PODCAST · education
Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive
by Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions
Davey Johnson and Angela Jones, AI-generated Educators, discuss recent reports, critical issues, and proven solutions to today's school challenges based on the work of Dr. Howie Knoff from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions (E-Mail: [email protected]). They synthesize Knoff's original, common sense, "no-holds-barred" bi-monthly Blogs (LINK: www.projectachieve.info/blog) that apply his 40 years of practical experience in schools nationwide. Knoff's information has helped generations of educators and others understand today's schools. . . and what needs to happen so that all students maximize their skills and outcomes.Every Podcast's contents are based on original Blogs written exclusively by Dr. Howie. These original Blogs then are transformed into Podcasts using Google LM. Each final Podcast is meticulously checked for accuracy and content integrity by Dr. Howie prior to posting.[Set Up a Meeting with Howie]: https://calendly.com/knoffprojectachieve1Read the Fu
Episodes
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Keeping Teams Positive, Perceptive, and Productive: Five Leadership Practices That Build Sustainable, High-Performing Educational Teams (Season 3, Episode 22)
Imagine the challenge of keeping an astronaut crew productive on a three-year mission to Mars. As organizational expert Leslie DeChurch asks, “How can we build one perfect team that can survive and thrive in a small container for that long, in a totally unprecedented scenario where things will go...
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The Denial of Dreams: Disproportionate School Discipline and Racial Bias are Destroying Black Students' Futures (Season 3, Episode 21)
In this Podcast, Angela and Davey synthesize Dr. Howie Knoff's November 8, 2025 Blog post which presents evidence that will fundamentally change how you understand school discipline and racial discrimination. Dr. Knoff and your Podcast Hosts summarize the latest research that reveals that Black...
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Reflecting on the Mirror of Autism: Living in a World that Doesn't Always Makes Sense (Volume 3, Episode 20)
This Podcast synthesizes the core arguments presented in Dr. Howie Knoff's November 1, 2025 Blog post, which advocates for a fundamental shift in how educators and clinicians understand and support students with autism. The central thesis is a call to move beyond managing observable behaviors and...
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Students Need "Learner's Permits" for Social Media Access: Decreasing Mental Health, Bullying, and School Shooting Risks (Season 3, Episode 19)
The mental health crisis involving American adolescents has reached a breaking point that demands immediate, decisive action. With over 20% of children living with diagnosed mental health conditions, depression rates climbing 75% since 2016, and nearly half of high school students reporting...
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Chronic Absenteeism and the “Five Why’s”: Stop Chasing Symptoms and Start Tackling Solutions (Season 3, Episode 18)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's newest Project ACHIEVE Blog addressing a long-standing crisis in our nation’s schools: chronically-absent students. The Podcast documents the incident rates of chronic absenteeism over the past decade, specifies the root causes, and...
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Student Mental Health, the Dangers of AI, and the Need for Human Connection
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's newest Project ACHIEVE Blog that highlights the pervasive mental health crisis among preschool through high school students, emphasizing that a significant number are struggling with internalizing and externalizing issues, often...
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Beyond Overwhelmed: How AI Can Empower Administratively-Taxed School Leaders (Season 3, Episode 16)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's newest Project ACHIEVE Blog that begins by recognizing that today’s superintendents, principals, and other district leaders are not just busy—they are overwhelmed. Compliance reporting, budget oversight, parent communication, board...
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Improving School Climate and Student Engagement: The Final Piece of (and Assembling) the School Success Puzzle (Season 3, Episode 15)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Project ACHIEVE Blog as the final part of a five-part series, aiming to assemble "the school success puzzle.” This comprehensive series emphasizes that truly effective schools evaluate, strategically plan for, and attend to...
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Cultivating School Cohesion and Staff Efficacy- The 7 C's of Success (Season 3, Episode 14)
In the newest podcast, co-hosts Angela Jones and Davey Johnson discuss the seven characteristics of staff cohesion and collaboration. Drawing on the themes from Dr. Howie Knoff’s latest blog and research within Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions, the episode dives deep into why staff cohesion...
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The Characteristics of an Effective Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): What You Need to Assess to Ensure Your Fall Success (Season 3, Episode 13)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Project ACHIEVE Blog on how to analyze the effectiveness of a district, school, or educational setting’s MTSS system. The Podcast first summarizes the organizational characteristics of an effective MTSS system identified by...
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School Discipline, Classroom Management, and Student Self-Management: The Summer Preparations Needed for Excellence This Fall (Season 3, Episode 12)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. The Blog discusses the ongoing issues with student behavior and classroom management in schools since the pandemic, highlighting a significant increase in discipline…
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Preparing Classroom Instruction This Summer for Enhanced Success this Fall (Volume 3, Episode 11)
Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. The Blog and Podcast focus on the importance of strategic summer planning to drive school improvement during the coming new school year. They begin by contrasting two…
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Understanding Seizure Types, Causes, and Connections to Stress and Brain Injury (Volume 3, Episode 10)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog (Part III of a comprehensive Series) from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. It begins by highlighting how important it is for school personnel to understand students who present with seizures—initially, through…
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The Impact of Headaches vs. Migraines on Students in School (Volume 3, Episode 9)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog (Part II of a comprehensive Series) from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. This Podcast(and the Blog) explains the difference between common headaches and migraines, highlighting how migraines are a distinct...
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Connecting Students’ Sensory and Neurological Functioning with Learning, Socialization, and Disabilities: A Primer on Vision, Hearing, and Respiratory/Nasal Functioning (Volume 3, Episode 8)
Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. This Podcast (and the Blog) emphasizes the crucial connection between students' sensory and neurological functions and their educational experiences. As a school…
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Future-Proofing the Academic and Social Success of Middle and High School Students: Five Essential Skill Sets (Volume 3, Episode 7)
In this new Podcast, Angela and Davey address the concerning trend of declining independence and engagement among middle and high school students since the pandemic. Using Dr. Howie Knoff’s concurrently-released Blog, they discuss five essential "meta-skill" sets that are the foundation to...
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Essential Strategies for Educational Leaders During Uncertain Times: Future-Proofing Your School(s) for Today’s Sweeping Changes (Volume 3, Episode 6)
In this newest podcast, hosts Davey Johnson and Angela Jones discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's recent Blog that addresses the significant shifts in education policy under the Trump administration over its first two months in office. These changes include staff reductions and reallocations at the U.S....
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Charlie Brown and Education: DEI, Fear, and Trump's Tactics (Volume 3, Episode 5)
Hosts Davey Johnson and Angela Jones discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's March 8th Blog post that uses the "Peanuts" comic strip saga of Lucy pulling away the football from Charlie Brown to illustrate the current political climate's impact on education. Knoff argues that the Trump administration is...
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Protecting Disability Rights: Section 504, the ADA, and Chance Events (Volume 3, Episode 4)
In this newest “Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive” podcast, hosts Davey Johnson and Angela Jones discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's recent Blog post focusing on the importance of the recently-updated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to better align it with the Americans with…
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Minimizing Classroom Distractions to Maximize Student Learning: Building Walls to Buffer Politics, Phones, Prejudice, and Preferential Treatment (Volume 3, Episode 3)
Angela and Davey discuss a new Blog by Dr. Howie Knoff about the impact of various external political and internal classroom distractions on education, and how they undermine good instruction and student learning. They review recent studies showing that students proficient in reading and math in...
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Improving Classroom Management: Lessons from the Detroit Lions (Volume 3, Episode 2)
Angela and Davey describe a recent nationally-representative Education Week Research Center survey of educators across the country that found that student discipline and classroom management continues to get worse post-pandemic. They then assert, using Dr. Howie Knoff's recent Blog, that students...
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While You Can Write a Student’s Individualized Education Plan. . . It (Legally) Needs to be Acceptable, Actionable, and Appropriate (Volume 3, Episode 1)
In the first Podcast of the new year and new volume (2025; Volume 3), Davey and Angela summarize the January 11, 2025 blog by Dr. Howie Knoff. He reminds educators that--even though the current school year is half over, NEXT year's activities and budget are already being prepared. In this…
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Education’s 2024 Year in Review: The Themes that Captured Our Time, Attention, Concern, and Consternation (Volume 2, Episode 24)
In this podcast, Davey Johnson and Angela Jones analyze Dr. Howie's end-of-year Blog that revisited the 24 blogs he published in 2024. Listen to Davey and Angela as they discuss how the Blog's four themes were critical to the "state of education" this past year, and how education needs to address...
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Improving Special Education Services on this 20th Anniversary of IDEA 2004: What the New Administration Must Do (Volume 2, Episode 23)
Davey and Angela use the 20th anniversary of the signing of the last reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004), and the coming second Trump administration to analyze, critique, and make recommendations on how to improve special education services in our...
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“Moneyball Thinking” in Education: School Improvement Requires First Changing Thinking, Not Programs (Volume 2, Episode 22)
Davey and Angela discuss the fact that many districts or schools are budget-restricted and/or have a current curriculum or program that is not working, and they are looking for a change. Using Dr. Howie Knoff's November 23, 2024 blog post as a guide, they suggest the need for school leaders in...
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Shared Leadership in Schools: Structure, Decision-Making, Delegation, and Avoiding Staff Resentment (Volume 2, Episode 21)
Angela and Davey do a "Deep Dive" discussing shared leadership in schools, and how to avoid staff resentment when they are asked to participate on committees and in school improvement decisions. Based on Dr. Howie Knoff's November 9, 2024 blog post, your Hosts outline a shared leadership school...
