These are definitely challenging times for public funding and public education. So, if you need a bit of laughter to help the latest education news go down easier, there's a new podcast that's got you covered: The Some of the Above Education News Comedy Quiz.

Each month you can listen and play along with two special guest contestants from the world of education as they're asked questions about education news and issues.

Guest contestants for this episode are two school funding and policy experts who will be familiar to many listeners -- Kevin Gordon and Jannelle Kubinec.

The show is co-hosted by Paul Richman from the Adventures in Ed Funding podcast and by speaker, author and California Teacher of the Year Alex Kajitani.

If you like the show, you can follow or subscribe directly on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts, so that you’ll receive each new episode right when it comes out.

Visit the Some of the Above Education News Comedy Quiz website

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“If you are an educator looking for laughs, a sense of “I feel so seen” via comedy and real talk on news/policy, THIS is the podcast for you!”

"I laughed a lot as I learned -- this is a fun way to catch up on significant education news -- and the insights from the guests are first-rate."

ABOUT THE HOSTS

ALEX KAJITANI is a California Teacher of the Year and author of several books for educators, including "Owning It," and "You're A Teacher Now." He is an inspiring and engaging speaker, the Rappin' Mathematician, coach, and creator of powerful programs for students and teachers, including Multiplication Nation, Math Success Camp, and the "New Teacher Success" video series.

PAUL RICHMAN has served as a leader for several statewide education associations, coalitions and policy initiatives. He produced the "Adventures in Ed Funding" and "Budgeting for Educational Equity" podcasts, and currently serves as an executive producer of the Inside California Education statewide TV series.

ABOUT THE GUESTS FOR THIS EPISODE

KEVIN GORDON is widely viewed as one of the top education advocates in California. He is the President and a founding Partner of Capitol Advisors Group.

JANNELLE KUBINEC serves as Chief Executive Officer for WestEd. She brings over 20 years of experience transforming outcomes for children, youths, and their families through research, policy, and technical assistance.

ABOUT THE MUSIC

Tommy Dunbar is a musician, songwriter, and producer best known as the founder and lead guitarist of the power pop band The Rubinoos. His music can be heard in many films and TV shows.

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Have you had a chance yet to check out the Budgeting for Educational Equity podcast? We're sharing the latest episode here because it delves into a subject near and dear to anyone interested in California education funding: the Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, which was adopted in 2013.

The LCFF is regarded by many as the most significant resource equity reform the state has ever enacted. It definitely ushered in a new era of school funding for school districts. But how has the LCFF actually worked? Has it accomplished what it was intended to? And how are some of the inherent tensions between local and state decision making authority, oversight and accountability being navigated?

In this episode, series host Jason Willis and special guests explore key elements of the LCFF:

Mike Kirst, former State Board of Education President, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and chief architect of the LCFF under Gov. Jerry Brown, offers a remarkable glimpse into the development of the formula, including some of the difficult choices, innovative thinking and pragmatic considerations that went into creating the new law.

Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez provides a review of the law, based on her unique perspective both as a locally elected school board member in Azusa USD and as Deputy Director for Californians Together, a statewide group that advocates on behalf of English Learner students. Xilonin also serves as immediate past president of the California School Boards Association.

And Richard De Nava, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, shares insights about the policy and practical implications of the LCFF. Richard also serves as president of CASBO.

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More resources

• NEW: "What's Next for the LCFF," report by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), November 2021
• NEW: "Targeted K-12 Funding and Student Outcomes," PPIC Policy Brief, October 2021
• "Why the LCFF? California's Landmark Move to an Equity-Based School Funding Formula," from the Adventures in Ed Funding CASBO podcast, March, 2020.
• "Here's How LCFF Works," Ed100.org lesson on the Local Control Funding Formula.

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Subscribe to the Budgeting for Educational Equity series at:

• Apple podcasts
• Spotify
• Google
• CASBO podcasts
• WestEd podcasts
• More...

Follow the Budgeting for Ed Equity podcast on Twitter at: @budget4edequity

Budgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO) and WestEd. The series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis. Original music, mixing and sound by Tommy Dunbar. John Diaz at WestEd develops the written briefs that go along with each episode.

We're excited to share with you this first episode of a new limited series podcast presented in collaboration by WestEd and CASBO. It's called Budgeting for Educational Equity.

About this new series
How can dedicated teams of educators, administrators, school business officials and entire school communities allocate resources to better meet the needs of all their students -- especially at this watershed moment when student needs have never been greater due to the pandemic and an influx of additional federal and state dollars available to support transformative change? That's the story we're here to share.

In this first "introductory" episode, host Jason Willis, director of strategic resource planning and implementation for WestEd and a former chief business official in several California school districts, invites guest experts, advocates and school district leaders to share how they think about and define resource equity in education as a way to help us get our "resource equity bearings."

Subscribe to the new episode at:

• Apple podcasts
• Spotify
• Google
• More...
  

Guests in this episode include:

• Christopher Edley, Jr., J.D., interim dean, U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Education; co-founder and president emeritus of The Opportunity Institute; professor and dean emeritus, U.C. Berkeley School of Law; former professor, Harvard Law School; and co-chair, National Commission on K-12 Excellence & Equity
• Maria Echaveste, J.D., president and CEO, The Opportunity Institute; and former White House deputy chief of staff
• Jayne Christakos, former chief business officer, San Bernardino City Unified School District
• Marguerite Williams, Ed.D., former assistant superintendent of educational services, Adelanto Elementary School District; and former senior director of equity and diversity, Association of California School Administrators
• Adela Madrigal Jones, superintendent, Sanger Unified School District
• Michael Kirst, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Graduate School of Education, Stanford University; and past president, California State Board of Education

Budgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO), the premier resource for professional development and best practices for more than 24,000 California school business leaders, in partnership with WestEd, a national nonprofit research development and service agency that works to promote excellence and equity in education.

Join the conversation on Twitter at @Budget4EdEquity

Budgeting for Educational Equity is written and produced by Paul Richman (your trusty guide on "Adventures in Ed Funding") and Jason Willis.