Education Reform Leader: Fixing a Broken School System with Personalized Learning

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Living Your Legacy

Episode: Education Reform Leader: Fixing a Broken School System with Personalized Learning

Host: Rudy Mawer
Guest: Beth Rupert, Founder of Solid Foundations Academy
Date: March 5, 2026

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Main Theme Overview

This inspiring episode dives into the urgent need for education reform in the United States, with a spotlight on personalized learning. Guest Beth Rupert shares her journey as an education innovator, recounts the personal story that set her on this path, and passionately advocates for individualized curricula, early childhood intervention, and addressing learning disabilities with both compassion and science. The discussion targets how the “one size fits all” model is failing today’s children, what needs to change, and what it means to truly leave a legacy as an educator and advocate.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Core Problem: Outdated Education Systems

• Beth: “Our education system’s broken very much. We need to fix it. It’s broken not because we don’t have good teachers, administrators. It’s broken because they haven’t changed how we teach children.” [00:00, 02:16]
• Technology alone (computers, iPads) hasn’t changed the fundamental methods of education.

Who Needs to Hear This?

• Beth’s message is for government leaders, policymakers, parents, and children.
• Beth: “I’d like to, first and foremost, speak to the government because...money is what we need. We need interventions.” [03:16]
• She empathizes with parents of struggling children and emphasizes a child’s right to quality education.

Challenges Teachers Face

• Increasing teacher attrition due to frustration, low pay, and high stress.
• Beth: “Even if we paid our teachers a million dollars, they still wouldn’t like their jobs because we have children...that need help.” [04:41]
• Classrooms now deal with issues far beyond academics: depression, drug abuse, bullying, and more.

Personal Spark: Beth’s Story of Discovery

• Beth shares the struggle of her son Andrew, misdiagnosed due to a processing disconnect.
• Beth: “He knew every letter of the alphabet numerically...he’d say four because D is the fourth letter of the alphabet.” [07:09]
• Her background in psychiatry and research with professionals led her to develop a personalized curriculum.

The Transformational Power of Individualized Learning

• Success isn’t just academic improvement, it’s restoring children’s self-confidence and hope for families.
• Beth: “I saw the parents go from hopelessness...to hopeful, to excitement, to say, that’s my kid, my kid has a future and that’s why I do it.” [08:32]

The Case for Early Childhood Education

• Most processing systems are “solidified” by age five.
• Beth: “If we put the money in and sink it into early childhood education...we’re going to save the government money. It’s a no brainer.” [10:54, 11:45, 12:13]
• America is behind other nations who value academics as early as age three.

Critique of Current Alternatives

• Montessori and similar programs too often cost-prohibitive/not universally effective.
• The key is individualized, not “alternative,” education.
• Beth: “Your brain and how you process is different than mine...Not everybody’s learning that way, so it has to be individualized.” [12:56]

Practical Brain Science

• Insights into how auditory and visual processing affects learning; importance of considering brain hemispheres and sensory input.
• Beth: “If you have a kid that has ear infections...the information that goes in your right ear is actually for the left hemisphere of your brain...The left hemisphere is where you have language. Just think if you have ear infections in your right ear…” [14:02-14:41]

Real Stories: Autism & Unlocking Potential

• Beth recounts success stories, such as helping a nonverbal autistic boy thrive with the right support.
• Beth: “No one took the time to even talk to him. They all just see behaviors. It’s what he does, it’s not what he thinks...We just did some interventions, got him one on one, help supports, and he went off to kindergarten.” [16:05-16:58]

Science Meets Empathy

• Beth combines rigorous neuroscience with heartfelt storytelling, advocating for making “science not boring” and celebrating the joy of watching children blossom.
• Beth: “There’s nothing more romantic or exciting than a kid just being so happy in life. The eyes sparkle, the smile. Who doesn’t love a kid?” [17:12]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Beth Rupert: “Our education system’s broken very much...It’s broken because they haven’t changed how we teach children.” [00:00]
• Beth Rupert: “Even if we paid our teachers a million dollars, they still wouldn’t like their jobs because...children that are coming into the system...need help.” [04:41]
• Beth Rupert (about her son): “He knew every letter of the alphabet numerically...I realized he was highly intelligent and compensating for his disability.” [07:09]
• Beth Rupert: “If we’re good at learning, we want to learn, right? If we’re not good at it, we don’t want to go to school. We hate school.” [08:19]
• Beth Rupert: “The solution isn’t difficult ... most of your personality and processing systems are already solidified ... by the time you’re five years old.” [10:54]
• Beth Rupert: “Your brain and how you process is different than mine...so it has to be individualized.” [12:56]
• Beth Rupert: “There’s nothing more romantic or exciting than a kid just being so happy in life. The eyes sparkle, the smile. Who doesn’t love a kid?...that’s as best as it gets, man.” [17:12]

