Ten-Minute Top Ten

In episode 15 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Dale Simpson, the superintendent of Foothills Regional High School, shares how his special completion school supports students who are at risk of not earning their high school diploma. Dr. Simpson identified one-on-one mentoring and career counseling as two areas that help students succeed.  

The episode’s focus on improving workforce readiness aligns with the content covered in Issue 7 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025.  

For more on this topic, download the 2025 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.   

Check out these additional resources. 

• Foothills Website 
• Foothills Fast Facts 
• Scanning the Landscape of High School Alternatives 

In episode 14 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Elton Dixon reveals how education and community leaders in Valdosta, Georgia created a regional college and career academy. The journey illustrates the importance of corporate involvement and community partnerships in expanding post-secondary options for youth.    

The episode’s focus on improving workforce readiness aligns with the content covered in Issue 7 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025.  

For more on this topic, download the 2025 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.   

Check out these additional resources. 

• One Valdosta Lowndes 
• College and Career Academy Model 
• State High Demand Career List  

Dr. Adrian Epps is a friend of the Georgia Partnership. He served as the Dean of the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University for four years. During his deanship, Bagwell led the state in the number of candidates who completed teacher education programs.  

Upon his retirement, the Georgia Partnership reached out to ask if Dean Epps would share key lessons from his tenure and provide his unique perspective on the state of public education in Georgia. Our wide-ranging conversation resulted in the release of two episodes.  

Part two focuses on engagement and resilience for current educators and features Dean Epps’ recommendations for how school and community leaders can rediscover the purpose of public education. 

The episode’s focus on the future of public education aligns with the content covered in Issue 1 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025. 

For more on this topic, download the 2025 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.  

Check out these additional resources. 

• Supporting Family and Community Engagement in Schools 
• A New, Bipartisan Agenda for Raising Student Achievement 

Dr. Adrian Epps is a friend of the Georgia Partnership. He served as the Dean of the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University for four years. During his deanship, Bagwell led the state in the number of candidates who completed teacher education programs.  

Upon his retirement, the Georgia Partnership reached out to ask if Dean Epps would share key lessons from his tenure and provide his unique perspective on the state of public education in Georgia. Our wide-ranging conversation resulted in the release of two episodes.  

In part one of this episode, Dean Epps reflects on his leadership, highlights key achievements, and describes how he worked with school systems to expand Bagwell’s reach and impact. 

The episode’s focus on improving educator quality aligns with the content covered in Issue 4 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025. 

For more on this topic, download the 2025 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.  

Check out these additional resources. 

• Bagwell College of Education Annual Report 
• Bagwell Community Partnerships 
• Deans for Impact Building Blocks 

In episode 13 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Joy Schofield describes how the Hall County School District uses Dialectical Skills Groups (DSG) to equip students with the tools to regulate their emotions, practice mindfulness, and pursue healthy interpersonal relationships.  

In this extended episode, Joy shares how school leaders executed the DSG strategy and describes how initial success allowed for expansion of supports to educators and parents. While originally intended as a behavioral intervention, teachers and school leaders report that the DSG strategy has improved school climate and parent and community involvement.   

The episode’s focus on student emotions and well-being aligns with the content covered in Issue 3 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025. 

For more on this topic, download the 2025 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.  

Check out these additional resources. 

• The Dialectical Skills Group Model 
• Introduction to Tier 2 Interventions (Center on PBIS) 
• Helping Students Connect the Dots: Thoughts, Feelings, & Behaviors 

In episode 12 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Emily Rubin, a student engagement expert and professional development leader, outlines how teachers and school leaders can improve student engagement by fostering social and emotional connections.   

The episode’s focus on building social and emotional connections aligns with the content covered in Issue 3 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025.  

For more on this topic, download the 2025 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.   

Check out these additional resources. 

• The Social Emotional Engagement – Knowledge and Skills (SEE-KS) Framework 
• Language as a Missing Link Toolkit (Deal Center Resource) 
• The Learning and Cognitive Science of Student Engagement 

In episode 11 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Matthew Smith, Director of Policy and Research, welcomes Shawnell Johnson to share how PAACT: Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive initiative supports families and early care providers. Ms. Johnson also identifies specific strategies that build public will for comprehensive child development strategies.

The episode’s focus on early learning aligns with the recommendations outlined in Issue 4 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2024 and Issue 5 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025.

For more on this topic, download the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.  

Check out these additional resources highlighted during the episode.

·      PAACT Website

·      BOOST Scholarship Programs

In episode 10 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Amy Jacobs, Commissioner of the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), updates listeners about new state investments that reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and fund grants to set up new classrooms.  

The episode’s focus on early learning aligns with the recommendations outlined in Issue 4 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2024. 

For more on this topic, download the 2024 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.  

Check out these additional resources highlighted during the episode.

·      House Working Group on Early Childhood Education Final Report

·      Quality Rated Child Care Website

In episode 9 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research, and Judy Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children, discuss how a focus on mental health and wellness supports student success in learning and life. The episode’s focus on student mental health strategies aligns with the recommendations outlined in Issue 3 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2024. 

For more on this topic, download the 2024 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.  

To learn more about Voices, check out these additional resources: 

• Outcomes for Children and Families, 2024 Legislative Session 
• Crisis in Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health 
• Healthy Minds and Bodies 

In episode 8 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research, and guests Emily Anne Vall and Audrey Idaikkadar, discuss how Resilient Georgia supports regional leaders who are strengthening mental health partnerships across Georgia. The episode’s focus on student mental health strategies aligns with the recommendations outlined in Issue 3 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2024. 

For more on this topic, download the 2024 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.  

To learn more about Resilient Georgia, check out these additional resources: 

• Statewide Advocacy 
• Regional Coalitions | Resilient Georgia 
• Learning Cards | Resilient Georgia 
• Training Roadmap | Resilient Georgia 
• IEC Professional Development | Workforce 
• The Carter Center | Mental Health Parity Act Information