In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, host Ashley Mullins explores Georgia’s groundbreaking Top State for Talent Act, an initiative designed to strengthen the connection between education and workforce development. Ashley is joined by Representative Matthew Gambill to discuss how the legislation builds on the success of Georgia MATCH, a direct admissions program that has already led to increased college enrollment. The act streamlines students’ pathways from high school to higher education by integrating college eligibility into Individual Graduation Plans, strengthening articulation agreement and implementing a return-on-investment (ROI) analysis to measure the program’s impact.

As Georgia faces demographic shifts and an evolving job market, this initiative is positioned to ensure the state remains a leader in workforce readiness. The conversation highlights how the legislation will help students—especially those from underrepresented backgrounds—access higher education opportunities and make informed career choices. Additionally, we discuss the role of industry leaders in supporting this initiative and how lessons from other states have shaped Georgia’s approach. Tune in for a great discussion on the future of talent development and the policies driving student success.

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In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, ExcelinEd in Action’s National Legislative Director Ashley Mullins kicks off the podcast’s revamped format for 2025. She delivers a quick, 15-minute update on key developments from state legislative sessions this week. Ashley highlights major wins for student-centered K-12 education policies, shares updates on key bills making waves across the states and discusses a few surprising turns as legislatures get to work. Tune in for insights into the policies shaping the year ahead and a preview of what’s to come in this dynamic new season of updates!

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In this episode, our National Legislative Director Ashley Mullins sits down with our Executive Director Patricia Levesque to discuss the most significant K-12 education bills to watch in 2025. This discussion highlights legislative trends shaping education across the country. That's a tall order, so we made it easy for our listeners. Scroll down to find timestamps for the education policy areas you might be interested in, along with the states we mention in each section.

Timestamps:

[4:15] – 📚 Early and Adolescent Literacy (Alabama, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Mississippi)

[8:00] – 🔢 Math Education (Indiana, Florida)

[11:11] – 🎒 School Choice & Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) (New Hampshire, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Dakota)

[16:07] – 🔄 Public School Choice & Open Enrollment (Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada)

[18:24] – 🏫 Public Charter Schools (Tennessee, Colorado, Pennsylvania)

[19:26] – 🎓 College & Career Pathways (Arkansas, Georgia, Florida)

[24:05] – 📵 Distraction-Free Schools (Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin)

[30:35] – 🍎 Strengthening the Teacher Pipeline (Arizona, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Virginia)

[32:25] – 💡 Final Thoughts & Takeaways

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What education policies are you following this session? Let us know on social media.

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Welcome back, policy enthusiasts and education advocates! Statehouse Spotlights is returning for an exciting 2025 season. You don’t want to miss it.

Ashley Mullins, ExcelinEd in Action’s National Legislative Director, is your host this season, and she will guide us through the education bills to watch throughout the legislative season. If you’re a new listener, our podcast is your go-to for the latest updates on K-12 education legislation across the country. Whether it’s funding, literacy, math, school accountability, teacher pipeline and retention, college and career pathways, students’ digital safety, or school choice initiatives—we’ve got you covered.

Listen to this 2025 season trailer to learn how the format will be changing this year and more.

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Our hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins are back on the airwaves during the legislative off-season for a really special episode. They’re diving into the recent 2024 gubernatorial elections and exploring what newly elected and re-elected governors are planning for K-12 education. From rethinking school funding and math proficiency to tackling early literacy, career readiness, teacher retention, and even school phone policies, there’s a lot on the horizon.

They walk through the education policy priorities of governors in the 11 states that held elections here in 2024, and also update you on some key legislative chamber outcomes that will have an impact on education policy in the coming session. Visit our blog post for a deeper dive into where governors stand on education policies.

There's a lot to cover, so jump right in and see how these leaders are planning to reshape the education landscape!

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss any future bonus episodes or season two of Statehouse Spotlights starting in January 2025.

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In this special bonus episode of Statehouse Spotlights, hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins provide an in-depth recap of the recent state legislative sessions that concluded in June and July. They will highlight key education policy changes and funding initiatives from several states.

Join us as they dive into the specifics, discuss the implications of these new laws and what they mean for students, teachers and families.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss any future bonus episodes or season two of Statehouse Spotlights starting in January 2025.

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This is the final episode of our 2024 season of Statehouse Spotlights! Thank you to our listeners for sticking with us through legislative sessions. In this episode, we look forward to 2025, highlighting the legislation to watch out for.

Hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins are joined by our team of legislative directors, who will offer their perspectives on the forthcoming policy initiatives and challenges in their respective regions. Then, ExcelinEd in Action’s Executive Director Patricia Levesque takes us through the national landscape and issues lawmakers a challenge for 2025.

Join us for this final episode and subscribe for special bonus episodes and to join us again in January 2025 for a new season.

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In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, we take a comprehensive look at recent education victories and setbacks across the nation. From Arizona to Missouri, Mississippi to Virginia and beyond, we examine legislative reforms, highlighting key bills and their potential impacts on education.

Hosts Tom Greene and Ashley Mullins will tour the regions, highlighting states’ efforts to enhance literacy programs, expand school choice, improve college and career pathways and much more. They’ll also touch on trending legislation to protect students from harmful social media exposure and the distraction of phones in the classroom.

Join us as we shout out the state leaders who are doing the hard work of transforming K-12 education to better serve students.

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