Public Education Matters

What happens in Congress makes a big impact on Ohio's public school students and educators, and when Rep. Greg Landsman is re-elected to represent the people of Ohio's 1st Congressional District, he has big plans for ensuring Ohio's public school students and educators can get what they need to succeed. The Cincinnati-area Congressman joins us for this episode to share more on the Every Child Education Act component of his broader "Our Great American Moment" legislative platform, how he wants to continue to work across the aisle on Capitol Hill, and why he says setting up young Ohioans for academic and economic success has to start well before their first day of Kindergarten. LANDSMAN ON THE ISSUES | Rep. Landsman is running for re-election in a newly redrawn district that stretches from Cincinnati through Warren and Clinton Counties - Click here for the latest on his campaign. Click here to read his full "Our Great American Moment" legislative platform, introduced in Congress in November, 2025. SUPPORTING STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES | The Every Child Education Act component of Landsman's legislative platform is rooted in early-childhood-development research, arguing that investment in the prenatal-through-early-childhood period has outsized long-term impact on educational and economic outcomes. Key provisions include: Expansion of paid family and medical leave Expanded, subsidized access to childcare and preschool An additional funded year of preschool for children not yet kindergarten-ready Expanded access to prenatal care for expecting mothers Increased teacher pay and expanded after-school/summer academic support Full funding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Free two-to-four-year community college and trade school, paired with expanded financial aid and loan forgiveness LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION, PRO-LABOR CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT | OEA members can click here to check out the list of all the OEA-member recommended candidates running for state and federal office. And listen to Season 7, Episode 2, starting around 28:55, for more on what goes into these candidate recommendations. SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | If you'd like to share your thoughts on the Public Education Matters podcast, including your ideas for what you'd like to hear on future episodes, please email [email protected]. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Public Education Matters guest: Rep. Greg Landsman, OEA Member-Recommended Candidate for Ohio's 1st Congressional DistrictGreg Landsman serves as the U.S. Representative for Ohio’s First Congressional District. He is a proud father and husband who calls Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio home. Greg is a former teacher and son of teachers. He spent most of his career working on behalf of children and families, especially those who have been left out and left behind. Before joining Congress in 2023, Greg successfully led a ballot measure to make Cincinnati the first city in America to provide two years of quality preschool. He also served five years on Cincinnati City Council, where he led efforts to strengthen core services – from public safety to paving roads. Greg also led comprehensive eviction prevention reforms and new investments in children and families: prenatal care, childcare, affordable housing, and youth jobs. In his first term in Congress, Greg took on the Speaker of the House to force a vote on the Social Security Fairness Act. The bill finally passed after it had been sitting in Congress for 25 years. It returns $20 billion a year to public retirees – such as police officers, firefighters, teachers, and letter carriers. Greg has secured tens of millions of dollars for Southwest Ohio projects and hosted over 30 town halls and community conversations. He is a reformer, and one of only a few members of Congress who sold all their stocks because he believes members of Congress should not be trading stocks. Greg also suspended his pay during the government shutdown, and is a leading voice in banning dark money and getting big money out of politics. He serves as co-chair of the bipartisan What Works Caucus, co-founder of the Lowering Costs Caucus, and holds a leadership role in the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, where he works across the aisle to deliver real results. Greg earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio University and a master’s in theology from Harvard. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Sarah, and their two children, Maddie and Elijah. Connect with OEA: Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch About us: The Ohio Education Association represents approximately 115,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools. Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award-winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's public school students, including her own two children. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband, children, and cat, Davis, who is cute, but mean, which just makes her all the more lovable. This episode was recorded on August 24, 2026. In this episode:

Every student deserves to walk into school with confidence, dignity, and the tools they need to learn. In this episode, Chardon High School teacher Kelly DiCato shares the story of the Chardon Care Closet and the community effort that is changing lives one backpack, toothbrush, notebook, and tube of chap stick at a time. SUPPORT THE CHARDON CARE CLOSET | If you would like to make a donation to support the Chardon Care Closet's mission, you can learn more on the Chardon Care Closet's Facebook page, buy and send items through its Amazon wish list, or make a financial donation - Checks should be made out to: "Chardon Board of Education - Attn: Care Closet" CONTACT KELLY | If you're thinking about bringing a Care Closet to your own school and would like to pick Kelly DiCato's brain about the lessons she's learned along the way with her project in Chardon, you can email her at [email protected]. SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | If you'd like to share your thoughts on the Public Education Matters podcast, including your ideas for what you'd like to hear on future episodes, please email [email protected]. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Public Education Matters guest: Kelly DiCato, Chardon Education Association MemberAn Algebra One teacher at Chardon High School, Kelly lives in Chardon with her two boys and her husband of 12 years. This school year is her 21st year of teaching, and her 21st year of teaching Algebra One - plus other preps, of course. DiCato loves exercising and running, gardening, playing her boys, and now, making sourdough bread :) Connect with OEA: Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch About us: The Ohio Education Association represents approximately 115,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools. Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award-winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. This episode was recorded on July 20, 2026. In this episode: 00:00 -A Community Steps Up 00:25 - Podcast introduction 02:37 - Meet Kelly DiCato 02:45 - From One Student's Story to a Schoolwide Resource 05:11 - Finding Space Inside the School 06:47 - The First Donations Arrive 08:49 - $17,000 in Community Support 11:41 - The Work Behind the Mission 13:30 - Why Helping Students Matters 15:42 - Removing Barriers to Student Success 17:48 - A Community That Always Says Yes 19:35 - Expanding the Impact Beyond Chardon 21:14 - A Community Effort 21:58 - Closing Thoughts 22:13 - Support the Chardon Care Closet

What happens when one of the key legislative champions behind the Fair School Funding Plan sets his sights on statewide office? In this episode, OEA member-recommended candidate Jay Edwards reflects on his record of fighting for public schools in the Ohio legislature and explains how, as Ohio's next state treasurer, he would use the office's influence to strengthen educator retirement security, elevate educator voices, and continue advancing policies that help Ohio students succeed. EDWARDS ON THE ISSUES |Click here to visit EdwardsForOhio.comand learn more about Jay Edwards' priorities as Ohio's next State Treasurer. Click here to read the write-up in OEA's Ohio Schools magazine about why Edwards was named a Legislative Champion for Public Education at OEA's Representative Assembly in Spring, 2025. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION, PRO-LABOR CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT | OEA members can click here to check out the list of all the OEA-member recommended candidates running for state and federal office. SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | If you'd like to share your thoughts on the Public Education Matters podcast, including your ideas for what you'd like to hear on future episodes, please email [email protected]. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Public Education Matters guest: Jay Edwards, OEA member-recommended candidate for State TreasurerJay Edwards is a native son of Southeast Ohio. Born and raised in Nelsonville, Jay attended Nelsonville-York High School before going on to Ohio University on a football scholarship, where he graduated with his degree in mathematics. Jay first ran for public office in 2016 at the age of 27, becoming a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing Athens, Meigs, Washington, Vinton and Morgan counties. During his time in the legislature, Jay served as Chairman of the House Finance Committee, where he wrote and sponsored the state's operating and capital budgets. As Finance Chair, Jay successfully fought for a billion dollar increase in public education funding and helped secure nearly $400 million for higher education capital projects across Ohio. Jay lives in Nelsonville with his partner, Jayde, and their three children. In this episode: 00:00 - Welcome & Why This Election Matters 02:48 - Meet Jay Edwards, OEA's 2025 Legislative Champion for Public Education 05:05 - Fighting Student Hunger and Expanding School Meals 07:53 - The Fair School Funding Plan and School Funding Reform 09:54 - What Does the Ohio State Treasurer Do? 11:08 - Protecting Educators' Retirement Security Through STRS 13:19 - Changes to the STRS Board and Why They Matter 15:12 - Transparency, Accountability, and Teacher Voices 17:31 - Listening to Ohioans Across the State 18:05 - Using the Treasurer's Office as a Voice for Public Education 19:48 - A Direct Invitation to Ohio Educators 21:58 - Closing Thoughts and Next Steps Connect with OEA: Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch About us: The Ohio Education Association represents approximately 115,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools. Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award-winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2026.