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment / Highlight | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–02:16 | Beth diagnoses the problem: unchanged teaching methods | | 03:16 | Advocacy focus: government, parents, children | | 04:41 | Teacher burnout and system stressors | | 07:09 | Beth’s personal story: discovering her son’s unique learning | | 08:32 | The emotional impact on families, hope restored | | 10:54–12:13| Early intervention is key; international comparison | | 12:56 | The necessity of truly individualized learning | | 14:02–14:41| Brain science and educational practice | | 16:05–16:58| Success story: helping an autistic student break through | | 17:12 | Celebrating the joy of helping children thrive |

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Episode Tone & Final Thoughts

The episode is candid, passionate, and often humorous, rooted in deep empathy and personal experience. Beth’s blend of science, advocacy, and heartful storytelling delivers a compelling call for real change, targeting not just policymakers but every listener. She embodies the theme of living your legacy—changing lives one child, one family, one school at a time.

Whether you’re an educator, a parent, or someone seeking inspiration, this conversation leaves you empowered with practical wisdom and the motivation to “kick ass” for the next generation.

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Transcript

[A]

Our education system's broken very much. We need to fix it. It's broken not because we don't have good teachers, administrators. It's broken because they haven't changed how we teach children. We've added in computers and iPads, but we haven't changed anything else besides that.

[B]

Beth Rupert is transforming education through solid foundations Academy, an individualized curriculum designed to ensure every child has the chance to succeed. She helps children overcome learning disabilities and unlocks their unique potential. It's quite the battle you're facing here. Why not just give up? What is. What is your. Why? Why, why fight it?

[A]

Why fight it? I'm going to tell you why.

[B]

It spans the globe like a super highest cold Internet. Elvis Preston. Today, Apple is going to reinvent the bomb. It's not over. I'm hell. I win. The living your legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has happened. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan Open Chicago. With the lead, Usain Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream. Welcome back to another powerful episode of the Women in power podcast. For Inside Success, I'm Ray Gutierrez. Joining me today is Beth Rupert. She is transforming education through solid foundations Academy, ensuring that every child has a chance to succeed. How do you feel about that intro, Beth?

[A]

I love it.

[B]

You're welcome. We're done here. Publish it. We're done. Beth, welcome.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

We're about to film your episode today for women in power. What are we going to learn about you today, love?

[A]

Our education system's broken very much. We need to fix it. It's. It's obviously Trump is tearing it down as we speak right now.

[B]

Good old Grandpa Trump.

[A]

And we don't have the Department of Education. And what we don't have, to be honest with you, is we have a new society, you know?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

The world has changed. Back in the day, moms stayed home and took care of the kids, educated the children, and we had a different society than we do today. The problem is we still have the same education system. So it's broken not because we don't have good teachers, administrators. It's broken because they haven't changed how we teach children. We've added in computers and iPads, but we haven't changed anything else besides that. Who.

[B]

Who are you serving here? Because you're speaking to me. I realized my teacher was an idiot. Maybe sixth grade. I'm like, I stopped doing my homework. I'm like, does it even matter if I do it or not? Like this Guy doesn't care. He has no. He has no real investment in my education. He's coming and doing his thing. You can just feel it. But most kids don't think that way. Who are you speaking to? Are you speaking to parents? Are you speaking to the children? Like, who are you speaking to with your message?

