Educational Equity, Literacy, & the Future of Learning with: Justin Hassan

About this episode

The episode discusses educational equity and literacy challenges in America with guest Justin Hassan.

According to the National Literacy Institute, nearly 40% of American students are not reading at a basic proficiency level, while more than one in four adults possess literacy skills at or below a basic level. Combined with post-pandemic learning loss, these statistics highlight the urgent need for innovative, evidence-based approaches to education. Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as The Nation's Report Card, show that reading achievement continues to decline nationwide, with average reading scores for both 4th and 8th-grade students falling between 2022 and 2024. These trends have educators, families, and policymakers searching for solutions that can help students succeed in an increasingly complex world. My guest today is Justin Hassan, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Uplift Education, the largest free public charter school network in North Texas. Serving more than 23,000 students across 20 campuses in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Uplift Education has built a reputation for academic excellence, with 100% of its graduates earning acceptance to college. Justin is passionate about improving student…

People in this episode

Host: Kevin McShan

Guest: Justin Hassan

Topics covered

• educational equity
• literacy
• student outcomes
• post-pandemic learning
• curriculum development

Keywords

• educational equity
• literacy
• student performance
• curriculum
• NAEP
• Uplift Education
• post-pandemic learning

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Uplift Education, National Literacy Institute, National Assessment of Educational Progress

Places: North Texas, Dallas-Fort Worth

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