Putting Students First Podcast

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview students, policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create learning environments where every Washington student feels safe, supported, and a positive sense of belonging.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, or Spreaker.

Visit our Washington Game Changers Podcast page for more interviews.

Journalist Ebony Reed on the Black-White Wealth Gap

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Yale School of Management professor Ebony Reed, a seasoned journalist who is also the Chief Strategy Officer at The Marshall Project, a news outlet focused on the justice system, who discusses the intersection of race and money, how the current Black/white wealth gap compares to the gap after the Civil War, and how we should talk to our kids about wealth. Ebony’s new book, co-authored with Louise Story, is Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap.

September 16, 2024

Bill Dussault on Special Education Law and Next Steps

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews game-changing disability rights attorney Bill Dussault, who discusses how Washington state’s special education law came to be, how Washington’s law impacted federal policy and the creation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, what needs to happen next with Washington’s special education system, and what we in the community can do to help make the necessary changes happen.

July 15, 2024

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah on the Power of Student Voice

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, New York Times bestselling author and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University, who discusses whether you can be a fan of consumer sports like the NFL and still criticize them, how we can disrupt America’s systemic racism, unchecked capitalism, and mass incarceration, and why it’s important to value and respect the leadership of our youth.

May 14, 2024

The Alliance of Innovative Educational Redesign (AIER)

In this episode, League of Education Voters Spokane Regional Field Director Kenji Linane-Booey interviews Mike Poutiatine, Charlie Wolff, and Eric Jurasin of the Alliance of Innovative Educational Redesign (AIER) about the importance of choice school programs in the Spokane region and the School Choice Fair AIER is hosting on January 18th at The Hive.

January 7, 2024

Blaire Penry, the 2024 Washington state Teacher of the Year

In this episode, League of Education Voters Interim Co-CEO / Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Blaire Penry, the 2024 Washington state Teacher of the Year, about how career technical education and fine arts can be taught in an equitable way, how her students lead their learning, how to create culturally responsive practices at the school district level, and how she would change Washington state’s education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

December 7, 2023

Adar Abdi Student Profile

In this episode, League of Education Voters Interim Co-CEO / Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Adar Abdi, a senior at Evergreen High School in Highline Public Schools, a Running Start student at South Seattle College, the Director of Community Outreach for the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC), and a current King County Equity Cabinet member. Adar discusses her education journey, how she envisions life after high school, and how she would change Washington state’s education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

July 3, 2023

Jeremiah Audet Student Profile

In this episode, League of Education Voters Interim Co-CEO / Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Jeremiah Audet, a sophomore at Rogers High School in Spokane Public Schools and a member of the Student Potential Youth Advisory Council (SPYAC), part of the Investing in Student Potential coalition that was created to design systems to give every learner what they need, when they need it. Jeremiah discusses his education journey, how he envisions life after high school, and how he would change Washington state’s education system if he were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

June 16, 2023

Isolation and Restraint in Washington state Schools

Isolation and restraint in schools hurts our most vulnerable students. In this episode, League of Education Voters Acting CEO Arik Korman discusses alternatives to isolation and restraint of students, policies that can be implemented at the school district level to support school leaders and staff, and direct impacts of isolation and restraint on students.

We were honored to interview:

• Justin Hendrickson, Principal at South Shore PreK-8 in Seattle Public Schools
• Liza Rankin, Vice President of the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors
• Dorian Taylor, a survivor of isolation and restraint practices who now works to advance disability justice at the county level
• Chris Baglien, a survivor of isolation and restraint practices who now is a father and a student in a postsecondary automotive program in Skagit County

March 17, 2023

Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington state Teacher of the Year

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington state Teacher of the Year, about why language is so important to students in the deaf community, strategies for preparing students in the deaf community for what comes after high school, her personal education journey, what she would change if she were in charge of our state’s education system, and why she loves the Harry Potter saga.

November 29, 2022

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Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Dr. Brent Jones, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, about his priorities for Seattle Public Schools and how he measures success, how the district is supporting student mental health, his personal education journey, and what he would change if he were in charge of Washington state’s education system and there were no budgetary constraints.

October 7, 2022

NPR’s Anya Kamenetz on How COVID Changed Children’s Lives

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews former NPR Education Correspondent Anya Kamenetz about the impacts of keeping students out of school as long as we did during the COVID pandemic, why this past school year was so challenging for students and educators, and why it’s so important for schools to prioritize relationships and social-emotional well-being moving forward.

Anya’s new book is The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now.

September 8, 2022

Washington state Teacher of the Year Nate Bowling on Civics and Student Engagement

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Nate Bowling, the 2016 Washington state Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Finalist, about how to engage students during this time of political upheaval, how to help educators and administrators better engage families, and why it’s so important to participate in state and local elections.

Listen to Nate Bowling’s Nerd Farmer podcast

Read Nate Bowling’s Bowlings Abroad blog

August 2, 2022

Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Mark Follman, National Affairs Editor for Mother Jones, who discusses which supports and warning signs could prevent mass shootings, how to keep bias out of the threat assessment process, and how to know when is the right time to intervene. Mark’s new book is Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America.

May 31, 2022

Luma Mufleh on Her Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Luma Mufleh, the founder of Fugees Family whose TED Talk on educational justice for refugee families has been viewed more than 1.7 million times. Luma discusses what it’s like being dropped into a classroom when you don’t know English, what supports we should provide to students who are refugees, and how we can focus on the assets that refugees bring to our schools and our society. Luma’s new book is Learning America: One Woman’s Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children.

April 21, 2022

2022 Washington state Teacher of the Year Jerad Koepp on Supporting Native American Students

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews 2022 Washington state Teacher of the Year Jerad Koepp about what supports Native American students need, what worked and didn’t work in his own educational journey, and how he would change our education system if there were no budgetary constraints.

October 30, 2021

Betty Peralta on Why Students Need Social-Emotional Learning

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews adult-child interaction specialist Betty Peralta about what social-emotional learning (SEL) is, how teachers and administrators can benefit from SEL, how the state can support SEL in Washington’s 295 school districts, how parents can advocate for SEL in their student’s classroom, and more.

Betty recently led a training on social-emotional learning for educators and staff at South Shore PreK-8 in South Seattle, a close partner of League of Education Voters. Betty’s website is AltaVenues.com.

September 27, 2021

The Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman connects with two students from the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) about LYAC’s history, how LYAC operates, LYAC’s impact on education policy, and what they would change if they were in charge of the state’s education system. Priyanka Mukhara is a First-Year Councilmember and Kellen Hoard is a Second-Year Councilmember and the Chair of LYAC.

The Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) is codified in law as the official youth advisory body to the state legislature, and its activities are wide-ranging. Throughout the year, 14-to-18-year-old student members of the council actively lobby legislators, testify in committee, advise various government agencies, host events around the state, collaborate with nearly 200 community organizations, and much more.  LYAC also spends much time conversing with young people in every corner of Washington about their priorities in order to be a more effective advocate to the legislature.

June 16, 2021

The Educators of Color Leadership Community

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman hosts a panel discussion about the Puget Sound Educational Service District’s successful Educators of Color Leadership Community (ECLC), in which panelists address why educator diversity is so important, what the barriers are to recruitment and retention of teachers of color, how the Educators of Color Leadership Community supports teachers of color, and how we can scale the ECLC’s work to support teachers of color across Washington state.

We were honored to interview:

Brooke Brown, 2021 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Regional Teacher of the Year from Puget Sound Educational Service District 121, who teaches English and Ethnic Studies at Washington High School in the Franklin Pierce School District

Stephanie Gallardo, who teaches social studies at Foster High School in the Tukwila School District

Tamasha Emedi, Assistant Principal at Hazel Valley Elementary School in Highline Public Schools

Denise Daniels, Director of Recruitment, Retention and Workforce Development in the Auburn School District and President of the Kent School District Board of Directors

Brad Brown, Executive Director of Kindergarten through Post-Secondary at the Puget Sound Educational Service District

Eileen Yoshina, Director of Equity in Education at the Puget Sound Educational Service District, who facilitates the Educators of Color Leadership Community

April 20, 2021

The Power of Quality Early Childhood Education

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Dr. Alejandra Barraza, President of the HighScope Foundation, and Sonja Griffin, Quality Practice and Professional Development Manager for the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning, why it’s important to invest in ages 0-8, what implementation of these investments looks like, how these investments impact K-12 student outcomes, what worked and didn’t work in their own education journeys, and how they would transform our education system if there were no budgetary constraints.

