Podcasts about districts

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom. First, a Seattle family is celebrating the life of Ashley Whitehead. She was one of the three people killed at the Seattle Center mass shooting in July. Next, true battleground districts are rare in today's politics… Washington state's “swingiest” area could see a big shift this fall. And finally, a familiar face at a rural Washington gas station has disappeared. Immigration enforcement arrested him last month. Now the small town of Conway is fighting to get him released. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online or on the KUOW App.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York City Public Schools announced one of the most restrictive AI policies in the country, and LAUSD followed with a quiet moratorium of its own. For any company selling AI-powered tools into K-12, this isn't background noise anymore. It's a sign that the ground rules are being rewritten in real time, and positioning needs to keep up.At the same time, October is arriving with a full plate. Conference season, award deadlines, and the usual run of thematic days are all stacking on top of each other. It's worth asking a harder question before the calendar takes over: which of these deadlines actually matter, and which ones are just habit?This field notes episode covers what's moving fast right now, the AI policy shifts landing in New York City and Los Angeles, the conference and award deadlines worth prioritizing this fall, and what actually earns a response on LinkedIn.What You'll Learn1️⃣ Why NYC and LAUSD's AI policies matter beyond their own districtsNew York's policy sounds like a blanket ban, but it's more nuanced than the headlines suggest. Teachers can still use AI to plan lessons, translate, and communicate with families, they just can't use it to grade, decide who graduates, or counsel a student in crisis. LAUSD's own moratorium on student use of generative AI arrived quietly enough that it reportedly surprised its own school board. When the country's largest districts move first, others tend to follow.2️⃣ What's worth prioritizing on a packed fall conference and awards calendarDA Awards entries close October 1st, EdTech Week runs October 13th - 14th, FETC's prices increase October 30th, and SXSW EDU's Launch competition deadline is November 1st, on top of national conferences like NCTM in Denver and CGCS in Boston. This episode breaks down which deadlines are worth building a strategy around, rather than trying to hit everything.3️⃣ What new findings say about getting a response to a LinkedIn connection requestRichard Vanderblom's poll and analysis found that a "helpful" message, one that references something specific about the person's post, is what actually gets a response. It's a small shift, but one that changes how outreach on the platform should be built.Why It MattersEducation marketers are heading into one of the busiest stretches of the year with less room for error than usual. Districts are rewriting AI policy in real time, marketing calendars are more crowded than usual, and the platforms relied on for organic reach keep changing what earns attention. None of this is a reason to freeze. It's a reason to get more deliberate, know which policy shifts touch a given product, spend fall's limited time and budget on the deadlines that matter most, and build outreach around what's genuinely earning a response right now.Resources Mentioned in this Episode:Operation Bluebird Launches Twitter.nowA new social platform reviving the Twitter name and bird logo, from a startup co-founded by former Twitter trademark counsel Stephen Coates, and referenced as the latest in a long line of platforms trying to pull people away from X.LinkedIn Adds AI-Powered Event HighlightsCovers a new feature that automatically turns live event recordings into short-form clips and chapters, discussed as a reason to treat every livestream as an ongoing content engine.Metricool's 2026 State of AI in Social Media StudyThe report showing three in four social media professionals use AI daily, while only about 12% work under a formal company AI policy.Richard Vanderblom's LinkedIn Post on Connection RequestsA carousel and poll on what actually gets a response when reaching out on LinkedIn, with the finding that "helpful" outreach outperforms a generic pitch.The Marketing Millennials: The 4 Landing Pages You NeedDaniel Murray's article on the "Core Four" landing page framework and the "Hail Mary mistake" of sending cold traffic straight to a demo page.Leoni Consulting Group's Free Education Marketing Planner (reach out via LinkedIn or the contact page)Covers all of the October dates referenced in this episode, with the 2027 edition launching soon.AASPA Annual ConferenceThe American Association of School Personnel Administrators' conference, October 12 - 15 in Austin, TXEdTech WeekNYC's edtech festival, including the Shark Tank pitch competition and an invite-only CEO Summit.ALAS National Summit on EducationThe Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents' national summit, October 15 - 17 in Denver, CO.CGCS 70th Annual Fall ConferenceThe Council of the Great City Schools' conference for district leaders, October 21 - 25 in Boston, MA.NCTM 2026 Annual Meeting & ExpositionThe National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' annual meeting, October 28 - 31 in Denver, CO.District Administration Awards of DistinctionThe awards program discussed in the segment on why an award strategy matters for credibility, even when clients don't think to apply on their own.FullScale SymposiumAn education innovation conference running October 8 - 10 in Indianapolis, IN.FETC 2027 RegistrationRegistration for the Future of Education Technology Conference, with prices increasing on October 30.SXSW EDU Launch Startup CompetitionThe pitch competition for early-stage education startups, with applications due November 1.Leoni Consulting Group's Dear Colleague Letter Roundup (post 1 | post 2 | post 3 | post 4)A collection of the most thought-provoking posts, articles, and podcasts on the Department of Education's recent "Dear Colleague" letter.NYC Public Schools' New AI and Screen Time Policy (official guidance | Chalkbeat coverage | NBC News summary of NYT reporting)Coverage of NYC's new AI policy, discussed in the closing AI policy segment.LAUSD's Generative AI Moratorium on Student Devices (syndicated LA Times coverage via Yahoo News | LAist coverage)Lisa Mo, 2026 Riverside County Teacher of the Year, on screen time, "it's not the plane, it's the pilot."Connect with Elana: LinkedIn

On today's show, we learn that a redistricting fight in Missouri has led to a lot of ping-ponging in the judicial system and fear from Republicans in office. Plus, the first production for the University of Arkansas Theater this year has three directors, and we hear what that's like. We also get a roundup of local music on Talkin' Tunes.

