amplifiED

EdAllies
  • 5.0 (12)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

This is AmplifiEd, the EdAllies podcast. At EdAllies, we partner with schools, families, and communities to ensure that all Minnesota students have access to a rigorous and engaging education. We advance policies that put underserved students first, remove barriers facing successful schools and programs, and foster an inclusive conversation about what's possible for students. In the AmplifiEd podcast, we dig into the issues of the day, the opportunities and challenges facing students, educators, and families, and the ways policy, advocacy, and collaboration can ensure better outcomes for us all.

  1. MAR 27

    EdVoices Special Episode: The H-4 Student Experience

    In a special edition of our podcast, 2025 EdVoices cohort member Alvi and her guest, Jay explore the experiences of H-4 visa dependents navigating their lives in the U.S., focusing on the challenges they face in education, work opportunities, and identity. The discussion highlights the emotional and legal complexities of aging out of H-4 status, the impact on college applications and financial aid, and the need for advocacy and awareness surrounding their unique circumstances. The episode closes with a call to action: for educators to better understand the students in their classrooms, and for community members to support the America's Children Act, legislation that would create a real pathway forward for H-4 dependent youth. This episode was produced by a member of the 2025 EdVoices cohort. Through our EdVoices program, EdAllies seeks to elevate diverse voices and foster a candid dialogue about education. While we provide our blog, podcast, and other communication channels as a platform for EdVoices and other guest contributors, the views and opinions they express are solely their own.

    41 min

  2. MAR 24

    Locked In, Left Out: How Seclusion Fails Minnesota's Kids

    The practice of seclusion is still happening in Minnesota schools. In this episode, hosts Margaret Sullivan and Josh Crosson sit down with Jessica Heiser, attorney at the Minnesota Disability Law Center, to talk about what seclusion—the use of solitary confinement on children—actually looks like for Minnesota students: a barren, locked room roughly the size of two yoga mats, with thick metal doors, fluorescent lighting, and drains in the floor. Josh, Margaret, and Jessica discuss the Minnesota Disability Law Center's new report, Children in Confinement, which documents nearly 90 of these rooms across the state and the data shows they are used disproportionately against students of color and those with disabilities. The discussion covers why seclusion persists—undertrained staff, compliance-based school culture, and a widespread misunderstanding of what seclusion even is. Jessica details why seclusion is neither voluntary nor therapeutic: it's a child, alone, locked in, with no adult support and no tools to self-regulate. The episode also covers the distinct differences between seclusion rooms and sensory rooms and why the latter is a positive and supportive experience, especially for younger students. The episode ends with an update on how there is a push in the Minnesota legislature to roll back the 2023 ban on the use of k-3 seclusions. Margaret, Josh, and Jess break down what's at stake and what parents, educators, and community members can do right now.

    1h 17m

  3. FEB 25

    The 2026 #MNLeg Forecast: What’s on the Line for Minnesota Students

    Minnesota’s legislative session is just getting underway, and in this episode of amplifiED, we take an early pulse check on education policy priorities and the political climate at the Capitol. The conversation offers a grounded look at how power-sharing, safety concerns, and compressed timelines are shaping what’s possible this year. Margaret, Josh, and EdAllies' Senior Policy Director Matt Shaver walk through the issues already emerging in committee hearings—from attendance and student safety to teacher licensure and literacy—and explain how the tone set in these opening days often determines the path ahead. At the same time, this episode breaks down what’s at stake. As schools navigate fear, absenteeism, and uncertainty tied to ICE activity and broader instability, advocates are being asked to show up in systems that move slowly even when urgency is high. The hosts reflect on recent student testimony, the emotional weight of early hearings, and the challenge of fighting for meaningful policy change while protecting the people most impacted. Together, they lay out what we’re fighting for at the Capitol this session—and why showing up early, clearly, and collectively matters for Minnesota students.

