Dr. James Lane — Be the Best at Getting Better

Schoolin' Around

• 33 min

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In this episode, Dr. James Lane, CEO of University Instructors, former Virginia State Superintendent of Public Instruction and author of Leading with Laser Focus: The 7 Steps to School Success, talks with Larissa about turning good intentions into a real system of support. He starts with how leading a middle school band shaped his approach to leadership, then tells how a 300-student rural school became the testing ground for his seven steps. If you’ve ever wondered why your MTSS pieces don’t add up to results, this conversation previews his keynote at this year’s MTSS Summit. Resources: Leading with Laser Focus: https://a.co/d/12NQ4FS Dr. Lane’s website: https://leadingwithlaserfocus.com/ Leadership and System-Level Work in MTSS: https://www.branchingminds.com/blog/leadership-mtss-system-level-work-mtss 2026 MTSS Summit Registration: https://www.branchingminds.com/mtss-summit-2026 Takeaways: The concert is a moment in time; daily practice builds the program. Most schools have the right pieces but haven’t connected them into a system. Placing students in intervention based on one assessment can miss kids in both directions. Check longitudinal data alongside the latest benchmark before placing students in intervention. Tell students why they’re in intervention and what it takes to exit. Pair teachers’ strengths so they coach each other on intervention strategies. Start from yes when teachers bring ideas, then look for the flexibility. Raise the bar for adults and students alike; kids tend to meet it.