Putting Students First League of Education Voters

In this episode, League of Education Voters Interim Co-CEO / Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Adar Abdi, a senior at Evergreen High School in Highline Public Schools, a Running Start student at South Seattle College, the Director of Community Outreach for the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC), and a current King County Equity Cabinet member.

Adar discusses her education journey, how she envisions life after high school, and how she would change Washington state’s education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Interim Co-CEO / Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Jeremiah Audet, a sophomore at Rogers High School in Spokane Public Schools and a member of the Student Potential Youth Advisory Council (SPYAC), part of the Investing in Student Potential coalition that was created to design systems to give every learner what they need, when they need it.

Jeremiah discusses his education journey, how he envisions life after high school, and how he would change Washington state’s education system if he were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

Isolation and restraint in schools hurts our most vulnerable students. In this episode, League of Education Voters Acting CEO Arik Korman discusses alternatives to isolation and restraint of students, policies that can be implemented at the school district level to support school leaders and staff, and direct impacts of isolation and restraint on students.

We were honored to interview:

Justin Hendrickson, Principal at South Shore PreK-8 in Seattle Public Schools

Liza Rankin, Vice President of the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors

Dorian Taylor, a survivor of isolation and restraint practices who now works to advance disability justice at the county level

Chris Baglien, a survivor of isolation and restraint practices who now is a father and a student in a postsecondary automotive program in Skagit County

In this episode, we interview Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington state Teacher of the Year, about why language is so important to students in the deaf community, strategies for preparing students in the deaf community for what comes after high school, her personal education journey, what she would change if she were in charge of our state's education system, and why she loves the Harry Potter saga.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Dr. Brent Jones, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, about his priorities for Seattle Public Schools and how he measures success, how the district is supporting student mental health, his personal education journey, and what he would change if he were in charge of Washington state’s education system and there were no budgetary constraints.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews former NPR Education Correspondent Anya Kamenetz about the impacts of keeping students out of school as long as we did during the COVID pandemic, why this past school year was so challenging for students and educators, and why it's so important for schools to prioritize relationships and social-emotional well-being moving forward.

Anya's new book is The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now.