll discover great tools along the way, but always in service of the strategy.

You can also earn a microcredential by focusing on a pre-curated learning path. Choose one of six tracks (from Educational Leadership to Digital Creation to Instructional Coaching and more) and attend six hours of tagged sessions during the week to leave with a competency-based digital badge—free with registration. It’s a clean way to document growth while you’re stacking CPE hours.

700+ Sessions. 400+ Vendors. A Once-in-a-Lifetime Event.

With more than 700 different learning experiences available, it may be hard to choose. So, here’s a tip: pick one strand for depth and a second for breadth. And, if you want the microcredential, align your choices to its tagged sessions. That will ensure that you walk away with tangible ideas to put into action.

Your registration also includes a free lifetime TCEA membership, which gives you ongoing access to our blog, member newsletter, and weekly webinars (live and recorded). No other conference or event offers this. When registration opens on Sept. 18, you can review badge options and pricing details on the site and make the best choice for your needs. (Pro tip: Housing links are available after you register.)

Ready to Register?

Here’s what you can do to get started today:
1) Save the date: Mark your calendars for Sept. 18, 2025, and then again for Jan. 31–Feb. 4, 2026.
2) Start your approval process: Now’s the time to talk with your administrators about attending!
3) Register early to save: On Sept. 18, visit convention.tcea.org/register and officially save your spot at TCEA 2026! Badge prices increase on Nov. 8, so be sure to register early to get our best price.

Then, you’re ready for a week of discovery and and brilliance that tackles your real problems, honors your time, and sends you home energized with practical strategies, a microcredential (or two!), and a plan to keep growing.

I can’t wait to see you there!

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Back to SchoolClassroom Activities

The Perfect Back-to-School Resource: First Five

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Those first few weeks of school are critical in forming student/teacher relationships and setting the stage for the rest of the year. How to do that best is the big question. Going over the rules and reading the student handbook won’t cut it. And teachers definitely don’t have time to come up with creative and connecting activities on their own. That’s where First Five comes in.

First Five from EdTomorrow offers teachers free, ready-to-use daily activities designed to spark fun and build connections in the first five minutes of class. Each day offers a different activity that focuses on learning more about others, self-care, care for others, and the development of character:

  • Meme
  • Check-in question
  • Way to greet your students at the door
  • Quick Connection question to get students thinking and discussing
  • Mindfulness exercise
  • Quote of the day
  • Positivity activity
  • Age-appropriate video
  • Brain game

Question Set for Secondary on August 11, 2025

Select which one/ones you think will work best for your students that day. They are designed to work with a projected screen or on a whiteboard, but you can also download them to use in your LMS.

Mindfulness Moment

First Five is available for grades PK–1, 2–5, 6–12, and in Spanish. You can register (free) to get a daily email with the activities (arrives at 6:00 a.m. Central each morning) and access to their extensive database with hundreds of engaging activities to choose from. They also have a great blog with features like “What’s the Best Way to Use the First Five?”

This is a truly great resource for busy educators. Register for your free account today to get help connecting with your students!

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Uncategorized

How Is Your Staff, Really?

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

I think that all of us in education can admit that we’ve been through a couple of tough years lately. Lack of funding, sub shortages, more pressure to increase test scores, uncertainty about the future – it all adds up to higher stress levels for teachers and administrators. 

As your staff and team members get ready to return to the boiling pot, it’s important to check in regularly and see how they are really doing. A full-team question at the start of each meeting can be a great way to accomplish that. Here are a few good ways for them to vent and share and become better able to surmount the year’s challenges.