Ohio is now spending more than $1 billion in public taxpayer dollars each year on private school vouchers, but how much do we really know about where that money goes and whether it delivers any real results? In this episode, State Sen. Kent Smith (D-21st District) and State Sen. Bill Blessing (R-8th District) discuss their bipartisan efforts to bring transparency and accountability to Ohio’s near-universal voucher system, while also tackling the bigger questions of school funding, property taxes, school meal access, and the future of public education. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION, PRO-LABOR CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT | State Sen. Kent Smith is the OEA member-recommended candidate for the 21st Ohio Senate district. OEA members can click here to check out the list of all the OEA member-recommended candidates running for state and federal office. And listen to Season 7, Episode 2, starting around 28:55, for more on what goes into these candidate recommendations. WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE | Click here to see the video of Sens. Blessing and Smith's press conference on May 27, 2026, announcing the introduction of SB 443 in the Senate. Blessing and Smith were joined by Representative Justin Pizzulli (R-Scioto County); Alana Cropper, Treasurer of Forest Hills School District; Piet Van Lier, Deputy Director of Honesty for Ohio Education; and Karen Rego, President of the Cleveland Heights Teachers Union for this press event. BLESSING'S LETTER TO THE EDITOR | While discussing property tax levies in this episode, Sen. Blessing mentioned a letter to the editor he previously wrote. Click here to read his statement. SMITH'S 2023 PREDICTION | During our conversation for this episode, Sen. Smith referenced a Cleveland.com article about Gov. DeWine's announcement in the 2023 State of the State about expanding vouchers in Ohio to near-universal eligibility. Smith warned of the consequences of voucher expansion for public education funding, which have since come to pass. Click here to read the story from January 31, 2023. ICYMI: STATEHOUSE EDITION | Sen. Smith has released weekly, award-winning video updates on state government since Spring 2023. Access the full video archive and keep an eye out for new releases on Smith's Senate webpage. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Public Education Matters guests: State Sen. Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Twp.)State Senator Louis W. Blessing, III is serving his second term in the Ohio Senate. He currently represents Ohio's 8th Senate District, which encompasses a portion of Hamilton County. He began his career in the legislature serving as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 29th Ohio House District. Senator Blessing has an extensive background in electrical engineering. He currently works as an engineer at Super Systems, Inc. in Cincinnati and previously worked at Duke Energy and Nova Engineering. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering at the University of Cincinnati. The Senator is a licensed professional engineer and is a member of the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers. He currently resides in Colerain Township with his wife Heather and their three sons. 136th General Assembly Committee Assignments: Ways & Means (Chairman) Education Committee (Vice Chair) Finance Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Judiciary State Sen. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) **OEA member-recommended candidate for re-election in November, 2026** State Senator Kent Smith currently represents Ohio’s 21st Senate District - having been elected to the Ohio Senate in 2022. Prior to his service in the Senate, Smith served four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives (from 2015-2022). He joined the Ohio General Assembly after serving Euclid, Ohio as a Member of the Euclid Board of Education from 2002 – 2013. In his 12 years on the Euclid School Board, Senator Smith never missed a meeting. As a Euclid School Board Member, he was a four-time winner of the “Award of Achievement” which is awarded annually by the Ohio School Boards Association to less than three percent of all School Board Members in Ohio. Senator Smith graduated from Miami University in 1988 and earned his Master of Science in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University in 2001. His master's degree thesis - which was written in 2001 - was about the emerging threat of Predatory Lending and the Subprime Market. He also co-authored the first Predatory Lending Report by Policy Matters Ohio in 2002. Following his master’s degree studies, he sought his Ph.D. at Cleveland State University in Economic Development. In late 2019, prior to the COVID pandemic, Senator Smith was admitted into the Public Leadership Credential program offered by Harvard's Kennedy School. Senator Smith completed the coursework during 2020 and 2021. He finished the program's Capstone requirement in January 2023 and graduated from the program in May 2023. Senator Smith serves as the Ranking Member on the Senate Energy and Local Government Committees. He also serves on the Senate Education, Judiciary, Public Utilities, Rules and Reference, and Transportation Committees. Throughout his time in the State House, he served as the Ranking Member on the House Public Utilities (134th and 133rd GA), Financial Institutions (133rd GA), Financial Institutions, Housing, and Urban Development (132nd GA), and Economic & Workforce Development (131st GA) Committees. He also served on the House Higher Education and Career Readiness, Technology and Innovation, Education, Commerce and Labor, and Rules & Reference Committees. During his first term in the Ohio Senate (135th GA) he served as the Ranking Member on the Senate Energy and Public Utilities, Financial Institutions and Technology, and Ways and Means Committees. He also served on the Senate Judiciary, Transportation, and Rules and Reference Committees.Click here to learn more about Sen. S...

