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.
Turning the Titanic: The Grassroots Story Behind Minnesota's Literacy Progress
In this episode of amplifiED, hosts Margaret Sullivan and Josh Crosson sit down with Rachel Berger, lobbyist, parent advocate, and what Josh calls "the godmother of literacy advocacy at the Minnesota Capitol,” for a deep dive into the history, hard work, and real-world impact of Minnesota's Read Act.
Rachel traces the journey from 2013, when she and a group of fired-up parents with kids diagnosed with dyslexia decided to change the laws, through years of coalition-building and Capitol testimony that culminated in the Read Act's passage in 2023. Along the way, she and Josh break down the difference between balanced literacy and the science of reading and why that distinction matters enormously for kids who can't just pick up reading by being surrounded by books.
The conversation covers Minnesota's remarkable progress: teacher prep programs have gone from 28% to 93% alignment with science of reading standards, and a new, required hands-on literacy field experience was passed into law in 2026. But Rachel and Josh are clear-eyed about what's still ahead. You don't turn the Titanic overnight and parent voice, which drove this entire movement, remains essential to seeing it through.
21 Jul 2026
EdVoices Special Episode: Bring Back the Village: A Conversation on Race, Fatherhood, and Special Education
In this candid, unscripted conversation, host and EdVoices cohort member Courtney sits down with Andre, a single Black father raising five children, including a son on the autism spectrum. Andre opens up about what it's like to navigate Minnesota's special education system largely on his own: the lack of communication from schools, the absence of meaningful family support services, and the feeling of being shut out of decisions about his own child's care.
Courtney and Andre talk candidly about gender bias in custody and advocacy spaces, the cultural disconnect many Black and Brown families experience with teachers and service providers, and the emotional weight of raising children with disabilities without a built-in support system. Andre reflects on growing up in Chicago, the "village" that raised him, and his hope to give his own children a different, safer path—even as he works largely without the institutional support he needs.
The conversation is raw, personal, and unafraid to name what's missing: cultural competency, consistent communication between schools and families, and real recognition of fathers as equal caregivers and advocates. It's a conversation about resilience, the gaps in Minnesota's support systems for families of children with disabilities, and what it means to build a village when the one you grew up with isn't there anymore.
12 May 2026
The DC Ripple Effect: What Federal Education Changes Mean for Minnesota Kids
Dan Gordon, education policy expert at EducationCounsel, returns to amplifiED for a second time to help hosts Margaret Sullivan and Josh Crosson make sense of a federal landscape that's moving faster than anyone can keep up with.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Dan breaks down where things stand since his last appearance: the shift from executive order chaos to the quieter but equally consequential work of implementation and enforcement. From anti-DEI investigations targeting school districts, to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's cuts to SNAP and Medicaid and what that means for school funding in Minnesota, to the proposed 70% cut to federal education funding wrapped in the language of "local control"—Dan translates the noise into what actually matters for Minnesota students and families.
The conversation also covers the courts, where Dan offers a critical reminder: lawsuits are roller coasters, and a good headline doesn't mean the fight is over. He walks through where birthright citizenship, transgender student protections, and Plyler v. Doe stand—and what Minnesotans should expect to hear from the Supreme Court this summer. The episode closes with a look at the FY2027 federal budget process, the looming midterm elections, and what a potential shift in Congressional power could mean heading into 2027.
Who has been a guest on amplifiED
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Meghna Sohoni
Michael Franco
Lars Esdal
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
733,055
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
12 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
13
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
71
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