Reality Check With Jeanne Allen

Talk about HOPE! Well it’s out there, and this Episode 64 of Reality Check is all about it. Learn how an education group is tailoring education to the needs of students - 40,000 of them - and not the other way around. Learn4Life and its’ program called HOPE (learn4life.org/programs/hope/)allows new mothers to have their children in the classrooms with them - which turns out to be good for both mother and child. Girls who would otherwise be high school dropouts graduate - often quite literally with “babes in arms” - to new horizons and life opportunities. Give a listen and hear first hand experiences from Staci Roth the HOPE program coordinator, Lenor Miranda who just graduated in May, and current student Fabiola Ceritos.

Self-described “radical educator” Dennis Littky (@Dennis_Littky) talks about his ideas for making education meaningful, impactful and relevant to individual students. Really radical things! Through his work as a school leader and founder of College Unbound, Dennis helps address the needs of students whose needs are not met by traditional education and adults who are among the 37 million college dropouts, creating education specifically around their interests while allowing them to get a degree while also working full time. Littky’s approach is the epitome of the “K - Career” vision that 21st century education must embrace to stay relevant. Tune in to Episode 63 of Reality Check to hear from this radical, fascinating - and successful - education rebel.

Dr. Ashley Rogers Berner, Deputy Director of the Institute for Education Policy at Johns Hopkins School of Education, joins Reality Check to discuss educational pluralism and more: her 2016 book, Pluralism and American Public Education: No One Way to School, educational choice in America and around the globe, international communities’ attitudes toward the biggest domestic educational issues, the history of religious schools and their resurgence in the States, educational models we can learn from, and how teachers are using their freedom as educators and what they can do to continue to improve schools. These topics and more on this week’s Episode 62 of Reality Check.

This week on Episode 61 of Reality Check, David Hardy (@davidphardy), Executive Director of Excellent Schools PA and Founder & CEO of Philadelphia’s Boys’ Latin Charter High School joins the show to discuss the current state of education and the politics behind the opposition, covering everything from “what education should do for each child and student” to the looming presidential race and where education issues will fit for the growing pool of candidates, this episode of Reality Check should not be missed.

Jeanne sits down in Episode 60 of Reality Check with two stalwarts on the front lines of the battle to defend choice and freedom for teachers and other public employees, Harmeet Dhillon and Bob Bellafiore. Though Dhillon is in California and Bellafiore in New York they are fighting remarkably similar battles to force unions to obey the law that was codified by the Supreme Court’s “Janus” decision. Harmeet is representing California teachers who had to go to court to get their union dues refunded – dues they have been owed for months. The unions erected a Rube Goldberg style obstacle course that needs to be navigated in order for teachers choosing freedom to receive the refunds now legally required by Janus. Bob is involved in “New Choice New York”, which reaches out to public employees in New York and elsewhere to explain how they can opt out of paying union dues or agency fees, and how to fight the inevitable foot dragging and intransigence of the unions. Harmeet and Bob are walking the walk. Their stori

On this Episode 59 of Reality Check, Jeanne sits down with Mitch Daniels, the president of Purdue University and former governor of Indiana, to talk about bringing a renewed sense of relevance and purpose to higher education. Daniels is no ordinary college president. He is putting fidelity to Purdue’s origins as a land grant college, making education more accessible to more people while maintaining rigor and containing costs. He has started a high school network, driven competency-based education and aligned with a major US company to create a global university. These and more hot topics are the focus of this week’s Reality Check

“If students don’t know history, it’s not their fault.” Those are the words of author, philanthropist and “grateful american” David Bruce Smith with whom we explore the enthusiasm for American history that led him to found the Grateful American Foundation in 2014. Smith seeks to re-ignite that same passion in young people - and adults - across America. On Episode 58 of Reality Check he talks about the special bond he shared with his grandfather, the real estate developer Charles E. Smith; his lifelong love affair with learning; and the Grateful American Book Prize, which he launched in 2015.

In this Episode 57 of Reality Check, Jeanne continues her conversations with some of the high-energy personalities at the ASU+GSV Summit, where innovators, edtech leaders, educators, investors, and philanthropists gathered last week to explore innovations in education both at home and around the world. In this part, she heard from Torian Richardson (education innovator, world traveler, and entrepreneur); Bart Epstein (Founder, Jefferson Education Exchange); April Sarraille (Knowledge Leaders); and John Filmore (Chief of Business Operations, Chegg).

Jeanne taps into the buzz and the energy of ASUGSV X, where innovators, edtech leaders, educators, investors, and philanthropists gather to explore innovations in education both at home and around the world. In Episode 56 listen to Part I of these people who stopped by Reality Check to share a bit about how they are bending the Arc of Human Potential - Bobbi Kurshan (Investor & UPenn Innovator); Bruce Davis (Teachstone); Jeremy Rossman (Make School); Melissa Lazaro (Lexplore); Candice Burns (Friendship Public Charter Schools); Jon Hage (Charter Schools USA); and Ann Brown (Waterford Institute).