***This is a special video and audio episode of this podcast - The full episode video is available at the bottom of these show notes or by clicking here.*** When it comes to public education and workers' rights, there is a clear choice in the race for Ohio's next governor. While Vivek Ramaswamy has repeatedly said he wants to eliminate teachers' unions and has pushed proposals that would slash public school funding to pay for more tax breaks for the wealthy, Dr. Amy Acton is calling for fully funding public schools, protecting collective bargaining rights, and ensuring educators have a seat at the table to help tackle the big issues in our state. In this episode, Dr. Acton joins us for a one-on-one conversation about her plans for Ohio's schools, students, educators, and communities. We also sit down with OEA Director of Government Relations Dan Ramos for a behind-the-scenes look at how OEA members evaluate candidates and make recommendations based on their support for public education and labor issues. If you want to understand what's at stake in this election - and why OEA members enthusiastically recommended Amy Acton for governor - this is an episode you won't want to miss. ACTON ON THE ISSUES | Click here to visit actonforgovernor.com and learn more about where Amy Acton stands on the big issues in our state. Click here to read OEA's statement on OEA members' decision to support Dr. Acton in the race for Ohio governor. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION, PRO-LABOR CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT | OEA members can click here to check out the list of all the OEA-member recommended candidates running for state and federal office. READ THE ARTICLE | During our conversation, Dr. Acton mentioned a piece by Mike Curtin that provides an important primer on taxes in Ohio: "Ramaswamy's weary staff hasn't explained property, income taxes to him, so I will" SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | If you'd like to share your thoughts on the Public Education Matters podcast, including your ideas for what you'd like to hear on future episodes, please email [email protected]. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. In this episode: 00:00 Opening Message: Building the Ohio We Deserve 00:31 Welcome to Public Education Matters 02:05 Vivek Ramaswamy in His Own Words 2:32 Contrasting Visions for Ohio's Public Schools 04:04 Amy Acton on How Public Schools Changed Her Life 06:50 What Ohioans Are Saying About What Their Schools Need 10:18 Funding Public Schools and Addressing Property Taxes 15:50 Fair School Funding and Ohio's Tax Debate 20:36 The Role of Educators' Unions in Ohio's Future 25:24 Ohio Politics, Statehouse Races, and Ending Gerrymandering 26:34 Acton's Closing Call to Action 28:20 How OEA Members Recommend Candidates 29:02 Dan Ramos on Why This Election Matters 31:00 Public Education Is Not a Partisan Issue 33:38 Inside OEA's Candidate Screening Process 38:11 Voting Information and Final Reminders 38:42 Closing Thoughts and Season 7 Preview Featured Public Education Matters guests: Dr. Amy Acton, OEA Member-Recommended Candidate for Ohio GovernorGrowing up in Youngstown, in a family who’d worked in the steel mills, Amy Acton faced a difficult childhood. She overcame periods of abuse, hunger, and neglect, and even wound up living in a tent in the middle of winter. That challenging upbringing molded the values and determination that have shaped a career dedicated to lifting others. From working as a waitress to delivering newspapers, Amy worked her way out of poverty and put herself through college and medical school to become a doctor. She experienced firsthand what so many Ohio families face today—working harder than ever and still feeling like they’re falling behind. After medical school, she began a lifelong focus on children’s health. Her first assignment was a pediatrics residency tackling the horrific consequences of the crack cocaine epidemic in children. She then began a residency at Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University, where she trained in pediatrics and preventive medicine. There, she created the first-ever residency rotation in child advocacy and gained a master’s degree in public health. Amy emerged as a community leader for children’s health as the Director of Project L.O.V.E, a partnership between Columbus area hospitals and community stakeholders focused on preventive health for Columbus-area children. She also joined the faculty at Ohio State University, where she became an award-winning professor of maternal and child health and global public health. Amy later joined the Columbus Foundation, where she led on a wide variety of community health issues, from youth homelessness to women’s health. In 2019, Governor DeWine asked Amy to serve in his administration as the Director of the Ohio Department of Health. Amy put partisanship aside to serve the people of Ohio. Amid a wide variety of issues, she worked with Republicans and Democrats throughout the state to hold the big drug companies accountable for the opioid epidemic and shape a historic settlement to fund addiction recovery programs. When the pandemic hit, her steady leadership and voice for common sense not only saved countless lives but also helped Ohio’s economy and schools open earlier than other states. For her leadership, Amy earned a Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2021 and was named Woman of the Year for Ohio by USA Today in 2022. Following her service in the DeWine administration, Amy returned to the Columbus Foundation and helped found the Center for Human Kindness, then worked with CEOs, mayors, and community advocates to launch Rapid 5, a nonprofit to integrate the region’s park system and waterways, while lifting health and economic wellness. She also partnered with WKYC on an award-winning series called Health, Hope & Healing, where she spoke to Ohioans about the challenges they face and the innovative solutions they’re using to move themselves forward. Now, Amy’s running for Governor because she refuses to look away from Ohioans who are struggling while politicians in Columbus cater to billionaires and corporations. Amy lives in Bexley, Ohio with her husband, Eric, a lifelong teacher...