{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The So What Podcast","title":"Building Systems That Outperform Motivation with Todd Cordrey at Eaton School District ","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2574,"description":"\nIn this episode of The So What Podcast, host Shweta Gandhi, Founder and CEO of Strived, sits down with Todd Cordrey, Superintendent of Eaton School District RE-2 in Colorado. With a unique background transitioning from finance and real estate into education, Todd brings a systems-driven mindset to school leadership, one that challenges traditional approaches and prioritizes intentional, repeatable processes over reliance on individual effort.\n\nTodd shares how his journey into education reshaped his perspective on impact, purpose, and leadership. Drawing from experience across multiple rural districts, he emphasizes a core belief: systems outperform motivation every time. Whether it’s structuring meetings, evaluating programs, or implementing district-wide initiatives, Todd explains how disciplined frameworks create consistency, clarity, and long-term success.\n\nThe conversation explores how Eaton is navigating complex decisions, from funding challenges to launching new career and technical education (CTE) pathways, while balancing community expectations, workforce needs, and student interests. Todd also introduces practical frameworks, including the Hierarchy of Competency, MTSS as a continuous improvement tool, and his 7 Steps to Sustainable Change, offering leaders actionable ways to move from idea to execution.\n\nKey Moments\n\n\n01:07 Todd’s transition from business to education\n02:17 Why systems outperform motivation\n05:22 Using data to guide funding and program decisions\n08:25 Lessons learned across rural districts\n10:05 Building systems that drive academic outcomes\n12:22 Developing a portrait of a graduate\n14:25 Measuring effort vs. outcomes in schools\n16:50 The Hierarchy of Competency framework\n20:02 Using MTSS beyond special education\n24:07 Leading change as a new superintendent\n26:50 Navigating competing stakeholder ownership\n30:14 Balancing board expectations vs. school realities\n31:53 Choosing the right CTE programs\n34:52 The 7 Steps to Sustainable Change...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/8_IWhcz1UYVz_u51Qd70LxMgREGfVeVtbh_cyiQHgMk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8yMzcw/ZDBhNTFkMjFhY2Rh/MTI1MTQyMTQzN2I0/ZDBiZC5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}