We are excited to release our very first Deep Dive highlight reel! In this 2-part retrospective series, we are sharing clips from episodes we have released in the past year. We hope you gain new insights and find guests you have not heard from before.
In this episode, we feature clips from (in order of appearance):
3:11 - Jason Ryan and Aaron Leo
In this episode, NYKids Assistant Director Aaron Leo chats with Principal Ryan about all things Artificial Intelligence (AI) and catches up on the latest news at LaFayette.
7:55 - Dr. Deb Schussler and Jessie Tobin
In our second episode, NYKids Research Assistants Jessie Tobin and Paul Guay talk with professor Deborah in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership at the University of Albany, SUNY about mindfulness and how it’s application can improve the well-being of teachers and students.
16:28 - Dave Little and Aaron Leo
NYKids Assistant Director, Aaron Leo, talks with Dave Little from the Rural Schools Association. The conversation covers all things rural including the unique challenges facing rural schools, new policies and programs aimed at improving the educational experiences of rural students, and the important work being done at the RSA.
26:25 - Allison Armour-Garb, Nicole Lennon, and Kristen Wilcox
In this podcast, NYKids Director Kristen C. Wilcox and Assistant Director Aaron Leo welcomed members of New York State Education Department Allison Armour-Garb and Nicole Lennon. Armour-Garb and Lennon both serve as leaders for NYSED's Performance-Based Learning and Assessment Networks (or PLAN) Pilot program.
32:07 - Bob Schneider and Kristen Wilcox
NYKids Graduate Assistant Paul Guay and NYKids Director Kristen C. Wilcox hosted Bob Schneider, Executive Director of the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA). NYSSBA is one of NYKids' valued Advisory Board organizations, and Bob provided insights into what NYSSBA is focusing its attention on right now.
You can keep up with NYKids’ latest research and school improvement work by visiting our website and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
As always, we welcome your comments or questions at nykids@albany.edu.
This latest blog shares highlights from our Deep Dive podcast episode with Dr. Jenay F. E. Willis from the University of Mississippi!
Dr. Willis is a researcher and scholar practitioner who draws from her own experiences as a Black woman from the Deep South. Her work applies critical lenses to explore the lived experiences of rural Black students and communities as they navigate college access, success, transition, matriculation, and graduation. Dr. Willis utilizes what she refers to as community-driven and shared power approaches to center individual’s identities in her practice.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into how these strategies can be engaged and discuss the learning opportunities involved in community-driven and youth-led research.
Our conversation covers issues including:
Dr. Willis’ background and what has driven her work today: from going to school in the rural South to teaching in an Urban district in the Northeast.
Research on youths’ experiences, in particular, with attention to the experiences of rural, Black students and communities.
Breaking down youth-led participatory action research (YPAR), which is a method that centers young people as the experts and applies their inquires to promote change in their communities. Dr. Willis shares her current projects with YPAR, including a research method called photovoice.
The meaning behind community-based research and how it supports Dr. Willis’ scholarship.
The opportunities and obstacles researchers face when it comes to implementing community-based research and highlighting youth voices.
Listen to our podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and be sure to like, subscribe, and leave us reviews. Thank you for your support of NYKids as we continue our mission to inform, inspire, and improve across New York State!
Understanding the Complex Challenges Facing Today's Schools
Education policy faces unprecedented challenges. Teacher shortages plague districts nationwide, and school discipline policies spark heated debates. Meanwhile, funding formulas struggle to address the comprehensive needs of students and educators alike in communities facing different types of challenges.
Dr. Lucy Sorensen joins our latest podcast to unpack these interconnected issues. Her research uses sophisticated analytical methods to examine critical questions in K-12 education policy and social inequality. Currently serving as Associate Editor of Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Dr. Sorensen brings unique expertise to understanding how public school systems interact with criminal justice, environmental, and health systems.
The Hidden Costs of Teacher Turnover
Teacher turnover extends far beyond the obvious disruption of classroom instruction. Dr. Sorensen's groundbreaking 2020 research reveals "hidden costs" that ripple through entire school communities. When experienced teachers leave, schools often fill positions with less qualified replacements.
