The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated and brought more clarity around the equity issues faced by schools across the country. Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, Esq., Chief Transformation Officer at the National School Boards Association, talks with us about what our society’s responsibilities are to children to ensure they are seen and heard, as well as provide them with the resources they need to be global citizens. Additionally, some reflections on the role school boards play and the tools NSBA provides to help move these conversations forward.

In this episode, we learn more about Michigan’s new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and how it will help shape future elections in our state. To help educate us on this topic, we speak with Commissioner Rebecca Szetela, Vice Chair of the MICRC.

Cybersecurity for any organization, but specifically school districts, is an area of growing concern. In this episode, we talk with SET SEG's Steve Privasky about ransomware, other cybersecurity threats and precautions school districts can take to protect from these attacks. 

In this episode, Executive Director Don Wotruba, CAE and Director of Government Relations Jennifer Smith talk with Chip Slaven, Chief Advocacy Officer for the National School Boards Association, and get an in-depth view of what's happening policy- and legislation-wise in Washington, D.C. as well as the latest from NSBA, including details about this year's Advocacy Institute.

As students transition back to school buildings this spring and next fall there are many factors to take into consideration for their health and well-being. In this episode, we talk with Brandy Johnson, Education Workforce Policy Advisor for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Kevin Polston, superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and chair of the Student Recovery Advisory Council.

In this episode, we are joined by Beth Bullion, Director of the Office of Education for the Michigan State Budget Office and MASB's Director of Government Relations Jennifer Smith. We continue the dialogue around budget and what schools can expect from this perspective for the year ahead. 

We sit down and discuss Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's latest budget, how that might impact public education, our 2021-2022 Legislative Priorities and other predictions in this episode of MI SoundBoard with MASB Director of Government Relations Jennifer Smith.

Michigan State University Extension aims to help people improve their lives. The Children and Youth Institute within MSU Extension is focused on programming for those from birth to age 19, including Michigan 4-H. In this episode we sit down with two of CYI's leadership to discuss resources for students and schools in Michigan, whether they're in a hybrid or fully remote environment.

We kick off the New Year with leaders from the Michigan Education Leadership Group, which includes the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators, Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and Michigan School Business Officials for a roundtable discussion on trends, forecasts, the state of public education and much more. 

When Oak Park School District teacher Owen Bondono received the phone call letting him know that he was named 2020 Michigan Teacher of the Year, he was speechless. In this episode, Owen joins us to talk about the selection process, the school district in which he works, COVID-19 and much more.