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Welcome to the Exceptional Educators Podcast by FrenalyticsEDU — where innovation meets inclusion in education!
Each episode features candid conversations with district leaders, school leaders, classroom changemakers, EdTech founders, and executives — all dedicated to transforming learning for each student, especially our learners with unique abilities.
With a focus on extraordinary educators and the exceptional students they serve, we explore the latest in special education, accessible technology, and inclusive leadership. Whether you’re shaping special education policy, pioneering new EdTech tools, or looking to grow your impact in the classroom, this podcast is your front-row seat to the future of inclusive education.
Listen. Learn. Lead. Be Exceptional. 🎙️
Welcome to the Exceptional Educators podcast by Frenalytics edu, where innovation meets inclusion and education. I'm your cohost, Antonia Ellis.
Matt Giovanniello:And I'm Macho Vannello, the CEO and co founder of Frenalytics. At Phrenalytics, we put special education and English language learners front and center. Our award winning Phrenalytics EDA platform helps streamline progress monitoring, improve communication and compliance, and offers truly personalized learning to your students of all abilities.
Antonayah Ellis:Each episode of our podcast features candid conversations with district and school leaders, classroom changemakers, ed tech founders, and industry executives, dedicated to transforming learning in each student, especially our learners with unique abilities. With a focus on extraordinary educators and the exceptional students they serve, we explore the latest in special education, accessible technology and inclusive leadership. In this episode, Exceptional Educators is exceptionally thrilled to welcome Brian Ballinger, superintendent of the Gustine Unified School District in California. Welcome to the podcast, Brian. We're so thrilled to have you here.
Bryan Ballenger:Thank you. I'm excited to be here as well.
Antonayah Ellis:So we like to kick off the podcast by asking all of our guests, what is your why? What brought you to education? Has this always been your niche? What was your starting point?
Bryan Ballenger:So it's kind of interesting. I went to college on a D1 baseball scholarship, and I was a business major with risk management and insurance as my concentration. My parents owned an insurance agency, and I really thought that at that point in my life, was going to go work for my dad and be an insurance person. But funny thing is, didn't want to wear a tie and I didn't want to sell things. But as a leader in education, I do that every day.
Bryan Ballenger:Wear a tie and I'm selling all of our programs, the good things that go on in our district to people. And so when I graduated from college, I sat back and I really wanted to give back to baseball and give them the kind of opportunities that I had that allowed me to get through college and get a college degree in the end. That led me to teaching and coaching at the high school level. I was a special education teacher Atwater, Merced High School and Atwater High School in the Merced Union High School District. And that really set me on a path being about individual students and students as a whole.
Matt Giovanniello:Brian, you teased that you didn't want to go into a career with a tie, and yet here you are, but not all of your positions within education were with a suit and a tie on a daily basis. You hinted at starting as a special education teacher. You were a principal in your tenure, and now you're the superintendent of the Steen Union School District. So tell us a little bit more about that arc of starting as a teacher in a classroom, what values, what principles, what outcomes you learned from those positions that now influence the role as superintendent in your district today?
Bryan Ballenger:What's kind of funny about that is I was a young teacher, 22, special ed teaching high school kids that weren't that much younger than me. And so I did wear a shirt and tie every day to set myself apart and let them know that I was the leader in the classroom. And so there was a position I really thought I was going to be a special ed director. That's kind of where I saw my trajectory ending up. And there was an opportunity in my third or fourth year teaching for a position in special ed at the district level.
Bryan Ballenger:And I applied for it. I had a really good interview. I was strong. The assistant superintendent of human resources at the time called me in my classroom and was basically like, if somebody wasn't already doing the job, it was yours. But somebody's already doing the job and it's not like we can take it from them.
Bryan Ballenger:But I want you to go back and get your administrative credential. I want you to look into administration. So that kind of set me on my path in which I then became an assistant principal at the same high school. From there, I became principal of a K-eight school in Atwater, and then K-eight superintendent of small country school district, and then here to Gustine. That background in special ed has really allowed me to focus on every child, giving them the best experience they possibly can.