The data tells a sobering story. Schools experiencing teacher turnover see increased shares of teachers with limited experience, provisional licenses, or lateral entry credentials. These replacement teachers frequently lack certification in their assigned subjects and may score lower on licensure tests.
But the impact doesn't stop there. High-poverty schools and those geographically isolated from teacher preparation programs face even greater challenges. The effects compound over time because less qualified teachers tend to leave at higher rates, creating a cycle of instability.
Mental Health and Well-Being: The Foundation of Learning
The pandemic highlighted something education leaders have long suspected: student and teacher mental health directly impacts academic success. Dr. Sorensen emphasizes that schools need more than traditional resources like "teachers and books." Comprehensive services addressing mental health and well-being must become integral to school operations and as NYKids researchers also found – mut be adjusted to the specific needs in different communities.
This shift requires rethinking how we support both students and educators. Teachers experiencing chronic stress and burnout cannot effectively serve students who may be struggling with their own mental health challenges. Schools that prioritize comprehensive well-being supports see benefits across multiple outcomes.
The Complex Reality of School Resource Officers
School safety remains a top priority, but Dr. Sorensen's 2023 research on school resource officers (SROs) reveals complicated outcomes. While SROs do reduce certain types of school violence, including physical attacks without weapons, they also increase disciplinary consequences significantly.
The expansion of SRO presence leads to more
out-of-school suspensions,
expulsions,
police referrals, and
arrests.
Perhaps most concerning, these increased punishments disproportionately affect Black students, male students, and students with disabilities. This research challenges schools to carefully consider whether increased police presence truly serves all students equitably.
Building Resilient Schools for the Future
So what's the path forward? Dr. Sorensen advocates for "resiliency in schools" – a comprehensive approach that addresses multiple interconnected challenges simultaneously. Post-pandemic recovery, shifting federal funding priorities, and ongoing teacher pipeline issues require coordinated responses from policymakers and educational leaders.
The conversation with Dr. Sorensen reminds us that education policy requires nuanced understanding and evidence-based solutions. Simple answers rarely address complex problems effectively. But through rigorous research and thoughtful implementation, we can build schools that truly serve all students well.
We are delighted to announce a new podcast with Dr. Charles S. Dedrick, one of NYKids’ valued advisory board members. Dr. Dedrick has served as Executive Director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents since July 2016, now in his ninth year leading the professional and advocacy organization that serves over 1,000 educational leaders statewide. Prior to this role, Dedrick brought extensive field experience as District Superintendent of Capital Region BOCES and Superintendent of Schools at both Cohoes City School District and Green Island Union Free School District, beginning his career as a Social Studies teacher.
His educational credentials include a B.A. in Political Science, dual Master's degrees in Literacy and Educational Administration from UAlbany, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Russell Sage College. Dedrick has served on the American Association of School Administrators' Governing Board and Executive Committee, representing New York and New England states.
Key Take-aways
The superintendent profession faces unprecedented challenges, with NYSCOSS data showing an expected retirement rate of 45% in the next 4-5 years for New York's school superintendents. This instability threatens district continuity and student outcomes, particularly in rural and high-need communities where leadership transitions can be especially disruptive.
While progress has been made in gender representation, with slight increases in female superintendents, significant barriers remain. Women entering superintendent roles tend to do so later in their careers, potentially limiting their long-term impact and succession planning opportunities. More concerning is the persistent lack of racial and ethnic diversity, with over 90% of superintendents identifying as white despite New York's increasingly diverse student population.
Policy challenges continue to mount as superintendents navigate competing federal and state priorities. The Trump administration's voucher program, offering tax credits for private school donations, creates new competitive pressures for public districts already struggling with funding constraints. Simultaneously, proposed Medicaid cuts threaten essential health services that many schools provide to vulnerable students and families.
However, opportunities exist for positive change. The Portrait of a Graduate framework offers a shared vision for student success that transcends political divisions, focusing on universally valued skills and competencies. NYSCOSS's advocacy efforts on educator retirement waivers and rural telehealth demonstrate how professional organizations can address practical challenges facing districts statewide.
Moving forward, addressing the superintendent crisis requires sustained attention to leadership development, mentorship programs, and creating pathways for diverse candidates to enter and succeed in these critical roles. The success of New York's students depends largely on the stability and effectiveness of district leadership, making these challenges among the most urgent facing public education today.
