Episodes

  • Last week, Jill and Ross hosted a live podcast recording at the University Club in Boston, MA, with College Uncovered co-hosts Jon Marcus and Kirk Carapezza. Jon is a higher education editor for The Hechinger Report, and Kirk is the managing editor and correspondent for higher education at GBH News. Their podcast, College Uncovered, helps families and students navigate higher education and understand the problems and risks in higher education. In this live recording, Jill and Ross talk to Jon and Kirk about the state of higher education and what families need to know in helping their kids get into college.

    To listen to College Uncovered and read more of Jon and Kirk’s work, check out the resources below.

    College Uncovered

    Jon Marcus’s Bio

    Kirk Carapezza’s Bio
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  • There are over 50,000 teacher vacancies in classrooms across the country, with certain parts of the country seeing large numbers. As the number of individuals enrolled in teacher prep programs has dropped off and more and more teachers are leaving the profession, schools are struggling to keep teachers in the classroom.

    In today’s episode, Jill and Ross dive into the teaching shortage issue and how to keep teachers in the classroom with two experts: Dr. Tequilla Brownie and Dr. Carole Basile. Dr Tequilla Brownie is the CEO of TNTP, a national organization that works with schools and teachers across the country to advance high quality education for all students by ensuring an effective teacher in every classroom. Dr. Carole Basile is the Dean of the Arizona State Mary Lou Fulton Teachers’ College. Dr Basile is leading efforts at Arizona State focused on redesigning the education workforce and changing practices in teacher and leadership preparation. 

    To learn more about Dr. Brownie’s work with TNTP and Dr. Basile’s work at ASU, check out the resources below.

    Dr. Tequilla Brownie’s Bio

    Dr. Carole Basile’s Bio

    About ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College

    About TNTP

    The Widget Effect: Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness

    The Irreplaceables: Understanding The Real Retention Crisis in America’s Urban Schools

    A Broken Pipeline: Teacher Preparation's Diversity Problem

    One Million Teachers of Color (1MToC)
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  • According to the National Center for Bilingual Education, by 2030, over 40% of K-12 students in the US will be native language speakers of a language other than english. As this population continues to grow, education experts say that the needs of these students continue to go unmet, with schools struggling to help students learn English while also facilitating learning in their native language.  

    In today’s episode of “Deep Dives,” Jill and Ross are joined by two experts to explore this topic: Maria Brisk and Angélica Infante-Green. Professor Maria Brisk is a renowned expert in bilingual education and language development. Professor Brisk’s research and work have been instrumental in understanding how bilingual students acquire language and how educators can best support a student’s learning journey. Angélica Infante-Green is the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education for the State of Rhode Island. Commissioner Infante-Green has spent her career supporting English Language Learners by implementing nationally recognized programs and initiatives to support bilingual learning in New York and Rhode Island. 

    If you’d like to learn more about Professor Brisk and Commissioner Infante-Green’s work, check out the resources below:

    Commissioner Infante-Green’s Bio

    Professor Brisk’s Bio

    Professor Brisk’s Research

    Rhode Island Blueprint for Multilingual Learners’ Success
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  • Today's parents and caregivers face the unique challenge of guiding kids through the complexities of social media, trying to ensure a safe and positive experience in the digital landscape. Over the past two decades, social media usage has skyrocketed among kids and teens, and right alongside it, we have seen mental health issues increase at an alarming rate. While legal action against social media companies aims to hold them accountable for their platforms' effects on kids and teens, and research continues to highlight these correlations, there has yet to be a great solution to protect children from the vulnerability they experience on these platforms. It doesn't feel like parents should wait for someone else to solve a problem that exists in so many households across the country.
    In today’s special episode, Jill talks with Dr. Stuart Ablon, award-winning psychologist, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Founder and Director of Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital. Jill talks to Dr. Ablon about his approach and how it can be used to have a productive conversation with your kids to talk about social media.
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  • There are more than 7 million students with disabilities in the United States, representing a variety of needs and abilities. Schools across the country continue to struggle to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment possible, and gaps have only grown over the past decade.
    In today's episode, Jill and Ross are joined by two leading experts to explore this topic: Valerie Williams and Bill Henderson. Valerie Williams serves as the Director of the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. With an extensive background in policy and advocacy for children with disabilities, Valerie brings a wealth of experience in supporting states and districts across the country to help students with disabilities. Bill Henderson is a former school leader in Boston who led one of the most successful inclusive schools in the country, the O'Hearn School. His work in inclusion is nationally recognized. Valerie and Bill join Jill and Ross to discuss the state of special education across the country and how schools can better support students of all abilities.

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  • Across the country, public schools are seeing big declines in enrollment, with more than one million fewer students enrolled in public schools over just the past four years and the steepest drops in the highest-need districts. With declining birth rates, increasing alternative school options, and the looming cut-off of federal relief funds all creating a perfect storm for public schools, districts are faced with a choice: stay the course, or adapt to the new reality?