HighScope provided the early learning curriculum adopted by the City of Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning that works with South Shore PreK-8 in South Seattle, a close partner of League of Education Voters.

February 19, 2021

2020 Washington state Classified Employees of the Year

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks 2020 Washington state Classified School Employees of the Year about their role in the education system, what advice they would give a new classified employee, what motivation they still carry with them from their first day on the job, how the COVID pandemic has impacted their work, and what school districts can do to better support employees in their role.

We were honored to interview:

Melito Ramirez, 2020 Washington state Classified School Employee of the Year and Regional Classified School Employee of the Year from Educational Service District 123, who works as Intervention Specialist at Walla Walla High School in the Walla Walla School District

Katie Lee, 2020 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year from Olympic Region Educational Service District 114, who is a Special Education Paraeducator at Vinland Elementary and Poulsbo Elementary Schools in the North Kitsap School District

January 25, 2021

The 2021 Washington state Teachers of the Year

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks the 2021 Washington state Teachers of the Year about their teaching philosophy, their greatest accomplishment in the classroom, how they would make teaching better in Washington state, what advice they would give a new teacher, what motivation they still carry with them from their first day in the classroom, how the COVID pandemic has impacted their work, what school districts can do to better support teachers, and what advice they would give to parents and educators during this time.

We were honored to interview:

Brooke Brown, 2021 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Regional Teacher of the Year from Puget Sound Educational Service District 121, who teaches English and Ethnic Studies at Washington High School in the Franklin Pierce School District

Ben Ballew, 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year from Northwest Educational Service District 189, who teaches English at Arlington High School in the Arlington School District

Megan Anderson Reilly, 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year from Educational Service District 105, who teaches Spanish at AC Davis High School in the Yakima School District

Devin Bauer, 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year from Northeast Educational Service District 101, who is a Special Education Department Head and Learning Center teacher at Lakeside High School in the Nine Mile Falls School District

Chenoa Meagher, 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year from Educational Service District 123, who teaches kindergarten at Sagecrest Elementary School in the Kennewick School District

David Buitenveld, 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year from Capital Region Educational Service District 113, who teaches mathematics and is a remote learning coach at Nisqually Middle School in the North Thurston School District

Erin Lark, 2021 Regional teacher of the Year from Educational Service District 112, who science and STEM at iTech Preparatory School in the Vancouver School District

Jackie Hentges, 2021 Regional teacher of the Year from North Central Educational Service District 171, who teaches science at Brewster Middle School in the Brewster School District

David Tracewell, 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year from Olympic Region Educational Service District 114, who teaches English and Media Communications at Klahowya Secondary School in the Central Kitsap School District

December 23, 2020

Tequilla Brownie of TNTP on The Opportunity Myth

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Dr. Tequilla Brownie, Executive Vice President of Strategy, Policy & Community Coalitions at TNTP, about their groundbreaking report titled The Opportunity Myth, how she recommends that teachers and schools connect with students during this time of COVID, and what she would change about our education system if there were no budgetary constraints.

TNTP currently works with South Shore PreK-8 in South Seattle, a close partner of League of Education Voters.

November 20, 2020

2021 Washington state Teacher of the Year Brooke Brown

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks 2021 Washington state Teacher of the Year Brooke Brown why it is important for students to feel safe and that they belong in school, how she recommends that teachers connect with students during this time of remote learning, and what advice she has for parents during this challenging time.

