Change Is Coming

Topic: Education Reform, Healthcare Advocacy, and Running for Georgia Superintendent of Schools

In this 43-minute episode, host JR Sparrow sits down with Dr. Nelva Lee, a healthcare administrator, entrepreneur, and candidate for Georgia Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Lee shares her inspiring journey from Panama to the United States, her work in healthcare advocacy, and her vision for transforming Georgia's education system through literacy, trade certifications, and school choice.

• Growing up in Panama during the Noriega dictatorship
• Family heritage from Costa Rica and Jamaica
• Moving to the US as a teenager and appreciating democratic freedoms
• Lessons learned from her grandmother Nelva about gratitude and work ethic

• Obtaining a trade certification in healthcare during high school
• Earning bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in healthcare administration
• Working as Director of Patient Advocacy at Grady Health System
• Founding a vocational school for medical interpreters
• Creating the certification exam for medical interpreters
• Involvement with AI and human interpreting integration

• Appointment to Georgia Department of Community Health by Governor Kemp
• Learning the slow process of government policymaking
• Importance of community engagement in healthcare policy
• Advocacy rooted in personal experience with dictatorship

Current State of Georgia Education:

• Georgia ranks 38th out of 50 states in education
• Mississippi improved from 50th to top 10 by returning to basics

Key Campaign Initiatives:

1. Literacy First

   • No child leaves second grade without learning to read
   • Clear guidelines for teachers on literacy benchmarks
   • Recognition that prisons are built based on third-grade literacy rates

2. Universal Trade Certifications

   • All Georgia graduates receive high school diploma AND trade certification
   • Benefits both college-bound and workforce-ready students
   • Provides financial independence and career options

3. Expanded School Choice

   • Expansion of Promise Scholarship Act
   • More public Montessori and KIPP schools
   • Matching learning environments to individual student needs

Special Education & IEP Reform:

• Concerns about overuse of IEP labels
• IEP test scores don't count toward school performance metrics
• Risk of implicit bias from teachers toward labeled students
• Need for appropriate learning environments rather than automatic labeling

Post-COVID Challenges:

• Addressing learning deficits in current 6th-7th graders
• Mental health impacts from isolation (anxiety, depression)
• Need for motivation and self-esteem building

"By the third grade, they're building prisons based on whether or not children are literate."

"Every child can learn, but they need to have a learning environment that matches their specific learning needs."

"Good leaders really are great because they motivate others to do the best."

"Anything that you do for children lasts a lifetime."

Learn More About Dr. Nelva Lee:

• Website: drnelvalee.com
• Books and additional information available on her website

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• Education Reform
• Healthcare Advocacy
• Entrepreneurship
• Immigration & Democracy
• Special Education
• Trade Schools & Vocational Training
• School Choice
• Leadership & Public Service

Episode SummaryKey Topics DiscussedBackground & Immigration (0:00 - 8:00)Healthcare Career & Entrepreneurship (8:00 - 18:00)Public Service & Policy (18:00 - 25:00)Running for Georgia Superintendent of Schools (25:00 - 43:00)Notable QuotesResourcesEpisode Themes