The Education Gadfly Show

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Checker Finn, Fordham’s president emeritus—and the original Education Gadfly—joins Mike and David to discuss the best and worst news in education reform in 2024. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares the top five research studies of the year. Recommended content: Michael J. Petrilli, “How much blame does the federal government deserve for America’s mediocre schools?,” Thomas B. Fordham Institute (November 21, 2024). The end of MCAS is the end of an era. Now let’s figure out what comes next.It’s time for tough love to address chronic absenteeismESSER and Student Achievement: Assessing the Impacts of the Largest One-Time Federal Investment in K12 Schools Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Philip K. Howard, chair of Common Good and a bestselling author, joins Mike and David to discuss what it takes to create positive school environments, as outlined in his recent Hoover Institution essay, “The human authority needed for good schools.” Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares an Urban Institute report analyzing states’ demographically adjusted 2022 NAEP performance. Recommended content: The human authority needed for good schools3 ways to increase choice and decrease polarization in U.S. schoolsDigging into the 2024 survey of American public school teachersStates’ Demographically Adjusted Performance on the 2022 Nation’s Report Card Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Colleen Hroncich, a policy analyst with the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom, joins Mike and David to discuss why pro–school choice ballot measures failed in Kentucky, Nebraska, and Colorado—and what it means for the future. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam shares a study examining 100 years of data on elite private and public colleges, revealing persistent gaps in socioeconomic diversity despite changes in racial and geographic representation. Recommended content: Referendum Losses Are No Mandate against School ChoiceRepublicans’ big idea for remaking public education hits voter resistanceOp-ed: Despite blows, school choice swept the ballot this electionThe G.I. Bill, Standardized Testing, and Socioeconomic Origins of the U.S. Educational Elite Over a Century Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Jim Peyser, former Massachusetts Secretary of Education, joins Mike and David to discuss voters’ recent decision to eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement and what it means for the future of high school. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares reports exploring the changing landscape of homeschooling in America. Recommended content: Don’t Abandon Common High School Graduation ExamsWhy Did Massachusetts Just Pull the Plug on 30 Years of K–12 Success?Homeschool Participation: Post-Pandemic Persistence and Growth TrendsThe Changing Face of American Homeschool: A 25-Year Comparison of Race and Ethnicity Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Dale Chu, a senior visiting fellow at the Fordham Institute, joins Mike and David to discuss how the election results could impact education and whether there’s reason for optimism. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study examining how geographic access to public colleges affects enrollment decisions across different races and socioeconomic groups. Recommended content: Trump Gears Up for Assault on Wokeness With Education OverhaulA push for school choice fell short in Trump’s first term. He may now have a more willing CongressWe’re living through an education depressionDistance to Opportunity: Higher Education Deserts and College Enrollment ChoicesFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Jill Barshay, author of The Hechinger Report’s “Proof Points” column, joins Mike and David to discuss her recent article on the surprising effects of colleges eliminating remedial courses. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study examining the impact of Washington’s academic acceleration policies on high school students. Recommended content: A decade of data in one state shows an unexpected result when colleges drop remedial courses‘Kid, I’m Sorry, but You’re Just Not College Material’ Is exactly what we should be telling a lot of high school studentsWhat's the point of high school?Leveling Up: An Academic Acceleration Policy to Increase Equity in Advanced High School Course Taking Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Brandon Wright, Fordham’s Editorial Director and author of the latest Think Again brief, “Are Education Programs for High Achievers Inherently Inequitable?” joins Mike and David to explain why the answer to that question is “no” and why such programs are important. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study examining how individual teachers’ effectiveness shifted when instruction went from in-person to on-line during the 2020-21 school year. Recommended content: Think Again: Are Education Programs for High Achievers Inherently Inequitable?Building a Wider, More Diverse Pipeline of Advanced Learners: Final Report of the National Working Group on Advanced EducationHope and progress for gifted educationDo programs for advanced learners work?Teacher Effectiveness in Remote InstructionFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Marc Porter Magee, CEO and Founder of 50CAN, joins Mike and David to discuss “The State of Educational Opportunity in America," 50CAN’s new report based on a survey of over 20,000 parents from all 50 states and D.C. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam shares a study examining how teacher strikes affect compensation, working conditions, and student achievement. Recommended content: The State of Educational Opportunity in AmericaMichael J. PetrilliState of Educational Opportunity: Ohio Survey of Ohio ParentsThe Causes and Consequences of U.S. Teacher Strikes Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, David Deming, a professor of Political Economy at the Harvard Kennedy School, joins Mike and David to discuss his article in The Atlantic arguing that it’s not enough for governments and the private sector to eliminate college-degree requirement for good-paying jobs. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study investigating the “fade-out effect” in early childhood education programs. Recommended content: David DemingMichael J. PetrilliBruno V. MannoHere Today, Gone Tomorrow? Toward an Understanding of Fade-out in Early Childhood Education ProgramsFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Parker Baxter, Director of the Center for Education Policy Analysis at the University of Colorado, joins Mike and David to discuss his new report on the impact of Denver’s education reforms. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a RAND survey on teachers’ experiences with school violence and lockdown drills. Recommended content: Systemwide and Intervention-Specific Effects of Denver Public Schools’ Portfolio District Strategy on Individual Student Achievement, Paul T. HillAmber M. Northern and Michael J. PetrilliTeachers’ Experiences with School Violence and Lockdown DrillsFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Devon Nir, a research assistant at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, joins Mike and David to discuss the complexities of ensuring accountability for education savings accounts. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a study exploring the financial returns of various non-degree credentials and degree programs. Recommended content: Michael J. Petrilli and Devon NirDale ChuMichael J. Petrilli More Money for Less Time? Examining the Relative and Heterogenous Financial Returns to Non-Degree Credentials and Degree Programs Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Sofoklis Goulas, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and the Hamilton Project, joins Mike and David to discuss the Fordham report he just authored, Underachieving and Underenrolled: Chronically Low-Performing Schools in the Post-Pandemic Era. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study on the effects of Zearn Math on third through fifth grade math performance in Louisiana. Recommended content: Underachieving and Underenrolled: Chronically Low-Performing Schools in the Post-Pandemic Era, Michael J. PetrilliTim DalyMeasuring the Efficacy of Zearn Math in Louisiana Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Michael Goldstein, co-founder of the Math Learning Lab in Boston, joins Mike and David to discuss the track record of high-dosage tutoring in mitigating pandemic learning loss. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study on the long-term effects of the METCO program, which aims to increase diversity and reduce racial isolation by busing students from Boston to surrounding suburbs. Recommended content: The narrow path to do it right: Lessons from vaccine making for high-dosage tutoring, JillBarshayThe Scaling Dynamics and Causal Effects of a District-Operated Tutoring ProgramBusing to Opportunity? The Impacts of the METCO Voluntary School Desegregation Program on Urban Students of Color Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Paul Bruno, an assistant professor of education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, joins Mike and David to discuss the pros and cons of universal free lunch. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber explores how mandating Advanced Placement course offerings and waiving AP exam fees impact student participation. Recommended content: Tim DalyMax EdenPutting the ‘A’ in AP: The effect of advanced placement state policies on student participation and performanceFeedback Welcome: This week, we're trying something new on the Education Gadfly Podcast! After nearly 20 years of keeping our episodes short and snappy, we're experimenting with a longer format to explore topics in greater depth. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this change—whether you love it or hate it. If you enjoy the podcast, please share it with your friends and colleagues; your support helps us reach more listeners! Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

#936: How socioeconomic factors explain achievement gaps, with Eric Hengyu Hu and Paul L. Morgan On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, SUNY Albany’s Eric Hengyu Hu and Paul L. Morgan, authors of Fordham’s recently released report Explaining Achievement Gaps: The Role of Socioeconomic Factors, joins Mike and David to discuss their findings. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reports on a study of differences in grading practices between international and domestic instructors at U.S. public universities. Recommended content: Explaining Achievement Gaps: The Role of Socioeconomic FactorsMichael J. Petrilli and Amber M. NorthernExcellence Gaps by Race and Socioeconomic StatusUndergraduate Grading Practices of International and Domestic Faculty: Evidence From Three Large U.S. Public Universities Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Starlee Coleman, newly named President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, joins Mike and David to discuss how the charter sector can find success with a Trump or Harris presidency. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reports on a study of how nearby charter schools impact Catholic school enrollment. Recommended content: Michael J. PetrilliAaron ChurchillDale ChuCharter School Expansion, Catholic School Enrollment, & the Equity Implications of School Choice Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Kelly James, a partner at Education First Consulting and Fordham’s 2024 Wonkathon winner, joins Mike and David to discuss how policymakers and practitioners can reduce chronic absenteeism in schools. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam reports on a study about the fiscal effects of states paying districts for the costs of students they no longer serve. Recommended content: Kelly James and Brad BernatekLeslieHeena KuwayamaBillions: The Cost of State Hold Harmless Policies in K-12 Education Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Othiniel Mahone, the principal at GEO Academies 21st Century School in Gary, Indiana, joins Mike and David to discuss effective strategies for implementing and enforcing an “away for the day” school cellphone policy. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam reports on a study about the impact of middle school principals on various long-term outcomes for students. Recommended content: Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.Howard Blume and Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles TimesMichael R. Bloomberg, BloombergThe Lasting Impacts of Middle School PrincipalsFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Fordham’s Checker Finn joins Mike and David to discuss the changes in how the College Board is scoring Advanced Placement exams. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reports on a meta-analysis examining the effectiveness of robot-assisted foreign language learning. Recommended content: Chester E. Finn, Jr.John MoscatielloJohn MoscatielloRobot-Assisted Language Learning: A Meta-AnalysisReview of Educational ResearchFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Vlad Kogan, a professor at Ohio State University, joins Mike and David to discuss what role race, achievement, and enrollment play in a district’s decision to close a school. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a new report that investigates the staffing difficulties and potential academic effects of class size reduction policies in New York City. Recommended content: Vlad Kogan, The Columbus DispatchMichael Petrilli, Wall Street JournalFrancis Pearman, Education WeekWill implementing class size caps exacerbate hiring challenges in New York City’s highest-poverty schools?Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.