October 8, 2020

Fernell Miller of The Root of Us on What Students Need Now

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Fernell Miller, Founder and CEO of The Root of Us and a physical education teacher in the public school system, what she is hearing from students during this historic time, what it was like for her to navigate school as a Black student, and what she would like to see schools prioritize as the 2020-21 school year begins.

• Take The Root of Us survey here.
• Watch the student “I Can Return to School When…” video here.
• Read our recap of the July 21, 2020 Virtual Rally for Students and Families.

August 6, 2020

Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist, the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities and Founding Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, contributing writer at The Atlantic, and CBS News correspondent, how we can be anti-racist ourselves, how, in Dr. Kendi’s words, he evolved from internalizing racist thoughts to being an anti-racist, and what we can do to create a more equitable, anti-racist society.

July 15, 2020

Joy Sebe of Open Doors on Racial Equity and the Impact of COVID-19 on Communities

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Joy Sebe, Advocacy and Civic Engagement Program Manager and Director of the Community Parent Resource Center at Open Doors for Multicultural Families, what the community served by Open Doors needs right now in this time of COVID-19, what we can do to provide support, what worked in her personal education journey, and what she would like to see schools prioritize as they plan for re-opening.

June 11, 2020

Chief Justice Debra Stephens on Equity and COVID-19

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Washington state Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Stephens how COVID-19 has impacted Washington courts, how the court system can support students in an equitable way, what worked in her personal education journey, and what she would do to transform our education system if there were no budgetary constraints.

April 28, 2020

Rachel Madding on Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Rachel Madding, School Mental Health Program Manager for Highline Public Schools, to describe what a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is, how students, parents, and educators can get MTSS in every local education agency (school district, charter public school, and tribal compact school) across Washington state, and what she would do to transform our education system if there were no budgetary constraints.

March 17, 2020

David Lewis on Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks David Lewis, Director of Behavioral Health Services for Seattle Public Schools, to describe what a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is, how students, parents, and educators can get MTSS in every local education agency (school district, charter public school, and tribal compact school) across Washington state, and what he would do to transform our education system if there were no budgetary constraints.

February 24, 2020

RULER Curriculum Creator Dr. Marc Brackett

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Dr. Marc Brackett, Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and lead developer of RULER, an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has been adopted by nearly 2,000 pre-K through high schools across the United States and in other countries, including many school districts in Washington state, such the Seattle school district where it was first introduced at South Shore PreK-8, a school in South Seattle that is a key partner of League of Education Voters.

January 31, 2020

The 2020 Washington state Teachers of the Year

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks the 2020 Washington state Teachers of the Year about their teaching philosophy, their greatest accomplishment in the classroom, how they would make teaching better in Washington state, what advice they would give a new teacher, and what motivation they still carry with them from their first day in the classroom. We were honored to interview:

Amy Campbell, 2020 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Educational Service District 112 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Camas School District

Analisa McCann, 2020 Northeast Educational Service District 101 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Central Valley School District

Lisa Summers, 2020 Capital Region Educational Service District 113 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Tumwater School District

Kathryn Lebuis Hartman, 2020 Olympic Region Educational Service District 114 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Port Angeles School District

Reid Sundblad, 2020 Puget Sound Educational Service District 121 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Highline School District

Rebecca Estock, 2020 Educational Service District 123 Regional Teacher of the Year from the North Franklin School District

Malia Renner-Singer, 2020 North Central Educational Service District 171 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Cascade School District

December 23, 2019

2020 Washington state Teacher of the Year Amy Campbell

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks 2020 Washington state Teacher of the Year Amy Campbell, a special education teacher at Helen Baller Elementary School in the Camas School District, how best to handle transitions for students who need special education services, why inclusion is so important, and how she would change Washington’s education system.

November 13, 2019

How Everett Public Schools Prepares Students for Success

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks members of the Everett School District leadership team – Cathy Woods, Director of College and Career Readiness and On-time Graduation, and Becky Ballbach, Director of Student Support Services – how Everett Schools ensures that every student has a robust High School and Beyond Plan, what kinds of dual credit and career technical education pathways are available, and how the district ensures that every student can access these pathways.

