All Things Education

In this last episode of the school year, Matthew, Lance and Natalie talk about the growing trends in homeschooling, micro-schooling, and private schooling. Learn more about some of the distinguishing characteristics to these alternative forms of education, why their growing interest has been a recent phenomenon, and what this means for public education as a whole in Texas. Hosted By: Natalie Arias...

The big storyline in Texas education this spring has been the implementation of the school voucher program statewide. In this week's episode, Matthew, Natalie, and Lance take a look at some of the big storylines that have emerged with the rollout of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, dive into the numbers, and break down what is really behind some of the more attention-grabbing headlines. Now P...

With a historic decline in student enrollement across Texas' Public Schools, we ask the question - where have all the students gone? In this second episode of a three-part-series, we look at the number one rising alternative to traditional ISD schools: charters. Natalie and Matt talk in depth on the differences between charter and traditional public schools, exploring both the positive sides and t...

Ever wonder what teachers really think about the inspirational quotes and affirmations shared widely across the profession? You know you can count on the three of us to tell it to you straight! In this episode, the ATE pod crew dissect a few timeless quotes that are meant to represent and remind us of our "why." We offer a fresh round of honest insights into the educator's experience, including th...

Somehow we are already at the halfway point of a tumultuous 25/26 school year! Between end of the semester grading and final exams, teachers certainly have a lot of administrative work to do. But it's also an opportunity to reflect on all the great learning happening in our classrooms year-round. On this month's episode, Lance, Natalie, and Matthew look back at some of the more memorable lessons t...

Big changes are happening in public schools, lately! Declining enrollment is a concerning trend across Texas, even in some of the larger districts in the state. In today's episode, we scratch the surface and explore what is happening and why. Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 in future episodes! Now Playing on all major platforms! Follow and Share wherever you listen to podcasts. We appreciate your rat...

Today's episode explores some nuanced examples of how policy translates to implementation in schools across the state, and what stakeholders can do to advocate for what makes sense. Now Playing on all major platforms! Follow and Share wherever you listen to podcasts. We appreciate your ratings and reviews! Join the Conversation! Connect with us on Instagram and send us a DM with your thoughts or q...

This has been quite an active year in Austin, between the regular and special legislative sessions. Lawmakers have been busy, and the world of education is no exception. But which laws are actually creating a tangible impact on Texas classrooms, and more importantly, what are our students and families actually talking about? On this month's episode, Lance, Natalie, and Matthew cut through the nois...

Since the pandemic, adolescent boredom has been on a steady and concerning rise. Many studies point to excessive screen time as being a major contributing factor to this rise in boredom. But it's no different in the classroom; kids in school are...well...bored. And more so now than in years passed. From favorite TV shows to movies, music to literature, all too often the American classroom is portr...

Teacher preparation in Texas has, for a long time, entailed a semester in a classroom marked mostly by observation and with little hands-on practice. That's all evolving thanks to big changes in policy, funding and regulation around educator preparation programs! For today's episode, we're joined by Geoff Carlisle and Patrick Steck from Deans For Impact . They share key insights on the future of t...

The 89th Texas Legislature has adjourned, and there was a lot of exciting action around public education this time around! In today's episode we debrief major legislation that passed, and examine other legislation that was highly-anticipated but failed to make it across the finish line. Tune in for our take on what matters most as the conversation continues around state assessments and the account...

Are we preparing our students for the future, and what does that even mean in 2025? As we ride the latest wave of big tech advancement, what do we do about AI in schools? These are the million-dollar questions we're exploring in today's episode, with varied opinions and perspectives among the ATE pod team. Now Playing on all major platforms! Follow and Share wherever you listen to podcasts. We app...

Is it a birthday or an anniversary? We're going with 'BirthAversary' to commemorate our first, full year of the All Things Education podcast! Join us for this special episode celebrating the experience and impact of education advocacy... and not just ours! Today's pod features Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellows Mollie, Christian, April and Andrea sharing their real-time experience advocating at the S...

Well, now what? Vouchers are likely to pass during the current legislative session, which will divert public money away from public schools. Meanwhile, severely overdue increases to the state's student allotment remain to be satisfied. Public schools have long served as bedrocks of their communities; Don't they deserve to be adequately funded? In today's episode, we examine some of the ways that p...

HOT TOPIC ALERT! Cell phones have become a major issue in schools; So much so that the conversation has made it all the way to the state capitol and legislation has been proposed around it. Join us today as we discuss the various ways that schools and the state of Texas are responding to the challenges that cell phones present in the modern classroom dynamic. Resources: Texas Monthly article on wh...

And, they're off! The 89th Texas Legislature has convened, and it's sure to be a busy one with public education matters at the forefront. In today's episode, we take a look at a few less-publicized bills that have been introduced, and we discuss our thoughts on each from the practitioner perspective. Read the full bill text for: SB 52 , HB 1425 , and SB 218 Track the Texas Legislature Online Now P...

What is being taught in classrooms and how are we supporting our students? With only soundbites and sensational headlines to go by, these are fair questions coming from those outside of education - and we have answers! Join us for today's episode where we provide first-hand accounts of what is (and isn't) happening in public schools across the state. Now Playing on all major platforms! Subscribe a...

A vast majority agree - teachers deserve to be paid more! So... why aren't they? How much of an increase is possible? What difference would it make? In this episode, we explore potential answers and other ideas around educator compensation and the ultimate impact it has for all stakeholders. Read Daniel Pink's Washington Post Article Now Playing on all major platforms! Subscribe and Share wherever...

There's so much more to teaching than writing lesson plans and grading papers. Our expertise, mindset and approach are carefully honed and intentionally applied in ways that parents and non-educators might not realize! Join us for a peek behind the curtain as we reveal just a few of the many lesser-known aspects of educator roles and responsibilities, beyond delivering high-quality content to our...

We can't ignore major current events in our classrooms, and how we navigate them with our students is sensitive and strategic! Today's episode offers insights as to what kind of conversations are happening in schools across the state, both historically and in the lead-up to next month's highly-anticipated election Now Playing on all major platforms! Subscribe and Share wherever you listen to podca...

The new school year is well under way across the state! While some seasoned veterans ease right back into the mix, many new educators are navigating the halls of the school, along with their roles and responsibilities as a classroom teacher, for the first time! We hope that through sharing some of our experience, we're able to offer insights on some of those first steps that are crucial to establi...

Hot topic alert! For today's episode, we are joined by Kate Greer - Managing Director of the Policy & State Coalition at The Commit Partnership . Kate offers valuable insights as to where policy currently stands on state testing and campus ratings, and the seeds of reform that are being planted ahead of the 89th Texas Legislative Session. The ATE pod trio was able to meet and record this conve...

With primaries behind us and the next legislative session upcoming, the conversation around education finance is ramping up! Today, we examine a few hot-topic headlines that are setting the tone for important decisions that lie ahead, including vouchers , HQIM incentives , and calls for action to address the school budget crisis that persists in Texas. Now Playing on all major platforms! Subscribe...

Join us for today's episode, where we glean insights into House Bill 1605 from Ben Mackey, Executive Director of the Texas Impact Network! In this conversation, Ben outlines the path that led Texas to establish legislation on High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) including the intent behind the bill, it's progress and next steps for implementation. Whether you're a parent wondering what is b...

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! In this episode, we offer an inside look at several aspects of our daily experience as teachers. Whether you're a career educator or working in an entirely different field, you can likely relate to much of what we discuss! Now Playing on all major platforms! Subscribe and Share wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on Instagram for additional content and to st...