Reality Check With Jeanne Allen

Fox & Friends co-host and best-selling author Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) joins Jeanne on this week's episode 79 of Reality Check to talk about his's latest book, "Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers: The Texas Victory that Changed American History," and what gripping tales of history have to teach young students today. Kilmeade discusses his Fox Nation series “What Made America Great,” and his other books on leading figures in American history including Presidents Washington, Jefferson, and Jackson. “Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers," Kilmeade's sixth book, was released Nov. 5.

Episode 78, this week's special "Veteran's Day Week" edition of Reality Check, Jeanne is joined by Jim Roberts, president of the American Veterans Center (@AVCupdate). Jeanne and Jim discuss the profound and powerful stories of America's men and women in uniform, that shaped so much of our country's history, our values, and our ideals. Listen to this great podcast about how military history brings so much of America's history to life, and why it is so important to remember the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform over the years.

Diane Tavenner is an author, educator and the co-founder and CEO of Summit Public Schools (@SummitPS), as well as a free program that enables schools across the U.S. to implement Summit Learning, its personalized approach to teaching and learning. Diane joins Episode 77 of Reality Check to shed light on some of the misconceptions around personalized learning, discuss her success with Summit and beyond, and her experiences working with parents, teachers and others in the learning process to promote accountability, clarity and transparency while helping students achieve. Diane’s new book, Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life, her “love letter to educators,” was released this Fall and is a blueprint for how parents can stop worrying about their children’s future and start helping them prepare for it, and a companion website, preparedforsuccess.org, contains tips and helpful information for parents who want to be more involved in their children’s education.

THE SCHOOL CHOICE ROADMAP IS AVAILABLE 1/21/20 Please know that all proceeds from the sale of the book are going to support National School Choice Week Andrew Campanella (@andrewrcamp)is the president of National School Choice Week, which has grown under his leadership from 150 events in 2011 to more than 40,000 in 2019. He is the author of the book, 'The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child', a guidebook that helps parents identify education environments that meet their children’s needs. Andrew joins Jeanne on this Episode 76 of Reality Check to talk about his journey to the choice movement, how his interactions with hundreds of parents have shaped and sharpened his understanding of how choice plays out in parental decision-making surrounding their children's education, and why he is optimistic about the future of education in America. Twitter: @schoolchoicewk

Mike Feinberg (@kippbigdog)has been transforming American education for more than 25 years, starting as a co-founder in 1994 of the KIPP schools – now a national network of over 200 K12 public charter schools. He is now a school venture fund entrepreneur, working to develop multiple pathways for students to succeed in career and in life. In Episode 75, join this insightful conversation with a true pioneer on everything from why charter schools succeed to what to do with higher ed’s myriad missteps to the politics of education reform as the 2020 presidential campaign kicks into gear.

Miss Virginia & Bringing Opportunity to D.C. A new motion picture is debuting this month, featuring the story of Virginia Walden Ford (@VirginiaWalden) whose fight in Washington, DC to save hers and others’ children from failing and violent public schools led to the creation of the Opportunity Scholarship Program. On Episode 74 of Reality Check, she joins Jeanne to share her story and talk about the movie, Miss Virginia (@missvirginiamov) which is based in part on her crusade. The movie, is a compelling reminder of what’s at stake when education is not our number 1 priority.

Attorney Paul Clement, former clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia and U.S. Solicitor General brings his expertise to Episode 73 of Reality Check to discuss the Blaine Amendment and parental rights, the subject of an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case. Clement breaks down what you need to know to be informed about the most important education case in over a generation.

On Episode 72 of Reality Check, Jeanne delves into higher education and more, as well as the new book Choosing College with author and “disruptive innovator” Entangled Group founder Michael Horn (@michaelbhorn). Horn cuts through the noise, and helps students, parents, and educators alike focus on the things that should matter the most in the rapidly changing world of higher education. Listen for more discussion on the host of options available to leaners at all levels when it comes to work toward a degree or credential, including new alternatives still under development. With the growing speed and number of innovative new solutions in the public today, what is the true value of a traditional degree, and how are people from all walks coping and taking advantage-or not- of new pathways to knowledge and career-readiness?

GSV Founder and CER Vice Chair Michael Moe joins Reality Check for Episode 71 this week to discuss the future of learning; new advances that are rapidly changing the workplace and the classroom alike, “How we get people the skills, the knowledge, the connectivity” to thrive in the 21st century,” and breakthrough alternative ways that people are learning and sharing ideas today. Listen for more on the role of data and information in shaping the global knowledge economy, why both China and AI should be on the U.S. ed and tech world radar screens, and how traditional education will continue to be “augmented in different ways for people to represent the knowledge that they have” in the future.

Executive Director of the D.C. Association of Chartered Public Schools (https://www.dcacps.org) Dr. Ramona Hoage Edelin and Shawn Hardnett, Founder and Executive Director of Statesmen College Preparatory Academy for Boys Public Charter School (https://www.northstarboys.org) in Washington, DC, join Jeanne for a not-to-miss Episode 70 of Reality Check covering the state of charter schools in the District of Columbia today, from the ever-present struggles for autonomy of schools that are so vital to charter communities, to the growing involvement and effects felt by schools from corporate development and gentrification across the city. The Association, in conjunction with their campaign End the List (@EndtheList), is looking forward to their chance to make their case to the DC Council for why specific buildings in the District should be released for use to charter schools that have proven their efficacy in closing the pervasive achievement gap, time and time again. Every student deserves a world-class education.

