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 Carolina’s teaching workforce and the innovative strategies she has championed to address these issues. This discussion will highlight the significant impact of policies aimed at supporting teachers, the role of alternative certification routes, team teaching and more. Catherine also reflects on her tenure and offers advice for states facing similar challenges.

Tune in as we delve deeper into the ongoing efforts to improve teacher policies and strengthen the teacher pipeline across America.

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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 students and schools face while making these work-based learning opportunities a reality.

It’s worth noting that Indiana has added CSAs to their comprehensive approach to supporting high-quality learner pathways. The Hoosier state is known for undertaking systemic work, such as aligning the K-12 and postsecondary education systems, working to ensure career and technical education programs are high-quality (Next Level!), and sharing outcomes data with students and families through the state’s Graduates Prepared to Succeed Dashboard.

Our resident expert Nathan Oakley and Adriana Harrington touch base with David Buyze, who serves as the Director of Policy and Special Programs for the Indiana Department of Education and executive director of the Indiana State Board of Education, to see how things were going. Listen now, followed by an update and our team’s hot takes.

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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 best educational paths for their children. She shares the story of how Utah’s ESA came to be and the challenges that its supporters overcame to make it a reality. Robyn and Ben also address the future of the program and the potential for other states to learn from Utah's innovative approach.

Tune in to hear more about the impact of the ESA program, the role of parental choice in education and the broader implications for education policy across the United States.

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