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Hey there WirED Marketers,
School’s out for summer! I hope all the hard-working teachers are kicking their feet up and taking a minute to bask in their accomplishments.
But if you’re reading this, chances are you’re not on vacation. So, here’s your friendly reminder: summer is a prime opportunity to stand out.
As my colleague Josh Ford put it:
“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.”
The TL;DR? Don’t sleep on summer. Lean in while others lean out.
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✨ In this edition you’ll find:
- Why Teachers Don’t Want Your PD (and what you can do about it)
- ISTE + ASCD marketer briefings—your personal invitation to join us
- My colleague in the analytics dept gives us a glimpse into what K-12 leaders are reading
As always, thanks for reading, marketing pals!
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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. ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What’s Trending 📊
Professional Development Burnout.
I recently joined the EdWeek Market Brief Virtual Forum, expecting the usual mix of market insights and trends—but one session hit different. It was called: “Why Teachers Don’t Want Your PD.” And let me tell you, it wasn’t just insightful—it was a full-on reality check.
As a marketer, if my manager dangles a PD opportunity at me, I’m chomping at the bit. I WANT IN! Give me all your best practices, frameworks, playbooks—I am here for it. But PD in the world of K-12 education is well… met with resistance. And that’s generous.
In a recent survey conducted for EdWeek’s 2025 State of Teaching Report we asked teachers what kind of PD they need. The top response? None.
The Top 5 Reasons Teachers Don’t Want Your PD Right Now. (Ranked in order, one being the highest)
- I would prefer to use my time I would have spent on PD on a different aspect of my work.
- I learn more effectively by planning with, collaborating with, and seeking advice from my colleagues.
- I already know what I need to know to do my job effectively.
- The PD we’re provided is dull/not engaging.
- The PD we’re provided is not relevant to the subject(s) I teach.
👉 If you’re offering PD as part of your product or service strategy, this is a good moment to hit pause and reassess how your PD is landing. Teachers aren’t rejecting learning—they’re rejecting low-value, one-size-fits-all sessions that ignore reality.
This is a golden opportunity to rethink how your brand supports educator growth. Make it practical. Make it flexible. Make it something they’d choose over grading papers at 9pm on a Sunday night.
Do This [Actionable Guidance You Can Replicate] 👇
Those stats on teacher PD? Not exactly inspiring—but they’re a signal. Where things aren’t working, there’s room to build something better. So, take a hard look at your PD offerings and make sure they follow these guidelines.
1️⃣ Make it teacher-led, not vendor-led
✨ DO THIS: Create PD that starts with teachers’ voices. Use peer facilitators, classroom case studies, or content co-designed with practicing educators. Credibility is everything and teachers can sniff out tech bros in Patagonia vests from a mile away.
2️⃣ PD should be immediately actionable
✨ DO THIS: Teachers want practical, immediately usable ideas—not theory. Design PD that they can apply the next day. Think: templates, real-life scenarios, and flexible modules that work whether they have 10 minutes or an hour.
3️⃣ Make it snackable
✨ DO THIS: Instead of standalone webinars or trainings, build learning into your product ecosystem. Tooltips, micro-lessons, short videos, or in-app coaching moments. It’s PD without the calendar invite.
4️⃣ Offer choice and control
✨ DO THIS: Give teachers options. Make your PD modular so they can pick what’s relevant, skip what’s not, and own their learning experience. Autonomy is a gift.
Events On Our Radar 🎯
Headed to ISTE + ASCD’s annual conference? My colleagues and I will be there and would love to connect IRL! 🤠
While at ISTE I’m co-presenting a session—please join and make sure to stick around and say hi! Spots are limited so do your future self a favor and register now. It’s called The K-12 Leader: Data and Insights to Drive Your Marketing and Sales Success.
We’re doing a handful of other sessions too—check us out here.
Meet An Education Marketer 👋
Cole Amster, Digital Analyst
3 words to describe you: “Analytical, Structured, Deliberate.”
What should every EdMarketer know?
“Data should be used as a support tool to make informed business decisions, not an end all be all. I live by a principle that my boss echoes for the whole organization: ‘Data only tells us the what, not the why.’ Trust the data but also trust your colleagues’ expertise and your audiences’ needs. It’s essential when supporting my editorial partners in targeting our primary K-12 audiences. While it’s important to keep up with the education news cycle, it’s equally important not to get caught up in making drastic changes based on short-term trends. You never want to lose sight of the information your audience craves. This philosophy can extend beyond my scope as an analyst. Having this perspective on data only makes your insights as an EdMarketer stronger!"
What’s on your mind right now?
“Finding ways to ensure that our content is reaching the appropriate audiences effectively and what are the best ways to evaluate that interest. The news cycle is rapidly changing, especially since the start of the Trump administration, so the analytics team must provide the best insights for our editorial colleagues at EdWeek to stay on top of what’s important to teachers, district leaders, and school leaders. It’s always a balancing act between attracting newer readers that are interested in current federal news and retaining our habitual readers who crave those evergreen stories that hit closer to home in their schools and districts!”
What catches the attention of K-12 leaders?
“So far in 2025, district leaders are highly engaged with multiple stories about the Trump administration’s approach to education—some key topics included cutting Education Department contracts, the overall K-12 budget proposal, and how schools can adjust to the impact of new immigration policies. District leaders also resonate with other on-going discussion points in the education space: the Science of Reading and AI. Similarly, school leaders engaged strongly with stories covering the impact of the Trump administration on education. This year, this audience also had an appetite for EdWeek content on The State of Teaching and the motivation levels of teachers in their respective states.”
Say What?! 🦜
The article Talent Shift: Every Marketing Team Will Need New Roles in 2025 from Kevin Dean of MarketingProfs is all about how marketers will need to adapt and continue to upskill when it comes to Generative AI. This quote reinforced it well, “History offers a telling parallel: When the automobile emerged, blacksmiths didn’t adapt by hammering horseshoes faster; mechanics, engineers, and entirely new professions emerged. Similarly, marketing is not just evolving; it is being re-engineered.” Dean also said, “Upskilling (when it comes to AI) is no longer optional—it’s necessary.”
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.