Rooted in Service: Lessons from the 2026 State Teacher of the Year

Rooted in Research: Lessons from the Georgia Policy Labs

In episode 21 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Dr. Daniel Kreisman, describes several projects underway at the Georgia Policy Labs, a research center located in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. Matt and Daniel have a wide-ranging conversation on the state of research in the career pathways space and how state policymakers and business leaders can shape how school systems deliver career-themed instruction to high school students.  The episode’s focus on career pathways and work-based learning aligns with the content covered in Issue 3 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2026.   For more on this topic, download the 2026 edition [https://gpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GPEE_Top_Ten_2026_8.5x11_Digital_Final.pdf] of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.    Check out these additional resources.  * Career and Technical Education Policy Exchange (CTEx) [https://gpl.gsu.edu/ctex/]  * Administrator Perspectives on CTE Staffing Challenges [https://gpl.gsu.edu/publications/oh-cte-teacher-where-art-thou-administrator-perspectives-on-and-strategies-for-cte-staffing-challenges/]  * SREB Commission on Career Pathways and Credentials [https://www.sreb.org/sreb-commission-career-pathways-and-credentials]

Rooted in Service: Lessons from the 2026 State Teacher of the Year

In episode 20 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Rachel Kinsaul spotlights how she designed hands-on learning experiences to prepare students interested in agricultural careers. During her tenure at Morgan County High School, Rachel has increased female participation in the agricultural education through the floral design program. In Spring 2026, Rachel led the Georgia Public Schools Day of Service, encouraging students to engage in community service projects. Rachel’s message of servant leadership inspires many of her students to enter careers in agriculture.  The episode’s focus on career pathways and work-based learning aligns with the content covered in Issue 3 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2026.   For more on this topic, download the 2026 edition [https://gpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GPEE_Top_Ten_2026_8.5x11_Digital_Final.pdf] of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.    Check out these additional resources.  * 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year Leads Statewide Day of Service [https://gadoe.org/press-releases/2026-georgia-teacher-of-the-year-rachel-kinsaul-leads-statewide-day-of-service-initiative-rooted-in-community-connection/]  * Georgia Work-Based Learning  [https://gawbl.org/]  * Agricultural Education Curriculum Resources [https://www.georgiaffa.org/curriculum/?ID=126]

Promoting Business and Family Friendly Strategies in the Early Learning Space

In episode 19 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Hanah Goldberg, the Director of Research and Policy at the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), shares how the organization promotes community engagement. Dr. Goldberg identified cross-sector, community collaboration as a key component to sustain early care and learning strategies.    The episode’s focus on improving access to quality childcare aligns with the content covered in Issue 2 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2026.   For more on this topic, download the 2026 edition [https://gpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GPEE_Top_Ten_2026_8.5x11_Digital_Final.pdf] of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.    Check out these additional resources.  * GEEARS 2026 Policy Agenda [https://geears.org/policy/]  * Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive (PAACT) initiative [https://www.paactatl.org/]  * Best Place for Working Parents Georgia [https://www.gachamber.com/news/introducing-the-best-place-for-working-parents-georgia/]

Early Learning: The Importance of Community Awareness

In episode 18 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Megan Miller and Chelsea Owens from Child Care Resource & Referral of Southeast Georgia reveal how they support families and early care providers in their 40-county service area. Their message is clear: high-quality early learning drives economic development in communities. The episode’s focus on improving access to quality childcare aligns with the content covered in Issue 2 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2026.  For more on this topic, download the 2026 edition [https://gpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GPEE_Top_Ten_2026_8.5x11_Digital_Final.pdf] of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.   Check out these additional resources. * Child Care Resource & Referral System [https://www.decal.ga.gov/ccs/ccrrsystem.aspx] * The Economic Necessity of Child Care Infrastructure, Explained [https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/the-economic-necessity-of-child-care-infrastructure-explained/] * Childcare Innovation through Public-Private Partnerships [https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/education/childcare-innovation-through-public-private-partnerships]

Reforming School Staffing Models to Improve Educator Satisfaction and Well-Being

In episode 17 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Tara Anderson shares how ERS, a Boston-based consulting firm, help state and district leaders rethink how they staff schools.   The episode’s focus on school staffing and teacher quality aligns with the content covered in Issue 6 of the Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025.   For more on this topic, download the 2025 edition [https://gpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GPEE-Top-Ten-2025_Final.pdf] of the Top Ten Issues to Watch.    Check out these additional resources.  * Reimagining the Teaching Job [https://www.erstrategies.org/tap/reimagining-the-teaching-job/]  * Teacher Turnover Trends [https://www.erstrategies.org/tap/teacher-turnover-trends-analysis/]  * Finding Time for Collaborative Planning [https://www.erstrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Finding_Time_for_Collaborative_Planning_Case_Study.pdf]