Building Better Schools: David McKinney on Why Student Voice Matters
What happens when education reform takes place without the input or engagement of the young people who will experience its effects? Conversely, what happens when youth voices lead the way to change? Phil Buchanan and Grace Nicolette sit down with their CEP colleague David McKinney, vice president of YouthTruth — a CEP initiative — to discuss how systematically listening to young people at scale can transform education, both at the school and system level.
David shares not only his own formative experiences facing exclusion as a young person, but draws on data collected from more than 3 million student surveys YouthTruth has administered to offer powerful examples of how schools have used student voice to close achievement gaps, address bullying, improve belonging, and build stronger communities. He also challenges common assumptions that have undergirded education reforms for decades, including top-down approaches and using common metrics of success, like test scores, in isolation.
Guest Info:
David McKinney leads all aspects of YouthTruth’s work to help schools and districts systematically listen to young people and strategically apply data to improve the outcomes and experiences of their students.
He brings more than twenty-five years of experience working in education and social sector organizations to advance equity and opportunity for young people, families, and communities. Prior to joining CEP, David was the executive director of youth leadership programming at the Aspen Institute, where he led initiatives designed to invest in young people as social impact leaders in their communities. David served as executive vice president of public affairs with TNTP, where he oversaw philanthropy, communications, and business development, and led broad public engagement efforts to implement better experiences for students in K-12 schools.
Prior to his work in K-12 education, David served as the first director of the Center for Engagement and Neighborhood Building at the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities in Washington, D.C., and supported a network of nearly 500 direct service nonprofits to authentically engage with the neighborhoods and communities they served. He previously worked at Public Allies, a national service and leadership development organization, where he held numerous positions including vice president of programs and vice president of strategy and development.
Originally from Milwaukee, David began his career as a community organizer and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a B.S. in Education Policy. When not working, David can be found on a bicycle, swimming, or bragging about his daughter and family.
Credits:
Podcast Production: Rococo Punch
Artwork: Jay Kustka
Resources:
YouthTruth
Aspen Institute
TNTP
Public Allies
YouthTruth’s “Youth Civic Empowerment” Report
“The Anti-Bullying Report” from YouthTruth
Questions about YouthTruth’s work? Reach out to David at david.mckinney@youthtruth.org