Leaders of philanthropy talking about their involvement in this unprecedented time. Al gholston and carol, welcome. Im really pleased to have a chance to chat with you. Before we begin, i just wanted say im sorry for the loss of bill gates, senior. I know you and everyone at the foundation is feeling the loss. He was a tremendous man and many of us got a chance to know him in various ways, but probably not as well as you. Remarkable human being and a remarkable humanitarian. Thank you. So we are here at this unprecedented moment. Is kind of hard to imagine that we could have as many crises facing us all now. Weve got obviously the health crisis. Weve got the economic crisis. We are going through a reckoning on social justice. Experiencinge climate change. Its only the tip of the iceberg. And of course education is central to what you all do. How do you weigh all of that in this time when there are so many problems to tackled . Foundationshow your have thought about this as it is all enfolding. Carol, can i start with you . I would thing alan agree that the problems right , both of our foundations have been addressing education in equity. Both are concerned with the health and welfare of our country. For us, immediately responding to the emergency climate, [indiscernible] and giving an extra 180 million to the covid crisis. At how we began to look do we even amplify what we are already doing . We listen better, here better, and respond better . Allen i will agree with that. Shining artainly spotlight on this, and its impossible to witness the destruction and devastation happening across the country obviously communities of color and communities experiencing oferty are bearing the brunt the devastation and disruption. Losse seeing unprecedented loss. Al, developmental if you look at the most recent projectingthey are students in reading our return to school with only 70 of the learning gains we typically expect, and in mathematics, ejecting 50 . I completely agree with what caryl said. Before the reckoning, racial and social injustice. At the gates foundation, we work on health globally, and the work were doing and the work were doing in health is really focused on a Rapid Response to covid. To accelerate therapeutics and vaccine development. In the u. S. , is very much an education focused on addressing some of the immediate things, like the Digital Divide and helping to engage and provide Technical Assistance as they work to keep their students connected to the devices so they can have a chance to learn. But also looking at curriculum and providers who develop those things to get them enabled to expand tutoring. Interimve been are priorities. But again, the systemic issues in our Public Education system will continue to be our focus and we are seeing opportunities to continue but also to make some shifts, which we are in the process of looking at now, given the current context that might allow us with our partners to accelerate them. [indiscernible] allan we are reaching out and engaging with partners and experts in the field. So amidst the crisis, how should we be thinking about the next decade of our work in education . Enlisting entrepreneurs, forprofit , those whoteachers provide curriculum resources in our system. We are in the process of digesting this and divide as developing ideas and concepts and anticipate that by the end of the year we will have made some decisions on what that might look like. Youe will come back and ask those questions. Caryl the other piece beyond the whole fact of social support. Its one of the things we are focusing on right now. School, that your schedule. In school they are surrounded by now to now theyre being asked to try to see that through a screen. Weve had kids who have been out of class for 67 months. Weve had others who have had no learning interruption whatsoever. Many have experienced illness or death in their family. Many of them have a parent who has lost a job, so economic situations have changed. So the kind of social support we normally see is not there. At times there is extreme pressure on that child. We are going through it, the teachers are going through it. I remember being in a big a groupm and watching of firstgraders immediately go to their desks because it was raining. A light bulb went off, like there is more that happen here. Find ways to ensure that Psychosocial Support or they are not going to digest the curriculum at all. Im curious how you are both thinking about what you can do to influence policy, because obviously that is where a lot of the change in education comes from. Is that changing in any way because of the crisis we are going through, or is it about the same . How are you weighing that . Policy is so key in education. We have been investing in public , postsecondary education, for almost two decades. Have this particular funderstive on this, having a central role they can play, and we will continue to double down amid this crisis. There are four things that kind this perception. Having access to the remote related al analysis they need to ache the decisions, but also [indiscernible] want to see thrive in our public systems. Innovation invest in to seek new approaches and have an impact on students, a dramatic impact. Now. E seeing that unfold there is a great experiment happening in education. One of the things we see as our role, we are clearly behind the eight ball, to be able to look at that innovation, tackling how do you engage students, and how do you try to address their social and emotional needs, as well as their academic needs in remote hybrid learning settings . Seeing how those approaches are can be, and