Jun 14, 2019
Kristina chats with Michael McLaughlin, superintendent of the San Leandro Unified School District in California since 2013 and Mike Teng, CEO and co-founder of Swing Education, a tech-enabled marketplace that connects substitute teachers with schools in need. McLaughlin talks about rebuilding the infrastructure of the school district, including the introduction of new technology and the concept of aggressively competing against other schools, including charter schools. McLaughlin discusses the implementation and benchmarking of three-year strategic plans, and the importance of celebrating successes, including those involving student achievement, school safety, and re-branding of the district. The teacher shortage is definitely real in California, says McLaughlin and is magnified in the East Bay, where his district is located. It’s difficult financially for both permanent and substitute teachers to live there, so the district invited substitute teachers to attend its professional development meetings and also turned to Swing Education for their innovative approach toward finding substitute teachers. Swing helps schools find and schedule substitute teachers, notes Teng, by trying to provide the best experience for both school districts and teachers, through new technology and software. Substitute teachers should not feel burdened by having to apply to a multitude of school districts but should instead have an easier pathway to the classroom, through temporary permits, for example, according to Teng. This episode is sponsored by Bright Light Volunteers, brightlightvolunteers.org; Swing Education, https://swingeducation.com; and NorvaNivel, norvanivel.com.