Educating All Learners Alliance

In this episode, Aurora Dreger interviews Deb Hanmer, founder and CEO of Breakthrough Leadership Consulting, about her path into mission-driven work. They also discuss her years mentoring emerging education leaders through the EALA New Champions Fund. 

This episode addresses the common challenges small nonprofits and school programs face when trying to scale, including limited capacity, competitive funding landscapes, and step...

In this episode, Aurora Dreger sits down with Dr. Khara Schonfeld, Partner of Research at Education Reimagined, to discuss the transformative power of learner-centered education. Khara shares insights from her unique perspective as a researcher, former K-12 teacher, and parent  as she unpacks what sets learner-centered environments apart from traditional schooling. 

We dive into Education Reimagined's multi-case study exp...

Our June 2 webinar with Code in Motion by SPARKS was so vital that we adapted it into a podcast episode to share their inspiring work with our entire community. In this episode, the project’s leaders and coaches discuss how they are reimagining computer science education for students experiencing housing insecurity through community-led, dignified pathways to success.

Access the full podcast transcript at: tinyurl.com/CodeInM...

EALA welcomes Kate Cochran, the Managing Director of the Partnership for Student Success, to discuss the critical intersection of mentoring, transition-planning, and student outcomes. Learn how centering the voices of students with disabilities in mentoring programs creates stronger paths toward post-secondary education and career success. Find out how your school or district can access their new open-source training toolkits to st...

How can school leaders move beyond traditional instruction to truly center the needs of every student? In this episode, we sit down with two visionary principals from San Diego: Andrea Pino-Antl of Creative Performing and Media Arts and Jennifer Chien of Casita Center for Technology, Science, and Math.

Listen as we dive into a candid conversation about overcoming the fixed mindset in math instruction and explore the specific strate...

The shortage of special education teachers isn't just a staffing issue—it’s a student outcomes issue. When turnover is high, the consistency and quality of support for students with disabilities suffer. How do we move beyond "filling gaps" to building sustainable pipelines that prepare educators for the reality of the modern classroom?

In this episode, we’re joined by Sabrina Baptiste, Project Director for the Pat...

Dive into this episode as Aurora from EALA chats with Michelle Soriano, a Professional Learning Specialist at CAST’s Accessibility Solutions team. Explore how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and innovative accessibility strategies are transforming education. From policy shifts to practical wins, discover actionable insights for creating equitable learning environments for all. 

For more information, reach out to acce...

In this episode, Michelle Maher, Co-Founder and Teacher Leader of Mountain Juniper Montessori, shares the journey of establishing Colorado’s first Wildflower Montessori public charter micro-school. Listen in as Michelle describes how they maintain high-fidelity Montessori practices in a tuition-free setting and the importance of being deeply community-embedded to ensure every child is truly known and supported. To learn more,...

In this episode, Aurora Dreger speaks with Stephanie Atenco-Torres, a Latina activist, journalist, teacher in training, and disability advocate, about her experiences as a Latina student navigating the education system with an invisible disability. Stephanie reflects on the power of sharing lived experience and how speaking up can create change for students who are left unseen by their school leaders and teachers. This conversation...

Multilingual learners (MLLs) are an essential part of today’s classrooms, not an exception. In this episode, Aurora Dreger speaks with Dr. Molly Faulkner-Bond of WestEd about why education systems must be designed with MLLs in mind from the start. They explore asset-based language, the connection between MLL and disability advocacy, and how centering students with the most complex learning profiles leads to better assessment ...

In this episode, Aurora Dreger speaks with Annie Shan, Samantha Senajon, and Sanvi Nethikunta, the high school leaders behind Mindset Math. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to ensuring K-12 students in underserved communities have access to high-quality STEM education. Additionally, Mindset Math focuses on creating accessible learning pathways for every student. They discuss their work on various initiatives, specifically a...

Tune in to this exciting conversation with Meagan Alderton from the DC Special Education Cooperative to hear how they are creating systems where students with disabilities thrive. Meagan shares powerful strategies from successful DC schools, explaining why the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework is "just how you do school." Listen in for essential leadership advice that can help drive genuine change in your school.

Ac...

In this episode, EALA sits down with Krista Gauthier, Founder and President of Dyslexic Edge and Executive Director of IMSE Foundation, to explore practical pathways for supporting students who learn differently. Krista shares how these two powerful organizations are collaborating to give educators the tools needed to reach every learner through effective, evidence-based methods. To learn more check out IMSEfoundation.org and SDsqu...

In this final episode of our special four-part series with Education Reimagined, we're sharing powerful, on-the-ground outcomes for youth who learn differently at learner-centered sites. EALA's Aurora Dreger is joined by Lindsy Ogawa from Education Reimagined and founding principal Susan Hart from LaFayette Big Picture School. They discuss how a focus on healing, authentic connection, and student interest is transforming student su...

In this episode, we connect with Brett Roer, CEO and Founder of Amplify & Elevate Innovation to discuss how districts can build AI literacy through effective professional development for their principals and teachers.

Listen in for practical strategies to help prepare your school community to harness the power of AI to create more flexible learning environments for students with disabilities and learning differences.

Access th...

In this installment of our four-part series with Education Reimagined, we're diving into the concrete practices that define a truly learner-centered site. EALA’s Aurora Dreger is joined by Lindsy Ogawa from Education Reimagined and Lela Bell Wesley from Big Thought to discuss how schools are designing meaningful, imaginative learning that empowers youth with disabilities and learning differences. Tune in to explore the challe...

Join EALA for a special deep dive celebrating 20 years of the AIM Institute for Learning and Research as well as AIM Academy. Co-founders Pat Roberts and Nancy Blair reflect on their journey, from pioneering the Science of Reading to building a movement that translates research into actionable practice for students with learning differences and for all struggling readers and writers. Discover how a commitment to evidence-based meth...

In this episode, EALA talks to Torrye Parker, a passionate advocate and educator, for a look into how community-based support can be transformative for students with disabilities. Listen in as they discuss the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the field, as seen in the hundreds of applications submitted to the EALA New Champions fund. Tune in for expert advice on building sustainable, community-driven programs and the b...

This second episode of "Needs to Strengths," a four-part series from EALA and Education Reimagined, elevates insights from learner-centered schools on how they leverage policy to support youth with learning differences. Join host Aurora Dreger as she speaks with Lindsy Ogawa and Superintendent Johnna Noll of the Norris School District about what the national inquiry team observed and how policy can be used to create conditions that...