The Clark County Council approved impact fee increases for three growing school districts and new fees for four fire districts, raising costs for builders and homebuyers across unincorporated Clark County. La Center's single-family fee jumps from $3,501 to $7,536, Hockinson's rises from $7,790 to $15,175, and Evergreen Public Schools drops to $0 due to falling enrollment. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/clark-county-council-approves-increases-to-current-impact-fees-as-well-as-new-impact-fees/ #ClarkCounty #ImpactFees #ClarkCountyCouncil #HousingAffordability #SchoolDistricts #FireDistricts #Vancouver #WashingtonState #LocalNews #ClarkCountyToday

In episode 282, Josh, Chris, and Mark cover the controversy over the White House's new arcade site, the major cyberattack that shut down Springfield (MA) Public Schools, and Josh's takeaways from Google's AI Educator event in Austin. The main segment dives deep into agentic AI - autonomous AI agents that can act on systems instead of only returning chat responses. The trio walks through scenarios that K–12 tech leaders need to consider: agents updating SIS rosters, automating procurement and purchase approvals, rebooting classroom devices via help-desk automation, and security use cases where camera-detected threats could trigger lockdown procedures. They debate thresholds for false positives, legal and reporting risks, and where to require human oversight. Google training that Josh talked about ———— Sponsored by: Lumu Fortinet ClassLink Adira Extreme Networks Chromebookparts.com - Contact customersupport@chromebookparts.com with the code: WELCOME TO CHROME IMPROVEMENT for an additional 10% percent off your next order! ———— Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals) Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!! Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com X @k12techtalkpod Facebook Visit our LinkedIn Music by Colt Ball Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

A local health district in the Riverina region of New South Wales is consistently growing to serve their community. The Murrumbidgee Local Health District covers community health services across southern New South Wales, from the Snowy Mountains to the Victorian border, covering around 125,000 square kilometres. With more than 5000 employees and an extensive area to cover, what are the challenges for the district?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ship Report, Thursday, September 10, 2026Today we remember a tragic day in US history: September 11, 2001, when terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon in Washington DC. A third hijacked plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, commandeered by heroic passengers, who took the plan down rather than let it complete its terrible mission, which was to hit the US Capitol Building.In the midst of terrible chaos and destruction, an amazing rescue mission unfolded in NY Harbor: Boatlift, organized by the Coast Guard.They called all available boats in the waters of metropolitan NY and New Jersey to help evacuate people stranded after the towers fell. What resulted was a supreme act of spontaneous mariner heroism, as boat after boat converged on the southern end of Manhattan, to help evacuate hundreds of thousands of survivors from the island.In the midst of tragedy, our mariners showed us the best we can be.Link to the film Boatlift: https://youtu.be/MDOrzF7B2Kg?si=Wa5CQ4oJMw_baJDXImage: USACE NY, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia CommonsCaption: Patrol Boat Hocking heads toward lower Manhattan on 9/11 to provide assistance following the attacks on the World Trade Center. PB Hocking was one of many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers vessels from various Districts that were on the waters of the New York and New Jersey Harbor that day helping to ferry evacuees from lower Manhattan and bringing in emergency responders on return trips. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers file photo)

In this episode, Ryan Steuer explores what truly makes project based learning (PBL) successful and sustainable in schools and districts. Drawing on over a decade of experience across a variety of school settings, Ryan emphasizes the critical role of systems—rather than just individual enthusiasm or resources—in embedding PBL at a structural and leadership level. The discussion unpacks the key elements of building a strong PBL system, from leadership alignment to ongoing coaching and teacher leadership, ensuring that PBL becomes a lasting legacy rather than a fleeting initiative.Sustainability comes from systems, not personalities or short-term enthusiasm: Effective PBL requires structures that endure beyond changes in staff or leadership.Leadership and teacher development is ongoing: A multi-year certification and internal coaching ensure teachers grow as practitioners and leaders.Building grassroots buy-in and reflective practice: Leadership teams and teacher leaders collaboratively design, implement, and continuously refine the system, ensuring adaptability and improvement over time.Self-sufficiency is the ultimate goal: Successful PBL schools develop the ability to train and sustain themselves, becoming examples for others and reducing reliance on outside help.Legacy and capacity-building matter: Lasting school transformation is achieved by creating a system that thrives beyond any one leader's tenure.Notable Quotes"Districts that succeed, schools that succeed, don't do more. They build it differently from day one.""The best part of a system is that it lives beyond you as the leader… as a leader, you're going to groom the next leader that's going to be in your spot.""If it doesn't last without you, it was never a system."Ready to transform your school's approach to project based learning with sustainable systems and strategies? Visit magnifypbl.com to start building your legacy today!

Nancy Churchill of Dangerous Rhetoric argues Republicans have an information problem, not an accomplishment problem, and lists policy wins on taxes, border security, ranching, energy, and family ahead of the midterms. She also names three congressional candidates she supports in Washington's 3rd, 4th, and 5th Districts. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-trump-is-winning-can-you-name-five-wins/ #Opinion #NancyChurchill #DangerousRhetoric #Trump #Midterms #WashingtonState #Republican #Politics #Ranching #BorderSecurity

Former Niagara Falls City Schools superintendent Mark Laurrie on rising healthcare costs making school budgets tight for districts full 347 Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:30:00 +0000 eJUwWdSxQJ5t7fUwVjmHALZ9pes6O9hf news,wben,healthcare costs,mark laurrie,school budgets WBEN Extras news,wben,healthcare costs,mark laurrie,school budgets Former Niagara Falls City Schools superintendent Mark Laurrie on rising healthcare costs making school budgets tight for districts Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc.

ACOFAE Podcast Presents: Mockingjay Part 2: "Pop, pop, POP!" ACOFAE is closing it's circles and finishing the last movie in the OG Hunger Games franchise, Mockingjay Pt 2. The epic(?) conclusion finds Katniss in and out and in and out of the medical bay, Gale talking about bombs, and Peeta struggling with what is and isn't real in the worst places possible. Filled with Gale saying dumb things, characters dying, and Katniss realizing how to actually play the game, Mockingjay Pt 2 has an epilogue that Laura Marie hates, and sets the stage for Haymitch's book in a way that will make you read that, then come back to this over and over again. "Woo woo woo WOO." TW / CW: government For additional TW/CW information for your future reads, head to this site for more: https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/ Spoilers: The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi Mentions: Shadowhunters, Sunrise of the Reaping, The Expanse, The Battle of Songbirds and Snakes, Twilight, Shindler's List, Wicked: For Good, True Blood *Thank you for listening to us! Please subscribe and leave a 5-star review and follow us on Instagram at @ACOFAEpodcast and on our TikToks! TikTok: ACOFAELaura : Laura Marie ( https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaelaura) ACOFAEJessica : Jessica Marie (https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaejessica) Instagram: @ACOFAEpodcast https://www.instagram.com/acofaepodcast/ @ACOFAELaura https://www.instagram.com/acofaelaura/

Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss the PaperCut vulnerability, Anthropic's Claude for Teachers, and then... AI and screen-time. Policy and pedagogy take center stage with two of the country's largest districts making opposite moves - New York City's one-year pause on student-facing generative AI in K-8 and recommended screen-time limits, and LAUSD's district-wide ban and filter-based blocking of generative AI. The guys unpack what those decisions mean for teachers, students, vendors (toggles on/off and paid feature concerns), and equity - including how teachers view AI as a productivity tool but remain cautious about its role in learning.   ———— Sponsored by: Lumu Fortinet Lightspeed World Wide Technology Chromebookparts.com - Contact customersupport@chromebookparts.com with the code: WELCOME TO CHROME IMPROVEMENT for an additional 10% percent off your next order! ———— Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals) Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!! Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com X @k12techtalkpod Facebook Visit our LinkedIn Music by Colt Ball Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

His approval is at a record low, but Donald Trump's midterm strategy is to focus on himself. Plus, sources accuse Pete Hegseth of hurting the army by fixating on culture wars as one GOP senator calls on the president to fire him.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Students in the Fridley school district are returning to classes Wednesday morning. The Fridley school district was among those most affected in the Twin Cities by Operation Metro Surge.The first imports of discounted, foreign beef are expected to enter the U.S. this month. President Donald Trump announced the imports last week, requiring this new beef to be sold at 25 percent below the market price.A judge in Minneapolis Tuesday handed lengthy prison sentences to the two men convicted in a mass shooting last year. Hennepin County Judge Juan Hoyos sentenced Arlonzo Williams Jr.Members of Minnesota's Nepali community and supporters gathered outside the state Capitol Tuesday to honor the victims of flash floods and landslides in Nepal and Tibet.

In this special Dell‑sponsored episode of K12 Tech Talk, Chris sits down with Marlo Gaddis, a former educator and current K‑12 Education Strategist at Dell. Marlo shares explains Dell's reinvestment in K‑12 (focused on support over sales), and frames the major challenges and opportunities facing school technology leaders today. The conversation explores what has remained constant in K‑12 tech and highlights the importance of intentional, purpose‑driven technology use. Screen time is unpacked with practical takeaways: audit current practice, collect data (minutes and active vs passive usage), focus on the quality of learning experiences, and communicate clearly with families and the community. Marlo emphasizes active, meaningful uses of devices (creating, collaborating) versus passive consumption like doomscrolling. On AI, Marlo urges context‑based decisions rather than blanket bans or unrestricted access. Districts should assess readiness, define guardrails, evaluate continuously, and adopt AI where it legitimately solves instructional or operational problems.  Budget pressures and sustainability are central themes: build plans that prioritize purpose, sustainability, and staffing, and rely on inventories and gap analyses to make data‑informed choices. Marlo's leadership advice for new and seasoned K‑12 tech directors is concrete - know your people and culture, form cross‑department partnerships (curriculum, CFO, facilities, transportation), start with manageable wins, and use distributed leadership to scale change. ———— Dell K-12 Marlo's recent YouTube video The K–12 Tech Reckoning Is Here Three Priorities Driving K-12 Technology Decisions Today | Dell From Acquisition to Accountability: The New Era of K–12 Technology Decisions ———— Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals) Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!! Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com X @k12techtalkpod Facebook Visit our LinkedIn Music by Colt Ball Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson was in Texas yesterday campaigning for Republican Congressional nominees and said that the Trump Agenda is on the ballot. But that may indeed be the problem with the redistricted seats where Trump won big two years ago, today Trump's approval rating is terrible in these areas. Link to poll.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Lubbock ISD trustees vote to raise property taxes on citizens instead of cutting spending.Wildfire update. Ross Fire scorches 85,000+ acres, second-largest in North Texas history (we haven't been able to accurately track the size of these things for very long.)Oil and gas rig count rises this week in Texas but only by one.The famed Texas Rangers, oldest profession law enforcement force in North America, get a new chief.Federal judge dismisses Fort Worth Muslim's lawsuit over principal reassignment.PUC approves routes for first 765-kV power lines in Texas despite much objection.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

August 27, 2026: 7am — Texas Senate poll: Talarico leads Paxton in key districts To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Public Education Challenges It's the start of school for many districts in the state, but many public schools are facing unprecedented challenges as they work to educate today's young minds. There is greater support on a statewide level for school choice than ever. Ohio projects it will pay private schools $1.26 billion in the 2026-2027 school year in taxpayer-funded vouchers. Public school advocates claim the state underfunds public schools and a coalition of Ohio public schools is suing over the constitutionality of EdChoice vouchers. On a federal level, President Donald Trump established a national school voucher program last year that could soon provide taxpayer dollars for parents to spend on private school tuition. Public districts are also facing lower enrollment rates, staff shortages, and new technology changes, with the growing popularity of artificial intelligence. The National Association of Education president-elect is visiting Ohio as part of a back-to-school tour. On Thursday's "Sound of Ideas," hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll hear her thoughts about some of these challenges and what she sees as the path forward for public educators. We'll also hear from the Ohio Education Association president. Guests: -Princess Moss, President-Elect, National Education Association -Jeff Wensing, President, Ohio Education Association "Shuffle" Music Podcast The Zerbo Brothers share their West African roots through music. On this week's Shuffle, Ideastream Public Media's Amanda Rabinowitz talked with the trio about their homeland and how they found their voice in Northeast Ohio. Guests: - Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered" - Emmanuel Zerbo, Zerbo Brothers - Joseph Zerbo, Zerbo Brothers - Darren Hamm, Zerbo Brothers

