In his annual remarks on the state of the association he leads, David Schuler had rosy words and figures on the organization’s financial state but painted a mostly ominous picture for what lies ahead for public education without significant advocacy.
In an 18-minute speech before 95 members of the Governing Board in the Hilton Riverside, Schuler started with the positive.
The executive director shared some upbeat financial figures relating to the 2025 national conference. He said paid registration as of earlier this week approached 3,200, while the exhibit hall was filled to its capacity with 485 booths sold, with many of the 333 exhibitors claiming more than one space for their floor displays. Corporate sponsorships also exceeded budgetary goals for the event.
Overall revenues at AASA remain strong, close to budgetary expectations, though Schuler promised the association will be budgeting conservatively for FY ’26 because of the uncertainties in the economy and the federal government’s financial backing of K-12 education.
But then he moved on to the serious challenges that school system leaders and anyone else tied to public schooling will face in the months ahead. He titled these remarks “Leadership in Turbulent Times.”
“The job of superintendent is never easy, but it may feel especially hard right now,” he said.
Informational resources AASA is suggesting its members use and new mindsets to adopt could hold off the prevailing political forces that seem to be mounting against the work of K-12 educators. AASA has been producing fact sheets, communication templates, timely blog posts and webinars to support members’ advocacy work as they address the uncertainties of the moment.
“AASA is here to support you with the facts: What you must do, what you can’t do and what you can choose to do,” Schuler said.
“You know what works,” he added. “Every superintendent who testified in front of Congress in the last year still has their job when some university presidents don’t.”
Schuler previewed AASA’s campaign that he’ll be laying out at the1st General Session Thursday afternoon, titled “The Public Education Promise: The American Dream in Action,” a framework that will be working to reclaim the narrative about the value of a strong public education system. “It took 40 years to erode trust in public education and it’ll take [more than a few days] to take it back.”
He shared messaging developed by Frank Luntz, an American political and communications consultant and pollster, best known for developing talking points and other messaging for Republican causes. His work for AASA promotes effective messaging when moving forward, including what one of Schuler’s slides touted as “Words to Use, Words to Lose.”
He also said he’ll unveil plans at the 2nd General Session on Friday morning for an AASA initiative supporting superintendents whose schools have sustained traumatic events, including acts of mass violence.
Schuler announced the theme of next year’s 2026 National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn., will be “The Future is Ready.”
(Jay Goldman is editor-in-chief of Conference Daily Online and editor of AASA’s School Administrator magazine.)
