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Degrees of Change
A podcast from California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy that explores how smart higher education and workforce policies can help Californians learn, contribute, and thrive. Through candid conversations with thought leaders, policymakers, and practitioners, this podcast brings bold ideas and practical solutions to address some of the state’s most pressing challenges.
Degrees of Change
Building Higher Ed Pathways that Center California's Students
Dr. Carl Cohn is the latest guest on our new podcast, Degrees of Change, which is kicking off with a series of interviews exploring the legacy of California’s 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education.
His rare blend of experience in a wide range of roles within education, along with a remarkable track record of improving student achievement, brings a valuable perspective on how the state can renew its commitment to accessible public higher education.
Dr. Cohn joins Dr. Su Jin Jez, Chief Executive Officer of California Competes, for a discussion about how California can redesign its higher education and workforce systems to better meet the needs of its residents and drive economic growth.
Key topics
- Overcoming current barriers that make higher education inaccessible and unaffordable to too many Californians
- Strengthening the alignment of the state’s K-12 and higher education systems
- Identifying opportunities to prioritize the needs of students over institutional hierarchies
Our Guest, Dr. Carl Cohn
Dr. Cohn has been a teacher, counselor, professor, federal court monitor, superintendent, and the executive director of California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, an independent state agency that monitors, advises, and assists school districts to improve their performance. Under his leadership, Long Beach Unified School District became a national model for high academic standards and accountability, ultimately earning the district the coveted Broad Prize for Urban Education for the public system with the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while narrowing achievement gaps among low-income students and students of color.
Today, he is a professor emeritus in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University.
Dr. Cohn earned his EdD in Administrative and Policy Studies from UCLA, an MA in Counseling from Chapman University, and a BA in Philosophy from St. John’s College.
Resources and Links
- From Institutions to Individuals: A Paradigm Shift for California’s Master Plan for Higher Education - Written as part of a UCLA Civil Rights Project series on the future of education and civil rights in California, our white paper explores a bold, equity-centered vision for California’s postsecondary system—one built to endure varying economic cycles, aligned with today’s economic and societal needs, and strengthens pathways to opportunity.
- California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy - Learn more about our work.
Stay Connected
- Subscribe to Degrees of Change on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
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- Follow California Competes on LinkedIn.
