Be the Change

Linda Darling-Hammond is president and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education emeritus at Stanford University. Her books include Teaching in the Flat World, Getting Teacher Evaluation Right, and The Flat World and Education, which won the 2012 Grawemeyer Award in Education. Originally a high school teacher, Linda has worked with countless schools and districts and has advised state and national leaders to support school and teaching quality, personalized and authentic learning opportunities, student and teacher assessment practices, and educational equity. She received the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Research. She received the 2023 AERA Distinguished Public Service Award. She received the 2023 National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) Policy Leader of the Year. Nicky Ramos-Beban is an instructor in the San Jose State University Teacher Education Program and assistant director of alternative education at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Rebecca Padnos Altamirano is an educator, social entrepreneur, and partner at Tangelo, Inc. Maria E. Hyler is a senior researcher and policy analyst with the Learning Policy Institute in Washington, DC.

"While invaluable to anyone committed to leading socially just change, all leaders can empathize with the personal stories of students and educators who come together to courageously navigate uncharted territory in an effort to discover a better way forward." —School Administrator