In this debut episode of the Shattering Inequities Podcast, host Dr. Robin Avelar La Salle introduces listeners to the podcast’s mission: uncovering bold, research-driven strategies that actively dismantle educational inequities and expand opportunity for every student.

This episode features two accomplished school board leaders — Suzan Solomon and Lisette Mendez Garcia — who share their personal journeys into public education leadership and their decades of collective experience serving diverse school communities.

Throughout the conversation, Suzan and Lisette explore what equity looks like in action, not just in theory. They discuss protecting and expanding arts education, ensuring equitable access to transformative student experiences, and using data-informed instructional systems to close learning gaps. The episode also highlights the importance of healthy governance structures, clearly defined board roles, and deep respect for educators and support staff as foundational drivers of student success.

Both guests emphasize the critical role of community and parent involvement, intentional leadership development, and ongoing board member education. Their insights reinforce a central belief of the podcast: every student deserves a premium education, regardless of background, zip code, or circumstance.

This episode offers an inspiring and deeply practical look at how dedication, strategic planning, and collaborative leadership can produce meaningful, lasting outcomes for students.

⏱ Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Shattering Inequities Podcast

00:36 Meet the Host and Purpose of the Podcast

01:42 Introducing the Guests: Suzan Solomon and Lisette Mendez Garcia

02:28 Suzan Solomon’s Journey and Advocacy

06:03 Lisette Mendez Garcia’s Path and Impact

11:10 Defining “Not on My Watch” Moments in Education

18:53 Ensuring Equitable Education for All Students

25:39 Teacher Insights from Different Schools

26:08 Excitement and Collaboration Among Teachers

29:37 Innovative Leadership in Education

30:21 Addressing Teacher Burnout with Creative Solutions

31:48 Respect and Support for Educators and Staff

36:16 Community and Parent Involvement

37:38 Navigating Board Member Roles and Responsibilities

44:34 Maintaining Integrity and Avoiding Adversarial Relationships

49:47 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Shattering inequities requires more than conversation — it takes action, research, and collective wisdom.

✔️ Share your insights or reflections in the comments

✔️ Join the conversation and contribute your perspective

✔️ Help shape future white papers and conference presentations

What is your “not on my watch” moment in education?

We invite you to share what you believe every student deserves — and what you would fight to protect.

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#PublicEducation #StudentSuccess #AllMeansAll #TeacherSupport

#SpecialEducation #EnglishLearners #CommunityEngagement

#SystemsChange #ClosingAchievementGaps #EducationPodcast

The Whittier Story Continued

In this episode of the Shattering Inequities Podcast, host Dr. Robin Avelar LaSalle interviews Dr. Monica Oviedo, a prominent educational leader in California. The discussion focuses on effective strategies to close achievement gaps for historically underperforming students. Dr. Oviedo shares her journey from growing up in a predominantly white community to leading transformative changes in education. Key topics include implementing high expectations, fostering teacher collaboration, and utilizing data-driven approaches to achieve remarkable results. Dr. Oviedo emphasizes the importance of systemic changes, collaboration, and maintaining a relentless focus on instructional quality to ensure all students receive a premium education. The episode concludes with actionable insights for educators committed to overcoming educational inequities.

00:00 Introduction to Shattering Inequities Podcast

00:52 Meet Dr. Monica Oviedo

03:42 Monica's Early Life and Influences

08:05 Turning Around Pioneer High School

14:13 Data-Driven Success in Whittier Union

32:44 Instructional Practices and Teacher Collaboration

37:24 Developing Teacher Leadership

37:57 Role of Administration in Student Success

39:02 Instructional Pathways and Teacher Collaboration

41:41 Cultivating Effective Leaders

45:44 Challenges and Strategies in Education Systems

50:27 Focus on Core Instruction and Collaboration

52:17 Addressing Systemic Barriers

57:47 Long-term Vision and Partnerships

01:10:12 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

If this episode resonated with you:

• 💬 Share your insights or reflections in the comments
• 👥 Nominate an educational leader whose work is producing real results
• 📄 Contribute your strategies as we crowdsource solutions for systemic change
• 🔔 Subscribe to the Shattering Inequities Podcast for future episodes focused on research-driven, real-world impact

Together, we can ensure every student receives a premium education — regardless of zip code, background, or circumstance.

