Daniel Crook, founder of School Harbor and co-founder of AEG Systems, joins Dr. Michael Conner for a direct, infrastructure-first conversation about what K–12 districts are getting wrong about AI adoption.

Daniel has spent years working inside the systems that districts rely on to manage data, make decisions, and integrate technology at scale. His assessment is clear: the AI problem in education isn't a platform problem, it's a foundation problem. Too many districts are evaluating AI tools before they've built the data infrastructure that would allow those tools to function effectively.

In this episode, Daniel walks through why the data warehouse is the non-negotiable starting point, what interoperability actually requires in practice, not in theory, and the three criteria every district leader should apply before selecting or expanding any AI platform. He also introduces the concept of AI sobriety: an implementation philosophy that grounds strategy in the technology's current capabilities rather than its projected future state.

The conversation also touches on the Netflix analogy for understanding where edtech sits in the broader AI development cycle, and why the districts building administrative intelligence now will have a significant structural advantage over those still chasing student-facing tool count.

A grounded, no-hype episode for superintendents, CTOs, instructional technology leads, and anyone responsible for AI strategy in K–12 education.

Episode 127 | Voices for Excellence