In this episode, Jeff Kubiak talks with Jennifer Gibb, Vice President of Business Development at Van Pelt Construction Services, about turning school bond measures into real buildings. With 20+ years spanning district facilities leadership, bond program management, and consulting, Jen shares how districts navigate tight budgets, layered funding sources, and community skepticism to deliver modern learning environments. The conversation dives into strategic bond planning, the real story behind fast-tracked construction after a razor-thin bond vote, balancing capital projects against general fund crises, and designing flexible "good bones" buildings that age well.  Takeaways: Passing a bond is step one, not the finish line. Districts must keep planning and lining up alternative funding even before — and especially after — a bond vote. Speed protects value. Construction dollars depreciate the moment a bond passes, so moving fast (shovel-ready design/permitting) stretches every dollar further. Facilities and general fund health are linked. Big bond programs can mask general fund struggles — spending on buildings while cutting staff requires careful, honest community messaging. "Good bones" beat trendy design. Flexible layouts, strong lighting/HVAC, and updatable furniture keep buildings relevant for decades without full rebuilds. Radically student-centered means every action counts. From ribbon-cuttings to picking up trash, small contributions to a school environment build pride and lasting impact. About Jennifer Gibb: Jennifer Gibb is the Vice President of Business Development at Van Pelt Construction Services, where she helps California PK–14 educational institutions turn vision into reality through strategic planning, funding, and program management. With more than 20 years of experience in educational facilities, Jennifer is passionate about building strong partnerships, creating innovative solutions, and helping communities deliver exceptional learning environments. A recognized leader in the education facilities industry, she is equally committed to mentoring others, giving back to her community, and leading with purpose. Outside of work, Jennifer is a wife, a proud mom of two, and an advocate for making a lasting difference for students and the communities they serve. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtgibb Website - https://vpcsonline.com/   Episode 349 of the Better Learning Podcast For more information on our partners: Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/ Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/ Second Class Foundation - https://secondclassfoundation.org/ EDmarket - https://www.edmarket.org/ Catapult @ Penn GSE - https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/ Want to be a Guest Speaker? Request on our website  

What does it look like when rural education leads, not waits?Dr. Michael Conner welcomes Dr. Melissa Sadorf, executive director of the National Rural Education Association (NREA), the oldest national education organization in the country, founded in 1907. In her first year leading NREA, Dr. Sadorf is rolling out the organisation's first-ever five-year strategic plan, and reframing what rural schools are truly capable of.In this conversation, you'll hear why the rural superintendent's many roles aren't a weakness, but a structural advantage. Dr. Sadorf shares four approaches for building lasting capacity without new money, explains how competitive federal AI grants quietly manufacture the very gap they claim to solve, and lays out what a formula-based fix could look like.She also introduces NREA's National Rural Principal Fellowship, preparing up to 30 leaders beginning at this year's NFARE conference.

This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. Civilization VI, released in 2016, was a further evolution of the franchise that added interesting new features. We introduce it in this episode. Civilization VI Released in 2016, Civ VI is probably still the most played version of the game. Although there has been a general gap of 5-6 years between versions, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic slowed down many things. Since early 2025 we have had Civilization VII come out, but in my opinion it is still being tweaked and refined. In the meantime, Civilization VI is the game I play now when I play Civ. I've played all of them from the first, and put in many hours here. Since I now play Civ on Steam mostly, I have statistics! I played Civ V for a total of 769 hours, and so far I have played Civ VI for 689 hours, but since this is what I play for now I will probably exceed my Civ V hours pretty soon. BTW, I probably have well over 1000 hours on Civ II, which I think I have played the most, and certainly more than 3000 hours total over all all versions. I'm going to cover this without worrying too much about whether it is the base game or an expansion. Fact is, Firaxis have started moving to something more akin to a subscription model when they introduced the New Frontier Pass, which works very well when you are on Steam. The idea was that you bought this pass, and very few months got new content, and on Steam it would automatically be downloaded to your account. That is not to say that there weren't actual expansions, but since the last thing they released was this “pass”, i'm kind of wondering what they will do with Civ VII. In any case, let's take a look at this. Gameplay Again, you start with a tribe in 4000BC which founds your first city, and you immediately begin building units, exploring, researching, and developing your city. this is a time-tested mechanic that never changes. but there are some interesting changes that make this game fascinating. First, in the earlier versions of Civ you thought of yourself as playing a particular civ, which came with a particular leader. In different versions of Civ the name of the leader might change, like for France you might have Napoleon on some versions, or Joan of Arc in another, but in each case one civ gets one leader, so you tended to think of yourself as playing the nation. Rome might be Caesar in one version, Augustus in another, or Trajan in yet another. (Fun fact: Sid Meier says he always plays as Rome because it just feels right to him). In Civ VI this linkage is broken. One leader, Eleanor of Aquitaine, can be played as the Queen of England, or she can be played as the Queen of France. And each version has different abilities and strengths. If you want a fairly easy Culture victory, play her as Queen of France, and watch as other players' cities rebel and join your Empire because they admire you so much. Teddy Roosevelt also has two different manifestations, Rough Rider Teddy, and Big Stick Teddy, when you have all the expansions. China has two possible leaders, with different strengths: Qin Shi Huang, and Kublai Khan. And Kublai Khan can be either Chinese or Mongolian, with different strengths. So in Civ VI you don't think of what Civ you want to play, you think of which leader you want to play. Every leader comes with a Civilization Ability, a Unique Unit, and a Unique Infrastructure. These matter a lot. For example, take John Curtin, the leader of the Australian civilization. His Civilization Ability is called Land Down Under, and it gives him +3 Housing in coastalcities. Building a Pasture triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. Campus, Commercial Hub, Holy Site, and Theater Squaredistricts gain +1 to their yields in tiles with Charming Appeal, and +3 in tiles with Breathtaking Appeal. Then his Unique Unit is the Digger, a melee military unit that replaces the Infantry unit. And his Unique Infrastructure is tile improvement called the Outback Station. This gives you increased food, production, and housing, some of which varies according to what is on surrounding tiles. The point is that each leader gives you very specific advantages that you should play to. In Civ VI it is even more important to tailor your strategy to the particular leader. Leaders like Frederic Barbarossa or Simon Bolivar are very good for Domination, while Peter the Great and Saladin are very good for Religious victories. If you take a random leader be ready to adapt your play style and strategy to fit, or alternatively decide what kind of victory you want to achieve and pick a leader who is good at it. Or if you want a real challenge, pick a leader who is not suited to the victory condition you are aiming at. But keep in mind that the game may take you in places you didn't expect. One game I picked Wilfrid Laurier of Canada, who is ideal for Diplomatic and Cultural victories, and I thought I would be going for a Cultural victory. But Wilfrid's strengths come from his advantages on Tundra land tiles, and I somehow managed to spawn in the middle of the map with no Tundra tiles at all in my empire. I had work hard to manage a Science victory in that case. Districts This is a major change in Civ. In earlier versions you built buildings inside of cities, and you tended to build the same buildings in most or all cities. You were only limited by your ability to generate Production to get them done. Civ VI is different. You have to place Districts on specific tiles, and and you can then develop the district with added buildings. If you want to develop your industry, you can place an Industrial Zone, and then add a Workshop, then a Factory, then a Power plant, and so on, each one increasing your Production. For Science you place down a Campus District, then a Library, then a University, then a Research Lab. And the game mechanic means you cannot built everything in every city. You can place one district at the start, then one more when your city reaches a population of 4, then a third one when you reach 7, and so on with each added population of three allowing one more district. The point is to force you to make choices. Districts get adjacency bonuses which increase their output. The Campus (generates Science) and the Holy Site (generates Faith) both benefit from adjacent Mountains, and the effect is additive. So if you find a tile with three mountains around it, you will want to place one of these districts there. Districts also get adjacency bonuses from other districts, so the planning the layout of your cities is really important to maximize these bonuses. And they can get bonuses even with adjacent Districts that belong to a different city! Another key district is the Encampment, which let you build better, more veteran military units. Since building units requires Production, you should build build an Encampment in a city which has a lot of Production, and that probably means one with an Industrial Zone. A Harbor District would go in a city with coastal tiles, of course. All of this requires planning. Expert players will usually start out by exploring to see what the map looks like around them, what terrain features they have to work with, what resources are available, and so on. Then, around turn ten they will plan out their next cities, and figure out where they want to place districts and so on. There is a built-in “map pin” system for this, and it can be improved by installing the right mod. While you don't have to do this, it does help you to be successful. Maps and Terrain Terrain features matter a lot in this game. We already mentioned adjacency bonuses of Mountains for Holy Sites and Campuses, but there is much more. The map is divided into Continents, and it is quite normal for a contiguous land mass to contain two or more continents if it is large enough. Think of how Europe and Asia are really just one large land mass to see what I mean. This matters because certain units may defend differently depending on which continent they are on, or some civilizations may be affected from having cities on a different continent. Terrain features like Rivers are extremely important for the placement of cities because they provide fresh water. You can sometimes get around that by building an Aqueduct to bring water from a Lake or a Mountain, but that means using up one of your city tiles, and spending production to build it. If you can place your city on a river you can avoid that problem and get off to a fast start. But the downside is that rivers can flood, and that can wreck your improvements. A big idea for terrain is Appeal. Each tile has an Appeal level ranging from Disgusting to Breathtaking, and it is determined by a combination of the tile's features themselves and by adjacencies. The modifiers are added together to determine the Appeal level of the tile, and there is a lens you use to view your Appeal levels on all tiles, which are color coded. This matters particularly if you are trying for a Culture victory. Culture victories are own by generating Tourism, and while some that can come from things like Museums and Wonders, you will really want to maximize your Tourism to win this game, and two good ways to do that are building National Parks and Seaside Resorts. You can only do that if the appeal is at least Charming (or even better, Breathtaking). If you find you cannot build them in what seems like a good spot, chances are Appeal is the problem. So check that out. You can, for instance, remove marshes (which give negative appeal), and plant forests (which add appeal), and that might be all it takes to get these going. The underlying issue in managing your cities is that you only have so many tiles, and a tile that might be great for a farm might also be great for a District. You need food to grow, and you need to grow to put down Districts, so you are always making choices about this, and that is what makes this a great strategy game. Other Resources Civilization 6 Tutorial: In Game Settings Links https://www.pcgamesn.com/civilization-vii/narrative-lead-job-posting https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Kublai_Khan_(Chinese)_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Housing_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Coastal_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Pasture_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Tile_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Campus_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Commercial_Hub_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Holy_Site_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Theater_Square_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/District_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Appeal_(Civ6) https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Continent_(Civ6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkas_uiq_fk https://www.palain.com/gaming/civilization-vi/ Provide feedback on this episode.

