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Heather Hiles shared thisThe Agency's Turning the Tassel Report is the first of its kind to examine the real-world outcomes of Gen Z individuals who have graduated from public high schools. This should be conducted by DoE every year!Heather Hiles shared thisWhen we talk about access to education, we often focus on the classroom. But the true measure of our work is what happens after the tassel is turned. I read the recent findings from the Agency/Harris Poll survey, which provided a powerful data-backed look at the long-term impact of public charter schools. The results aren't just incremental; they are life-changing. When we provide students with high-expectations environments and the agency to lead, the economic and social ripple effects last for decades. 💰 Closing the Wealth Gap The most striking takeaway is the impact on lifelong earnings. On average, charter school alumni earn $22,000 more per year than their district school peers within just 10 years of graduation. Even more profound is the impact on equity: working charter graduates who identify as Black, Latino, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or Native American earn nearly $55,000 more per year than alumni of color from traditional district schools. This isn't just a statistic; it’s a blueprint for closing the racial wealth gap in America. 🎓 Persistence in Postsecondary Success It’s not just about getting to college; it’s about getting through. Charter alumni are consistently more likely to complete degrees at every level—associate, bachelor’s, and graduate degrees—outperforming district averages by 7 percentage points overall. And regardless of the constant chatter on the value of a college education, the report said, "traditional four-year and two-year degrees remain the most popular postsecondary choices for recent public school graduates, with nearly 60% (58%) of Generation Z reporting they enrolled in college after high school." 🏠 Building Generational Stability Education is the foundation for the American Dream, and the data on homeownership proves it. Nationally, charter school alumni's homeownership rates are 10 percentage points higher (35% vs. 25%) than those of their peers. The Bottom Line These numbers represent more than just successful students—they represent thriving families and revitalized communities. As we like to say, Uncommon Schools, when you change the trajectory of students' lives, you change history. #EducationLeadership #CharterSchools #EquityInEducation #EconomicMobility #HigherEd #Impact Debbie Veney Take a minute to read the findings: https://lnkd.in/eiBkeUzb
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Heather Hiles reposted thisand so it was...! Burn, #Barbie, burn.Heather Hiles reposted thisThis woman co-founded Cisco… then got kicked out of her own company by her VC. In 1984, Sandy Lerner co-founded Cisco Systems from her living room. But she wasn’t even trying to start a company. She just wanted to share files with her husband. They were both running computer systems at Stanford, but their networks couldn’t talk to each other. So they built something that could connect them: a multiprotocol router. At the time, companies were selling hardware that only worked with their own machines. Sandy and Len created a system that could talk to everyone. They hired friends, mortgaged their house, and built everything by hand. Their first customer was Ohio State. Within a year, they were doing $250K in monthly sales. Stanford tried to claim the tech and demanded $11M in licensing fees. Sandy negotiated them down to $150K and free tech support forever. But things changed when the VCs got involved. Don Valentine from Sequoia invested $2.6M, took a big chunk of equity, and brought in a new CEO. Without telling her. Sandy was pushed to the side. In 1990, she was fired. Her husband quit the same day. They sold their shares for $170M. But Sandy wasn’t done building. She took the money and co-launched Urban Decay, a cosmetics company designed to piss off the mainstream beauty industry. At the time, every brand was pushing soft pinks and reds. And pink makes Sandy puke… So she came in with shades called Roach, Bruise, Smog, and Asphyxia. Their first campaign said: “Burn Barbie, burn.” As you might expect, Mattel threatened to sue. Urban Decay made $9M in its first year. Nordstrom picked it up. LVMH acquired it. And eventually, it became part of L’Oréal. While that was growing, she moved to Virginia and bought a 600-acre estate called Ayrshire Farm. She turned it into the first operation in the state to be both Certified Humane and Certified Organic. She raised rare livestock, grew organic produce, and opened her own restaurant and butcher shop to bring those products directly to her community. At the same time, she was restoring a crumbling 16th-century manor house in Hampshire, England. Sandy leased it for 125 years. Donated her collection of 7,000 rare books. And turned it into the Centre for the Study of Early Women’s Writing. And in 2023, she wrote the foreword to Founder vs Investor, a book about how venture capital can ruin the companies it funds. She warned founders to get their own lawyers and never confuse what’s good for the company with what’s good for them. 💡 In 2025, I’m sharing 365 stories of women entrepreneur in 365 days. Follow Justine Juillard for daily #femalefounder spotlights.
