In the latest sign of just how central technology has become to teaching and learning, the International Society for Technology in Education, a nonprofit that helps K-12 teachers make the most of digital tools, and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, one of the oldest and largest K-12 professional development associations, are slated to merge.
Richard Culatta, currently the chief executive officer of ISTE, would lead the new, larger organization if ASCD members vote to approve the plan, the final step in the process. The merged organization鈥攚hich is still yet to be named鈥攚ould share a governing board, according to the plan.
Under the proposed agreement, ASCD and ISTE would retain their separate identities and brands, Culatta said. But it is unclear how exactly that would work under the new umbrella organization.
Both organizations believe the merger is a 鈥渘o brainer,鈥� given the unprecedented advancement in digital tools, devices, and internet connectivity spurred by the pandemic and the growth in digital learning over the past decade or so, Culatta said.
This idea of bringing an infusion of joy back into learning, that's something that I think you'll see we will work on as a shared messaging across both of our communities.
It is 鈥渧ery clear that the future of education needs to combine really solid leadership on the instructional side, and effective use of technology and new approaches鈥� on the other, Culatta said. 鈥淲hen you can bring those two together, that鈥檚 where magic starts to happen. That鈥檚 where the solutions for the future are going to come from.鈥�
The merger has already gotten the green light from the boards of both nonprofits, but there鈥檚 still one more key step: ASCD鈥檚 80,000 members will be given the opportunity to vote and a simple majority will decide the final outcome.
The merger would create an organization that鈥檚 poised to serve the shifting needs of the K-12 field, said Sandy Husk, ASCD鈥檚 interim CEO and executive director.
鈥淭his is exactly what educators need鈥攆or organizations to combine their strengths and to make it even more seamless for them to access the information that they need,鈥� she said.
鈥淚STE is two steps ahead of us on really solidly understanding innovation in the digital tech space. ASCD is two steps ahead in terms of really focusing on the whole child and the whole concept of how you support educators鈥� through research and resources that can immediately inform practice.
ASCD is well-known for its publications and newsletters, such as Educational Leadership magazine and ASCD SmartBrief; and ISTE owns EdSurge, an online news service that covers educational technology issues and other topics in K-12 and higher education.
Designing a one-stop shop for tech and professional development
The merger comes at a moment when professional development for education technology could use a shot in the arm. Though more districts than ever have embraced 1-to-1 computing initiatives that put a device in the hands of every student, teachers still consistently say technology training is insufficient.
For instance, in a July survey by the EdWeek Research Center, nearly half of educators鈥�48 percent鈥攕aid the training they or their teachers receive to use educational technology tools was mediocre or poor. And more than half said the ed-tech professional development experiences educators participate in are mostly one-time events with little or no follow-up coaching or training.
One area that Culatta believes ASCD can help ISTE strengthen: Helping teachers who have embraced technology move into leadership roles in their districts. 鈥淥ur members are great, passionate leaders,鈥� he said. But 鈥渨e don鈥檛 really have a pipeline for that. We just say, 鈥極K! Good luck!鈥欌��
He鈥檚 also hoping a merged organization can help reignite educators鈥� passion for teaching, at a time when employee morale in K-12 schools has been circling the drain.
鈥淭his idea of bringing an infusion of joy back into learning, that鈥檚 something that I think you鈥檒l see we will work on as a shared messaging across both of our communities,鈥� Culatta said.
During a transition period, staff from both organizations will take on leadership roles. No staff reductions are expected at ASCD or ISTE as a result of the merger, according to Husk and an ISTE spokesperson. And though ASCD and ISTE are both known for their large annual conferences, there are no immediate plans to combine those events into one.
In the weeks leading up to Nov. 14, when ASCD members will vote on the merger, Culatta and Husk will reach out to people in both communities to delve into how the merged organization can meet their needs.
鈥淲e really care about what the membership thinks, whether they鈥檙e voting or not,鈥� Husk said. 鈥淲e want to be connected to the people who have been connected with us.鈥�
Husk is confident that ASCD鈥檚 membership will vote to approve the merger, given the enthusiasm she鈥檚 seen so far. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 imagine a world where this won鈥檛 move forward,鈥� she said. But if for some reason it does not, she expects the two organizations will continue to collaborate.
Merging two very different cultures
The past several years have been turbulent ones for the nearly 80-year-old ASCD. The organization was more than $4.6 million in the red, ASCD has had , and saw significant staff cuts. Over the past five years it has had four leaders, including two CEOs and two interim CEOs.
However, ASCD turned a $2.5 million operating profit in fiscal year 2021, and its most recent financial report, which is still being finalized, is positive, a spokesperson said. Last year, the organization鈥檚 board approved a blueprint to help ASCD transition to a more digital model 鈥渇or growth and to ensure a durable future,鈥� the spokesperson added.
The organization has had complaints about 鈥渃onstant layoffs,鈥� 鈥渓ow morale,鈥� 鈥渨idespread bullying,鈥� and 鈥減oor decisionmaking by management,鈥� a networking site that allows anonymous posting by people purporting to be current or former employees. 鈥淗ave had three bosses in three years,鈥� one person wrote. 鈥淭he only thing they seem to produce is stressed-out leaders.鈥� Other reviews, however, praised the hardworking and dedicated staff at ASCD.
And reactions to the planned merger, which was shared with staff this week, have been positive, said the spokesperson, who shared this comment from the executive director of California ASCD: 鈥淟ooking forward to an even brighter future,鈥� said Kathleen McCreery.
tout the 鈥渟mart, hardworking staff,鈥� 鈥済reat mission,鈥� and 鈥渧ery motivated, highly intelligent, and passionate people.鈥� ISTE, which was established in 1989,. Culatta, the former chief innovation officer for the Rhode Island department of education and director of the office of education technology at the U.S. Department of Education, has led the organization since May of 2017.
While Culatta acknowledged that there have been 鈥渟ome tough years at ASCD,鈥� he believes 鈥渢he expertise that鈥檚 there is just unmatched anywhere in the education ecosystem.鈥� Merging two organizations with broad reach 鈥渋s going to be tough,鈥� Culatta said. 鈥淏ut I think the value is being able to unlock amazing supports and resources for the education community as we bring our collective brains together.鈥�
