Equity language is everywhere in education today. From strategic plans to mission statements, schools and districts across the country are invoking terms like inclusion, diversity, and equity in their aspirations. But when we look closely, it becomes clear that language alone is not enough—practice matters, and some schools are quietly setting a different standard.

In today’s education landscape, where leaders face unprecedented complexity, volatility, and competing demands, clarity can feel elusive. Yet clarity is exactly what communities need—and many leaders are already offering it, often without recognizing the deeper significance of this practice.

Across the education landscape, a quiet but profound shift is taking place. Many leaders are beginning to recognize that professional development (PD) cannot simply be about delivering information or checking compliance boxes. Instead, they are reimagining PD as professional transformation—a process that not only builds skills but reshapes mindsets, relationships, and systems.

Across schools and districts today, leaders are asking increasingly thoughtful questions about educational technology. They are reflecting on alignment with learning goals, assessing costs, and striving to address equity concerns. These are important and commendable steps—and many leaders deserve credit for moving beyond simplistic “buy and deploy” models of edtech adoption. Yet even with these efforts, many technology initiatives stall or fall short. Why?

Liberation Innovation is more than a catchy phrase—it is a practice of leadership that intentionally designs for justice, inclusion, and systemic transformation. It challenges us to recognize that the very systems we seek to improve were often not designed to serve all students equitably. Yet rather than get stuck in critique, Liberation Innovation invites leaders to act with imagination, courage, and care: to rebuild educational environments where equity is not an add-on, but the foundation.

The assumption that technology itself is neutral. That the tools we adopt are just "platforms" or "solutions" without embedded values, histories, or cultural assumptions. This belief—however unintentional—can limit how fully we understand the impact of our digital choices on equity and belonging.