Innovating in Public Education with David Adams, CEO of The Urban Assembly

In this special on-location episode, Mike Palmer visits the headquarters of The Urban Assembly (UA) in New York City’s Financial District to sit down with David Adams, CEO of The Urban Assembly and host of the Innovations in Education podcast.

We explore how David and his team have evolved from designing 22 high-performing schools in NYC to "designing tools" that solve critical constraints in public education. David breaks down his "Theory of Constraints"—analyzing how barriers like time, knowledge, and resources limit school outcomes—and how UA is using Artificial Intelligence to dismantle them.

The centerpiece of this innovation is Project CAFE (Classroom Automated Feedback Environment). David explains how this AI-powered tool acts as an "instant replay" for educators, allowing them to view 10-second clips of their own practice—such as questioning techniques or student talk time—without the high cost or pressure of traditional observation. By reducing the cost of feedback to roughly $150 per teacher, CAFE is flipping the script on professional development, moving from an "avalanche of evaluation" to a "drip, drip, drip of professional development".

We also touch on the Urban Assembly’s impressive results, including a record-breaking 92.4% graduation rate, and how their focus on social-emotional learning (SEL) and workforce readiness is reshaping economic mobility for students.

Key Takeaways:

- From Schools to Tools: How UA supports its network of 22 schools while building scalable solutions for the broader education system.

- Project CAFE: An inside look at the AI tool that automates observation, offering private, low-stakes feedback for teachers to improve their "game tape".

- The Theory of Constraints: Using AI to reduce the "time tax" on learning outcomes and instructional coaching.

- Workforce Readiness: How "CounselorGPT" and Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways are moving students from "guessing to guidance" regarding the labor market.

- Record-Breaking Outcomes: Discussing the 92.4% graduation rate and the 100% success rate at the Urban Assembly Institute for Math and Science for Young Women.

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