Episode Details

Today’s episode of Growing Up in America was a special edition you won’t want to miss—Rice University Baker Institute Data Takeover, hosted by data experts Dr. Christopher Kulesza and Dr. Andrea Ramirez Varela, MD, PhD, MPH. This dynamic duo took the reins for an eye-opening conversation focused entirely on the data behind one of the most pressing issues in education today: teacher stress and burnout.

With a powerful lineup of guests from across the education landscape, today’s episode dug into the numbers—and the lived experiences—behind what educators are facing in classrooms and communities across Texas and beyond.

Dr. Chris McCarthy, Professor and Area Chair at UT Austin’s College of Education, unpacked the psychological toll of chronic stress on teachers and what research tells us about the long-term impacts.

Darius Provost-Evans, board member for Sheldon ISD, brought a policy and governance lens, highlighting the systemic pressures districts face and how leadership can step up for teachers.

Lakeisha Patterson, an elementary school teacher and union president with Deer Park ISD, provided a passionate, on-the-ground perspective on what it’s like to balance curriculum demands, emotional labor, and leadership roles in today’s classrooms.

Jamie Martin-Currie, Head of School at St. Andrew’s Episcopal, added a private school lens to the conversation, focusing on innovative ways schools can center well-being in their culture.

And rounding out the episode, State Senator Molly Cook 15th District spoke on the role of state-level policy in supporting teacher mental health, funding, and workload reform.

From stress and burnout to advocacy and action, this Data Takeover pulled back the curtain on the very real challenges educators face—and what the data reveal that needs to happen next.

Thanks for joining us on this powerful edition of Growing Up in America. Let’s keep the conversation going—and keep fighting for the educators who shape our future.