Nancy Livingston, CEO of the National Summer School Initiative (NSSI), shares what really drives K-12 purchasing decisions from a leader who's been on both sides: district leadership and EdTech sales.

Email strategist Liz Wilcox shares how education brands can simplify their email strategy, build real trust through consistency, and stop overcomplicating the one channel they truly own.

Matt Miller joins to unpack the AI conversation in education, from the “no screens” debate to what EdTech and teacher appreciation are still getting wrong.

Field notes on shifting sentiment around technology, how AI is changing content visibility and credibility, and what education marketers should focus on right now as the K–12 buying cycle moves toward close.

Chris Lehmann explains how school leaders evaluate EdTech, what builds trust over time, and why most outreach fails, including a grounded look at how AI is showing up in real classrooms.

Field notes for education and EdTech marketers on AI visibility, LinkedIn authority, email deliverability myths, and what the Q2 school calendar signals for the buying cycle.

Shelby Jones shares how to reduce friction, handle ghosting and budget pushback, and align marketing and sales around what actually builds trust inside schools today.

Education marketers are navigating AI disruption, shifting budget signals, and increasingly expensive conference strategies, all at once. Elana Leoni breaks down what LLM-driven search means for your website, how to rethink conference ROI beyond lead scans, what the 2026 federal K–12 budget signals actually mean, and why EdTech sales still operate differently from traditional B2B.

Julia Fallon of SETDA breaks down what the 2025 State EdTech Trends Report reveals about how states are responding, where the pressure points really are, and why modernization, not innovation, is the work ahead.

As education marketers plan for 2026 amid tighter budgets and higher scrutiny, this episode explores the signals shaping the year ahead, the growing importance of efficacy, and how to think clearly about where limited marketing dollars and energy should be invested.