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CT Turner is President of GED Testing Service and VP at Pearson’s Enterprise Learning and Skills division. A recognized leader in workforce development, he champions equitable economic opportunities for underserved populations. CT supports adult education and workforce initiatives, holding degrees from Indiana University and Wichita State University.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How the GED has evolved over 80 years to serve a changing learner population
2. The role of GED in bridging education, workforce, and economic opportunity
3. How technology, gamification, and AI are transforming GED preparation
4. Stories of GED graduates who turned barriers into breakthroughs
5. The future of skills-based pathways and credentials beyond the high school diploma

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:23] CT Turner’s journey from higher ed to leading the GED
[00:05:42] How GED bridges education, workforce, and opportunity
[00:09:08] Shifts from degrees to skills in today’s job market
[00:13:03] GED success stories from the U.S. and abroad
[00:16:10] Tech tools transforming GED prep, from AI to apps
[00:23:49] Higher persistence and pass rates with the GED app
[00:25:59] Gamification and nudges keeping learners engaged
[00:32:43] AI as a safe space for motivation and guidance
[00:37:28] Building direct pathways from GED to careers
[00:44:08] Future of contextualized tests and digital credentials
[00:48:19] Why “non-traditional” learners are now the norm 

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Ivan Crewkov is the CEO and Co-Founder of Buddy.ai, the leading AI tutor for kids under 12, reaching over 20 million students annually from all over the world. Buddy is not just a chatbot. It’s an AI-powered talking animated character in a mobile app teaching English as a foreign language to students all over the world.  Buddy is unique because it operates in a highly regulated environment where most off-the-shelf AIs like Chat GPT can't be used.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. From voice AI experiment to global learning companion
2. Building child-focused speech recognition in a regulated space
3. Blending gaming, storytelling, and education to engage kids
4. Buddy.ai’s growing adoption in classrooms worldwide
5. The future of Buddy.ai as a personalized, adaptive tutor

✨ Episode Highlights:
 [00:02:11] Ivan Crewkov’s journey from building smart speakers to founding Buddy.ai.
[00:04:24] Designing Buddy.ai as more than a chatbot—a gamified, lovable learning companion.
[00:07:27] How kids around the world discover and champion Buddy.ai themselves.
[00:11:02] Expanding Buddy.ai into classrooms in Latin America and beyond.
[00:16:41] Building proprietary speech recognition for children where others struggled.
[00:20:56] Buddy.ai’s unexpected role in speech therapy for kids with special needs.
[00:25:50] Why Buddy is designed as a study buddy, not an authority figure.
[00:33:37] Using generative AI to accelerate content creation and storytelling.
[00:39:00] Guardrails for safe, child-centered AI companions.
[00:42:01] Lessons EdTech can learn from the entertainment and gaming industries.

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

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Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they break down the latest shifts in education technology, from Google’s aggressive AI push to early childhood challenges and new federal initiatives.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:04:48] Google’s AI surge disrupts Duolingo with gamified language learning in Google Translate
[00:12:14] Google’s edge in practical AI tools versus the AGI race
[00:17:28] Competitive landscape across OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and predictions for Chinese challengers
[00:22:14] Presidential AI Challenge invites students to showcase projects nationwide
[00:24:01] 70% of parents oppose student data going into AI tools, raising regulatory concerns
[00:33:29] AI shifting from “what it is” to “how it enables” daily tasks and learning
[00:36:53] Uptake struggles in early childhood education despite universal pre-K expansion
[00:38:52] Oak National Academy opens curriculum API and University of Phoenix prepares for IPO
[00:40:53] Michael Horn highlights optimism for innovation inside and outside school systems

Plus, special guest:
[00:41:15] Karim Meghji, Chief Product Officer of Code.org on the Hour of AI, AI-powered teacher tools, and CS education for all students

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

• Follow our Podcast on:
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  • Spotify
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• Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
• Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

In this special episode, we speak with Daphne Li, CEO of Common Sense Privacy, alongside leaders from Prodigy Education, AI for Equity, MagicSchool AI, and ClassDojo—recipients of the Privacy Seal. Together, we explore how the edtech sector is tackling one of its biggest challenges: earning trust through responsible AI and data privacy practices.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. The purpose of the Privacy Seal
2. How Prodigy builds trust through privacy-by-design
3. How AI for Equity supports schools balancing innovation and safety
4. How MagicSchool AI integrates privacy into teacher tools
5. How ClassDojo makes privacy core to its values

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:18] Daphne Li on why the Privacy Seal matters 

🎙️ Recipients' Interviews:
[00:10:51] Ben Johnson, CTO of Prodigy Education on trust as edtech’s ultimate currency
[00:20:52] Aaron Cuny, Founder and CEO of AI for Equity on small district challenges
[00:38:48] Adeel Khan, Founder and CEO of MagicSchool AI on building trust through friction
[00:49:22] Tina Hwang, Head of Legal at ClassDojo on privacy as core values

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

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• Sign up for the

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Abhay Gupta is the Co-Founder and CEO of Frizzle. He was Previously a Product Manager at Coinbase, where he drove $50M of incremental revenue, as well as Tesla, and Meta and helped scale an online e-learning platform to millions in revenue. He holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Economics from Vanderbilt University.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How Frizzle saves teachers up to 20 hours a week
2. Why Agile Learning can transform student progress
3. The surprising comeback of pen-and-paper learning
4. How AI delivers personalized assignments at scale
5. What’s next for Frizzle in subjects and global expansion

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] Abhay Gupta on Frizzle’s mission to eliminate grading and lesson planning time.
[00:02:17] From Tesla and Coinbase to EdTech: Abhay’s journey.
[00:04:14] Frizzle instantly grades handwritten math worksheets.
[00:06:56] The story behind the name “Frizzle.”
[00:09:39] Applying product management to classroom workflows.
[00:12:22] Agile Learning: real-time feedback and personalization.
[00:17:46] Why schools are returning to pen and paper.
[00:22:19] Expanding Frizzle to new subjects and countries.
[00:29:26] The future of teaching with AI as a helper.
[00:41:19] How teachers and administrators can try Frizzle.
[00:42:07] The biggest AI trend: schools driving adoption. 