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Heather Hiles shared thisFor decades, I've built tech to help people tell their stories. This is the next generation of it. AI pulls the receipts and the pieces of your stories together for you. We LOVE!Heather Hiles shared this38 years ago today, I lost my father, Harold Brightful. I was 18 — and like most sons, I thought I’d have more time with him. Years later, I found myself staring at old photos — searching for answers to questions I never got to ask. Our photos show faces, but not the feelings. They capture the moment, but not the meaning. That realization inspired Remi — the world’s first collaborative memory AI. Remi asks thoughtful questions to uncover the heart of your moments — who was there, what it felt like, and why it mattered. Then it weaves your words, photos, and videos into a cinematic story you can relive, share, and keep forever. To the incredible team behind Remi: thank you for turning a vision born from loss into something filled with love, creativity, and possibility. You’ve built something truly human in an AI world. The video below was created entirely by Remi. It’s an example of how Remi finds the meaning in some of my most personal photos — moments tied to love, loss, and creation — and weaves that meaning into a story that can be shared and kept forever. Today marks the beginning of Remi — built in my father’s honor, so others never have to lose the stories that matter most. Remi is launching in beta, and there’s still so much work ahead. We’re learning every day, and we need your voices, your feedback, and your stories to help us grow. If you’ve ever looked at a photo and wondered about the story behind it — or wished the memories of someone you love could live on — Remi was built for you. 👉 Sign up for the beta at https://remi.app Let’s start remembering together. #LaunchDay #RemiTime #RemiTimelines #RememberTogether #AI #Storytelling #EmotionalAI #Teamwork #Gratitude #BetaLaunch Curtis Jones, Laura Fredericks, Eric Charran, Justice Reid, Sebastian Walker
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Heather Hiles shared thisBig ups to Debbie for being the truth teller! Even more than telling the story, she's got a solution: Agency PAC. Contribute to Agency PAC so that we can ensure that the Governors, Senators, and Congresspeople we elect will protect and promote high-quality schools, and get rid of the ones failing our kids. https://lnkd.in/eA4Tez2VHeather Hiles shared thisOk, so is anyone else tired of our kids slipping further behind academically every year? You know we can do something about this. Wake up! Demand better. But first, indulge my principled and fact-based rants in my latest opinion piece https://lnkd.in/e2SBtfuw in The Washington Times. Then, most importantly, let's get serious about making this better. Team Agency is ready. Who's with us?
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Heather Hiles shared thisSharing insights from an important thought leader.Heather Hiles shared thisWell, the day we've all been both dreading and waiting for is here! The Supreme Court's ruling on religious charter schools is out. In a 4-4 split, the high court just upheld the public nature of charter schools and stopped the first religious public school from opening. Please see Agency's statement below. Link is in comment below. My prayers have been answered, LOL! Media Statement on SCOTUS 4-4 Split FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Commentary on U.S. Supreme Court's Decision in Oklahoma v. Charter School Authorizing Board We applaud today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision to leave in place the lower court’s ruling blocking the creation of religious charter schools. This outcome affirms a core principle: public charter schools are free, public, and open to all and all students must be protected under the Constitution. Charter schools are part of the public education system and must remain non-religious, inclusive, and accountable to the public. This is a win for public education and for the rights of every student. We must continue to protect our public schools—district and charter alike—from efforts that erode the constitutional rights of students and the foundational promise of equal access for all. Many may rightly see this as a major victory for charter schools. However, it is in fact a victory for all public schools, and confirmation that the high court upholds the U.S. Constitution and believes in the Establishment Clause. We firmly believe every student in a public school deserves constitutional protections and the right to learn in an environment that is not legally permitted to discriminate or promote religious doctrine. Debbie Veney, Founder and CEO, Agency.
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Heather Hiles shared thisImportant to track.Heather Hiles shared thisI have no crystal ball. Will SCOTUS clear the way for religious public schools? Dear lord! Soooo many people are asking me about the St. Isadore case being considered by the U.S Supreme Court. I thought I'd share my thoughts here about the attempt to create the first religious charter school. Spoiler alert for those who didn't know: Charter schools are public schools. So, this is a bit of a mess. Because...well, public schools can't be religious. Right?
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Heather Hiles shared thisI’m excited to celebrate with you, Natasha, in-person when I get to welcome the incoming class at SOM on August 13.Heather Hiles shared thisWe are delighted to share that Natasha Trivers has been named Executive Director of The Broad Center at the Yale School of Management! Natasha currently serves as CEO of Democracy Prep Public Schools, and will begin her role at The Broad Center in July 2025. Read the official announcement: https://yalesom.io/3Ygl6Ox
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Heather Hiles shared thisIt’s an honor to work with Udemy. Great people, great future.Heather Hiles shared thisAfter four incredible years at Udemy, it’s time for my next chapter. To me, Udemy will always be more than a company. It’s a mission, a community, and a team I deeply admire. Together, we’ve scaled the business from $430M to nearly $800M in revenue, grew Udemy Business from $100M to over $500M in ARR, expanded to nearly 77M learners, increased our enterprise customer base from 7,000 to over 17,000 organizations across 150+ countries, and reshaped the business from delivering an adjusted EBITDA loss of nearly $50M in 2022 to achieving profitability in 2023, and we’ve set the business up to deliver $80M in 2025. But more than the numbers, these milestones reflect the power of learning to transform lives. To the Udemy team: Thank you for your dedication, passion, and commitment. You make this company extraordinary, and I’m grateful for the journey we’ve shared. With Hugo Sarrazin stepping in as CEO, Udemy is in great hands, and I am excited for what’s ahead. I’m staying on in an advisory role through the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition and will serve my full term as a board member. To our employees, instructors, customers, partners, and investors, I’m grateful for your trust and support. I’ll continue to cheer on Udemy and look forward to what's next.
