Frozen Funds, Fierce Response

Welcome back to Teach, Lead, Innovate! In this episode, Dave Walker dives headfirst into the chaos caused by the Trump administration’s decision to freeze - and then slowly reinstate - over $6.8 billion in federal education funding.

What happened? Why did it matter? And what are educators, leaders, and innovators doing now to fight back and keep students at the center?

This episode pulls in quotes from major education voices like Randi Weingarten, Michael Roth, and Vassilis Syrmos, alongside powerful research from the Learning Policy Institute, NASFAA, and more.

Dave gets real about his own concerns, shares leadership lessons, and offers a rallying cry for every educator feeling discouraged by politics and policy. Because kids deserve better. And we’re the ones who will make sure they get it.

• The real impact of the 2025 federal funding freeze on K–12 schools and universities
• Direct quotes from national education leaders and researchers
• How teachers and school leaders are adapting and innovating
• Why public education needs champions now more than ever
• What you can do to advocate, innovate, and lead forward

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✅ All major streaming platforms

Carrasco, M. (2025). What cuts in Institute of Education Sciences funding mean for higher education research. NASFAA. https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35685

Learning Policy Institute. (2025). How education funding matters: Lessons from NAEP, pandemic, and recovery efforts.https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/how-education-funding-matters

Maiers, S. (2025, July 25). Educators react to Trump administration unfreezing remaining federal funds. NEA Today. https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases

Roth, M. (2025, July). Interview on The Gray Area podcast. Vox. https://www.vox.com/the-gray-area/421054/college-ai-attack-roth-wesleyan-trump

Syrmos, V. (2025, May). University of Hawaiʻi official statement. Civil Beat. https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/05/uh-scrambles-to-address-high-risk-financial-situation-amid-trump-cuts

Weingarten, R. (2025). Quote retrieved from The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jul/25/trump-administration-education-funds-released

In this episode, Dave Burgess shares his insights on transformative education, emphasizing the importance of creativity, risk-taking, and collaboration among educators. He discusses the concept of the "pirate classroom", where innovative teaching strategies are employed to engage students. Burgess also highlights the role of administration in supporting teachers, the necessity of self-care, and the value of embracing failure as a learning opportunity. The discussion culminates in an overview of Dave Burgess Consulting and its mission to amplify the voices of innovative educators.

Takeaways

* Incorporate various modalities in teaching for engagement.

* Taking risks in teaching can lead to unexpected rewards.

* Creating an intentional classroom environment is crucial.

* Support from administration enhances innovative teaching.

* Collaboration among educators fosters a positive culture.

* Embrace failure as a part of the learning process.

* Self-care is essential for educators to thrive.

* Building a community of connected educators is vital.

* Innovative teaching strategies can reduce behavior management issues.

* The journey of teaching is filled with feedback and growth.

Chapters

00:33 Introduction to Transformative Education

01:42 Creating the Ultimate Pirate Classroom

03:17 Taking Risks in Teaching

05:25 Navigating Administrative Support

09:50 Building Collaboration Among Educators

14:18 Weathering Stormy Teaching Days

19:55 Unexpected Moments in Professional Development

21:30 Self-Care for Educators

26:05 Overview of Dave Burgess Consulting

Connect with Dave Burgess:

👉 Visit Dave Burgess’s website: https://daveburgess.com

👉 Follow Dave on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/burgessdave

👉 Follow Dave on Instagram: https://instagram.com/dbc_inc

👉 Get Teach Like a Pirate and other books: https://daveburgess.com/books

Welcome back to Teach.Lead.Innovate.!

Dave is back with exciting personal news and reflections about authenticity, passion, and the importance of staying true to oneself.

In this heartfelt episode, Dave shares his journey of choosing to return to his role as principal, emphasizing the deep joy and fulfillment he finds in direct school leadership. He dives into why authenticity is critical, not just for personal happiness but also for effective leadership, student achievement, and overall community growth.

Dave supports this powerful message with insights from scholarly research:

Kernis, M. H., & Goldman, B. M. (2006). A multicomponent conceptualization of authenticity: Theory and research. In M. P. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 283-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38006-9

Yagil, D., & Medler-Liraz, H. (2019). Personally committed leaders: A study on the relationship between authentic leadership and employee well-being. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(4), 407–419. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000124

Brown, B. (2018). Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House.

Dave also shares inspiring modern examples, including Simone Biles and Kevin Love, who demonstrate how embracing authenticity impacts personal well-being and public leadership.

Listen to Teach.Lead.Innovate. weekly on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, YouTube Music, or watch on YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a comment, and share!

Stay true and authentic!

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