The Education Equation with Jeremy Singer

Sari and Jeremy discuss the significant challenges of implementing change in K–12 education, which Sari describes as "people systems" that are inherently difficult to change. The conversation touches on the sobering results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which showed a widening performance gap in both math and reading. Sari shares her insights from ⁠a Forbes piece she wrote in Marc⁠h 2025, where she advocated for rethinking K–12 curricula to improve student outcomes. They also delve into the effectiveness of knowledge-based literacy programs and problem-based math curricula, and the challenges of getting them implemented successfully.

In this episode, Jeremy and Dacia Toll focus on how Course Mojo addresses two critical challenges in education: reading achievement and teacher retention. Dacia explains that the national reading data for eighth graders is at a 30-year low, which she describes as a "national emergency". She also emphasizes the urgent need to make teaching a profession that more people want to join and remain in. Course Mojo tackles these issues by making the core English Language Arts (ELA) instruction that teachers are already doing more effective, engaging, and easier. Unlike many other EdTech products, Course Mojo is not a supplemental tool; it integrates directly with schools' existing high-quality instructional materials.

Jeremy talks with Jim Manley, Chief Schools Officer at the KIPP Foundation, about his over 30-year career in education, his insights on charter schools, and his vision for the future of learning. Jim shares his journey from a struggling teacher to a founding principal of Success Academy Harlem Two, where the school became the top-performing school in its district. This conversation offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes world of charter schools and the philosophies that drive their success. Jim provides candid insights into the challenges and opportunities of scaling educational excellence and explains why a focus on foundational skills and data-driven instruction is critical for student success.