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Hey Marketing Pals!
Here we are, mid-March. In Maryland we’re finally seeing early signs of spring and boy am I here for it. Bring on the daffodils and sunny days, please and thank you.
Inside district offices, though, it’s less easy-breezy. Leaders are deep in draft budgets, departments are defending spending requests, and finance teams are tightening the numbers before school boards weigh in later this spring.
The conversations that determine what makes next year’s budget (and what doesn’t) are happening right now.
If someone inside the district is championing your product, make sure they have the goods: data, case studies, and board-ready talking points. Because this is the time of year when good ideas survive the budget process… and weaker ones quietly disappear.
Now’s the time to work really hard to make sure you’re on top of your game. Go get ‘em, tiger!
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Your WirED Marketer,
—Melissa, Senior Director, Marketing at Education Week
P.S. — 📩 Did someone forward you this email? Sign up here.ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀⠀⠀⠀
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✨ In this edition you’ll find:
- The top search terms on edweek.org
- New data on AI literacy plus what NOT to do
- Why advertising in summer months makes sense
What’s Trending ✨
The Top 10 Search Terms on edweek.org
Curious what your buyer is interested in? Looking at our top search terms gives you a glimpse into what’s on their mind.
- AI
- Special Education
- Small Group Instruction
- Math
- Science of Reading
- Mental Health
- Classroom Management
- Assessment
- SEL
- School Shootings
Curious about our AI coverage? It’s vast. Check it out here.
DO THIS 👇 Actionable advice on marketing edtech 👇
Snow is still on the ground in much of the country, but this is your friendly reminder to start thinking about your summer campaigns. Not back to school—summer.
My colleague Josh always reminds the team, “Timing is everything. Some advertisers instinctively go quiet during summer, winter holidays, and spring break, assuming ‘school’s out.’
But these off-peak windows are when district leaders finally have breathing room to focus on big-picture planning—budgets, curriculum updates, and strategic decisions. By staying in-market when others pull back, your message has less competition and a greater chance of breaking through. Plus, reaching leaders when they aren’t overwhelmed shows that you understand their world and respect their busy schedules.”
POLL 📊
Last edition we asked about video calls and backgrounds. Exactly 50% of people said they are on team “fake or blurred background” and the other 50% chose to keep it real (I’m unapologetically against fake backgrounds. Why? So much in this world is AI generated and carefully curated, and I want some real-life authenticity to shine through).
This edition’s poll:
If this newsletter were to move to Substack or beehiiv, would it make a difference to you?
| I WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO READ IT |
| I WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO READ IT |
| NOPE, IT DOESN’T MATTER TO ME |
What We’re Reading 📚
Read this 4 min article – Are AI Literacy Lessons Now the Norm? What New Survey Data Show.
The TL;DR: New EdWeek Research Center data shows that 78% of educators say high school students in their districts are already receiving lessons on what AI is and how to use it responsibly. Middle school isn’t far behind. However, elementary AI learning is still a wide-open market.
While secondary schools are moving quickly, only about 40% of educators say grades 4–5 are learning about AI, and very few even younger students are.
When you position your AI tool, think of it less as a one-off tool but more of a learning pathway for K-12.
Meet An EdMarketer👋
Daniel Criner, MBA, Regional Manager
Daniel is a regional manager on our Marketing Solutions Sales Team. When he’s not hard at work for EdWeek he’s whipping up French cuisine and entertaining. Most people know him for his old-world dinner parties.
What should every EdMarketer know?
“Increased competition for limited K-12 dollars means messaging needs to be needs-based and clearly differentiated; focusing on the product as opposed to the outcome doesn’t equate engagement. Measure efforts and pivot quickly. Digital analytics tell the story of which campaigns drive inquiries. As privacy restrictions continue to reduce tracking accuracy, build and own your first-party data. K-12 is not a transactional market, and sales cycles are long, so your marketing must nurture over time via multiple touchpoints.”
How do you recommend capturing the attention of district and school leaders?
"Personalized messaging that speaks directly to school and district priorities increases engagement. K-12 purchases are multi-stakeholder decisions and if your marketing only speaks to one persona, good luck. District leaders care about alignment and risk. School leaders care about outcomes and implementation. Build trust with these risk-adverse leaders; they want evidence, peer validation, case studies, and implementation support.”
What’s a trend in K-12 marketing that you love?
“Strategically embracing AI and automation. AI isn’t just a tool but an essential element in marketing operations. It can drive personalization to improve responsiveness and lead capture. Predictive analytics can tailor content and help prioritize leads. Successful use of AI enhances strategy but doesn’t replace your voice or mission.”
Say What?! 🦜
What we’ve heard at the watercooler, on social, out and about…
“…I say this to my team constantly, never let the tail wag the dog. It’s particularly pervasive with AI right now because of the [fear of missing out]. What I mean by that is never let the tech lead the learning. Never let the tech lead the child. Never let the tech lead the teacher. The tech is there to support the learning. And boy, have we lost track of that in our industry right now with AI in particular.”
—Andrew Sliwinski, Vice President & Head of Product Experience for LEGO Education
Read the full EdWeek Market Brief article: As AI Moves Quickly, LEGO Education Bets on Foundations, Over ‘FOMO’ here.
That’s all folks. Thanks for reading. See you again in 2 weeks.
Your WirED Marketer,
Melissa AND team, because every marketer knows, it takes a village.
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We can help you develop a successful campaign tailored to your unique marketing goals. To learn more, contact Advertising & Marketing Solutions Director Mike Bell at mbell@educationweek.org.