A trailer video inspired by teacher Noel Pauller's pet hamster kicks off AP Biology in his Maryland classroom, where the content is one of the tech tools he uses to build storyline units and structure the curriculum with a central story. Pauller also collaborates with other AP Bio teachers in monthly video conferences, discussing ideas that include alternative assessments in which students use visuals, data and text.

Dayton Public Schools is using a live virtual teaching model to bring certified subject-matter experts into classrooms to address teacher shortages, particularly in math, science, special education and multilingual learning. The model, piloted with Elevate K-12, involves real-time instruction from certified educators with the support of in-person paraeducators to manage the classroom.

Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI and other tech companies are investing millions in AI training for teachers through partnerships with major unions such as the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. The initiative plans to train 400,000 teachers over five years for the future workforce. The unions emphasize that educators will lead the training, focusing on safety, privacy and practical AI skills.

School districts are adopting a more strategic approach to purchasing educational technology as funding becomes tighter, say some leaders who attended the EdTech Week conference. Districts are moving toward intentional adoption based on evidence and specific needs, evaluating products for efficacy, curriculum alignment and equity.

School districts nationwide are grappling with declining enrollment, prompting creative solutions. In Alabama, lawmakers hope expanding the "Don't Say Gay" law will address this issue, though officials cite factors such as the CHOOSE Act and homeschooling. Maryland's Montgomery County attributes declining enrollment to lower birthrates, expecting a loss of over 6,000 students in six years. Utah faces similar trends, with Superintendent Molly Hart noting demographic shifts and increased school choice. Meanwhile, Florida's Broward County Public Schools faces an $85 million budget deficit following a drop of almost 10,000 students, potentially because of immigration enforcement.