In this episode, host and ExcelinEd VP of Policy Cara Candal kicks off season two of Policy Changes Lives by tackling the biggest federal education headlines with Patricia Levesque, CEO of ExcelinEd, and Lindsay Fryer, founder of Lodestone DC. 

Together, they break down the White House proposal to close the U.S. Department of Education, the potential reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and how states are navigating new waiver requests. They also dive into provisions in Congress’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill,” from expanding Pell Grants for short-term credentials to new higher ed accountability rules and the launch of a federal tax-credit scholarship program. 

Patricia and Lindsay share what these shifts mean for governors, legislators and state leaders—and why, despite the headlines, the real drivers of reform remain in state hands. 

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