May 19, 2026

Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Join us this Thursday for a live Q&A to learn how myPlanMember™ can help you better understand your retirement options and take simple steps toward a stronger financial future.

Through AESA’s partnership with PlanMember, all AESA members can access myPlanMember™ resources and tools to support retirement planning and financial wellness — regardless of whether your agency currently works with PlanMember as a retirement plan provider  

During the session, you will learn more about available resources, including retirement planning supports, financial wellness tools, and a pension estimate calculator that can help you better understand retirement readiness.

Bring your questions and discover how myPlanMember™ can help make retirement planning easier and more approachable. We hope you’ll join us!

Live PlanMember Q&A
Thursday, May 21
2:00 pm ET

Speaking of retirement, this is the time of year when many ESA employees begin preparing for their next chapter. As colleagues and leaders retire after years of service to education, we invite you to honor their impact with a donation to the AESA Foundation.

As AESA programming continues to grow (now including three leadership academies) the need for scholarship support continues to grow as well. The AESA Foundation is committed to ensuring that financial barriers never prevent current and emerging ESA leaders from participating in these valuable professional learning opportunities.

Your donation helps fund scholarships that prepare the next generation of ESA leaders to meet emerging challenges, lead with confidence, and strengthen the future of education.

Donations can be made online, or checks may be mailed to:

Mail-in Donations
AESA Foundation
c/o Donations
PO Box 404
Cheshire, CT 06410

Know someone driving transformative change through technology—or is that you? Nominate them (or yourself!) for AESA’s Exemplary Service and Innovation for Technological Advancement Award.

This national recognition honors individuals or agencies who are leveraging technology in bold, meaningful ways to support schools, educators, and students.

Why nominate?

• Celebrate tech-driven innovation in education

• Recognize impactful leadership in your ESA or network

• Showcase how technology transforms teaching and learning

In 2025, Dwight Levens, Jr. was recognized for his leadership in advancing innovative solutions that enhance learning, improve operations, and expand digital equity across Michigan.

The comprehensive schedule for the AESA Summer Leadership Conference is now available! Explore a dynamic lineup of leadership learning, networking opportunities, and breakout sessions led by fellow ESA leaders sharing innovative practices, insights, and strategies from across the country.

Now is the perfect time to make plans to join your colleagues for meaningful learning, collaboration, and leadership development. Be sure to review the schedule and register before early bird pricing ends June 5.

AESA values opportunities to connect directly with members through state conferences, regional meetings, and professional events. Recently, Executive Director Joan Wade attended the OAESD Spring Conference in Oregon, while Chief Strategy Officer Sheila King connected with members in Nebraska for the ESU Professional Development Organization Statewide Meeting. Throughout the year, AESA staff are honored to participate in gatherings nationwide to share updates, listen to member priorities, and strengthen relationships across the AESA network.

Why Invite AESA to Your Event?

Inviting AESA to your regional event helps:

• Deepen relationships between your agency and the AESA national network
• Provide timely updates on services, programs, and advocacy efforts
• Spark collaboration across state lines
• Ensure your agency’s voice is heard in national conversations

Let’s Connect!

If you're planning a conference, retreat, or professional gathering, consider inviting AESA to attend or present. Contact Joan Wade, AESA Executive Director, to get started. We’d love to support your work in person.

Members may remember that AESA was recently named a new member of the Learning First Alliance (LFA), a national partnership of leading education organizations committed to strengthening public education. In a recent conversation with LFA, AESA Executive Director Joan Wade shared insights on the important role educational service agencies play in supporting school systems, the priorities shaping education today, and the power of collaboration in moving public education forward.

The Center for Inclusive Technology and Education Systems (CITES) is excited to partner with AESA to support your work. As district leaders navigate inclusive technology and accessibility, CITES provides practical strategies and resources to help districts implement inclusive technology practices including meeting ADA Title II expectations and ensure all students can fully access digital learning opportunities. Check out an overview of CITES and stay tuned for specific resources and collaborative activities.  

Below is an event CITES is hosting next week.

AI, AT and IEP

Generative AI is becoming more common in classrooms, but teams still need a clear process for deciding when an AI-supported tool functions as assistive technology for an individual student. Join CITES and QIAT for Tech InCITES: Generative AI and the IEP Process Thursday, May 28, 1:00 to 1:30 PM EST.  We will explore how AT myths and facts, QIAT indicators, and the IEP process can guide teams considering generative AI as AT, with a focus on human verification, training, documentation, implementation, and protecting the integrity of the learning task. Register here. 

AESA advocacy partner AASA has opened registration for the Strategic Allies, Stronger Minds: Building Resilience and Well-Being for Academic and Life Success Summit, taking place June 25–26 in Chicago.

This no-cost event will feature dynamic speakers, youth panelists, interactive breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and collaborative discussions focused on supporting youth mental well-being and resilience.

Space is limited. Learn more and register through AASA’s Strategic Allies, Stronger Minds Summit webpage.

The primary focus of this month's article is on the recently released CoSN U.S. State of EdTech 2026 Report.

This article from The Hechinger Report dives into how schools are cutting their DEI initiatives or positions despite community support, citing shrinking student enrollments and rollbacks in federal funding that threaten school budgets, even as the Administration's anti-DEI directives for K-12 schools have been defeated in court. 

Molly Herbert Lloyd writes in K-12 Dive about how the effectiveness of efforts to combat chronic absenteeism depends not just on what advocates do, but also on who they are.

Conversations with Kevin Hogan: Karl Rectanus brings his edtech evidence background to the nation's original science of reading organization — and is betting on outcomes-based contracting to close the literacy gap.

The Washington Post examines how some states and districts are scaling back major technology commitments following pressure from parents and advocacy groups seeking to limit student screen time

An EdWeek Research Center survey of over 700 educators finds that more than half feel pressure to improve middle and high school math achievement, with attendance and engagement emerging as significant challenges alongside other key findings about math instruction at the secondary level.

Through an analysis of recent studies, The74 finds that wealthy families are twice as likely as low-income families to receive 504 plan accommodations, while IEP recipients are far more likely to come from low-income backgrounds, highlighting stark disparities in how students access disability resources.

This article explores two promising afterschool tutoring programs and questions whether integration into the school day is a critical design feature of effective tutoring programs.