[A]

I'd like to, first and foremost, speak to the government because, you know, it starts at the top, and money is what we need. We need interventions. We need money to help the schools, the school districts, the parents. So first and foremost, start at the top.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

And they're working our way, obviously, down to parents. As a parent that had a child that struggled with education, I know what it's like.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

To feel your heart breaking for your child. I know what it's like to fear that your child won't have a successful future. Because if you don't have a good education unless you have a trade, and we know that robotics and everything's taken over, there is no future. And then I'm also talking to the children that deserve quality education. It should be every human right to have a quality of education.

[B]

So how do you educate the people that need the education the most? Like, they're clearly part of an old traditional way of doing things. Throw money at it and a problem will go away. Throw bodies at it, the money, the problems will go away. It's the very. It's the American spirit, folks.

[A]

Yes, yes, yes, for sure.

[B]

How do you educate these folks? Then go, yo, like, we are. We're. We're. We're due for collapse here. And it's because the education ain't right. Because you're all a little dated.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Like, how do you educate these folks?

[A]

So research is out there. I mean, it's been done over and over again. It's early childhood education. We keep sinking the money into elementary education. Let's face it, people, teachers are leaving by the droves. No one wants to be a teacher today. Why? It's the testing. It's the. You know, I think even if we paid our teachers a million dollars, they still wouldn't like their jobs because we have children that are coming into the system that need help.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Fully armed weapon society. Everything. Depression, drug abuse, bullying, addiction. I can go on and on.

[B]

These are teachers, not therapists.

[A]

Right, Exactly.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Or police officers.

[B]

Oh, police, absolutely right.

[A]

Get beat up, you can get, you know, hurt being a teacher today.

[B]

But it's like seeing the. Seeing how things are. It's almost like a temperament of how the energy is out there. Right now, like you're seeing it through the generation that is supposed to be leading us and there's a lot of disruption and destruction. How there's, it's quite the battle you're facing here. Why not just give up? Like, why not? Like, oh well, I've got my own, my own problems. Like 99 problems in a BA1. Like why not just give up? What, what is, what is your. Why? Why, why fight it?

[A]

Why fight it? I'm going to tell you why again. I had a child that had had a learning disability. I went and my child, Andrew, he. I couldn't understand what was going on with them. I mean he's in preschool and his name is Andrew A, N, D, R, E, W. And he could write his name and say the letters, but if you pointed to a D, he had no clue. He looked at me with stars in his eyes and, and at that time I was not a teacher. I was in psychiatry. I worked professionally in psych for many, many years. The last year, six years in the psychiatric emergency department. So I had, I did know about learning disabilities, but I couldn't figure out what was going on with them. I'm like, okay, you're a really smart boy, high iq. What is going on? You know, the teachers are like, you know, he's a brilliant. And I'm like no. So I realized he was high, highly intelligent and compensating for his disability. He would say if you pointed to the letter D, he'd say four. And I'm like, dude is a letter, not a number. What are you doing? And I just was so concerned and hid under his breath a whisper. And I didn't know what he was doing. And then finally just getting to know my child, taking time talking to him under trying to understand how his brain processes. I realized he knew every letter of the Alphabet numerically. He was saying four because four is our D is the fourth letter of the Alphabet.

[B]

Amazing.

[A]

So he then would say D. Yeah, got the letter high intelligence. But there was a processing disconnect. And then I went and started studying. I developed my curriculum for Solid Foundations Academy. I started using what I researched and learned through collaboration with doctors that helped me with auditory processing disconnect, visual processing disconnect and started trying things out. And guess what? He, his grades improved, his self confidence came up. And then at that time it was a teacher. So I was helping other students and I saw the difference, the unlock too. It like the snap of a child that feels worthless of no confidence. And we don't like to Do. Hey, we don't like to do things we're not good at, right?

[B]

Sure, of course not.

[A]

If we're good at learning, we want to learn, right? If we're not good at it, we don't want to go to school. We hate school. School is terrible. Fighting with the parents. And then I saw the parents go from hopelessness, helplessness, just gut wrenching pain, to hopeful, to excitement, to say, that's my kid, my kid has a future and that's why I do it.

