Matters of Policy & Politics

A Matter of Trust: Macke Raymond on “Unheard Voices” in America’s School Communities

While America’s education system doesn’t lack for shareholders (parents, educators, political and policy leaders, as well as business and community activists), there’s a question as to whether all concerns are being heard and respected. Margaret “Macke” Raymond, a Hoover Institution distinguished research fellow and director of Hoover’s program on K-12 Education , discusses the findings of Hoover’s Unheard Voices report – Raymond and her research team engaged with nine communities across America, each one beset with underperforming schools. What they discovered: parents and community leaders want to become more involved in the lives of their schools but suffer from a lack of information and context – and, in some cases, educators are reluctant to listen to outside voices. Recorded on April 9, 2026.

Listen