LA County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Debra Duardo

With Fall quarter now upon us, "Find Your Calling" heads to the boss of LA County's Education team, Superintendent Debra Duardo. She's a three-time Bruin with a twist. Starting at the university as a so-called non-traditional student, she attended classes while caring for 4 children, including one with a severe disability. Nevertheless, she persisted and rose to the highest position at LA County's Department of Education, now leading the largest regional educational agency in America. In this episode, we discuss her fascinating life; CA's student performance metrics; the delicate balancing act of letting kids back into the classroom; and the surprising mental-health benefits that come with living in the ZOOM age. If you'd like to dig deeper into the student outcomes I cited, here are some trustworthy websites: 1) CA Educational Dashboard Info about LAUSD https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/19647330000000/2019 2) The Nation's Report Card https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/