Can We Get A Minute?

About Can We Get A Minute?

"Can We Get A Minute?" cuts through the confusion of education policy to answer the questions teachers are too busy to research themselves. Join Jenn Ellis (a recovering lawyer) and Rebeca Shackleford (a former teacher and principal) as they decode who really calls the shots in our schools. From classroom policies to curriculum decisions, they break down complex education bureaucracy into actionable insights. Whether you're wondering why your school board made that controversial decision or how to effectively advocate for your students, Jenn and Rebeca combine their unique expertise to give you the straight answers you need—all in the time it takes to prep for your next class. Finally, education policy explained by experts who've been in your shoes. For season one, we’ll be talking about school meals, books, AI, college & career pathways, mental health, data & assessments.

Publisher

Rebeca Shackleford, Jenn Ellis

Category

education · government · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Jan 2025

Latest episode

7 May 2026

Latest episodes

20 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 May 2026

   Lost Lifelines: Advocating When Access Disappears

   There is a lot happening in DC right now, and if you're a teacher trying to make sense of the noise, this episode is for you. Rebeca and Jenn are joined by returning guest Blair Wriston from Ed Trust for a frank, grounded conversation about the federal actions reshaping education as we know it and what they actually mean for students, educators, and schools. From interagency agreements quietly hollowing out the Department of Education, to Title I and special education funding uncertainty, to the heartbreaking real-world effects of immigration enforcement in and around schools, Blair and the hosts don't shy away from the hard stuff. But they also don't leave you without hope. This last episode of the season is the episode for educators who are anxious, confused, or exhausted by the headlines and want straight answers from people who are deep in the work every single day.

2. 

   30 Apr 2026

   High School Reimagined: New Paths, New Possibilities

   You've seen Schoolhouse Rock's I'm Just a Bill, but that cartoon ends right where the real work begins. In this episode, Rebeca and Jenn are joined by two education policy practitioners from the Maryland State Department of Education to pull back the curtain on what actually happens after a law is passed. Tracy Kyttle, Director of Career Connected Learning, and Rita Bradunas, Coordinator of Career Counseling, both came up as practitioners in classrooms, nonprofits, and school offices before stepping into state-level policy work. Together, they break down Maryland's landmark Blueprint for Maryland's Future, what it looks like to implement transformational education policy at scale, and why functional, collaborative government is the secret ingredient most people overlook. From decoding the legislative process for everyday educators to understanding how passage of a law is the start of advocacy opportunities, and not the end, this episode is a primer in turning policy literacy into real power.

3. 

   23 Apr 2026

   When Educators Speak Up: The Power of Teachers’ Voices

   Host Jenn and Rebeca interview Evan Stone, CEO of Educators for Excellence, about amplifying teacher voices in education policy and driving systemic change.

Who has been a guest on Can We Get A Minute?

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Sam Levine
• Thomas C Murray
• Keri Rodrigues
• Charlotte Cahill
• Kyle Hartung

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

52

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Can We Get A Minute?

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.