School’s Out for Summer: Dispatches from EWA Summit 2026
Earlier this month, we attended the Education Writers Association (EWA) Summit in Baltimore, where journalists, educators, researchers, and communicators gathered to discuss the forces shaping education. In this issue, we're sharing the trends, ideas, and conversations that stood out most, and what they may mean for the stories ahead.
The Ed5: The Stories, Stats, and Shifts Highlighted
at EWA
Dismantling the Department of Education – One of the most thought-provoking sessions at the EWA Summit explored whether recent federal education actions are truly unprecedented or part of a longer historical cycle. Moderated by NPR’s Cory Turner, panelists discussed how the federal role in education has evolved and how current debates reflect deeper tensions around power, politics, and public perception. Panelists highlighted growing instability across both higher education and K-12, from uncertainty around research funding and accreditation to concerns over special education oversight and federal disbursements.
0to5 Insight: Education policy conversations are becoming increasingly politically charged. Messaging that focuses on real-world impact, rather than ideology or broad policy rhetoric, is more likely to resonate with educators, families, and reporters.
- AI in Education – Moving Beyond the Hype – Another standout EWA session focused on cutting through the hype surrounding AI in education and examining what is actually happening in schools. A recurring theme was the need for “student-centered AI,” with discussions centered on AI literacy, ethical use, student privacy, accessibility, and informed consent. The panel also explored concerns around equity, including how speech recognition tools can struggle with accents and frustrate multilingual learners. While AI is rapidly becoming part of the educational landscape, panelists cautioned against rushing implementation without clear evaluation plans, teacher training, and evidence-based policies.
0to5 Insight: The AI conversation in education is maturing quickly. Reporters and educators are increasingly less interested in futuristic promises and more focused on practical implementation, measurable outcomes, ethics, and student impact. Organizations communicating about AI in schools should lead with evidence, transparency, and real classroom experiences, not hype.
- Teacher Retention & Workforce Redesign: Rethinking the One-Teacher Classroom Model – A session on teacher retention explored how districts and states are rethinking the structure of the teaching profession itself. Panelists discussed models such as team teaching, collaborative planning, career ladders, and differentiated compensation – all aimed at making teaching more sustainable and professionally rewarding. Speakers argued that the traditional one-teacher, one-classroom model often leaves educators isolated, with limited opportunities for collaboration, coaching, or career growth.
Research shared during the session suggested that teacher-led collaborative teams can improve both teacher satisfaction and student outcomes.
0to5 Insight: As teacher burnout and retention remain major education challenges, expect growing attention on workforce redesign – not just recruitment – as districts look for ways to make teaching more collaborative, flexible, and sustainable.
- How to (and How Not to) Build Meaningful Relationships with Journalists – In a practical and candid session, a panel of education reporters discussed how sources can move beyond transactional pitching to build genuine, lasting media relationships. The journalists noted that fewer than 5% of cold pitches succeed, making relevance, patience, and human-centered storytelling essential. They encouraged communicators to replace generic press releases with informal relationship-building, share raw data rather than pre-packaged conclusions, and provide access to credible sources such as parents and teachers. The panel also offered practical guidance on embargoes, transparent AI use, and handling post-publication feedback.
0to5 Insight: Media relations is a two-way street built on trust. To cut through the noise, comms professionals should treat reporters as partners rather than promotional vehicles. This means respecting their processes by offering exclusive data, providing direct access to classrooms and real people, and maintaining open, professional lines of communication even when a story doesn't go exactly as planned.
- What Gen Z Tells Us About Life After Graduation – A session moderated by The Hechinger Report's Jill Barshay explored whether schools are adequately preparing students for life after graduation. Findings from a Harris Poll study of 5,000 public school graduates revealed gaps between high school preparation and adult outcomes, including employment, earnings, and postsecondary completion. The research also found that only 14% of young adults are full-time students without work obligations, underscoring growing economic pressures and the need to look beyond test scores and graduation rates when measuring student
success.
0to5 Insight: The traditional definition of student success is fundamentally outdated. Education leaders should complement short-term metrics with long-term outcomes like workforce readiness, degree completion, and financial stability. Messaging that demonstrates measurable postsecondary and economic impact will resonate with policymakers, families, and journalists alike.
Research and Data
Beyond the discussions at EWA, several new research reports are helping shape conversations around college readiness, workforce preparation, autism employment, and student attendance.