Setting Up Your Check-Ins for Success

To ensure that a check-in allows for optimum results, follow these guidelines:

  • Set a positive tone. Kick things off with lighthearted questions, making the meeting a friendly space for team talks and camaraderie. If a staff member heads in a more negative direction to vent, that’s okay. But always start with a positive assumption.
  • Be inclusive. The check-in should be one that is applicable to all team members. If you know, for example, that one of your staff doesn’t celebrate a particular holiday, don’t do a check-in on that topic. Craft your questions to embrace diverse perspectives and backgrounds so everyone feels part of the chat.
  • Keep it casual. This isn’t an interview. Set a laid-back vibe by keeping questions informal, encouraging team members to share without feeling pressured. If they don’t want to share, that’s okay.
  • Respect everyone’s privacy. Keep it light, stay away from super personal stuff, and respect everyone’s boundaries; nobody wants awkward vibes during check-ins.
  • Encourage honesty.One they feel comfortable sharing with each other, encourage them to tell it like it is! Build trust by getting your team to spill the beans on what’s really going on, even if it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
  • Allow opt outs. Let folks skip a question if they don’t feel like sharing that day. No pressure or judgment is allowed.
  • Celebrate achievements. Wrap up your check-ins with a little victory dance. Shout out the wins, big or small, and keep the positive energy flowing into the rest of the meeting.

Check-In Ideas

A good way to start with check-ins is the basic “how are you feeling” kind. But you can make these more fun by using a scale and some pictures. There are tons of these available on the web. Check out the ones below:

Show the image and ask people to share with a partner which one they are most feeling like right now and why.

Once people are comfortable sharing how they’re feeling, you can move on to a more powerful check-in. My favorite one is by Daresay. They have a set of random questions that you can scroll through until you find one you like. Or you can sort them by the “mood” you want to create: caring, daring, laid back, or work focused. If it’s early in the year and everyone doesn’t know everyone else, start with the laid-back ones. 

Other laid-back questions include:

  • What is your go-to comfort food? (This can lead to the sharing of recipes and a possible plan for a pot-luck lunch.)
  • What animal did you wake up as this morning?
  • Which emoji best describes your mood right now?
  • Would you like to be famous? In what way?

Show them the question and allow for about 30 seconds for quiet thinking time. Then ask them to pair up with someone else and share their answers. Make sure you allow enough time for both people to share fully. Then regroup and ask if anyone wants to share. If some do, that’s great. If no one does, that’s also fine.

Over time and as more serious issues come up at school, you need to use more serious check-in questions. This may mean that their responses need to be private. A word cloud generator can be a good tool for this. I recommend something like Slido (although Mentimeter and Poll Everywhere are also good). Slido is an online platform that facilitates interaction during presentations, meetings, and events. As the host, you can gather feedback, ask questions, and conduct polls. And it integrates with tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides, as well as communication platforms like Zoom.  The Basic plan is free and includes up to 100 participants and three polls per Slido.

Wrapping Up

Whatever kind of prompt you want to use, a regular check-in at a staff or department meeting is important. As a leader, it provides incredible feedback about where everyone is and can even be viewed as a type of formative assessment before you move on with the agenda. Using the resources mentioned above, you may even be able to brighten the day for your hard-working educators and give them an opportunity to smile.

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Social-Emotional Learning

Digital Activities to Help You Relax and Chill

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Now that the summer’s here, it’s the perfect time to try out some new websites. The ones below are just fun – no educational or redeeming value whatsoever! But they will help you to relax, de-stress, and come back ready for another strong school year. Enjoy!

Cat Bounce – Click your mouse anywhere and cats will begin bouncing around the screen. Some cats are bouncier than others, so that means more force = more bounce. Use a gentler touch if you’re losing cats. Don’t like the background color? Resize or reload to change it. Remember: more force = more bounce. Please don’t bounce too hard; it makes the cats cry.

WindowSwap – I love this one and use it often as a quick break. It allows you to open a window anywhere in the world. The windows are pulled randomly, which means you can click again to see somewhere different. 

Pixel Thoughts – This is a 60-second meditation activity that will help you shrink something that is causing stress in your life. Type in what is worrying you and then listen to the soothing music as it shrinks away.

En – If you’re trying to remember a book title that you want to read, try this AI app. Just add what you can remember about the book in the search screen and it will find it for you. It will also recommend other books similar to the one you are looking for.

