In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Bill Hansen, President & CEO of Building Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting charter school facilities, financing, and services. Hansen, a veteran leader in education policy and philanthropy, shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities in expanding school choice, driving educational innovation, and ensuring equitable access to quality education.

Hansen, who previously served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush, discusses his extensive career in public and private sectors, including his leadership at Strada Education Network, where he helped create a $2 billion national social impact fund. He reflects on key education policies from No Child Left Behind to recent reforms aimed at closing achievement gaps and supporting underserved communities.

The conversation also delves into Hansen’s work at Building Hope, which has played a pivotal role in expanding charter school options across the country, including significant projects in Idaho and Florida. He and Luna explore how rural education, charter school facilities, and innovative learning models—such as Elevate Academy in Idaho—are shaping the future of student success.

As a state board member in Virginia, Hansen highlights the importance of accountability, school choice, and parental engagement in post-pandemic education recovery. Tune in to hear how his lifelong commitment to education reform is helping more students access the learning opportunities they deserve.

Key Moments

06:06 Impact of No Child Left Behind

08:13 Expanding School Choices Nationwide

12:39 "New School Accountability Framework Launched"

14:51 "Why I Prefer Virginia"

Connect with Bill Hansen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billdhansen/

Website: https://buildinghope.org/

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host and former Idaho State Superintendent Tom Luna sits down with Katie Jenner, Indiana’s Secretary of Education, to discuss the state’s bold initiatives to enhance education outcomes. Now in her fifth year leading the Indiana Department of Education, Katie shares insights into the state’s innovative policies aimed at improving teacher recruitment, modernizing graduation requirements, and driving student success.

Katie highlights Indiana’s groundbreaking Educator Supply and Demand Marketplace, a data-driven approach that connects schools with qualified teachers, addressing shortages in special education, STEM, and English language instruction. She also discusses the state’s transformative high school diploma reforms, designed to provide students with personalized pathways—whether through higher education, workforce training, or military service.

The conversation delves into Indiana’s remarkable gains in literacy, driven by research-based reading strategies, and the lessons the state is applying to improve math proficiency. Katie also shares Indiana’s role as a national leader in STEM education, boasting the country’s largest K-12 robotics competition.

Tune in to hear how Indiana is “keeping its foot on the gas pedal” in education and leading the way with data-driven reforms that ensure students graduate prepared for the opportunities ahead.

Key Moments

04:25 Educator Pipeline & Job Matching

09:05 Stagnant Education Amid Rapid Change

11:15 Indiana's 2024 Education Reform Debate

16:01 Relevance in Education Drives Success

18:07 Workforce vs. Higher Ed Skills

21:32 Adopting Mississippi's Literacy Success

24:44 Swimming Upstream Interview

27:30 Children: 100% Future Focus

Connect with Katie Jenner

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-jenner

Website: https://www.in.gov/

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with James Lane, former Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction and a key leader in U.S. education. With a career spanning classroom teaching, district leadership, and senior roles in both state and federal education departments, Lane brings a wealth of experience and insight to the pressing challenges in education today.

Recorded at the ASU+GSV Summit, the episode highlights the intersection of innovation and leadership in addressing critical issues like the national teacher shortage. Lane discusses his current work with Educators Rising, a program under the PDK umbrella that aims to inspire high school students to pursue careers in education. By focusing on a "grow your own" model, Educators Rising seeks to address teacher shortages locally, empowering districts to recruit future educators from within their communities.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into Lane’s mission to build a sustainable teacher pipeline and his vision for the future of education. This episode underscores the importance of leadership, innovation, and collaboration in tackling education’s toughest challenges.

Key Moments

04:19 Band director transformed school program and became administrator.

08:52 Multiyear effort ensuring effective American Rescue Plan.

10:52 Left Biden Admin to foster future educators.

15:40 Focus on high school students becoming teachers.

16:49 Teacher quality is crucial; subject gaps persist, especially in STEM.

20:30 Passionate about teaching from a young age.

23:51 Appointed for a 4-year term, achieved goals despite COVID.

26:26 Children are the future; subscribe for more insights.

Connect with James Lane

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-lane-7b712066/

Website:https://education.virginia.edu/