Learning Can’t Wait

On this Learning Can’t Wait podcast episode, host Hayley Spira-Bauer speaks with Teach For America CEO Aneesh Sohoni about how his parents’ immigrant journey shaped his belief in educational opportunity and how teaching revealed both his students’ potential and the systemic barriers they faced. Aneesh explains that Teach For America’s impact extends far beyond two years in the classroom, creating a 72,000-member, multigenerational leadership network working throughout education and related fields. As schools confront teacher shortages, artificial intelligence, economic uncertainty, and declining student well-being, he argues that the central challenge is leadership—and calls on new and experienced leaders to transform purpose into collective action so every student can learn, lead, thrive, and see a place for themselves in the future.

In this special crossover episode of Learning Can't Wait and ETS's Praxis Journeys, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Vinay Ganti, Head of Partnerships and District Solutions at ETS, to discuss his unconventional journey into education, the challenges facing K-12 schools, and the future of teacher recruitment and retention. Vinay shares how his experiences in higher education, edtech, and innovation shaped his passion for education as a tool for life-changing impact. The conversation explores teacher shortages, leadership, school redesign, innovation in education, the role of edtech and AI, and the importance of supporting educators through strong professional pathways and mindset development. Ultimately, both guests emphasize that improving outcomes for students requires investing in teachers, embracing innovation, and sharing successful practices across school communities.

In this episode of Learning Can't Wait, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Rose Else-Mitchell, Executive Director of the Science of Reading Center at SUNY, to discuss the evolving Science of Reading movement, the importance of bridging the gap between research and classroom practice, and how educators can evaluate the effectiveness of instructional materials and professional learning. Rose shares insights from her journey as an educator, highlights the critical role of implementation and coaching in driving student outcomes, and emphasizes that every student, regardless of age, can learn to read when educators combine evidence-based practices with a belief in student potential.

In this episode of Learning Can't Wait, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with retired education leader and author Wendell Sumter to discuss his new book, Dirt Road Destiny. Drawing from his upbringing in rural South Carolina and his 36-year career in education, Wendell shares how family, mentors, adversity, and resilience shaped his leadership journey. He reflects on pivotal experiences, including being told he was "not college material," overcoming educational misplacement, and learning the importance of empathy through difficult personal and professional moments. The conversation explores leadership, school culture, community engagement, and Wendell's "Win Them Over" framework, which emphasizes listening, collaboration, and winning hearts rather than arguments. Ultimately, the episode is a powerful reminder that challenges can become stepping stones toward purpose, impact, and lasting leadership.

In this episode of Learning Can't Wait, Hayley Spira-Bauer is joined by Alex Meis, Vice President of Attendance Strategy at ParentSquare, and Dr. Anny Iacono, Director of Student Services and Special Education at Nuview. Together, they explore the growing challenge of chronic absenteeism and explain why improving attendance is fundamentally about building relationships rather than enforcing compliance. The discussion highlights how Nuview transformed attendance outcomes through empathetic communication, customized family support, community partnerships, and a person-first approach, resulting in district-wide attendance improvements and stronger engagement with families.

In this episode of the Learning Can't Wait Podcast, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Sri Madhusudan Sai, founder of a global movement dedicated to providing free, values-based education, healthcare, and nutrition to underserved communities. Sai shares how a childhood desire to help marginalized populations led him to build 22 educational campuses, multiple universities, a free medical school, pediatric cardiac hospitals, and nutrition programs serving millions of children daily. He explains his philosophy that education is a fundamental human right and discusses how holistic education—addressing academic, social, emotional, and spiritual development—creates compassionate leaders who give back to society.  

In this episode of Learning Can’t Wait, Dr. Brenda Lewis, Superintendent of Fridley Public Schools, shares her leadership journey from paraeducator to superintendent and discusses the challenges her district faced during ICE Metro Surge. She explains how immigration enforcement activities on and around school property disrupted student attendance, created fear among families, and threatened students' access to their constitutional right to education. Dr. Lewis reflects on leading through crisis, supporting staff and families, rebuilding trust within the community, and maintaining a steadfast commitment to student safety, belonging, and public education. She also offers valuable leadership lessons on communication, transparency, governance, and leading through core values.

In Season 12 Episode 2, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Rachael Tutwiler Fortune, President of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, for an inspiring conversation about community-driven change, future readiness, and the power of believing in young people. Drawing from her personal journey as a young mother who benefited from mentors who invested in her potential, Rachael shares how Jacksonville has dramatically improved graduation rates through collective action while remaining focused on literacy, workforce preparation, and educational equity. She emphasizes that preparing students for the future requires more than workforce skills, it demands developing strong learners, confident creators, and caring citizens who can thrive in a rapidly changing world.

