In the third installment of our education policy series, we're joined by elected local leader Ethan Ashley and education advocate Justin McCorkle as we discuss the role school boards play in representing community needs in public education, setting hyper-local education policy, and defining the future of education for students.

Policies impact every aspect of education, but they’re often established with input from a limited number of voices. What role do educators play in interpreting and implementing policies that trickle down from the national level? Rani Corak of Teachers College, Columbia University and Dr. Basil Smikle, Director of the Public Policy Program at Hunter College, continue our policy series this week as they discuss the connection between national politics and the local impact of policies.

Our policy series kicks off with a look at the challenges involved when people with limited educational experience drive decisions that dictate what teaching and learning looks like. While we can believe these policymakers may be well-intentioned, we must also acknowledge the unintended consequences that arise in our classrooms as a result of their choices. Rani Corak joins us this week as we examine the gap between intent and impact when it comes to the myriad policies that surround educators today.

Across the country, we’re seeing a new wave of literary censorship as parents, outside interest groups, and even politicians are attempting to regulate what students are allowed to read. Dr. Marcelle Mentor returns to the podcast this week to offer her perspective on where censorship stems from, as well as the connection between the censorship of books and the censorship of critical thinking.

After a two-year pause, standardized testing has returned. What have we learned about our instruction, our students, and our methods in the absence of these tests? Dr. Rommie Vasser, Principal at Rose Park Magnet Middle School in Nashville, TN, joins us this week to reflect on how his past experiences with testing have informed his current work as a school leader, and the challenges that lie ahead if our practices around high-stakes testing stay stagnant while our world and our students continue to evolve.

Our team is back together this week to shed some light on data — a topic that often inspires fear and resistance. And for good reason — without the tools to make data meaningful for instruction, it can feel like a purely evaluative measure that restricts and reduces all the work you do as an educator. How can we make the most of the data we have? Listen in as we talk through the obstacles and opportunities we’re witnessing when it comes to data collection and analysis in schools.

An equitable approach to assessment is critical for planning curriculum and instruction, and for authentically documenting what students know. Dr. Monica White of the NYC DOE Innovation Zone and Dr. Tangela Williams of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools join us this week to speak on how equitable assessments can broaden our understanding of student knowledge, and how schools and districts can address their own assessment practices.

As essential workers, teachers and healthcare professionals have been among the most impacted groups throughout the pandemic. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Ademola Adewale, an assistant clinical professor of Emergency Medicine at AdventHealth Hospital, and Darius Adamson, Executive Area Director with Orange County Public Schools, to discuss the intersection of education and healthcare and the long-term social-emotional implications of prolonged trauma.

School counselors lead, advocate, and collaborate to promote equity and access for students of all ages. As the realities of our world have shifted, their roles have expanded, playing a tremendous and crucial part in bridging the social, emotional, and academic needs within schools. We're joined by three school counselors — Dr. Jenan McNealey, John Nwosu, and Channelle Joseph-Nwosu — who discuss the misconceptions, challenges, and opportunities within their work.

When it comes to social-emotional support, school leaders support teachers. Teachers support students. But what about the school leaders — who's supporting them? Cheryl Green returns this week to discuss the stress of being a leader coupled with the stress of leading during a pandemic.