There's so much news happening around the world that we're somehow supposed to stay on top of.

That's why we launched The Big Tick.

It's a daily podcast from Bloomberg and I Heart Radio that turns down the volume a bit

to give you some space to think.

I'm Wes Kosova. Each weekday I dig into one important story and talk about why it matters.

Listen to The Big Tick on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.

On this episode of Newt's World, there is an amazing amount of change going on at the state level,

with real reforms that are increasing parental opportunities to know what's going on with

their children in school, increasing opportunities for people to take the money and take it to a

different school if the one their child is in right now is failing, and really deep thought

about the nature of what we have to do as a country in order for our young people to grow up

and be both educated as citizens and educated in the workforce.

I think it's really important and these changes in many ways are being accelerated

by the work of the American Legislative Exchange Council, which is an organization of state

legislators in all 50 states. So I'm really delighted to have a chance to talk with Andrew Handel,

who's the director of the Education and Workforce Development Task Force at Alec or the

American Legislative Exchange Council. He is an expert on education in the United States,

and he is really doing a great job knitting together people who in favor of reform in all 50 states.

Andrew, welcome and thank you for joining me on Newt's World.

Absolutely, thanks for having me on, Mr. Speaker. Tell us a little bit about the

Education Workforce Development Task Force and what it is you're trying to accomplish.

Our Education Workforce Development Task Force here at the American Legislative Exchange Council

...