Implement. Change in Education

#19 Guest: Dr. Maria Navarro on Where High Quality & Diverse Teachers Drive Student Success (Blueprint Pillar 2)

NEW EPISODE: Where High-Quality & Diverse Teachers Drive Student SuccessMy conversation with Dr. Maria Navarro, Superintendent of Charles County Public Schools, reveals a powerful blueprint for educational transformation in action. Dr. Navarro's district has increased teacher diversity from 37.8% to 43.2% while dramatically expanding National Board Certification candidates from 8 to 117 teachers - showing how strategic leadership creates real change.
 
Top 3 Insights:
Teacher-led growth scales: Piloting the 60/40 model (60% teaching, 40% teacher leadership) enables peer coaching and faster improvement.
Mindsets before mechanics: Naming the idea that moving to high-needs schools can feel like a “demotion” opened honest, equity-centered conversations—and change.
Regional pipelines win: Charles, Calvert, & St. Mary’s are partnering with higher ed to build sustainable teacher pathways.
The Blueprint reforms aren't just policy—they're changing how educators work together while keeping excellent teachers in classrooms through meaningful career advancement.

#18 Blog: Five Lesson from Chefs for Education Leaders

For Father's Day, I was given a family-friendly cooking class from my wife and boys (3rd and 6th grade). The experience reminded me of how cooking and education have quite a bit in common. Including cuts and burns! Chefs know that success in the kitchen doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built through *mise-en-place* (“everything in its place”). Leaders face the same challenge: prepare well, or get lost in the rush. In this episode, we discuss how the chef's discipline of *mise-en-place* ("everything in its place") offers powerful lessons for education leaders seeking deeper focus: - Preparation before action - Clear tools and workflows - Mindset of readiness - Economy of motion - Continuous improvement Leadership, like cooking, is an art built on discipline. Links mentioned for show notes:- Blog: https://edscalellc.com/five-lesson-from-chefs-for-education-leaders/- James Beard award-winning Baltimore chef Cindy Wolf talks about leadership in the kitchen

#17 Guest: Blueprint Advisory Committee Pillar 5 Presentation

Making Reform Real: Lessons from Maryland’s Blueprint
Want to implement ambitious education reforms that actually stick? Maryland’s Blueprint shows us the stakes — and the lessons.
I recently joined the Blueprint Pillar 5 Advisory Committee to share insights on how communication and implementation strategies can make or break systemic reform. While Maryland is the case study, these lessons apply anywhere leaders are trying to drive meaningful change.
The takeaway? Policy sets the direction, but success is 90% about implementation. Clear roles, timely updates, and school-first communication are what build trust, accelerate learning, and scale what works.
Whether you’re in education leadership, policy, or school improvement, these strategies can help your initiatives gain traction.
Listen now to hear how we can align big reforms with everyday practice — and make communication the bridge between intent and reality.
 
 

#16 Blog: CACTE Closing Keynote Leveraging Change for Students (overview)

Finding Our Stride in Times of Change!Change is hard — but when we embrace it, it opens the door to possibilities we never saw before. Driving back from CACTE through the Rockies, I was reminded that change often feels like stepping into the unknown, but those paths can lead to powerful growth.As William Bridges writes in Managing Transitions, change is like a marathon. Leadership isn’t about sprinting ahead; it’s about ensuring everyone crosses the finish line together. The real measure of leadership isn’t speed — it’s how many people finish the race with you.In this episode, we discuss 4 keys to leading change well: - Get clear on the vision - Scale what’s already working - Build feedback loops - Stay consistent Links mentioned for show notes:- Blog: CACTE Closing Keynote Leveraging Change for Students (overview)- Colorado Association for Career and Technical Education (CACTE)- You can listen to my full talk here (on my podcast)- Book reference: Managing Transitions by William Bridges- Synergy Stick

#15 Guest: CACTE Closing Keynote- Leveraging Change for Students

EdScale's Founder Tom DeWire gave the closing keynote in July 2025 at the annual CACTE Summit in Colorado to talk about change management.  It was an incredible gathering of over 400 educators in Colorado focused on career and technical education. 
Since 1917, Colorado Association for Career and Technical Education (CACTE) has been the largest state organization supporting CTE educators in their efforts to prepare students for career and life success.
EdScale co-designed breakouts right after this session for their members to put the learnings from the conference into practice around four key questions relevant to educators in Colorado.  It was a pleasure to work with such a committed group of educators!
Change is inevitable. But how we implement it—that’s the choice. At CACTE, I left the group with a few key takeaways:
Get clear together before diving into details.
Obsess over what’s working.
Build feedback loops for course correction.
And above all, stay consistent.
Because the real measure of leadership isn’t how fast you get to the finish line—it’s how many people cross it with you.