#ShatteringInequities #EducationalEquity #LeadershipInEducation #SystemsChange #InstructionalLeadership #ClosingTheAchievementGap #DataDrivenEducation #EquityInAction #TeacherLeadership #StudentSuccess #EducationReform #PremiumEducation #CollectiveImpact #SchoolLeadership

Youtube tags:

Shattering Inequities Podcast, Dr Monica Oviedo, educational equity, education leadership, school system reform, closing achievement gaps, data driven education, instructional leadership, teacher collaboration, systemic change in education, equity in education, college readiness, A-G completion, superintendent leadership, public education reform, historically underserved students, education systems change, leadership best practices, instructional improvement, education podcast

Former superintendent Sandy Thorstenson shares her transformative journey from a student in regular classes to becoming an educator who proved that demographics do not determine destiny. In this powerful episode, Sandy reveals how she led Whittier Union High School District from underperformance to the 75th percentile statewide, closing achievement gaps from 35% to 9% over 14 years through systematic reform and unwavering belief in every student's potential.

Tune in inside: educational leadership, achievement gap closure, district transformation, collaborative culture, formative assessments, professional learning communities, teacher leadership development, standards-based education, intervention systems, organizational change management

Key takeaways:

• Demographics do not determine destiny-this mantra drove systematic change across an entire district
• Common formative assessments and weekly professional collaboration created the foundation for improvement
• Developing teacher leadership capacity was crucial for sustainable change at scale
• Strategic personnel decisions, including moving ineffective staff, were necessary for transformation
• Relationships and servant leadership create influence more powerful than positional authority
• Embedded support systems must accompany high standards to ensure student success
• Continuous learning and visiting exemplar sites accelerated improvement efforts
• Organizational culture health determines whether reforms take root and flourish
• Collective efficacy among staff members drives results more than individual excellence
• Regular classroom visits by leaders demonstrate commitment and build accountability

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction and podcast purpose

00:01:34 – Introducing Sandy Thorstenson

00:02:55 – Sandy's personal story and educational journey

00:05:04 – From regular classes to rigorous coursework

00:07:26 – District performance and transformation results

00:09:26 – Getting started with foundational work

00:11:03 – Common assessments and professional collaboration

00:13:01 – Building teacher leadership capacity

00:16:13 – Strategic personnel decisions and leadership changes

00:20:00 – Hiring the best of humanity

00:22:06 – Not on my watch philosophy

00:25:06 – Why isn't everyone doing this work

00:28:22 – The importance of continuous learning

00:31:24 – Classroom visits and relationship-building

00:34:22 – Closing the achievement gap systematically

00:37:12 – Learning from other successful districts

00:39:19 – Final reflections and gratitude

Quote of the show:

"It is absolutely critical to have the entire team rowing in the same direction but they don't have to sing the same tune necessarily."

If this conversation reminded you why leadership matters, and why every child deserves someone in their corner, take a moment to:

👍 Lift this message by liking the episode

🔔 Follow for more bold insights on transforming education

💬 Share your biggest leadership lesson or reflection

🔗 Pass this forward to a fellow educator, leader, or policymaker who needs to hear it

Subscribe to the Shattering Inequities Podcast for more inspiring conversations with educational leaders who are proving that every student deserves premium education regardless of their circumstances.

#EducationalLeadership #AchievementGap #DistrictTransformation #EquityInEducation#StudentSuccess #ProfessionalLearningCommunities #EducationalEquity#SchoolImprovement #SystemicChange #CollectiveEfficacy

This conversation with Dr. Leticia Hernandez hits every nerve of what real, human-centered leadership in education looks like: courage, systems thinking, vulnerability, and a fierce “not on my watch” commitment to kids.

Her journey—from arriving in the U.S. without English to leading the school district that once taught her—is a case study in what’s possible when educators refuse to let circumstances define a student's future.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

• 02:17 – Leticia’s childhood, uprooting to the U.S., and the first spark of possibility
• 05:32 – The one teacher who changed her entire trajectory
• 08:21 – Returning to teach in her own childhood classroom
• 10:40 – “Not on my watch”: the moment that shaped her leadership
• 14:48 – The danger of limiting beliefs about kids
• 16:50 – Systems thinking vs. one-off professional development
• 19:02 – Data that becomes personal — and why that’s the unlock
• 23:15 – Building a districtwide culture of shared responsibility
• 26:44 – Creating teacher leadership without the top-down trap
• 29:12 – The principal as a true instructional leader
• 33:05 – Why many districts don’t do the things we know work
• 35:47 – Removing ego: the hardest leadership skill
• 39:00 – Building a tight leadership column
• 42:21 – The power of relationships in sustaining change
• 44:20 – Why vulnerability is an underused leadership tool
• 48:03 – Celebrating small wins and proof of early trajectory shifts
• 51:10 – The hope, responsibility, and reality of leading for all kids
• 
  

