Atlanta Public Schools superintendent Meria Carstarphen will join a new national group that will explore how schools can better teach students non-academic skills, like how to work in groups or be resilient in the face of challenges.

The work of the Aspen Institute's commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development will culminate in a report that will "re-envision what constitutes success in our schools."

The 14-member group is chaired by Stanford University professor Linda Darling-Hammond; lobbyist and former Michigan governor John Engler; and Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning chairman Tim Shriver. Carstarphen is one of two current K-12 educators on the commission.

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Board members listen during an Atlanta School Board meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. APS held its first vote on school consolidation plans. (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

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