    In today’s episode, Jill and Ross dig into this topic with two leading experts: John Papay and Brian Eschbacher. Professor John Papay, Director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, has conducted extensive research on the trends leading to declining enrollment and where students are going. Brian Eschbacher, currently an enrollment consultant for school districts across the country, oversaw enrollment for Denver Public Schools during a period of record growth. John and Brian discuss what’s driving this issue and how school districts can pivot in the face of declining enrollment.
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  • In Massachusetts, there are 9,000 young people in the foster care system, and 50,000 engaged with the Department of Children and Families. These students face a unique set of challenges, and in today’s episode, Jill and Ross are joined by the leaders of two organizations at the forefront of helping them succeed.

    Lauren Baker, Former First Lady of Massachusetts, is the Founder and CEO of the Wonderfund, a nonprofit that supports youth engaged with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Shaheer Mustafa is the President and CEO of Hopewell, the Commonwealth’s largest nonprofit provider of comprehensive foster care and wraparound support. Lauren and Shaheer join us to discuss the challenges these students face and how schools and communities can best support their most vulnerable students.
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  • Chronic absenteeism rates in every state are skyrocketing – continuing a trend that started before the pandemic and leading the White House to double down on efforts to get kids back in school. In Massachusetts alone, 23% of all students were chronically absent last year – meaning they missed more than 10% of school days – with rates among high schoolers as high as 30%. There are many factors that have led to this increase, from disengagement with content, to new responsibilities at home, to a pandemic-era shift in perceptions of in-person education. Because school attendance is a key predictor of student performance, this rise in chronic absenteeism has led to a decline in test scores nationwide, bringing increased urgency to the issue.

    Today, in the second episode of “Deep Dives,” Jill and Ross dive into this topic with two leaders at the forefront of understanding and addressing it: Tim Daly and Alison Hramiec. Tim Daly is the CEO of EdNavigator, a national organization that empowers families to access high-quality education. Tim recently authored a brilliant three-part series on what’s behind the rise in absenteeism and how to address it. Alison Hramiec is the Head of School at the Boston Day and Evening Academy, which supports chronically absent students across Boston and helps them re-engage through competency-based learning, mentorship, and support. We discuss the driving forces behind rising absenteeism, the trends in Boston and around the country, and how school leaders and policymakers can help get kids back in school.
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  • School districts across the country are facing similar challenges, and “Deep Dives” aims to unpack why things are the way they are and what it will take to create change. In each episode, Jill Shah and Ross Wilson bring together national experts for a roundtable discussion about a key issue in our schools - diving deep into root causes and innovative solutions.

    Today, in the first episode of “Deep Dives,” Jill and Ross are joined by John Deasy, President of the Bezos Family Foundation and a former superintendent of several large school districts - including Los Angeles and Prince George’s County. John has spent four decades as an educator, school leader, superintendent, and education policy expert, and we talk with John about the current state of public education, the biggest issues facing school districts, and what it will take to reimagine the status quo and improve public schools nationwide.
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  • “Deep Dives,” a new ongoing podcast series from the Shah Family Foundation, explores the biggest issues impacting America’s schools, bringing together local and national experts to discuss why things are the way they are and what it takes to create change. Listen to the first episode in your podcast feed on Thursday, October 26.
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  • Every decision we make is guided by incentives. From financial incentives to social and political incentives – how we are rewarded shapes how we behave and the choices we make. Have you ever thought about why you do what you do, or why decisions get made a certain way? We're digging into these questions in this special three-part podcast series that we’re calling, “What Drives Us?”

    In the first two episodes of this series, we spoke with academics and education advocates to explore how incentives in education and government impact the lives of kids and the adults who serve them - from educators and health care providers, to social workers, to guidance counselors and coaches.

    Today, in the final episode of this special series, Jill is joined by Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation and former White House Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, to talk about Valerie’s extraordinary career and how government leaders can use incentives to drive change.
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  • Every decision we make is guided by incentives. From financial incentives to social and political incentives – how we are rewarded shapes how we behave and the choices we make. Have you ever thought about why you do what you do, or why decisions get made a certain way? We're digging into these questions in this special three-part podcast series that we’re calling, “What Drives Us?”

    In this series, we explore how incentives in education and government impact the lives of kids and the adults who serve them - from educators and health care providers, to social workers, to guidance counselors and coaches. We speak with academics and industry leaders to understand how incentives work and the barriers they often pose to reform and innovation in these fields.

    In the first episode, Jill was joined by Professor Uri Gneezy, Epstein/Atkinson Chair in Management Leadership at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management and author of “Mixed Signals: How Incentives Really Work.” Today, in the second episode of this special series, Jill is joined again by Michael Horn and Jeff Selingo, education advocates and hosts of the “Future U” podcast, to talk about how incentives are structured in education and how we can change those incentives to better prepare students for the workforce.
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  • In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began, the city of Chelsea, Massachusetts faced record economic and food insecurity, with thousands of residents lining up at city-run food distribution centers. To meet the need, the Shah Family Foundation joined city leaders in a simple idea: give people cash and let them spend it however they want. The initiative, known as Chelsea Eats, became the largest Guaranteed Income program in the country, and the results demonstrate what happens when public policy programs are centered on trusting and empowering those they serve.

