Curriculum Convergence and Innovation: What K–12 Leaders Should Expect in 2026

Written by Brian Shaw

By 2026, emerging technologies will move from experimental to objective. District leaders navigate compressed timelines, staffing gaps, and high expectations for measurable educational gains. Leaders want to know: Does this improve teaching? Does it include our LMS, SIS, and standards frameworks? How quickly will teachers feel the benefits?

This marks the transition to practice. EdTech should be based on everyday impact by making quality education easier and learning more meaningful. Technology should serve the purpose of teachers and address the needs of students. The tools that are there to shine only will not last.

From AI Testing to Purpose Driven Discovery
The use of AI among teachers will become part of normal, everyday practices. It will not be a new thing and there will be a great demand. I always hear from teachers that technology should enhance their work. They want tools to help them plan faster, reduce repetitive work, and free up time to focus on the students in front of them, all while keeping decision-making in their hands. AI will augment, not replace, the teacher. This attitude will favor an AI that is built responsibly and is truly useful every day.

A thoughtful implementation will ensure that teachers can use this emerging technology in everyday situations.

• Editing: AI will accelerate lesson planning, helping teachers align learning goals, resources, and assessments to student levels and needs.
• Instruction: It will support creative delivery in real-time, formative assessment for understanding, create multiple conceptual representations, and recommend targeted and resourceful differentiation.
• Content: Curation will be smarter, with AI identifying resources based on personalization. It is important for AI platforms to find content that is safe, vetted, and standards-aligned.
• Personalization: AI will unlock data-rich insights, recommend high-quality texts and structured practice, and relevant MTSS-compatible support, allowing teachers to tailor instruction with greater precision.

AI will be fundamental to education if it is developed and used responsibly. Understandably, many states are taking a “wait and see” approach to adoption today. Protections are important. Through this lens, responsible AI means transparent data processes, age-appropriate experiences, and district-directed or teacher-directed controls.

EdTech companies should also consider the current levels of AI literacy among teachers and students and provide the necessary training to meet people where they are. In 2026, security, trust, and AI learning are non-negotiable to drive AI adoption that enables better teaching and learning.

Focused, Integrated Learning
In the coming year, the way immersive experiences are integrated into classroom life will change as teachers focus on meaningful integration in scope and sequence. As any teacher will tell you, there is very little time for independent “engagement sessions” that do not align with goals and standards.

However, sustaining students’ attention is still a constant need for teaching; when engagement is based on what the science of learning tells us about how curiosity, relevance, and interest in understanding, students develop deeper understanding. We know that today’s students crave human value in their studies. The combination of these factors will bring about a revolution in how immersive learning is defined and implemented.

Sticky experiences are those that are easy to embed and have a clear impact on student learning. Instead of occasional focused games or solo field trips, think about regular, standards-based experiences that help students apply knowledge through interactive learning experiences that bring value to everyday learning in all subjects:

• Social studies: An examination of primary sources with a local context, which allows students to “stand inside” a historical time or place and examine perspective and evidence.
• Science: Interactive simulations that demonstrate real-world limitations, allowing students to learn from exceptions and see immediate, data-rich results.
• Communication of Jobs: Work-based scenarios that mirror workplaces, embedding future-proof skills like collaboration and communication.
• Cross-Curricular: Immersive experiences with clear learning objectives, formative assessment, and easy-to-use computer hardware will encourage meaning-making and context-building to support mathematics and learning across subjects.

Educators are eager to help students connect what they are learning through applied knowledge, early exposure to career paths, and opportunities to build strong skills. The recent proliferation of Chromebooks and iPads that can be used for augmented reality and the increased accessibility of virtual reality have reduced the barriers that previously prevented adoption. For these reasons, they will try to study deeply on purpose.

New embedded learning practices will be integrated, varying by grade level and context. For younger students, it will focus on age-appropriate assessment and activities that build grade-level skills and cooperation and curiosity. In middle and high school, it will connect intensive classroom learning with real-world problem-solving and practice opportunities. This integration will help teachers achieve consistency, engagement, and future readiness across grades and subjects.

The promise of 2026
This year, the benefits of educational technology will be judged on the effectiveness of teaching and student growth that teachers can hear in the classroom and see in the data. Solutions that will have a lasting impact will improve teaching quality, save teachers’ time, and support districts’ most pressing strategic goals.

The mission will revolutionize EdTech and regional decision-making by 2026. AI, immersive learning, and other emerging technologies will have a permanent place if they are purpose-built, work within district systems and teacher workflows, and promise real instructional enhancement. When innovation is based on clear goals and measured by impact, it empowers teachers and helps every student succeed.

About the author

Brian Shaw is the Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Education, where he oversees the creation and implementation of award-winning, high-quality digital services.

Prior to his current role, Brian served as Discovery Education’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Brian joined Discovery Education from Red Ventures, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based technology portfolio, where he led multiple strategic finance programs and managed M&A transactions.

Prior to his work at Red Ventures, Brian held leadership roles in financial planning, analysis, and accounting at Time Warner Cable, following previous experience working in assurance services at Ernst & Young.

Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and a Master of Science in Accountancy from Wake Forest University. Along with his wife, daughter, and son, he makes his home in Charlotte, North Carolina.