Let’s take a moment and really sit with this:

Every year, K12 administrators are tasked with implementing some of the most consequential initiatives in a child’s life: new curriculum rollouts, differentiation learning strategies, behavioral supports. Yet, they’re expected to achieve successful implementation, within a single year, with measurable results without timely, actionable feedback.

Pause there.

Imagine asking a football coach to develop a winning team but giving them zero information during the season about their players' performance. No film review. No workout metrics. Just the final score after the season ends.

We would never accept that in sports. So why are we accepting it in schools?

The Absurd Reality

Our educational leaders are flying blind. They are being held accountable for complex, high-stakes implementation, all with less data than any high school track coach.

Why? Because there’s no system in place for getting leading indicators.

What Are Leading Indicators?

Leading indicators are the early signs that tell you whether your implementation is working before it’s too late to course correct.

They answer questions like:

• Are teachers confident in the new curriculum?

• Are students engaging as intended?

• Are school-level supports being felt in the classroom?
  
  
  

These are not end-of-year outcomes. These are real-time signals that allow leaders to adjust, support, and lead proactively.

But most administrators don’t have access to this type of data. That’s the gap Plan Forward was built to fill.

How Plan Forward Fills the Gap

Plan Forward is a system that turns perception data, surveys, focus groups, and interviews, into strategic, actionable, evidence-based insights throughout the year. We’ve built the first continuous support system specifically designed for K12 leaders doing complex implementation work.

And here’s the caveat: It has to be done well.

Not just any list of ChatGPT-generated questions will do. Insightful data is the result of thoughtful design, real alignment, and research-driven interpretation. Here’s how Plan Forward makes that happen:

1. We Map Every Question to the Actual Work

We need to stop asking for feedback on things that are not being done. Plan Forward ensures that all questions are directly tied to the current strategic priorities to capture the impact of where districts’ time, money, and effort are going. This allows the real impact to be captured and the feedback to be meaningful and actionable.

2. We Use a Qualitative Engine Trained Like a Researcher

Our system is trained like the best qualitative researcher in education. It connects open-ended responses to closed-ended data points, giving rich, contextual insight not just surface-level themes. You’ll know what’s working, why it’s working, and how to replicate or improve it.

3. We Code Every Survey Using Research-Based Frameworks

Our tools aren’t generic. They’re specially coded with proven implementation science frameworks that allow us to detect root causes and recommend evidence-based action steps so leaders can diagnose problems and solve them before the stakes get too high.

Implementation Shouldn’t Be a Mystery

Our kids deserve more than hope and intuition. They deserve schools where leaders can see what’s working and where support is needed as it’s happening, not after the fact.

It’s time we treat educational implementation with the seriousness and support it requires. Plan Forward exists to make sure no leader has to choose between accountability and feasibility.

Let’s stop leaving success to chance. Let’s give our leaders the data they need to measure, prove, and improve all year long.