On this week’s Deep Dive episode, NYKids Research Assistant, Jessie Tobin, interviews Dr. Dawn Anderson-Butcher from Ohio State University (OSU). Dr. Anderson-Butcher is a Professor in the College of Social Work at OSU, and her areas of expertise are positive youth development (PYD) and school-family-community partnerships.
The discussion focuses on school-family-community partnerships in the United States with special attention to the community school model. Community schools bridge resources and critical partnerships in the community to meet the needs of students and their families. These initiatives are considered especially important and beneficial for young people from low socioeconomic neighborhoods who require support for the nonacademic challenges they face outside of school (e.g., mental health disorders, trauma, violence, substance misuse).
Dr. Anderson-Butcher shares her insights on what the research says about these kinds of partnerships - specifically their impacts on child development, learning, and in improving school capacities to meet community needs.
Tune into our podcast today to learn more about:
1. Impacts of school-family-community partnerships on vulnerable youth and families.
2. Community school models: what are they and what do they look like in action?
3. Why are community schools important?
4. What does the future look like for community schools and school-family-community collaboration?
We encourage you to reach out with comments, questions, or inquiries at nykids@albany.edu.
A new episode of NYKids Deep Dive is ready for you – just in time for the new school year! In this episode, Assistant Director of NYKids Aaron Leo meets with Joseph Otter, the Director of School Community Partnerships in Lansingburgh Central School District.
Joseph Otter’s Biography:
In his role as Director of School Community Partnerships, Joseph Otter’s work includes the Trauma Sensitive Schools initiative, Equity, Inclusivity & Diversity efforts, implementation of grants and supervision of the social work department. Before joining Lansingburgh CSD, Joseph Otter was an assistant principal at the Neil Hellman School, a school for students with emotional-behavioral disturbance, and prior to that served for 16 years at Capital Region BOCES providing professional development, technical assistance and consultation to schools, agencies and members of the New York State Education Department’s technical assistance networks.
The Podcast Episode
It was a pleasure to learn all about Director Otter’s experience engaging families and communities in Lansingburgh – a topic which NYKids has written about for the School Community Journal and Child & Youth Services.
In this episode, Director Otter describes a range of programs and practices designed to build strong relationships with families and the wider community. Some topics we explore are:
What the most pressing needs facing families and communities are
How to overcome obstacles to meet families’ needs
Insights gained from partnering with families and communities
The future of family and community engagement
A few key take-aways and quotes from Director Otter:
How districtwide initiatives and partnerships with community organizations are being used meet students’ and families’ needs:
“When those [basic needs] aren’t in place, it’s harder for kids to do well in school”
How to support students’ mental health and ensure they can access services and resources:
“I’m hoping that over time there will be even more support and normalization of the idea of mental health and wellbeing being part of the goals and missions of schools.”
How to collaborate with families as partners and gathering feedback from them:
“You have to find ways to go to them… we need to make an effort to be at other places at other times for [families].”
In this episode, hosts Maria Khan and Aaron Leo sit down with Cindy Gallagher, Director of Government Relations at SAANYS (School Administrators Association of New York State). Together, they explore ongoing initiatives and insights from SAANYS and what they mean for schools and educators in New York.
A Brief Bio of Dr. Gallagher
Dr. Cindy Gallagher leads SAANYS’s member-driven Government Relations Committee, ensuring that school leaders’ voices are heard in key legislative and regulatory discussions across New York State. Holding a PhD in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University at Albany (SUNY), Dr. Gallagher combines scholarly expertise with firsthand experience. Dr. Gallagher is a tireless advocate for New York schools and administrators and offers a compelling perspective on the two-way relationship between policy decisions and the everyday realities of school leadership.
What to Listen For:
Why this conversation matters right now — In a shifting educational landscape, what are the areas that school leaders need to consider?
Top priorities/challenges for school leaders in 2025 — Severe staffing shortages (including principals covering classrooms), student learning loss, discipline/behavior issues and more
Lasting impacts from COVID-19, five years later – Where are the impacts most prominent, early childhood education or secondary schools or high schools?
Real-world insights and advocacy in action — How does SAANYS amplify the voices of principals and administrators across the state to influence policy?
What this means for educators and administrators — Key takeaways and practical ideas you can bring back to your district or school.
In this episode, we explore the NYKids Performance Tracker, a powerful tool designed to help educators and policymakers make sense of complex school performance data. But what makes this tracker more than just a dashboard? How can it actually drive better decisions in education?
To help us unpack these questions, we’re joined by:
Doug Fulton
Managing Partner at WISERTrade, Doug brings a unique blend of economics, software development, and entrepreneurial grit. With academic roots at Harvard, LSE, and UMass Amherst, Doug has helped shape data platforms like WISERTrade and now contributes to NYKids with a focus on usability and insight. (Also, he’s still holding out hope for a spot in the NBA’s “no-longer-can-jump” league!)
Suzanne Smith
Director of Research and Evaluation at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Suzanne has spent her career using data to advance economic justice and racial equity. From analyzing affirmative admissions to tracking homelessness data, her work is all about turning numbers into meaningful change. She’s also a proud Smith College and UMass Amherst alum.
What We Talked About:
What exactly is the NYKids Performance Tracker?
Doug and Suzanne’s roles in its development and evolution
The art (and science) of creating user-friendly data displays
How to foster data-informed decision-making in the age of AI
Key Takeaways:
The tracker acts as a matchmaker between schools, helping identify peers and learn from each other.
Spotting “funky data” is crucial—sometimes anomalies are insights, other times they’re errors.
Denominator issues matter: who’s included in the data (and who isn’t) can dramatically shift interpretations.
In a world of generative AI, critical thinking and context are more important than ever when using data to shape policy.
Whether you're an educator, policymaker, or data enthusiast, this episode offers practical insights into how data can be a tool for equity and improvement—not just accountability.
Listen now and join the conversation on how we can use data to build better schools and brighter futures.
This spring we are rolling out a series of episodes in which the NYKids team converses with principals of positive outlier schools that participated in our latest study! The third of these episodes features a discussion with Fillmore Central School superintendent Michael Dodge and Principal Eric Talbot.
In this episode, NYKids Assistant Director Aaron Leo chats with Superintendent Dodge and Principal Talbot and catches up on the latest news at Fillmore. Some topics we explore are:
What extracurricular opportunities can build school connectedness in a rural district?
How can rethinking programming meet the needs of students in Special Education?
How do schools in a small town effectively engage families and communities in school partnerships?
Please keep up with the latest NYKids news by visiting our website. We encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
As always, feel free to reach out with comments or questions at nykids@albany.edu.
In this podcast, NYKids Graduate Assistant Paul Guay and NYKids Director Kristen C. Wilcox hosted Bob Schneider, Executive Director of the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA). NYSSBA is one of NYKids' valued Advisory Board organizations, and Bob provided insights into what NYSSBA is focusing its attention on right now.
School Board Challenges and NYSSBA Priorities
Bob Schneider shared several key challenges and priorities that NYSSBA is currently addressing:
Funding Issues
One of the primary concerns for school boards is funding. The foundation aid formula, which is intended to ensure equitable distribution of state education funds, has been a topic of ongoing debate in New York state. Currently, there is a significant focus on federal funding uncertainties, especially in light of recent changes and challenges
Electric Buses Initiative
Governor Hochul’s proposal to convert to all electric school buses by 2035 is another major issue for School Boards. While this initiative aims to reduce environmental impact, it poses logistical challenges, particularly in rural areas.
Declining Student Enrollment
Rural schools are facing a decline in student enrollment, which impacts funding and resource allocation. This trend necessitates strategic planning to ensure that educational quality and access are maintained despite demographic shifts
Staffing Shortages
Teacher shortages, especially in specialized areas such as English as a New Language (ENL), are a pressing concern. NYSSBA is actively working on strategies to attract and retain qualified educators to address these gaps.
Summing up
Bob Schneider's insights highlight the multifaceted challenges that school boards face and the proactive steps NYSSBA is taking to address them. From funding issues to environmental initiatives and staffing shortages, NYSSBA is committed to supporting school boards in navigating these complexities to provide high-quality education for all students.
