How Effectively Are You Using Technology? Dr. Julie Evans on What Districts Need to Measure

In this episode of Stronger School, host Trip Kucera welcomes Dr. Julie Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Project Tomorrow, for a conversation about how research and data can help school leaders make smarter decisions in an increasingly complex educational landscape. Drawing on nearly three decades of Project Tomorrow's work with K-12 schools, Dr. Evans shares how understanding the voices of students, teachers, parents, and administrators can transform research into practical strategies that improve teaching, learning, and district operations.Throughout the discussion, Dr. Evans reflects on the evolution of the Speak Up Research Project and the changing role of technology in education. She explores how student expectations, parent priorities, and educator needs have shifted over time, emphasizing that technology should be viewed as a purposeful tool rather than an end in itself. The conversation also examines the growing importance of durable skills like critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration in an AI-driven world, along with the need for school systems to rethink instruction to prepare students for an uncertain future.Dr. Evans also highlights Project Tomorrow's partnership with PowerSchool through the EdTech Pulse research and introduces the vision behind the upcoming Stronger School Index. By helping districts better measure technology effectiveness, connect operational excellence to student outcomes, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement, she believes leaders can make more informed decisions while building greater trust with their communities. She closes with a simple but powerful reminder that stronger schools are built by empowering people first, creating cultures where educators are encouraged to innovate, collaborate, and grow together.2026 Pulse Report: https://www.powerschool.com/pulse-b2s-2026/Key Moments00:22 The mission behind Project Tomorrow03:18 How the Speak Up Research Project has evolved06:33 What students and teachers consistently value12:32 Why durable skills matter in the age of AI18:54 The partnership behind EdTech Pulse26:45 District challenges that keep leaders up at night30:29 Why data and connected systems are top priorities33:13 Measuring technology effectiveness beyond screen time41:24 Introducing the Stronger School Index50:09 Why empowering people builds stronger schoolsConnect with Dr. Julie Evans | Chief Executive Officer, Project TomorrowLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjulieevansOrganization: https://www.tomorrow.org/Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/powerschool-group-llc/If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Stronger School for more conversations on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.