THE PATH BACK TO SCHOOL IS A MONTHLY SERIES OF WEBINARS, CO-HOSTED BY AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE (AEI), BELLWETHER EDUCATION PARTNERS, THE PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY AND THE LINE.

Each episode brings together a different set of education practitioners and thought leaders to provide diverse perspectives and ideas on the issues and opportunities facing the K-12 community in this uncertain time.

The goal of The Path Back to School webinar series is to find common ground, as well as a path forward, as we consider what a return to school looks like and the contributing factors at the federal, state and district level. We are committed to discussion and discovery that ensures K-12 organizational readiness to support every student in the fall, regardless of the operational challenges we face.

The Path Back to School (Ep. 1): A Blueprint for Back to School

Moderator, Hanna Skandera – editor-in-chief of The Line and Visiting Professor of Education Policy and Impact at Pepperdine School of Public Policy joins panelists to discuss a blueprint for back to school following the COVID-19 quarantine, school and community shutdowns.

Panelists:

• Andy Rotherham – Co-Founder and Partner, Bellwether Education
• John Bailey – Visiting Fellow, AEI
• Wayne Lewis – Dean and Professor of Education, Belmont University and Former Kentucky Commissioner of Education
• Phyllis Lockett – CEO, Leap Innovations
• Tresha Ward – Partner, Bellwether Education

The Path Back to School (Ep. 2): Academics & Talent

Moderator, Hanna Skandera – editor-in-chief of The Line and Visiting Professor of Education Policy and Impact at Pepperdine School of Public Policy joins panelists to discuss the continuity of learning plans as well as teacher vulnerability as we consider a return to school following COVID-19.

Panelists:

• Candice McQueen – CEO, National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
• John Deasy – Founding Editor, The Line and Former Superintendent, Stockton USD
• Derrell Bradford – EVP, 50CAN
• Jason Froelich – VP of HCM Solutions, Frontline Education
• John Bailey – Visiting Fellow, AEI
• Tresha Ward – Partner, Bellwether Education

The panel is followed by a fireside chat with Mark Gruzin, CEO of Frontline Education, Dan Cogan-Drew, co-founder and Chief Academic Officer of Newsela, and Shalinee Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Zearn Math.

The Path Back to School (Ep. 3): Operations & Health

Moderator, Andy Rotherham leads a discussion focused on practical thoughts and guidance about how schools can ensure they are prepared and equipped to maintain critical operations no matter what environment they find themselves in. The added challenges of managing facilities with heightened cleaning and social distancing requirements and, most importantly, putting processes in place to ensure the safety of students and staff, add even more complexity to the conversation around operations and health planning.

Panelists:

• Rajeev Bajaj – Partner & CEO, Kitamba
• Kevin Haugh – Chief Product Officer, Frontline Education
• Simon Johnson – Ronald A. Kurtz (1954) Professor of Entrepreneurship; Professor, Global Economics and Management, MIT Sloan
• Duncan Klussmann – Superintendent Emeritus, Spring Branch ISD; Clinical Asst. Professor, University of Houston College of Education
• Mike Miles – Former Superintendent, Dallas ISD; Co-Founder & CEO, Third Future Education Consulting
• Katie Rouse – Senior Associate Partner, Bellwether Education

The Path Back to School (Ep. 4): Best Practices & Special Education

In the fourth episode in the Path Back to School webinar series, co-hosted by American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Bellwether Education Partners, Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy and The Line, we looked at Best Practices as well as the issues and opportunities facing Special Education. Moderated by The Line editor-in-chief, Hanna Skandera, our panelists discussed successful practices from the field during distance learning, providing listeners with actionable ideas for 2020-21 school year. Part of the conversation was also dedicated to special education as continuity of special education programming has been a common area of concern in these challenging times.

Panelists:

• Gregg Vanourek | Founder, Gregg Vanourek LLC, Speaker, Author, Leadership and Executive Trainer
• Robert Pasternack, Ph.D. | Former Assist Secretary of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS); RTI Action Network Contributor, National Center for Learning Disabilities
• Lauren Morando Rhim, Ph.D. | Co-founder and Executive Director, National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools
• Bill Kurtz | CEO, DSST Public Schools

The Path Back to School (Ep. 5): Social Emotional Learning

The fifth episode of the Path Back to School webinar series, co-hosted by American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Bellwether Education Partners, Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy and The Line, looked at the need for increased SEL and whole child supports. Panelists discussed the creation of equitable learning environments and how we assess and address the trauma of not just one, but what can be viewed as two concurrent pandemics – COVID-19 and systemic racism.

Panelists:

• Ary Amerikaner | Vice President for P-12 Policy, The Education Trust
• Cami Anderson | Managing Partner, Third Way Solutions; former Superintendent of Newark Public Schools
• Hattie Mitchell | Founder, Crete Academy & Visiting Professor of Education & Policy, Pepperdine University School of Public Policy
• Ian Rowe | Resident Fellow of Domestic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute

The Path Back to School (Ep. 6): How Have Schools Fared in the Midst of a Pandemic?

The sixth episode of the Path Back to School series takes a look back at how schools have fared in the midst of a pandemic. Panelists from our first episode – John P. Bailey, Visiting Fellow, American Enterprise Institute; Wayne D. Lewis, Jr., Dean and Professor of Education, Belmont University; and Andrew J. Rotherham, Co-founder & Partner at Bellwether Education, join moderator Hanna Skandera to discuss what we’ve learned and what the new administration will need to do in the first 100 days.

Panelists:

• John P. Bailey | Visiting Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
• Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. | Dean and Professor of Education, Belmont University
• Andrew J. Rotherham | Co-founder & Partner at Bellwether Education

The Path Back to School (Ep. 7): Progress and Pathways to a Full and Safe Reopening for Fall 2021

Returning panelists Dr. Wayne Lewis, and Andy Rotherham as well as new Path Back to School voices, Dr. Barbara Jenkins and Dr. Nat Malkus joined moderator, Hanna Skandera to discuss the impact of the pandemic on our nation’s schools and review key learnings from the last school year. A conversation around the issues and opportunities for a full and safe reopening of schools ranged from funding to accountability.

Panelists:

• Dr. Barbara Jenkins | Superintendent, Orange County Public Schools
• Dr. Wayne Lewis | President, Houghton College
• Dr. Nat Malkus | Senior Fellow & Deputy Director of Education Policy, AEI
• Andy Rotherham | Co-founder & Partner, Bellwether Education