    1h 20m

  4. FEB 20

    Making School Funding More Equitable: Inside Minnesota’s Compensatory Revenue System

    In this episode of amplifiED, Josh Crosson talks with Senior Policy Director Matt Shaver about how Minnesota’s school funding system affects students on the ground. The conversation explores compensatory revenue—the state’s primary tool for directing resources to students in poverty—and why it often fails the students it’s meant to support. They unpack how two students with the same needs can generate vastly different funding depending on which school they attend, how the funding mechanisms are designed to support schools with higher concentrations of poverty but also points out the inequities that arise from the current system, and how dollars meant for students can drift away from their classrooms. The episode also examines how universal school meals and Medicaid data briefly improved how student need was counted—and why looming federal changes could put those gains at risk. This episode covers what it really takes to support students facing the greatest barriers, and whether Minnesota’s policies are matching that reality.

    1h 2m

  5. JAN 16

    Protecting the Right to Learn: Defending Immigrant Students in Tennessee

    In this episode of amplifiED, Josh Crosson is joined by Meili Powell and Jenny Mills McFerron of EdTrust Tennessee to unpack how advocates successfully pushed back against legislation threatening immigrant students’ access to public education. As Minnesota faces rising fear and increased immigration enforcement, this conversation looks to Tennessee, where lawmakers introduced bills aimed at undermining Plyler v. Doe, including proposals to deny enrollment, collect immigration status in schools, or charge tuition to undocumented students. Meili and Jenny explain how even the threat of these policies created a chilling effect, driving students out of classrooms and destabilizing entire school communities. The episode highlights how Education for All Tennessee, a 65-organization coalition, kept the focus on education access while combining disciplined messaging, grassroots organizing, student voices, and legislative strategy to stop two bills outright and delay a third. For advocates in Minnesota and beyond, this episode offers a clear warning—and a practical roadmap—for defending the fundamental right of every child to learn.

    52 min

  6. 12/16/2025

    The Cost of the Federal Retreat in Special Education

    In this episode of amplifiED, Margaret and Josh sit down with journalist Beth Hawkins of The 74 Million to explore her recent investigation into the shifting landscape of special education and what families may face as federal oversight is removed. Beth walks through why the federal government has historically been a key safeguard for students with disabilities, how recent staffing cuts and office closures inside the U.S. Department of Education are disrupting that role, and what this means for parents seeking support. The conversation covers what happens when complaints stall, why the process varies so widely from state to state, and how some families navigate these systems more easily than others. Margaret and Josh also dig into the larger implications for Minnesota, including what advocates and lawmakers should take action on right now. It’s a timely look at the challenges and the necessary next steps for protecting students’ rights in a changing system.

    1h 3m

  7. 11/17/2025

    Behind the Curtain: The Real Story on Federal Education Policy

    Feeling overwhelmed by all the federal education news? You’re not alone. In this episode of amplifiED, hosts Margaret Sullivan and Josh Crosson sit down with Spencer Sherman of Education First to break down what’s really happening in Washington and what it means for schools, families, and communities here in Minnesota. Spencer pulls back the curtain on the “Wizard of Oz” of federal policymaking, explaining which executive orders have real impact, how Project 2025 is shaping the Trump administration’s education agenda, what the shutdown and the “One Big Beautiful Bill” mean for education funding, and why state and local action matter more than ever. This conversation cuts through the noise to help you separate fact from fear, understand the stakes for students, and see how we can all help rebuild a more just and equitable education system.

    55 min

  8. 10/16/2025

    Bridging Divides: The Role of Youth in Civic Engagement

    In this episode of the amplifiED podcast, hosts Margaret Sullivan and Josh Crosson engage with Libby Stegger from Civic Bridgers to discuss the importance of youth voices in civic engagement. They explore the current climate of divisiveness and the need for connection, emphasizing the role of listening, allyship, and community building. Libby shares insights from her work with Civic Bridgers, highlighting the significance of agency for young people and the power of building short bridges to foster understanding. The conversation underscores the necessity of creating safe spaces for youth and the hope that arises from empowering them to take action in their communities.

    1h 7m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

This is AmplifiEd, the EdAllies podcast. At EdAllies, we partner with schools, families, and communities to ensure that all Minnesota students have access to a rigorous and engaging education. We advance policies that put underserved students first, remove barriers facing successful schools and programs, and foster an inclusive conversation about what's possible for students. In the AmplifiEd podcast, we dig into the issues of the day, the opportunities and challenges facing students, educators, and families, and the ways policy, advocacy, and collaboration can ensure better outcomes for us all.

Information

  • Creator
    EdAllies
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © EdAllies
  • Show Website
    amplifiED