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Last Friday, Idaho school and community leaders were notified that a major federal education grant already awarded and already supporting students is being cut short.

The Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) State Scaling Grant, awarded to Idaho through the United Way of Treasure Valley, was designed as a five-year investment supporting 47 rural & title one public schools. That funding is now scheduled to end three 1/2 years early, putting more than $30 million in support and nearly 60 full-time positions at risk.

In this episode of The Purple Zone, Alexis breaks down:

• What the Full-Service Community Schools grant is and what it is not
• Why the community school strategy is an adaptable, locally led approach that works especially well in Idaho
• What’s actually behind the federal decision to discontinue the grant early
• What Idaho schools, districts, and partners are doing right now to appeal the decision
• And how parents, educators, and community members can help

This conversation isn’t about partisan politics, it’s about Idaho kids, Idaho schools, and Idaho communities, and whether schools can finish work that is already underway.

👉 Take Action

• 📄 Send/email an appeal letter: LINK TO LETTER
• 📊 Read the Idaho Community Schools Fact Sheet: LINK TO FACT SHEET

Policy matters, but people matter more. And right now, Idaho needs voices.

Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/

JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration.
email@thealexismorgan.com

Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy:
https://www.thealexismorgan.com

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How does a bill actually move through a legislature — not in textbooks, but in real life?
In this episode of The Purple Zone, Alexis takes a deep dive into House Bill 41, Idaho’s 2025 “flags and schools” law, a bill that unexpectedly became tied to the now-viral West Ada classroom incident and sparked national debate about patriotism, symbolism, and expression in schools.

But instead of reacting to the headlines, we’re stepping back and dissecting HB 41 through one of the most influential theories in public policy: the Multiple Streams Framework.

Alexis sits down with the bill’s sponsor, Representative Ted Hill, to unpack how HB 41 traveled from idea → draft → committee → law, and how a viral moment altered the trajectory in ways no one anticipated.

Together, they explore:

• How the “problem” of flags in classrooms was defined — and redefined
• What policy options were on the table before the 2025 session even began
• How the West Ada sign incident transformed a local issue into a statewide flashpoint (The Everyone is Welcome Here Sign Topic)
• Why Idaho’s political climate made the bill’s momentum almost inevitable
• How media attention shaped not just perception, but implementation
• And whether the viral moment created the “policy window” that pushed HB 41 across the finish line

This episode isn’t about litigating the bill.
It’s about understanding the mechanics of how real policy happens: through the collision of problem definitions, political climates, ready-made solutions, and unexpected focusing events.

If you’ve ever wondered how a symbolic bill becomes a statewide law, or why certain ideas rise while others fade, this case study of HB 41 is a masterclass in policymaking in the modern era.

This is The Purple Zone — where policy, practice, & people meet.
Let’s jump in.

Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/

JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration.
email@thealexismorgan.com

Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy:
https://www.thealexismorgan.com

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What do a disappointed office-seeker, a presidential assassination, a reform act from the 1880s, and an academic essay from Woodrow Wilson have to do with your life today?
More than you think.

In this episode, Alexis traces the surprising story of how the U.S. moved from a full-blown spoils system—“to the victor belong the spoils”—to a modern merit-based civil service. You’ll hear how President James Garfield’s assassination jolted the country into passing the Pendleton Act, how Woodrow Wilson helped launch public administration as its own field, and why all of this matters right now as Schedule F (now Schedule Policy/Career) reopens the debate over loyalty vs. expertise in federal jobs.

This isn’t about which party is “right.” It’s about the kind of government we want:
One run by professionals?
One run by political loyalists?
Or something in between?

If you’ve ever wondered how civil servants actually got here—and whether we’re drifting back toward a modern spoils system—this episode is your roadmap.

Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/

JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration.
email@thealexismorgan.com

Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy:
https://www.thealexismorgan.com