Whatever the mode of instruction this school year — in-person, online, a hybrid approach — school systems urgently need more support to help ensure students, families, and educators have what they need. As the needs of families and youth continue to grow and compound — through the pandemic, the economic upheaval, and the systemic racism and reckoning gripping the country — governors, mayors, and families are on the front-lines of pandemic response. While they have varying levels of direct influence over schools, governors and mayors can use the power of their offices to address health and well-being as foundations for learning and can engage and empower families in co-constructing solutions.Our panel will look at the role for governors and mayors in prioritizing cross-agency collaboration, placed-based community work, alternative funding streams, and engagement with students and families, inspired by Aspen Education & Society’s report on this topic. Parent leader, Waukecha Wilkerson, will discuss her preparations for the school year for herself and her children. Join the Aspen Institute’s Education & Society and Ascend programs on Wednesday, August 26, at 11 AM Eastern, for a virtual discussion with these three distinguished panelists and moderator:

• Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin
• Mayor Tim Keller, of Albuquerque, NM and Aspen Rodel Fellow 
• Waukecha Wilkerson, Customer Service Supervisor/Diversity & Inclusion Lead at Dermalogica, Learning Program Content Consultant at Cell-Ed, and Ascend Parent Advisor
• Moderator: Sasha-Ann Simons, 1A National Correspondent (NPR & WAMU)