Project Managed, People Ignored: Why Change Fails in School Districts

This session challenges that narrow definition of success and makes the case for embedding change management into every phase of project leadership. Participants will learn how to move beyond Gantt charts and vendor checklists by applying three key frameworks: Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model (to structure momentum), Lichtman’s Change Prediction Tool (to gauge risk), and the SCARF model (to address psychological responses to change). The goal: to lead change that people adopt, sustain, and champion.

We’ll analyze real-world examples of “failed” success and offer practical strategies for integrating change readiness into project planning, especially for digital, IT, or instructional shifts. Participants will walk away with tools to assess their own projects through a people-first lens.

Attendees will leave with practical tools to map readiness, frame change narratives, and lead initiatives that stick—whether rolling out enterprise IT platforms, shifting instructional practices, or scaling innovation across departments.