October 31, 2019

How Bellingham School District Prepares Students for Success

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks members of the Bellingham School District leadership team – Jeff Tetrick, Director of Teaching and Learning for Career and Technical Education (CTE), Keith Schacht, Director of Teaching and Learning to Support Student Services and High School, and Communications Manager Dana Smith – what kinds of CTE pathways the Bellingham School District offers, how the district ensures that every student can access these pathways, and how other districts can replicate Bellingham’s outcomes.

September 27, 2019

How West Valley School District Prepares Students for Success

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks the West Valley (Yakima) School District leadership team – Superintendent Mike Brophy, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Peter Finch, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Angela Von Essen, Family Engagement Coordinator Minerva Pardo, Director of Innovation and Futures Chris Nesmith – how the district engages students from birth through high school graduation, culminating in their career technical education and dual credit programs.

August 26, 2019

Implicit Racial Bias Expert Jennifer Eberhardt

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt, Stanford Psychology Professor and MacArthur genius grant recipient, how to address implicit racial bias in schools, what we can do to help adults overcome bias, and how implicit bias differs from overt racism.

July 16, 2019

Marquita Davis, Gates Foundation Deputy Director of Early Learning

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Marquita Davis, Deputy Director of Early Learning at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, about the benefits of investing in early childhood education (ECE), how to improve transitions from early learning into K-12 and beyond, how best to finance early learning, and how to professionalize the ECE workforce.

June 3, 2019

Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, House Education Chair

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), Chair of the House Education Committee, how she envisions the legislature responding to special education needs from the community, what the next steps are for House Bill 1541, better known as the Opportunity Gap Bill, and what her vision is for improving education in Washington state.

May 8, 2019

State Board of Education Executive Director Randy Spaulding

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Washington State Board of Education Executive Director Randy Spaulding how the State Board differs from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), how community voice was incorporated into the Board’s new strategic plan, and how he would design a state education system if there were no restrictions.

April 15, 2019

Highline College student Chalisa Thompson on the Umoja Black Scholars Program

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Highline College student Chalisa Thompson how Highline’s Umoja Black Scholars Program has helped her, what went right and what went wrong in her educational journey, how she would change Washington’s education system, and how she envisions her future after she graduates.

February 21, 2019

Glenna Gallo, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Services

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Glenna Gallo, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Services at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), about her career path, what she sees as the biggest opportunity in Washington state to support students with disabilities, and how she would change the broader education system if there were no budgetary constraints.

January 17, 2019

Governor Jay Inslee

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Governor Jay Inslee what he sees as the biggest challenges and opportunities in education from pre-K through higher ed and how he addresses them in his 2019-2021 budget proposal, what he hopes to achieve with special education funding changes, why focusing on student well-being is important, and why he chose to dedicate funding toward student supports in higher education.

December 16, 2018

The 2019 Washington state Teachers of the Year

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks the 2019 Teachers of the Year about their teaching philosophy, their greatest accomplishment in the classroom, how they would make teaching better in Washington state, what advice they would give a new teacher, what motivation they still carry with them from their first day in the classroom, and what they would ask the Washington state Legislature to prioritize in the upcoming 2019 session. LEV was honored to interview:

Robert Hand, 2019 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Northwest ESD 189 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Mount Vernon School District

Tracy Castro-Gill, 2019 Puget Sound ESD 121 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Seattle School District

Ryan Healy, 2019 Capital Region ESD 113 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Yelm School District

Kristine Mars, 2019 ESD 123 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Kennewick School District

Mathew Brown, 2019 North Central ESD 171 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Manson School District

Susan Douglas, 2019 Northeast ESD 101 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Almira School District

Karen Doran, 2019 Olympic ESD 114 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Port Angeles School District

Kimberly Miller, 2019 ESD 112 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Woodland School District

Michael Clinton, 2019 ESD 105 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Mt. Adams School District

December 9, 2018

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau to discuss her listening tour around the district, her Student Advisory Board, her strategy for closing achievement gaps, and her personal education journey.

