Leaders are under pressure to innovate to prevent their districts from losing students to private schools and other alternatives. One expert contends that executing on a few key innovations is more important than jumping on every trend to reverse enrollment declines.
For superintendents, depth now matters more than breadth, says Christian Lehr, managing director at Tyton Partners, an advisory firm. Lehr is the co-author of a that suggests districts are at an inflection point.
Over the past decade, leaders prioritized innovation and experimentation of new school models, pathways and course flexibility, according to the report. In 2026, superintendents are shifting to fewer, data-proven initiatives that reach a larger share of students.
“The key gap isn’t appetite for innovation in any way, shape or form in the last decade. It’s really execution,” he says.
The report calls on leaders to focus on student participation in key programs instead of expanding the variety of offerings. Districts with higher engagement in redesigned programs are more likely to stabilize or grow enrollment.
For example, Texas’ Tomball ISD rooted its redesign strategy in student and family engagement, according to the report. The district learned there was a growing demand for flexible post-secondary readiness and career-aligned pathways.
Tomball ISD responded by expanding course offerings, blending learning options and career-aligned experiences while ensuring courses were visible and navigable for students, thereby boosting student enrollment by more than 7%.
To better understand which programs your district should scale, Lehr recommends that superintendents take a “strategic reset.” This involves forming a task force to audit current programs and determine if the student experience is actually improving.
“Take a step back and really take stock of and audit everything that’s been going on,” he says. This allows leaders to “prioritize and select a few of the places that you’ve seen strong traction.”
Find more solutions in the full 鈥淔ield Guide for People Leadership,鈥 which is available with聽.听Then, navigate to the People section of the Content Hub, which is listed in the menu on the left side of 91看片+.
‘Initiatives are temporary’
Leaders often get carried away with the term “initiative.” For Dr. Chris Meyrick, superintendent of New Jersey’s Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District, the word is a temporary fad. His community instead pioneers “persistent practices.”
“In my opinion, these two are completely different,” he says, comparing the two terms. “Lasting improvement is built through sustained, embedded work rather than short-term programs.
“We chose outcomes over outputs.” For example, Meyrick relies on quantitative and qualitative data to measure whether the district’s goals for student achievement match the community’s needs.
Meyrick gathers “conversational data”聽through student leader meetings, community chats and board meetings. Engagement is often an indicator that you’re doing something right.
“If people are consistently present and engaged, it often reflects that we are doing something right,” Meyrick says. “If attendance trends decline or staff continue to resign, it signals the need for deeper examination and conversation.”
To remain competitive, Lehr suggests leaders move away from a “college for all” mentality and redefine success specific to their locality. He recommends leveraging these metrics for student achievement:
- Career readiness and clarity: Help students develop excitement for a specific goal and a clear grasp of how to achieve it.
- Market awareness: Think of your parents as “customers” and identify what they prioritize when making enrollment decisions for their child.
More from 91看片: How to maximize edtech鈥搘hile regulating screen time