A measles outbreak hits five Kentucky counties and health officials say it's likely to spread, lawmakers hear from county clerks about a new statewide mapping system they say has some people confused about where to vote, a Kentucky school district is restricting the amount of instructional screen time for students, and what a new poll is revealing about support for data centers in the state.

Jeff Kubiak sits down with Orin Williams, Assistant Superintendent of Facilities, Planning, and Development at Riverside Unified School District, to unpack a 33-year career in school facilities planning. Orin traces his path from architecture school at Cal Poly Pomona through private practice into public education facilities, sharing how his design background shapes his advocacy for thoughtful, human-centered school environments. The conversation covers turning aging campuses into cohesive learning spaces, building community trust around bond projects, balancing tight budgets against big ambitions, and weaving "gamified" learning (like the fractions-based basketball game "Fraction Ball") directly into campus design. Orin also reflects on an unplanned detour into maintenance leadership, the emotional weight communities carry around legacy schools, and what keeps him hopeful about the future of public education. Takeaways: Great architecture needs a great client. Districts get better schools when they advocate for design excellence, not just function. Trust comes from transparency. Honest communication turns skeptics into supporters — don't overpromise. Every space can teach. Gamified hallways, playgrounds, and murals turn campuses into learning tools. Change is emotional. Treat community pushback like grief — validate feelings before presenting facts. Cross-training builds better leaders. Experience across design, construction, and maintenance fosters collaboration over rivalry. About Orin Williams: With more than 33 years of experience dedicated to public education via capital facilities planning, construction, and maintenance, Orin Williams has led several major capital bond programs totaling over $2.9 billion. Currently, Orin serves as Assistant Superintendent, Facilities, Planning & Development for the Riverside Unified School District - the 15th largest school district in California. Previously serving for 8 years as Assistant Superintendent, Facilities & Governmental Relations for the Santa Ana Unified School District, Mr. Williams' span of responsibility included leading the Planning & Design, Construction, and Maintenance & Operations departments with teams totaling over 260. Similarly, Orin serving for over 4 years as Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities, Planning & Development for the Riverside Community College District, Orin led a $800 million bond program developing numerous projects at the District's three colleges and various education centers. Additionally, Mr. Williams served the Riverside Unified School District twice previously as Director of Facilities, and later as Director of M&O for a total of over 17 years. Lastly, Orin served as Facilities Planner for the Pomona Unified School District for 2 years. Williams holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, was an Engineering major at U.C. Riverside, and holds numerous professional certifications. Orin served as President of the Southern California Chapter and member of the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE), and member of Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH), and School Energy Coalition (SEC), and serves as a workshop panel member as well as served on various committees within these educational facility-focused organizations. In 2022, Orin received the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA) State Classified Employee of the Year award.   Episode 348 of the Better Learning Podcast For more information on our partners: Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/ Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/ Second Class Foundation - https://secondclassfoundation.org/ EDmarket - https://www.edmarket.org/ Catapult @ Penn GSE - https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/ Want to be a Guest Speaker? Request on our website  

