Leading Voices Podcast

Early Signs of Distress: Identifying and Implementing Systemic Improvements

How can district and state leaders identify signs of school distress long before they are designated as in need of improvement by state accountability systems?
In 2020, WestEd partnered with the National Charter School Resource Center (NCSRC) to develop and conduct a portfolio of  research (listed below) that identified signs of early distress in schools, or "indicators of distress," and described an approach to support school improvement efforts. When states and education decision-makers wanted to take the work further into implementation, what emerged is WestEd's Indicators of Distress, an evidence-based early detection system that can help charter and traditional schools meet and surpass accountability standards while fostering positive learning experiences for students.
In this episode of the Leading Voices podcast, host Danny Torres talks with Aimee Evan, Senior Research Associate and School Improvement Specialist with the School Choice team at WestEd and co-author of the NCSRC reports, and two state education agency leaders, John Carwell Jr., Education Associate at the Delaware Department of Education, and David Frank, Chief of Staff and Assistant Commissioner, Education Policy, at the New York State Education Department.
They discuss the Indicators of Distress approach and how the Delaware Department of Education and the New York State Education Department worked with WestEd to identify needed systemic improvements and implement processes and procedures that helped lead to sustained success.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
Implementing the Indicators of Distress approach in Delaware and New York
Using data to inform decision-making
Building a reliable model for school improvement
Transcript
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
Indicators of Distress (Webpage)
Indicators of Distress: A Proactive Approach to Identifying and Supporting Schools in Need of Improvement (Blog)
Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools: Part 1 – The Role and Perspective of Charter School Authorizers (PDF)
Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools, Part 2: The Roles and Perspectives of Charter School Leaders and Board Members (PDF)
Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools: Tools to Support Authorizer Data Collection (PDF)

Preventing Gun Violence in the United States

Gun violence impacts families, first responders, and communities in profound and lasting ways. In 2023, more than 18,000 persons died by homicide in the United States. And on June 26th, 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General declared gun violence a public health crisis. 
In this episode of the Leading Voices podcast, host Danny Torres talks with experts from WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Team and developers of the Violence Prevention Navigation Framework (VPNF): Lori Toscano, Shaun Ali, and Kerwin Henderson. Together, they help state and local leaders better understand the factors that contribute to or prevent violence within their communities—helping promote safe and equitable futures for all children, youth, and adults.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
Identifying the underlying factors that give rise to or mitigate gun violence
Leveraging big and local data to prioritize, assess, and develop appropriate strategies to reduce and prevent gun violence
Working with community and state leaders and to improve violence prevention efforts across systems
Promoting equity and fostering growth
Transcript
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
Justice and Prevention Research Center at WestEd (Website)
Violence Prevention Navigation Framework (VPNF) (Website)
A Comprehensive, Data-Driven Approach to Reducing Gun Violence (Blog)
Q&A With the JPRC Violence Prevention Team: Lori Toscano, Shaun Ali, and Kerwin Henderson (Blog)
The Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention (Website)
Gun Violence Disproportionately and Overwhelmingly Hurts Communities of Color (Fact Sheet)
U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on the Public Health Crisis of Firearm Violence in the United States (Press Release)
Homicides Are Plummeting in American Cities (News Article)

Cultivating Belonging, Inclusive Spaces, and Reflective Practices

Early childhood practitioners face various challenges in the field, including staffing shortages, lack of funding for programs and professional development, and insufficient cultural representation in the workforce.
In this episode of the Leading Voices podcast, host Grace Westermann talks with Monica Mathur-Kalluri, Project Director within WestEd’s Early Childhood Intervention, Mental Health, and Inclusion team. As a Project Director, Monica engages with practitioners, parents, and state and community leaders to enhance the well-being of infants and toddlers and providers working with children ages 0–5.
Together, they discuss the transformative power of reflective practice spaces for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) practitioners and how these spaces help prevent burnout and create a more sustainable and supportive environment for those dedicated to early childhood care. 
Listeners will also hear from early childhood practitioners from California and Virginia and what they had to say about their experience participating in the Revolutionary Reflective Practice retreat hosted in August 2023 for BIPOC practitioners.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
Reflective practices for BIPOC practitioners
The essential elements for creating a sense of belonging and inclusion in professional learning settings
The value of creating welcoming BIPOC-only spaces for practitioners
Learnings from the Revolutionary Reflective Practice retreat held in August 2023
Transcript
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
Revolutionary Reflective Practice for BIPOC Healing and Liberation (Website)
Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Book)

