Federal and state accountability systems have historically been praised by some and criticized by others. But one thing that state education agencies and local school districts around the nation agreed upon was how the pandemic exposed the inequities of the current accountability system.

How can we challenge low expectations and have the hard conversations necessary to promote social justice in education? I joined the Change Agents in K12 Podcast to discuss my personal and professional journey that has led me to push for change at the local, state, and national level, as well as to write a children’s book to help advance the conversation.

States across the country have legislatively mandated Social-Emotional Learning as a way of combating society’s ills rather than through the lens of equity. Such a reactionary view runs the risk of failure without first addressing the most critical feature of the movement: the adult.