PEP (Public Education Policy) Talk: An AASA Podcast

PEP Talk Episode 44: The ED Interagency Agreements

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant speaks with Tiffany Kessler, partner at The Bruman Group about the Interagency Agreements at the Department of Education; what programs are moving, what are the challenges and benefits, and what superintendents need to plan for.

 

Tiffany Kessler will also be part of a webinar with AASA on April 7 about Schoolwide Fund Consolidation, which you can register for here.

PEP Talk Episode 43: The State of Student Privacy & AI

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant catches up with Amelia Vance, founder and president of the Public Interest Privacy Center who staffs the AASA Student and Child Privacy Center, to discuss recent legislative developments on Capitol Hill related to student and child privacy bills and the role of AI in schools.

PEP Talk Episode 42: Rethinking Special Education Dispute Resolution at IDEA’s 50th Anniversary

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant interviews two of the authors of AASA's new report Rethinking Special Education Dispute Resolution at IDEA’s 50th Anniversary. Angela L. Balsley, Ed.D., founder of Unified Leadership and David Bateman, PhD., answer questions about what dispute resolution reforms could look like in 5 - 10 years and why this report is important and timely.

 

To read the full report, please check it out here.

PEP Talk Episode 41: Changes to the H-1B Visa Program

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant chats with AASA's senior government affairs manager Tara Thomas about the proposed changes to the H-1B Visa program, a key tool some districts use to alleviate staffing shortages for teaching positions. Kat also spoke with Tobin Novasio, superintendent of Hardin Schools in Montana, about how the proposed changes would affect his district.

 

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this podcast, Tara mistakenly stated that the fee was not currently active due to the court challenge. An injunction has been requested, but not yet provided by the court. As of October 24, 2025 the fee is applicable. 

PEP Talk Episode 40: The Impact of Impact Aid

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant speaks with Quincy Natay, superintendent of Chinle Unified School District #24 in Chinle, AZ about the critical need of Impact Aid funding, the nation’s oldest federal K-12 education program that turns 75 this year.

• The Basics of Impact Aid booklet
• Impact Aid Overview One-Pager

PEP Talk Episode 39: How Do YOU Advocate?

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant interviews superintendents from around the country about how they advocate for public education not only for their schools, but also for their communities and families, and asks if they have advice for others looking to get involved.

The featured superintendents are:

• Wendy Birhanzel, superintendent, Harrison School District Two, CO
• Quintin Shepherd, superintendent, Pflugerville Independent School District, TX
• Sharonica Hardin-Bartley, superintendent, University City School District, MO
• Stephanie Burroughs, assistant superintendent, Foxborough Public School District, MA

PEP Talk Episode 38: The K-12 Cases in the Supreme Court

What’s at stake for K-12 schools at the U.S. Supreme Court? Kat Sturdevant interviews Sonja Trainor, executive director of the National School Attorneys Association, to break down the key education cases on the docket and what they could mean for educators, students, and school leaders across the country.

PEP Talk Episode 37: How Medicaid Cuts Will Harm Students & Schools Report

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant is joined by Jessie Mandle, National Program Director of the Healthy Schools Campaign, to deep dive the Campaign's new report about how Medicaid cuts will significantly affect schools and students (released in partnership with AASA).

The report, How Medicaid Cuts Will Harm Students & Schools, can be found here.

The resource Jessie mentioned from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families on Medicaid/CHIP Coverage by School Districts, 2019-2023 can be found here.

PEP Talk Episode 36: School Voucher Update 2025

On this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant gets a much anticipated update from Sasha Pudelski, AASA's Director of Advocacy on where the school voucher movement currently stands in the 119th Congress, U.S. Department of Education, and beyond in a new year and a new administration.

PEP Talk Episode 35: The Cost of Divisive Conflict on School Districts and Superintendents

On this episode of PEP Talk: Noelle Ellerson Ng interviews Dr. Rachel S. White, Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Texas at Austin College of Education about a new report from The Superintendent Lab about the cost of divisive conflicts and and how school districts and superintendents are affected.

The Superintendent Lab was founded by Dr. White and her report can be found here. Featured blog post on The Leading Edge Blog about this report can be found here.