In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, host Ashley Mullins heads to Ohio to explore a growing priority across states: strengthening math outcomes for students. As more lawmakers turn their attention to math, Ohio is advancing a comprehensive policy approach designed to support students at every level, from those who need early intervention to those ready for advanced coursework.

Ashley is joined by Senate Education Chair Andrew Brenner to discuss what’s driving this push, how the proposal is designed to work in practice and what it could mean for classrooms, families and long-term workforce readiness. The conversation explores key elements of the policy, including screening and intervention, instructional quality and access to rigorous coursework, while also unpacking what it takes to move a major academic reform forward during an active legislative session. As other states consider similar efforts, Ohio’s approach offers a timely look at how to build a coordinated strategy to improve math outcomes and better prepare students for future success.

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In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, host Ashley Mullins highlights the growing wave of K–8 literacy legislation advancing across the country as states enter the final stretch of their 2026 legislative sessions. From early literacy to adolescent supports, lawmakers are prioritizing comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to ensure students become proficient readers.

Ashley walks through major developments across the nation, including in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming, where policymakers are strengthening literacy systems.

The episode also highlights a key shift in focus: extending literacy supports into grades 4–8 to ensure struggling readers do not fall behind as academic content becomes more complex.

At the same time, Ashley underscores an important reality of policymaking—while many states are seeing significant progress, not every proposal crosses the finish line. Listeners will hear updates from states like Nebraska and Kansas, where strong literacy efforts faced legislative hurdles, offering insight into the ongoing, iterative nature of education reform.

The episode concludes with a quick look at legislative sessions nearing adjournment in Iowa and Tennessee, where several major education policies are still advancing.

Listeners will come away with a clear, timely snapshot of the nationwide literacy surge, the policies shaping reading instruction and the continued momentum to strengthen student outcomes through thoughtful, sustained reform.

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In this episode of Statehouse Spotlights, host Ashley Mullins heads to Idaho to explore a policy gaining traction: earned autonomy for high-performing schools. Idaho lawmakers recently passed legislation designed to reward strong student outcomes and sound operations with greater flexibility, allowing qualifying schools to make decisions that better meet student needs while maintaining clear accountability for results.

Ashley is joined by Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, a key champion of the legislation, to discuss how the idea took shape, how the policy will work in practice and what it means for schools across the state. The conversation explores how earned autonomy shifts the focus from compliance to outcomes, why the policy applies to both charter and traditional public schools and how Idaho leaders balanced flexibility with guardrails. As more states look for ways to scale success and empower high-performing schools, Idaho’s approach offers a timely look at how earned autonomy can help expand opportunity while keeping student outcomes at the center.

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