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...
May 02, 2024•44 min•Season 2024Ep. 17
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 excell...
Apr 25, 2024•54 min•Season 2024Ep. 16
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 recomme...
Apr 18, 2024•38 min•Season 2024Ep. 15
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 vi...
Apr 11, 2024•22 min•Season 2024Ep. 14
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 ma...
Apr 04, 2024•47 min•Season 2024Ep. 13
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 wh...
Mar 28, 2024•23 min•Season 2024Ep. 12
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 Dele...
Mar 21, 2024•53 min•Season 2024Ep. 11
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 ...
Mar 14, 2024•54 min•Season 2024Ep. 10
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 ...
Mar 07, 2024•45 min•Season 2024Ep. 9
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...
Feb 29, 2024•43 min•Season 2024Ep. 8
In today's episode of Statehouse Spotlights, we delve into the unsettling but surmountable trend of states attempting to roll back good education policies. Despite research indicating their effectiveness, these policies – ranging from early literacy to private education choice and accountability – sometimes come under threat. Hosts Ashley Mullins and Marcos Lopez explore recent legislative attempts in various states, such as Arizona’s “Backtrack Trio" of bills. But it’s not all bad news! They de...
Feb 22, 2024•24 min•Season 2024Ep. 7
Join us for an enlightening Statehouse Spotlights podcast episode as we dive into the critical topic of private vs. public school accountability. In 2023, we witnessed a surge of education choice program expansions across the nation, with states like Arizona leading the charge in adopting universal or near-universal parental choice programs a couple years before. However, with this wave of educational freedom comes a pressing question: How are private schools being held accountable for the publi...
Feb 15, 2024•25 min•Season 2024Ep. 6
Welcome to Statehouse Spotlights. Step into the urgent conversation surrounding math education in America as we dissect the latest revelations from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) math exam results in this eye-opening podcast episode. Despite some improvement on pandemic's disruptive impact on education, our hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins explore why American students continue to persistently lag behind global competitors in math education. We're excited to have Indi...
Feb 08, 2024•33 min•Season 2024Ep. 5
Welcome back to Statehouse Spotlights, your inside look at education legislation trends. ExcelinEd in Action hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins bring you the latest state actions, from school choice to AI in education. Then, they unravel a bipartisan breakthrough we’re seeing thanks to science-backed early literacy policies and the urgent need to address the alarming fact that two-thirds of fourth graders are struggle with reading. Tom and Ashley delve into challenges, from funding issues to de...
Feb 01, 2024•41 min•Season 2024Ep. 4
Welcome to Statehouse Spotlights, your go-to podcast for the latest in education news across the country. In this episode, we're diving into the significant shift toward school choice, celebrating National School Choice Week. From charter schools to education scholarship accounts (ESAs), we explore the record number of states embracing expansive education options. Hosts Tom Green and Ashley Mullins define school choice and discuss legislative highlights from the past week, including Indiana's fo...
Jan 25, 2024•26 min•Season 2024Ep. 3
How do you feel about banning cell phones in the classroom? Young children's access to social media? In Episode 2 of the ExcelinEd in Action Statehouse Spotlights, where policy meets advocacy, our hosts share how the states are tackling social media and smartphones in schools this legislative session. With insights from ExcelinEd in Action’s senior legislative director for Florida, Nathan Hoffman, and legislative director for the Great Lakes region, Evan Eagleson—hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mull...
Jan 18, 2024•18 min•Season 2024Ep. 2
Dive into Episode 1 of the ExcelinEd in Action Statehouse Spotlights podcast, where education policy meets advocacy. Join Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins as they unravel the monumental year for K-12 education reform that was 2023. States, led by visionary leaders, made historic strides—universal choice in Arkansas, innovative career scholarship accounts in Indiana, and a wave of states championing early literacy. Discover the impact of banning harmful practices like three-cueing and closing the fu...
Jan 11, 2024•25 min•Season 2024Ep. 1
Join the ExcelinEd in Action Advocacy team on the Statehouse Spotlights podcast, your go-to source for updates on critical education policy and legislation. From early literacy to the digital divide, teacher pipeline to school choice, we track and report on bills shaping student-centered policies. Stay informed on the latest trends during state legislative sessions, guided by a team of trusted experts. Tune in to the Statehouse Spotlights podcast to stay ahead in the dynamic landscape of educati...
Jan 04, 2024•2 min