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by Really Great Reading.The edLeader Panel recording can be accessed here.Strong literacy outcomes are not sustained by instructional materials alone. Districts need literacy systems that can withstand real-world change, including teacher turnover, leadership transitions, shifting priorities, and the ongoing need to support new and experienced educators.Join district leaders and literacy experts for an edWeb podcast discussion on how districts can build durable literacy systems that maintain momentum over time. Panelists explore how strong implementation plans, professional learning models, instructional leadership practices, onboarding systems, and purposeful technology can help districts protect consistency across schools and classrooms.Listeners learn how successful districts support educators, reduce implementation fatigue, and create the conditions for long-term student success, including for older struggling readers who need consistent, effective literacy intervention.This edWeb podcastis of interest to elementary through high school teachers, school leaders, district leaders, and education technology leaders.Really Great ReadingWe Do Big Things for Districts. We Raise Reading Scores and Prevent and Remediate Reading Failure.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.

Peru has declared a 60-day state of emergency in at least 607 districts across 16 regions due to an imminent risk of water shortages that could affect local populations and activities in the coming months.

In this episode, Phil Boyte sits down with Assistant Superintendents David Rodriguez and Brandon Blom from Natomas Unified School District to explore what it looks like to intentionally support the leaders who support everyone else. Together, they share how their district has built a culture where principals and assistant principals genuinely enjoy being together, trust one another, and never feel like they're leading alone. From purposeful leadership meetings and meaningful onboarding to walking alongside leaders through difficult seasons, David and Brandon offer practical ideas any district or school leader can begin implementing right away. Whether you're a superintendent, district leader, or principal, this conversation is full of simple, intentional practices that remind us one truth: when leaders feel known, valued, and supported, they are better equipped to create thriving schools for everyone they serve.

Welcome back Fort Bend, Lamar, Stafford and Waller ISDsChick-fil-A is thanking Houston with a FREE 4 count chick-n-minis today till 10:30AA band director in The Woodlands loves to share the joy of music

Jenny Curtin partners with schools and districts across New England on behalf of the Barr Foundation, where she helps build and scale Transformative Learning Experiences — rigorous, project-based units developed with partner Springpoint that pull students out of the classroom and into courtrooms, communities, and real business ventures. Her work runs on a philanthropic value most funders don't practice: taking the long view, and staying with schools through the slow, unglamorous work of actual change. A student named Buddha dropped out of high school after years of disconnected, irrelevant coursework — and became his graduation class speaker after enrolling somewhere that taught differently. Jenny Curtin of the Barr Foundation joins the show to explain the model behind that turnaround, and why most school transformation efforts stall before they ever reach a kid like him.

     This week a double dip into the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem for absolutely no reason at all.     Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the 74th annual Hunger Games, a televised punishment where one boy and one girl from each of the 12 Districts must fight to the death. The first film in the long running series based on one of the most influential Young Adult series so far this century, The Hunger Games.     Coriolanus Snow hopes to secure his future and restore his family's lost fortunes by winning the Plinth Prize, a prestigious honor for graduating Academy students. This year a new twist has been added and he is forced to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, District 12's female tribute for the 10th annual Hunger Games. The fifth entry in the series and the first of the current prequel entries, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.     All that and a weirdly unbalanced distribution of circuses to bread. Join us, won't you?   Episode 478- Patriot Games

Ben Bilbrough joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about his career in entrepreneurship, founding Action Tank where they help nonprofits with tech and collaborating with Activate America where they're targeting young voters in swing districts for the midterms.

Peabody Award Honoree, ACLU, Emory University, C-Span, Writer, HistorianThe United States Supreme Court decided the redistricting case had significant nationwide implications. In Milligan v. Merrill (now known as Merrill v. Milligan before the Supreme Court), in which LDF is delivering oral arguments, the Court determined Alabama's new congressional map violates the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 by placing Black voters into legislative districts in a way that dilutes their political power.Yet the Alabama State Legislature Decided in July of 2023 Not to Vote for the Supreme Courts decision that Alabama have two minority Legislative Districts even though The Capital of Montgomery & Birmingham are predominately Black.Mid-Decade Redistricting: Following a subsequent Supreme Court decision (Louisiana v. Callais) that altered Section 2 voting rights act enforcement, Alabama Republicans attempted to reinstate a GOP-drawn map that reduced the Black voting-age population.I am a proud resident of the Washington D.C. Metro Area & know of the redistricting process, having learned this issue as a kid thru Gerrymandering. I bounced thru several district grade schools for years!Steve Suitts is an adjunct at the Institute for Liberal Arts of Emory University, a position he has held for the last twenty years, and has been chief strategist for Better Schools Better Jobs, a Mississippi-based education advocacy project of the New Venture Fund. Suitts began his career as a staff member of the Selma Project. He was founding director of the Alabama Civil Liberties Union, a post he held for five years; the executive director of the Southern Regional Council for eighteen years; and program coordinator, vice president, and senior fellow of the Southern Education Foundation for nearly twenty years.He is the author of Overturning Brown: The Segregationist Legacy of the Modern School Choice Movement and Hugo Black of Alabama: How His Roots and Early Career Shaped the Great Champion of the Constitution. He was the executive producer and one of the writers of Will the Circle Be Unbroken, a thirteen-hour public radio series that received a Peabody Award for its history of the Southern civil rights movement.© 2026 All Rights Reserved© 2026 Building Abundant Success!!Join Me on ~ iHeart Radio @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

A listener writes in with some tips and reports on some of the best known red light districts in South East Asia. He is carrying a bag of toys, how will the girls respond? Episodes every Wednesday and Saturday, YouTube coming end of August.

