Unifying Forces in Education: How Full Scale Aims to Transform Learning for All

Dr. Beth Rabbitt and Virgil Hammonds

Fullscale Learning

 Quote of the Podcast: 

If you come upon a wall, throw your hat over it and go get your hat.

 Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Virgel Hammonds

Virgel Hammonds, a nationally recognized leader in education innovation, joined the Aurora Institute as CEO in 2024. He brings more than two decades of experience working with young people, educators, districts, and policymakers to advance learner-centered systems. Most recently, Virgel served as Chief Learning Officer at KnowledgeWorks, where he built partnerships with national leaders and local communities to redesign learning systems. Previously, he was superintendent of Maine’s RSU 2, leading five communities in implementing a mastery-based curriculum, and earlier served as a high school principal at California’s Lindsay Unified School District, helping implement a personalized, mastery-based learning model.

Virgel serves on the boards of PBLWorks, Learner-Centered Collaborative, and Jobs for Maine Graduates, and is Board Chair Emeritus of the Aurora Institute. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a Master of Education from Fresno Pacific University.

Beth Rabbitt

Beth Rabbitt is Chief Executive Officer of The Learning Accelerator (TLA) and a nationally recognized expert in education innovation, with more than 20 years of experience across the K–12 nonprofit, philanthropic, and private sectors.

Before becoming CEO in 2016, Beth was a founding Partner at TLA, leading work on educator training systems and research on emerging learning models. Her prior roles include Director of Human Capital at a start-up school system in Newark, Associate Partner at NewSchools Venture Fund, consultant with Education Resource Strategies, and founding Doctoral Fellow at the Harvard Innovation Lab.

Beth is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and serves on nonprofit boards including Catalyst:Ed, GiveThx, and Portland Parks Conservancy. She earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an Ed.L.D. from Harvard University. Beth lives in Portland, Maine, with her husband and two daughters and is deeply motivated to create better learning experiences for every child.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• Merger to Full Scale
• Multiple Ps Policy, Practice, Progress, People.
• Time as a resource
• Building community to change togehter
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

Fixable- Podcast

https://symposium2025.fullscalelearning.org/

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions