Idaho Education: Unpacked Podcast
Hosted by Katie McGuire and Alexis Morgan
Alexis Morgan has over 20 years of experience in education and advocacy across Idaho. She hosts the podcast The Purple Zone: Bridging the Gap between Public Policy, Practice & People, which explores practical applications of policy. She is a doctoral candidate in public policy and administration, the immediate president of Idaho PTA, and a mother of four. Follow her @theidaholady on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Katie McGuire is a freelance reporter for EdNews. She lives in Meridian with her husband and their three children. She has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education social science teaching from Brigham Young University and a master’s in history from Kent State University.
Episode 11: Understanding and engaging with your local school board
Idaho Education News helps show the role of school boards in local governance.
Episode 10: The funding formula– why it matters for Idaho schools and students
Not only does the formula determine where a large portion of Idaho tax dollars go, it also plays a pivotal role in classroom sizes, attendance policies, levy amounts, and more.
Episode 9: The four-day school week: where it came from and what it looks like for families
This week, Alexis and Katie take a look at four-day school weeks in Idaho.
Episode 8: Charter Schools vs. Traditional Schools: What you need to know
Schooling choices can come with real decision fatigue.
Episode 7- Answering your questions: School decisions and Spring Break plans
Alexis and Katie discuss legislative updates, including attempts to address the $100 million special education funding gap
Episode Six: Medical Education: Plans to bring more doctors to Idaho families
This week, Katie and Alexis discuss how state leaders are aiming to address this problem through medical education.
Episode 5 – Idaho’s virtual public schools: balancing benefits and costs for families
This week, Katie and Alexis unpack these opinions, as well as the 2026 legislative debates.
Episode 4 – Private School Choice Vouchers and What the Debates Mean for You
In this episode, Katie and Alexis explain what that means for you and your family
Episode 3 – Idaho’s $100 million special education gap and what it means for kids
Listen to this podcast by two Idaho moms.
Episode 2 — What a budget deficit could mean for schools
They know their way around parenting and policy.