Chad Freeman spends his days listening to students — really listening — and what he hears does not always match what districts are spending money on. This conversation is an honest look at the gap between student voice and institutional response, from someone who sits at the intersection of both.
What We Covered
- The specific things students say they need when you genuinely ask them — and how those answers differ from what schools typically fund
- How Alvord Unified School District approaches student services in a way that centers actual student experience
- The programs that move the needle on student wellbeing versus the ones that check compliance boxes without impact
- What it takes institutionally to shift from a services-delivery model to a genuine student-voice model
- Chad’s direct message to district leaders who want to close the gap between intention and student experience
About Chad Freeman
Chad Freeman is the Assistant Director of Student Services at Alvord Unified School District in Southern California. In his role, he oversees programs designed to support the whole student — academic, social, and emotional — with a practice grounded in listening to students before designing solutions for them. He brings both operational rigor and genuine student-centeredness to one of the most complex roles in district administration.
Key Takeaway
Students are not passive recipients of the services schools design for them. When given a real platform to describe what they need, they are specific, consistent, and often asking for things that cost less than the programs already in place. The most important investment any student services leader can make is the time to actually listen before deciding.
About Education Unlocked
Real conversations with the superintendents, principals, and district leaders who are changing what is possible in public education. Hosted by Sri Narayanan, founder of Kodely.