The Critical Role of Early Intervention

In this episode of the Leading Voices podcast, host Danny Torres talks with Angela McGuire, Project Director within WestEd’s Early Childhood Intervention, Mental Health, and Inclusion team under Early Childhood Development and Learning. Angela leads the Comprehensive Early Intervention Technical Assistance Network (CEITAN), which has supported the professional growth of early childhood intervention professionals for more than 30 years. Together, they discuss the critical role of early intervention in improving outcomes for our youngest children with disabilities and how state agency leaders can best support early intervention professionals in their work.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
What state leaders need to know to best support early intervention professionals
The Comprehensive Early Intervention Technical Assistance Network (CEITAN) work in California
The relationships between parents or caregivers and professionals in early intervention work
How early intervention professionals help prepare families as their children move into the K-12 system
Workforce development and capacity building for early intervention professionals
Transcript
Additional Resources
Transforming Early Intervention and Improving Outcomes for Children—Q&A with Angela McGuire (Blog Post)
Cultural Humility Series (Webpage)
Early Childhood Development, Learning, and Well-Being (Webpage)
California Early Start (Webpage)

Accelerating Literacy Learning with Reading Apprenticeship

With national literacy scores in decline and with the loss of instruction time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for effective literacy professional learning for teachers and engaging students equitably is more important than ever. For over 25 years, Reading Apprenticeship at WestEd has improved teaching practice and helped thousands of students achieve high levels of academic literacy across multiple disciplines.
In this episode, host Marley Arechiga talks with Linda Friedrich, Director of Literacy at WestEd, and Cynthia Greenleaf, Senior Research Scientist in Literacy at WestEd, about what more than 25 years of Reading Apprenticeship research shows about what works in developing academic literacy, what has changed since its inception in the 1990s, and what is changing in literacy education today as students rebound from the pandemic.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
the Reading Apprenticeship approach and its impact on teaching and learning
national literacy scores and the need to accelerate literacy learning
digital literacy and generative artificial intelligence
the Reading Apprenticeship seminal publication, Reading for Understanding, now in its third edition
Transcript
Learn more about Reading Apprenticeship at WestEd.
Additional Resources
Average ACT Score For the High School Class of 2022 Declines to Lowest Level in More Than 30 Years (Website)
NAEP Reading: National Student Group Scores and Score Gaps (Website)
Reading Apprenticeship Evidence Base (Website)
Reflections on the Evolution of the Literacy Education Field—A Q&A with Cynthia Greenleaf (Blog)
Professional Development Opportunities Calendar (Website)

Helping State Agencies Build and Modernize Integrated Data Systems

States are working to build and modernize integrated data systems to help public agencies better understand and respond to the needs of students, families, and communities, which is critical in the post COVID-19 era. To integrate data from across sectors effectively, states need to consider many legal and technical challenges as well as data privacy concerns and system security.
In this episode, host Danny Torres talks with Baron Rodriguez, Executive Director for WestEd's Data Integration Support Center (DISC), and Sean Cottrell, Director of Operations for DISC, about the Center's comprehensive services and why integrating data from across sectors—including education, workforce, social services, and criminal justice—can help state leaders and policymakers address the needs of the whole child, the whole person, and the whole community.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
How DISC services can support public agencies, often at no cost
Why integrated data systems are important in the post-COVID era
DISC's five areas of support: planning and user-centered design, legislative analysis, external legal supports, privacy, and system security
Learn more about the WestEd Data Integration Support Center.
Episode Transcript
Additional Resources
Building and Modernizing Integrated Data Systems to Support the Whole Person (Blog)
Privacy Within Data Integration Systems: Q&A With DISC’s Laia Tiderman and Sean Cottrell (Blog)
DISC Website Resources (Website)

How States Can Attract and Sustain Teachers

Teachers are leaving the educator workforce at alarming rates, and the trend has intensified in recent years. Why are teachers leaving and what are some ways state education leaders can help districts retain them and attract new teachers?
In this episode, host Marley Arechiga talks with Caitlin Beatson, Deputy Director of the Region 2 Comprehensive Center at WestEd, and Kate Wright, Director of the Region 15 Comprehensive Center, about the importance of sustaining the educator workforce and how the federally funded Comprehensive Centers partner with states to address challenges and implement evidence-based and actionable solutions. 
Their conversation covers the following topics:
The state’s role in supporting districts to recruit and sustain teachers
The 4Cs—a construct that represents four ways that state education agencies, in partnership with WestEd Regional Comprehensive Centers, are conceptualizing how to help their school districts strengthen educator workforces
Teacher residency programs
Differentiated staffing in the classroom and distributed leadership
Learn more about WestEd’s Region 2 Comprehensive Center and Region 15 Comprehensive Center.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
K–12 Teachers Are Quitting. What Would Make Them Stay? (McKinsey & Company Article)
The State of the Teacher Workforce (Learning Policy Institute)
The Case for Differentiated Staffing in the Classroom
How States Are Building District Capacity to Overcome Teacher Shortages (Part I)
How States Are Building District Capacity to Overcome Teacher Shortages (Part II)
How States Are Building District Capacity to Overcome Teacher Shortages (Part III)
How States Play a Key Role in Strengthening the Teacher Workforce
Arizona State University’s Next Education Workforce Website
Equitable & Inclusive Hiring Practices: A Reference Guide of Strategies to Grow & Diversify the Educator Workforce
Going Beyond the Data in Diversifying the Teacher Workforce
Teacher Compensation Reform Decision Guide