U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) explains his decision to end his campaign due to Tennessee's gerrymandered districts and what he believes will be the impact of his exit from the Congressional Progressive Caucus.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

A principal and coach based in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, this episode's guest flips the usual format and turns the mic on Danny Bauer instead of the other way around. He brings the same coaching lens to the conversation that he uses inside the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind, where he works alongside other school leaders on the exact challenges this episode covers. His questions push Danny past the usual talking points and into the mechanics of building a leadership vision that doesn't depend on him. Most principals think the answer to burnout is working harder. Danny Bauer argues the opposite — that in an AI-accelerated world, grinding is the least effective thing a school leader can do, and the real work is learning to fire yourself from the things you love most.

Reach University is rethinking higher education with a simple but powerful idea: turn jobs into degrees. In this conversation, Joe Ross shares how apprenticeship degrees can help districts grow their own teachers by investing in the talent already in their buildings. From paraeducators to support staff, this model creates affordable pathways into the profession while strengthening local workforce pipelines. The episode explores teacher prep, higher education, lifelong learning, and new pathways that expand opportunity without adding debt. Outline (00:00) Introduction: Joe Ross & Reach University (06:26) I Love That You Guys Look at Learning Environments (07:37) How the Apprenticeship Degree Model Works (17:24) Expanding Beyond K-12: Healthcare & Workforce Equity (26:43) Next Steps: How to Get Started with Reach University Links Read the full blog here LinkedIn Reach University  

Democrats are expanding their target list for the House of Representatives. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports.

Mitchell Kelly leads the Clark County auditor race with 29.15% of the vote, followed closely by Eileen Quiring O'Brien at 28.74%. Ty Stober and Sharon Wylie trail behind. Council races in Districts 1, 2, and 5 are also taking shape. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/initial-results-from-aug-4-primary-election-release/ #ClarkCounty #PrimaryElection #ClarkCountyAuditor #ClarkCountyCouncil #WashingtonState #Election2026 #Vancouver #BattleGround #LocalPolitics #Politics

California currently ranks 33rd nationally when it comes to per capita investment in its state arts agency.  In late June, Governor Gavin Newsom signed off on a new state budget for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year. That budget doesn't include funding for California cultural districts. Nevada County has two cultural districts - Grass Valley-Nevada City and Truckee - a rare feat for a rural county. Nevada County Arts and Culture, an arts service organization tasked with supporting local arts and artists, has launched a Cultural District Resilience Fund to limit the impact of this lack in state funding. KVMR News speaks with Nevada County Arts and Culture Executive Director Eliza Tudor.

Rojas NightlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former State Senator Bill Eigel, candidate for St. Charles County Executive, joins Marc Cox to dismantle recent actions taken by the incumbent county leadership on the eve of Election Day. Eigel exposes a temporary, one-year county tax rollback that saves families a mere $9, contrasting it with his plan to permanently eliminate the personal property tax by cutting $120 million in bloated county spending—including wasteful subsidies for failing facilities and unneeded municipal renovations. Marc and Eigel also discuss the crucial local primary races in Districts 3 and 5, urging voters to bring true fiscal conservative accountability to St. Charles County. Hashtags: #BillEigel #StCharlesCounty #TaxRelief #EliminatePersonalPropertyTax #FiscalConservatism

It's a hot summer in 1977. Son of Sam is on the loose and avigilante, Lady X, is meting out justice to abusive men. Linny and Nancy discuss Molly Fader's new book, LADY X, and the feminine rage three young roommates experience in 1970's New York. And also, in this dual-timeline book, modern day Margot whose A-list actor husband has been caught sendingcompromising pictures to girls. Ugh. We see women banding together, but this gritty book painfully shows how women also sometimes fail each other. This time, Nancy admits she cried reading the book (usually it's Linny!). We alsoget updates on Linny's acting gigs (can you say “speaking roles”?!), and, Nancy's tennis teams' trips to Districts and Regionals. In their endeavors, both Linny and Nancy are practicing Dr. Larry Widman's positive self-talk! Episode 45. Linda and Nancy discuss MAX OUT MINDSET by Dr.Larry Widman:https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/45-max-out-mindset-by-dr-larry-widman/ Episode 46. Author Dr. Larry Widman supercharges our newyear telling us about his book, MAX OUT MINDSET:https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/46-author-dr-larry-widman/ Episode 127. Linda and Nancy discuss THE MIDNIGHT SHOW:https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/127-the-midnight-show/ Episode 128.  AuthorsLee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne join us to discuss THE MIDNIGHT SHOW:https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/128-lee-kelly-and-jennifer-thorne/ Son of Sam:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Berkowitz 1977 New York City blackout:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_blackout_of_1977 PAIGE REVIEWS BOOKS review of LADY X:https://paigesmith.net/tag/molly-fader-lady-x/

Missouri's Republican supermajority redrew the state's congressional boundaries last year to make the 4th and 5th districts a tougher battle for Democrats. We'll talk through the races before Tuesday's primary, the first election under the newly gerrymandered map.

Zaretta Hammond has spent her career pushing school leaders past feel-good equity language and into the instructional core, where the real gaps live. Her latest book, Rebuilding Students' Learning Power: Teaching for Instructional Equity and Cognitive Justice, names a pattern she calls cognition redlining — the quiet, well-intentioned way schools underdevelop the thinking capacity of historically marginalized students. She's the author behind Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, a text already sitting on most instructional coaches' shelves. Districts have poured billions into equity work for three decades, and the outcomes for Black, brown, Indigenous, and linguistically diverse students haven't moved. Zaretta Hammond says that's not a funding problem or an effort problem — it's a cognition problem, and most principals have never been trained to see it.

Running an elementary school in rural British Columbia hasn't stopped this Ruckus Maker from building an indoor worm farm, growing hydroponic lettuce, and taking a self-funded year off to reset — proof that a principal's personality is not a distraction from the job. Dan Watt is a Mastermind Coach inside the Ruckus Maker community and a recurring co-host of the Ruckuscast, known for turning "pay yourself first" into a leadership philosophy that's kept him energized four years into the role. Joining him is Mitch Weathers, CEO and author of Executive Functions for Every Classroom, whose work on entry plans and executive functioning has become required reading for school leaders trying to build systems that actually stick. Find them both at betterleadersbetterschools.com. Principal burnout doesn't start with too many emails — it starts the moment you decide the job requires you to leave your actual personality at the door. This episode is an Adorable Red Hats reunion where two veteran school leaders make the case that worm farms, hydroponics, and paying yourself first aren't distractions from leadership — they're the thing that makes it sustainable.

