Op-Eds & Thought Leadership
This thought leadership spans critical moments in education, offering policy recommendations during the pandemic and advocating for transparent, equitable data systems. Recent work explores the intersection of AI, empathy, and math instruction, emphasizing student voice and belonging. These published pieces reflect a commitment to human-centered, data-informed, and future-ready education.
In his EdSource op-ed, How Teachers Can Use AI to Listen, Reflect and Build Math Classroom Community, Al Rabanera shares how AI helped him surface patterns in student reflections and deepen emotional connection in math class. By using AI as a reflection partner, he created space for student voice, vulnerability, and belonging—reminding us that learning is emotional before it is cognitive
How teachers can use AI to listen, reflect and build math classroom community
Three Recommendations to Congress Amid the Pandemic
In his Teach Plus op-ed Three Recommendations to Congress Amid the Pandemic, Al Rabanera urges federal leaders to protect high-poverty schools from disproportionate budget cuts and invest in recruiting and retaining teachers of color. He highlights how students benefit from culturally responsive educators and calls for systems of support to ensure teachers of color can thrive and remain in the profession.
To Meet the Needs of Our Students, We Need Clear and Comparable Data
In his Teach Plus op-ed, To Meet the Needs of Our Students, We Need Clear and Comparable Data, Al Rabanera advocates for using state assessments to guide equitable recovery. He emphasizes that clear, comparable data is essential to identify learning gaps and direct resources where they’re needed most.