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Speed Counts When Making Successful Changes in Your District or School: When to Go Fast or Slow (Volume 2, Episode 20)
Angela and Davey discuss the importance of the speed of implementation when change processes in districts or schools. Using a blog message posted on October 19, 2024 by Dr. Howie Knoff, your Hosts emphasize that the optimal speed of implementing school reforms depends on a number of factors. They...
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Tearing Down the Wall Between General and Special Education: The Need for Collaboration and Integration (Volume 2, Episode 19)
Angela and Davey discuss the often-present "wall" between general education teachers and special education teachers, and how this impacts students with disabilities. . . who are often more general education students than those with dramatic special needs. Based on an October 5, 2024 blog post by...
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Measuring Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Using Social-Emotional Screeners, and Improving Students' Mental Health (Volume 2, Episode 18)
Davey and Angela discuss the current state of students' mental health across the country, and the challenges that schools face relative to addressing these students' social-emotional needs. Based on a September 21, 2024 Blog by Dr. Howie Knoff, your hosts discuss (a) the characteristics and...
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When Schools Implement Fads or Flawed Programs: The Impact on Teacher Morale and Student Outcomes (Volume 2, Episode 17)
Davey and Angela examine the detrimental effects of adopting ineffective educational fads and programs on school staff and relative to student outcomes. Based on the September 7, 2024 blog by Dr. Howie Knoff, they note how many schools do not sufficiently evaluate new programs or interventions...
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Students' Mental Health Crisis: Focusing on Evidence-Based Solutions (Volume 2, Episode 16)
Angela and Davey address the alarming mental health and social-emotional challenges facing U.S. students, citing a CDC report showing significant increases in sadness, hopelessness, violence, and bullying. Building from Dr. Howie Knoff's August 24, 2024 blog, they advocate for a comprehensive,...
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Winning the Gold: Why Schools Should Model the U.S. Women's Olympic Team (Volume 2, Episode 15)
Davey and Angela compare the success of the U.S. Women's 2024 gold-winning Olympic Gymnastics team to what schools need to do to attain comprehensive levels of school success. Using Dr. Howie Knoff's August 10, 2024 blog as a jumping off point, your Hosts emphasize that creating a "winning"…
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Are Schools Really Prepared to Address Educators’ Biggest Behavioral Student Concerns? (Volume 2, Episode 14)
Angela and Davey discuss one of the most concerning topics in education today: Students' school and classroom behavior and interpersonal interactions. Anchored by Dr. Howie Knoff's July 27, 2024 blog, our Hosts analyze a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey revealing widespread...
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The Seven Sure Solutions for School Improvement and Success (Volume 2, Episode 13)
Davey and Angela discuss school improvement, and the "Seven Sure Solutions". . . the evidenced-based components. . . that have been proven to facilitate school success in schools across the country. Guided by Dr. Howie Knoff's July 13, 2024 blog post, your Hosts critique the narrow definition of...
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Teaching Social Skills: A Science-Based Approach (Volume 2, Episode 12)
Davey and Angela take on the topic of teaching students social skills in school and how to do this. They do this by critically reviewing the June 22, 2024 blog post by Dr. Howie Knoff. Dr. Howie advocates for a behavioral approach to teaching social skills in schools, particularly to pre-K…
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Title IX Sexual Harassment: A Procedural Primer (Volume 2, Episode 11)
In today's Program, Angela and Davey summarizes a June 8, 2024 Blog post by Dr. Howie Knoff explaining Title IX's requirements regarding sexual harassment in schools. They highlight the frequent lack of awareness among school officials regarding Title IX's specific procedures and...
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Increasing Student Engagement: How to Prepare Now for NEXT Year, and What Needs to be Done (Volume 2, Episode 10)
Angela and Davey tackle the challenging topic of increasing student engagement. Using Dr. Howie Knoff's May 25, 2024 Blog message as a guide, they advocate for proactive measures to address student disengagement. They also emphasize the importance of planning interventions well in advance of the...
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When a School’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports Needs Support (Volume 2, Episode 9)
Davey and Angela outline Dr. Howie Knoff's May 11, 2024 Blog and his critique of ineffective Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) practices in education. Dr. Howie argues that many companies market MTSS services without sufficient evidence of their effectiveness, comparing this to medical...
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Surviving Social Media and Its “Double-Edged” Sword of Damocles (Volume 2, Episode 8)
Angela and Davey reflect on Dr. Howie Knoff's April 27, 2024 Blog that uses the parable of the Sword of Damocles to illustrate the potentially devastating consequences of uncontrolled social media use. They discuss how Dr. Howie details a colleague's public relations disaster stemming from an...
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An Autobiographical Day in the Life of a School Psychologist (Volume 2, Episode 7)
Dr. Howie Knoff's April 13, 2024 blog post details a day in his life as an educational consultant, reflecting on observations from a laundromat revealing the complex lives of students and their families. He also discusses his work as an expert witness in special education cases, highlighting the...
