Margaret Spellings On Education And Coronavirus

At The 74 Emmeline Zhao and I are interviewing people around the sector, scroll down for Shavar Jeffries and Arne Duncan. Today, Margaret Spellings:

Margaret Spellings has been a senior aide at the White House, a college president, and Secretary of Education for President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2009. She’s been in the middle of crises, from 9/11 to the mass shooting at Virginia Tech and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Though not a Texan by birth, Spellings is certainly one by temperament and commitment. Now leading Texas 2036, a data-driven policy effort pegged to the state’s bicentennial, her work and life have been upended by coronavirus.

We talked with Spellings about coronavirus and best- and worst-case scenarios, what businesses should do to help schools, her advice for U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and most importantly in the Lone Star State, will there be high school football in the fall?

Video and text of the conversation here.