Let Me Add To That...

Supporting Foster Youth in Los Angeles County

In recognition of National Foster Care Month, this episode centers the experiences, challenges and needs of foster youth across Los Angeles County.  Leading this conversation is Dr. La Shona Jenkins, Director of Foster Youth Services at the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), and Dr. Kanika White, LACOE’s Chief of Human Resources, for a powerful conversation that brings both systems-level insight and lived experience to the table. Dr. White shares her personal journey of growing up as a foster youth and reflects on how that experience shaped her leadership and her work supporting foster youth as a former school principal.  Together, they discuss what the foster youth population looks like in Los Angeles County today, the educational challenges foster youth often face, including school stability and transitions, and the resilience and strengths that too often go unrecognized. They also highlight how LACOE partners with school districts and community agencies to support our foster youth, areas where meaningful progress has been made and where systems still fall short. --- About Let Me Add to That: An Education Podcast Nearly 2 million students and 80 school districts make up the Los Angeles County education system – as you can imagine, the experiences, the success and the challenges vary from district to district as it does student to student. The Let Me Add to That Podcast, presented by the Los Angeles Office of Education will feature education experts including superintendents, administrators, teachers and students themselves who will highlight various hot topics that the county faces on a day-to-day basis. Let Me Add to That is titled and modeled after the inclusion of different perspectives, experiences and challenges. New episodes will be released on the first Wednesday of every month. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/losangelescoe/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lacoe/posts/?feedView=all].

Why STEM Education Matters Now More Than Ever

STEM education has expanded beyond its traditional focus to include creativity, design thinking and real-world problem solving, often referred to as STEAM. But what does this evolution look like in practice for our education communities? In this episode, Tanvir Dhillon, LACOE’s STEM Education Project Director III, and Deborah Atwell, LACOE’s STEM Special Projects Project Director, share how STEM / STEAM is transforming teaching and learning. They discuss how integrating the arts and humanities can deepen student engagement, and what high-quality STEM instruction looks like in action, where inquiry, reasoning and problem solving take center stage and classrooms are active, collaborative and even a little “noisy.” The conversation also highlights the importance of fostering belonging for girls and historically underrepresented students and creating meaningful pathways into STEM. Tanvir and Deborah also share how programs like LACOE’s Math Field Day and Girls in STEM bring learning to life for students and discuss the grants that are also supporting this work.  --- About Let Me Add to That: An Education Podcast Nearly 2 million students and 80 school districts make up the Los Angeles County education system – as you can imagine, the experiences, the success and the challenges vary from district to district as it does student to student. The Let Me Add to That Podcast, presented by the Los Angeles Office of Education will feature education experts including superintendents, administrators, teachers and students themselves who will highlight various hot topics that the county faces on a day-to-day basis. Let Me Add to That is titled and modeled after the inclusion of different perspectives, experiences and challenges. New episodes will be released on the first Wednesday of every month. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/losangelescoe/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lacoe/posts/?feedView=all].

Every Ability Belongs: What Inclusive Education Makes Possible

"Every Ability Belongs” celebrates the power of inclusive education and the students who remind us what’s possible when learning environments are designed with belonging at the center. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jovan Jacobs, Director of the Division of Special Education at the Los Angeles County Office of Education, who shares how Los Angeles County is helping lead systems-level change to expand inclusive pathways for students with disabilities. We’re also honored to hear from Gabby Shapiro, a third-year student in the UCLA Pathway Program, an inclusive college program supporting students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through Gabby’s lived experience as a college student and Dr. Jacobs’ perspective on policy, access and innovation, this conversation explores how inclusive college programs are growing across California, why choice matters for students and families and the critical role educators play in preparing students for life beyond high school. This episode is a celebration of student voice, expanded opportunity and the belief that every learner belongs at every level of education. Access the Year 1 report [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LxY3lf8jiJdpkF1j7x7qdbRLIkpuC71e/view] on the California Center for Inclusive College discussed in this episode.  --- About Let Me Add to That: An Education Podcast Nearly 2 million students and 80 school districts make up the Los Angeles County education system – as you can imagine, the experiences, the success and the challenges vary from district to district as it does student to student. The Let Me Add to That Podcast, presented by the Los Angeles Office of Education will feature education experts including superintendents, administrators, teachers and students themselves who will highlight various hot topics that the county faces on a day-to-day basis. Let Me Add to That is titled and modeled after the inclusion of different perspectives, experiences and challenges. New episodes will be released on the first Wednesday of every month. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/losangelescoe/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lacoe/posts/?feedView=all].

Is Social Media the Bad Guy?

Social media gets blamed for a lot—but is it really the bad guy? In this episode, we’re talking honestly about how social media shows up in students’ lives and why it’s not as simple as labeling it “good” or “bad.” While it can spark creativity, connection and self-expression, it can also bring pressure, comparison and the feeling of always needing to be scrolling. To help us unpack all of this, we’re joined by Dr. Anna Heinbuch from LACOE’s Mental Health and School Counseling Unit and Melissa Gillespie, a school counselor from Las Virgenes Unified School District and the 2025 L.A. County School Counselor of the Year. Together, they share what they’re seeing on school campuses, how they’re using social media in positive ways with students and what actually helps when kids start feeling overwhelmed or stuck in comparison mode. We talk about recognizing the signs of social media stress, having real conversations with students about boundaries and balance, and how educators and families can guide young people toward healthier digital habits without fear, shame or doom scrolling.  --- About Let Me Add to That: An Education Podcast Nearly 2 million students and 80 school districts make up the Los Angeles County education system – as you can imagine, the experiences, the success and the challenges vary from district to district as it does student to student. The Let Me Add to That Podcast, presented by the Los Angeles Office of Education will feature education experts including superintendents, administrators, teachers and students themselves who will highlight various hot topics that the county faces on a day-to-day basis. Let Me Add to That is titled and modeled after the inclusion of different perspectives, experiences and challenges. New episodes will be released on the first Wednesday of every month. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/losangelescoe/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lacoe/posts/?feedView=all].

Charter Schools 101

Welcome to Season Four of the Let Me Add to That podcast — and for the first time ever, we’re on camera! This episode looks a little different because you can now watch the conversation on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/lacoeETN], or continue listening wherever you stream your podcasts. In this episode, we dive inside the world of charter schools and the important role they play in expanding educational opportunities across Los Angeles County. We’re joined by two of LACOE’s charter school experts: Indra Ciccarelli, Director II of LACOE’s Charter School Office, and Darryl Brown, Coordinator III in the Charter School Office. Together, we break down what charter schools are, how they differ from traditional public schools and how LACOE supports them through oversight, accountability and equity-focused practices. The conversation explores what makes a strong charter school and the role county offices of education play behind the scenes. We also discuss common questions around parent involvement, how charter schools and traditional districts can learn from one another and what the future may hold for collaboration across public education systems. --- About Let Me Add to That: An Education Podcast Nearly 2 million students and 80 school districts make up the Los Angeles County education system – as you can imagine, the experiences, the success and the challenges vary from district to district as it does student to student. The Let Me Add to That Podcast, presented by the Los Angeles Office of Education will feature education experts including superintendents, administrators, teachers and students themselves who will highlight various hot topics that the county faces on a day-to-day basis. Let Me Add to That is titled and modeled after the inclusion of different perspectives, experiences and challenges. New episodes will be released on the first Wednesday of every month. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/losangelescoe/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lacoe/posts/?feedView=all].