#14 Blog: Case Study: Delaware is the first state in growing the educator workforce

What does it take to build and retain a strong, more diverse educator workforce? This episode spotlights Delaware’s bold approach to strengthening the teacher pipeline, and how one state is turning strategy into sustainable, statewide impact.
Inside the episode:
How Delaware is tackling teacher shortages with short- and long-term strategies
Why partnerships, pathways, and pipelines are reshaping the educator workforce
What it means to build capacity through systems, not just programs
How the Delaware DOE is creating a national model for teacher recruitment and retention
Learn how EdExcel and CTE leaders are turning vision into action—with support from EdScale—and how the sold-out Teacher Pathways Showcase captured the momentum underway. Stay tuned for more updates and insights!
Links mentioned for show notes:
Blog: Case Study: Delaware is the first state in growing the educator workforce
Delaware Makes Improvements in Education Staffing 
Delaware news: nine-percent salary increase for teachers in next year’s budget
Delaware Workforce Development Board

#13 Guest: Laura Weeldreyer on MD Blueprint Pillar 1 (Early Childhood)

In this episode of Implement Change in Education, we’re joined by Laura Weeldreyer, Executive Director of the Maryland Family Network.
With decades of leadership in public and private education, including key roles at Johns Hopkins and Baltimore City Schools, Laura brings a clear-eyed, mission-driven perspective on what it takes to build a truly integrated early childhood system. Drawing on her years of work in classrooms, central offices, and policy spaces, she shares how Maryland is working to expand high-quality pre-K while preserving the fragile childcare ecosystem that families rely on.
“Investing in early childhood,” says Laura, “is one of the most impactful public investments we can make, benefiting two generations and shaping the future of our communities.”
We explore:
Why the zero-to-five window is critical for equity, development, and family connection
Maryland’s Blueprint for education and the promise—and complexities—of Pillar One
The challenges and opportunities in expanding mixed-delivery pre-K
The tension between rapid seat expansion and preserving infant-toddler care
How local communities like Washington County are modeling collaborative, system-level change
If you care about the future of education, this is an episode you won’t want to miss—perfect for leaders, teachers, parents, policymakers, and advocates alike.

#12 Blog: The Blueprint is in trouble: Aligned, coherent implementation remains elusive

What will it take to turn Maryland’s historic Blueprint into lasting change? Our latest blog unpacks why coordination is breaking down and what it will take to turn visionary policy into real impact for schools, students, and communities.Inside the post:- Why implementation has become “everything, everywhere, all at once - What districts are doing well — and why we’re not learning from them - How missing communication, unclear roles, and untracked progress are stalling change - What a healthy Blueprint implementation ecosystem could look like Links mentioned for show notes:- Blog: The Blueprint is in trouble: Aligned, coherent implementation remains elusive- #4 Guest: Dr. Carey Wright, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools- MACO podcasts on education and funding- Blueprint for Maryland’s Future – Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB)- Book: Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change by William Bridges

#11 Guest: Derek Mitchell, Partners in School Innovation

In this episode of Implement Change in Education, we’re joined by the visionary Dr. Derek Mitchell, CEO of Partners in School Innovation.
With deep roots as a district leader, researcher, and systems thinker, Dr. Mitchell shares a powerful perspective on what it really takes to improve outcomes in under-resourced schools. Drawing from decades of work across the country—and his own experience growing up on Chicago’s West Side—he offers a bold yet practical take on school transformation.
“Improvement,” says Dr. Mitchell, “is both an art and a science. The science is in the tools. The art is in how people show up in moments of challenge and stay in community to do the work together.”
We explore:
Why equity must start with adult learning and intentional culture
The power of embedded, high-trust coaching in high-need schools
Results-Oriented Cycles of Improvement (ROCI) as a strategy for change
Leading through reflection, clarity of purpose, and community proximity
Lessons from the Gates Foundation’s Networked Improvement Communities initiative
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone invested in the future of education—leaders, teachers, parents, and advocates alike.

#10 EdEchoes: Guest Highlights Edition

In this special highlight compilation, we bring you powerful moments from conversations with some of the most influential education leaders. These short clips capture the insight, urgency, and vision driving change in schools today.
You'll hear from:
Dr. Carey M. Wright, Maryland State Superintendent, on building teacher capacity and transforming reading instruction statewide.
Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, and Alison Perkins-Cohen, Chief of Staff, on system-wide trust-building, curriculum reform, and instructional leadership.
Secretary Cindy Marten, Delaware State Superintendent, on local equity, strategic budgeting, and leadership through change.
Plus a snippet from our very first episode with Troy Mix, reflecting on implementation and what it takes to move big systems.
Whether you're a policymaker, educator, or lifelong learner, this episode offers a quick yet meaningful listen into how bold, student-centered leadership is shaping the future of public education.