Mental Floss – This site features pop culture information, trivia, quizzes, and more and is sure to distract you from everything else. (Did you know, for example, that the scent women find most arousing is Good & Plenty candy mixed with cucumber, at least according to a study by the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation?)

This Is Sand – Release your inner artist as you paint with different colors of sand. Very relaxing! 

Radio Garden – Listen to radio stations from around the world. Just select a location from the satellite map and start listening.

Fridge Poem – Express your feelings as you drag refrigerator magnets to make beautiful poetry. Pinch or drag to zoom in to see all of the possible tiles. 

Future Letter – While slightly more serious than some of these other websites, Future Letter is still fun. You write a letter to be emailed back to you in the future, from six months to one year to five years or even 10 years out. It’s a good way to remind yourself of how amazing you are now!

Stellarium – This information-packed website offers you a view of the night sky from wherever you are. Click on different stars and orbiting objects to learn more about the universe.

My Retro TVs– Be warned: this site can keep you distracted for days as you relive the nostalgia of the past decades through virtual TVs. Select your decade (1950s through 2000s) and then turn on the TV. Change the channel to see different shows, movies, commercials, and music.

Do you have other fun websites you go to for relaxation? Please share them in the comments below!

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AI/VR

Utilizing AI as a Personal Tutor

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

We have started seeing how AI can help us to do things faster and more efficiently. But it can also help us learn necessary content more quickly and easily. To discuss this, let’s take a look at Llama Tutor. (Please note that there are other AI products that can act as a personal tutor, include MagicSchool AI, Brisk Teaching, and Flint, to name just a few. I selected Llama Tutor for this test simply because of its low price.)

What Is Llama Tutor?

Llama Tutor is a completely free website that is designed to create personalized content for your interests at a variety of education levels. You can select elementary, middle school, high school, college, undergrad, or even graduate for the difficulty level of the content. Then enter a topic you want to learn about, and the site will create a personalized tutor for you. 

Because the site is open source, you can even download it and run it on your own server (for district use, for example). 

A Sample Tutoring Session

I tried an elementary level tutoring session on our solar system. Once I entered in my grade level and the topic, the tool gave me the following.

I was given with the basic information,  followed by some “Fun Facts” and other related topics that I might want to learn about. I could then ask other questions or request that it quiz me on the content provided or even give me vocabulary words and definitions from the reading. It is able to provide instant feedback on user input, helping learners identify areas where they need to improve. This immediate feedback allows for quick corrections and a more efficient learning process. 

Llama Tutor has a conversational tone to it, which makes it easier to engage with. And the cited sources are clickable, which means I can follow them for more learning. 

While the site doesn’t provide any graphics of its own, it does link to reputable sites with graphics and videos. 

How Reliable Is Llama Tutor?

LlamaTutor uses a Large Language Model (LLM) to search the web for relevant information using either Bing’s API or Serper’s API. It lists its sources on the right side of the screen so that you can check their authenticity. Because it uses the latest information from the web, it is always current. 

Student data security is a critical component of any AI tool used, and especially for personalization of learning. 

The Future of AI as a Personal Tutor

Finding time to individualize learning for the needs of each student is almost an impossible task for educators today. But AI tools like the Llama Tutor can help. This particular resource is a very basic one, and there will be more advanced models available. But the fact that it is completely free and can be run by a district on its own website makes it a powerful resource to check out.

What can education look like with the use of personalized tutors for each child? It’s not about replacing the teacher. Instead, it’s about allowing each student to learn at his/her own pace while the teacher works with others in small groups. It gives the teacher back time, which is a commodity that is always in short supply in the classroom. While there are definitely safety considerations to be contemplated and ensured, this approach can work for learners of all ages. 

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AI/VREducational TrendsPlanning and PreparationTechnical Support

The AI in Education Journey: You’re Not Alone

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Back in April of 1993, educators were buzzing about the newest thing in technology: the World Wide Web. Parents and community members were worried about it exposing students to things they didn’t normally have access to, administrators were worried about it distracting students, and teachers were confused about how or even if to integrate it into their classes. 

