The Purple Zone

Alexis Morgan
  • 5.0 (8)
  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Welcome to The Purple Zone (formerly Our Kids Our Schools).  Bridging the Gap between Public Policy, Practice & People. The Purple Zone explores what it really means to align how we govern, how we educate, and how we show up for our communities. Hosted by Alexis — a PhD student in public policy and administration, and longtime educator and advocate for kids, communities, and the systems that shape our lives. This podcast connects the dots between policy and practice, without the politics or platitudes. It’s about naming what often goes unsaid — and making space for a more honest, human approach to systems that impact all of us.  How systems shape our communities, from policy on paper to action in practice. + Thinking Out Loud as a PhD Student

  1. MAR 18

    The Stories that Shaped Us and Built our Communities

    Send a text Lately I’ve been asking myself a question. Have we forgotten the stories that built the communities we live in today… or were many of us never really taught them in the first place? In this reflective solo episode, Alexis explores the stories that shaped her understanding of service and community, from Anne Frank and a Holocaust survivor who visited her classroom, to her immigrant grandfather’s journey to America in 1914, to visiting Minidoka National Historic Site with her children. She also shares the story of discovering the Idaho PTA archives, the work of 35 mothers who founded the organization in 1905, and reflects on the legacy of Rebecca Brown Mitchell, a pioneer teacher and the first woman to serve as chaplain of the Idaho Legislature. This episode isn’t about politics. It’s about something deeper: how history, family stories, and community memory shape who we are, and why staying connected to those stories still matters today. Because maybe the work of civic life isn’t about shouting louder or retreating further. Maybe it begins with remembering where we come from and recognizing that our individual stories are part of something larger. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    23 min

  2. MAR 16

    Idaho Lawmaking 101: The Budget, Medicaid, and a Rare Senate Rejection

    Send a text Budgets aren’t flashy and they’re usually not the most fun thing to talk about. But when the Idaho Senate rejected the state’s largest budget bill the $5.7 billion Health and Welfare budget it revealed deeper tensions inside the Legislature over fiscal responsibility, Medicaid spending, and recent tax cuts. In this episode of The Purple Zone,  I break down: 1.  How Idaho’s budget process works,  2. Why the Senate rejected the proposal, and  3. Work to connect the policy to our everyday language and lives, because budgets are where government decisions become real for communities. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    20 min

  3. MAR 3

    All about Charter Schools and the Missing Innovation Pipeline with Duncan Robb

    Send us Fan Mail Idaho has had charter schools for nearly three decades. They were created to innovate, and the question today is: are they doing that? In this episode, I’m joined by Duncan Robb, education policy expert and the writer behind the Substack K–12 Education in Idaho (k12educationidaho.substack.com). We break down the basics, what charter schools are (and aren’t), how they’re governed, and the role of the Idaho Public Charter School Commission...then zoom out to the bigger policy design question: if charters were meant to be “labs of innovation,” who is responsible for making sure what works actually transfers to traditional public schools? We also talk through current education policy debates, including state testing, accountability, and what meaningful flexibility really looks like in practice. By the end of the conversation, it was clear we had only scratched the surface, so stay tuned for more conversations with Duncan as we continue digging into charter schools and education policy in Idaho. Bonus: Duncan and I don’t agree on everything, which makes for a fun conversation. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    1 hr

  4. FEB 18

    Idaho’s Doctor Shortage, WWAMI, & the $1 Billion Rural Health Grant with Rep. Dustin Manwaring

    Send us Fan Mail Idaho ranks 50th in physicians per capita and 44th in primary care access. So what’s the real plan to fix it? In this episode, I sit down with Representative Dustin Manwaring to break down Idaho’s Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) strategy, the proposed 36-month rollout, and how it intersects with the $1 billion Rural Health Transformation Grant. We talk through the core problem the working group set out to solve and what “Train Here, Stay Here, Grow Here” actually means in practice and how it connects with workforce pipelines, residency expansion, and long-term retention? We also dig into the definition of “rural.” Critical access hospitals? Small towns near metro hubs? Urban hospitals that support rural areas? How the taskforce defines rural will shape who benefits and how federal dollars are distributed. Plus: How the UME plan intersects with the $1B rural investmentWhat legislators are watching to ensure accountabilityWhether Idaho’s low resident-to-medical-student ratio limits retentionThe future of WWAMI and how new legislation could shift seat allocationsWhether Idaho eventually needs its own full medical schoolIf this plan works, what will Idaho’s physician landscape look like 10 years from now? This is a forward-looking conversation about workforce, access, and how policy decisions today shape healthcare for the next generation. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    50 min

  5. FEB 3

    Federalism, Elections, and the Constitution: Who Actually Has the Power?

