DA Changemakers

Superintendent Keri Johnson says female leaders are wired differently, so they shouldn’t try to ‘be something that they’re not’ to fit into a male world.  

Superintendent Atiya Perkins ensures students, staff and families have multiple ways to reach her amid the fast-paced environment of K12 leadership.

Tuscaloosa City Schools Superintendent Mike Daria shares how his district became one of only 108 nationwide recognized for significant math growth. His secret for success: invest in people.

"A vision without alignment lacks coherence," Superintendent Carmen Balgobin says on the latest episode. "It's important to have strong intentionality with your priorities."

Students who participate in robotics programs often excel in STEM engagement, problem-solving abilities, computational thinking, and—in rare cases—team-building on the "Survivor" reality series.

Neil Gupta's mentor scuttled his plans to hold a town hall meeting with teachers when he was a newly hired director in a previous district. 

When Dr. Christopher Meyrick stepped into his first superintendency in 2019, he did not realize he was about to receive a masterclass in crisis management that would define his approach to the next great educational frontier: artificial intelligence.

Superintendent Kelly May-Vollmar details how she reaches everyone in Desert Sands USD with the help of board members, educators, parents and students. 

"People support what they help create," is one of Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross's favorite leadership phrases. It's how she describes Ypsilanti Community Schools' efforts to elevate student voice and engage learners across grade levels in AI adoption and other new initiatives.

In the wake of major shifts in Title IV borrowing limits, higher education institutions face an urgent imperative: rethinking how graduate and professional students finance their education. With the removal of Grad Plus loans, the federal "shock absorbers" that once bridged the gap between federal aid and the cost of attendance are disappearing.

This timely podcast episode explores the impending "student loan drought" and the emerging necessity for institutions to build robust, mission-aligned institutional loan programs. Our guest, Lori Harton, explains why financing is no longer just a back-office financial aid issue—it is a critical enrollment strategy that will determine which institutions preserve access and maintain enrollment stability over the next decade.

When federal options fall short, institutions cannot afford to be reactive. The risk is no longer just about making loans—the risk is doing nothing and acting surprised when enrollment softens. From risk management to personalized student support, this episode provides a roadmap for turning a financial challenge into an institutional strength.

Lori Harton

For more information on navigating these changes in student financial services, visit home.ecsi.net.