Education Tomorrow

#018 -- Many schools and school districts across the country are starting the 2020-2021 school year in a fully remote setting. In NYC, the plans to begin the school-year in a hybrid model were delayed by at least two weeks. There are a few charter schools in NYC, however, who have moved forward with in-person instruction. One of those networks is Zeta Charter Schools, which operates three elementary schools in Inwood and the Bronx. Zeta surveyed their staff and families to see who was ready to return to school in-person, and used publicly available data and health and safety guidance to inform their reopening plans. While the majority of their families opted to begin the year remotely, almost a quarter of their students are in-person for a full school day Monday through Friday. On today’s episode, Zeta’s co-founder and CEO explains why it was so important to open for in-person instruction, the steps Zeta took to make sure they did so safely, and what they learned along the way.https://bit.ly/ETepisode18We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.One quick programming note--for the past few months, we've been releasing podcasts weekly. Moving forward, however, we'll be releasing new episodes every two weeks.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode19

#017 -- When schools closed as a result of COVID-19 in March 2020, most schools were caught off guard, and made an abrupt switch to distance learning. With the benefit of the spring to learn from, and the summer to plan, schools are now in a better position to more thoughtfully and strategically plan to implement distance learning as needed during the 2020 - 2021 school year. Emily Freitag, co-founder and CEO of Instruction Partners joins Education Tomorrow this week to talk about what type of content is better delivered synchronously versus asynchronously, the power of expectations, and the importance of rooting relationships in making sure that people feel known, seen, and valued, as well as much more.https://bit.ly/ETepisode17We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode17

#016 -- The theory of change amongst many in the education reform space used to be that an excellent K -12 education would prepare students to get in to, persist in, and graduation from college, which would in turn be the key to economic mobility. We have found, however, that the next step in that equation—from school to career—is in many ways its own challenge, particularly for first generation college students, and for low-income, minority students. Today’s episode is the third in a three part mini-series that explores education to career. On today’s episode I’m joined by Reuben Ogbonna, co-founder and Executive Director of the Marcy Lab School, a nonprofit that creates pathways into tech careers for underestimated youth, empowering them to take control of their futurehttps://bit.ly/ETepisode16We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode16

#015 -- The theory of change amongst many in the education reform space used to be that an excellent K -12 education would prepare students to get in to, persist in, and graduation from college, which would in turn be the key to economic mobility. We have found, however, that the next step in that equation—from school to career—is in many ways its own challenge, particularly for first generation college students, and for low-income, minority students. Today’s episode is the second in a three part mini-series that explores education to career. I’m joined by a very special guest—Aimee Eubanks Davis, founder and CEO of Braven, an innovative nonprofit that partners with universities to build cutting-edge career education into the undergraduate experience for low-income and first generation college students.https://bit.ly/ETepisode15We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode15

#014 -- The theory of change amongst many in the education reform space used to be that an excellent K -12 education would prepare students to get in to, persist in, and graduation from college, which would in turn be the key to economic mobility. We have found, however, that the next step in that equation—from school to career—is in many ways its own challenge, particularly for first generation college students, and for low-income, minority students. Today’s episode is the first in a three part mini-series that explores education to career. For the kickoff to the mini-series I’m joined by a very special guest--Paymon Rouhanifard, former Superintendent of Camden Public Schools in Camden, NJ, and the co-founder and CEO of Propel America, an organization that empowers students with the skills, experiences, credentials, and social networks necessary to transition from high school to an upwardly-mobile first job within one-year of high school graduation.https://bit.ly/ETepisode14We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode14

#013 -- The question of whether schools should reopen for in-person instruction in the fall is top of mind for many people. Parents wonder how they might be able to fully return to work without in-person schooling. Teachers wonder whether they’ll be safe working in a confined spaces within large buildings, surrounded by (oftentimes germy) children. Administrators wonder how to plan in the face of so much uncertainty. And researchers and educational advocates wonder what the long-term impact of remote-teaching will be on the academic achievement of students. If one thing is clear in this whole debate it is that there is no easy answer. Any decision that a school or district makes will be second-guesses, and will leave some key stakeholders deeply unsatisfied. But as July turns to August, and the start of the school is about a month away, decisions need to be made. On this week’s mini-episode, I share my thoughts on how I would approach the decision regarding whether schools should re-open for in-person instruction in the fall.https://bit.ly/ETepisode13We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything I discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode13

