AASA Radio- The American Association of School Administrators

In this episode, the U.S. Secretary of Education offers an empathetic, specific, and inspiring vision for school leaders and teachers at every level of large school systems and very small ones.

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Dr. Miguel A. Cardona was sworn in as the 12th Secretary of Education on March 2nd, 2021. Secretary Cardona previously served as the Commissioner of Education in Connecticut, a position he held after being appointed by Governor Ned Lamont in August 2019. In this position, he faced the unprecedented challenge of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and led the safe school reopening efforts in Connecticut. To do so, Secretary Cardona and his Department provided school districts with the balance of guidance, local autonomy, and oversight needed to ensure equitable and meaningful educational opportunities for students while also prioritizing public health mitigation measures. Secretary Cardona and the State of Connecticut focused on equity by arranging for student access to technology to support remote learning, helping the state become the first in the nation to provide learning devices to fulfill the identified need for all students. Recognizing the increased importance of providing resources for the social-emotional health of students and staff, Secretary Cardona and his team collaborated with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and other stakeholders to provide free social and emotional learning courses.

The pandemic is forcing school leaders to reexamine and rethink virtually every aspect of their school systems. Joining us is one of the superintendents on the AASA COVID Recovery Task Force. He shares what issues are surfacing, what surprises he’s encountered and how his schools are adapting.

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A dedicated lifelong educator, Dr. Jack R. Smith has been a classroom teacher, principal, curriculum director, and a local superintendent of schools. He was appointed interim state superintendent of schools and treasurer of the Maryland State Board of Education on September 14, 2015. Dr. Smith joined the Maryland State Department of Education as the chief academic officer for the Office of Teaching and Learning in August 2013. As the chief academic officer, he worked closely with local school systems, parents, businesses, teacher associations, institutes of higher education, and government agencies at the state and national level to ensure high-quality teaching and learning took place in Maryland public schools. Dr. Smith's steadfast goal has always been to provide all students, regardless of their learning needs, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, with options and choices upon graduation.

It's dawning on the education community that general artificial intelligence will have a major impact on education and the world at large. What are the big questions school leaders will need to ask and answer to ensure their schools and students are ready to thrive in the age of GAI?

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Keith R. Krueger is CEO of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), nonprofit professional association organization that serves as the voice of K-12 EdTech leaders in North America. CoSN’s mission is empowering educational leaders to leverage technology to realize engaging learning environments.

He was selected by Ed Tech magazine for it’s 2021 K-12 IT influencers. In 2016 Technology & Learning selected him as one of the “big 10” most influential people in ed tech, and the Center for Digital Education identified him as a Top 30 Technologist/Transformer/Trailblazer. In 2008 he was selected by eSchool News as one of ten people who have had a profound impact on educational technology over the last decade. In 2016 he received a Special Recognition award from the Council of Great City Schools.

Join us for an insightful discussion on the state of the Hispanic school administrator pipeline and what sort of supports, are needed to expand and accelerate the numbers.

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Dr. Francisco Durán is the Superintendent of the Arlington public schools in Arlington, Virginia, and the president of the association of Latino administrators and superintendents (ALAS). He served as the Chief Equity Officer for Fairfax County Public Schools. In Fairfax, Dr. Durán’s work as an equity leader was driven by his background and commitment to support all students. He helped develop, initiate and implement the “One Fairfax” policy to close opportunity, access and achievement gaps, a joint social and racial equity policy with Fairfax County. In 2018, Dr. Durán was appointed to the Virginia State Board of Education where he played a key role in the adoption of the new Standards of quality for Virginia. As an educational leader, Dr.Durán has worked passionately to ensure that all students receive a quality education that will equip them with the skills needed for post-secondary education and employment in today’s ever-changing world.