what considered for scale in additional funding that affects the elements there . Platform using our big to highlight ideas and approaches that we see are working. And finally, supporting organizations that can help engage stakeholders to make sure their voices are heard. Student voice, community voice, parent voice. And to have that also be at the center of policymaking decisions is really key. So we see that as a role for philanthropy, and its a role evenwe will continue to do in this unprecedented time where you have this incredible sense to make your decisions with the best information that is out there. Think the other change in policy is you see other sectors coming together on policy, which is kind of interesting. Philanthropic sector and the government sector coming together around asking and agreeing to act more independently. Bringing together, getting , andrate leaders in Government Policies to enable that. It was really interesting, and you see this in action. More broke out around racial unrest. There is an intersection between philanthropy and other sectors around policy. Stacy for those who didnt catch that, stop the spread is was talking about. You both had a long history of thinking about data, you know what works. Changedhas the crisis the ways you are thinking [indiscernible] weve been looking at evaluation and how the information gets out. Side, clearlyion we are taking a look and saying, are we evaluating the right things, are we measuring efficiency effectively . And how are we measuring the impact, not just completion of a project. History ofong serious evaluation at our foundation. We believe journalism plays a really significant role in informing the public. We have for a long time invested in journalism, and we are doubling down on that right now. It is very important that parents have access to accurate information. So people can make the right decisions on things. A we will continue to make us significant investment in journalism right now. We are obviously very committed to data and measurement and information, and how you translate that into stakeholders,help whether thats communities, teachers, students, parents, policymakers, etc. , make good, sound decisions with the best possible information out there. So we are continuing along that path. That is just part of who we are. At the gates foundation, i would say that there has been a lot of measurement,ut tests and accountability. Weve been listening to that. As part of the ongoing guideline an effort to engage communities to hear, to really impact improvement, and to be true to our belief in data, in measurement, and the types of constructs that help us with Important Information about her Education System. Student and teacher surveys, etc. , and try to unpack that. What we do with that information , and how does that then get tied to policy action . There is a lot of polarization in our country about this idea, that you take this information and tie highstakes accountability to it. We are taking the opportunity and the time to say, look, we really need to continue to have measurement data and to get the information we need to get students andve our communities appropriately and equitably. Engage andreally have a real conversation with all at the table about the types of policy actions we might link to that data and that information. Stacy throughout the conversation, you both talked about equity issues, and ourainly it is on all of minds and all the philanthropy community. There have been record sums donated. More has been donated this year than in the past 11 years. And the year is not out. So im curious, how are you thinking about Racial Justice issues in your Education Programs . Our other foundations coming to you to talk about . How is that changing philanthropy, from your perspective . ,llan for us, we believe that you know, Racial Injustice has played out in our Education Systems for decades. This isnt a new issue. Current context has just put a spotlight on something that many of us knew and many of us personally experienced in our lived experience. Our focus will continue to be on, how do we make our Education System equitable . Both on the opportunity side, and also on the outcome side. Whatever those strategies are that we all care about this and work on it. We will always have to have better information. We will always have to have evidencebased solutions that help us identify what policies can we enforce and drive the types of outcomes and actions that will make our system work better for everyone. But also to close the gaps that we see play out in an unfortunate way. So we are committed to those ines of things, and just looking at not only the policy constructs and the data constructs, but also how education is financed and funded, and what are the models of innovation we are seen across the country that we think can help get better outcomes. We are focused on instructional support, and we are going to double down. Youve got to have those. It just doesnt work if you dont have high quality, coherent construction instructional systems that allow teachers and students to do their best work with no exceptions. We are understanding that now because they are realizing how difficult it is. We haveimilarly, definitely doubled down on teacher preparation, teacher teachingon, ensuring the skills with which to use the tools. But we recommend for children that learn digitally, we have to listen to parents. Millennialsarch on , they see the potential to achieve the American Dream, but their American Dream is not the same as my generation. We have to be willing to adjust our system to address that. Believe if