An Interview with Arne Duncan

Anthony Mackay is joined by Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education during the Obama administration. In his current role as managing partner at the Emerson Collective, Duncan leads Chicago CRED, an effort that aims to improve opportunities for young people in Chicago with a specific focus on tackling gun violence. During the interview, Duncan highlights the power of education and its role in strengthening our nation’s democracy. Duncan identifies what he calls "nation-building goals" that the U.S. should focus on that include: improving access to high-quality pre-K; increasing the national high school graduation rate to 90 percent and incrementally working toward 100 percent; and boosting the rate of college completion. He also details the critical importance of providing equitable supports in U.S. schools, saying that the students most affected by the coronavirus pandemic should be given the time, technology, and talent they need to thrive.