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Heather Hiles shared thisAs chair of the nominating and governance committee for Udemy’s board of directors, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to learn a great deal about these amazing humans who are joining our board. I am confident that their investments of time and expertise will prove invaluable. With this team, Udemy’s best days are ahead.Heather Hiles shared thisI am thrilled to announce my appointment as a new board member at Udemy. I look forward to collaborating with the talented leadership team to drive Udemy’s mission of transforming lives through learning. The rapid evolution in the workplace, especially with generative AI, presents exciting opportunities for growth and innovation. Together, we will work to bridge the skills gap and empower learners worldwide. #Lifelonglearners #AIUdemy Appoints Marylou Maco and Debra Chrapaty to its Board of DirectorsUdemy Appoints Marylou Maco and Debra Chrapaty to its Board of Directors
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Heather Hiles reacted on thisHeather Hiles reacted on thisI was sitting by the pool in Napa reading Pleasure Activism when I came across a quote from Toni Cade Bambara: “Make the revolution irresistible.” That sentence lit a fire in me - a call to create something that felt magnetic, joyful, cultural, and powerful all at once. Something that could shift the way we think about sustainability, not as sacrifice, but as art, beauty, community, and pleasure. That was the spark that became PlanetHAUS. It’s one of the most ambitious and yet, in many ways, the simplest things I’ve ever built. A space to gather those shaping our future through poetry, film, food, fashion, music, and yes brands. A home where we can explore what it means to live regeneratively and build a more circular, just, and beautiful world. I’m thrilled to bring PlanetHAUS to life alongside some of the most inspiring voices of our time: ✨ Ayana Elizabeth Johnson ✨Sam Kass ✨Lindsay Dahl ✨Sir David Adjaye ✨Benjamin Bronfman ✨Camilla Ruth Marcus ✨Chiké Okonkwo … and so many more. Join us in NYC on September 24th during Climate Week at the stunning Maxwell Social Club for a daylong immersive experience unlike any other. RSVP here to Save the Date (we will very likely sell out): https://lu.ma/7tpvmpqx Endless gratitude to my incredible co-producer Nancy Berger our visionary partners at Maxwell Social, and my brilliant team at Planet FWD especially Jake Siegler for his fierce commitment to bringing this beautiful house to life. Let’s make the revolution irresistible! #PlanetHAUS #ClimateWeekNYC #RegenerativeCulture #MakeTheRevolutionIrresistible #PleasureActivism #Sustainability #ArtAndImpact #CircularDesign #BrandsThatMatter
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Heather Hiles liked thisHeather Hiles liked thisAs both a parent and an education technology executive, I believe our children deserve tough, consistent school technology protections that are managed by schools and transparent to parents. As the debate continues on technology in schools, here are five moves school and policy leaders can consider NOW to create safer, less distracted classrooms. It’s an opportunity to get our digital safety ducks in a row. 🦆 Parent Visibility Into Student AI Usage: Today Securly announced Parent AI View in our highly rated Securly Home app, allowing schools the ability to provide parents visibility into their student’s AI usage on school issued devices starting in June. Parents can be partners in our children’s appropriate use of all tech, especially AI. 🦆 Social Media Bans: Today only 83% of Securly’s network of 26,000+ schools choose to block social media. We need to close that gap. Every school device can be configured to keep social media off-limits during school hours. If a family decides those platforms have a place at home, they can adjust those settings via the Securly Home app. 🦆 Screen Time: If a school utilizes a sophisticated K-12 classroom management solution, like Securly Classroom, they can already monitor screen time (through our Reveal feature). In addition, teachers can use focus controls to turn school-issued devices into paperweights to eliminate distractions or lock student focus on a specific curriculum. Do you know how your school utilizes focus features? 🦆 Stop Bad Actors Spreading Porn and Gambling: This is not your mother’s internet. I help run one of the most sophisticated and patented internet and AI filters for K-12 schools globally. We work to thwart professional hackers that create proxy porn, gambling, and gaming sites that mirror legit educational resources until you get two clicks in. These bad actors actively market circumvention options to your tech savvy students. While schools should hold their digital safety partner, including Securly, to high standards, we must also hold students accountable. Students who work to circumvent a school filter should be punished. This is a lesson worth teaching now. 🦆 Wellness Monitoring Requirement: Finally, we help schools and parents identify self-harm, cyberbullying, and violence in the digital footprint. We need to support those children crying out for help. Just as the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) in the U.S. and the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) in the U.K. require internet filtering, we should mandate digital wellness visibility in schools while holding technology providers to the highest student data privacy standards.
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Heather Hiles liked thisHeather Hiles liked thisQUANTUM IMPACT: 10 Years ago, Esusu began with a handful of members saving $300. Today, members of the Esusu Platform have unlocked $77 Billion in financial products, including $49 Billion in mortgages. Esusu's best days are still ahead. Learn more in our year in review --->��https://lnkd.in/ggu-nAur CC: Samir Goel | Esusu
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Heather Hiles reacted on thisHeather Hiles reacted on thisMargaret Spellings nails it: We have plans and strategies for just about everything but talent. Bipartisan Policy Center
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Agency, Inc.
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