Equity Warriors: Cracking the System's Code to Build Schools Every Child Deserves

Equity Warriors: Cracking the System's Code to Build Schools Every Child Deserves

Summary: In this episode of "Enlighten Practitioners," hosts Dr. Jonathan Page and Julie DiPilato engage with Dr. George S. Perry Jr., a renowned equity and leadership consultant. They explore the challenges and strategies involved in transforming underperforming schools to ensure every student belongs and succeeds. The discussion delves into the importance of adaptive versus technical challenges, culturally responsive education, and the role of leadership in fostering an inclusive educational environment. Dr. Perry emphasizes the need for systemic cultural change and the commitment required to be an "equity warrior." Chapters: ·      Introduction to Enlighten Practitioners (0:25) ·      Dr. Perry's Background and Vision (0:37) ·      Exploring Belonging in Education (1:30) ·      Challenges in Achieving Educational Equity (2:20) ·      The Role of Language and Mission Statements (4:29) ·      Adaptive vs. Technical Challenges (6:19) ·      Culturally Responsive Education (13:26) ·      Addressing Achievement Gaps (20:21) ·      Cracking the System's Codes (24:28) ·      Leadership and Systemic Change (32:20) ·      Equity Warriors and Cultural Change (39:09) ·      Navigating Polarization in Education (56:04) ·      Call to Action and Closing Thoughts (72:18)   Explore Dr. Perry's book, Equity Warriors: Creating Schools That Students Deserve [https://www.amazon.com/Equity-Warriors-Creating-Schools-Students/dp/1071851373/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HDQQ2TZZRUYX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ywjowetaAOFcGHl7WHkUxRX3bOunSwoVY60BqOThcLKlaZJRcDBkO0AhfH9IxU4PGX77QsRC_nLTGljBvHXPJWfBds2HH8P0BHgpuBfJ8Mo.kEWInpnY83L7zuu8-gP8-tQBe4YcZql2---fP4gxb5w&dib_tag=se&keywords=equity+warriors&qid=1778541008&sprefix=equity+warrior%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1], & equity-warriors.com [http://equity-warriors.com] to take a deeper dive.   References Deming, W. E. (n.d.). Deming quotes. The W. Edwards Deming Institute https://deming.org/quotes/10141/ [https://deming.org/quotes/10141/] Dewey, J. (1902). The school and society. University of Chicago Press. Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading. Harvard Business School Press. Moses, R. P., & Cobb, C. E., Jr. (2001). Radical equations: Civil rights from Mississippi to the algebra project. Beacon Press. National Study Group for the Affirmative Development of Academic Ability. (2004). All students reaching the top: Strategies for closing academic achievement gaps. Learning Point Associates. https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/All_Students_Reaching_the_Top_0.pdf [https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/All_Students_Reaching_the_Top_0.pdf]

Rethinking School AI Agency and the Revolution Education Needs

What if the problem with education isn't a lack of effort — but that we've been trying to fix the wrong thing? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chris Unger, professor at Northeastern University and author of A Revolution in Education: Scaling Agency and Opportunity for All, for an honest, hopeful, and sometimes sobering conversation about what school could look like if we actually built it for students.   Dr. Unger has spent more than 30 years working alongside schools, districts, and education organizations asking one central question: what would it look like if schools actually worked for every student? From kids designing pedestrian bridges for city council to a shy teenager who raised $25,000 for her community after a windstorm — he's seen what becomes possible when young people are trusted with real work in the real world.   We also dig into AI — not as a threat to learning, but as a co-intelligence tool that, when used well, can expand student agency, fuel creativity, and help educators build something better. If you're a parent, educator, school leader, or just someone who believes students deserve more, this conversation is for you. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 02:18 The Broken Reality of K–12 Education Today 07:12 What Learner-Centered Education Actually Looks Like 08:03 Real Projects, Real Community, Real Learning 16:35 Why Schools Stay Stuck: Fear, Standards & the Status Quo 22:20 The Serendipity Problem: Why Change Is So Rare 24:33 How to Start Moving Toward Learner-Centered Schools 25:12 You Can't Turn a Moving Train — Build the Boat from Scratch 35:46 Bringing AI Into the Conversation 36:11 Using AI to Support and Suppement Iterations that Accelerate Educational Changes 39:43 The Four Phases: Ideate, Plan, Execute, Assess 46:14 AI as a Co-Intelligence Tool, Not a Crutch 50:33 What Schools Should Do About Students Already Using AI 54:38 AI as a Tool for Student Passion and Self-Direction 58:40 Durable Skills: What We Actually Want Students to Leave With 01:02:02 Final Advice: One Thing You Can Do Tomorrow 01:08:43 Closing & Book Recommendation

Welcome to EnlightenEdD Practitioners

Join Dr. Julie DiPilato and Dr. Jonathan Page for the inaugural episode of EnlightenEdD Practitioners, the podcast dedicated to illuminating the research, stories, and lived experiences transforming education from the inside out. In this foundational episode, “Why We’re Here: Belonging, Identity, and the Future of Education,” the hosts introduce themselves and lay out the core mission: to move beyond theoretical discussions of equity and explore the messy, human work of building intentional cultures where every student feels they belong. They discuss how belonging is the heartbeat of everything in education, explaining that when students feel a sense of belonging, they are empowered to engage more deeply and take academic risks. The episode emphasizes that belonging is not a "soft" concept but is powerful, academic, and transformative because it functions as an essential driver of identity affirmation and psychological safety. They also introduce the season's themes of identity affirmation, social capital, and creating future-focused systems that value students as emerging identities, not just data points.