Policy Changes Lives, an ExcelinEd podcast

In this season finale of  Policy Changes Lives , ExcelinEd VP of Policy  Cara Candal  sits down with ExcelinEd CEO  Patricia Levesque  to break down the most important education policy trends state leaders need to watch as 2026 approaches.  From new efforts to strengthen middle-grade literacy to a rapid expansion of math policy reform, Pa...

Couldn’t make it to the 2025 National Summit on Education—or just couldn’t be in three strategy sessions at once? In this special bonus episode, host  Dr. Cara Candal  pulls together some of the most important ideas, quotes and policy takeaways from across the Summit’s strategy sessions and mainstage conversations.  Across three days, state leaders, pra...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , ExcelinEd’s Founder, Chairman and 43rd Governor of Florida Jeb Bush takes the main stage with President and CEO of the Daniels Fund Hanna Skandera to open the 17th annual National Summit on Education in New Orleans with a powerful conversation on the future of learning, leadership and opportunity in America.  Reflecting on lessons from two decades of...

High school has long centered on traditional courses like biology, civics and earth science—subjects chosen because every student needs a foundation in how their bodies, their government and their world work. But in 2025 and beyond, the demands on graduates are rapidly shifting. In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , co-hosts Adriana Harrington and Lindsey Henderson sit down with Liz Cohen , Vi...

Most literacy policies focus on ensuring students can read proficiently by third grade. But what happens when they don’t? In this episode of  Policy Changes Lives , ExcelinEd’s Dr. Kymyona Burk and Casey Taylor explore the “new frontier” in literacy policy: adolescent literacy.  Drawing on new research and national data, they unpack why so many middle and high sc...

What happens after students graduate high school? Do the pathways we’ve built truly prepare them for success in college, careers and life? In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , host Nathan Oakley sits down with Dr. Ken Warden , Commissioner of the Arkansas Division of Higher Education, to explore how states are answering these critical questions with data-driven solutions.  Together, they...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , host Adriana Harrington sits down with South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver to discuss the state’s efforts to create distraction-free classrooms. In 2024, South Carolina became one of the first states in the nation to include a cell phone provision in its budget, requiring districts to prohibit the use of personal communication devi...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , host Justine Morina sits down with Meagan Comb , Executive Director of the Wheelock Educational Policy Center at Boston University, to unpack one of the most urgent questions in education: How do we ensure every student has a well-prepared, effective teacher?   Together, they explore how states are rethinking teacher preparation as part of broader eff...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , host Christy Hovanetz sits down with longtime education leader (and ExcelinEd board member) Chris Cerf to examine one of the most pressing issues in American education: the “honesty gap.”   Too often, states report student performance in ways that mask real challenges, leaving parents and educators with an inaccurate picture of whether students are tr...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , host Ben DeGrow sits down with Keith Jacobs , Director of Provider Development at Step Up for Students, to discuss a groundbreaking expansion for parental choice in Florida. Long known for leading the way in private school choice, Florida is pioneering a new policy that enables and engages public schools and districts to serve as education scholarship acco...

When should students take Algebra I—and how can states design math policies that expand opportunity without setting students up to struggle? In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , host Lindsey Henderson , Policy Director for Math at ExcelinEd, sits down with Dr. Thomas Dee , Professor of Education at Stanford University, to explore what the research really says about Algebra I timing, readiness...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives , host Matthew Joseph welcomes Terry Ryan, CEO of Bluum and Board Chair of the Idaho Charter School Network, to explore how Idaho is leading the way in helping charter schools save on facility costs and invest more in student learning. At no cost to taxpayers, the state has developed a strategy that begins with no-interest revolving loans for new charter sch...

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 Seco...

Welcome back to Policy Changes Lives , the official podcast of ExcelinEd! Listen to our Vice President of Policy Cara Candal give a preview of our 2025 season. We’re highlighting leaders who are breaking down old boundaries and putting students first.  Our goal? To inform, inspire and equip policymakers and advocates who care about student success and what’s next in education policy.  So...

In our final episode of the 2024 season of Policy Changes Lives, hosts Cara Candal and Adriana Harrington sit down with Excel in Ed CEO Patricia Levesque to recap the 2024 National Summit on Education, revisit our 2024 policy trend predictions and, finally, introduce new trends we expect to see in 2025.    Tune in for this info-packed episode as we explore what’s next for education...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, Excel in Ed’s Founder and Chairman Governor Jeb Bush sits down with Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner from the main stage at the National Summit on Education in Oklahoma City to emphasize the power of student-centered policies.    Gov. Bush discusses his experience leading transformative education reforms in Florida and shares his vision...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, host Michael Chartier sits down with Tim DeRoche, founder and president of Available to All, to explore the ambitious goal of eliminating school boundary lines by 2030.   They delve into the origins of these boundaries, tracing their roots back to discriminatory redlining practices and examining how they continue to limit access to quality education fo...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, host Quentin Suffren explores the growing movement among state policymakers to ensure that high school graduates are not only prepared for college but also equipped with the skills needed for the workforce.   Quentin sits down with Taylor White, Director of Postsecondary Pathways for Youth at New America, to talk about youth apprenticeships a...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, host Sonya Yates sits down with Dr. Jan Hasbrouck, a renowned dyslexia expert, author, researcher and educational consultant for a special episode to celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Month.   Host Sonya Yates and Dr. Hasbrouck discuss the long-term impact of dyslexia on students and states, especially when students don't receive the necessary supports...

In this episode, host Lindsey Henderson investigates with Adam Ezring, Deputy Director of the Collaborative for Student Success  the urgent issue of declining math performance across the nation and the innovative policies that have the potential to reverse this alarming trend.   After highlighting the critical challenges that have led to a national math crisis, Lindsey and Adam discuss t...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, host Matthew Joseph hops on the mic. Matthew serves as Senior Policy Advisor at ExcelinEd, where he focuses on helping states improve education through the strategic use of resources and funding.    This week, we welcome David Mansouri, CEO and President of Tennessee SCORE, to discuss the transformative potential of student-centered education fund...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, host and ExcelinEd Vice President of Policy Cara Candal chats with North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt to explore teacher recruitment and retention.    As schools nationwide grapple with keeping classrooms staffed with qualified educators, Superintendent Truitt shares her insights on the challenges facing North Car...

In this episode, we are excited to look behind the curtain in Indiana as dedicated folks break ground on the state’s new Career Scholarship Accounts program. CSAs help students cover costs for a range of training and internship experiences as well as the costs associated with completing them, such as supplies and transportation. It's a fascinating program that begins to tackle the challenges many...

In this episode, host and ExcelinEd’s Senior Policy Director of Education Choice Ben DeGrow welcomes Robyn Bagley, executive director of Utah Education Fits All, to discuss the fascinating journey of Utah's education scholarship account (ESA) program.   Robyn is a long-time education advocate and entrepreneur, who has been instrumental in advancing policies that empower families to choose the...

In this episode of Policy Changes Lives, Dr. Kymyona Burk, ExcelinEd’s senior policy fellow specializing in early literacy checks in with Dr. Sara Morrison, who serves as the Executive Director of the Tennessee State Board of Education, about her state’s important work improving students’ reading outcomes.   Dr. Morrison’s roots are in the classroom, where she taught high school English...