Laurel Bounds has over a decade of experience in public education. Most recently she was a teacher in the North Kansas City School District. As a public-school teacher, she has taught 3rd through 6th grade across multiple districts throughout Kansas and Missouri. Laurel also works as an English Language Arts Content Reviewer for EdReports. With her work through EdReports, she has reviewed over six ELA curriculums to determine standards-based alignment. These reports are published and used by districts across the country to help implement standards-aligned materials within their schools.

A graduate of the University of Kansas, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She returned to the University of Kansas to earn a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction.