amplifiED Podcast
EdAllies’ amplifiED podcast digs into the nuances, details, and lesser-known aspects of education equity through discussions that poke and prod at policymaking, systems, and much more. Hosted by Josh Crosson, EdAllies’ Executive Director and Margaret Sullivan, EdAllies’ Programs and Outreach Manager, amplifiED has discussed topics such as student discipline, innovative schools, chronic absenteeism, teacher diversity, literacy reform, legislative progress, the power of youth advocacy, and more!
You can listen and subscribe to amplifiED on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at the player below!
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.
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.