Podcast Episode 3: Crossing the Advocacy Divide

“While elections come and go, advocates are the ones who stick around. They're the ones who have the through line, they have the story, they know what the environment is, and they know what's come before.” 
-David Rosenberg, Leader-In-Residence, TeachPlus

“We have to help connect the dots on what this professional development is doing, how it's connected to helping student learning on the things that voters and parents care about, and then make that case.”
- Jennifer Alexander, Executive Director, PIE Network

“You've got to keep showing the evidence over and over again, and highlighting those bright spots, and telling those stories, and working across sectors, and across partnerships, and across different stakeholder types to continue to elevate these things as investments that are worth making.”
-Ryan Franklin, Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy, Philanthropy Advocates

Too often, teacher preparation and PK-12 policy are treated as separate: funded, legislated, and advocated for in isolation from one another. The result is a persistent disconnect that affects teacher retention, workforce quality, and ultimately, student learning—especially for those furthest from opportunity. In Episode 3 of Hand in Hand, Place to Place: Transforming Teacher Preparation, host and DFI Executive Director Valerie Sakimura sits down with Jennifer Alexander (Executive Director, PIE Network), David Rosenberg (Leader-In-Residence, TeachPlus), and Ryan Franklin (Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy, Philanthropy Advocates) to explore how greater policy alignment can strengthen teacher pipelines and expand student access to more effective instruction.

Listen to the full episode:

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About “Hand in Hand, Place to Place”

How has the field of teacher preparation evolved over the last decade? Where is it headed, and how can stakeholders work together to ensure all pathways into teaching are affordable and high-quality? Hosted by DFI Executive Director Valerie Sakimura, this five-episode podcast series features insights from leaders and educators working collectively towards a future when all students are taught by well-prepared teachers.