Putting Students First

Hosted by League of Education Voters

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May 2026

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About the show

In this League of Education Voters 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.

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29 recent

May 29, 202632 min

Ben Shuldiner, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Ben Shuldiner, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. Ben discusses what drives him, how he measures success for his priorities, what his strategy is for closing longstanding opportunity gaps, how he is implementing student and family engagement, what worked and what didn't work in his personal education journey, and how he would change Washington state's education system if he were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

January 25, 202632 min

Michelle Whitney, the 2026 Washington state Superintendent of the Year

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Michelle Whitney, the 2026 Washington state Superintendent of the Year, who has served as Superintendent of the Pasco School District for the past 10 years. Michelle discusses what makes Pasco's dual language, highly capable, and career technical education (CTE) programs special, what worked and what didn't work in her personal education journey, and how she would change Washington's education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

December 19, 202526 min

Gabriela Whitemarsh, the 2026 Washington state Teacher of the Year

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Gabriela Whitemarsh, the 2026 Washington state Teacher of the Year, who teaches Bilingual Math at Pasco High School in the Pasco School District.Gabriela discusses how her bilingual math program came to be, what outcomes and barriers she has seen for her program, what worked and what didn't work in her personal education journey, and how she would change Washington's education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

October 31, 202524 min

Education Secretary John B. King on the Teachers Who Change Our Lives

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews John B. King, Secretary of Education under President Obama and currently the chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education. Secretary King discusses how important it is for every student to have at least one caring adult in every school building, how we can shift mindsets so educators believe that every student can learn, what the value is of public K-12 and higher education, and how he would change our nation’s education system if there were no budgetary constraints.Secretary King’s new book is Teacher By Teacher: The People Who Change Our Lives. Follow him on Instagram @johnbkingjr and on X @johnbking.

August 22, 202525 min

Zaretta Hammond on Culturally Responsive Teaching

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, about how culturally responsive teaching supports students in the classroom, how best to embed equity into education in Washington state, what worked and what didn't work in her own education journey, and how she would change Washington’s education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.Zaretta's new book, Rebuilding Students’ Learning Power: Teaching for Instructional Equity and Cognitive Justice, will be published in September. Sign up for her newsletter at CRTandTheBrain.com

March 3, 202524 min

Dr. Marcus Pimpleton, Chair of the League of Education Voters Board

In this episode, Dr. Marcus Pimpleton, Chair of the League of Education Voters (LEV) Board and Principal at Mariner High School in the Mukilteo School District, discusses how he bridges cultural divides, how he engages students as a leader, how to embed equity into Washington state's K-12 system, what worked and what didn't work in his own education journey, and how he would change Washington’s education system if he were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

January 19, 202525 min

Kelly Guilfoil, 2025 Washington Regional Teacher of the Year

In this episode, we interview Kelly Guilfoil from the Lake Stevens School District, one of eight 2025 Washington Regional Teachers of the Year, about how her students are doing in the wake of the national election, what worked and what didn't work in her own education journey, and how she would change Washington state’s education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

December 19, 202441 min

Kim Broomer, 2025 Washington state Teacher of the Year

In this episode, we interview Kim Broomer, the 2025 Washington state Teacher of the Year, about what inclusion is, why inclusion is important, how inclusionary practices can be implemented, and how she would change Washington state’s education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

September 16, 202424 min

Journalist Ebony Reed on the Black-White Wealth Gap

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, 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.

July 16, 202429 min

Bill Dussault on the History of Special Education Law and What Needs to Happen Now

Game-changing disability rights attorney Bill Dussault 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.

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