Getting Smart Podcast

49 minutes 1 second

Why 'Why Am I Learning This?' Is the Most Important Question in Education | Edson Barton

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, host Mason Pashia sits down with Edson Barton, CEO and co-founder of YouScience, to explore what it truly means to build a credentialing system that delivers value to learners, not just paperwork. Drawing on Utah's landmark House Bill 260, which mandates stackable credentials for all graduates and positions YouScience as the infrastructure powering that vision, Edson and Mason unpack what an end-to-end career readiness ecosystem looks like when it is grounded in science, driven by aptitude, and designed to answer every student's most fundamental question: why am I learning this? Edson shares his own winding, non-linear education story as a lens into why the current system fails so many passionate learners, and how aptitude-based guidance, layered with stackable industry certifications, can illuminate a meaningful path from middle school discovery all the way to a first career credential. The conversation covers the grain size of credentials, the challenge of interoperability and learner wallets, how to bring skeptical parents on board, and why the skills recognition movement, accelerated by AI, may finally have the technology to match its ambition. For education leaders looking to move from compliance to coherence, this episode is a compelling and practical case for reimagining what student readiness can mean.

14 August 2026, 6:15 am

49 minutes 29 seconds

Catching Up: Job Cliff, Enrollment Drop, and the Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About?

In this episode of Catching Up, Nate McClennen and Mason Pashia tackle three of the most urgent tensions in modern education. They explore a landmark Penn study revealing that while AI can streamline lesson planning, it may inadvertently erode student intrinsic motivation and engagement. The hosts also dive into the "truancy triangle"—a framework for understanding chronic absenteeism that balances policy and wraparound support with the often-overlooked necessity of designing learning experiences that students genuinely find relevant and worth attending.

The conversation extends to the broader future of work, contrasting the fears of an "AI job apocalypse" with the reality of an impending demographic job cliff in sectors like healthcare, skilled trades, and education. Balancing these heavy topics, the episode highlights the power of real-world learning, featuring New York City's Summer Youth Employment Program—which leverages World Cup excitement to connect students to paid, hands-on projects—and a "good guy" neighborhood microgrant initiative designed to strengthen community ties. Join Nate and Mason for an honest, layered conversation on how school leaders can cut through the noise to design schools that foster belonging and meaningful outcomes.

12 August 2026, 6:15 am

31 minutes 33 seconds

How Can Districts Turn Jobs Into Degrees to Build Stronger Teacher Pipelines? | Joe Ross

Reach University is rethinking higher education with a simple but powerful idea: turn jobs into degrees. In this conversation, Joe Ross shares how apprenticeship degrees can help districts grow their own teachers by investing in the talent already in their buildings. From paraeducators to support staff, this model creates affordable pathways into the profession while strengthening local workforce pipelines. The episode explores teacher prep, higher education, lifelong learning, and new pathways that expand opportunity without adding debt.

Outline

(00:00) Introduction: Joe Ross & Reach University
(06:26) I Love That You Guys Look at Learning Environments
(07:37) How the Apprenticeship Degree Model Works
(17:24) Expanding Beyond K-12: Healthcare & Workforce Equity
(26:43) Next Steps: How to Get Started with Reach University

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5 August 2026, 7:00 am

38 minutes 13 seconds

Tell Story: Tyson Yunkaporta on Deep Time, Creolization, and Education

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Mason Pashia and Jason Cummins sit down with Tyson Yunkaporta for a thought-provoking conversation on Indigenous knowledge, relational learning, and the role of schools as spaces for dialogue, contradiction, and meaning-making. Together, they explore how language shapes worldview, why Indigenous leadership brings vital governance protocols to education, and how schools can move beyond reinforcing boundaries to becoming places where relationships, complexity, and shared understanding can grow.

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29 July 2026, 7:00 am

52 minutes 14 seconds

How are theatre education and gamification related? | Gersom de Koning

On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Mason Pashia sits down with Gersom de Koning to explore theater education as a transformative practice. Their conversation examines how drama builds confidence, collaboration, leadership, and transferable skills while also offering a powerful model for gamification, exploration, and learning through productive failure. From arts integration and technical theater to the future of live performance in an AI world, this episode highlights why theater belongs at the center of meaningful learning.

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22 July 2026, 7:00 am

27 minutes 10 seconds

Transformation Journey: Liberty Public Schools

In this episode of The Getting Smart Podcast with Liberty Public Schools, Rebecca Midles introduces how Liberty Public Schools, located just north of Kansas City and serving about 12,000 students, is reimagining learning through real-world experiences and personalized pathways. The conversation features Julie Moore, Assistant Superintendent for Innovation and Learning, and Sarah Wickham, Director of Real-World Learning, who share the story behind Edge, a microschool embedded within Liberty High School. What began as a vision inspired by the success of EPiC Elementary and shaped by site visits, collaborative design, and even notes scribbled on a napkin became a districtwide learning journey. Rather than centering only on one innovative program, this episode explores how starting small, learning through iteration, and staying grounded in authentic, student-centered experiences can help an entire district transform.

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15 July 2026, 7:30 am

52 minutes 52 seconds

How Do Schools Build Durable Skills? | Michael Crawford Chris Unger

On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Mason Pashia is joined by Michael Crawford of America Succeeds and Chris Unger of Northeastern University to explore what it really takes to help young people build durable skills. Drawing on a 16-month study of 12 innovative high schools, they discuss how schools can make skills like collaboration, communication, and critical thinking explicit, visible, and measurable through authentic learning, reflection, advising, and real-world experiences. The conversation highlights the 3-4-3 framework for durable skills development and offers a compelling look at how student agency, professional identity, and informed career pathways are shaped when learning extends beyond the classroom.

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1 July 2026, 7:00 am

48 minutes 58 seconds

How can Empathy Interviews Change Education for the Better? | Chris McNutt

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Mason Pashia talks with Chris McNutt of Human Restoration Project about how empathy interviews can help schools move beyond traditional surveys and toward more meaningful, student-centered change. The conversation explores Polaris, a platform designed to gather and analyze qualitative student voice data at scale, and highlights how districts are using these insights to strengthen belonging, improve inclusion, and redesign learning experiences. From student agency and Portrait of a Graduate work to ethical questions around AI and data privacy, this episode offers a compelling look at how schools can listen better—and act with greater clarity and trust.

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1 July 2026, 7:00 am

28 minutes 47 seconds

What If Every Graduate Left With a Plan? | Dr. Whitney Oakley

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Shawnee Caruthers sits down with Dr. Whitney Oakley, superintendent of Guilford County Schools, to explore the Guilford Guarantee—a bold district commitment that every graduate leaves high school with college credit, an industry-recognized credential, or a meaningful work-based learning experience. The conversation highlights what it takes to build real-world learning at scale, from family and student listening to employer partnerships, advising systems, and cross-sector alignment. Dr. Oakley shares how Guilford County is turning a promise into a sustainable strategy for equity, access, and future-ready pathways for all learners.

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24 June 2026, 7:00 am

47 minutes 35 seconds

How Can Classrooms Teach Democracy? | Dr. Douglas Yacek

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17 June 2026, 7:00 am

39 minutes 54 seconds

What Do Parents Really Want? | Keri Rodrigues

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Mason Pashia sits down with Keri Rodrigues, founder and president of the National Parents Union, to explore the power of parent voice in education. From school safety and special education to report cards, trust, AI readiness, and student data privacy, Keri shares why families must be treated as true partners in shaping better learning experiences. This conversation is a powerful reminder that meaningful school change starts by listening to the people closest to students.

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10 June 2026, 7:00 am