ExcelinEd in Action Statehouse Spotlights

In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins preview North Carolina's upcoming legislative session and discuss what to expect on the docket for education. They’ll also dig into the legislative agenda in South Carolina, highlighting key education policy initiatives. As North Carolina gears up for debates on public school funding, school choice and measures to enhance early literacy, this episode explores how the state aims to strengthen its education system and support student success throughout the Tar Heel State. Our legislative director in the Southeast, Miranda Williams, will join our hosts to discuss the recent controversy over the state's school voucher program, which provides scholarships for students to attend private schools. They’ll also look at the possibility of policymakers introducing legislation to increase funding for public schools and teacher salaries, as well as reforms to the state's testing system.  Remember to join the conversation on social media.  ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook 

On today’s episode of Statehouse Spotlights, hosts Tome Greene and Ashley Mullins discuss the concerning trends around teacher job satisfaction and what states are doing to address this issue. They’ll uncover the challenges educators face and highlight innovative strategies states are employing to improve job satisfaction, teacher morale and retention rates, including increasing pay, providing more support and resources, and implementing mentorship programs. They’ll also focus on policies that attract new talent to the profession. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the challenges facing teachers and the concerted efforts being made to improve their working conditions, job satisfaction and to strengthen the teacher pipeline for generations to come. Remember to join the conversation on social media.  ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook  

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.  Remember to join the conversation on social media.  ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook 

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/ Remember to join the conversation on social media.  ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook 

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.  Remember to join the conversation on social media.  ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook 

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. Remember to join the conversation on social media.  ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook 

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.  Remember to join the conversation on social media.  ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook  

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.   Remember to join the conversation on social media. ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook 

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  Remember to join the conversation on social media. ExcelinEd in Action (@ExcelinAction) / X (twitter.com)  ExcelinEd in Action (@excelinedinaction) • Instagram   ExcelinEd in Action on Facebook