Building a tutoring nonprofit that now serves 25,000 students a year — with a vision to reach millions — required someone who'd lived the exact gap she was trying to close. Aly Murray grew up a low-income student raised by a single immigrant mother, moved through a string of Title 1 schools, and felt firsthand what it's like to navigate homework and college applications without support at home. She left a trading job at JP Morgan eight years ago to build Upchieve, a nonprofit offering free, 24/7 human tutoring and college counseling to every Title 1 middle and high school student in the country. Her work is backed by a Gates Foundation-funded study comparing human and AI tutoring, and Upchieve now partners with schools, districts, and CMOs at a cost of about 50 cents per tutoring session. Most school tutoring programs run from 3 to 5pm — and that single design choice quietly locks out the students who need help the most. Aly Murray, founder of the nonprofit Upchieve, built a 24/7 human tutoring program instead, and the data on why AI can't replace it yet might surprise you.

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Gene Kerns, Chief Academic Officer at Renaissance, about instructional coherence and how AI can help connect the assessment, curriculum, and practice tools that too often live in separate places. You'll also hear why having more data isn't the same as having useful data, what to look for when evaluating an AI-powered tool, and how Renaissance Intelligence aims to make personalized learning doable at scale while keeping teachers at the center. If you want to rethink how your tools and data work together so you can spend less time wrangling reports and more time with students, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/07/10/instructional-coherence-bonus/ Sponsored by Renaissance: https://renaissance.com/intelligence Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/   

She spent six years hiding her autism diagnosis from everyone — peers, friends, even herself. Then she built a neuroscience-backed video game that's changing how neurodivergent students understand who they are. Vanessa Castañeda Gill the founder of Social Cipher, an SEL video game platform designed by and for neurodivergent people, developed in partnership with the LEGO Foundation. Her work sits at the intersection of neuroscience research and lived autistic experience — and she's one of the few people in edtech who has both. She was diagnosed autistic at 14, went on to become a published neuroscience researcher, and turned her personal story into a scalable tool now reaching classrooms across the country. 80% of school avoidance students are neurodivergent. That single stat reframes every conversation you've been having about "disengaged" kids in your building. Your neurodivergent students aren't checking out because they don't care — they're burning out from performing normalcy in a system that was never designed for how their brains actually work. This episode is a practical roadmap for principals who want to close the gap between their inclusion vision and what neurodivergent students are actually experiencing every single day.

Today's Headlines: Trump's America 250 Great American State Fair opened on the National Mall in the rain, the power went out, the ferris wheel didn't work, there was no fair food, at least 10 states declined to send delegations, and Trump called it "packed to the brim" — the North Carolina booth displayed a Confederate flag overlay on a video loop before sponsors pulled out, which is on brand for an event whose main attractions were a Turning Point USA booth and a broken ferris wheel. Trump also unveiled a limited edition passport featuring his own face with the words "welcome, but be good!," announced plans to renovate a DC golf course starting September 1st, and personally inspected Lafayette Park to ensure it will have exactly 47 maple trees because he's the 47th president. The administration also announced the "Patriot Games" — aka the Hunger Games — a high school athletic competition on the National Mall in August where kids from each state compete for a $250,000 scholarship they split two ways, streaming on ESPN. The Iran war is back on: Trump announced strikes on Iranian targets after an attack on a commercial tanker, threatened to "militarily complete the job," Iran responded by asserting full control of the Strait, threatening to halt negotiations, and launching drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait — while Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement requiring Israel to withdraw if Lebanon verifies Hezbollah has been fully dismantled, with the US committing $100 million in humanitarian aid. On the Russia beat, coup rumors against Putin got louder this weekend as Russia continues losing in Ukraine, Putin has dramatically increased his personal security, and former Russian defense minister Sergei Ivanov — once seen as Putin's potential successor — died at 73, with his death announced first by a basketball organization he was honorary president of, which is suspicious to say the least. In other news, a new CNN analysis found that Americans in Democratic congressional districts live longer, with nearly 70% of House Democrats representing districts where life expectancy exceeds the national average versus over 70% of Republicans representing districts where it falls below, alongside higher rates of diabetes, obesity, and uninsured residents in Republican districts. Mississippi passed a law creating a registry of undocumented immigrants to share with ICE, covering fewer than 30,000 people out of nearly 3 million state residents. And finally, a dangerous heat dome is forecast for the central and eastern US just in time for July 4th celebrations, so happy 250th America. Resources/Articles mentioned:  Newsweek: Map Shows States Skipping America 250 Fair News Observer: Confederate flag fuels fresh controversy over NC at national ‘State Fair' WaPo: Organizers remove Confederate flag image from N.C. booth at fair on the Mall Forbes: Trump's Patriot Games: What We Know About Nationally Televised Event NYT: White House Releases Images of the Trump ‘Patriot Passport' WaPo: Work on East Potomac Golf Links overhaul will begin Sept. 1, Trump says DW: How real is a coup threat against Russia's president? MSN: Putin faces internal strains as ally Ivanov dies at 73 Axios: U.S. launches fresh Iran strikes as Trump threatens to "complete the job" WaPo: Iran insists it has sole control of Hormuz, ignoring Trump's threats AP News: Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait following US strikes and threatens to halt talks MS Now: Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement after marathon talks AP News: A new law could create a list of immigrants illegally living in Mississippi. Advocates are alarmed CNN: Americans now live longer in Democratic-held House districts. Here's why NYT: A ‘Heat Dome' Could Bring Triple- Digit Temperatures to the Midwest and Eastern U.S.  Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Portland's Business Struggles and Las Vegas's Growth. Guest: Jeff Bliss. High taxes and progressive policies in Portland are driving a corporate exodus, including Under Armour, as business districts empty. Conversely, Las Vegas is thriving, highlighted by the opening of a massive four-story In-N-Out on the Strip. The segment also covers California's proposed wealth tax and calls to nationalize AI. 1IRELAND