K-12 leadership is currently navigating a “perma-crisis”. From the lingering disruptions of a global pandemic to the sudden integration of generative AI, the demands on school principals and superintendents have evolved far beyond the traditional focus on “books, butts, and buses”. In this episode of Trending in Ed, Mike Palmer sits down with Dr. Lisa Herring, the CEO of New Leaders and a veteran superintendent who led major districts like Atlanta Public Schools and Birmingham City Schools through some of the most turbulent years in recent memory.
Dr. Herring shares her perspective on the “problem of practice” facing education today: the critical need for a leadership pipeline that can bridge the gap between traditional instruction and the rapidly shifting needs of the modern workforce. She discusses the “invisible culture” of leading remote districts, the importance of upskilling educators in the age of AI, and why she believes standardized testing is a relic of the past. This conversation is a call to action for “FIRE”—Fearless Innovation Reimagined Education—challenging leaders to stop being afraid of the future and start co-creating it alongside their students.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 – Introduction to leadership transformation in K-12
- 01:03 – Dr. Lisa Herring’s career journey from classroom teacher to CEO
- 03:52 – The mission and impact of New Leaders in developing school principals
- 06:17 – Addressing the leadership pipeline and teacher shortage crisis
- 08:50 – The evolution of the principalship: Moving beyond the “old school” model
- 10:48 – Leading Atlanta Public Schools through the 2020 pandemic
- 17:11 – Education as workforce development and the role of upskilling
- 22:24 – How generative AI is reshaping instruction and administrative work
- 26:47 – Rethinking school structures and mastery-based learning
- 28:38 – Rapid-fire takes on standardized testing and the four-day school week
- 30:37 – Closing thoughts on “FIRE”: Fearless Innovation Reimagined Education
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Palmer Media 2026-01-23 10:00:00
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