we solve the problems of education, we will solve the problems of the world, because i believe our children will solve them. The good news of the crisis, if there is one, the Silver Lining is that social investments change. ,ot only is there a spotlight all of us are trying to look at what is different, and what have we learned . Learning. Ring that how often we are reaching out to one another and recognizing that none of us have the answer, and that there is probably not a singular answer, but collaboration is going to bring us there. That is really exciting. Bringingrsection of the marketplace, government, and philanthropy together, perhaps we will arrive at a better solution. Noty philanthropy has always been as good at collaborating, and im seeing much more of that, and that is one of those Silver Linings. Im curious as you look ahead, what is it we were just talking about how people with good education are going to solve our problems. Educatorss it that as , how do we prepare this next generation . What are the things that are going to be most crucial, and how do we think about that in these Uncertain Times . Caryl obviously, Critical Thinking skills. Again, i remember we learn the facts, the history. I watch my children and grandchildren, and they are faced with a myriad of choices. We have to teach Critical Thinking skills and problemsolving skills. We have to teach collaboration skills. Tohave to teach children understand and to learn how to ask what they dont understand. The ability to ask questions, the willingness to ask questions and to give answers. It is evolving and changing. That there is add reinforce what i will like collaboration, persistence. The days that you go and get a degree and finish school and jump on a Career Pathway and stay on that for 25 or 30 years is just not that requires another set of skills about, how do i set goals . Y are secured to this circuitous in many ways and not a linear path. How do i do that . Are notation systems set up to accommodate that. I think we really have to prepare students with that level of skill set as well, as the Critical Thinking skills, the ability to ingest information and arrive at conclusions in a logical way. We only have a few minutes left, so im curious if you would like to ask each other a question. Is there something we talked about that you would like to ask about how your foundations deal with these things . We didnt know you were going to asset, and we had a meaningful conversation about that. Stacy let us in on it. I should have said this at the beginning, we have such a theirpartnership with foundation and they are one of an array of partners that make us better and push our thinking. We collaborate on a lot of things. There are things that we dont do together and we have different perspectives, and it just comes together in a great way. Said, we had a call one or two weeks ago, really just to get to know each other. It was a great conversation. Fun for think what is us and is true for a number of foundations, we represent families and individual people. Institutions we can find commonality in those values, and it is exciting when that happens. Allan that is so true. Stacy i think we will see much more of that. And the other work that gates was involved in, encouraging more of that. I want to thank you both for a very engaging conversation. You helped our audience and so many ways. Thank you so much for your time, and i we get to continue these discussions at other points. Good luck with everything. Tonight, remarks from former president clinton on Affordable Housing and the racial wealth gap. It airs tonight at eight caught eastern on cspan. Right after that, interviews with cardmembers of congress on race and gender issues. That event was held virtually by the hill. Joe biden as president elect, stay with cspan for live coverage of the transition of power. Ofpan, your uncensored view politics. On washington journal friday, cnbc Business ReporterLauren Thomas discusses how the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is affecting the retail industry, as the Holiday Shopping season kicks off. In foundation for the defense of democracy, talking about escalating tensions between the u. S. And iran and the future of u. S. Iranian relations on the biden administration. Watch live at 7 00 eastern friday morning, and be sure to join the discussion with their phone calls, facebook comments, texts, and tweets. For0 was a historic year women, with the election of the first woman Vice President , kamala harris. It happened the year we celebrated the 100 Year Anniversary of womens right to vote. Sunday night on q a, the author. N her book, the womens our it passes the house and has a two thirds majority. It passes the house by a very small margin, only to two vote margin. There are senators who are sitting on it, after the house 1918 and it takes until june of 1919 before it passes both houses. And then they kind of knew they were sending it out for in states where most legislators were not going to be in session. Suffragists had to convince 30 governors to call their legislators back into special session to consider the amendment. Elaine weiss, sunday night at 8 00 eastern, on q a. Us this thanksgiving week. Founder and executive chair of share our strength to end childhood hunger. We have all seen the images of the food lines. Help us understand the scope of the problem. How many more children are food insecure this thanksgiving week then compared to last year at this time . Guest thanks. We are in a position we really have never seen before. It is shaping up to be possibly the hungriest Holiday Season in memory