#012 -- One’s first year of teaching is universally understood to be really hard. Finishing your first year of teaching in the midst of a global pandemic, with schools shut down, and in some instances moving to remote teaching, adds a new level of challenge that is almost unimaginable. On today’s episode, I’m joined by Josephine MacLean, a high school social studies teacher at Gallup High School in Gallup, New Mexico, who experienced just that. Gallup High School is in a rural part of the country, and has a significant Native American student population. Josephine educates me on issues that face rural communities, how COVID-19 impacted the Navajo Nation, and much more. https://bit.ly/ETepisode12We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode12

#011 -- In the mid 2000s, the education reform movement had widespread support, both amongst elected officials, and the broader public. As the political winds have shifted, education reform, and in particular the charter school movement, no longer has that same political support, particularly amongst prominent members of the Democratic party. As the nation gears up for a monumentally important national election in November, Derrell Bradford, Executive Vice President of 50CAN and the Executive Director of NYCAN joins Education Tomorrow to talk about the politics of education reform, what it would take for charter schools to garner more widespread public support, the place of education reform within the Black Lives Matters movement, and so much more.https://bit.ly/ETepisode11We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode11

The discussion over whether schools should return to in-person teaching and learning in the fall is reaching a fever pitch. Most people agree that while there was a heroic effort to make the switch to remote teaching in March 2020, Zoom lessons cannot fully take the place of in-person teaching. Remote teaching can exacerbate equity issues that already disadvantage low-income families. And in many situations, parents need schools to reopen if they themselves are going to be expected to return to work in-person. Questions remain, however, with regards to how to return to in-person instruction safely. It can be almost impossible to have students learn in a socially distanced environment given the current configurations of school buildings. On today’s episode, I’m joined by two architects, Craig Tooman, Principal of CTA Architects, and Alex O’Briant, Associate Principal at Ennead Architects. We talk about trends that were happening in designing education spaces pre-COVID-19, what the long-term impact of COVID-19 will be on educational design, and much more.https://bit.ly/ETepisode010We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow.For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode010

#009 -- For people who do not work in education, it’s oftentimes relatively easy to imagine the work of someone who supports teachers—they observe them teach, review lesson plans, review academic data, etc... But it is harder for some people to imagine the work of someone who supports Principals. This week we’re joined by Sean Precious, Regional Superintendent with Denver Public Schools. Sean, himself a former Principal, has supported Principals in different contexts, including with a Charter Management Organization, as well as a large, public, urban school district. Based on all of those experiences, Sean has strong opinions on the most effective ways to support Principals. On today’s episode, Sean and I discuss what the role of someone who supports Principals could be in an ideal situation, what has gone well in the rapid shift to online instruction, and some of Sean’s favorite resources for continuous learning.https://bit.ly/ETepisode09We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We hope you have a safe and healthy July 4th holiday, and we will see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode09

#008 -- The United States spends more than most other developed nations on its students’ education each year. Despite the amount of government money, philanthropy has long played a role in education, supporting education-adjacent organizations, supplementing governmental dollars, and helping new education-related non-profit organizations get started. With COVID-19 creating a swirl of uncertainty around state and local budgets, there is an increased call on foundations to support non-profits through what will certainly be a challenging fiscal future in the short-term. On this week’s episode, Anu Malipatil, Vice President of Education at the Overdeck Foundation joins us to talk about how to measure the success of grants in the education space, how COVID-19 has impacted philanthropy, and what organizations are giving her hope for the future.https://bit.ly/ETepisode08We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We'll see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode08

#007 - A high quality education has a lasting, positive impact on students. And yet, we know that not every child in the United States currently has access to a high quality education. The Education Trust is a national non-profit organization that works for educational justice, with the belief that all students—regardless of their skin color, families’ income, language spoke at home, or who they love—should have access to high-quality learning opportunities that allow them to achieve educational excellence. The Education Trust, through research, policy analysis, and advocacy, supports efforts that promote rich, engaging high quality learning opportunities; increase college access and completion; engage diverse communities to advocate for education equity; and increase political and public will to act on equity issues. On today’s episode of Education Tomorrow, I’m joined by Dr. Elisha Smith Arrillaga, the Executive Director of the Education Trust West. We discuss the legislative priorities that the Trust is advocating for coming out of Covid-19; what the Digital Divide is, and why it can be so damaging to students; the importance of a diverse educator workforce; and many other topics.https://bit.ly/ETepisode007We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We'll see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode007