    Recently, Jill had the opportunity to speak with Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung about Chelsea Eats on her new podcast, “Say More.” In this special episode of “Catalysts for Change,” we share their conversation about the Chelsea Eats initiative, covering everything from the project’s initial inspiration and conception, to the impact it had on the community, to the award-winning documentary the Shah Family Foundation produced about this work.
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  • Every decision we make is guided by incentives. From financial incentives to social and political incentives – how we are rewarded shapes how we behave and the choices we make. Have you ever thought about why you do what you do, or why decisions get made a certain way? We're digging into these questions in this special three-part podcast series that we’re calling, “What Drives Us?”

    Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore how incentives in education and government impact the lives of kids and the adults who serve them - from educators and health care providers, to social workers, to guidance counselors and coaches. We’ll be speaking with academics and industry leaders to understand how incentives work and the barriers they often pose to reform and innovation in these fields.

    Today, in the first episode of this three-part special series, Jill is joined by Professor Uri Gneezy, Epstein/Atkinson Chair in Management Leadership at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management and author of “Mixed Signals: How Incentives Really Work,” to talk about what incentives are, how they work, and how to recognize and understand their impact on every aspect of our lives.
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  • This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the last two months, we’ve brought together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on teen mental health in this special five-part podcast series that we’re calling, “Can Teens Survive the Digital World?”

    In our last episode, we were joined by Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. Today, in the fifth and final episode of this series, Jill is joined by Richard Louv, bestselling author and speaker, to talk about the role of the great outdoors in healthy development and why spending more time outside is key to our physical and mental well-being.
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  • This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on teen mental health in this special five-part podcast series that we’re calling, “Can Teens Survive the Digital World?”
    In our last episode, we spoke with clinical psychologist Dr. Jaqueline Nesi about parenting in the social media age. Today, in the fourth episode of this series, Jill is joined by Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper, along with Chief of Student Support Jillian Kelton, to talk about how social media impacts kids in and out of school.
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  • This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on mental health, discuss how best to support young people in the social media age, and explore the role of regulations and restrictions in this special podcast series that we’re calling, “Can Teens Survive the Digital World?”
    In our last episode, we spoke with Dr. Jill Walsh, professor of sociology at Boston University, about how teens are navigating their physical and digital worlds. Today, in the third episode of this special series, Jill is joined by Dr. Jacqueline Nesi, clinical psychologist, Assistant Professor at Brown University, and founder of Tech Without Stress, to discuss her research on the effects of social media on teen behavior and to better understand how parents think about their children’s use of social media.
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  • This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on mental health, discuss how best to support young people in the social media age, and explore the role of regulations and restrictions in this special series, “Catalysts for Change: Can Teens Survive the Digital World?”
    In our first episode, we spoke with researcher Jonathan Haidt about how the advent of smartphones created a social media-dependent generation. Today, in the second episode of this series, Jill is joined by Dr. Jill Walsh, professor of Sociology at Boston University, whose research is focused on the digital space and its impact on adolescent development. Dr. Walsh is also the founder of Digital Aged, through which she works with parents and counselors to give them the tools to help young people navigate the online world.
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  • This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. 42% of young people experienced persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness, and nearly 25% had suicidal thoughts. As these trends have grown over the past decade, many point to the impact of social media, with numerous studies showing a correlation between social media and bullying, loneliness, anxiety, and depression.

    Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advocates, along with political and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on mental health, discuss how best to support young people in the social media age, and explore the role of regulations and restrictions in this special series of “Catalysts for Change" we're calling, "Can Teens Survive the Digital World?"

    In this first episode, Jill is joined by Jonathan Haidt, professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business and one of the most acclaimed social psychologists in the U.S. Jonathan’s research on the impact of social media on teenagers is helping inform policymakers across the country, and he joins to discuss his findings.
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  • In today’s episode of “Catalysts for Change,” Jill is joined by Dr. David Hamilton, researcher and author of a number of books on healing, including “How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body” and “Why Woo Woo Works.” Dr. Hamilton’s research was originally inspired by his early work in the pharmaceutical industry, where he was an organic chemist working on heart disease and cancer drugs. He was mesmerized by the placebo effect that occurred during drug trials, and after a few years he decided to switch gears and focus his research on how and why a placebo has the power to heal. His research has delivered answers tied to our neurons, neural transmitters, and neural pathways - effectively our internal pharmacy. Dr. Hamilton has since spent his career sharing research on tools that we can all use to help our bodies get and stay well. 

    If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Hamilton’s work, check out the links below.

    Dr. David Hamilton’s Website
    Dr. David Hamilton’s Twitter
    Dr. David Hamilton’s Books
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