The overwhelming majority of states’ budgets are spent on health care, incarceration, and education. In state legislatures and in Congress, it’s budget season. With deep cuts to Medicaid and education programs like Head Start on the table, understanding how states plan to pick up the slack is crucial. In this conversation we sit down with Ohio State Legislator from OH District 24, Dani Isaacsohn. 

Rep. Isaacsohn sees his role as an elected leader in the state as one of making people’s lives better above anything else. He is committed to fighting for a world-class public education for every student, better childcare for parents, smarter housing policy to bring down prices and increase supply, and making sure that seniors have what they need to age with dignity. He is also committed to creating a more just and equitable criminal justice system in Ohio. A through line in his legislative work is Rep. Isaacsohn’s understanding that we must tackle racial and income inequality head-on to make lasting progress. 

As the ranking member of the House Finance Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education, Rep. Isaacsohn teaches us all about the dollars and cents of education in Ohio. We pay special attention to how decisions are made and resources are allocated to support our most vulnerable students, those with disabilities, English language learners, and those coming from economically disadvantaged urban and rural communities across the state. Rep. Isaacsohn, a skilled community organizer, also gives us some tips on how families can come together to build and strategically utilize people power to ensure that our exceptional kiddos get all of the support and services they need to attain a high quality and equitable education.

The Power of the people is real! Take a listen to this conversation and take notes. Families are powerful and we want to use our collective power strategically. Let’s learn how to play chess and win for our exceptional students.