November 13, 2018

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal to discuss his office’s statewide survey on funding priorities, how the survey informed his budget ask for the 2019 legislative session, and how we can get involved in making these priorities a reality.

October 15, 2018

Department of Children, Youth, and Families Deputy Director Heather Moss

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Heather Moss, Deputy Director of the Washington state Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and Director of the Department of Early Learning (DEL), to discuss how the new DCYF will work, how to support children from a background of trauma, how to bolster the early learning educator pipeline, how to ensure quality of childcare by Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers, and her overall vision for early childhood education.

July 19, 2018

Parent Educator Katherine Lewis on Social Emotional Learning

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with parent educator Katherine Lewis, author of “The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever – And What to Do About It,” to discuss the importance of student self-regulation, why adult mindset is key in schools, and what Social Emotional Learning support looks like in practice.

June 21, 2018

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Expert Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with national childhood trauma expert Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Surgeon General of California and Founder of the Center for Youth Wellness in San Francisco, to discuss how to help kids who have experienced childhood trauma, and what we can do if we went through trauma ourselves.

June 1, 2018

2018 National Teacher of the Year Mandy Manning

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Mandy Manning, the 2018 National Teacher of the Year and 2018 Washington state Teacher of the Year, to discuss how the teaching profession has changed during her tenure, how to create a national narrative around education when it is often seen as a local issue, what advice she would give teacher prep institutions, and what it was like meeting President Trump.

May 7, 2018

Bipartisanship in Washington state

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Senator Andy Billig (D-Spokane) and Senator Ann Rivers (R-La Center) to discuss bipartisan accomplishments, the effect of national politics on bipartisanship here in the ‘other Washington,’ and opportunities to work across the aisle moving forward.

March 1, 2018

Nate Bowling on Physical Health Student Supports

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with 2016 Washington state Teacher of the Year Nathan Gibbs-Bowling to discuss students’ physical health needs, how teacher voice could impact education policy, and how his life has changed since being named Teacher of the Year.

February 20, 2018

Mental Health Supports for Students

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Youth Council Mental Health Organizer Nina Reckinger and Kim Beeson, Director of Student Support Services at Puget Sound Educational Service District, to discuss current mental health needs, how educators could be trained to provide support to students, and where a student facing mental health issues can get help now.

February 1, 2018

Senate Education Chair Lisa Wellman

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Lisa Wellman, Chair of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee, to discuss why she decided to run for office, her priorities for 2018, her personal education journey, and how she would like to see our education system serve her grandson.

December 21, 2017

The 2018 Washington state Teachers of the Year

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asked the 2018 Teachers of the Year about their teaching philosophy, their greatest accomplishment in the classroom, how they would make teaching better in Washington state, what advice they would give a new teacher, and what motivation they still carry with them from their first day in the classroom. LEV was honored to interview:

Mandy Manning, 2018 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Northeast ESD 101 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Spokane School District

Melissa Charette, 2018 ESD 113 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Olympia School District

Denisha Saucedo, 2018 ESD 121 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Kent School District

Jon Magnus, 2018 ESD 171 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Wenatchee School District

Linne Haywood, 2018 ESD 189 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Darrington School District

Jennifer Tenney, 2018 ESD 105 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Mount Adams School District

Laurie Price, 2018 ESD 123 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Richland School District

Ethan Chessin, 2018 ESD 112 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Camas School District

December 8, 2017

Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Shelley Redinger

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Shelley Redinger to discuss her personal education journey, what questions she has about school funding changes resulting from House Bill 2242, the McCleary deal, and what she is most excited about for her community.

November 13, 2017

Summit Atlas Executive Director Katie Bubalo

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Summit Atlas Public School Executive Director Katie Bubalo to discuss her personal education journey, how students can learn to take responsibility for their education, and how Summit Atlas can impact education for every student in Washington state.

October 18, 2017

45th Legislative District Candidate Manka Dhingra

The outcome of the 45th Legislative District Senate race will determine control of the Washington state Legislature.

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with 45th Legislative District Senate candidate Manka Dhingra (D) to discuss her education priorities, her personal education journey, her opinion about the Legislature’s progress on education funding, and what scares her most about the job.

September 21, 2017

45th Legislative District Candidate Jinyoung Lee Englund

The outcome of the 45th Legislative District Senate race will determine control of the Washington state Legislature.

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with 45th Legislative District Senate candidate Jinyoung Lee Englund (R) to discuss her education priorities, her personal education journey, her opinion about the Legislature’s progress on education funding, and what scares her most about the job.

September 15, 2017

Team Child on Special Education in Washington

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Team Child Legal Services Director David Huneryager to discuss the special education landscape in Washington state, this year’s US Supreme Court Endrew ruling and the ACLU’s lawsuit against the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and what would happen if we all believe that every child can learn.

July 24, 2017

State Superintendent Chris Reykdal

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal to discuss his six-year K-12 education plan, how the plan would prepare our kids for what comes after high school, and how we can help make it happen.

June 22, 2017

Washington STEM CEO Caroline King

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Washington STEM CEO Caroline King to discuss how STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Career Connected Learning can be applied in the classroom, and how she would design an education system from scratch.

May 18, 2017

Representative Pat Sullivan

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, member of the Appropriations Committee and member of the Education Funding Task Force, to discuss how parents, teachers and the community can get involved in a McCleary education funding solution, why teachers are so important, and what he would tell someone who is considering a run for public office.

May 4, 2017

Senator Ann Rivers

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Ann Rivers, Co-Chair of the Education Funding Task Force and member of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee, to discuss why she decided to run for office, where she sees common ground for a McCleary education funding solution, and her favorite classroom accomplishment when she was a middle school teacher.

April 20, 2017

Senator Hans Zeiger

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Hans Zeiger, Chair of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee, to discuss why he decided to run for office, how he transitioned from the House to the Senate, and what he sees as priorities for the McCleary education funding solution.

March 9, 2017

State Superintendent Chris Reykdal

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal to discuss the K-12 education funding plans on the table, how to close the opportunity and achievement gaps, and how to create a statewide system of career technical education.

February 2, 2017

Governor Jay Inslee

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Governor Jay Inslee to discuss his 2017 education priorities, how to build bridges in today’s political climate, and how to close the opportunity and achievement gaps.

December 14, 2016

Washington state Teachers of the Year

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asked current and former Regional Teachers of the Year about their teaching philosophy, their greatest accomplishment in the classroom, and how they would prioritize education spending in Washington state if they were in charge. In this podcast, LEV was honored to interview:

Camille Jones, 2017 Washington state Teacher of the Year from the Quincy School District

Shari Conditt, 2015 ESD 112 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Woodland School District

Kendra Yamamoto, 2017 ESD 112 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Vancouver School District

Elizabeth Loftus, 2017 ESD 189 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Oak Harbor School District

John Gallagher, 2017 ESD 114 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Port Angeles School District

Lynne Olmos, 2012 ESD 113 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Mossy Rock School District

Lyon Terry, 2015 Washington state Teacher of the Year from the Seattle School District

December 1, 2016

Senator Christine Rolfes

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman sat down with Senator Christine Rolfes (D-23) to talk about solutions to funding our education system, how to close achievement gaps, the importance of career-connected learning, and why she decided to run for office.

November 18, 2016

Representative Ruth Kagi

League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman enjoyed a wonderful conversation with Rep. Ruth Kagi (D-32) about the politics of early learning, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Children and Families, and why she decided to run for office.

November 18, 2016

Superintendent of Public Instruction Candidate Chris Reykdal

The League of Education Voters interviewed both candidates for Washington state Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Note: The League of Education Voters did not promote or endorse either candidate.

September 6, 2016

Superintendent of Public Instruction Candidate Erin Jones

The League of Education Voters interviewed both candidates for Washington state Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Note: The League of Education Voters did not promote or endorse either candidate.

September 21, 2016

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