Social media is ablaze with arguments over education. Most of these arguments stem from the near-daily news updates coming out of the White House and the shrinking Department of Education. Between DEI cuts and budget slashing, there is plenty to discuss at the national level. As an educator, I should probably just be happy that people are paying attention. However, as great as it is that people are tracking what’s happening at the White House, they should really be paying attention to the statehouse.

The state drives education policy. That has always been the case, and if you’re reading the signs coming out of Washington, that will be even more true in the near future. Many of the policy proposals I see people complaining about at the national level have counterpart proposals at the state level. In Indiana’s case, such laws may have already been signed into law.

Honestly, most education decisions are made at the hyper-local level even lower than the statehouse. Many people already know this, which is why school board meetings have become ground zero for education battles. As frustrating as it may be to show up to a district meeting and see people raising hell, I know that’s the appropriate place to do it if you’re trying to make change.

All of this is to say, there is a place to complain and support policy around education. But that place is usually much closer than Washington D.C.