[B]

And it's, and it's, and it comes down to survival because it's all about building a legacy. Not to plug our other show, but it really is. Because when you're telling me those stories, I can just feel the panic in these parents hearts going, how do I teach my son to fish? Like he's got difficulties just operating. But it's the way I'm speaking to him and it's the way I have to teach him. That is the key here. I can't help but think of my own father that unfortunately I don't speak to anymore. But he. Gorgeous man. I mean, hotter than George Clooney, crystal blue eyes. Oh, exactly right. But dumb as a doorknob in Cuba. Dropped out of fifth grade and no one could figure out why this poor boy, gorgeous man, would not learn, couldn't read anything, and he suffered. And if it wasn't for someone like you, that would have stepped in and go, yo, there's a specific way to speak to this man. He could have been something far greater and God bless him. Wherever you are, dad, But I have some of that code. I, I found myself when I looked at my dumb sixth grade teacher, I saw sort of a reflection of myself. I'm like, well, I'm not really paying attention to much what, whatever the hell he's saying. But you give me a computer, I can design you a website. I was designing websites in 95, 1995, I was, you know, camera work, anything. But when it came to reading, math and all these boring things that I wasn't visual, that I couldn't tell a story, I, I couldn't learn it like that to me was difficulty. So hearing your story, I'm like, gosh, where were you that day in sixth grade when Mr. Trujill failed me? And so I, what, what happens next now? Like, how are you educating? Like you said, you're speaking to, to, to leaders. What change are you seeing? Are you seeing massive change or change per one parent at a time?

[A]

So for the leaders, I am an advocate I do. I live in Pennsylvania. I do go to Harrisburg and I do meet with the reps, representatives and senators and I've talked to them about early childhood education. The solution isn't difficult, to be really honest with you, because we all know that how you think your personalities, your processing systems are already solidified for the most part by the time you're five years old.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

So by the time you get into kindergarten and in Pennsylvania, you don't even have to go to kindergarten, you just have to go to first grade. It's not even a cursory level. So by the time you get to first grade and people figure out like you, oh my gosh, something's not going on here. Not right. We're already too late.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So if we put the money in and sink it into early childhood education, Quality early childhood education, and I don't mean childcare, I mean academics.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I mean, and we're behind other countries, most countries, we're speaking fine language, to be honest with you.

[B]

They call English basic in Switzerland. English is basic.

[A]

Basic. And most children start their education at 3 years old.

[B]

Jesus Christ.

[A]

Right. And we wonder why we're struggling as a nation.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I know.

[A]

Honestly.

[B]

But it's the American way. Cheeseburger, hot dogs.

[A]

I give you credit. You found something that you're good at.

[B]

I got lucky.

[A]

You found something that makes you happy. Not everybody's that. That lucky. And then we are losing. Kids grow up, right? And they turn to drugs, they turn to alcohol, they have mental health issues, basically from something that could have been remediated from the time they were young. So let's move that money into early. We're going to save the government money. You know, it's a no brainer. Like we're not doing something we don't know.

[B]

But what do you say to that politician when he goes, wow, we have Montessori. We've got all these other programs. Why not just put the kid in Montessori?

[A]

Well, first of all, Montessori's most states you have to pay for. So what if you have a. What if you have a parent that can't afford a Montessori?

[B]

We just put them in a Catholic public school.

[A]

Not all children can learn by Montessori.

[B]

I know, honey, I'm playing devil's advocate here.

[A]

Yeah. So we need something that teaches or educates the child as an individual. So my curriculum is individualized. Your brain and how you process is different than my.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

And if it's one curriculum and we turn a page and this is our lesson today. Not everybody's learning that way, so it has to be individualized. We have to say, hey, well, how are you, you know, following that information in your brain? How do you understand it? And why don't you get it? Like, my son, he's saying four for the letter D. How's he doing these days? He's fantastic. Guess what? He went to college, and he's an accountant.

[B]

He's. Yeah, he is. I love it.

[A]

Hell, yeah. That's amazing. He loves math from the time he was a little boy.

[B]

That's amazing. What a great story. I'm like, I don't look and see numbers. I see letters.

[A]

Huh? Huh? That's great, dude. It's not a number. And I'm thinking, oh, my goodness, what should I do wrong? And. And then I started.

[B]

Musicians call it synesthesia. The dude from God, I forgot his name from. From Nerd. He's also lives in Miami. He. Synesthesia. They see sounds, okay? They see it. It's very difficult to explain what that means. I happens to me where I'm like, no, I can see you. I can see it. You're speaking to me, but I see the bubbles.

