The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) have selected six educators as 2026-27 Voices of Change Fellows. These practitioners will document and share how schools are implementing artificial intelligence and digital tools in classroom settings.
The fellowship positions these educators as thought leaders tasked with communicating real-world strategies for integrating emerging technologies into K-12 instruction. By highlighting practitioner experiences rather than vendor perspectives, the program aims to ground conversations about edtech adoption in actual classroom outcomes and teacher decision-making.
ISTE and ASCD have jointly launched this initiative to address a gap in education discourse. Most conversations about AI in schools focus on policy concerns or vendor capabilities. The Voices of Change Fellowship centers educator voices, allowing teachers and administrators to share what works, what doesn't, and what questions remain unanswered.
The selected fellows come from different regions and serve different student populations, reflecting diverse school contexts. Their work will reach educators through ISTE's annual conference, ASCD publications, webinars, and online platforms. This multi-channel approach ensures their insights reach teachers planning edtech implementation, administrators making purchasing decisions, and policymakers shaping AI governance.
The timing of this fellowship matters. Schools nationwide are experimenting with generative AI tools in writing instruction, research skills, and personalized learning. Yet many educators report feeling uncertain about best practices, equity concerns, and how to maintain academic integrity. The fellows' documentation provides peer-reviewed perspective from practitioners who face these challenges daily.
ISTE represents over 200,000 education technology professionals globally. ASCD serves 140,000 educators focused on curriculum and leadership development. Their partnership on this fellowship signals shared commitment to ensuring that AI adoption in schools serves student learning rather than simply implementing technology for its own sake. The fellows will shape how the broader education