In this episode of Driving Education, Katie sits down with Hailey Ridgeway from the Alabama State Department of Education — one of the brilliant minds behind ALEX (Alabama Learning Exchange).

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by standards, lesson planning, or finding high-quality resources that actually fit your students, this episode is for you.

Hailey pulls back the curtain on how ALEX has evolved into a powerful, teacher-centered platform — designed to help educators work smarter, not harder. From unpacked standards and vetted resources to collaborative sandboxes, AI-supported lesson planning, and interactive Sparkle activities, ALEX is changing how Alabama educators plan, teach, and collaborate.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

• How ALEX supports teachers without telling them how to teach

• Why standards are a guide — not a curriculum

• The power of collaboration across schools and districts

• Using AI thoughtfully to support (not replace) teachers

• Why Alabama educators are trailblazers nationwide

This episode is a reminder that teachers are the number one predictor of student success — and the systems supporting them matter.

🎧 If you're an Alabama educator, this is an episode you'll want to bookmark.

Hailey Ridgeway

• Project Director, Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)

• Alabama State Department of Education

• Advocate for teacher support and innovation

https://alabamalearningexchange.org/

https://www.youtube.com/@TeachWithALEX/playlists