Ten-Minute Top Ten

In episode 21 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Dr. Daniel Kreisman, describes several projects underway at the Georgia Policy Labs, a research center located in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. Matt and Daniel have a wide-ranging conversation on the state of research in the career pathways space and how state policymakers and busi...

In episode 20 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Rachel Kinsaul spotlights how she designed hands-on learning experiences to prepare students interested in agricultural careers. During her tenure at Morgan County High School, Rachel has increased female participation in the agricultural education through the floral design program. In Spring 2026, Rachel led the Georgia...

In episode 19 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Hanah Goldberg, the Director of Research and Policy at the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), shares how the organization promotes community engagement. Dr. Goldberg identified cross-sector, community collaboration as a key component to sustain early care and learning strategies.     The episode...

In episode 18 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Megan Miller and Chelsea Owens from Child Care Resource & Referral of Southeast Georgia reveal how they support families and early care providers in their 40-county service area. Their message is clear: high-quality early learning drives economic development in communities. The episode’s focus on improving access to q...

In episode 17 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Tara Anderson shares how ERS, a Boston-based consulting firm, help state and district leaders rethink how they staff schools.   The episode’s focus on school staffing and teacher quality aligns with the content covered in Issue 6 of the  Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2025 .   For more on this topic, download the  2025 editio...

In episode 16 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Dr. Bryan Hassel and Ashley Williams share how the Opportunity Culture strategy allows districts to transform teaching and learning within the framework of current school budgets.    The episode’s focus on school staffing and teacher quality aligns with the content covered in Issue 6 of the  Top Ten Issues to Watch in 202...

In episode 15 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Dale Simpson, the superintendent of Foothills Regional High School, shares how his special completion school supports students who are at risk of not earning their high school diploma. Dr. Simpson identified one-on-one mentoring and career counseling as two areas that help students succeed.   The episode’s focus on improv...

In episode 14 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Elton Dixon reveals how education and community leaders in Valdosta, Georgia created a regional college and career academy. The journey illustrates the importance of corporate involvement and community partnerships in expanding post-secondary options for youth.     The episode’s focus on improving workforce readiness alig...

Dr. Adrian Epps is a friend of the Georgia Partnership. He served as the Dean of the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University for four years. During his deanship, Bagwell led the state in the number of candidates who completed teacher education programs.   Upon his retirement, the Georgia Partnership reached out to ask if Dean Epps would share key lessons from his tenure and provi...

Dr. Adrian Epps is a friend of the Georgia Partnership. He served as the Dean of the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University for four years. During his deanship, Bagwell led the state in the number of candidates who completed teacher education programs.   Upon his retirement, the Georgia Partnership reached out to ask if Dean Epps would share key lessons from his tenure and provi...

In episode 13 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Joy Schofield describes how the Hall County School District uses Dialectical Skills Groups (DSG) to equip students with the tools to regulate their emotions, practice mindfulness, and pursue healthy interpersonal relationships.   In this extended episode, Joy shares how school leaders executed the DSG strategy and describ...

In episode 12 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Emily Rubin, a student engagement expert and professional development leader, outlines how teachers and school leaders can improve student engagement by fostering social and emotional connections.    The episode’s focus on building social and emotional connections aligns with the content covered in Issue 3 of the  Top Ten...

In episode 11 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Matthew Smith, Director of Policy and Research, welcomes Shawnell Johnson to share how PAACT: Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive initiative supports families and early care providers. Ms. Johnson also identifies specific strategies that build public will for comprehensive child development strategies. The episode’s focus...

In episode 10 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Amy Jacobs, Commissioner of the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), updates listeners about new state investments that reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and fund grants to set up new classrooms.   The episode’s focus on early learning aligns with the recommendations outlined in Issue 4 of the  Top Ten I...

In episode 9 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research, and Judy Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children, discuss how a focus on mental health and wellness supports student success in learning and life. The episode’s focus on student mental health strategies aligns with the recommendations outlined in Issue 3...

In episode 8 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research, and guests Emily Anne Vall and Audrey Idaikkadar, discuss how Resilient Georgia supports regional leaders who are strengthening mental health partnerships across Georgia. The episode’s focus on student mental health strategies aligns with the recommendations outlined in Issue 3...

In episode 7 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten Minute Top Ten  podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research, and guest Heather Finley, Teacher Recruitment and Retention Specialist at the Georgia Department of Education, discuss how the Office of Rural Education and Innovation (REI) supports district and school leaders. Ms. Finley describes several initiatives underway related to educat...

In episode 6 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten Minute Top Ten  podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research, and guest Dr. Traci Redish, Associate Dean at Kennesaw State University’s Bagwell College of Education, discuss how educator preparation programs (EPPs) can partner with school systems to prepare teacher candidates for the classroom. Dr. Redish highlights five innovations underw...

In episode 5 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten Minute Top Ten podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research, and guest Sue Parr, President and CEO of the Augusta Metro Chamber, discuss the Students2Work program, an initiative that provides paid work-based learning experiences for Richmond County high school students. Our guest highlights the benefits for interns, employers, and school di...

In episode 4 of the Georgia Partnership's Ten Minute Top Ten podcast, Matt Smith, Director of Policy and Research and guests Cheryl Oldham (US Chamber of Commerce) and Tim Cairl (Metro Atlanta Chamber), discuss the important role that chambers of commerce play in linking education and economic development. Our guests share how the networking and relationship building opportunities that the US...

In episode 3 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Matt Smith, Sr. Policy Analyst with the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and guest, Dr, Tim Sass of the Metro Atlanta Policy Lab for Education , discuss the findings from a recent study he conducted on Metro Atlanta student outcomes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more on this topic, download the ...

In episode 2 of the Georgia Partnership's  Ten-Minute Top Ten  podcast, Matt Smith, Sr. Policy Analyst with the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and guest,  Dr. Ventura Rodriguez of Education Resource Strategies (ERS ), discuss the ways his organization is helping school and district leaders more effectively leverage their resources. For more on this topic, download the 2022 Top...

In the inaugural episode of the Georgia Partnership's Ten-Minute Top Ten podcast, Matt Smith, Sr. Policy Director of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and guest, Gina Adams, Sr. Fellow, Urban Institute , discuss the challenges surrounding access early learning and childcare, particularly for low-income families and families of color. To learn more, check out these additional...