Most school board elections in North Carolina are nonpartisan. That is, candidates don’t run as Democrats or Republicans on the ballot. But some state lawmakers want to change that. John Locke Foundation Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops analyzes the debate and gives examples of the inherent political nature of education policy disputes. Continuing with education policy, as North Carolina’s Leandro public school lawsuit moves through its third decade in the state’s courts, Superior Court Judge Howard Manning continues to share his frustration about progress in improving education for disadvantaged students. You’ll hear highlights from his most recent hearing with state education leaders. Next is a look at a bill in the state Senate that would create tax-free savings accounts for people with disabilities. Dubbed the ABLE Act, it’s modeled on federal legislation introduced in 2013. The act’s bipartisan sponsors explained their goals during a recent briefing. That’s followed by a conversation with the man who runs the N.C. Department of Transportation. After hours, Tony Tata uses his experience as a former U.S. Army brigadier general to write military thrillers. Tata’s latest novel, “Foreign & Domestic,” employs some familiar N.C. settings as a new fictional hero battles a terrorist threat. And finally, we look at a proposal to add two new Cabinet-level agencies. One relates to Information Technology and one relates to military and veterans affairs. We get perspective from Sarah Curry, the John Locke Foundation’s Director of Fiscal Policy Studies, who says that one of the ideas has merit, while the other idea is well-intentioned but not the best path to take.