Mike Johnston is a state senator from Colorado who loved teaching so much, he decided to become the principle of a school for challenged kids in Colorado. While this may seem like a giant misstep for a politician who advised President Obama on education policy, Johnston actually began his career as a teacher with Teach for America in 1997. From Mike’s experience he wrote In the Deep Heart’s Core, a book about the challenges teachers face in the Colorado education system.
When Johnson became a principle the graduation rate at his school was 50%. To any educator that number screams run or give up but to Johnston he saw potential for change and by the end of his first year as principle he managed to get a 100% graduation rate with all of his students admitted to college. In 21 minutes Johnston reveals how he made the seemingly impossible– possible.