On July 8, the LEARN Network kicked off a summer conversation series with education leaders to discuss a vision for an evidence-based education ecosystem. As part of this visioning, team members, partners, and experts from across the country considered the entire ecosystem of actors, organizations, processes, and resources that work together to shape education, sharing important perspectives from the district, state, and national levels, and with varying expertise from edtech and AI to policy and instruction..
Part 1, titled “State System Perspectives on Scaling Evidence Use,” featured the perspectives of former and current state education leaders Dr. Carey Wright and Dr. Jason Glass, who have led evidence-based initiatives in multiple states. Watch the conversation now, or access a transcript of the discussion here.
Learn more about the conversation and the panelists below.
A conversation featuring the perspectives of former and current state education leaders who have led evidence-based initiatives in multiple states. Dr. Carey Wright and Dr. Jason Glass will discuss the critical steps toward inspiring large-scale change to create an education ecosystem that prioritizes proven student-focused solutions.
Panelists
- Carey Wright, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools and former Mississippi State Superintendent of Education
- Jason Glass, Superintendent, Laguna Beach Unified School District and former Kentucky Commissioner of Education and Iowa Director of Education
Moderator
- Victoria A. Schaefer, Senior Principal Education Researcher and Technical Assistance Provider, SRI Education
About the Panelists
Dr. Carey M. Wright
Dr. Carey M. Wright, a nationally recognized education leader, began her four-year term as Maryland’s State Superintendent of Schools in July 2024, following a period as interim leader. As Maryland’s education chief, Dr. Wright has established clear priorities for the state’s school system including collaborating with local school systems, leaders and educators to improve student achievement; enhancing assessment and accountability models to better measure and drive progress; aligning literacy instruction with the Science of Reading; and maximizing the potential of the landmark Blueprint for Maryland’s Future legislation to transform education in the state. As the longest-serving State Superintendent in Mississippi history, she was the architect of educational reforms that led to unprecedented gains in statewide English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency and improved outcomes for students from pre-K through grade 12.
Dr. Jason Glass
Dr. Jason E. Glass is a nationally recognized education leader with over 25 years of executive experience spanning PreK-12 and higher education. Known for advancing large-scale, evidence-based reforms, Dr. Glass has led statewide efforts in deeper learning and literacy policy as Commissioner of Education in Kentucky and Iowa – with a focus on community-driven change efforts. In Kentucky he spearheaded “United We Learn,” a vision for a public education system to create more deeper and more meaningful learning experiences for all students by increasing collaboration and coordination with community partners. At the district level, he served as Superintendent in Jeffco and Eagle County, Colorado—securing over $750 million for modernization and innovation while designing choice-based systems and innovative school models. He also previously served as Associate Vice President at Western Michigan University, leading work in experience-driven learning, dual enrollment, and the role of AI in education. He currently serves as Superintendent of the Laguna Beach Unified School District.
The LEARN Network is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences.