Closing the opportunity gap is a tall order, especially during a pandemic when new challenges have compounded previous difficulties. In this episode, Dr. Wendy Oliver interviews Susan Bearden, Director of Digital Programs for Innovate EDU, to investigate how innovative thinking can move the education system toward some solutions. Wendy and Susan discuss how socioeconomic status contributes to the opportunity gap and the digital divide, and reflect on the ways the pandemic has exacerbated the difference between the haves and have-nots in education. They also discuss what it means to be innovative in the classroom. (Hint: It might not mean what you think.) Susan has been at the forefront of K-12 innovation throughout her career, and you won’t want to miss her thoughts.