Today, we’re joined by Dr. Carey Wright, a nationally recognized education leader with over 50 years of experience. She led Mississippi’s historic rise in fourth-grade reading scores, proving that strategic, long-term reform can drive real student success. Now back in Maryland, she’s leading through one of the most ambitious education overhauls in a generation. In this episode, we discuss lessons from Mississippi, the future of Maryland’s Blueprint, and what it takes to create lasting change in public education.

This blog post reflects on a visit to the Baltimore Ravens stadium and the valuable lessons learned about teamwork and core values. It explores how the Ravens emphasize their mantra "What’s Important Now" (W.I.N.) and "The Team, The Team, The Team" to foster a culture of unity and excellence. I connect these insights to our work at EdScale, highlighting the importance of building cohesive teams and implementing effective leadership strategies.

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Starting something new often comes with unexpected challenges, and launching a podcast with guest interviews is no different. Scheduling surprises are par for the course. As a result, we will be sharing the first guest episode in February. 

But today I’m thrilled to share a rebroadcast of a conversation I had last year with Troy Mix from the University of Delaware Biden School on First State Insights. Troy and I explored the intricacies of implementing change in education, and I’m grateful to have his permission to share it with you today. Let’s dive in!

In this episode, we explore five powerful lessons learned from coaching a 4th grade basketball team that directly apply to education leadership. Through experiences of victories, setbacks, and a nail-biting championship game, these insights demonstrate the parallels between sports coaching and implementing change in education systems. The key lessons include:

Introducing our new podcast, Implement. Change in Education. Full episodes starting in January 2025!