Quick look: On the fourth episode of OCDE’s FutureCurrent podcast, former Santa Ana Unified Superintendent Jerry Almendarez discusses strategic foresight, innovation and preparing students for a changing world.
The latest episode of FutureCurrent features County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean and educator Lainie Rowell in conversation with former Santa Ana Unified School District Superintendent Jerry Almendarez, as they discuss the shifting focus of leadership from reacting to problems to preparing for what’s ahead.
Almendarez, who led the Santa Ana Unified School District for five years and has spent two decades in superintendent roles, reflected on how the position has evolved. He shared his leadership philosophy of strategic foresight, the practice of identifying emerging signals and trends that will eventually shape schools and communities.
Creating a future-ready district
In Santa Ana, that mindset translated into a shift toward performance-based outcomes and real-world skill development.
“It’s not so much that kids do good on tests, but can they actually perform what they are being asked to perform or meet the standards?” Almendarez said. “I would much rather a student be able to fix my car than tell me how to fix my car.”
Under his leadership, the district worked with community members to study regional and industry trends and interpret what those innovations meant for students. Known as the Creative Collaborative Collective, the project extended beyond students to adults in the system, ensuring teachers and administrators were given space to also experiment, explore and grow.
Almendarez emphasized that innovation should expand beyond the classroom level, noting that district leaders should also be engaged and supported so they can create the opportunities that allow teachers and students to succeed.
Utilizing AI with intention
During the episode, Dr. Bean prompted Almendarez to share how artificial intelligence became part of that future-ready strategy, and how he was able to create districtwide participation. He encouraged educators to see AI not as a shortcut, but as an amplifier of the work they already do.
“It was really a moment in time where we said, you know, this is something special that probably won’t happen again in my lifetime,” he said. “And it could be a game changer for our community if our kids in our community begin to get the skills that will make them competitive globally in the future.”
Rather than mandating its use, Santa Ana Unified invited volunteers — teachers, students and families — to explore AI tools aligned with their interests. In collaboration with district staff, Almendarez utilized AI to streamline operations, from drafting communications to analyzing roughly 600 student audio responses and generating trend reports, allowing district leaders to focus more on students and school campuses.
Currently, Almendarez continues advancing these ideas through his consulting work with Creative Futures Collaborative by supporting superintendents and executive teams in prioritizing strategic foresight and new technology in their leadership practices.
“What I’m doing now is working on providing opportunities for leaders of organizations to really understand innovation, understand foresight, understand what it means to look for signals and how these signals become drivers in the decisions that we make so we can create better futures for our kids and our communities,” Almendarez said.
New episodes are available in both audio and video formats on major podcast platforms and YouTube.