transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3h7hkwd4

In this special episode of Equity Leadership Now!, we are pleased to share Professor Robert B. Reich’s keynote address from the 2025 UC Berkeley School of Education graduation ceremony. Professor Reich is currently the Carmel P. Friesen Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and a senior fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. He has served in three US administrations, including as Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, a role for which "Time" magazine named him one of the 10 most effective cabinet secretaries of the 20th century.

Professor Reich delivered a powerful speech to future educational leaders, teachers, and changemakers on the need for a universal, free public education system that promotes civic education, critical thinking, and social justice.

He discussed the critical role of education in sustaining democracy and addressing societal inequalities in these uncertain times. Reich also emphasized the importance of teaching students about the U.S. political system, the rule of law, and the principles of equality, both politically and economically.

Reich noted that education should not be viewed solely as a private investment leading to personal economic gain but as a public good essential for the functioning of democracy. He asserted that, “civic education should instill in young people a passion for truth, enabling them to think critically, be skeptical, but not cynical about what they hear and read, find reliable sources of information, apply basic logic and analysis, and know enough history and the physical world to differentiate between fact and fiction” and while education is often framed as an individual pathway to success, its broader societal value cannot be ignored.

The address concludes with a call for graduates to embrace the challenges of their time with passion and purpose, framing the current moment as an opportunity for defending democracy and ensuring that education remains a pillar of American society.

Equity Leadership Now! hosts conversations with equity-conscious leaders from Pre-K through university settings on educational research, policy, and practice. We complement the mission and goals of the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy, 21CSLA.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4z5d77bu

In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Lora Bartlett, Associate Professor of Education at UC Santa Cruz, about the new book Going the Distance: The Teaching Profession in a Post-COVID World, co-authored with Allison Thompson, Judith Warren-Little, and Riley Collins. Dr. Bartlett highlights that the teaching profession was already in crisis before the pandemic and the arrival of COVID-19 acted as a form of "thermal shock," exposing the structural flaws already embedded in the educational system—similar to a cracked teapot shattered by hot water. She reframes the pandemic not as the crisis itself but as an event that revealed existing systemic vulnerabilities.

Dr. Bartlett shares more about the findings she and her colleagues present in the book from a longitudinal study of 75 teachers across nine U.S. states, tracked from Spring 2020 through late 2022, examining their professional experiences during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Their research revealed two dominant policy orientations among states: ‘Speed-and-Control States’ like Florida, Texas, and Iowa that sought centralized control over both pandemic responses and curricular content. On the other hand, the ‘Caution-and-Guidance States’ such as California, Oregon, New York, and Arizona, provided guidance rather than mandates, and many promoted equity-centered curriculum development rather than restricting content.

Bartlett shared that teacher satisfaction was less correlated with state policy and more with local working conditions. Teachers in all states reported positive experiences when supported by inclusive leadership, collaborative school cultures, and respect for teacher voice. Bartlett affirms the power of the local—asserting that even amidst national political instability or federal withdrawal of support, local leadership can shape teacher retention and satisfaction. In Florida, Texas, and Iowa, states characterized by high control and curriculum restrictions, 32% of sampled teachers left the profession. In California, Oregon, New York, Massachusetts, and Arizona—which emphasized caution and curricular autonomy, only 7% left.

A key theme throughout the conversation is “adaptive capacity,” which Bartlett defines as the ability of schools and educators to respond to unforeseen challenges in real-time. Drawing on examples from crisis theory and jazz improvisation, Dr. Bartlett explains that effective improvisation is essential in moments of uncertainty and it requires deep preparation, skill, and collaborative engagement. Adaptive capacity is not reactive passivity; rather, it is an empowered, informed responsiveness enabled by organizational structures that value professional autonomy and trust.

Ultimately, Bartlett argues for a paradigm shift that recognizes teachers as knowledgeable professionals capable of innovation and problem-solving. Creating conditions that support teacher improvisation, collaboration, and autonomy is not only necessary for navigating crises but also essential for sustaining the profession in a post-pandemic world.

Equity Leadership Now! hosts conversations with equity-conscious leaders from Pre-K through university settings on educational research, policy, and practice. We complement the mission and goals of the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy, 21CSLA.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/44v8sa76

In this special episode of Equity Leadership Now!, Dr. Jabari Mahiri and members of the 21CSLA professional learning group discuss the core concepts from Dr. George Theoharis's influential work, “The School Leaders Our Children Deserve: Seven Keys to Equity, Social Justice and School Reform”. Each guest from the 21CSLA professional learning group explores one of Theoharis's seven attributes of successful social justice leaders, relating these principles to Equity Leadership Now! episode 10, Leading with Compassion in Polarizing Times with Dr. Pedro Noguera. “Compassion is that move toward action, and so that's where I believe the power lies in reconceptualizing our consciousness,” said 21CSLA team member, Stefanie Baker. “Lots of us feel things, and we can relate to things, but it's that movement to action that pushes us toward supporting leaders to become the leaders children deserve.”

Overall, the discussion emphasizes the importance of compassionate, sustained leadership in education, a deep commitment to equity, and a clear focus on improving learning outcomes for all students.

Equity Leadership Now! hosts conversations with equity-conscious leaders from Pre-K through university settings on educational research, policy, and practice. We complement the mission and goals of the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy, 21CSLA.