The education laws and policy decisions made in the state capitol might seem far removed from the realities of the schools, but their impact hits much closer to home than one might realize. Keeping track of those state debates as they occur is a good way to keep teachers, administrators, and local parents in-the-loop about changes that might be coming, and give them an opportunity to contribute their opinions when they still can have an effect. A great complaint of any state reporter is that there is seldom enough time to report on the real-world impact of proposed legislation during the legislative session. There is not much time to document the impact of legislation after it becomes law, either. That is where the state reporter can fill a crucial gap. It is important that politicians, policy makers, school administrators, and parents understand the actual effect of new legislation and policy changes. By connecting the dots between state policy and the local schools, a state reporter can help accomplish that by anticipating disruptive changes and ensuring that laws are being implemented as they were designed to be.