Want challenging, inspiring, and supportive schools? Read The Great Equalizer: Six Strategies to Make Public Education Work in America to learn how it was done in Meriden, Connecticut. This beautiful, inspiring, and practical book packed with key takeaways and guiding questions illustrates the importance of laying the foundation for innovation with stakeholder partnerships and celebrating progress on a dashboard of success. Learn how to embrace whole child design principles in a tech-enabled learning environment where all students are challenged and supported.

Tom Vander Ark, CEO, Getting Smart; former executive director, Education, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; author, "Smart Cities That Work for Everyone"

Today’s modern learners deserve an experience that is relevant for the world in which they live and will work. Shifting paradigms and systems is not easy. It requires bold decision-making, visionary leadership, and resilience to get the work done. Yet, it is possible. There is no better way to make the necessary shifts happen than to learn from those leading the work, and this book highlights what’s happening in Meriden Public Schools, one of the best district turnaround stories in the country. The Great Equalizer provides an evidence-based, experientially grounded framework for educational leaders to effectively reimagine what’s possible while developing a course of action to make it happen. No matter where you find the state of your system today, this book will force reflection while guiding you in leading the work to new heights

Thomas C. Murray, Director of Innovation, Future Ready Schools, Washington, D.C.; best-selling author of "Personal and Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences That Impact a Lifetime" and "Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow's Schools, Tod

The voices of practitioners are all too often left out of the conversation about what we need to do to transform our schools and systems. But if we want to serve all students better in our public schools, we need to understand the stories and perspectives of the leaders who have actually done the work. Mark D. Benigni, Barbara A. Haeffner, and Lois B. Lehman offer solid guidance based on their real experiences successfully improving adult practice and student outcomes. The six strategies they recommend can be applied in any system and will lead to better learning for all students.

Joshua P. Starr, EdD, managing partner at the International Center for Leadership in Education; former superintendent and former CEO of Phi Delta Kappa International

The Great Equalizer: Six Strategies to Make Public Education Work in America is an important resource for leaders to reiterate that indeed, public education in America remains the great equalizer for our students and families. The six strategies all center around embracing, teaching, and nurturing the Whole Child. Now, more than ever before, educators need to be reminded of the importance of engaging the community to reach and support every learner.

Valerie Truesdale PhD, assistant executive director, AASA, the Superintendents Association; former Chief Transformation and Technology Officer for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, NC

Under Mark D. Benigni’s leadership, Meriden Public Schools has been a national lighthouse for exemplary school system leadership and has been honored for its innovation with technology. It is impressive how they work as a team with their community to build equitable digital learning environments while embracing social-emotional wellbeing and ensuring student-centered learning. Learn these impressive lessons for all school leaders and those who want a better education for our children.

Keith Krueger, CEO, Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)

One great lesson learned during the recent past is that “leadership matters!”. Effective collaboration is the secret sauce behind the success of most leadership endeavors. Connecticut’s Meriden Public Schools district leaders, who authored this book, exemplify the epitome of collaborative leadership on a daily basis. Readers of The Great Equalizer: Six Strategies to Make Public Education Work in America will come away with winning strategies and immediate and long-term action steps to ensure that their schools are truly meeting the current and future needs of all their students.

Ann McMullan, National Education Leadership Consultant