Education

Upon retirement you placed a phone call. Who was that first phone call to, and what transpired after that?

Back when you lived in Virginia, you were involved with one of the labs built at Thomas Jefferson High School, which today is the top ranking public high school in the country. Share with us what that school did that was unique.

What do you envision as the path forward to truly transforming K-12 education within the United States?

Right now, school choice is expanding and gaining traction in many states throughout our nation. What are your thoughts on school choice – both inside the public system and outside the system?

In your book, Every School: One Citizen’s Guide to Transforming Education, you talk about the mission of the school being largely missing from the conversation. Can you expand upon that?

In your book, Every School: One Citizen’s Guide to Transforming Education, you outline a game plan for transforming K-12 education at the state level. What does that game plan include?

A few years ago Don Nielsen traveled to Singapore to see how they train and select teachers. He tells us how Singapore differs from the United States.

In your book, Every School: One Citizen’s Guide to Transforming Education, you write about the need to transform three areas of K-12 education — teaching, leadership, and governance. Why those three areas?

In your book, Every School: One Citizen’s Guide to Transforming Education, you talk about the need for K-12 education to be transformed at the state level. Why the state?

How do you see parental involvement being important in K-12 education?

In your book, Every School: One Citizen’s Guide to Transforming Education, you talk about brain development and early childhood education. Share with us more about these topics.

You often talk about student learning readiness being ignored and the need for individualized learning versus group learning, a longer school day and year, and an achievement versus time education system. Share with us about differing student learning readiness and the solutions you propose to address it.

Years ago, you had a meeting of kindergarten teachers. How did that come about, and what took place at that meeting?

K-12 public education is the largest employer in our country, and teachers’ unions no doubt play a powerful role. What are your thoughts about unions?

Right before September 11, 2021, you were planning a very important meeting to develop a leadership institute. Share with us about that.

It’s no secret that today’s U.S. K-12 public education system is not working well. Talk to us about the existing system, the problems, and solutions.

What did you learn from serving on the Seattle Public School Board?

When you moved back to Seattle from Virginia, you decided to run for the Seattle Public School Board. What inspired that, and can you walk us through your years of involvement there?

You spent two years traveling the country (visiting 19 states, meeting with 5 Governors) studying K-12 education. Tell us about that journey and some key highlights and takeaways.