Deeper Learning 2026

Every leader wants deeper learning for students—but turning that vision into reality takes more than inspiration. It takes culture, structure, and courage. In this informal Den Talk, Lisa Mireles—author of Project Based Learning for All: A Leader’s Guide—invites you to dig into what it really looks like to lead school and system-wide change. Hear stories of schools that are doing it, reflect on your own leadership journey, and join a candid discussion about what’s hard, what’s hopeful, and what’s next for making PBL accessible to every student.

About the Den Speakers:

Dr. Lisa Mireles is the Managing Director of Digital Curriculum and Special Advisor to the CEO at PBLWorks and the co-author of Project Based Learning for All: A Leader's Guide, published in December 2025 by ASCD/ISTE.
A seasoned teacher, school principal, and district leader, she has a special interest in creating learner-centered ecosystems that amplify the powerful intersection of leadership, project based learning, and technology. She has taught and led in schools in California, Indonesia, India, and Hawai`i. Lisa was a founding Board Member for the Hawai`i Society of Technology in Education (HSTE) and co-founded the Kaua`i Educational Leadership Alliance (KELA).
Lisa holds both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her doctorate in Learning Technologies from Pepperdine University.

Bob Lenz became CEO of PBLWorks in 2015, leading the organization’s mission to ensure high-quality Project Based Learning reaches all students. Before joining PBLWorks, he co-founded Envision Education and served as its CEO and Chief of Innovation, pioneering a successful school redesign model that expanded college access for underserved students. He also launched Envision Learning Partners, which supports schools and districts nationwide in building college and career readiness through performance assessment. A nationally recognized leader in deeper learning and high school redesign, Bob was a Senior Deeper Learning Fellow with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and author of Transforming Schools: Using Project-Based Learning, Performance Assessment, and Common Core Standards. Earlier in his career, he founded Academy X, an award-winning humanities and leadership program. Bob lives and works in San Rafael, California.

In recent years, many schools and districts have selected instructional materials that meet external and internal designations of “high-quality” (HQIM). How does the learning from the field of Deeper Learning figure into those HQIM selection processes? And what might the Deeper Learning community learn from the momentum in the HQIM world? Join Kiran Purohit, VP of Curriculum & Instruction at New Visions for Public Schools, and Elizabeth Chu of Columbia Center for Public Research and Leadership, as they reflect on their experiences at the intersection of Deeper Learning and High-Quality Instructional Materials in NYC and across the country. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of the ways these bodies of work speak to each other, inspired to ensure that all young people experience intellectually demanding, well-designed instruction.

About the Den Speakers:

Kiran joined New Visions for Public Schools in 2012 and currently leads the curriculum and instruction team. Prior to working at New Visions, she collaborated with schools to develop coherent secondary science and math curricula and taught science and math in middle schools in New York City. She holds Master’s degrees from Teachers College and New York University, and an Ed.D in curriculum studies from Columbia University, Teachers College.

Liz is the Executive Director of CPRL and a lecturer of law at Columbia Law School. Before joining CPRL, Elizabeth was an Assistant Professor of Practice at Relay Graduate School of Education, began her work in education as a middle and high school English teacher in the South Bronx.

Note: This DL session also invites attendees from the National Summit on Improvement in Education to participate. Summit is a gathering and rallying point for a vibrant and diverse community of improvers who are working to create educational systems where all young people learn and thrive. In 2026, we're bringing together the powerful Deeper Learning and Improvement communities through select crossover sessions, culminating in a joint closing keynote. You are invited to dive deeper and make new connections at DL26. Check out our Summit and DL26 comparison to learn more.