Bryan Ballenger:And what does that look like individually coming up with a plan and making sure that we're supporting all learners?
Antonayah Ellis:I'm really interested in knowing about this whole, inclusion and what you guys have done. Like what are some of your approaches that you took from the classroom that you're now kind of implementing being, I mean, kind of spaced from the classroom. You're in an office, you're dealing with adults now rather than students. So what are some different approaches that you take or what are some similar approaches that you take from the classroom to now?
Bryan Ballenger:So as the superintendent, it's my job to set the vision and direction for which we want to go. I have really strong leaders in my district, my assistant superintendent, my director of special education, and my principals. And in California, traditional model is you had resource students who needed a little bit of help, might need a class or two in a specialized setting, but for the most part, more mainstream. Then you had what we called special day students who spent most of their day in a specialized classroom and then were mainstream periodically throughout the day. We kind of ran into situation a few years ago where we were having trouble finding educators, special education educators, and we knew that the move was to be more inclusive.
Bryan Ballenger:And so rather than having SDC teachers and resource teachers, we combined caseloads and said, No, we have all of our students. They're all here, and we're going to push for inclusion for all. When we did that, we had enough staff to fill the caseloads. And so we use a co teaching model where our inclusion specialists go into core classes at the high school and middle school, as well as instructional aids. We've hired more instructional aids to support the work that we're doing.
Bryan Ballenger:And they also are in a co teaching environment with the general education teacher, you'll see parallel teaching taking place. So we've had to go slow through this, but we really did just jump in and handled all of that.
Matt Giovanniello:I love your phrase of just jumping headfirst and getting into this. There's no motivator, like a macro level problem that forces you to start addressing a problem that you know is there, but maybe in times past wasn't pervasive enough or the solution wasn't clear enough to start adopting it. I think we saw a lot of that during the COVID pandemic as well with one to one devices and making sure that students with disabilities were adequately supported in a remote environment. I appreciate the fact that you saw that and was like, This is a problem we need to solve. No ifs ands or buts about it.
Matt Giovanniello:I suspect that since implementing this ICT inclusion mindset across the district that outcomes are rising among students with disabilities, and also to your point of students who don't have documented disabilities. Tell us a little bit more about what you're seeing, what you're hearing, whether it's state assessments, graduation rates, attendance that you're benefiting from as a result of IC2.
Bryan Ballenger:So let's start with state testing. At our elementary schools, one of my elementary schools, they had zero special education student proficient meeting state standards or above. This past year, that number rose to twelve and fifteen percent of our special ed kids on standard or above. And at my other elementary school, we went from having like 12 or 14% meeting standard in mathematics to 42% meeting standard in mathematics and actually was kind of higher than the overall percentage at that school. Students are successfully completing Math one and Math two.
Bryan Ballenger:We do a great job at the high school of co teaching that and really breaking it down so that students understand it and can compete. They're really going for mastery. But that is great that we're seeing academic gains. But where we're really seeing the gains is on the social emotional level. Because we have small schools, my middle school is under 400, my high school is under 600, having that SDC room or that resource room, everybody on campus knew who you were cause you went to that room.
Bryan Ballenger:And there was a stigma that our special education students felt by being singled out and ostracized. They didn't mingle. They didn't have peer to peer relationships other than with other students with disabilities. And what we're seeing is everybody, including them, not really understanding that they're students with special needs. They cheer their successes.
Bryan Ballenger:And at the high school level, they're competing in athletics, which they didn't do before. So it's those things that I want people to understand how important inclusion is. It really truly changes the lives of all kids, not just special education students, but all, teaches them how to deal with each other, be tolerant, compassionate. And our students have really stepped up in that manner.
Matt Giovanniello:I love that. I think that you're practicing what you're preaching of inclusion through and through, not just in the classroom and building out ICT programs across your pre K through 12 district. Brian, I think you need to give yourself more credit. You may think you have small schools, but you're leading a district of nearly 2,000 students with very diverse needs as we know. So hearing it not only in the classroom but outside of the classroom be so successful, it's not just talk, but action is really awesome here.
