Some Idahoans, especially parents of school-aged children, don’t have time to become experts on education policy creation (Legislature) and implementation (classroom practice). 

With the legislative session starting this week, we encouraged two moms who know their way around parenting and policy to help parents navigate the discussions and jargon with a podcast: Idaho Education: Unpacked. 

Katie McGuire is a freelance journalist, educator and mother of three. Alexis Morgan hosts her own podcast, The Purple Zone. She is a doctoral student in public policy and administration, the past president of Idaho PTA and a mother of four. She has advocated for legislation, though she’s not a registered lobbyist.

McGuire and Morgan are not employed by Idaho Education News. Their opinions are their own and not a reflection of EdNews, an independent and unbiased media group.

Their podcast will feature experiences and observations about education from their parenting, researching and teaching standpoints. Their goal is for the podcasts to contribute to informed conversations on education, a similar aim for our community Voices submissions.

The series premiere of Education: Unpacked introduces the legislative session. McGuire and Morgan break down why January is the hottest month for education policy, and they share ways to engage with the legislative process.