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Jason Ryan Dorsey has earned standing ovations keynoting education conferences across America.
Jason’s high-energy keynotes for education audiences consistently receive outstanding reviews. He delivers the right mix of inspiration, frontline insight, and ready-to-use ideas collected from his experience speaking on-site at 700 schools. He’s also married to a secondary school administrator! Jason customizes his educator keynotes to fit your audience and event goal—whether a state superintendent conference, school improvement summit, or district in-service. Every attendee leaves Jason’s educator keynotes with at least ten strategies they can immediately use to strengthen their school from the inside out. The best of these strategies are shared in Jason’s acclaimed school culture improvement book, 50 Ways to Improve Schools for Under $50.
Jason’s three most requested educator and school administrator keynote programs:


In this inspiring program, Jason shares his personal story of educators taking the risk to reach out to him—and changing his life forever. He then reveals specific, front-line tested strategies and actions that every school stakeholder can use to have a more lasting, meaningful impact on their students. All attendees—from first-year teachers to seasoned administrators—leave this high-energy, emotional keynote feeling good about themselves, their profession, and inspired about the difference they make.
Ideal for: Education conference opening or closing general sessions, school-year faculty kick-offs, and mid-year professional development programs. (This program is available as a 45 to 60 minute keynote or up to 2.5 hour seminar.)
Audience reaction to How An Educator Saved My life!™ :
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“Jason Dorsey did a terrific job of addressing 400 teachers from across South Dakota. Through the use of personal experiences and humor, Jason helped our teachers with specific strategies to reach the students in our schools. Jason's insight and energetic delivery was a highlight of our Teacher Leadership Conference and resulted in him receiving a standing ovation.”
Dr. Rick Melmer, Secretary of Education
State of South Dakota |
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Administrators and educators at all levels want fun, creative, cost-effective ideas that other school stakeholders have used to strengthen their school from the inside out. In this interactive program, Jason shares powerful stories of schools transformed by the actions of individual school stakeholders who took the risk and responsibility to try something new in their classroom, hallway, department, building, or district. Every attendee leaves this program with a more hands-on understanding of school culture and ten to twenty (depending on time) specific, ready-to-use ideas they can immediately implement.
Ideal for: Education conferences focused on systemic school improvement, in-services related to relevance, rigor, and relationships, and summer professional development academies.
(This program is available as a 45 to 60 minute keynote or up to 2.5 hour seminar.)
Audience reaction to Better Schools on a Budget ™:


After working on-site at some of the country’s most challenging schools, Jason has developed a unique strategy for connecting with and motivating hard-to-reach students. This strategy enables him to quickly build the trust, respect, and confidence of these students who often do not look, dress, or talk like him. In this practical program, Jason shares his strategy so your attendees can better engage and influence their hardest to reach students. This program is ideal for school stakeholders who want their students to take more responsibility for their actions, set and achieve higher academic and graduation goals, and make better decisions.
Ideal for: Conferences and summits for school leaders with hard-to-reach student populations, in-services and professional development programs focused on best practices for serving hard-to-reach students, and grant funded initiatives designed to help hard-to-reach students. (This program is available as a 45 to 60 minute keynote or up to 2.5 hour seminar.)
Audience reaction to Inspiring Hard-to-Reach Students ™:
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| Jason with the President and Vice President of the New York State School Boards Association. Jason was the youngest keynote speaker in the history of their organization! |
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| Jason with Superintendent Jim Vidak after keynoting an in-service for school administrators in California. |
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| Jason meeting educators before keynoting an in-service for their school in Numaligarh, India. |
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| Jason with Richard Wong, Executive Director of ASCA, after speaking at their national conference for 1,000 school counselors. |
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| Jason with HESTEC leadership after keynoting their Educator Day for 1,000 educators! |
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| Jason with Dr. Rick Melmer, Secretary of Education for South Dakota, after keynoting the South Dakota Teacher Leadership Conference. Jason received a standing ovation! |
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| Jason with educators in Georgia after delivering a half-day program at their regional Summer Leadership Institute. |
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| Jason with administrators from the International School of Helsinki after keynoting their graduation ceremony. |
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| Jason with Bernard McInerney, Statewide Tech Prep Coordinator, after keynoting the New York Tech Prep Conference. |
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| Jason with Virginia Trchalek after keynoting a leadership conference for the Texas Association of School Boards. |
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| Jason with Lynn Seymour and Jim Lukach after keynoting the New Jersey School Counselors state conference. |
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| Jason with the leadership of the Iowa Association for the Gifted and Talented after keynoting their state conference. |
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| Jason with educators after speaking at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. |
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| Jason with Jodi Lunt and Dale Stephens after keynoting the Utah Career Connections Conference! |
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| Jason with Dr. Jo Anne McFarland, President, Central Wyoming College, and Dr. J.D. Rottweiler, EVP for Academic Services. Jason keynoted the CWC Convocation and received a standing ovation! |
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| Jason with Dr. Nicole Catapano after speaking to school district administrators from across upstate New York at Datapalooza 2008! |
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