Outliers in Education from CEE

We talk about ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) at school. We take bullying head on. But there's one especially treacherous ACE that afflicts as many as 1 in 3 teens from which we shy almost completely - teen dating violence and sexual abuse.

Abuse survivor-turned-activist and national touring expert Ashley Bendiksen has made it her mission to bring these widespread and uncomfortable issues out of the darkness in ...

Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal has been at the helm of education in this state for seven of the most challenging years in education in recent memory. But that hasn't dissuaded him from seeking a third term this November. In this episode, Reykdal steers us through the complex terrain of educational policy, public opinion and a changing world that will demand innovation and adaptation from ed...

Discover the strategies and the heart that drives exceptional educational leadership with Dr. Laurie Dent, the 2024 Washington State Superintendent of the Year.  Dr. Dent unveils her playbook for guiding the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District to new heights, and how she's hit the home runs she has, including her steadfast commitment to the pursuit of a 100% graduation rate.

Dr. Dent delves into the meticulous use of s...

Jamie Johnson is out to foment a "rebellion against overwhelm" that threatens education in this country.

Educator, author, and coach Jamie Johnson left her work as a teacher so that she might have an even greater impact on education in this country. Her first salvo, a new book entitled "Teach and Still Have Time to Pee" is a serious take on tackling teacher burnout couched in entertaining tales from the...

Laughter isn't just the best medicine, it may also be a pivotal part of a successful learning experience. In this episode we speak with big-bearded and gregarious Geoff McLachlan, founder of Professionals at Play and explore how the simple joy of play can prove rejuvenating both students and educators alike.

As the unstructured playgrounds of the past have been replaced with the excessively structured learning environ...

Andre Wicks is the creative force behind EverydayPrincipal.com, an online platform designed to connect educators and administrators with the latest research, knowledge and best practices in the field of K-12 education. A seasoned principal himself, Andre knows what his colleagues are up against on a daily basis and offers inspiring and practical insights into nurturing relationships, sustaining a vibrant school culture, and strikin...

The U.S. Surgeon General has officially declared loneliness a national epidemic, one that is more deadly than smoking, obesity and addiction. It is now estimated that living with a lack of social connection increases a person's risk of early death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day!

But there's a cure available - connection - and it can be administered in as little as seven seconds. On this episode of Outlie...

Is your school board in disarray? Tensions boiling over? Factions forming? Superintendent ready to jump ship? School boards across the country face unique sets of challenges daily. But one policy-based model known as Coherent Governance® maps out what its founder believes to be, "... the most 'user-friendly' system in the world for effective board governance."

Discover the power of Coherent Governance® ...

What if quality education was accessible for every child, regardless of their socioeconomic background or race? Buckle up as we explore this intriguing question with Reid Saaris, the force behind the nonprofit Equal Opportunity Schools. With Reid’s unique insights, we illuminate the dark corners of educational inequality and the persistent underinvestment in students of diverse backgrounds, setting the stage for a compelling conver...

We know more about the inner workings of the human brain than ever before, but is our educational system taking advantage of what we've learned? Cognitive behavioral researcher Dr. CK Bray joins us on the podcast today to explore the intricate relationship between neuroscience, education, and culture. Dr. Bray shares insightful perspectives on the pressing need for change in our educational practices, emphasizing the importanc...

In just two short years it is projected that 25 percent of all students in American schools will be English Language Learners (ELL). Are our schools prepared for that? Seasoned educator Andrea Bitner helps us understand the explosion in ELL students and how our school systems can best handle this change.

Bitner, an educator for 23 years, fills us in on the unique challenges of teachers and schools as they prepare to cater...

A pioneer in Early Learning in Washington State, Ferndale School District Superintendent Kristi Dominguez believes passionately that all children have the capacity to thrive in education, they simply don't all have the same opportunities to do so, and that those years before kindergarten are among our best opportunities to begin addressing those inequities.

"When you teach to the heart of a child, their mind will...

Dr. Tinisha Parker, as Executive Director for Student Services for Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, is responsible for the wellbeing of more than 180,000 students. Imagine the challenges she faces in supporting the social, emotional, and academic needs of all students. Dr. Parker tells us how she approaches this complex and very personal professional work.

"Outliers in Education" is a project of CEE, The Center f...

Maria Barrera read an article in the New York Times about rising suicide rates among eight-year-olds and found her life path permanently altered. This Stanford-educated mechanical engineer caught the wave of new tech sweeping through education and began developing a system in which every child has access to the wellness support they need when they need it.

Today, as CEO of Clayful Health, Barrerra has rolled out a school-...

Superintendent Eric Sobotta of the Reardan-Edwall School District in Washington State was moved to tears when he saw the film, "LISTEN" by Erahm Christopher, so much so that he flew Christopher into his district all the way from Montreal not once, but four times. The goal was to begin employing the power of listening across his district and to help his staff, building leaders, teachers and even the community understand wh...

Lifelong newspaperman Rufus Woods provides a uniquely positive perspective on the pathways to a better educational system. Woods has been passionate about education his entire career and he has seen the good and the bad. Through the mental discipline of appreciative inquiry, Woods  has developed a slate of positive and inspiring ideas on how to improve our current systems. Overarching philosophies like replacing "problem menta...

Coach Jim Johnson rose into the national spotlight back in 2006 when he allowed Jason "J-Mac" McElwain, a young high school basketball student-manager on the autism spectrum, to suit up and get in the game. What happened next is the stuff of legend. Today, Coach Johnson is a nationally recognized expert on teamwork and leadership, a sought after motivational speaker and author of the book, "A Coach and a Miracle.&quo...

Former long-time superintendent Nick Brossoit's advice is crystal clear - start with an unwavering love for and commitment to kids, and everything else will fall into place. In this deeply moving and insight-filled episode, we spend time with Nick as he stares down the end of his life and reflects back on his 33 years in education. 

In 2020, Nick was diagnosed with terminal cancer and at the time of this recording, ha...

Something remarkable happened at Freeman High School last fall when a group of students, having decided they were truly being listened to and in a safe environment, opened up the floodgates and let their voices be heard. The catharsis that resulted is a symptom of a growing trend toward elevating student voice in our schools. In this episode, we hear from Freeman School District Superintendent Randy Russell and two of his students ...