[A]

Well, I'm gonna get all geeky on you right now. Let me say geek, right? We have the different hemispheres of our brain, right? And this is the thing. If you have a kid that has air infections and most people don't know, okay. The information that goes in your right ear is actually for the left hemisphere of your brain.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Right. And the information that goes into your left ear goes into the. And processes in the right hemisphere of your brain. The left hemisphere is where you have language.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

How you learn how to read and to speak. Just think if you have ear infections in your right ear. The download like my son did.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then you have ear infections. They actually process not can they hear things like the Peanuts. And then your friend, he has that left ear because he's got that musical mind. So that left side, that goes to the right side. Right hemisphere, geeking out. I know.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

You're like, well, I.

[B]

If you want to get really freaky, I know this is kind of morbid. I'm like, I just saw JFK's assassination. I'm like, oh, back into the left. So when the billet pierce, it actually went through this one. And then I knocked out. So he kind of technically had his last words to. Wow. This. This turned to a very dark podcast.

[A]

Wrong podcast.

[B]

Sorry, bubba. But. But yeah, just to give you kind of who you're speaking to in our audience. Let's, let's bring it back. So you're talking about the different hemispheres in the brain, like how much of it is science versus personal, philosophy versus data and a smidge of foo foo. Like talk to me about the quadrants of what your message and where you're positioning it.

[A]

Well, that's all science. So we know that. But I tell people all the time.

[B]

But science is boring for most people. So how do you romanticize it and make it?

[A]

I romanticize it in the fact that, you know, I have kids that come to me all the time and children with autism.

[B]

Yep. Oh, yeah.

[A]

And let's talk about that. They're, they're, they're in their mind. Right. Their minds closed up. So let's talk about a child with autism. I had a child with autism. Mom came to me a year ago crying, said, look, my child's getting kicked out of another school that, you know, they're saying that he's behavioral issues, he's disruptive, has all these things. This cutest little boy comes to me, oh my goodness, adorable, big brown eyes, just sweet as can be. But he's just locked up. But no one took the time to even talk to him. They all just see behaviors. It's what he does, it's not what he thinks. You get to know him. He is smart as a whip, let me just tell you. And we just did some interventions, got him one on one, help supports, and he went off to kindergarten. This, you know, this year is going Go Hunter.

[B]

Right on, Hunter.

[A]

He's going to be, he's doing great. I mean, but when you see kids come out of their shell, the ram like to romanticize you. There's nothing more romantic or exciting than a kid just being so happy in life. The eyes sparkle, the smile. Who doesn't love a kid? I mean, that's as best as it gets, man.

[B]

So I didn't really start speaking until I was five. So I, I, I'm a bit on the spectrum. I haven't been officially kind of like I've.

[A]

You overcame your decision?

[B]

I definitely overcame, I'm still overcoming it to this point. A lot of it is a little bit of masking, but I'm learning all these great terms based on all these interviews. I, I, I definitely want to wrap it on this. How upset are you that they're no longer making Hershey's chocolate in Hershey, Pennsylvania?

[A]

Really?

[B]

Oh, I've been to Hershey, Pa Next.

[A]

Tell me. Oh yeah, that Heinz ketchup is leaving us, too.

[B]

Are they really leaving?

[A]

No. That would be because I'm moving there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Hershey, this is not going to happen.

[B]

The only thing that's left in Hershey is the museum. They're not making chocolate there anymore. They moved that factory years ago.

[A]

Steelers.

[B]

Oh, that's true. And you've got the. The chocolate gumdrop light posts. And it still smells like chocolate in her. Should be.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Oh, good. Thank God.

[A]

But, yeah, you got to come to the burg, man.

[B]

Right on. Yeah. I haven't been. I haven't been.

[A]

I'm loving Miami, though.

[B]

Cool. Cool. Well, welcome. Miami's enjoying you.

[A]

Thank you. It's been a lot of fun.

[B]

Beth, you've been to. Such a pleasure. I cannot wait to start your interview session. You and I are locked in for 90 minutes. I can't wait to discover more.

[A]

We're best friends.

[B]

Pound it. Right on to education and to kicking ass. Another powerful episode of the Women in Power podcast. For insight success, I am Ray Gutierre.