Tackling "the Empowerment Gap": An Interview with Shelley Berman

This from Public School Insights:

As the celebrated superintendent of Hudson, Massachusetts schools, Dr. Sheldon Berman distinguished himself as one of the nation's leading champions of civic education. Since coming to Louisville, Kentucky a year ago, Berman has maintained his passionate commitment to civics, though he has altered his approach somewhat to meet the specific needs of students in his large urban district.

Berman recently spoke with us about his work in Jefferson County Public Schools. He told us about the impact of No Child Left Behind on civics education, the consequences of the "Empowerment Gap" for low-income students, and the implications of this historic presidential election for civics education.

Download the full, 15-minute interview here, or listen to five minutes of highlights:

You can also download any of the following excerpts from the full interview:

Civics and "The Very Mission of Public Education (49 sec.)

Not a Zero Sum Game: Civics, Reading and Math (1:42)

The Task in Jefferson County: Developing Content and Skills; Nurturing Community and Responsibility (4:24)

Closing the "Empowerment Gap": Teaching Poor Students that They Can Make a Difference (3:08)

Learning from the Election: Civics Education as an Antidote to Toxic Politics (1:58)

NCLB and Beyond: Making Civics Education a Matter of Policy (49 sec.)

Parting Thoughts: "Critical to the Future of our Children and the Country as a Whole" (1:12)