Staying on Course
How Erika Hernandez stayed true to her personal mission and advocacy for special education in the private sector
What is your personal mission or calling in education?
My personal mission is to ensure all teachers have the support they need to provide quality instruction for all learners.
What gave you that mission?
The teaching program I was certified through placed me in special education by chance. Honestly, I had no idea what that meant so I was apprehensive. At the time, I was very passionate about equity—specifically, in relation to race, class, gender, and sexuality. I hadn’t previously thought about how ability played a role in equity as well. During my first year of teaching, it became glaringly apparent that students with learning disabilities were systemically disadvantaged in our education system.
In an average student’s lifetime, there is a 5% chance they’ll receive an out-of-school suspension. That percentage increases to 11% if the student is a black male. Additionally, if the black male student is classified with a disability, he has over a 20% chance of receiving an out-of-school suspension.
The data and research are clear—academic and social-emotional damage occurs when a student is out-of-school suspended. Black males with disabilities are much more likely to experience this trauma. I witnessed these facts as reality as an educator. Students with disabilities were not receiving an equitable education. This reality made me angry at first (honestly still does) and led me to dedicate my work to supporting all students, regardless of ability level.
My personal mission is to ensure all teachers have the support they need in order to provide quality instruction for all learners.
Are you still living your personal mission at Goalbook?
Absolutely. What is important to me is that teachers have the support they need to provide quality instruction for all learners. The best part of my work at Goalbook, and it happens often, is showing teachers the Goalbook products and having them say, “Oh my God, this tool is incredible!,” or “This tool is going to really help me with writing quality IEPs and thinking about ways I can design my instruction so it is accessible for all.” That is precisely what I care about—that educators have the support and resources they need to support their students, so it feels directly aligned.
I am now working with 150 schools. I feel my impact is greater because I am having conversations with people across NYC…
How do you measure your personal impact with the work you do as a Customer Success Manager?
Qualitatively, the reaction from educators and their anecdotes let me know that I am making an impact. For example, when I am on a conference call with current Goalbook school partners and potential school partners, our current school partners will affirm, “You guys got to get this thing. It is so incredible, and it has changed our IEPs.” Hearing that, you know this is a tool that is really supporting educators.
Quantitatively, it’s great to see the data that supports our work at Goalbook. Jo Ann, Goalbook’s Lead Impact & Program Evaluator, has been leading impact studies with school districts. I love looking at data! Seeing the results of the studies, that our tool is really having an impact, has been a really deliberate way of seeing the impact of our work.
My reach has broadened after coming to Goalbook. I am now working with 150 schools. I feel my impact is greater because I am having conversations with people across NYC, which has an impact on a greater number of students than when I was working in schools.
Erika’s story is part of our series on “Transitioning to the Private Sector”. Read about Chrissy’s journey from the classroom.
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