The Policy Matters: At the Intersection of Education & Business

In this episode of The Policy Matters, Superintendent Michael Hinojosa sits down with Strategos Group Partner, Todd Lamb, to discuss school reopenings amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. Superintendent Hinojosa illustrates the realities of the 2020-21 school year for students of the Dallas Independent School District and the many factors that schools had to consider in their reopening plans. Throughout the conversation, Superintendent Hinojosa also elaborates on Operation Connectivity- Dallas ISD's mission to provide students with access to personal technology devices along with high-speed internet service to promote effective remote learning. To learn more about Dallas ISD's reopening plans and Operation Connectivity, visit www.dallasisd.org.

In this episode, Strategos Partner Todd Lamb talks with Derrell Bradford, the Executive Vice President of 50CAN. Derrell explains his journey from growing up in southwest Baltimore to graduating college; and how that journey shaped his view on school choice. He also shares his thoughts on COVID-19 and how it has changed the way parents and students view education. Derrell Bradford is a thought leader in this domain and frequently contributes to education debates in print, digital, radio, and TV media.

In Part 2 of this podcast, Dr. Dallas Dance continues the conversation with Todd Lamb about the lessons he learned from both success and failure. Also, Dr. Dance provides his thoughts on COVID-19, schools re-opening, and how superintendents can navigate the political maelstrom accompanying this pandemic. You can find his book on Amazon - Imploded You-niverse: Thoughts on Fear, Failure & the Pitfalls of Perfection.

In Part 1 of this podcast, Dr. Dallas Dance speaks with Todd Lamb about his meteoric rise becoming one of the youngest superintendents in the United States and the factors that led to a dramatic fall. In this podcast, we talk about the lessons he learned from both success and failure. Superintendents and education leaders can all learn from his story. You can find his book on Amazon - Imploded You-niverse: Thoughts on Fear, Failure & the Pitfalls of Perfection.

Strategos Partner Todd Lamb talks with John Bailey, an education policy thought leader and fellow at Walton Family Foundation & American Enterprise Institute. John is frequently sought after by Washington Post and NYT for his thoughts on how to reopen America's school after COVID-19. This is a MUST hear for education leaders and administrators grappling with this issue. You can learn more about John Bailey at https://www.vestigopartners.com/ and @John_Bailey on Twitter.

Todd Lamb talks with Keith Oswald, the Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Schools for Palm Beach County. Palm Beach County is the 10th largest school district in the United States and has been a success story in COVID-19 response.  Todd and Keith dive deep into the issues being considered by school districts across the nation. How will schools handle the safety of administrative staff, teachers, and bus drivers? How are schools implementing distance learning and encouraging high student engagement? They also talk about the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on education. 

This episode of the Policy Matters features Todd Lamb talking with Clara Haskell Botstein. Clara is the Associate Vice President of the Bard Early Colleges.  The schools are tuition-free early college programs where students are taught by college faculty and can earn an associate in arts degree from Bard College concurrently with a high school diploma. Bard Early College is changing the lives of students, especially students in underserved areas. Bard High School Early Colleges are located in Manhattan, New York; Queens, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Cleveland, Ohio; Washington D.C.; and Baltimore, Maryland. We hope you enjoy. 

In this episode, Doug Mesecar talks about the impact of COVID-19 on the education system. We discuss the congressional response, how it changes educational policy, and the funding landscape. This is a must-listen for anyone in education - including policymakers, superintendents, and business leaders. Doug Mesecar has served in senior operational and policy roles at the U.S. Department of Education, Congress, and top education companies. Before joining Strategos Group in 2019. In Doug's various roles at the U.S.D.O.E., he advised the Secretary and senior staff on the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act and other federal laws and regulations, with a particular focus on education innovation, charters, technology, teacher training, and accountability.

Kevin Chavous is a lawyer, author, education reform activist, and a former Democratic Party politician in Washington, D.C. Currently, Kevin Chavous is the President of Academics, Policy, and Schools of K12, Inc., a technology-based education company and the nation's leading provider of proprietary curriculum and online school programs for students in pre-K through high school. In this role, Mr. Chavous overseas all of the services that the company provides to over 120,000 students nationwide. Founded in 2000, and with nearly 5,000 employees today, K12, Inc. is one of the nation's leading providers of virtual education. You can learn more about K12, Inc. at www.K12.com.

What are three easy and inexpensive ways to make schools safer?   In this episode,  Mike McCarty provides actionable steps on how education leaders can understand threats and address areas to ensure better safety within schools.   Mike is the Founder and CEO of Safe Hiring Solutions and has more than 25 years of violence prevention experience in law enforcement.    Mike routinely appears as a violence prevention expert on CNN, HLN, CBN, and Fox.   Host Todd Lamb walks Mike through these steps and discusses the ongoing efforts across the country to improve school safety.   This episode lasts 25 mins.

Committee for Children is a 40-year-old non-profit with a mission to ensure kids everywhere can thrive. They do this by empowering students with the social-emotional skills to be good citizens and help them realize their goals in the classroom and throughout their lives. Every year, CFC reaches over 15 million children in more than 70 countries worldwide. Jordan Posamentier is the director of policy & advocacy at the Committee for Children, the world's largest provider of research-based educational programs designed to advance social-emotional skills and prevent bullying and sexual abuse. Prior to joining Committee for Children, Jordan was deputy policy director at the University of Washington's Center on Reinventing Public Education, director of legislative analysis at StudentsFirst, legislative counsel to the California Judges Association, and a New York City public school teacher.

Jim Horne is a founding Partner of Strategos Group Public Affairs, a private consulting firm specializing in education and healthcare. Jim has spent his career advocating for various education initiatives and companies and has a deep background in the legislative process. • Jim attended Florida State University, where he earned a degree in Accounting. • He was elected into the Florida Senate in 1994 where he led education policy and budget reform, creating national industry models. • He served as the State of Florida's first appointed Commissioner of Education under Governor Bush. • Jim was tapped by Governor Bush in 2001 to implement the most robust education reforms in the inaugural K-20 education system. • He was responsible for overseeing the distribution of the entire PreK-20 budget of nearly $20 billion dollars. Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review through your streaming service and tell your friends to listen in! Have a suggestion, or want to chat with us? Email us at: cosborne@strategosgroup.com

The Strategos Show is your key to staying informed on state/federal government policy and its impact on business. Each month, members of our team sit down with political figures, lobbyists, business and industry leaders, to discuss policy and politics.