Ideas in Action

Are We Equipping Students for What Comes Next After Graduation?

Too many students leave high school uncertain about their future. Purpose development, paired with high-quality curriculum and AI tools, can change that, helping students build direction, resilience, and real readiness for life beyond graduation

Celebrating Innovation: The 2025 Seminar Leadership Awards

Honoring Collective Genius: Celebrating the 2025 Seminar Leadership Awards Honoree

Making Your Board Work: How to Turn Governance Into Your Competitive Advantage

A veteran education leader once told me that building a strong board is like creating the cool kids table from middle school—you want people that other strong, capable people want to be around. It sounds harsh, but it's true. Here's what I learned about turning governance from a necessary evil into an unfair advantage for your school's success.

The Strategy Behind Valor’s Athletics Program, and How It Supports 56% of Enrollment

Most charter schools treat athletics as an afterthought — a nice-to-have that comes after academics, facilities, and everything else. But what if your athletic program could be your most powerful enrollment tool? Valor Collegiate proves it's possible, driving 40% growth in participation while maintaining 100% graduation rates.

Impact’s AI Rollout Strategy: A Complete Implementation Guide for School Leaders

This past year at Impact Public Schools, we made a decision: AI couldn't be a side project. Here's the three-phase approach we used to thoughtfully integrate Gemini across our organization—and what charter leaders need to know before they start.

Cut Costs, Keep Talent: Rethinking Health Insurance Strategy

While health insurance costs climb 6-8% annually, there's a strategy that 85% of large employers use to save $2,000-$3,000 per employee: self-funded health insurance. Charter schools that make this switch can redirect those savings toward competitive salaries and retention programs. Schools like DSST Public Schools used their savings to fund 8% salary increases and reduce teacher turnover by 23%, proving that smart insurance decisions can become powerful talent strategies.

The Priorities Jar: Make Space for Your “Big Rocks” — Work Only You Can Do

School leadership offers incredible opportunities to create lasting change and drive meaningful progress. This piece introduces the "Big Rocks" framework – a proven approach that helps you to identify and prioritize the impactful shifts that will elevate your school. You'll discover how to distinguish between big rocks, pebbles, and sand, implement strategic planning cycles, and unite your team around what truly matters.

The Facility Trap: What Too Many School Leaders Learn the Hard Way

The instructional plan might be solid. Your team might be strong. But without the right facility strategy, your growth aspirations can unravel quickly. That’s what I learned early in my tenure as the operations leader at a growing charter school network. What followed was a first-hand dive into some of the pitfalls school leaders face when attempting to execute real estate projects. I developed the FRED Framework so others wouldn’t have to learn the hard way. This piece walks you through the essentials - step by step.

How We Build Aligned, High-Impact Summer PD at Valor

After years of leading summer PD, I've learned one truth: your teachers can tell the difference between thrown-together sessions and intentional development. Here's my 4-step framework that launches our strongest school years

Culture Doesn’t Build Itself: Why Internal Communications Matter More Than You Think

If you’re seeing cracks in your school’s culture — burnout, disengagement, staff turnover — don’t skip past the role internal communication plays. In this post, I break down why your culture work is your communication work. I share six domains that matter most, real tactics from school leaders in the field, and the one shift you can make now to strengthen trust, clarity, and cohesion across your team.

Tackling Post-Pandemic Absenteeism: What Worked at Caliber

When Caliber Public Schools saw attendance metrics crash after the pandemic, we made a bold call: put learning recovery on pause and focus entirely on getting students back in the classroom. This article shares how we used the Influencer Model to drive a schoolwide attendance turnaround—dropping chronic absenteeism from 55% to under 20%, rebuilding habits, and creating a lasting culture where showing up matters.

Hiring Senior Leaders with Topgrading

A simple, but powerful system can transform how you hire. From crafting scorecards that define success to asking the kinds of questions that reveal how someone actually leads, Topgrading helps senior leaders hire with more clarity, equity, confidence, and succes.

