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...

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, providi...

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...

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 q...

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 educ...

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 Le...

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...

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.   ...

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...

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 a...

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 Act...

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 shar...

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 legisla...

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 wav...

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 Americ...

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...

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...

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...

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 champi...

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 exp...