This is the final Top 12 of 2024—thank you for reading! Wishing you a wonderful and restful break — The CAIS Team

Strategic Direction

The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2024

The 2024 Edutopia research review, authored by Youki Terada, Senior Editor, and Stephen Merrill, Chief Content & Product Officer, highlights key studies on various educational strategies and challenges. It emphasizes the impact of small successes on student motivation, the contagion effect of inattention in classrooms, and the risks of over-relying on AI in education, particularly concerning long-term learning. Other notable studies discuss the benefits of outdoor learning, using mistakes as learning opportunities, and peer-to-peer teaching. The review also addresses the ongoing effects of the pandemic on student development, overprotectiveness toward English language learners, modest improvements in teen mental health, and the importance of balancing evidence-based reading instruction with the needs of individual students.

Continuing the Work of DEI, No Matter What Your Company Calls It

Writing for Harvard Business Review, Joelle Emerson—founder and CEO of Paradigm, a platform that helps companies build inclusive, high-performance cultures, and a former civil rights lawyer—explores the evolving state of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in 2024. Despite backlash against DEI initiatives, Emerson highlights that many companies continue to prioritize inclusion, with data showing increased adoption of DEI strategies, budgets, and leadership roles. Emerson offers recommendations to sustain this progress and states, “The business benefits of building representative, fair, and inclusive workforces are well established, and changing workforce demographics make it clear that attracting employees from a wide range of backgrounds and building cultures that can unlock performance aren’t just a nice-to-haves — they’re critical to building future-ready companies.”

How to Lengthen the Tenure for Heads of Schools

This article by Littleford & Associates, an international management consulting firm for independent and international schools, discusses strategies to lengthen the tenure of effective heads of schools. Key recommendations include extending board members' terms for greater institutional memory, eliminating term limits for board officers, and ensuring strong governance committees. The article stresses the importance of providing regular support to heads, including timely contract renewals and compensation reviews. It argues that longer head tenure leads to greater stability, financial security, and improved school outcomes. Real-life examples highlight the negative effects of boards undermining heads, often due to short-term thinking or external pressures.

Parents Sue Lucy Calkins, Fountas and Pinnell, and Others Over Reading Curricula

Writing for Education Week, senior staff writer Evie Blad reports on a groundbreaking lawsuit filed by Massachusetts parents against the creators of widely used reading curricula, including Lucy Calkins and Fountas & Pinnell. The suit alleges that these programs were falsely marketed as research-based despite lacking the explicit phonics instruction essential for literacy success. Filed as a potential class-action, the case claims the cueing methods promoted by these curricula caused harm to students and misled schools and families. One parent plaintiff emphasized the stakes, stating, “This is reading. This is the skill that unlocks the entire world for our children.” The lawsuit has sparked concerns about its potential to deepen divisions in the long-standing “reading wars” while raising critical questions about accountability in curriculum development.

When Your Classroom Management Goes Off the Rails

This Cult of Pedagogy blog post by Jennifer Gonzalez explores why classroom management can falter mid-year and offers practical strategies to regain control. Drawing on insights from Claire English, a classroom behaviour management expert, it identifies three common problem areas. First, inconsistent reinforcement of expectations allows students to test boundaries, necessitating a mid-year reset with clear, consistent rules. Second, overemphasis on being approachable over credible can undermine authority; balancing both stances through body language helps establish a productive classroom environment. Third, end-of-term challenges, such as student apathy or excessive energy, require adherence to routines and the use of energy-regulating tools like mindfulness exercises or classroom games. English emphasizes that teachers should model the behavior they want to see, using calmness and consistency to steer classroom dynamics effectively.

The tech tools giving university sports teams a competitive edge

Writing for Globe and Mail, Andrea Yu explores how university sports teams are leveraging technology to enhance performance and fan engagement. Tools like the AI-powered Veo camera and Nacsport software help coaches capture and analyze game footage in real-time, while wearables like Catapult track athletes' metrics to optimize training. Despite the high costs of advanced tech, which can limit access for smaller programs, these innovations are making sports more competitive and collaborative. As Ilya Orlov, head coach of the University of Toronto’s soccer team, states, “These tools are valuable... but they’re tools to back up what you see with the human eye and your knowledge as a coach, and not the other way around.” 