Deborah Quazzo (@deborahquazzo) is the founder and managing partner of the annual ASU-GSV Summit, which will be held this year from April 8 -10 in San Diego, CA. The event, now in its 10th year, celebrates innovations and innovators across the global “preK to gray” learning and talent landscape, and attracts over 4,000 attendees. In this “curtain-raiser” interview for the summit, on Episode 55 of Reality Check, Deborah talks about her journey to the $2 trillion dollar emerging market in global ed tech; why innovators and investors now see education as a deeply consequential growth market; and how the ASU-GSV Summit incubates and accelerates growth by forging the passions and energy of super-talented individuals across a range of sectors in a crucible of collaboration and innovation. For more information about the summit, visit the ASU-GSV Summit website at: http://www.asugsvsummit.com

Educator and school founder JoAnn Mitchell, runs an award winning, high performing charter school serving low-income children. The NM Secretary of Education is throwing roadblocks in the way of her replication and expansion. Why would someone concerned about students interfere? Mitchell is having to hire attorneys to fight the state. On Episode 54 of Reality Check, Jeanne digs into this real life David and Goliath story unfolding right now.

A new blockbuster report entitled “Education Reform’s Deep Blue Hue,” examines the political preferences of many of the people across what some consider prominent “edreform” groups. And what exactly constitutes this increasingly amorphous term? Listen to Episode 53 of Reality Check to this provocative discussion of these topics and more.

From the role of charter school “authorizers”; to why charter schools are so often misunderstood; to why there is no “one-size fits all” model for charters; Jim Goenner delves deeply into the question of why charters schools work on this Episode 52 of Reality Check with Jeanne Allen. “As a strategy to improve public education, chartering is working phenomenally well,” says Goenner. “Why did charter schools take off? Number one there was just a pent up demand and need. Number two it’s a great idea!” Listen in to this edition of Reality Check, to get the real scoop about the critical role of charter schools in driving innovation in public education in America.

Jimmy Kemp, president of the Jack Kemp Foundation, joins Jeanne on this Episode 51 of Reality Check and discusses the legacy of his late father, former congressman, cabinet secretary, and vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp; how professional football shaped Jack Kemp's career in public service and his passionate advocacy to end poverty and racism in America; and how Opportunity Zones, a feature of the 2017 tax bill strongly supported by the Jack Kemp Foundation, has the potential to improve educational choices in low income communities across America.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos joins host Jeanne Allen for Episode 50 in this special newsmaker edition of Reality Check, and discusses the administration’s recently announced proposal to create tax credit scholarships in participating states.

Kelly Young, executive director of Education Reimagined, joins Episode 48 of Reality Check to talk about her quest to bring learner-centric education models and methods to the forefront of practice in the field and tools and techniques to the hands of teachers longing for a better way to help their students accomplish more. Young discusses the need to reimagine and refocus the way young people are educated and stay lifelong learners throughout their time as a bona fide student, as well as beyond classrooms in the workplace, and continuing as an individual among the many people of the world. Young takes listeners through Education Reimagined’s mission and the relationship between competency and a learner-centric model, why it’s so important for the future of school and work together, and what it means for the future of America. This and more on this week’s Reality Check with Jeanne Allen.

Rebecca Friedrichs, lead plaintiff in the 2016 U.S. Supreme Court case Friedrichs v. CTA, staunch advocate for teachers’ rights, and author of the newly released Standing Up to Goliath: Battling State and National Teachers' Unions for the Heart and Soul of Our Kids and Country which details her plight and the stories of educators from across the country, joins Episode 47 of Reality Check to discuss teachers unions and the entrenched educational establishment, the impediments and roadblocks to good change, progress that they can and do create, what teachers and parents alike can expect in the future for worker freedom, and what they can do to support teachers and better education in America today.

Jonathan Harber joins Episode 46 of Reality Check in New York to discuss his work as an education technology pioneer and entrepreneur in the education world and realm of capital. Jonathan talks through the concepts behind the StartED accelerator, education data, the portability of information, and the newest information-sharing initiatives in schools and education. He also discusses school choice and parents’ role in their children’s education, equitable funding for charter schools, and his own experience as a founder and operator of a charter school. Don’t miss these topics and more on the cutting edge of innovative, redefined delivery of education on this week’s episode of Reality Check with Jeanne Allen.

Denise Gallucci, chief executive officer of GEMS Education Americas, works tirelessly within and outside of her own company to help build a global citizenry among learners at all levels who can contribute positively and make real change in their own lives and for the world. Denise joins Jeanne on Episode 45 of Reality Check to discuss her experiences as an award-winning educator, successful businesswoman, and chief executive that have led her to believe education is “the link between people all over the world.” Denise and Jeanne discuss schools’ reliance on age-old concepts and tried-and-failed solutions like throwing useless money at issues to no avail, the desperate need for schools to reinvent themselves, why all learners and teachers need to work to innovate -- globally -- and how the world can build critical thinkers and learners of everyone engaged.

Laura Meckler, education correspondent with the Washington Post, sits down with Jeanne Allen on Episode 44 of Reality Check to discuss her path to journalism and the education world and more. Laura shares her thoughts and her personal experiences covering politics, politicians, and education policy: the ease of finding material to write about, online learning, and other issues. Don’t miss her first-hand account on exciting topics like these on this week’s episode of Reality Check.