Each of my #100DistrictConversations has been inspiring and informative, but conversation #78 with Dr. Lorraine Mora Perez, Superintendent of Santa Ana Unified School District in California changed my thinking about capacity-building and the future.

"Coming out of COVID 3 years ago, we knew we needed to fundamentally rethink our approach to professional learning. We were heavily reliant on external partners for facilitation, and while our work with Learner-Centered Collaborative (LCC) was transformative, our former Superintendent challenged us: 'We need to transition to internal leadership so we're not dependent on others anymore.'

That strategic shift changed everything. We mapped out a 2-4 year sustainability plan, starting with our Graduate Profile. Working with National Center on Education and the Economy, we took 75 families and community members through what was essentially a graduate-level course, analyzing our data and studying global education models to understand what makes a successful learner. We translated all materials for this process into multiple languages to accommodate multilingual families and ensure inclusivity

The participatory process led to a Graduate Profile that we have woven into every committee and aspect of teaching and learning in our district. LCC helped us train principals and gradually release responsibility back to our teams. It took 3 years to get every school aligned with the same language and vision.

But we didn't stop there. I joined a cohort from Institute for the Future (IFTF) to examine what the world might look like 20+ years from now. I was the only K-12 education representative in the group! This wasn't just about AI — it was about supporting organizations to design for futures we can barely imagine. We co-designed an Innovation Catalyst Collective and we're now training our leaders to spot signals of change and ask critical questions, like 'Is this HR system what we'll actually need 10 or 20 years from now?' and 'How do we repurpose buildings into the green spaces our communities need as enrollment shifts and we consider consolidating schools?'

This framework inspired me to bring 'looking for signals' directly to our teachers: What are you noticing that suggests instruction and classroom environments are shifting? Maybe it's a YouTube video, a podcast, or a moment with students that signals the educational landscape is evolving. How do we stay ahead of these changes instead of reacting to them after the fact? The IFTF work helped us examine our education system's vulnerabilities and engage in strategic conversations about whether we're truly preparing students for tomorrow's workforce — not the traditional one that currently exists.

Our Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning embraced this vision immediately and has become our internal champion, co-developing a Train the Trainer model. Yes, the futures training investment is significant—about $10,000 per cohort, but the intensive work to build this capacity means we are keeping sustainability front and center."