If this conversation reminded you why leadership matters, and why every child deserves someone in their corner, take a moment to:

👍 Lift this message by liking the episode

🔔 Follow for more bold insights on transforming education

💬 Share your biggest leadership lesson or reflection

🔗 Pass this forward to a fellow educator, leader, or policymaker who needs to hear it

#ShatteringInequities #EducationLeadership #EquityInSchools #HumanCenteredLeadership #SuperintendentVoices #TeacherLeadership #SystemicChange #EveryStudentEveryDay #LeadershipMatters #EducationReform

Two women whose stories sit on opposite sides of the K–12 system—a former administrator and a first-generation college graduate—reveal the quiet forces that shape who gets access to a “premium education,” and who gets overlooked.

Sarita, a veteran educator who transformed struggling schools, shares the moment she discovered how a broken system can derail a student’s entire future—and what it took to rebuild that system so more kids could thrive.

Then Anabelia, a high-performing Latina student, recounts how a single conversation with her counselor almost convinced her she “wasn’t college material.” Her story highlights the assumptions, blind spots, and cultural misunderstandings that deter countless capable students from the opportunities they deserve.

Together, their experiences unpack a bigger truth: inequity isn’t just about resources. It’s about expectations, information, and systems designed without real guardrails. And those things can be changed.

Key Discussion Points

00:00 – Opening: Why inequities persist even when adults mean well

02:11 – Meet Sarita: From Title I teacher to turnaround leader

05:02 – The student is scheduled for Algebra I three times

08:48 – Meet Velia: First-gen student labeled “not ready” for college

12:20 – How assumptions shape course placement and opportunity

15:54 – What really happens to students who choose community college

19:30 – The “default to university-eligible” mindset

22:07 – The power of affiliation and why involvement predicts graduation

26:45 – What a real data-driven K–12 system looks like

32:18 – How counseling caseloads influence student futures

36:12 – The GPS model: real-time support, not early warning

41:50 – What parents can do — even if they don’t know the system

45:03 – Wisdom for educators: the tangible + the intangible

50:12 – Closing: The collective responsibility to shatter inequities

If you’re a school or district leader, counselor, teacher, parent, or anyone who believes kids’ futures shouldn’t depend on luck—this conversation will stay with you.

Don’t forget to:

👍 Lift this conversation by liking the video

🔔 Subscribe to stay part of the movement to expand opportunity

💬 Share the insight that hit closest to home

🔗 Pass this along to someone who works with students

#EducationEquity #K12Leadership #CollegeAccess #FirstGenSuccess #ShatteringInequities #StudentSuccess #EducationReform #SchoolLeadership #CounselorLife #DataDrivenSchools

Mathematics education serves as the ultimate gatekeeper for student success. Yet systemic inequities continue to block historically underserved students from accessing premium math instruction.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Robin Avelar-La Salle sits down with two exceptional educator-leaders, Omar Zuñiga and Lisa Ceja, who have dedicated their careers to dismantling barriers in mathematics education through systemic solutions rather than individual fixes.

Key takeaways:

- The mathematics bottleneck prevents historically undersuccessful students from accessing all post-secondary options, making it a critical equity issue in education

- Simply improving individual teacher instruction without establishing clear rigor standards across all classrooms perpetuates systemic inequities

- Schools often lack alignment on what constitutes grade-level mathematics, leading to vastly different educational experiences for students in the same district or even the same school

- Establishing a clear instructional "floor" using objective standards like state assessment blueprints ensures all students receive premium education regardless of zip code

- Finger-pointing between grade levels about student preparedness wastes valuable instructional time and maintains achievement gaps

- Data reflection sessions focused on standards alignment and assessment previews dramatically improve student outcomes when teachers collaborate systematically

- Grading practices can inadvertently maintain inequities, particularly when zeros cannot be recovered from or when assessment formats don't match what students will encounter

- Both educators experienced firsthand the isolation of being underrepresented in advanced mathematics, driving their passion for creating inclusive math environments

- Systems work, not just instructional strategies, provides the foundation for sustainable equity improvements in mathematics education

Subscribe to hear more conversations that uncover research-driven strategies for transforming education and shattering inequities for every student. Like this episode if you're ready to look beyond surface-level solutions and dive into the systems work that creates lasting change in mathematics education.

