What happens when a mother refuses to look the other way? In this episode, Ashley sits down with State Representative Hillary Hickland (HD-55) — ninth-generation Texan, mother of four, and one of the boldest voices in Texas education reform.

Rep. Hickland gets unfiltered about what pushed her into the fight — including the shocking content she discovered in schools — and why she made a personal vow not to quit until Texas schools are the best in the nation. She breaks down exactly what School Choice means, why competition is good for schools, and how giving families the power to choose levels the playing field for every child regardless of zip code.

Plus: the property tax burden Texans don't fully understand, why school board elections matter more than most people realize, teacher whistleblower protections, and a powerful message for women battling imposter syndrome who feel called to step up and make a difference.

This episode is a must-listen for every Texas parent, educator, and citizen who believes our children deserve better.

Apply for TEFA — deadline March 17th. https://educationfreedom.texas.gov

About the Ashley B. Cash Show: The Ashley B. Cash Show features conversations with education leaders, policy experts, parents, teachers and reform advocates who are working to transform K-12 education. Host Ashley B. Cash brings her perspective as both a parent and business owner to explore systemic education issues and practical solutions for creating better outcomes for students, families, and communities.

About Ashley: As both a mother and business owner, she brings a unique dual perspective to education reform advocacy, driven by her desire for better educational outcomes for future generations and informed by her firsthand experience with the skills gap facing employers today. Her passion for transforming K-12 education stems from witnessing the real-world consequences of educational failures and recognizing the critical need for a system that prepares students for diverse career pathways, not just college. Through The Path Forward, Ashley champions solutions including aptitude-based education tracks, expanded school choice, practical skills integration, and alternative career pathways that align with students' individual strengths and interests.

Subscribe for more education reform content and follow @AshleyBCashOfficial for updates on K-12 education policy and advocacy.

Visit www.AshleyBCash.com

About The Ashley B. Cash Show: The Ashley B. Cash Show features conversations with education leaders, policy experts, parents, teachers and reform advocates who are working to transform K-12 education. Host Ashley B. Cash brings her perspective as both a parent and business owner to explore systemic education issues and practical solutions for creating better outcomes for students, families, and communities.

About Ashley: As both a mother and business owner, Ashley brings a unique dual perspective to education reform advocacy, driven by her desire for better educational outcomes for future generations and informed by her firsthand experience with the skills gap facing employers today. Her passion for transforming K-12 education stems from witnessing the real-world consequences of educational failures and recognizing the critical need for a system that prepares students for diverse career pathways, not just college. Through this podcast, Ashley champions solutions including aptitude-based education tracks, expanded school choice, practical skills integration, and alternative career pathways that align with students' individual strengths and interests.

Follow @AshleyBCashOfficial on Instagram & @Ashley Bowes Cash on Facebook.

Visit www.AshleyBCashOfficial.com for more content and features.

What happens when a retired Army veteran becomes one of Texas's most fearless education reform advocates? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Brenda Howard, who went from organizing parents during the pandemic to testifying before the Texas Legislature and serving on the Texas Advisory Council for Educational Opportunities for Military Children.

Brenda pulls no punches as she shares what she's witnessed firsthand: lowered academic standards, inappropriate materials in elementary schools, and organizations like TASB that she believes are blocking real reform. But she's not just pointing out problems—she's celebrating wins. Texas school choice is already helping over 52,000 kids, most from low-income families, get a second chance at education.

This episode is a rallying cry. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, business owner, or just someone who cares about the future of our kids, Brenda's message is clear: get involved with your school board, attend meetings, know who's running for office, educate yourself on what's really happening in your district, and if necessary, run for office yourself.

The fight for Texas students isn't over—it's just getting started. And after listening to Brenda, you'll understand exactly what's at stake and what you can do about it.

About The Ashley B. Cash Show: The Ashley B. Cash Show features conversations with education leaders, policy experts, parents, teachers and reform advocates who are working to transform K-12 education. Host Ashley B. Cash brings her perspective as both a parent and business owner to explore systemic education issues and practical solutions for creating better outcomes for students, families, and communities.

About Ashley: As both a mother and business owner, Ashley brings a unique dual perspective to education reform advocacy, driven by her desire for better educational outcomes for future generations and informed by her firsthand experience with the skills gap facing employers today. Her passion for transforming K-12 education stems from witnessing the real-world consequences of educational failures and recognizing the critical need for a system that prepares students for diverse career pathways, not just college. Through this podcast, Ashley champions solutions including aptitude-based education tracks, expanded school choice, practical skills integration, and alternative career pathways that align with students' individual strengths and interests.

Follow @AshleyBCashOfficial on Instagram & @Ashley Bowes Cash on Facebook.

Visit www.AshleyBCashOfficial.com for more content and features.

