The Way Forward: PLC at Work® and the Bright Future of Education with Dr. Anthony Muhammad

Feb 11
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The Way Forward: PLC at Work® and the Bright Future of Education with Dr. Anthony Muhammad

Season 3, Episode 2

Episode Summary

 In this episode of Equity Unlocked, Dr. Muhammad Khalifa sits down with longtime colleague Dr. Anthony Muhammad for a reflective and forward-looking conversation centered on Dr. Muhammad’s latest book, The Way Forward: PLC at Work and the Bright Future of Education.


The discussion explores what it truly means to implement professional learning communities in ways that advance equity rather than compliance. Dr. Muhammad reflects on the historical roots of schooling, the persistence of surface-level reform, and the dangers of knowing better without doing better. Drawing on decades of leadership experience, he offers guidance for school and district leaders who are navigating the current political, cultural, and moral challenges facing equity-centered work in education.


Throughout the episode, Dr. Muhammad emphasizes collective responsibility, the power of collaboration over individualism, and the ethical obligations of educators who claim to serve “all” students. The conversation blends practical insight with deeper reflection, offering both direction and grounding for leaders seeking clarity in the present moment.


Resources Referenced in This Episode
  • Dr. Anthony Muhammad – New Frontier 21
    Dr. Muhammad’s primary website, including links to his books, articles, speaking engagements, and consulting work.

  • Overcoming the Achievement Gap Trap
    Dr. Anthony Muhammad
    Referenced in relation to equity, ethics, and “functional hypocrisy” in schools.

  • The Way Forward: PLC at Work and the Bright Future of Education
    Dr. Anthony Muhammad
    The featured book discussed throughout the episode, focused on implementing PLCs with fidelity to improve learning and equity.

  • Solution Tree
    Professional publishing and learning organization referenced as a key partner in Dr. Muhammad’s PLC work and publications.
  • PLC at Work
    Richard DuFour et al.
    Foundational text referenced in the historical discussion of professional learning communities

  • All Things PLC
    Referenced as a repository documenting schools that have implemented PLCs with fidelity and sustained results.

  • Dr. Anthony Muhammad and Dr. Louis Cruz
    Mentioned regarding the leadership coaching framework for administrators.

Historical and Scholarly References Mentioned
  • Richard DuFour
  • Robert Eaker
  • Shirley Hord
  • Melvin McLaughlin
  • Peter Senge
  • Ronald Edmonds and the Effective Schools Movement
  • Brown v. Board of Education
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Title IX
  • No Child Left Behind
  • Clara Muhammad Schools
  • Muhammad University of Islam
  • Marva Collins
  • Molefi Kete Asante
  • Asa G. Hilliard
  • Vanessa Siddle Walker
  • Gholdy Muhammad
Topics with Episode Timestamps
[00:01:02] Early Life, Family, and Formative Influences
Dr. Anthony Muhammad reflects on his upbringing in Flint, Michigan, his mother’s path as a lifelong educator, and how witnessing deindustrialization shaped his commitment to mentorship, representation, and intervening early for young people.

[00:04:37] Redefining the Norm: Confidence, Identity, and Purpose
Dr. Muhammad names his core mission as “redefining the norm,” rejecting deficit narratives, refusing “imposter syndrome,” and building unapologetic confidence in students and educators.

[00:07:10] Mentorship, Representation, and the Origins of His PLC Work
Dr. Khalifa reflects on two formative moments with Dr. Muhammad: reclaiming public confidence in a shared name, and challenging PLC work to include representation beyond white, suburban, well-resourced schools.

[00:08:55] The Evolution of PLCs and the Purpose of the New Book
Dr. Muhammad situates The Way Forward as a synthesis of his PLC scholarship and practice, tracing the PLC at Work lineage, what it was designed to accomplish, and why this moment calls for renewed seriousness.

[00:11:00] “PLC Lite” vs. Authentic Implementation
He explains “PLC Lite” as knowing the right work but choosing convenience, drifting into meetings that avoid curriculum, assessment, and intervention, and undermining the purpose of collaboration.

[00:12:00] COVID, Reset Moments, and Collective Efficacy
Dr. Muhammad describes COVID as a rare reset moment that resurfaced his mentor’s challenge: to move from knowing what works into actually doing it, with full implementation that builds collective efficacy.

[00:14:40] Leadership Development and the Limits of Traditional Pathways
He previews upcoming work on leadership coaching, arguing that excellence in teaching does not automatically translate into leadership competence, and that leaders require training and coaching just like teachers do.

[00:16:05] Education at a Crossroads: From Knowing to Doing
Dr. Khalifa lifts a quote from the book and Dr. Muhammad expands on why “knowing” is no longer an excuse, contrasting education’s slow evolution with other fields and naming the ethical cost of outdated practices.

[00:19:03] Schools as Microcosms of Society and Polarization
Dr. Muhammad connects schooling to broader social forces, naming bigotry and greed as persistent impulses, and describing how modern accountability systems can reproduce inequities in updated language.

[00:22:15] Countermovements, Parallel Systems, and Educational Resistance
He traces the historical logic of countermovements and parallel systems, explaining why communities build alternatives when institutions fail to serve them, and what “demand” looks like in practice.

[00:25:35] Ethics, “All Means All,” and Professional Responsibility
Dr. Muhammad challenges “functional hypocrisy,” arguing that if schools claim “all means all,” they have a professional obligation to change practice for students who have been intentionally underserved.

[00:28:00] Education, Soul, and the Cost of Lying Down
He warns that education and society can lose their “soul” when people stop responding to injustice, and calls educators to organize, push back, and refuse resignation in the face of modern challenges.

[00:30:20] PLCs and the Black Radical Tradition
Dr. Muhammad locates PLC work inside the Black radical tradition, emphasizing “the power of we,” collective responsibility, and how collaboration has historically made Black educational excellence possible.

[00:33:23] How to Know If Your PLC Is Working
He offers a clear indicator: if student learning is not increasing because of collaboration, the work is off track. He distinguishes productive structures from outcomes and names common “PLC Lite” patterns.

[00:35:05] What Full Implementation Can Produce
Dr. Muhammad shares concrete examples from his principalship and describes the habits of high-functioning PLCs: unit-by-unit focus, evidence use, non-competitive sharing of promising practices, and team-based support.

[00:38:00] Where to Learn More and Closing Reflections
Dr. Muhammad shares how to follow his work and access resources, and the episode closes with an invitation to share the conversation with leaders navigating what it means to lead with integrity right now.
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