Inside a Class Teaching Teens to Stop Scrolling and Think Critically

In this Education Week article, Olina Banerji explores a class at the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School where teacher Brie Wattier leads 8th graders in discussions about the credibility of social media and AI-generated content. The class is part of a course designed to teach students how to evaluate online information and become informed citizens. The course, developed by the University of Maryland, is based on Washington, D.C.'s newly adopted social studies standards and emphasizes the need for digital civic inquiry. Wattier’s students learn to use "lateral reading" to corroborate information across multiple sources, a critical skill as they face the challenges of misinformation and deepfakes. The article also highlights the growing emphasis on digital citizenship and media literacy in education.

What do international students want?

This ICEF Monitor article examines what international students prioritize when choosing study abroad opportunities, emphasizing the importance of responsive communication and flexibility. Research shows that students increasingly expect quick responses from institutions—85% within 24 hours—and often explore alternative destinations due to shifting immigration policies and costs. Institutions are encouraged to leverage efficient communication systems, highlight successful alumni, and adapt marketing to showcase unique programme strengths. Helping students articulate the value of their international experience to employers is essential for maintaining appeal in a competitive global market.

How to Build Trusted Brands

For this Smith Business Insight article, Deborah Aarts profiles Jacqueline Prehogan, the entrepreneur behind Canada Pooch and Open Farm, two of Canada’s fastest-growing pet brands. Prehogan shares her journey from law school to building trusted brands that resonate with consumers by focusing on differentiation, mission-driven values, and customer needs. Canada Pooch focuses on functional, stylish pet apparel, while Open Farm emphasizes ethically sourced pet food. She describes the drive behind her brands: “We work hard to make it clear that we are supporting each pet and pet parent on their entire journey and that we know that journey can evolve. Also, we never sit back and coast. Ever. Both businesses maintain the mindset that we need to re-earn our spot feeding and clothing each pet every day.” 

An Elite School and the Criminal It Hired to Teach Math

This New York Times article by Katherine Rosman examines the case of Winston Nguyen, a teacher at Brooklyn’s Saint Ann’s School, who was arrested in 2024 on 11 felony charges, including soliciting explicit images from students via Snapchat. Despite a prior fraud conviction for stealing over $300,000 and at least one employee warning against his hiring, Nguyen was brought on during the pandemic, with the school expressing confidence in his “ability and fitness to educate and care for our students.” Concerns about his conduct grew as he formed close relationships with students. Following his arrest, parents criticized the school for not warning them about the targeting of students, a decision the head of school defended as an effort to respect victims’ privacy. The incident has intensified scrutiny of the school’s hiring practices and its commitment to student safety.

It’s Time for CFOs to Rethink Scenario Planning

In this Harvard Business Review article, leaders at Andreessen Horowitz and Kearney discuss the evolving role of CFOs as strategic leaders. With risk management now a top priority, CFOs are increasingly using scenario planning to address both potential downsides and strategic opportunities. They stress that effective scenario planning must be rigorous, cross-functional, outward-looking, and continuously updated. The authors stress the importance of asking key questions such as, "What are key early warning signs for our core business performance? How effectively and granularly are they being monitored?" and "Once we identify meaningful shifts, how are the implications and calls to action communicated across the organization for an effective response?" By engaging with internal teams and external stakeholders, CFOs can better anticipate risks and seize opportunities.

The Importance of Inclusive Design Within Recreation Spaces

In School Construction News, Torrey Sims highlights the transformative role of inclusive playgrounds, using Williamson Elementary School’s new 24,000-square-foot playground as a case study. Designed by Pfluger Architects, the $736,000 project goes beyond accessibility standards, offering a sensory-rich, universally designed space that fosters exploration, creativity, and inclusivity for children of all abilities. Key features include wheelchair-accessible paths, sensory elements like musical play areas, and a 1:20 slope ramp that blends functionality with playfulness. The project reflects a growing trend in school design toward creating equitable, versatile spaces that serve both recreational and educational purposes, embodying a cultural shift toward accessibility and inclusivity in all aspects of student environments.

Deputy Head of School 

Queen Margaret's School

Head of School 

Kempenfelt Bay School

Director of Facilities 

Ridley College

Purpose AND Service

A blog post by Stuart Grainger, Head of Trinity College School



In this blog post, Stuart Grainger reflects on Trinity College School’s revised mission statement, emphasizing the intentional inclusion of "service" to highlight the importance of giving back as a core value and habit for students.

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CAIS, as a pluralistic community, values civil discourse about diverse perspectives. If you have suggestions for future editions of Top 12, please send them to Karen Flindall. If published, we will attribute your submission to you and your school/organization.

Our aim is to feature thought-provoking articles from reputable sources that encourage meaningful learning of a range of views, including perspectives different from those of CAIS and our schools. We are committed to helping our member schools stay informed of broader conversations shaping education.