Fast forward to today and the same thing is happening with artificial intelligence. Some experts are claiming that it can revitalize the school system and learning and others are predicting it will be the end of the world. So, what’s an educator to do?

The AI in Education Journey

TCEA was one of the few organizations that was prepared and ready 32 years ago to help teachers and administrators implement the use of the web into learning, and we are just as prepared today to help with AI. For that reason, our professional development staff members have created the AI in Education Journey for school districts and campuses to use. It’s called a journey because the effective implementation of any new tool is not a one-stop process; it’s a slow and carefully planned expedition that moves through different stages based on the needs of the individual.

TCEA’s AI in Education Journey is an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with our team of educational experts as you harness the power of AI in your school or district. From a personalized pre-assessment to scalable growth strategies, we have the tools and know-how to support you every step of the way. 

Stages in the AI Journey

There are five different stages in successfully implementing AI:

  • Stage 1: Discover AI’s True Potential for Teaching, Learning, and Leading
  • Stage 2: Plan for AI Integration 
  • Stage 3: Master AI Basics with Hands-On Professional Learning
  • Stage 4: Activate AI in Education
  • Stage 5: Sustain and Scale AI

The pre-assessment will tell you exactly what stage your organization is at with the implementation of AI. Some schools may need to start at Stage 1 while others may be ready for a later stage. The Journey is designed to fit each group’s specific needs and meet them where they are at.

Numerous resources are included for each stage of the journey, from custom GPTs to personalized online and face-to-face learning, sample policies, tool rubrics, ideas for student AI use including a K-12 curriculum framework, and so much more. TCEA has done the hard work of gathering all of the necessary materials, concepts, discussion points, and samples to help you move forward.

And, the AI Journey is priced to meet the budgetary limits that schools are currently under, ensuring that every district and campus can take advantage of the program without breaking the bank.

Join Us on the AI in Education Journey

Educators will gain hands-on expertise with the best AI tools to personalize learning, streamline workflows, and engage students. Meanwhile, administrators and leaders will develop actionable strategies, ethical policies, and data-driven insights to implement AI initiatives that drive institutional growth and success.

From foundational awareness to long-term scaling, this journey equips your entire team with the skills, resources, and confidence to lead the way in AI-powered education. Let TCEA be your guide to making AI an integral and sustainable part of your learning community!

If you are interested, please complete the short form at the bottom of this page and we will get back to you to discuss the needs you may have. We look forward to traveling with you!

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Elementary Technology Conference

Attend the Top Conference for PreK-5 Educators

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Are you looking for conference for PreK-5 educators that offers immediate, high-impact classroom solutions without straining your budget or draining your energy levels? Sounds like you’re searching for the 2025 Elementary Technology Conference (ETC)! Join us this June 15-17 in Galveston, TX, for an unbeatable gathering for PreK–5 educators, librarians, instructional coaches, and administrators that offers classroom-ready ideas, hands-on workshops, networking opportunities, and more, all across from the beautiful beaches of South Texas!

Advance Pricing Ends Soon

One of the best ways to maximize your investment is to register early. At the time of this article’s publication, you can register for just $269 with Advance Pricing. That’s a $30 savings on our regular ticket price of $299. Plus, your registration includes breakfast, lunch, and a snack each day!

Advance Your Career with 15 Hours of CPE

As a top conference for PreK-5 educators, ETC offers 15 hours of continuing professional education (CPE), making your time an investment that can often be applied toward district or state recertification requirements.* You will receive clear documentation of exactly which sessions you attend, so there’s no guesswork in showing proof of completion or meeting any certification requirements.

Dive In with Pre-Conference Learning Labs

ETC is known for its hands-on workshops and Learning Labs, where you can explore new tools, practice emerging teaching strategies, and walk away with ready-to-use lesson plans. For an additional $39, you can participate in a deep dive on topics specifically designed for tight budgets or limited resources. These sessions focus on free or low-cost technology tools, ensuring you can begin implementing new ideas as soon as you return to your campus. This year’s Learning Labs include:

  • AI for Elementary Learners
  • Integrating STEAM for Innovative Learning (PreK-2)
  • Integrating STEAM for Innovative Learning (3-5)
  • The Science of Icebreakers and Team Building for Enhanced Learning in Students and Professionals

A Showcase of Solutions for PreK-5 Educators

The exhibitor hall is a highlight for many attendees. You can meet vendors who demonstrate how their products boost student engagement while remaining financially manageable for your district. Many also offer free trials or discounts, letting you test out new software or devices without committing to large expenses. It’s a great chance to discover options you might not otherwise encounter, and to connect directly with experts who can offer guidance and personalized suggestions.

Gain a Lifetime of Support with TCEA

Even after you head home, your learning doesn’t stop. Registration grants you a lifetime membership in TCEA, which means ongoing access to weekly live and recorded webinars, a robust online forum with nearly 85,000 educators, and countless additional resources to keep your skills sharp. You’ll become part of a supportive community where you can ask questions, share insights, and exchange best practices with peers and thought leaders year-round, at no extra membership cost.

Networking, Guidance, and Unmatched Learning

The true power of TCEA’s Elementary Technology Conference lies in what you bring back to your classroom. By gathering innovative teaching ideas, proven templates, and practical lesson plans, you’ll be equipped to deliver high-quality instruction the moment school starts again. The ability to demonstrate measurable classroom impact — such as increased student engagement or improved digital literacy — can also help justify future funding requests for professional development, especially when district budgets are tight.

Soak Up New Knowledge then Soak Up the Rays

Whether you’re a PreK–5 teacher, librarian, instructional coach, or campus administrator, ETC promises new techniques, valuable connections, and resources you can put into action. By registering early, you’ll reduce costs, gain up to 15 hours of CPE, and enjoy meals, expert-led sessions, and a built-in network of professionals eager to share and collaborate. Don’t miss your chance to secure lasting benefits for both your students and your career. Sign up now and invest in a summer learning experience that truly pays off.

*Texas CPE credits are not accepted in every state. Check with your state’s education department to see if they accept Texas CPE prior to registering.

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How School Leaders Can Practice Effective Instructional Leadership
Educational ResearchLeadership

Educational Leadership Matters

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Educational leadership plays a pivotal role in student success, with school principals significantly influencing outcomes. From enhancing instructional quality to fostering a positive school culture, the research consistently demonstrates that effective leadership directly can have a measurable impact on student achievement.

Research-Backed Insights on Why Educational Leadership Matters

The value a principal brings to a campus is undeniable. Principals influence school climate and culture by setting high expectations and cultivating an atmosphere of continuous improvement (Leithwood, Day, Sammons, Harris, & Hopkins, 2006). When teachers feel supported and guided, their instructional quality improves, which directly elevates student outcomes.

Effective principals align resources, professional development, and school policies with the goal of enhancing teaching and learning. They also promote collective teacher efficacy—an influential factor with one of the highest effect sizes in John Hattie’s research.

Instructional Leadership vs. Transformational: What Impacts Students Most?

Most school leaders are trained in transformational leadership, which focuses on vision, inspiration, and broad-scale change. They create common goals, buffer external demands, give teachers autonomy. While these are important qualities, Hattie found that its effect size (~0.11) is relatively small in improving student outcomes. Transformational leadership is far below the hinge effect size of 0.4. That’s primarily because this type of leader doesn’t focus on teaching and learning.

By contrast, instructional leadership emphasizes pedagogical development, teacher support, and direct engagement with the teaching and learning process. The effect size of an instructional leader (0.42) is almost four times that of the transformational leader. Instructional leaders are are directly involved in guiding curriculum in the classroom, instruction, and assessment practices. This leadership style, supported by Robinson, Lloyd, and Rowe (2008), significantly outperforms other styles in driving student achievement.

