There is a growing gap between how education is marketed to and how it is actually experienced inside schools.

Leaders are navigating full days that require constant context switching, balancing relationships with students and teachers, operational demands, and long-term decisions about tools and systems.

At the same time, marketers and vendors are trying to break through with messages about value, innovation, and now, AI.

In this episode, Elana Leoni sits down with Chris Lehmann, founding principal of Science Leadership Academy, to ground that gap in reality. Chris shares what his day actually looks like, how he evaluates vendors, where marketing efforts fall apart, and what earns his attention over time. The conversation then moves into AI, where the tension between possibility and risk is not theoretical. It is showing up daily in classrooms, policies, and conversations about integrity.

This episode is a candid look at what it means to engage education leaders in a way that is useful, honest, and sustainable.

Explore the rest of the episode show notes here.

Mentioned in this episode:

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What Principals Actually Pay Attention To, How They Evaluate EdTech and Why Outreach Gets Ignored