In July 2025, the HOKALI team attended two high-level professional gatherings: the July National Superintendents Forum (Orlando, FL, July 13–15) and the ERDI Summer R&D Institute Session II (Baltimore, MD, July 13–18). These events were instrumental in expanding our understanding of the challenges superintendents face, from navigating political cycles and funding constraints to addressing staff shortages and evolving educational policies.

Our team connected with superintendents and thought leaders from across the country, including states like CA, FL, NY, TX, IN, NC, VA, MO, and NJ, to gather actionable takeaways and build relationships for long-term collaboration.
This month’s insights were brought back by Tomas Bisi, CEO & CTO, Juan Hardoy, Sales Director, and Manuel Bosch, Account Executive.

Their participation in roundtables, networking sessions, and feedback panels allowed us to capture diverse perspectives and better align our solutions with the real needs of school district leaders.

Key Challenges in District Leadership & Innovation

• Board Governance & Political Cycles: In roundtables at the RTM Superintendent Forum, we explored how boards manage superintendents, especially around elections and accountability, including hiring/firing dynamics and communication strategies.

  
  

• Rural Innovation & Community-Based Solutions: Innovation in rural districts relies on strong local partnerships and community engagement. Persistent challenges like transportation and staffing require flexible, locally tailored strategies developed with stakeholders.

  
  

• Tech Access & Responsible Innovation: As AI enters education conversations, leaders are balancing excitement with caution, highlighting the ongoing challenge of ensuring access, training, and equity while experimenting with emerging tools

Learnings & Strategic Insights

Strengthening Board-Superintendent Communication

During a focused roundtable on “How to create & maintain strong communication lines with the board”, we learned that:

• Superintendents must navigate shifting board terms and expectations tied to election cycles.

• Regular, proactive updates and relationship-building are key to maintaining trust and performance overview.

• In some cases, a lack of effective board engagement led to changes in leadership roles.

These discussions underscored the importance of designing engagement strategies that account for board tenure variability, transparency, and mutual accountability.

Rural District Innovation Through Local Partnerships

In the session “The Middle of Somewhere: The Transformation of Rural Education Through Partnerships”, rural superintendents highlighted how innovation is being driven through local, trust-based relationships. Key insights included:

• Partnerships with local nonprofits, universities, businesses, and city agencies are essential to expanding access to enrichment services.

• Transportation and staffing remain major challenges, often requiring multi-district coordination or flexible delivery formats.

• Rural leaders emphasized that successful innovation begins with deep community engagement and realistic expectations.

This confirmed that scalable solutions for rural settings must be flexible, co-created, and grounded in the realities of each specific place.

AI & Technology for Bridging the Digital Divide

The roundtable on “AI & Technology for Bridging the Digital Divide” explored how districts are leveraging AI to improve equity while maintaining safety and educator leadership. We learned that:

• AI is increasingly used to support teachers in lesson planning, student engagement, and differentiated learning.

• The digital divide is not just about devices; it also includes reliable internet, digital literacy for families, and inclusive content design.

• Leaders stressed that technology must enhance human connection, not replace it.

This discussion affirmed that equity-centered innovation must consider access, implementation, and ongoing community training, not just the tools themselves.

Conclusion

Our participation in the July National Superintendent Forum and ERDI Summer Institute 2025 delivered high-value insights on relationship building. By applying these learnings, we can refine our approach to partnerships, outreach, and thought leadership, fostering more sustained impact and broader visibility across the education sector.