In this episode, you'll hear from Oakland activists Lakisha Young, Dirk Tillotson, and Kareem Weaver about the Literacy for All campaign, which is described as going beyond focusing on “K-3 literacy outcomes” and also targets increasing the literacy of the whole family. “What good is being able to sit at the lunch counter if you can't read the menu…

In this episode, you'll hear from Anise Walker and Yolanda Corbett about the state of education in Washington D.C. during COVID-19 and the challenges that parents face when they try to get a seat at the table. Full show notes and links at http://educationpost.org/conversation/podcast

In this episode, you'll hear from Lorena Lopera about why Latino communities are among the hardest hit by COVID-19 and about the steps that need to be taken to ensure that students in those communities receive the educational support they need. Full show notes and links at http://educationpost.org/conversation/podcast/…

Lane and Chris Stewart talk to Jeb Bush about how the COVID-19 pandemic will permanently change education and politics in the United States. You'll learn how COVID-19 will catalyze education innovation, why school districts should not take a "data vacation" during COVID-19, and how COVID-19 is changing the way parents think about education. Full sh…

In this episode, you'll hear from Lane's wife, Kerline, about what it has been like to suddenly be a homeschool teacher because of COVID-19. You'll hear about how it's changed her lifestyle, how she's coping with the increased workload, and what she has learned from the process. Full show notes and links at http://educationpost.org/conversation/pod…

In this episode, we speak with activist Dirk Tillotson about how low income students are being denied an education during COVID-19. You’ll hear how Comcast’s free internet service is not actually free, why a lack of internet access is an extreme barrier to academic success, and how activists and business leaders are stepping up to solve the problem…

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Kimberly Underwood and Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. about the lack of black male educators in American classrooms. You’ll learn about the historical and systemic causes for the lack of black male educators, the negative impact it has on students of color, and the steps that are being taken to improve the situation. Full sh…

In this episode, we talk to Baltimore City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises about the phenomenon she calls "educational redlining". Sonja explains how differences in student outcomes are often caused by inequity in teaching technique– that especially in classrooms of black students, teachers spend too much time modeling problems and not enough time…

In this episode, we speak with recipients of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Networks For School Improvement Grants about how they are using the money to improve schools. You’ll hear from Tracy Fray-Oliver of the Bank Street College of Education about how the history of segregation is still affecting Yonkers area schools and from Derek S. M…

In this episode, Conor P. Williams breaks down the education policies of the Democratic presidential hopefuls. You'll hear about the candidate's education platforms, their positions on the charter school movement, and why civil rights battles are often more successful at the federal level. Full show notes and links at http://educationpost.org/conve…

In this episode, we speak to Zachary Wright about his recent article on how the idea of a “good” school can simply be code for a school that serves a rich, white community. You’ll learn about the socioeconomic factors that influence school rating, the dilemma that progressive white parents face when choosing a school for their kids, and why parents…

In this episode, we speak with Chris Stewart, CEO of Education Post, about education reform. We discuss why education reform has become a bad word as well as how to empower parents to have greater control over their kids' education. Full show notes and links at http://educationpost.org/conversation/podcast/…

In this episode, Andrew H. Nichols and Shaun R. Harper join us to discuss the recent EdTrust report Broken Mirrors: Black Student Representation at Public State Colleges and Universities. The concept behind Broken Mirrorsis that the demographics of college students does not mirror that of the general public and that students of color are vastly und…

In this episode, Erika Sanzi joins us to discuss the Rhode Island house bill (HB 5817) that would make sex between school employees and students a crime. We talk about what the Rhode Island bill means for schools in general and the education sector. You'll learn why the bill hasn't passed yet– even though other states have similar laws, how the lac…

In this episode, we speak with ExcelinEd CEO Patricia Levesque about the expansion of the Florida voucher program that will enable more low-income students to gain access to state-backed scholarships for private schools. We discuss concerns about the privatization of public education as well as the general state of education in Florida. Full show n…

Our guest for this episode is Kate Walsh, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). We discuss the NCTQ's surprising findings in their recent report, A Fair Chance: Simple steps to strengthen and diversify the teacher workforce. They found that the first-time pass rate for elementary teacher content exams is abysmally low: only 4…

In this episode, we discuss The Opportunity Myth: a report by the TNTP dispels the myth that all students have the same opportunity to attain their college and professional goals. First, we speak with Justin Thach, a high-schooler from Salem, Oregon about his observations of inequity in the classroom. Then, we speak with Bailey Czupryk, lead resear…

This is the second of two episodes from the Black Male Educators Convening (BMEC) in Philadelphia. In this episode, we talk to high school student Noor Bowman about her experience going to school in Philadelphia. We also talk to Peggy Brookins, CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (or the Navy Seals of teachers as Lane call…

This is the first of two episodes from the Black Male Educators Convening (BMEC) in Philadelphia. In this episode, we talk to Philadelphia schools superintendent Dr. William Hite about why it's so important to have black male educators in our schools, why there are not many of them, and what we can do to get more. We also chat with Darlene Cobb, mo…

In this episode, we speak with Sam Duell, Associate Policy Director for Charter Schools at the Foundation for Excellence in Education. We bust common myths about charter school policy as well as discuss how to resolve the long-standing battle between traditional public schools and charter schools. Full show notes and links at http://educationpost.o…

In this episode, we sit down with our colleague Vesia Wilson-Hawkins to discuss what it would be like if parents got as fired up about literacy as they do at their kid’s soccer game. Vesia tells us about what inspired her recent article on the same topic, the disconnect in parent’s perceptions of their child’s academic performance and reality, and …

In this episode, we discuss the science-backed methodology for teaching kids how to read and why schools are not using it. Our guest, Emily Hanford of APM Reports talks to us about the history of reading education in the United States, the efficacy of various teaching methodologies, and how we can advocate for better teaching practices for our chil…

In this episode we chat about the STARZ docuseries "America to Me" which examines racial, economic and class issues at Oak Park River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois. We talk to LeeAndra Khan and Tracy Dell'Angela about how racial inequity still plagues schools across the country, even in highly integrated communities. Full show notes and …

There are many ways that parents can engage with their kids’ education. However there are few resources available to help parents make the biggest possible impact. Often, the most significant resource provided to parents is a back-to-school shopping list! In this episode, we interview Samantha Brown Olivieri, chief strategy officer at GreatSchools,…

In this episode, we discuss the repealing of the Obama-era Guidance on school discipline and what it means for the fight to make education more equitable. First we talk to the director of the Education Civil Rights Alliance, Miriam Rollin, about the current state of the Guidance: what it is, how it's been working, and what it means for it to be rep…

In this episode, we sit down with our friend and colleague Laura Waters to discuss the role of the federal government in regulating public schools as well as Laura's recent article about Betsy DeVos's failure to protect disabled students from civil rights violations. We discuss Laura's perspective on these issues, both as an education writer and th…

In this episode, we discuss the metrics that parents can use to make an informed decision about school choice. Then you will hear a story of public education done right. This is the story of Sandra and her young son Aurelius, and their journey to find a school that could provide the support that Aurelius needs to shine. Eventually, Sandra chose KIP…

In this episode, we interview Torie Weiston-Serdan, educator and founder of the Youth Mentoring Action Network, a non-profit organization that provides mentoring services to young people to help them become college, career, and life ready. We discuss the benefits of mentoring programs and why increasing opportunities for kids to be mentored is so i…

In this episode, Lane and Ikhlas speak with Susana Cordova, deputy superintendent of Denver Public Schools. She started working in Denver over 20 years ago as a bilingual language arts teacher. We discuss the current state of education in Denver, what it's like to push for reform in your hometown, and what makes a quality school. Full show notes an…

In this episode, we explore the experiences and struggles of first-generation college students. First, we hear from our colleague Valentina, Education Post’s chief of staff, about her experience as a first-generation college student. Then, we speak with a current first-generation student, Leticia, and a staff member from the OneGoal organization, M…

In this episode, Ikhlas and Lane are joined by the founder of Campaign for School Equity, Mendell Grinter, to commemorate the date of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination 50 years ago. They discuss why Dr. King’s dream is still relevant today and what needs to be done to see it completely realized in the future.…

On our last episode of 2017, we talk about the best and worst moments of the year. From politics to #metoo, from wonderful moments inside classrooms and outside, 2017 was a big year. We want to thank all of the guests we’ve had on the podcast so far and are looking forward to a great 2018.

In this episode, Ikhlas visited a Panel on Millennials in Education Reform, hosted by the Fordham Institute in Washington DC. She spoke with three panelists on how Millennials are involved in education and reform. Mendell Grinter, Founder and Executive Director of Campaign for School Equity. Lea Crusey, founder of Allies for Educational Equity Daka…

Lane attends the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha, Qatar, and interviews some of the unique voices at the summit. First, we hear from two students at the English Modern School in Doha, Satine Dosdos, and Matthew El Chalouhi. They explain how their school works in Qatar and what makes a great teacher. Lane interviews Zainab Moham…

Today on the podcast we're talking to two amazing moms of school kids, Erika Sanzi and Keri Rodrigues. How Erika and Keri do it all is beyond us, but in this episode, we dive into everything from advocating for kids to trying to find some down time with three boys running around the house. Erika Sanzi lives in Rhode Island, is a former teacher and …

We finally got to sit down with David Johns and Dr. John King at The Inaugural National Black Male Educators Convening in Philly last month, hosted by The Fellowship: Black Male Educators for Social Justice. Last episode we chatted with Sharif El-Mekki and Vincent Cobb II, co-organizers of the Convening, which you can listen to here. First, we spea…

Ikhlas and Lane attended The Inaugural National Black Male Educators Convening in Philly earlier this month hosted by The Fellowship: Black Male Educators for Social Justice. They got to hear from Black male educators from around the country on why they came to the convening and what we can do to get more Black male educators in the classroom. They…

Principals can really make or break a school. Today we’re discussing what principals do, what makes a good or bad principal, and how teachers and principals can work together to improve schools. We're joined by former Minnesota Teacher of the Year Tom Rademacher and former Chicago principal LeeAndra Khan. We also chat with co-hosts of the EdCouple …

Welcome to the first episode of Voices4ED, an Education Post podcast where we bring in voices of students, parents and teachers to talk about what’s really happening in our public schools. Hosted by Ikhlas Saleem and Lane Wright of Education Post, they open up this first episode by talking about how each of our hosts got into the field of public ed…