Each year, the pace of change in K-12 education seems to accelerate, and 2026 is no exception. From the expanding influence of artificial intelligence to new expectations for online security and safety, schools are balancing bold innovation with the realities of limited time, resources, and capacity.

That’s where CoSN’s Driving K-12 Innovation initiative comes in. Guided by a global Advisory Board of educators, technologists, and thought leaders, this work surfaces the forces most shaping learning today for tomorrow’s learners.

“The power of this work lies in its collective intelligence,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN. “When leaders come together to identify the forces driving, hindering, and enabling teaching and learning, we’re not simply naming trends — we’re shaping how innovation takes root in schools. These insights give educators everywhere a clearer sense of what matters most and how to move forward with purpose.”

View the 2026 Top Topics

After months of collaboration, discussion, and analysis, the Advisory Board has selected the 2026 Top Topics — the challenges, trends, and technology tools that will define the future of K-12 innovation. A few observations:

  • Hurdles (obstacles): Two new challenges emerged this year, reflecting shifting priorities and pressures facing schools.
  • Accelerators (megatrends): The core megatrends remain unchanged, a signal that these forces continue to drive long-term transformation.
  • Tech Enablers (tools): Two new additions join the list, representing the tools most likely to power the next wave of innovation.

n image listing the Driving K-12 Innovation Top Topics for 2026. Topics are divided into three columns with a header illustration and large title: Hurdles, Accelerators, Tech Enablers. The topics are: Hurdles - Attracting & Retaining Educators and IT Professionals; Ensuring Cybersecurity & Safety Online; Critical Media Literacy. Accelerators - Building the Human Capacity of Leaders; Changing Attitudes Toward Demonstrating Learning; Learner Agency. Tech Enablers - Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI); Data & Information Visualization; Tools for Privacy & Safety Online
Explore the Hurdles, Accelerators, and Tech Enablers that will drive K-12 innovation in 2026:

Hurdles

Top 3 most important Hurdles for schools to address in 2026 that are roadblocks that force schools to slow down, prepare themselves, and make a leap:

  1. Attracting & Retaining Educators and IT Professionals
  2. Ensuring Cybersecurity & Safety Online
  3. NEW! Critical Media Literacy

Accelerators 

Top 3 most important Accelerators for schools to utilize in 2026 to help motivate and increase speed of innovation:

  1. Building the Human Capacity of Leaders
  2. Changing Attitudes Toward Demonstrating Learning
  3. Learner Agency

Tech Enablers

Top 3 most important Tech Enablers for schools leverage in 2026 in order to surmount Hurdles and leverage Accelerators:

  1. Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI)
  2. Data & Information Visualization
  3. Tools for Privacy & Safety Online

How It Works

The Driving K-12 Innovation Advisory Board, which includes more than 130 educators and IT professionals, plays a critical role in shaping the conversation around innovation in education. Board Members contribute by offering thoughtful insights, sharing impactful personal experiences, and challenging their peers to view emerging topics from new perspectives.

Each year, the Advisory Board engages in a collaborative process that includes:

  • Completing an initial survey to identify key topics for exploration;
  • Participating in both live and online discussions to evaluate, refine, and deliberate on pressing issues influencing K-12 education;
  • Completing a final survey to determine the Top Topics that will be highlighted in the annual report.

Attend the 2026 Driving K-12 Innovation Summit

Join education changemakers — including members from our 2026 Advisory Board — on Wednesday, February 4, from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. EST for our annual virtual Summit; the 2026 theme will be Turning Challenges into Momentum for Change. This exclusive event is open to CoSN members, sponsors, partners, Advisory Board members, and invited guests to explore ideas for leading change and receive early access to the 2026 report.

This interactive, two-hour virtual experience will blend expert insights with peer connection. Participants will discover actionable strategies and engaging case studies from EdTech experts. They will also have the chance to dig deeper into the Top Topics with fellow attendees to share how these concepts are intersecting in their work. 

The Summit reinforces that progress doesn’t happen in a vacuum — it takes shared vision, open collaboration, and collective momentum to build what comes next.

Participants will leave with:

  • A snapshot of timely global innovation trends
  • Peer-tested recommendations to navigate change
  • New EdTech community connections

Register now! (Exclusive for CoSN and Advisory Board Members)

AUTHOR: Stephanie King, Writer and Communications Manager,
CoSN’s EdTech Innovations Committee and Driving K-12 Innovation

Published on December 2nd, 2025

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