Matt Giovanniello:Thank you for those examples. I appreciate that. Oftentimes, historically speaking and definitionally, students classified to receive special education services may not ever, quote, unquote, master different grade level material even if that's the expectation. So I'd love to learn a little bit more about the thought process as you consider this implementation and the reality of what's happening now for students who have IEPs, 504s, or who are in MTSS intervention services. What paths do they have?
Matt Giovanniello:How are they being identified? And what supports are they being given to help increase their chances of reaching mastery? And if they can't, what's the response to that of how do we get them as close to grade level as we can?
Bryan Ballenger:So great question. A lot there to unpack. But when we talk about at the high school and the middle school level, we do modify, we do provide accommodations and support for them, are just beginning to scratch the surface with AI to help take the concepts and put them and standards and put them into a reachable, attainable position for students. That doesn't mean we're dumbing things down or accepting less of a standard. But let's say I struggle with reading.
Bryan Ballenger:We may throw it into AI and have it read with the student. Or I struggle with writing. So is there another way that I can show you and demonstrate to you that I understand and I have mastered the content? Because that's what it comes down to. It's really giving kids voice and choice in how they present that to you and voice and choice and how they receive that information.
Bryan Ballenger:Maybe they want to make a podcast, maybe they want to do a video or, you know what, I'm okay typing a response to this question. And, you know, it really is about meeting them and where they're at. But our inclusion specialists, the teachers really do a good job of working with teachers. We've actually cut out about forty five minutes every week for the inclusion specialists, the instructional aids and the teachers to get together and collaborate so that our special education students can master the material.
Matt Giovanniello:That's awesome that you're finding building time during the day to support students and also your staff in making this a reality. A lot of people find it to be really challenging to carve out even a few minutes of a day, let alone forty minutes a week. That's that's really encouraging to hear. Let's talk about IEP goals for a minute. In a standard standards based grading world that is now being adopted pre k through 12, in what ways, if at all, are your teachers approaching the creation and updating and measuring progress on IEP goals differently?
Bryan Ballenger:We are writing goals in which can be attainable with support to get that student there and master the material. We're really, truly writing grade level goals for our students and paths by which to get them there. And, you know, it really has shaped and changed the way we write IEP goals. Looking at standards based grading because it's no longer, know, we'll do X amount of problems in X amount of time with X amount of accuracy. We're not saying this is the standard and this is how the child is going to be able to meet that standard.
Bryan Ballenger:And here are the resources that we're going to provide.
Antonayah Ellis:I'm really interested in the teacher voice. Cause it just, it really seems like teachers are being super flexible during this time, whether it's communicating with the parents or it's kind of working with the kids in different ways. How, or what do you do to value teacher voice? How are teachers even expressing their concerns? What are some ways that they can express their concerns?
Antonayah Ellis:All the things.
Bryan Ballenger:Well, think biggest thing is communication. All of our administrators have an open door policy. We drop what we're doing to focus on the individual in front of us and to address the concerns. For us, we had a big initiative last school year implementing instructional norms within our district, what we wanted instruction to look like, kindergarten or TK through 12, this is what should be included in lessons. And we came up with nine instructional norms.
Bryan Ballenger:We spent six months developing those norms. We had a committee of 22 individuals, the bulk of which were teachers. We provided professional development all of last year around those instructional norms, giving examples, going deep into that. Teacher voice is extremely important. They're the ones working the closest to the student.
Bryan Ballenger:And I've always thought of, you know, leadership and those in the organization, not as a pyramid, but an upside down pyramid. And the ones closest to the student at the top.
Matt Giovanniello:That's a really good point, and I'm glad they're bringing that up. It makes me think about incorporating Heat Your Voice and the way that some districts go through pilot phases or implementation phases of anything from small software or textbook adoptions to larger systemic changes like the ones we've been talking about in today's episode. I'm curious if historically, Christine had an approach for large scale changes like inclusion. I know you mentioned that it was working well at the elementary school, but middle and high school did not have it. What been your secret sauce for understanding what's going to work before you go full scale with it?