#006 - Of charter schools that have been shut down, some 80% are due to financial mismanagement. With looming state and local budget crises, and potential cuts to per pupil allocations, sound financial management will become all the more important in the coming years. On today’s episode, I'm joined by Raj Thakkar, founder and CEO of Charter School Business Management, to talk about how to prepare for looming budget cuts, common financial missteps and how you can avoid them, and whether schools should be applying for the paycheck protection program, amongst many other topics.https://bit.ly/ETepisode006We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We'll see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode006

#005 - It has been a brutal month of violence against black people. We have witnessed the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Gregory Floyd. We have seen nationwide protests, and we have seen cities burn, fueled with the fury and rage of yet another unarmed black man murdered by the police. The videos of the murder are difficult to watch. And yet for educators, as we work to process our own emotional response to an awful month, we also must help our students process their emotions. At times when the world feels hopeless, and horrific news story is followed by more horrific news stories, students turn to us and wonder, “Will things be okay?” or “Am I safe?” In moments like these, many educators feel ill equipped to support students. In today’s special conversation, I’m joined by Brendon Jobs, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at The Haverford School in Philadelphia, PA. In addition to talking about the recent videos of Ahmaud Arbery, Christian Cooper, and Gregory Floyd, we talk generally about conversations at schools related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how schools can move from dialogue to action. It is at times a difficult conversation, but it is an important one. https://bit.ly/ETpodcast005We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We'll see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETpodcast005

#004 - As schools scrambled to get a handle on remote teaching and learning, the kickoff to the usual teacher recruitment season was delayed. Once schools worked out the challenges associated with remote teaching and fell into a sort of routine, they have been able to restart hiring for next year in earnest. But for schools that have long relied on in-person demo lessons and interviews, how should they retool their hiring process to do everything virtually? For teachers applying for jobs, is anyone even hiring? And what will next year, and the year after hold, with uncertainty around budget cuts and potential hiring freezes or layoffs? In today’s episode, Jonathan Howard, Vice President of School Experience at Selected, joins us to talk through all things teacher recruitment, both from the school’s perspective, as well as from the perspective of teacher applicants.https://bit.ly/ETepisode4We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We'll see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/ETepisode4

#003 - Everyone who is fortunate enough to be able to work from home is adjusting to a new normal. Dogs barking during conference calls, children unwittingly joining Zoom meetings, the rapid deterioration in the conventions of professional dress. Teachers, however, have been particularly impacted, as they have had to relearn how to perform the core functions of their job in a way that few others have been asked to do. And they are doing it while oftentimes simultaneously taking care of their own children or loved ones. How is a teacher supposed to keep it all together? Thankfully, Maia Heyck-Merlin, the author of The Together Teacher and The Together Leader is here to help. As soon as stay-at-home orders were implemented, Maia quickly got to work, updating her seminal organization book for teachers to include tips and resources for keeping it all together while teaching from home. The Together Work-From-Home Teacher was released the week of May 1, and it came not a moment too soon.https://bit.ly/et003We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We'll see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/et003

#002 - When COVID19 forced schools to close in March 2020, many were left scrambling to figure out what to do, and how to quickly implement remote teaching and learning. As schools have figured out how to get students and families access to laptops and internet, how to distribute meals to families in need, and how to support teachers to teach remotely, attention is beginning to turn to an uncertain future. Will schools reopen in the fall? How could a school manage social distance requirements? Today, we're joined by Leslie-Bernard Joseph, CEO of Coney Island Prep, who talks about his decision to close Coney Island Prep before the NYC DOE closed schools, how the coronavirus has impacted the Coney Island community, and how he's planning for an uncertain fall.https://bit.ly/et002We hope you enjoyed today's episode! You can support the show by subscribing on Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, and telling your friends about Education Tomorrow. We'll see you next week!For show notes, including links to everything we discussed on today's episode, go to https://bit.ly/et002

#001 - Welcome to Education Tomorrow, a new podcast hosted by Jacob Mnookin. This podcast is for teachers, principals, administrators, and anyone interested in education. Join Jacob each week as he speaks with a diverse group of thought leaders about the current state of education, what is working well and should be replicated, what is not working and needs to be reformed, and what the future of education holds.