Evolving High Schools to Engage Today’s Students

High schools must evolve to meet the needs of today’s students and prepare them for college, careers, and civic life, and legislators and education leaders play a crucial role in advancing policies that make schools more relevant and effective. During this webinar, LPI shared research on high school redesign strategies and education leaders from Indiana and Washington shared their states' approaches to improving high school.

This webinar was part of a three-part series offering timely, nonpartisan research and real-world policy solutions, drawing from a broad range of state experiences. LPI and partners developed the 2026 Legislative Prep Series: Education Challenges and Solutions to give policymakers and other education leaders a leg up on the 2026 legislative session with the most up-to-date research, tools, and examples of effective, evidence-based state policy approaches.

Speakers

• Opening | Elena Silva, President and CEO, Learning Policy Institute
• Research Presentation | Cheryl Jones-Walker, Director, Center for School and System Redesign, Learning Policy Institute
• Moderator | Ryan Saunders, Director of State Policy, Learning Policy Institute
• Indiana
  • Bob Behning, Representative, Indiana House of Representatives
  • Byron Ernest, Member, Indiana State Board of Education; Chair, National Association of State Boards of Education
• Washington
  • Randy Spaulding, Executive Director, Washington State Board of Education
  • Alissa Muller, Director of Policy, Washington State Board of Education