Welcome to Playground Post, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps education innovators ahead of what’s next.

Here’s what we have on deck for today…

1. AI career coach helping Oregon teens plan their future

2. Want school partners? Watch these districts.

3. Public school enrollment drops

AI career coach helping Oregon teens plan their future

Middle schoolers in Oregon just got a new college counselor — and it’s named after Bigfoot.

Sassy (short for Sasquatch) is an AI-powered career coach that’s been officially adopted statewide.

• What makes Sassy unique? It taps into real-time Oregon job market data and educational resources to guide students through career exploration, resume writing, and interview prep.

• How’s it going? Teachers have reported students are asking career questions they're too shy to bring up with adults.

• The impact? With student-to-counselor ratios at record highs, Sassy isn't replacing humans — it's making their jobs more impactful.

As schools struggle with counselor shortages, AI could be the bridge helping students access personalized guidance earlier in their academic journey, particularly in underserved communities.

Want school partners? Watch these districts.

Digital Promise just welcomed 30 new districts to its League of Innovative Schools, stretching from California to South Carolina.

These aren't your typical school systems — they're led by superintendents who are rewriting the education playbook.

Think of it as a mastermind group for America's most forward-thinking K-12 leaders, all sharing what works (and what doesn't) in modern education.

This network represents a concentrated group of education decision-makers actively seeking new solutions.

If you're building education tools or programs, these districts could be your ideal early adopters or pilot partners.

Public school enrollment drops

Recent NCES data has revealed some startling insights on public school enrollment:

• Elementary schools (Pre-K-8) saw a whopping 4.5% enrollment drop since 2019

• Meanwhile, high schools are getting more crowded, with enrollment up 2%

• Birth rates fell another 2% last year (that's 71,741 fewer future students)

Enrollment directly impacts funding — fewer students typically means tighter budgets.

Education innovators need to start planning now for this demographic shift.

With enrollment trends pointing downward and birth rates declining, it could be time to start thinking about how these changes may affect funding, resource allocation, and business models.

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We’ll be back with another edition on Friday. See you then!

To stay up-to-date on all things education innovation, visit us at playgroundpost.com.