Welcome to our latest episode of Statehouse Spotlights, your go-to podcast for the latest in education news across the country. 

In today’s episode, hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins delve into the ongoing challenge of defending charter schools from legislative attacks. With these attacks becoming more common and public opinion divided, our hosts explore the reasons why charter schools are under threat and the winning strategies state advocates have used to successfully protect them. 

In today's discussion, our Legislative Director in the West Marcos Lopez spoke with Colorado Rep. Brandi Bradley, a mother who exercises educational choice for her own kids, about her experience defending charter schools this session.  

Tune in as we highlight the compelling data showcasing the positive impact of charter schools on student achievement and advocate for policies that promote a diverse K-12 education system that empowers families to choose the right learning environment for their kids.  

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Welcome to Statehouse Spotlights, your go-to podcast for the latest in education news across the country. In this episode, hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins unravel the captivating debate surrounding private school accreditation and whether it should be required for them to participate in school choice programs. 

Tom and Ashley highlight the nuances of accreditation's role as a measure of quality in education. Is accreditation truly the gold standard, or are there alternative pathways to excellence?  

Two non-accredited school leaders join the show to enlighten us. Jill Haskins of Streams of Hope Christian School in Indiana and Shawn Naugle of LiFT Academy in Florida tell us how their schools ensure high-quality education beyond accreditation requirements. Additionally, our guests will delve into the challenges and opportunities faced by non-accredited schools in participating in school choice programs.  

Streams of Hope Christian School: https://streamsofhopeschool.com/

LiFT Academy: https://liftfl.org/

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Welcome to a special episode of Statehouse Spotlights, and happy Mathematics & Statistics Awareness Month!  

Our Advocacy Team leads Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins update on the latest education legislation movement for the week, then highlight four key policy areas that demand attention from lawmakers. From grading schools to improving student reading and math achievement to studying education-to-workforce pathways, our team will zero in on the startling statistics that matter most and recommend policy changes. 

ExcelinEd in Action’s Executive Director Patricia Levesque joins us on this episode to dig deeper into these compelling statistics that should ignite lawmakers' passion to improve education for all students. It’s full of great evidence and sound policy advice for policymakers in every state.  

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Join us for the latest episode of Statehouse Spotlights as we provide a midseason wrap-up and look-ahead of legislative sessions across the nation. Hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins bring you the latest activity unfolding in statehouses, offering insights into key education bills, emerging trends and notable debates shaping K-12 education policy. 

Joining them for this discussion is Legislative Director for the West region Marcos Lopez, who provides firsthand insights into the challenges and victories faced in his states. From New Mexico to Virginia, Tom, Ashley and Marcos unpack the legislative highlights from states that have officially adjourned their legislative sessions. 

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Tune in to Statehouse Spotlights as we focus on Indiana’s groundbreaking initiative to reshape the high school experience by significantly redesigning diplomas. 

In today’s episode, hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins are joined by Indiana’s Education Secretary, Dr. Katie Jenner, who will share more about this bold and creative high school redesign and how it will prepare Hoosier students for future success.  

Check out our blog to learn more about the incredible strides Indiana policymakers are making in K-12 education. 

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In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, we share the weekly state actions highlights then dig into data science. Data science is an up-and-coming education policy area. If you’re a policymaker listening to this episode and we do a good job of making the case for prioritizing and investing in it—you and your state could end up a pioneer when it comes to data science education policy.   

The fact is: American industry runs on data. And while data keeps growing exponentially, the number of people who can draw insights from that data to solve real world problems isn’t keeping pace. Data scientists are in huge demand but more and more people are finding that skills in data collection, analysis and visualization are becoming critical to their careers.  

On this show, we share findings from a recent report by The Burning Glass Institute and our sister organization ExcelinEd that underscore the importance of K-12 data science education. 

Tune in as they provide insights into the state-level efforts in this area so far and which states are ripe for student-centered data science policy.  

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Tune in to this episode of Statehouse Spotlights as we delve into the critical topic of adolescent literacy during National Reading Month.  

Hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins will address the concerning social media trends among teachers, who are expressing frustration about the reading levels of their students, pose essential questions about how such literacy gaps could have developed, and highlight the role of pandemic-related school closures on the problem. 

We're excited to have Virginia Delegate Carrie Coyner and Indiana Senator Jeff Raatz on the show to share more about their work leading the charge to improve adolescent literacy post-pandemic. 

Join us as they highlight the significance of early intervention, personalized support and access to resources to address literacy challenges effectively, ensuring all students have the foundational skills needed for academic success and lifelong learning. 

If you’d like to listen to our previous episodes on early literacy, you can find them at the links below. Make sure to also visit www.earlyliteracymatters.org to learn more about what makes up an evidence-based comprehensive early literacy policy. 

• Early literacy bipartisanship on the rise - ExcelinEd in Action Statehouse Spotlights | Acast 
• How smart policymakers handle struggling third-grade readers - ExcelinEd in Action Statehouse Spotlights | Acast 

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Welcome to Statehouse Spotlights, your go-to podcast for the latest in education news across the country. In this episode, we’ll take you on a journey through the 2024 Florida legislative session, offering an inside look at the key developments shaping K-12 education in the Sunshine State. 

From budgets to hot-button education issues, hosts Ashley Mullins and Nathan Hoffman explore the wins and challenges encountered during this pivotal session, where the Florida legislature considered more than 100 education policy proposals. 

Florida is a state many others look to to lead on K-12 education policy. Tune in to learn everything you need to know about how the 2024 Florida legislative session will transform education. 

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In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, we discuss why rural communities should embrace school choice. 

Hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins will give an overview of the significant growth of school choice programs, particularly since the pandemic, and the challenges faced by rural policymakers and communities regarding these programs. 

They are joined by Jordan Zakery, ExcelinEd in Action’s legislative director in the Midwest, as he addresses common concerns raised by opponents of school choice in rural communities and emphasizes the importance of understanding the principles behind school choice and its benefits. 

Together, they will examine evidence from states with robust education choice programs and highlight success stories and examples of how school choice programs have positively impacted rural communities 

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In today’s episode of Statehouse Spotlights, we delve into third-grade retention policies. Why are they so crucial for struggling readers? Why do some people oppose them despite all of the positive evidence? How have we seen states implement them as part of a successful comprehensive early literacy policy? And where are we seeing legislation advancing in the states right now? 

After sharing the weekly state action highlights, hosts Tom Greene, Ashley Mullins and our regional advocacy director for the Southeast, Miranda Williams, take a deep dive into the role of third grade reading proficiency as a critical milestone in a child's educational journey.  

Tune into Statehouse Spotlights as we address how such third-grade retention laws can play a crucial role in promoting academic success and ensuring that all students can thrive beyond the schoolhouse.  

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