In Season 12 Episode 1, Hayley Spira-Bauer kicks off the new season with Dr. Denise Reading, CEO and Founder of Future Plans, in a powerful conversation on eradicating poverty through education and workforce alignment. Drawing from her upbringing in rural Arkansas, Dr. Reading shares how systemic bias and lack of access—not lack of talent—hold individuals back. She discusses Future Plans’ five-step model for helping individuals discover their strengths, connect them to real opportunities, and ultimately break cycles of generational poverty. The episode emphasizes that when people understand their value and where it is needed, entire communities can transform.

And that’s a wrap on Season 11 of the Learning Can’t Wait Podcast, a season filled with bold ideas, inspiring leaders, and meaningful conversations shaping the future of education. From leadership and workforce sustainability to teacher well-being and student-centered innovation, this season brought together voices across education to challenge the status quo and reimagine what learning can and should look like. Each episode reinforced one powerful truth: when we center people, students, educators, and communities, we create lasting impact.    

In Season 11 Episode 18, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Dr. Kip Glazer, Silicon Valley principal and author of Ready to Lead with AI, to explore how school leaders can navigate rapid technological change while staying grounded in human-centered learning. Drawing from her unconventional journey into education and leadership, Dr. Glazer emphasizes that in an era of AI disruption, principals must model curiosity, innovation, and rigor. She highlights the importance of designing learning environments where students actively collaborate, teach one another, and apply knowledge through real-world experiences like CTE pathways and tech internships. The episode underscores that even in a tech-forward future, connection, purpose, and student agency remain at the heart of meaningful education.

In Season 11 Episode 17, Hayley Spira-Bauer speaks with Dr. David Lawrence, Superintendent of Dayton Public Schools, about leading with visibility, urgency, and innovation to drive real system change. Drawing from his journey from teacher to superintendent, Dr. Lawrence highlights how hands-on leadership, real-time decision-making, and a shift from static strategic plans to dynamic “academic action plans” have improved outcomes such as reading proficiency and attendance. He emphasizes making school engaging through career pathways, experiential learning, and student-centered opportunities, while also championing strong culture through his “Five C’s” framework. The episode underscores the importance of adaptability, relationships, and bold thinking in strengthening public education systems.

In Season 11 Episode 16, Hayley Spira‑Bauer speaks with Perry Rosenstein, Co‑founder and CEO of WriteOn, about the intersection of AI, writing instruction, and student-centered learning. Drawing from his journey as an entrepreneur and his experiences working closely with educators, Perry highlights writing as one of the most under-supported yet essential skills in schools. He shares how Write On was designed to provide real-time, individualized feedback, replicating one-on-one coaching at scale, while maintaining academic integrity. The conversation explores the broader edtech landscape, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful implementation, student engagement, and building tools that truly improve learning outcomes rather than simply adopting technology for its own sake.  

In Season 11 Episode 14, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Deborah Kenny, CEO and Founder of Harlem Village Academies, to explore what it truly means to educate a child beyond test scores. Drawing from decades of leadership and her new book The Well-Educated Child, Deborah shares a refined philosophy centered on quality thinking, student agency, and ethical purpose. She reflects on her journey building HVA, the importance of cultivating intrinsic motivation and a love of reading, and the need to move beyond compliance-driven schooling toward deeper, intellectually rich learning experiences. The conversation emphasizes developing students who are curious, independent thinkers with a strong sense of purpose in a rapidly evolving and complex world.

In Season 11 Episode 13, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with John White, CEO of Great Minds and former Louisiana State Superintendent, for a candid conversation on leadership, systems change, and the role of curriculum in driving student outcomes. Drawing from his experience leading post-Katrina education reform in Louisiana, John discusses how crisis can catalyze improvement, the importance of local autonomy through charter systems, and why sustained gains in student achievement come from consistent, high-quality curriculum paired with strong accountability. He also explores the future of education amid rapid technological change, advocating for “productive friction,” human-centered learning, and meaningful classroom discourse as essential to student growth.

In Season 11 Episode 12, Hayley Spira‑Bauer speaks with Dana Ainsworth, founder of Tomorrow House, about reframing student behavior through the lens of nervous system regulation rather than discipline or motivation. Drawing from her own lived experience, teaching background, and research in trauma, polyvagal theory, and education policy, Dana explains how adverse childhood experiences, outdated school structures, and rapid technological change contribute to widespread student dysregulation. The episode highlights practical, classroom‑ready strategies—like breathwork and behavior‑as‑communication—to support both educators and students, while calling for deeper alignment between research, policy, and everyday school practice.

