In this episode of Catalysts for Change, Adam Lister sits down with David Mansouri, President and CEO of SCORE (State Collaborative on Reforming Education), to talk about the leadership lessons, policy wins, and long-view strategy behind Tennessee’s transformation in public education. David shares how a passion for politics and a background in music led him to a career in education policy—and how sustained, bipartisan commitment has taken Tennessee from the bottom ranks to a national leader in student achievement. The conversation dives into SCORE’s approach to collaboration, navigating political shifts, and why real change requires patience, purpose, and people who are willing to do the hard work.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How Tennessee climbed from 45th to 13th in national education rankingsWhy bipartisan, long-term policy alignment was key to sustained changeHow to lead through political transitions while staying mission-focusedThe role of collaboration and humility in effective leadershipWhy small, clear goals—like one more 3rd grader reading on grade level—can drive big systems changeMentioned in This Episode: TN SCOREVanderbilt Study on Teacher EvaluationsSCORE TN 2030 ReportSCORE Policy Pillar Memo SeriesCatalysts for Change is an initiative of One 12 Strategies, brought to you in part by the Southern Research Collaborative

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