Building on a Solid Foundation

In this episode, Danny Torres talks with WestEd’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jannelle Kubinec, and former CEO Glen Harvey, who stepped down in 2023 after 26 years at the helm.
Jannelle Kubinec brings over 24 years of experience transforming outcomes for children, youth, and their families through research, policy, and technical assistance. Her insights on WestEd’s whole-person approach and her steadfast commitment to equity and excellence are a testament to her leadership and vision for WestEd.
Glen Harvey laid a solid foundation for WestEd. Over the past two decades, she led the agency’s incredible transformation to an expansive, mission-driven, quality- and impact-focused agency. Under Glen’s leadership, WestEd emphasized high-quality research-based work to improve outcomes for children, youth, and adults, focusing on addressing the needs of traditionally underserved and marginalized communities.
Their conversation covers a range of topics, including:
WestEd’s history, mission and values, and impact
Whole child, whole person, whole community
The role of artificial intelligence in education
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
Closing opportunity gaps and improving outcomes for every learner
Transcript
Related News
Jannelle Kubinec Named Next CEO of WestEd
Glen Harvey to Step Down as CEO of WestEd

Advancing Evidence-Based Practices in the REL West and Northwest Regions

In this episode, Danny Torres talks with Dr. Katie Drummond, Director of the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northwest, and Dr. John Rice, Director of the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) West.
Their conversation covers a range of topics, including:
Addressing effects of the pandemic in the REL West and REL Northwest regions
Partnering with community-based organizations and state and local education agencies
Advancing research and evidence in state and district programs
Supporting the whole child and closing opportunity gaps in education
Accelerating learning in mathematics and language arts
Reducing chronic absence and disparities in disciplinary actions
Improving teacher retention
Transcript
Since 1966, the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) have partnered with school districts, state departments of education, and others to help improve educational effectiveness and improve learner outcomes. WestEd operates REL Northwest, which serves Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, and REL West, which services Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.
By leveraging research-based practices and evidence, WestEd’s RELs aim to improve education outcomes for all students in the regions they serve.
Related REL Northwest Resources
Accelerating Literacy Outcomes in Montana Through Evidence and Data Use (Blog Post)
Using Technology to Support Postsecondary Student Learning (Practice Guide)
REL Northwest Website
Subscribe to the REL Northwest email newsletter
Related REL West Resources 
Supporting California’s English Learner Students Who Have the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (Blog Post)
Self-Affirmation: A Powerful Tool for Addressing Stereotype Threat (Infographic)
The Foundation for Education Equity Systems Change (Infographic)
About REL West (Video)
REL West Website
Subscribe to the REL West email newsletter

How Students Can Help Shape School Climate Policy and Practice

Many schools are working to better support students’ physiological, social, and emotional growth in addition to their cognitive development as a part of their school improvement efforts. Moreover, students are playing a key role in helping education leaders develop and implement new policies and practices.
In this episode, Danny Torres (host) and Grace Westermann (co-host) talk with Rebeca Cerna, Director for the California Center for School Climate (CCSC), and special guest, Julian Berkowitz-Sklar, a graduating senior at Saratoga High School in California and member of the Center’s Youth Advisory Team.
Berkowitz-Sklar brings a unique perspective as a high school student driving positive change within his school community. As a Youth Advisory Team member, he has played a pivotal role in collaborating with his peers and CCSC to design and implement resources that facilitate school climate improvements.
From student-led initiatives to helping schools and districts tell stories with their school climate data, Cerna dives into the comprehensive approach taken by CCSC to empower students and foster safe and supportive learning environments.
Their conversation includes the following topics:
How a positive school climate affects outcomes for students
Centering student voices to help improve school climate
What school personnel can do to create a supportive environment
The role of the California Center for School Climate
Transcript
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
Cultivating Caring Relationships at School: 15 Activities That Promote Staff and Student Connection
School Climate Audio Gallery
Additional Related Resources from the CCSC
Understanding School Climate: An Overview of School Climate Domains
Participatory Systems Change for Equity: An Inquiry Guide for Child-, Youth-, and Family-Serving Agencies
School Climate Data Use Webinar Series
CCSC Resource Library
Learn more about the CCSC and access their resources to support your school climate efforts.