In Season 11 Episode 11, Hayley Spira‑Bauer brings together Dr. Elizabeth Chu (Executive Director, CPRL), Jason Kamras (Superintendent, Richmond Public Schools), and Celeste Terry (Superintendent, NYC District 18) for a powerful conversation on systems‑level change that is producing real academic gains. The episode centers on All Systems Go and the REACH framework, highlighting how districts across the country are improving reading outcomes by investing in high‑quality instructional materials, deeply supporting teachers, listening to communities, and hardwiring effective practices into daily operations. Through candid leadership stories and concrete data, the guests show that meaningful improvement is possible when systems focus on coherence, trust, and implementation quality.  

In Season 11 Episode 10 of Learning Can’t Wait, Hayley Spira‑Bauer is joined by Alicia Meyers, an early childhood educator and children’s book author, for a rich conversation about teaching, literacy, and neurodiversity. Alicia shares her journey as a lifelong teacher, her experiences teaching in urban classrooms in Washington, D.C., and how the COVID era inspired her to begin writing. She discusses her newest picture book, Tickerific Me, which celebrates Tourette Syndrome and neurodiversity, alongside her practical guide for educators and families, The A to Z Teaching Toolkit. Throughout the episode, Alicia emphasizes the importance of representation, balance in early literacy instruction, and creating classrooms where children feel seen, confident, and empowered as readers and writers.

In Season 11 Episode 9, Hayley Spira‑Bauer welcomes Frances Messano, CEO of New Schools Venture Fund, for a wide‑ranging and deeply personal conversation about equity, choice, and courage in education. Frances reflects on growing up in a working‑class immigrant family in Coney Island, how access and luck shaped her own trajectory, and why she has dedicated her career to making opportunity less dependent on chance. She explains New Schools’ venture‑philanthropy approach—investing in early‑stage innovators across schools, learning solutions, and people—and discusses how the organization is navigating constrained funding, shifting policy, and the urgent need to measure real impact. Throughout the episode, Frances emphasizes that choice is freedom, that quality must lead ed tech adoption, and that redesigning the teaching profession is essential to creating sustainable, student‑centered systems.

In Season 11 Episode 8, Hayley Spira‑Bauer sits down with Christopher Hull, Co-founder & President at Otus, to explore how meaningful data use can restore time, clarity, and humanity to teaching. A former middle school teacher, Chris shares how mentors helped him find his voice and why classroom frustrations—especially inefficient, narrative‑driven problem‑solving meetings—sparked the idea for Otis. He explains how a comprehensive, longitudinal student profile enables educators to move beyond fragmented storytelling to actionable insights, helping schools identify root causes, respond thoughtfully to parent concerns, and focus on what matters most: student engagement, motivation, and growth over time.  

As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.    Today, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Hedy Chang and Malika Elwin to discuss student attendance. Listen as Hedy and Malika explain why absenteeism is most often a symptom of a much larger picture, and how their work uses data to diagnose problems and take preventative steps. Produced by Fullmind

As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.  On this week’s episode of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Dr. Rebecca Branstetter, Founder of Thriving Students Collective. Listen as Rebecca describes how her background in school psychology has informed the work she does to beat burnout in schools. Sharing her 4 Pillars of Thriving, Rebecca also explains why rested, happy minds are more productive. Produced by Fullmind

As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.  Today, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Jean-Claude Brizard, President & CEO of Digital Promise to explore innovation in education.  Listen as Jean-Claude explains how “controlled meandering” has influenced his path in education, along with his ongoing drive to fight injustice.  Hayley and Jean-Claude explore the benefits of variability when it comes to learning approaches, and Jean-Claude illuminates how digital promise is working to build systems that can help leapfrog some of the challenges we have in front of us. Produced by Fullmind

As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes. On this week’s episode of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with school leaders Brett Roer, Dr. PJ Caposey, and Dr. Dan Cox to speak about discipline and balance in school leadership. The group explores how the challenges they've faced in their individual lives have contributed to personal growth and development. They also share their strategies for coping with stress, discuss habits around fitness and wellness, and examine why discipline doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Produced by Fullmind

As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes. On today’s episode, host Hayley Spira-Bauer talks to Karl Rectanus, founder of LearnPlatform. Tune in as Karl and Hayley explore how a school’s purse strings affect the classroom, and how education leaders can lean into the realities around funding. Karl also dives into his 4 successful education innovation programs and how to work through the system to make it more effective for everybody. Produced by Fullmind

On today’s Learning Can't Wait Podcast, we revisit a conversation host Hayley Spira-Bauer has with Marlon Styles from the Learner-Centered Collaborative. Listen as Marlon describes his work designing meaningful learning experiences, where students are given a prominent seat at the table and placed firmly at the center. Marlon and Hayley also discuss why representation matters, and Marlon shares how his grandmother's lessons on listening have influenced his work with learner-centered approaches.  Finally, we hear about how appreciating the joyful moments as an educator leads to more joy all around. Next week we start Season 4 of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast!  Join us every Tuesday at podcast.learningcantwait.com.