    Send us Fan Mail Who actually has the power over elections in the United States — the federal government, the states, or the president? Alexis takes you go back to the Constitution itself. Because here’s the truth: many adults have never been taught (or have near forgotten) how the Constitution is structured, where power is assigned, or why federalism exists in the first place. (This is a super basic/quick overview). When we don’t understand that structure, modern debates about elections can feel confusing, emotional, and disconnected from reality. Alexis walks through the basics most people missed: how the Constitution is organizedwhat the Articles actually assign to Congress, the President, and the courtswhere federalism lives in the texthow the Bill of Rights — especially the 10th Amendment — draws a clear line between federal and state powerFrom there, she gets concrete about elections: who runs them, who sets guardrails, and why the president has no constitutional authority to administer or centralize elections. To help frame today’s tensions, she puts two books into conversation — The Divided States of America by Donald F. Kettl and American Covenant by Yuval Levin — exploring whether federalism is a system that’s breaking down… or one that’s doing exactly what it was designed to do. This episode isn’t about personalities or partisan talking points. It’s about structure, limits, and why understanding the Constitution changes how we see current events. Because policy isn’t abstract. It’s personal. And federalism is where our disagreements are meant to live. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    26 min

  6. JAN 20

    The Real Cost of Underfunded Special Education

    Send us Fan Mail When special education isn’t fully funded, the cost doesn’t disappear...it gets absorbed by families, classrooms, and educators. In this solo episode of The Purple Zone, I unpack what underfunded special education actually looks like on the ground: for students whose needs go unmet, for teachers navigating behavior and safety challenges without enough support, and for families trying to advocate for their children in complex systems they didn’t design. Through two personal stories and Idaho-specific context, this episode explores: how funding gaps create real tradeoffs for all students, not just those in special education,why some families experience far more strain than others when support falls short,how unmet mental health and behavioral needs show up in classrooms, andwhat changes when schools have the staffing, resources, and partnerships they need.This isn’t a conversation about blame; it’s about design. Special education is a legal mandate, but it’s also a shared responsibility. When it’s underfunded, districts are forced into impossible choices, families carry heavier burdens, and educators are stretched thin. And yet, partnership still matters. When schools and families work together, especially in times of constraint, the experience for students can change. If you want to understand why special education funding affects the entire school community, and why addressing it is urgent...not someday, but now...this episode is for you. Because policy isn’t abstract. It’s personal. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    38 min

  7. JAN 9

    Efficiency Meets Reality: Hard Math, Hard Choices 2026 Legislative Session

    Send us Fan Mail The math ain’t mathing...and that’s not about blame, it’s about reality. Yes this podcast has the words BUDGET, LEGISLATURE, DOGE, and GOVERNANCE...but I promise it's NOT boring--but rather something that is intended to help ALL Idahoans (and my friends in other states), understand and connect where you are right now--with governance choices.  Idaho is entering the 2026 legislative session facing a significant budget challenge. Alexis doesn’t attempt to retrace every step that led to this moment, but instead acknowledges where the state is now...shaped by recent fiscal choices, and focuses on what that reality requires going forward. We look at how past budget crises were softened by federal dollars, why that backstop doesn’t exist this time, and how recent fiscal choices have narrowed the state’s options. We also unpack what “efficiency” really means in public administration, including the role of New Public Management, the limits of treating budget decisions as neutral or technical, and Dwight Waldo’s (public admin scholar) reminder that efficiency is never value-free. The episode also takes a closer look at Idaho’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), its stated goals, its work over the past several months, and what its outcomes tell us about incremental reform versus sweeping change. Along the way, we ask a key governance question: if limiting government is a priority, what do rising numbers of bills and new laws actually signal about the size and scope of the state? This is a grounded, nonpartisan conversation about budgets, governance, and accountability AND why acknowledging the past is essential to navigating what comes next. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    21 min

  8. JAN 6

    The Room Where it Happens: Getting Access to Where Idaho Policy Decisions are Made

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the first Purple Zone episode of 2026. As the new year begins and the legislative session ramps up (start date is January 12) ... I’m sharing three important opportunities and announcements for Idahoans who care about kids, families, schools, and the policies that shape our communities. First, we’re talking about Idaho PTA Day on the Hill, happening Tuesday, January 20, at the State Capitol. This year’s event includes a lunch with lawmakers and offers a meaningful chance to connect directly with the decision-makers shaping policies that impact our children...and all of us. 👉 Learn more and register at idahopta.org Second, I’m announcing the launch of the Idaho Kids Impact Council, a new space designed to connect parent leaders from across the state through virtual conversations. These Zoom calls will bring Idaho decision-makers directly to families and communities, creating room to hear firsthand about the issues impacting kids and communities at the state level. Third, I’m excited to share that I’ve been invited to serve as a public policy analyst for The Ranch Podcast, hosted by Matt Todd. Matt joins me for this conversation to talk about what this new role means and how it can help Idahoans better understand what’s happening behind the headlines. A Public Policy Recap. I'm so excited! So stayed tuned.  As always, I want to hear from you.  Send me a message if you’re interested in the Idaho Kids Impact Council, have questions about any of these opportunities, or want to share what Idaho topics are on your mind, because this show is always about seeing our state through the lens of policy, practice, and people. Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/ JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration. email@thealexismorgan.com Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy: https://www.thealexismorgan.com

    42 min
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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Purple Zone (formerly Our Kids Our Schools).  Bridging the Gap between Public Policy, Practice & People. The Purple Zone explores what it really means to align how we govern, how we educate, and how we show up for our communities. Hosted by Alexis — a PhD student in public policy and administration, and longtime educator and advocate for kids, communities, and the systems that shape our lives. This podcast connects the dots between policy and practice, without the politics or platitudes. It’s about naming what often goes unsaid — and making space for a more honest, human approach to systems that impact all of us.  How systems shape our communities, from policy on paper to action in practice. + Thinking Out Loud as a PhD Student

Information

  • Creator
    Alexis Morgan
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Purple Zone
  • Show Website
    The Purple Zone

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