Bryan Ballenger:I think it's all of the above we've tried. Do pilots, curriculum pilots, instructional materials, programs, those kinds of things, full scale implementation. We try to bring everybody along. I would rather jump in and deal with the problems as we go. But it really has been a lot.
Bryan Ballenger:We've tried so many different things to bring people along, so sometimes things can get lost doing that as well. But I think it's really important to be clear in your communication and open to feedback.
Matt Giovanniello:I agree, and I love that you think about it in that way. A theme that has been coming up in the end of our season two and beginning of season three episodes from others in your position at the district level is this very interesting notion where if you, similar to what you were just describing, go across your schools and say, This is what we're doing. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, versus an alternative option when it's viable of saying, We want to pilot this new instructional change, or We want to pilot this new ed tech solution and allow teachers to decide amongst themselves, Do I want to be an early adopter? Do I want to be going in the larger implementation? Do I want to do something else?
Matt Giovanniello:Interestingly enough, with that latter approach, oftentimes maybe not always, but oftentimes, the implementation is more successful versus mandating it. I think that you're hinting at some successful versions of that as well. I think it's interesting, the communication, to your point, but also the positioning of larger changes and being very careful and creative about the ways that you want to entertain and offer these options, that might directly influence whether they end up becoming successful or not. It could be the same exact initiative. It's just a matter of how you present it to your staff.
Matt Giovanniello:So I just wanted to call that out because it sounds like it's very much that environment in your district as well, which is great to hear that, like, Hey, we're open to stuff. Let's try it.
Bryan Ballenger:One of the things that we're learning about right now as administrators in my district is we are receiving professional development ourselves and building stronger teams, leadership teams. And we're utilizing the five dysfunctions of teams by Linchioni and five behaviors of cohesive teams as a result. One of those ideas in there for getting anything done is you've got to have some conflict. You have to involve the individuals in the discussion, and then they're going to commit. Whether they agree with it 100% or they're fully bought in, they're still going to commit because they had a say.
Bryan Ballenger:And that is just extremely important.
Matt Giovanniello:It's like productive struggle in a classroom. It's Mhmm. The outcome or the resolution is really important to achieve, but the process along the way may not be the most straightforward thing, but you're better off for it at the end of the day. That's awesome. Right.
Antonayah Ellis:And I do just want to connect. My husband started off teaching in his early twenties as an H CAP teacher, in a high school. And he, I feel like he hit the ground running. I mean, just picking up on some of your leadership qualities. It reminds me of just how he was in the classroom.
Antonayah Ellis:And I just know that you embodied these same qualities while you were in the special ed classroom as well. Just kind of thinking of a plan, sticking to it, and then problem solving as you go through it rather than sitting and figuring out a whole bunch of ways to do things. And then you spend all this time thinking and no time doing. And so I just really commend you for keeping those same principles. And I can't help but to ask what qualities from when you used to play sports, how do you feel like that has kind of made you resilient?
Antonayah Ellis:It seems, I mean, problem solving abilities, your way to just keep the ball rolling when things aren't always going so perfect and smooth. Are there any qualities from when you did use to play sports that kind of keep you rolling when days are hard or when things just don't seem like they're going right?
Bryan Ballenger:Well, I think failure in sports happens all the time and you become resilient and you learn to adapt and move beyond what worked one time may not work the next time in the same situation. And so that's life too. I'm giving you success stories, but there's plenty of stories out there of failure and two by fours to the head, all of those kinds of things. But I don't dwell on them. I don't have the space in my brain to stay there.
Bryan Ballenger:I stay focused on outcomes for students, the health and well-being of our students and our staff, and try to make decisions every single day that's in their best interest. And I think sports prepared me to be a leader as a a pitcher in baseball. In college, I wanted the ball on Friday night, get us started on the right track for the weekend and put us in a position to win the weekend and the series. It just has always been that way. Didn't, you know, really getting into education and thinking you're going to coach and teach forever.