Hanson Robotics has granted permission for NYKids to post the video link of Bob’s interview with Sophia the Robot – watch here!
You can keep up with NYKids’ latest research and school improvement work by visiting our website and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
As always, we welcome your comments or questions at nykids@albany.edu.
This episode is the second in a series spotlighting leaders and educators in positive outlier schools in our latest study!
In this episode, NYKids Assistant Director Aaron Leo had the privilege of sitting down with members of Crown Point Central School including:
Superintendent Tara Celotti;
Director of Pupil Personnel Services Michelle Dedrick;
English teacher Rachael Charron; and
Senior student Raegan Thomas
The episode focuses on the challenges of teaching and learning after the global pandemic as well as various practices and programs educators at Crown Point have utilized to support students. Some of the topics we explore include:
The major challenges that students and educators are facing after the COVID-19 pandemic
What educators are doing to address these challenges
Some of the promising social-emotional learning programs being used in New York State
The importance of building peer relationships
In this podcast, NYKids Director Kristen C. Wilcox and Assistant Director Aaron Leo welcomed members of New York State Education Department Allison Armour-Garb and Nicole Lennon. Armour-Garb and Lennon both serve as leaders for NYSED's Performance-Based Learning and Assessment Networks (or PLAN) Pilot program.
What is the PLAN Pilot program?
Twenty-three schools across the state are taking part in the “pilot” to implement performance-based learning and assessment (PBLA). As Armour-Garb explains in the podcast,
“Performance-based approaches are designed to incorporate real world problems and tasks and give students opportunities to apply and develop their knowledge and skills in settings that resemble real-life situations”
NYKids has been lending a hand in researching the initial implementation phase of the program, with School of Education Associate Professor Kathryn Schiller at the helm as principal investigator, and SOE graduate and Associate Professor at the Sage Colleges Francesca Durand as co-investigator.
In this episode, we discuss the “why” and related policy shifts related to PBLA and explore how PBLA implementation is being approached with technical assistance providers, university researchers, an array of advisory groups, and NYSED professionals working in collaboration with each other. As a preview to our episode, we cover the following topics:
What is PBLA and how is it similar or different from other approaches to learning and assessment?
How did the PLAN Pilot program develop?
What are the successes and challenges in making transformational shifts in learning and assessment so far?
What is the future of PBLA in New York State?
Our guests shared a number of resources in the podcast and for convenience please see some of those links below:
This spring we are rolling out a series of episodes in which the NYKids team converses with principals of positive outlier schools that participated in our latest study! The first of these episodes features a discussion with LaFayette Jr.-Sr. High School principal, Jason P. Ryan.
In this episode, NYKids Assistant Director Aaron Leo chats with Principal Ryan about all things Artificial Intelligence (AI) and catches up on the latest news at LaFayette. Some questions we explore are:
How is AI impacting high school students?
What are educators doing to address these impacts?
How can AI be used by youth responsibly and appropriately?
In our second episode, NYKids Research Assistants Jessie Tobin and Paul Guay talk with Dr. Deborah Schussler, professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership at the University of Albany, SUNY about mindfulness and how it’s application can improve the well-being of teachers and students.
Dr. Schussler’s research in the field of mindfulness focuses on the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on the wellbeing of educators and students. We had a blast discussing emerging research and future directions for mindfulness interventions in P-12 education.
This episode also features an Audio Abstract! Just like the abstract of an academic paper, this brief version of our podcast gives you a concise summary of an episode—helping you decide if it’s relevant to your work and interests. Find the 10-minute audio abstract alongside the full 50-minute interview and choose whichever version fits your schedule.
A sneak peek of the topics covered and key takeaways:
What is Mindfulness and what are some common misconceptions of it?
What does current research say about the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in schools?
What does mindfulness and mindfulness-based practice look like in education systems?
Should my school adopt a mindfulness-based program? What should I consider when evaluating programs?
BONUS guided mindfulness exercise!
In our first episode, NYKids Assistant Director, Aaron Leo, talks with Dave Little from the Rural Schools Association (RSA). The conversation covers all things rural including the unique challenges facing rural schools, new policies and programs aimed at improving the educational experiences of rural students, and the important work being done at the RSA.