Why “College for All” May Not Be Enough—And What We’re Doing About It

In this post, we examine what the data reveals about alumni outcomes, and highlight the practical shifts schools are making to better prepare students for life beyond graduation.

Winning the Lottery Isn’t Enough—How to Get Families to Enroll

You’ve guided families through the lottery—but securing a seat isn’t the same as securing enrollment. How do you turn offers into commitments? This post breaks down proven strategies to ensure families say yes with confidence.

Before You Plan, Audit: A Guide to Smarter Academic Planning

How do you know your academic programs are truly effective? Rather than reacting to the loudest problems, take a structured approach to auditing your systems. This guide walks you through a practical process to shape a stronger school year.

How Do Schools Actually Find and Attract the Right Talent?

Hiring season is here. The best schools don’t just wait for applicants—they use smart, strategic hiring practices. We explored ways that you can do the same.

The Resources Academic Leaders Are Using to Finish Strong & Start 2025-2026 Right

The final stretch of the school year is here, and top academic leaders are already preparing for a strong finish—and a seamless transition into the 2025-2026 school year. Here are curated resources available to academic leaders in Seminar.

Mid-Year Calibration: 3 Practical Ways to Refocus Your Team for Success

The semester isn’t over, which means there’s still time to make the right adjustments. Now is the perfect moment to step back, assess your team’s progress, and make sure everyone is set up to finish strong. In this post, I’m sharing practical strategies I’ve used while managing multiple departments at KIPP Texas and IDEA Public Schools to help teams stay focused, motivated, and on track for a successful school year.

Building Safer Schools: 3 Core Principles

How can schools move beyond reactive security measures and build proactive, equitable threat assessment strategies? In this article, we explore key safety leadership principles—from Behavioral Threat Assessments to the 7’s of Emergency Response, and the Always, Sometimes, and Never framework. Learn how school leaders can develop structured, effective responses to threats while prioritizing student well-being and long-term recovery.

Entering Hiring Season with Confidence and Data-Driven Systems

When your CEO asks for hiring updates, do you panic or pivot? Here’s how I stopped scrambling and started strategizing—using free tools, real-time dashboards, and the power of personalized retention.

How New Technologies Can Drive Efficiency and Excellence in Schools

Professionals who use automation report saving about 3.6 hours a week—equivalent to around 23 working days per year. In this post, I share how school leaders can use technology to automate routine activities such as communication, decision-making, and data systems.

Building a Network of Confident Ambassadors: Engaging Families, Staff, Alumni, and Community Partners to Promote Your School

Stories resonate more than stats. Here are tactics to help your school’s supporters—whether parents, teachers, or alumni—become powerful ambassadors without feeling like they need all the answers.

Supporting LA-Area Charter Schools Affected By Wildfires

Our hearts go out to all of the people who have lost loved ones, homes, schools, and other bedrocks of their communities. We’ve compiled a list of ways you can support charter schools and their communities affected by the wildfires.

4-Step Goal-Setting Framework for School Leaders

School leaders are constantly juggling multiple priorities, often feeling like they’re being pulled in every direction. I’ve put together a four-step framework to help you set clear goals and stay focused on achieving them with your teams.

What Actually Drives Retention?

Top three retention strategies that matter: invest in leadership development, recognize unique contributions and build a culture of belonging.

The Bumpy Teacher Dilemma: Mindsets for Tackling Mid-Year Performance Challenges

These four mindsets I’ve learned over the years have changed everything for me. My hope is that they give you some tools—and maybe even a little inspiration—to move forward with confidence.

Your Guide to Minimizing Student Attrition and Planning for Post-Holiday Enrollment

The end of the semester is a crucial time, as it often brings an increase in student departures. See how you can reduce these losses or turn them into valuable learning opportunities.

The Art & Science of Fundraising: 9 Principles from Former Principals

From our years of leading charter schools, we’ve learned what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to attracting major donors. We’re sharing the nine principles that have helped us secure transformative support for our students.