- A new YouScience report found that despite rising graduation rates, many students still feel unprepared for life after high school. In a survey of 1,000+ recent graduates, 77% said they feel only somewhat or not at all prepared for the real world. At the same time, four-year college enrollment has dropped sharply since 2019 as more students pursue trade school, community college, or direct workforce entry.
A national survey from NEXT for AUTISM examining the workplace experiences of more than 400 autistic adults found that direct managers play the biggest role in shaping employee success. While many respondents feel supported and valued at work, a large majority also report experiencing masking, emotional exhaustion, and communication challenges in order to succeed professionally. The report urges employers to create more flexible, supportive work environments for autistic employees.
CENTEGIX, a wearable safety technology provider for K-12 education, released its 2026 School Safety Trends Report, which examines the technology and legislative trends shaping K–12 safety across the U.S. The analysis draws on CENTEGIX Safety Platform data from the 2025–26 school year, including more than 346,000 safety alerts, to identify emerging patterns in school emergency response and safety planning.
SchoolStatus recently released an analysis of 89 school districts serving more than 513,000 students across nine states, finding that districts using SchoolStatus Attend reduced chronic absenteeism by an average of 18% in the first year and 36% after two years. Among districts with two years of data, 96% saw improvement. The company credits the results to a combination of proactive family communication and predictive attendance analytics that help schools identify and support at-risk students early.
#EdWatch: Live from EWA
What’s driving the education conversation right now? In this edition of #EdWatch, we’re highlighting recent posts from reporters across the beat.
At the recent EWA National Seminar, EdTrust president and CEO, Denise Forte, joined Washington Post’s Laura Meckler and fellow education leaders for a discussion on the future of education reform and what it will take to improve outcomes for students. A central theme of the conversation was that education cannot be viewed in isolation, but is deeply connected to the issues families care about most, including affordability, economic mobility, workforce readiness, and opportunity.
New York Times opinion writer Jessica Grose recently visited a group of Georgia public schools that bill themselves as the nation’s first AI-themed schools. While noting the lack of evidence that AI improves educational outcomes, and growing concerns about outsourcing critical thinking to AI, she found that the schools’ success had little to do with AI itself. Instead, it stemmed from strong teaching, engaged students, and a thoughtful learning environment. Her conclusion: effective schools are not built on AI, but on educational fundamentals, with AI serving as just one tool in the toolbox.
Education Week race and opportunity reporter Ileana Najarro recently reported that educators serving immigrant students are seeing growing impacts from federal immigration enforcement efforts in their schools. According to a new national survey from the EdWeek Research Center, educators reported increased student anxiety, higher absenteeism, and greater demand for counseling and mental health support. The findings, which update similar survey results from last fall, highlight how immigration-related concerns are increasingly affecting students' well-being and ability to fully engage in school.
Hechinger Report education journalist Jill Barshay recently explored a surprising disconnect in the research on cellphone bans in schools. While teachers across the country report that students are more attentive and engaged in class after cellphone restrictions are implemented, early studies have found only slim to no improvements in academic outcomes, including in schools that have been phone-free for several years. Barshay examines the emerging research and explores possible explanations for why reducing a major classroom distraction has not yet translated into stronger academic gains.
Spotlight: Coverage That Made an Impact
Here are a few top education placements secured by 0to5 this past quarter — plus a look behind the scenes at how the stories came together.
CENTEGIX in TEACH Magazine: Journalists want to hear from those working in the field. We secured a TEACH Magazine byline for CENTEGIX featuring a customer's firsthand story. In the byline, Gregory Vaughn, an Assistant Principal in Valdosta City Schools in Valdosta, GA, shares how a combination of training and technology helped keep their students and teachers safe during an incident.
SchoolStatus in Newsweek: Using a report featuring 89 districts that have improved student attendance, Zer0 to 5ive secured a Newsweek feature for SchoolStatus, the leading provider of K-12 attendance and family engagement solutions. The report looks at what is working for these districts, which are achieving impressive attendance gains
Laurel Springs School in the Youth Sports Parenting Tribe Podcast: As podcasts continue to grow as a valuable thought leadership platform, Zer0 to 5ive secured a podcast interview for Laurel Springs School on the realities of online education in 2026, how Laurel Springs supports NCAA-bound and elite athletes, and practical advice for parents trying to balance academics, sports, and family life without sacrificing performance or future opportunities.