On this episode of the amplifiEd podcast, host Josh Crosson and EdAllies’ policy director Matt Shaver are joined by special guest Minnesota State Representative Heather Edelson. Rep. Edelson shares her story of growing up in North Minneapolis, how The Babysitters Club helped her be a good policymaker, and her experience working on the Read Act. She also discusses empowering students through literacy, the bill's importance to Minnesota’s learners, what parents can expect to see in classrooms in the coming years, and what’s next for literacy education. This episode is a deep dive into how community members, parents, advocates, and legislators can all come together to craft meaningful legislation for kids.

Timestamps:

[00:00:01 ] DJ Peter Parker, Maniac McGee, Stinky Cheese Man, 1984, Harry Potter, The Babysitters Club

[00:04:21 ] Empowering literacy through policymaking.

[00:08:30 ] Empowering kids through literacy, opportunity.

[00:12:33 ] Empowering literacy through science and advocacy.

[00:19:23 ] Creating equitable literacy policy: struggle, process, collaboration.

[00:24:05 ] Improving literacy through policymaking, importance of community-based processes

[00:29:05 ] Highlights of the Read Act as a comprehensive literacy bill: Invest, screen, intervene, train.

[00:33:44 ] Addressing trauma through policy. What can parents expect to see from the Read Act to show its working.

[00:38:19 ] Stop being jerks: Pass READ Act 2.0

[00:43:14 ] Teachers learn literacy, EdAllies push change.

On 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.

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Find Out More at EdAllies

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.