Effective principals consistently communicate high academic expectations and model evidence-based instructional practices. They actively involve teachers in analyzing student data to identify learning gaps and collaboratively develop targeted interventions—a strategy well-supported by Hattie’s research on visible learning (Hattie, 2009)

How School Leaders Can Practice Effective Instructional Leadership

Below are some research-based strategies for practicing effective instructional leadership in schools:

1. Prioritize Instructional Leadership Activities

  • Allocate Time for Classroom Observations:
    Schedule regular, brief visits to classrooms and follow up with timely, actionable feedback. This supports the belief that continuous teacher growth is achieved with clear feedback and not tied to the formal teacher evaluation process.
  • Engage in Data-Informed Discussions:
    Lead data reviews to identify student performance trends. Collaborate with teachers to design and implement instructional strategies based on the findings. (Incidentally, identifying the most effective instructional strategies is one of the first things the principal must do. Explore TCEA’s research-based online courses for additional support on this topic.)

2. Cultivate a Collaborative School Culture

  • Foster Professional Learning Communities (PLCs):
    Encourage teachers to meet regularly to analyze student work, co-develop lesson plans, share best practices, and reflect on instructional outcomes.
  • Promote Shared Leadership:
    Distribute leadership tasks to teacher leaders or department heads, offering them autonomy while maintaining focus on collective school goals and standards.

3. Provide Effective Feedback and Support

  • Offer Specific, Timely Feedback:
    Give actionable feedback aligned with clear success criteria and directly connected to student learning goals.
  • Personalize Professional Development:
    Customize professional learning based on teacher needs, subject area, and student data. Each session should directly connect to classroom practice. Professional development should not follow a one-size-fits-all approach.

4. Set and Communicate High Expectations

  • Establish Rigorous Goals:
    Collaborate with staff to define ambitious yet attainable learning outcomes. Support teachers in distinguishing between behavior goals and true learning goals.
  • Celebrate Progress:
    Recognize and communicate small wins and data-driven improvements to strengthen collective efficacy and sustain commitment to schoolwide goals.

5. Build Relational Trust

  • Be Visible and Approachable:
    Engage with students, families, and teachers by regularly visiting classrooms, hallways, and school events to foster transparency and trust.
  • Practice Active Listening:
    Solicit input from staff, students, and community members so that it’s clear that every voice shapes school improvement.

Building Impact at Scale

Leadership doesn’t require dramatic overhauls. Small, intentional practices —like classroom walk-throughs, targeted feedback, and collaborative problem-solving—compound to create meaningful gains in student achievement. When instructional leadership becomes embedded in a principals and assistant principals daily routine, school outcomes improve consistently over time.

FAQs on Educational Leadership

What is educational leadership, and why does it matter?

Educational leadership involves guiding and supporting teachers, students, and school communities to achieve learning goals. It matters because strong leadership directly affects teacher performance, school culture, and student achievement.

How does instructional leadership differ from transformational leadership?

Instructional leadership focuses on teaching and learning—observing classrooms, using data, and supporting teacher growth. Transformational leadership, on the other hand, centers on inspiring and motivating staff through vision and change. Research shows instructional leadership has a stronger impact on student outcomes.

What does collective efficacy mean in schools?

Collective efficacy is the shared belief among educators that they can positively influence student learning. When school leaders reinforce this belief, it boosts motivation, collaboration, and achievement across the school.

How can school leaders use data effectively?

Effective leaders use data to identify learning gaps, inform instructional decisions, and personalize professional development. It helps align teaching practices with student needs and schoolwide goals.

What strategies help build trust in school leadership?

Being visible, following through on commitments, and actively listening to teachers and staff are key. Trust grows when leaders consistently support their teams and value their voices.

Why is setting high expectations important for principals?

High expectations signal belief in students’ and teachers’ potential. When principals set clear, ambitious goals and celebrate progress, it cultivates a culture of achievement and continuous growth.

References on Educational Leadership

More Educational Leadership Reads

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