The future of education leadership is shifting and today’s most impactful leaders are the ones ready to adapt. Bold voices, authentic student feedback, and a new definition of success are shaping how schools must evolve to meet the needs of every learner.
At the Measure What We Value Summit 2025, hosted by Parsec Education in Fresno, CA, over 250 educators, students, and thought leaders came together to challenge traditional models and envision a better future. Through inspiring keynotes, student-led panels, and action-oriented breakouts, the summit made one thing clear: leaders must be ready to listen differently, measure differently, and lead differently.
Here are three critical lessons every school leader should take from this transformative event.
1. Student Voices Are Shaping the Future of Schools
It’s no longer enough to make decisions about students without hearing from students. At the summit, student leaders took the stage and the spotlight sharing experiences that revealed both systemic challenges and incredible opportunities for growth.
Liliana Sanchez explored the importance of radical re-membering, encouraging schools to support linguistic diversity and create space for multilingual learners to thrive. Timi Ilori shared a heartfelt reminder that human connection is often what transforms a student’s experience more than any program or curriculum ever could. And the National Student Board Member Association (NSBMA) panel modeled the power of giving students real leadership roles in shaping school policies and culture.
The takeaway for leaders:
Authentic student voices must move from the margins to the center of decision-making. Leaders should establish advisory panels, elevate student board members, create open forums, and integrate student feedback into improvement plans.
Questions for action:
- How are you creating space for students to influence real school decisions?
- When students offer feedback, how are you showing them their voice led to action? 👈
2. Leaders Must Redefine Success Beyond Standardized Tests
For years, schools have been asked to measure success by a narrow band of test scores. But at the summit, keynote speakers made it clear: this limited view misses the richness of what true learning looks like.
Dr. Jamila Lyiscott challenged leaders to rethink assessment through a lens of cultural consciousness, reminding attendees that every student brings a unique story, voice, and brilliance to the classroom. Diego Arambula highlighted how reimagining high school structures from curriculum design to student-centered assessments can create environments where more students succeed. Dr. Jamila Dugan called for “radical dreaming,” inviting educators to envision what education could look like if it were built for liberation rather than compliance.
The takeaway for leaders:
Achievement should be about growth, opportunity, and belonging – not just test scores. Schools must invest in new measures that capture holistic student success, such as school climate, postsecondary readiness, and social-emotional development.
Steps to consider:
- Implement tools to get to the “why” behind your existing data collected through school climate surveys
- Pilot alternative assessment frameworks that combine academic indicators with measures of well-being and engagement. (ex: portfolios or capstone projects)
- Host visioning sessions with students, families, and staff to co-define what “success” looks like in your community.
3. Leadership Practices Must Center Fairness, Culture, and Innovation
The call to action was loud and clear: leading meaningful change isn’t about tweaking around the edges, it’s about rethinking leadership itself.
Chaka Booker’s keynote, “Genius Hesitates,” explored how effective leadership requires navigating complexity, recognizing biases, and making decisions that disrupt inequitable systems. His breakout session, “Bias Disrupted,” offered practical strategies to reframe hiring practices and strengthen organizational cultures through fairness and intentionality. Meanwhile, Pepper Miller’s keynote, “Let Me Explain Black Again,” powerfully underscored the importance of cultural understanding, urging schools to honor the full experiences of Black students and families.
The takeaway for leaders:
Culturally responsive leadership isn’t optional, it’s foundational to student success. Leaders must be willing to examine internal biases, build inclusive hiring pipelines, and intentionally create environments where every student feels seen, valued, and supported.
Leader action items:
- Conduct an audit of your hiring and staff support practices for fairness.
- Provide ongoing professional development focused on cultural competence and bias disruption in your school.
- Regularly gather and respond to feedback from historically marginalized student groups.
🔥 Looking Ahead: Join the Movement in 2026
The momentum built at Measure What We Value Summit 2025 is only growing stronger. Educators who attended left not just inspired, but armed with strategies to take immediate action. From amplifying student voices to reshaping assessment practices to building stronger, more inclusive leadership teams.
The work of redefining success in education continues. Will you be part of it?
Ready to lead the change? Early bird tickets for the Measure What We Value Summit 2026 are now available at 50% off until May 31st, 2025. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the movement shaping the future of schools.
👉 Secure your spot today at parsecsummit.com.
