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.
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.