Bryan Ballenger:And then leadership opportunities and leadership qualities come out in you that you didn't know and just and transparent person almost to a fault sometimes. But, you know, I had a coach that was that way with me. And, you know, a while back, probably fifteen years ago, I sent him a email and just basically told him thank you for his leadership because I had a coach after him who wasn't that way. It really put me in a position in my leadership to treat people the way I was treated in atmosphere. Knowing leadership, how hard it is to get a thank you or some positive affirmation, I thought it was important for me to send him an email and just tell him thank you for helping guide me and make me into the person that I am today.
Matt Giovanniello:I love that. I think for the education space in general, it is often a thankless job, and so to be able to learn that lesson so early on through a totally unrelated experience while in college, I imagine not only makes you better as a leader, Brian, but also makes your staff more resilient and more thankful, and they will pass that forward as well to their students, to their parents, to their spouses, to their families, and just make this a little bit more of a positive operation instead of just feeling like, Oh, my work is unappreciated, or even worse, unrecognized. So I'm glad that you got that lesson so early on, and you're here to speak about it and pay it forward in that way. We are nearing the end of our time, which feels like it went so fast. I have a question for you around most people's favorite topic, which is progress monitoring, and then a final question for you after that.
Matt Giovanniello:Tell us a little bit about some of the changes that have either happened so far or that you're anticipating to happen as it relates to progress monitoring of goals, either in the wake of larger initiatives like standards based grading, inclusion, the adoption of AI in bits and pieces, or what you think might be to come. How are we thinking about data collection nowadays?
Bryan Ballenger:We've kind of changed the type of data that we're collecting and the tools that we're using to collect that data. We've changed those to be more relevant and more often. Having conversations around those items, having principals have meetings with their staff, with their teachers around the data and asking, you know, probing questions to help facilitate that change in the classroom based upon the data that they're seeing. Last night, we had a board workshop that was centered around achievement data, not just testing data, but achievement. It was so good in making our principals own that data.
Bryan Ballenger:Likewise, they need to own, they need to have their staff own their data as well and make changes year to year, day to day, month to month, assessment to assessment.
Matt Giovanniello:Huge. I'm so glad you shared that, Tidbit, with us. Brian, as we wrap up today's episode, our final question to you that we ask all of our guests is what does being an exceptional educator or being an exceptional leader mean to you? If you need to take a moment to pause and reflect on that, please feel free to.
Bryan Ballenger:I think being an exceptional educator and leader means that you're doing what's best for all that are in the organization at a level of excellence and supporting people to get to that level of excellence, growing future leaders, because that's what our students deserve. That's what our teachers deserve. That's what our classified staff deserve, is exceptional leaders leading them and highlighting the things that they do well. So it really is about meeting individuals where they are and taking them to greatness.
Matt Giovanniello:That was so perfectly put. I don't know about you, Antoniah, but I think, Brian, you gave countless examples of how you personally and professionally do that in today's discussion, but also maybe even more importantly, or as importantly, I want examples of how your admins across your different schools are doing that to empower your teachers and then lift those outcomes of students, both with disabilities and in your general education environments. So with that, I'm thankful for you lending your time and your voice and all your great ideas and great examples of what's going so well with us today. Thank you for joining us.
Bryan Ballenger:Thank you for having me. I thoroughly enjoy having an educational conversation and this was a lot of fun.
Antonayah Ellis:I just also want to highlight how you allow your leaders to lead. It doesn't seem like you micromanage or you are so stuck to just one way of thinking. You show that you are innovative. You show that you are a listener and that you value what your students say, your teachers, your parents, your staff. And I'm sure that can be hard only being one person with all of these voices, but you definitely make it work.
Antonayah Ellis:I just, I applaud you and how your teaching style has just carried you through leadership. I just, I love it.
Matt Giovanniello:Thank you. Thank you. We'll put Antoniah. Brian, thank you again for joining us on this late morning, your time, and Antoniah for guiding us in today's conversation. For all of us listening to today's episode of the Exceptional Educator podcast, thank you for joining us, and we look forward to seeing you on the next one.