#EducationEquity #MathematicsEducation #SystemsChange #EducationalLeadership #TeacherCollaboration #StudentSuccess #EquityInSTEM #EducationReform #ProfessionalLearning #AchievementGap

Join Dr. Robin Avelar-La Salle as she sits down with educational transformation champion Dr. Paul Gothold to explore how one leader dismantled systemic inequities and achieved remarkable results for historically underserved students. From his unexpected journey into education working with probation and expelled children to leading groundbreaking reforms in Lynwood Unified and San Diego County, Dr. Gothold shares the courage, strategies, and unwavering belief in all students that drove unprecedented academic gains.

Tune in inside: educational equity, student achievement gaps, high expectations for all students, detracking initiatives, college readiness programs, superintendent leadership, systems change in education, premium education access, deficit mindset elimination, rigorous curriculum implementation

0:00:01 Intro - Welcome to Shattering Inequities Podcast

0:00:35 Host introduction and guest welcome

0:02:08 Podcast mission and crowdsourcing intelligence approach

0:04:32 Dr. Gothold's background and journey into education

0:06:00 Early experiences with probation students and breaking stereotypes

0:09:25 Philosophy on school as opportunity builder, not obligation

0:10:00 The algebra teaching moment and challenging low expectations

0:12:02 Linwood Unified situation and community demographics

0:14:00 Community visioning process and college aspirations

0:15:41 Addressing tracking systems and creating equity

0:18:28 Eliminating course prerequisites and opening access

0:20:03 Professional development systems and monitoring progress

0:24:06 Results - API gains and most improved district status

0:25:27 A-G rates improvement from 15% to over 50%

0:27:03 The secret sauce - love your children and reject current reality

0:29:01 Systems thinking vs. individual blame

0:30:02 Deficit mindset challenges and treatment of students

0:31:03 From lens to mirror - taking responsibility for conditions

0:32:01 Research on school impact vs. external factors

0:33:02 Challenging "some will, some won't" mentality

0:34:04 San Diego County leadership and vulnerable populations

0:35:14 Building coalitions and shared vision

0:37:05 Navigating political tensions while keeping focus on students

0:38:23 Technical skills needed for equity work

0:40:05 Leadership continuity challenges and solutions

0:42:04 Creating superintendent preparation programs

0:44:01 Nine competencies for transcendent superintendents

0:46:06 Summary of key themes and systems approach

0:48:00 Leadership testing moment with unaccompanied minors

0:51:04 Closing inspiration and call to action

0:52:24 Outro - Thanks for listening

Quote of the show: "If 100% of your kids aren't leaving the stage with options, then there's a gap, and we need to look at the system to see what we can do differently to reach them and get them engaged in their studies - this is on us."

Make sure to subscribe and share this episode with education leaders who believe every student deserves a premium education. Like this content and leave a review to help us reach more changemakers working to shatter inequities in education.

#EducationalEquity #StudentSuccess #SystemsChange #EducationLeadership #HighExpectations #CollegeReadiness #SuperintendentLeadership #ShatteringInequities #PremiumEducation

Welcome to the Shattering Inequities podcast, where bold, research-driven strategies are transforming education for every student—especially those historically left behind.

Hosted by Dr. Robin Avelar-LaSalle, founder and president of Orenda Education, this podcast is more than inspiration—it's an action research project. With over four decades of experience disrupting systems that create uneven outcomes, Dr. Avelar-LaSalle brings together educators and leaders who are achieving measurable results with vulnerable student populations.

What makes this podcast unique:

📊 Evidence-Based: Every guest has demonstrated proven results with students facing adverse childhood experiences

🔬 Research Platform: We'll analyze patterns across episodes, publish findings, and create white papers capturing effective strategies

🌍 Crowdsourced Wisdom: Your insights shape our collective understanding of what truly works

💡 Real Solutions: Learn from "education blue zones"—places where entire communities overcome the odds by design, not chance

Did you know? Students with 3+ adverse childhood experiences are 3x more likely to face academic failure. Yet some educators are shattering these predictions at scale. This podcast uncovers how.

Join us as we identify the do's and don'ts, challenge conventional wisdom, and celebrate the leaders creating premium education for ALL students—no matter their circumstances.

Orenda: The energy force inherent in every human being that gives us the power to change the world and change ourselves.

May the Orenda be with you.

🔔 Subscribe to join our action research community

💬 Share your insights and "education blue zones"

📄 Help shape future white papers on educational equity