Dr. Adam Ehrman, Superintendent of Bourbonnais Elementary School District#53 (BESD#53), builds resilient school systems through upstream thinking. By strengthening classroom instruction, cultivating district culture and prioritizing organizational health, he has improved outcomes for students and staff, earning recognition as Education Insider’s 2026 School District Superintendent of the Year. “Don’t Chase Symptoms, Cure the System” When I began my tenure at BESD#53 in July 2020, the district faced a perfect storm: a global pandemic, a looming teacher strike and significant school board turnover. Under that pressure, our initial efforts were reactive, focused on intervention after students fell behind. We were stuck in response mode. Yet a district cannot become resilient by improving crisis management. True resilience requires a shift in strategy. The work must begin before data shows failure, not after students have lost time and confidence. That realization moved my approach toward upstream thinking, solving problems at their source before they escalate. In education, this means strengthening core instruction, organizational health and adult capacity so academic gaps and staff burnout are prevented rather than managed later. We pivoted from reactive Tier 2 support toward an elite Tier 1 instructional program. By hiring instructional coaches, we strengthened pedagogy before learning gaps required intervention. It was the difference between pulling people out of the river and going upstream to fix the bridge. “Don’t Be Interested, Be Obsessed” Our Mission 2033 commits us to ensuring that 100 percent of students achieve and maintain academic proficiency by eighth grade. We do not treat this as a lofty goal. We treat it as an outcome we have built and are on track to accomplish. That is the difference between being interested and being obsessed. A line from Cars has always stayed with me: “I just never thought I couldn’t.”
Online Colleges and Universities
For nearly four decades, the Academy of Natural Therapy in Greeley, Colorado, has trained massage therapists through a family-operated, mom-and-pop model built around hands-on learning, flexibility and student success. Founded by Dorothy Mongan, the academy has remained in the family through the leadership of her son, James Mongan and now Jennifer Mongan, his wife. Across generations, the school has continually refined its curriculum and student support systems while maintaining its personalized approach. Today, it combines massage and esthetics training with a degree pathway designed to support long-term career success. One of the academy’s most distinctive features is its Associate of Applied Science degree option. The school added the pathway in 2010 after recognizing that many massage therapists held certifications without an academic degree. At a time when such options were uncommon, the academy filled that gap. Students enter through a 750-hour or 975-hour massage program before continuing into degree coursework, pairing practical training with a credential that supports long-term careers. "We truly believe massage is an art form, and the education needs to be in-person and hands-on so students can develop their skills," says Jennifer Mongan, owner. Viewing massage as both a profession and an art form influences every aspect of the academy's educational approach. The school believes effective practitioners develop more than technical proficiency. They must also cultivate communication skills, clinical judgment and the hands-on awareness that comes through guided practice and mentorship. Monthly assemblies, open-door access, detailed handbooks and clear communication help keep students engaged throughout training.
Top Online University 2026
Digital transformation and the rise of AI have accelerated the knowledge obsolescence cycle. Degree programs no longer guarantee relevance, as knowledge is updated faster than it can be applied. This demands a shift in higher education toward continuous skill application. Silicon Valley University SF Online is a postgraduate institution that closes the gap between learning and application by aligning education directly with real-world requirements. The institution treats education as an ongoing system that evolves with professional demands, focusing on immediate applicability instead of delayed use. Its graduates enter the workforce prepared to be at the forefront of the global industry. “Our approach focuses on preparing students to operate in real-world environments from day one,” says Victor Mayber, founder and CEO.
Top Multi Tiered Systems of Support Solutions 2026
Educators across the country are working harder than ever to support students academically, behaviorally, and emotionally. However, navigating the complexity of multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) often means juggling fragmented data, slow intervention cycles, and limited training, all within their already limited time frame. Neulight, a company rooted in advanced engineering and applied AI, is resolving this three-fold knot. It designed IntelliTier—an AI-powered MTSS platform to help schools operationalize support frameworks efficiently, consistently, and in real time. Despite its Silicon Valley pedigree and AI expertise, the team made IntelliTier for practical use in real classrooms, not abstract tech uses. “Our mission isn’t disruption—it’s collaboration,” says Andrew Lawrence, co-founder and CTO. That philosophy is reflected across IntelliTier’s feature set. Schools often struggle with data silos, behavior events tracked on paper, and interventions scattered across Google Docs, resulting in the loss of critical decision-making information. IntelliTier replaces this with a unified, FERPA-compliant repository that brings together academic, behavioral, and social-emotional data. It integrates with student information systems (SIS), pulling in grades, attendance, and other data without requiring redundant entry. “We co-create tools with educators that make MTSS more actionable, less burdensome, and more consistent, so students actually get the support they need, when they need it,” says Jose Moreno, founder and CEO. Beyond centralization, it brings consistency and clarity. Educators record behavioral events using customizable forms built around the antecedent-behavior-consequence (ABC) model, ensuring a common language across staff. Each school can configure form fields and dropdowns to reflect their workflows, while dashboards surface risk trends across district, school, grade, class, or student levels—giving educators a high-level view and granular insight. IntelliTier’s AI builds on this visibility by highlighting key patterns and recommending interventions tailored to each student, translating information into research-backed action.
Private School
Every child is full of possibility, and their uniqueness is what makes them truly beautiful. While some shine in poetry, history, athletics, or debates, others are gifted in the field of STEM, and each path is just as valuable. Nurturing the latter, however, is not commonplace. Many schools celebrate elocution and artistic expression, but few offer a learning environment designed to ignite curiosity, innovation, and analytical thinking from the earliest years. That’s where The Galloway School stands apart. The Galloway School is a hub of creative minds. The school is specially designed to cater to students who are naturally drawn to STEM fields, focusing on robotics, chess, and other STEM-related activities. With that recognition, the school embraces its academic identity, establishing itself as the premier STEM institution in Friendswood, Texas, just south of Houston. For 32 years, Galloway has championed a culture where “design, build, and create” are more than just buzzwords; they are the foundation of learning. From preschool Lego robotics to competitive robotics teams, and from hands-on science projects to entrepreneurship initiatives, Galloway nurtures thinkers, makers, and innovators. Its small class sizes and individualized learning approach ensure that every child, whether gifted or still discovering their strengths, receives the support to excel. With partnerships that extend as far as the International Space Station and programs that consistently place its students in the top national percentiles, The Galloway School continues to prove that when curiosity is cultivated early, brilliance naturally follows. “As a STEM-focused school, we are driven by a direct response to what our students truly value—designing, building, and creating,” says Dr. Todd Herauf, Head of School. “We meet them where they are and help them grow from there.”
Social and Emotional Learning
Simulating Social-Emotional Interactions to Improve Communication and Empathy
Clint Carlson, Director of Education Technology Innovations - Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado
Education and Admission Consulting
Admission Strategies from both the Applicant and College's Perspectives
Young Hah, Director of Graduate Admissions & Enrollment Services, Baruch College
Professional Development Services
Insights From A Career Rooted In Education And Equity
Nicole DiRanna, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, San Marcos Unified School District
Boarding Schools
In the Battle Against Pain: How Peripheral Nerve Stimulation is Changing the Game for Clinicians and Patients With Nerve Pain
Scott G. Pritzlaff, MD, Professor; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, UC Davis Health
Classroom Services
Making Correct Leadership Decisions About Online Education
Dr. Anthony A. Pina, Chief Online Learning Officer and Director of Online Education, Illinois State University
IN MY OPINION
After School Training
Strategic HR Leadership in Public Education
Brian Redmond, Ed.D., Director, Human Resources, Clark County School District
LAST WORD
Hospitality and Service Industry Training
Maximizing Mobile Ordering
Rich Perna, Associate Vice President of Hospitality Services, College of the Holy Cross
IN FOCUS
Redefining Higher Education: Engagement and Growth in Online Learning
Online universities are evolving through strategic positioning, engagement focus, and workforce alignment, driving accessibility, credibility, and sustained growth in competitive education markets.
Future Trends Transforming Modern Massage Therapy School Education
Massage therapy schools are evolving through hybrid learning, specialized healthcare training, technology integration, and career-focused education for future wellness professionals.
EDITORIAL
Advancing Education through Vision and Action
Our cover story honors Dr. Adam Ehrman, Superintendent of Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53, as School District Superintendent of the Year 2026. Through his focus on upstream leadership, Dr. Ehrman has shifted the district from reactive intervention to a proactive model built on strong instruction, educator support and organizational health. Guided by Mission 2033, which aims to ensure every student achieves and maintains academic proficiency by eighth grade, he has fostered a culture of accountability, alignment and measurable progress. His leadership has helped the district surpass pre-pandemic performance levels in reading and mathematics while earning state and national recognition.
This issue also recognizes Silicon Valley University SF Online as Top Online University 2026 for redefining how education translates into real-world success. Through project-based learning, AI-supported pathways and continuously evolving programs, the university helps students build practical skills and hands-on experience that prepare them to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing world.
Our CXO Insights contributors add valuable perspectives to these conversations. Young Hah, Senior Director of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Services at Baruch College, emphasizes the importance of helping students find the right institutional fit. Complementing this, Nicole DiRanna, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at San Marcos Unified School District, shares how equitable curriculum design, technology integration and project-based learning can create more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences.
Together, these leaders show that lasting progress in education starts with a clear vision and a deep commitment to student success. We invite our readers to explore the ideas and perspectives featured in this issue and discover how they can help shape the future of education.
