9 Smart Strategies for Schools to Do More With Less

Every year, CoSN, the Consortium for School Networking, outlines what it calls hurdles, accelerators, and tech enablers that will shape the future of education—based on feedback from leaders in the field of education.

Over the course of a year, educators discussed what issues are rising in schools. Through these discussions, themes emerged that connect today’s education challenges with tomorrow’s opportunities.

Key Bridges

The 2025 CoSN Driving K-12 Innovation Report calls these “key bridges,” and they include themes like ethical innovation, personalization, the future of work, and critical media literacy. Here’s a deeper look.

• Ethical innovation centers on the “why” of change, aligning efforts with educational goals like fostering growth, equity, and responsible digital citizenship. When it comes to emerging technologies, ethical innovation ensures that advancements prioritize equity and the well-being and success of students, educators, and communities. Innovation and change are neither inherently “good” nor “bad”; the value lies in the purpose and impact.
• Personalization emphasizes the need to tailor learning experiences to meet the diverse needs, strengths, and aspirations of every student, fostering engagement, learner agency, and equity.
• The future of work highlights the rapid and accelerating pace of change (in technology, society, communication, environment, and other aspects of life) transforming the future of work and placing students in an emerging world with social-technical dynamics both congruent and dis-contiguous from ours. Schools and educators have a responsibility to understand and prepare students with the foundational skills and mindsets they need to succeed in life, learning, and work.
• Critical media literacy stresses that students must develop the ability to critically analyze, evaluate, and discern the authenticity and credibility of information across various media platforms, giving them the skills needed to distinguish between primary sources, manipulated media, and fabricated information. This literacy is essential for navigating the complexities of the digital world, promoting responsible use of information, and fostering ethical engagement with technology in the age of AI.

Together, these interconnected themes illuminate a pathway for ed leaders to reimagine and innovate for the future.

Doing More With Less

Schools across the country are constantly asked to do more with less—less money, not enough staff, and dwindling resources. Based on the report’s findings and feedback from the CoSN Advisory Board, here are nine strategies school leaders can implement to optimize their resources and make a bigger impact.

1. Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Boost Efficiency

Maximize AI tools to assist teachers with routine tasks and avoid burnout. AI can help streamline grading, lesson planning, and administrative work.

• Consider using AI as a first-round editor for student papers. This can save teachers significant time while still allowing for personalized feedback.
• Educate your local community about AI to help support its implementation and adoption amongst all stakeholders. Find ways to alleviate fear and help people become comfortable with AI tools.

When implementing AI, start by presenting it as a solution to teachers’ needs. Let them experiment with AI tools to see the benefits for themselves. Remember to prioritize data privacy and ensure any AI models used are trained by diverse individuals to minimize bias.

2. Hire Strategically and Develop Talent

Look for candidates who demonstrate problem-solving skills and initiative. These qualities are invaluable when resources are limited.

• Create growth pathways and leadership development opportunities within your district. For example, technicians could earn certifications to advance to networking roles, shadow colleagues in areas of interest, or participate in staff leadership development programs.
• Conduct exit interviews when staff leave to understand their reasons. Don’t assume you know why people are staying or leaving; ask them directly what matters most for retention.

3. Redefine Educational Priorities

Work with your community to create a portrait of a graduate—a vision of the skills and qualities students should have upon graduation. Use this as a north star to guide instruction, leadership, and processes.

• Redefine what being educated means, removing outdated or disengaging content.
• Shift from process-based assessment toward evaluating thinking skills.
• Consider redefining graduation requirements to include more than just academic measures and seat time.

4. Invest in Targeted Professional Development

Explore purposeful professional development like one-on-one instructional coaching support. This approach has proven successful in quality integration of educational technology and improving student achievement.

• Make learning about instructional technology a key component of leadership development. Include it in retreats, principal meetings, and newsletters.
• Hire tech coaches who are inviting, patient, have expertise, and celebrate teacher and leader efforts.

5. Empower Students through Learner Agency

Encourage students to follow their passions and interests to develop personalized learning pathways. Build on local trends and interests to promote learner agency.

Teach decision-making skills from K-12, with a greater focus on problem-solving abilities. This prepares students for future challenges while potentially reducing the need for intensive teacher guidance.

6. Optimize Technology Use

Identify tools and platforms that can streamline data visualization to impact student learning. Implement technology that truly meets the needs of students.

• Protect student data when using technology.
• Work with your state or local consortium to vet the safety of apps and products before implementation.
• Consider lifecycle planning to ensure you can maintain and update technology over time.

7. Foster Digital Equity

Provide education for families around digital citizenship and community engagement. This can help extend the impact of school resources into students’ homes.

• Consider creating or joining a local consortium for increased buying power when it comes to technology and other resources.
• Evaluate your building infrastructure. Older buildings might need updates to support modern technology effectively.

8. Collaborate and Share Resources

Partner with other public entities to help close gaps and share knowledge on strategies and resources. Collaboration within your district and immediate community can be transformative.

An ideal long-term solution for a school district might be to build its own long-term evolution network, loan out hotspots, and work with the community to build a network in their area. This can provide sustainable, cost-effective connectivity.

9. Cultivate a Culture of Innovation

Think of your role as an innovation advocate rather than just a technology leader. Create psychologically safe environments that empower staff to lead change initiatives with reduced resistance and increased collaboration.

Listen to all stakeholders and align innovations with the school’s vision and mission. This makes it easier for people to understand and support new initiatives.

Doing more with less isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about being smarter with the resources you have. By implementing these strategies, you can create a more resilient, innovative, and effective learning environment, regardless of budget constraints.

Learn more in the 2025 CoSN Driving K-12 Innovation Report.

Krysia Gabenski is editorial director at NAESP.