In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, host Christy Hovanetz sits down with longtime education leader (and ExcelinEd board member) Chris Cerf to examine one of the most pressing issues in American education: the “honesty gap.”  

Too often, states report student performance in ways that mask real challenges, leaving parents and educators with an inaccurate picture of whether students are truly on track. Christy and Chris dig into why this matters, how school accountability has evolved over the past few decades and what states can do to ensure honesty and transparency in measuring student success. 

Drawing on Chris’s experience as New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools and a key leader in New York City’s Department of Education, the conversation explores the policies and practices that have moved the needle on student outcomes—and the consequences when states fail to hold schools accountable. Together, they highlight examples of states that have succeeded, unpack the role of state assessments and consider how accountability can advance meaningful change by maintaining high expectations for all students. 

Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of why strong accountability systems are not about punishment, but about creating trust, driving improvement and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed.  

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