Well-known publisher and writer Steve Forbes joins Jeanne Allen for today's episode of Reality Check to discuss prosperity, revitalizing education, and his hopes for the future. Tune in to learn about his new documentary “In Money We Trust?” too!

Kevin Chavous has run the gamut when it comes to advocating for expanded innovation in learning and furthering opportunities for families and children, having been an integral part of the success in initially bringing charter schools to Washington, D.C. and as D.C. councilman helping strengthen school choice and public education in the District. Apart from his public service, Chavous, president of academics, policy, and schools for K-12 Inc., works in the worlds of both business and law, and has authored four books including his latest, The Plan. Kevin sits down to discuss personalizing learning for every child, how to work within — and without –politics to accomplish policy changes, the horizons for virtual and digital learning, and new innovations in business technology connecting students to data to parents and back to teachers to achieve a more dynamic, connected class. Don’t miss this and more on this edition of Reality Check with Jeanne Allen.

Every teacher knows that children all learn differently, and yet our schools are designed to teach them all the same way. In this week’s Reality Check with Jeanne Allen, one of the world’s leading experts in Adaptive Learning explains how it’s changing training in the workplace, and how it can help schools too. Ulrik Juul Christensen, medical doctor and entrepreneur, explores the way computer science is meeting cognitive neuroscience at the cutting edge of educational theory.

Eva Moskowitz is known as the CEO of Success Academy Network. With 50 campuses throughout New York City and more in development, she’s regarded as a charter school crusader, innovator and the architect of a revolution but it’s been a long contentious road. “I never felt before I got into education that I was living a Godfather movie,” says Eva – only half joking. Success Academy has been sued more than twenty times by unions. Union battles and political roadblocks have been a part of the landscape since she started her very first school with 150 kindergarteners and first-graders in 2006. But her passion is boundless and her commitment to educating not only her more than 100,000 students but parents and the general public through her book The Education of Eva Moskowitz. “We need everyone to be informed because the stakes are so high.”

On the inaugural episode of Reality Check in 2017, Jeanne talked with Howard Fuller, a professor of education at Marquette University in Milwaukee, and a former Superintendent of the Milwaukee Public Schools who’s a pioneer in school choice. He is the author of the 2014 book, No Struggle, No Progress: a Warrior's Life from Black Power to Education Reform. Among other things, they discuss the “re-segregation” of American schools, and whether that really matters or not; the true intent of Brown v. Board of Education; the power of giving educational choices to low income families.

This week’s guest is a rare commodity in American politics. As US Senator from Louisiana, Democrat Mary Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) often bucked conventional wisdom of her party to put children’s needs ahead of adults. She is a supporter of the DC Opportunity Scholarship program and a leading proponent in Congress of charter schools, which she sees as a “powerful tool to fix the generations-long challenge of unequal educational opportunity.” (WSJ, April 23, 2019) She pulls no punches in talking about the candidates, the president and the state of public affairs. Our last edition for the summer, this Episode 69 of Reality Check is really hot!

America’s heartland is where much of the goodness of America’s heart can be found, and today on Episode 68 of Reality Check, Jeanne chats with two amazing leaders who help keep the heart of educational excellence beating there. Ben Chavis and James McDougald both grew up in Robeson County, North Carolina – the very definition of rural – some might say real – America and both have returned. Chavis, who hails from the Lumbee Indian tribe, is an educator, school founder and was leader of one of the most successful charter schools in America – Oakland California’s American Indian Charter school. McDougald was a football hero at Wake Forest University, a star in the NFL and is City Commissioner for Maxton. They pull no punches in describing the roadblocks, frustrations but ultimate successes of advancing quality education in “flyover country”.

Several Idaho charter schools were attacked and vilified by members of the Idaho Charter School Commission at a meeting the members thought was “closed”. Fortunately someone recorded the session, at which members disparaged the schools, students, management and indeed all residents of Jerome, Idaho. In this Episode 67 Special Release of Reality Check, Jeanne interviews Dr. Christine Ivie, Superintendent and Principal of Heritage Academy Charter School (https://heritageacademyid.org) in Jerome, Idaho. Dr. Ivie’s school and several other Idaho charter schools were attacked and vilified by members of the Idaho Charter School Commission at a meeting the members thought was “closed”. Heritage Academy’s student body has a large majority of students of color, more economically disadvantaged students and more English learners than other Idaho charters. It has succeeded in raising scores for its students. Idaho’s Charter Commission needs members who actually believe in and support charter schools. The chairman an

Longstanding institutions, including healthcare and education, have remained unchanged despite a climate of lightning-fast innovation in technology. According to this week’s guest, “every student should have the opportunity to go to school, work hard, and reach their American Dream,” no matter what the path or provider, a challenge with the current education bureaucracy. Thankfully Mark Johnson is challenging the status quo. Tune in to Episode 66 of Reality Check to learn how a new generation of elected official is leading the fight for transformation of public ed. @MarkRJohnsonNC

The old saying that “mighty oaks from little acorns grow” is a spot on description of the Alpha Academy Charter School and STEM Institute (https://www.alphaacademy.education/). From 90 students in 2000 to more than 900 today, Alpha and its CEO and Superintendent Eugene Slocum are revolutionizing education and breaking the mold for education in underserved communities like Fayetteville, North Carolina. @Alpha_Academy_ on Twitter Tune in to Episode 65 of Reality Check and be inspired!