The Right Idea

Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen have the pleasure of sitting down with Representative Terri Leo-Wilson to discuss the recent developments in education policy under the pink dome, including bringing school choice to Texas.

1:25 Hot Take: Which business would you stop using if they took a key service away?
5:16 How do Representatives prepare for marathon debates?
11:35 Can Texas be pro-teacher AND pro-parent?
27:15 What made HB 1605 a game changer in 2023?
34:28 How can we help teachers improve across the state?
39:02 HB 1481 would prohibit smart devices in classrooms during instructional periods
42:30 HB 610 addresses severance packages run amok for superintendents 
50:24 What’s next in the legislative process regarding school choice?

Creators and Guests

Host
Brian Phillips
Brian Phillips is the Chief Communications Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. For over a decade, Brian has helped policymakers and political candidates develop effective messages and communication strategies. Phillips is a veteran of presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial campaigns, and has extensive experience working in the United States Congress and public policy think tanks.
Host
Derek M. Cohen
Derek M. Cohen, Ph.D, is the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Chief Policy & Research Officer and Right on Crime Senior Fellow. Previously the Vice President of Policy and director of Right on Crime, the Foundation’s criminal justice reform initiative, Cohen was instrumental in the passage of the First Step Act, federal legislation that borrowed from successful changes to prisons and sentencing that he had helped pass in conservative states. In addition to leading the Foundation’s work on criminal justice, he is also the lead researcher of firearms policy.

What is The Right Idea?

The Right Idea: The Texas Public Policy Foundation's weekly look at the people, policy, and politics that drive Texas.