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How Cognitive Biases Affect Student Perceptions and Educator Decisions (Volume 2, Episode 6)
Davey and Angela reflect on Dr. Howie Knoff's March 30, 2024 blog post (from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions) exploring how cognitive biases influence perceptions and decisions within educational settings. Your hosts define cognitive biases and their relationship to stereotypes, prejudice,...
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Analyzing, Choosing, and Implementing Evidence-Based Programs in Schools (Volume 2, Episode 5)
Davey and Angela use Dr. Howie Knoff's March 16, 2024 Blog to address the challenges schools face in selecting and implementing evidence-based programs. They highlight five common mistakes educators make when evaluating programs, emphasizing the need to move beyond simplistic metrics like effect...
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What Super Bowl Commercials Teach Education About Media and Product Literacy (Volume 2, Episode 4)
Based on Dr. Howie Knoff's February 24, 2024 Blog, Davey and Angela examine the importance of media and product literacy for educators, drawing parallels between Super Bowl commercials' persuasive techniques and the marketing of educational products. They emphasize the need to critically evaluate...
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Parental Accountability for the Children's School Shootings? (Volume 2, Episode 3)
On February 6, 2024, Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter for allowing her son to bring a gun to school where he killed four and injured seven others. Facing up to 60 years in prison, Davey and Angela discuss Dr. Howie's Blog on this situation, analyzing…
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Strategies for Safe Classroom Conversations (Volume 2, Episode 2)
Many challenging, controversial, and emotional social issues have impacted the climate and interactions across students, staff, and schools. To ensure that discussions around these issues are safe and productive, staff need to be trained to teach and guide students in the necessary discussion...
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Grades vs. Skills: Rethinking Report Cards (Volume 2, Episode 1)
Davey and Angela analyze Dr. Howie's first Blog of 2024. The Blog reviews a major study demonstrating that high school grades across the country have been inflated from 2010 through 2022. At the same time, it emphasizes that grades are less important than the mastery of specific academic skills...
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A 2023 Review of Education’s Most (De)Pressing Issues: Analysis and Solutions (Volume 1, Episode 14)
Davey and Angela end this year (and Volume) by reviewing the critical issues that highlighted the 2023 calendar year. Guided by Dr. Howie Knoff's year-end Blog--summarizing all of his 2023 Blog posts-- your Hosts tackle the persistent challenges faced by virtually every educator. Five key themes...
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Over-Simplifying Education: When Evidence-based Practices are Diluted, They are No Longer Evidence-Based (Volume 1, Episode 13)
Angela and Davey discuss the essence of Dr. Howie Knoff's December 9, 2023 blog which critiques the oversimplification of educational solutions to address students' complex mental health issues. Knoff argues that diluting sophisticated interventions within the multi-tiered system of supports…
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The Science of Emotional Self-Control in Schools: Too Many Schools are Doing This Wrong (Volume 1, Episode 12)
Davey and Angela talk about the importance of teaching students how to control their emotions, and yet many schools are teaching these emotional self-control or self-regulation skills in ways that ignore the neurobehavioral and psychological research-to-practice. Their discussion is anchored by a...
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Twelve Components of Effective Schools: Staff Motivation Cannot Compensate for Systemic Deficits (Volume 1, Episode 11)
Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's recent blog post, discussing twelve elements that are essential for continuous school improvement. They highlight a current trend in education where school leaders focus more on motivating staff and students that identifying and addressing systemic...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Davey Johnson and Angela Jones, AI-generated Educators, discuss recent reports, critical issues, and proven solutions to today's school challenges based on the work of Dr. Howie Knoff from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions (E-Mail: [email protected]). They synthesize Knoff's original, common sense, "no-holds-barred" bi-monthly Blogs (LINK: www.projectachieve.info/blog) that apply his 40 years of practical experience in schools nationwide. Knoff's information has helped generations of educators and others understand today's schools. . . and what needs to happen so that all students maximize their skills and outcomes.Every Podcast's contents are based on original Blogs written exclusively by Dr. Howie. These original Blogs then are transformed into Podcasts using Google LM. Each final Podcast is meticulously checked for accuracy and content integrity by Dr. Howie prior to posting.[Set Up a Meeting with Howie]: https://calendly.com/knoffprojectachieve1Read the Fu
HOSTED BY
Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive have?
Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive currently has 60 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive about?
Davey Johnson and Angela Jones, AI-generated Educators, discuss recent reports, critical issues, and proven solutions to today's school challenges based on the work of Dr. Howie Knoff from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions (E-Mail: [email protected]). They synthesize Knoff's...
How often does Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive release new episodes?
Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive has 60 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive?
You can listen to Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive?
Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive is created and hosted by Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions.
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