At CoSN 2026, K–12 leaders stress staffing, cybersecurity and AI literacy to drive innovation

Staffing, cybersecurity and AI literacy took center stage as K–12 technology leaders gathered in Chicago to discuss the 2026 Driving K–12 Innovation report, released in February by CoSN. A panel of IT leaders who served on the report’s advisory board walked through its findings and shared district-level examples of how they are addressing the year’s biggest challenges and opportunities.

The advisory board behind the report includes approximately 130 members from 14 countries and 32 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C. The report identifies three categories: hurdles—significant barriers to innovation and student success that districts must actively overcome; accelerators—broad trends that speed innovation; and tech enablers.

Panelists said the first hurdle is attracting and retaining staff across both instructional and IT roles, and they emphasized empowerment as the lever that keeps people in schools. Lisa Gustinelli, director of instructional technology and IT administrator for Saint Vincent Ferrer School in Florida, pointed to four elements she considers essential for any employee: purpose, growth, flexibility and opportunity.

Framing schools as mission-driven innovation hubs, she said, gives teachers and technology staff a reason to show up. Professional development, flexible schedules and leadership opportunities can make the difference. “When people feel like they’re invested in the place where they work, they want to stay there,” she said.

Jennifer Williams, director of instructional technology and media services for Newton County Schools in Georgia, added that giving staff ownership of their program areas and space to grow helps them feel valued. Ensuring cybersecurity and safety online is the second hurdle—and it demands a balance between security and usability for students and staff.

In Pennsylvania’s Hampton Township School District, director of technology Ed McKaveney said ongoing education is central to keeping systems secure. He cited organizations such as Common Sense Media and the local educational service agency as partners in training students and staff on appropriate use and in vetting software for privacy agreements.

“Sometimes, it also means saying no to things, especially as new tools evolve,” he said. The third hurdle, critical media literacy, is becoming inseparable from AI literacy. McKaveney said his district is investing in workshops for staff and teachers to help them identify misinformation, with educators passing those lessons on to students.

Exposure matters, he added: without hands-on use of emerging tools, teachers and students can struggle to understand what the technology can generate and how to evaluate it. On the acceleration side, the report’s first trend is building the human capacity of leaders.

Gustinelli said her district is focusing that work in professional learning communities, deliberately reshaping PLCs into true professional learning spaces by selecting and training teacher leaders to facilitate with purpose—rather than allowing the time to drift into logistics or venting.

Panelists said these strategies are aimed at translating the report’s themes into daily practice. With staffing, security and media literacy at the forefront, they argued, districts can prepare students and educators for a rapidly evolving technology landscape while keeping innovation grounded in people and purpose.