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

• Follow our Podcast on:
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
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• Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
• Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Chong-Hao Fu is the CEO of Leading Educators, a national nonprofit specializing in comprehensive instructional improvement. 

Over the past 14 years, he’s worked to scale exceptional teaching and leadership in some of the country’s fastest-improving districts while exploring how emergent technology like AI can bring new possibilities to instruction.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why instructional coherence is the backbone of school improvement.
2. How Leading Educators is integrating AI into lesson planning and professional learning.
3. The importance of keeping teachers in the “pilot’s seat” when using new technology.
4. How schools can build authentic, future-ready skills through civic and AI projects.
5. Why scaling innovation requires both coherence and continuous improvement.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:13] Leading Educators’ mission and unique research on instructional improvement.
[00:04:31] How coherence helped partner districts like Charleston achieve gains during COVID.
[00:07:47] Partnering with PlayLab and CZI to build AI tools rooted in high-quality curriculum.
[00:11:54] Redesigning school staffing and forming AI School Teams Collaborative.
[00:15:07] How teachers’ mindsets on AI shift when they get hands-on experience.
[00:30:07] Future-ready skills: pilots in Denver and Boston connecting AI, civics, and leadership.
[00:37:47] Why authentic, student-driven projects can transform both learning and teaching.

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

• Follow our Podcast on:
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• Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
• Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they navigate a week of heavy headlines in education technology—from AI risks and teen safety to global expansion moves by OpenAI and new research from Anthropic.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:02:20] AI panic in the headlines with concerns about teen mental health, suicide, and youth dependency
[00:06:33] AI’s impact on job opportunities for new college graduates
[00:08:00] Comparing AI anxieties with past moral panics about video games, music, and social platforms
[00:14:14] Why AI guardrails in school tools may be the edtech industry’s biggest value-add
[00:18:54] Bill Ackman’s New York Alpha School fuels debate over AI-driven education models
[00:22:20] The risk of Alpha School becoming the “face” of AI schooling for better or worse
[00:25:28] OpenAI expands globally with a new Head of Education in India and a potential UK-wide ChatGPT deal
[00:27:26] Anthropic’s higher ed report shows educators using AI more to augment than automate 

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

• Follow our Podcast on:
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Amazon Music
• Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
• Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

While you spent thousands of hours studying math in high school, odds are you never use any of it. There is math that really matters – it’s just not covered in school. Just as Freakonomics made us rethink economics, Aftermath does the same for math. Today’s guest, Ted Dintersmith, is a bestselling author, education advocate, and former venture capitalist who believes math has been weaponized—and it’s time to set things right. If you’re curious about the math you missed, and how it can empower you, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Why most high school math is irrelevant — and what truly matters instead
2. The impact of standardized testing on creativity and curiosity
3. How mathematical thinking can help students interpret real-world data
4. The role of AI in reshaping math learning and career readiness
5. Practical ways schools and parents can rethink accountability and purpose

✨ Episode Highlights

[00:02:29] Ted introduces Aftermath and the shift from formulas to ideas
[00:07:08] Why estimation skills matter more than test prep
[00:15:48] The hidden costs of standardized math testing
[00:26:12] AI and automation forcing a reset in math priorities
[00:39:39] Portfolios and creativity as new measures of learning
[00:50:21] Restoring creativity in schools inspired by Ken Robinson 

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

• Follow our Podcast on:
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
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• Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
• Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they dive into the biggest headlines shaping the future of education technology, from AI breakthroughs to new models of learning challenges.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:03:23] GPT-5 fallout and Altman’s vision for GPT-6
[00:08:14] AI risks: AGI fears, scams, misinformation
[00:14:37] Post-COVID learning gaps and inequities
[00:18:33] Students solving problems with AI
[00:21:42] AI updates from Google, Meta, Microsoft, Grammarly
[00:25:29] Higher ed: Minerva’s rise, enrollment, dropouts
[00:27:45] Micro-innovations from Stanford and student startups
[00:29:14] Funding shifts: early-stage gains, PE stress, Nintendo schools
[00:33:19] Cutting through AI hype cycles
[00:39:20] Schools banning phones for student wellness
[00:43:04] Big tech vs. local edtech visibility
[00:45:07] Blackstone exits $6B Cognita deal
[00:46:33] Pearson launches AI Study Prep 

Plus, special guests:
[00:47:43] Brittany Miller, CIO and Executive Director at the Center for Outcomes-Based Contracting, on edtech-school partnerships
[01:10:31] Jahque Bryan-Gooden, Founder of My CRE Buddy on culturally responsive teaching with AI
[01:20:00] Jim Marggraff, CEO and Founder  of Kibeam Learning on screen-free AI reading and learning tools

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

• Follow our Podcast on:
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Amazon Music
• Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
• Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.