The Ruckus Report
Quick take: Micah Ali dismantles outdated mindsets about urban education and shares how Compton Unified went from a district people had written off to one that’s setting the pace for California. Learn what it takes to build trust, flip expectations, and drive equity by doing what’s ethical.
🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker
Micah Ali is the longest-serving President in the history of the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees. A lifelong Compton resident and education advocate, he has championed transformational change in public education, equity in opportunity, and investments that uplift Black and Brown communities in California and across the nation.
Breaking Down the Old Rules
🧠 Key Insight #1: Focus on Students, Not Adult Comfort
- What’s broken: Urban education blamed for failing because of zip codes and funding gaps
- The shift: Real issue is adult comfort — not student success
- Impact: Compton Unified refocused priorities, bucked the failure narrative, and rebuilt community trust
🧠 Key Insight #2: From Expectations to Examples
- What’s broken: Low expectations for Black and Brown communities
- The shift: Redefining students as examples, not expectations
- Impact: 90%+ student participation in STEAM, national recognition, and record-breaking graduation rates
🧠 Key Insight #3: Replace Equity Buzzwords with Ethics
- What’s broken: DEI as a buzzword without substance
- The shift: Replace diversity and equity with ethics
- Impact: Every student gets what they need — not because it’s politically correct, but because it’s morally required
Quotable Ruckus
Your Do School Different Challenge
Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:
- Tomorrow: Audit one adult-centered practice and replace it with a student-focused one
- This Month: Reach out to one potential partner outside your zip code — think big (DLR, Apple, Zoom)
- This Semester: Launch one initiative that proves belief in students — housing, pathways, real opportunities
Connect & Continue
Get the full episode transcript: here
Follow Micah Ali: Linkedin
Follow Micah Ali: Linkedin
Follow Micah Ali: Linkedin
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