179. Following the Evidence for Effective Policy with Darleen Opfer

<p dir="ltr">We all want what’s best for our learners, but oftentimes biases get in the way of having productive conversations about what learning should look like in the classroom. Instead, we need to have evidence- and research-based conversations that support what truly works for our children.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Darleen Opfer of RAND, a nonprofit organization that’s committed to low income and minority students. Darleen started as a special education teacher but quickly saw a need for changes in schools and went on a mission to impact education policy for the better.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">We talk about the loss of critical thinking skills as lawmakers remove topics from curriculum in some states, how demographics and culture impact both teaching and students success, and the impact of making decisions without sound and bipartisan research to back them up.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">We can all be active in policy making, starting at our own schools level. Parent and teacher involvement is vital in ensuring that we focus on overall coherence in our schools.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Listen in!<strong><br /></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <h2 dir="ltr">About Darleen Opfer:</h2> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Darleen began her career as a special education teacher in Florida and then Virginia. After earning her Ph.D. in education policy at the University of Virginia, she became a professor of education policy. She served in that role at Georgia State University, Ohio State University, and the University of Cambridge, U.K.. Throughout her career, her focus has been on using evidence to improve schools for low-income and minority students.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">In 2011 she joined RAND as Director of RAND Education. In October 2018 she was promoted to Vice President and became Director of the RAND Education and Labor Research Division; she also holds RAND’s Distinguished Chair in Educa