EdChats

On this week’s episode we sat down with Tim DeRoche, President of Available to All, an organization dedicated to ensuring that public schools are available to all students on equal terms. We talk with DeRoche about his new brief on eliminating education redlining, the latest installment from Education Reform Now’s public school choice series, featuring a collection of briefs updated weekly from guest authors. Tim DeRoche Brief: https://edreformnow.org/2023/10/10/its-time-to-make-open-enrollment-a-civil-rights-issue/ ERN Public School Choice Series: https://edreformnow.org/publicschoolchoice/

Today we sat down with Liam Kerr, Co-Founder of the ​​WelcomePAC, and its partner The Welcome Party, an organization which serves to strengthen democracy and create a “big tent” Democratic Party by linking allies from across the political spectrum and from a variety of geographies and partisan backgrounds. We talk with Kerr about the necessity of allying with centrist factions, creating effectives education policies in a post-Covid and post-Trump society, and combating voter’s decline in trust with Democrat’s current stance on education. “The Second Coming of Ed Reform" by Liam Kerr >> https://www.welcomestack.org/p/the-second-coming-of-ed-reform

In today’s episode we sat down with Ravis Martinez, who is currently running for state representative in Louisiana’s district 44, discussing the current state of Louisiana’s public education system, the roadmap for ed reform as an elected official in the state, and how the Leaders of Color program helped him get there. Find out more about Leaders of Color >> https://www.leadersofcolor.net/

In today’s episode we sat down with Dr. Darleen Opfer, Vice President and Director of RAND Education and Labor, and holds the Distinguished Chair in Education Policy at the RAND Corporation, to discuss the work RAND has been conducting post-pandemic alongside key takeaways from their research.

Legacy preference and binding early decision are inequitable college admissions practices still plaguing the higher education system. On today’s episode, we sit down with New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes to discuss a New York legacy preference & early decision bill he and fellow colleagues are sponsoring, and Columbia student-activist Jaylen Adams currently fighting alongside Our Turn to reform our nation’s education system.

On this week’s episode we’re chatting with Tennessee State Senator Raumesh Akbari to discuss recent legislation coming out of Tennessee’s Republican-controlled senate, as well as the recent expulsion of two Tennessee legislators. We will also be chatting with DFER’s VP of Governmental Affairs Hans Goff, obtaining his perspective on how legislation & trends coming out of Tennessee are being reflected on a national level.

ERN Deputy Director Higher Ed Policy James Murphy released the second edition of its popular Social Mobility Elevator rankings, initially published in 2020. The rankings measure the impact that over 1,400 four-year colleges have on improving opportunities for students and on realizing the American Dream. They highlight the four-year colleges and universities that enroll large numbers of underrepresented students and graduate them at high rates. Special guests on today's episode features TICAS Research Director Dr. Marshall Anthony Jr, and Michael Preston, Executive Director at the Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities representing three universities that are in the top 50 universities for social mobility according to James Murphy’s Social Mobility Elevator college rankings. See the full Social Mobility Elevator rankings >> https://edreformnow.org/social-mobility-elevators/

In today’s episode we’re chatting with Teach For America CEO, Elisa Villanueva Beard, discussing tutoring interventions, social-emotional learning, the ins and outs of Teach For America’s ambitious 10-year education agenda, and how to circumvent an outmoded educator role.  Learn more about TFA's Ignite Fellowship >> https://tfaignite.org/

On today’s special episode, we’re sitting down with Democrats for Education Reform and its affiliate Education Reform Now’s newly announced CEO, former Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza.  Elorza served as mayor in Providence, RI for two consecutive terms, and was branded as the “education mayor” of the city. He undertook bold actions to advance a social and racial justice agenda. This included taking the unprecedented step to engage the state Department of Education to turn around the city’s chronically underperforming school system, creating the city’s Eat, Play, Learn Initiative to expand out-of-school enrichment, and launching a nationally recognized African American Ambassador Group to bring Black leaders into the center of policymaking.

We’re sitting down today with Education Reform Now Policy Analyst, Rianna Saslow, to discuss ERN’s High Impact Tutoring report released this morning. Rianna talks through implementation, ways to combat tutor shortages, and how leaders at state and district levels should be using best practices to achieve successful tutoring outcomes for students. Read the full HIT report here: https://bit.ly/3Z9HUy3