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Join hosts Ben Kornell and guest host Peter Stiepleman, host of The Imperfect Leader, as they explore AI in schools, screen-time policy, math reform, higher ed disruption, and the future of assessment integrity.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] Peter Stiepleman on leading with “ed, not tech” when implementing AI in schools
[00:06:33] Seattle-area student walkout over ChatGPT access sparks debate on AI in classrooms
[00:08:11] 26 states advance phone bans and K–5 screen-time legislation
[00:10:59] Khan Academy’s failed India rollout shows implementation, not tools, drives impact
[00:16:26] Whether global systems may leapfrog the U.S. in AI-powered education
[00:18:38] AI-supported speech therapy and reading intervention free educators for human connection
[00:20:55] Utah’s math overhaul ignites debate over data science, calculus acceleration, and rigor
[00:27:24] Rural districts innovate through regional collaboration and expanded course access
[00:29:14] Higher ed faces declining endowments, enrollment pressure, and early college expansion
[00:35:09] Anthropic co-founder argues AI will increase the value of humanities degrees

Plus, special guest:
[00:39:10] Brandon Smith, CEO of Integrity Advocate, on AI-driven cheating, proctoring reform, and protecting assessment integrity

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

Tuck Advisors was founded by entrepreneurs who built and sold their own companies. Frustrated by other M&A firms, they created the one they wished they could have hired, but couldn’t find. One who understands what matters to founders, and whose northstar KPI is % of deals closed. If you’re thinking of selling your EdTech company or buying one, contact Tuck Advisors now!

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

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Priyank Chodisetti is the Co-founder and CEO of Workback.ai, an AI-powered platform helping edtech organizations achieve accessibility compliance faster and at scale. A repeat founder and former engineering leader at Coursera, Priyank brings firsthand experience navigating the complexity of WCAG standards and ADA requirements.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Why ADA Title II’s digital expansion is a game-changer for edtech companies
2. How accessibility compliance impacts procurement—even for private vendors
3. What makes accessibility such a strong use case for AI and automation
4. Why traditional audits take months—and how AI can cut that to days
5. How continuous accessibility compliance can replace one-time checklists

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:02:28] What ADA Title II covers and why April 2026 is a critical deadline
[00:05:22] How non-compliant vendors can put schools and districts at risk
[00:08:56] Why accessibility audits traditionally take 11+ months
[00:12:28] Using AI to automate audits, remediation, and VPAT reporting
[00:18:02] The shift from annual audits to continuous compliance
[00:25:04] The human impact of accessibility beyond regulation
[00:28:59] How Workback’s free pilot helps teams see value in days
[00:32:33] Priyank’s perspective on how generative AI is reshaping edtech

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

Tuck Advisors was founded by entrepreneurs who built and sold their own companies. Frustrated by other M&A firms, they created the one they wished they could have hired, but couldn’t find. One who understands what matters to founders, and whose northstar KPI is % of deals closed. If you’re thinking of selling your EdTech company or buying one, contact Tuck Advisors now!

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they unpack a fast-moving week in education. From AI-native curriculum battles and literacy leadership shifts to voucher surges and national AI pilots reshaping special education.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:01:48] ASU+GSV preview and the expanding global EdTech ecosystem
[00:06:25] The 2026 EdTech AI Map launches with 240+ companies
[00:07:14] Brisk introduces AI-powered curriculum integration
[00:09:04] The race to own the AI layer in schools
[00:13:10] Data ownership becomes the key AI battleground
[00:16:59] Kira 2.0 expands into a full AI-native LMS
[00:21:16] Texas ESA applications surge past 61,000
[00:30:20] UK launches $23M AI pilot for special needs
[00:33:40] Microsoft invests in AI teacher training
[00:34:59] Google expands Gemini in education
[00:35:57] UX emerges as EdTech’s new advantage
[00:36:43] The AI grad profile prioritizes human skills

Plus, special guests:
[00:38:33] Karl Rectanus, CEO of Really Great Reading, on literacy outcomes, science of reading implementation, and scaling impact
[01:02:22] Dan Meyer, VP of User Growth of Amplify on AI skepticism, social AI in math classrooms, and keeping learning human-centered

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

Tuck Advisors was founded by entrepreneurs who built and sold their own companies. Frustrated by other M&A firms, they created the one they wished they could have hired, but couldn’t find. One who understands what matters to founders, and whose northstar KPI is % of deals closed. If you’re thinking of selling your EdTech company or buying one, contact Tuck Advisors now!

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.