Texas State Senator Charles Perry joins host Ashley B. Cash for an expansive conversation about what happens when common sense finally breaks through the legislative process. With decades of experience navigating the complexities of state government, Senator Perry offers a rare glimpse into how meaningful reform actually gets done—and why it takes years of persistence to move the needle on issues everyone agrees need fixing.

This isn't just an education conversation, though Texas schools are central to the discussion. Senator Perry tackles everything from the multifaceted problems plaguing our public school system to the infrastructure crisis threatening to push Texas toward third-world conditions. He's candid about the challenges: teachers functioning as surrogate parents, rural communities losing students to mega-schools, middle-tier kids getting squeezed and left behind, and a generation shaped by technology designed to manipulate rather than empower.

But Senator Perry is equally clear about the solutions. After six years of work, he helped pass the Teacher Bill of Rights, giving educators the power to control their classrooms again. He championed cell phone bans that superintendents now call transformational. And he's pushing for mandatory aptitude testing—a game-changing approach that meets students where they are and helps them discover what they're actually passionate about, rather than forcing everyone through the same narrow pipeline.

From the ethics of AI and its impact on the workforce, to the critical role of CTE programs in preparing kids for real work, to why we need different educational models for different kinds of learners, Senator Perry makes the case that common sense isn't common in policy—it's hard-won. He believes Texas is finally in a position to get education right, but only if we're willing to prioritize student outcomes over bureaucratic mandates and teach our kids to think critically, problem-solve, and work together.

This is what leadership looks like when it's focused on results instead of rhetoric—and why the future of Texas depends on getting back to basics while thinking differently about our hardest problems.

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Sean McDowell, President of Lubbock Christian University, challenges the modern education system's failures and offers a vision for genuine transformation. We explore why today's students are underprepared despite grade inflation, how technology addiction is replacing critical thinking, and what it truly takes to restore excellence in education.

Key Topics:

The crisis of underpreparedness in higher education and why even "elite" students struggle with basics like reading comprehension and critical thinking

How prolonged adolescence and decreased maturity levels are affecting student outcomes

Why this generation is returning to traditional values and demanding authenticity from educators

The role of AI in education—and why we must teach it through an ethical and moral framework

Parent involvement as the #1 factor in K-12 success and how we can support working families

The case for aptitude-based education tracks, entrepreneurship programs, and eliminating the stigma around skilled trades

Why "life shared with life" matters: how teacher-student relationships and mentorship change trajectories

LCU's approach: "We walk with you" - custom-made education that meets students where they are

Dr. McDowell reminds us: There is no substitute for competence. When students master real skills and discover their unique gifts, confidence follows—and with it, a love of learning that lasts a lifetime.

If you're a parent, educator, or concerned citizen ready to fight for education that actually prepares students for life, this conversation is for you.

We're sending kids out of high school completely unprepared for the real world, and wondering why they're anxious, directionless, and failing to launch.

This week on The Path Forward, I sat down with LindaGail Walker - a 30-year education veteran, nationally recognized expert in post-traumatic growth, and lead co-author of USC's Trauma Readiness course.

In this episode, we talked about how:

→ Kids are slipping through the cracks while we obsess over college prep for everyone
→ We're missing high-risk students - especially the quiet ones internalizing their struggles
→ Screen time is destroying empathy, communication, and decision-making skills
→ Without financial literacy and employable skills, we're setting kids up to fail

LindaGail's insight hit home: "You can tell kids all day long that they are empowered, but until they have some level of success, they are never going to feel that way."

If you're tired of the education echo chamber and ready for real solutions, this episode is for you.

For more, visit www.ashleybcash.com and www.pathforwardpodcast.com.

Follow @AshleyBCashOfficial on Instagram.

Jackie Fagan Perry joins The Path Forward to discuss the critical challenges facing Texas teachers and practical solutions to keep passionate educators in the classroom. From merit pay and the Teacher Incentive Allotment to early intervention strategies and coaching models, Jackie shares insights on how Texas can recruit, retain, and support the teachers our students desperately need. We explore teacher burnout, the importance of ongoing development over punitive measures, and why bringing retired educators back into schools could transform student outcomes.

Join me and Tim Lambert, president of the Texas Homeschool Commission, for a conversation about Texas public education and the state's homeschool landscape.

We'll discuss the current challenges in public schools, the growth of homeschooling in Texas, and what's driving more families to explore alternative education options. Tim will share his perspective on curriculum choices, academic outcomes, and the practical realities of homeschooling in Texas.

Whether you're homeschooling, considering it, or just interested in education policy, we'll cover the key issues facing Texas families and what makes Texas one of the most homeschool-friendly states in the country.

The education system is outdated. Grant Cardone and I break down what how the K-12 education system in America is falling short, what our students need, and how 10X thinking can reshape the future of learning - and life.