InflexionPoint Podcast | Episode 94 | October 15, 2025
2025 Theme: Community Engagement & the Grassroots of Change

Introduction

Welcome to another episode of InflexionPoint Podcast, where we are dedicated to antiracism activation and the art of listening in authentic conversation, engagement, action, and accountability. Featuring creator/host Anita D. Russell, joined by co-hosts Mavis Bauman and Gail Hunter. Throughout the year, we’ve been lifting up stories, strategies, and successes of community-driven movements. In this episode we focus on "The Truth Behind the Test: What NAEP Reveals About Systemic Racism in Education," a continuation of the previous conversation with our guest, Coach Ed Bradley.

Featured Guest: Coach Edmond Bradley

With over 20 years of experience in coaching, education, and leadership development, Coach Ed Bradley brings a unique blend of mentorship, empathy, and strategic insight to his work as a Transitional Life Coach. A former high school basketball coach and teacher, Ed has dedicated his career to empowering young people to find purpose, confidence, and direction. Ed is a Life and Transitional Coach with Powerful Minds Counseling whose mission is to provide individual, family, and group counseling that promote healthy and overall mental and emotional wellness. With a master’s degree in psychology and decades of experience with diverse learners, he helps clients gain clarity and momentum toward their goals.

Community Engagement Connection: Broaden Understanding of State School Testing

Key Question: How does state school testing data mirror systems of racism in education?

National Assessment of Educational Progress: State tests are state-developed with federal guidelines from NAEP, a national benchmark for comparison. In our discussion we explain NAEP’s purpose and how it differs from state tests. The issue is this: We don’t have one yardstick in America. Instead we have 50 different ones which we then try to compare. 

Dimensions of NAEP and Equity:

• Potential for Justice → Reframing gaps as proof of broken systems
• Benchmarking as Exposure of Inequity → “NAEP as mirror.”
• Weaponization of Data → Headlines vs systemic issues.
• Pressure & Punitive Reforms → Closures & charters.
• Masking Structural Advantage → White outcomes as ‘normal.’

Examples of Schools Using Data Critically and Equitable to Repair, Not Reproach

• KIPP Comienza — Data-Driven Instruction
• California High Schools — Equity-Centered Data Use
• Executive Development Program Case Study — Principal Leadership & Culture Shift

Episode giveaways:

• Understanding NAEP & Educational Equity National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) – https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
• The Education Trust – https://edtrust.org. The official site for national data on student achievement and achievement gaps.
• Learning Policy Institute – https://learningpolicyinstitute.org. Advocates for closing opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and those from low-income families. Research and policy recommendations on educational equity, teacher diversity, and resource allocation.
• Southern Education Foundation – https://southerneducation.org. Publishes landmark studies on the relationship between race, poverty, and educational opportunity
• On Policy Impacts and Racial Inequity IDRA (Intercultural Development Research Association) – https://idra.org. Policy insights on equitable funding, school attrition, and support for Black and Latino students.
• Analysis on testing, accountability, and disparities across states - https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-state-level-perspective-on-school-spending-and-educational-outcomes.
• Using Data to Repair, Not Reproach SSIR: “Using Data to Disrupt Systemic Inequity” – https://ssir.org/articles/entry/using_data_to_disrupt_systemic_inequity. Practical models for using community-centered data to dismantle inequity
• Forefront Education: “Using Data for Racial Equity in Schools” – https://forefront.education. Step-by-step strategies for equitable assessment and intervention.