The Education Gadfly Show

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Matt Giani, professor and researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, joins Mike and David to discuss whether there’s a one-size-fits-all math pathway for students, as explored in Calculus or Statistics: Does It Matter?—a new study he coauthored for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study that examines whether Indiana’s statewide private school voucher program has had any competitive effects on public school student outcomes. Recommended content: Calculus or Statistics: Does it Matter?Coming SoonAdvanced Math Pathways in New EnglandBuilding a Wider, More Diverse Pipeline of Advanced LearnersEffects of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program on Public School Students’ Achievement and Graduation Rates, 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, Anne Hyslop, Director of Policy Development at All4Ed, joins Mike and David to discuss the evolving federal role in K–12 education—particularly how the Secretary of Education’s waiver authority may—and may not--impact state flexibility on spending and testing under ESSA (the current iteration of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act). Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reviews a new study out of Massachusetts that examines whether students in departmentalized elementary schools perform better in middle school. Recommended content: ESEA Waivers 101: Explaining the Secretary of Education’s Waiver AuthorityWaiver and out: How red states plan to push the limits of federal ed policyTrump needs to call LamarBuilding Bridges to Middle School? Elementary School Departmentalization and Academic Achievement in the Upper GradesFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Scott Marion, Executive Director of the Center for Assessment, joins Mike and David to discuss why states should maintain annual assessments—even if the Trump Administration waives some federal testing requirements. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam reviews a study comparing surveys and test scores as measures of school quality and predictors of long-term student success. Recommended content: The Case for State TestingThe Case for Statewide School Accountability SystemsThe case for standardized testingThe best colleges for political diversityPutting School Surveys to the TestFeedback 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 Blew, co-founder of the Defense of Freedom Institute, joins Mike and David to talk about his work on the Educational Choice for Children Act—a federal proposal that could expand educational options for families through school vouchers. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a study on how expanding broadband access for Chicago families during the pandemic benefitted high achieving students but hurt their lower-performing peers. Recommended content: Federal Tax Credit: What You Need to Know About the Educational Choice for Children ActEducation reform in red versus blue statesEducation at an inflection pointHeterogeneous Effects of Closing the Digital Divide During COVID-19 on Student Engagement and AchievementFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Richard Kahlenberg, author of Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America’s Colleges, joins Mike and David to discuss how Democrats can move beyond DEI and embrace “integration, equal opportunity, and belonging.” Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a study on the relationship between standardized test scores, high school GPA, and first-year college performance at Ivy-Plus universities. Recommended content: Time to Ditch DEI in Favor of Something BetterA Way Out of the DEI WarsClass Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America’s CollegesStandardized test scores and academic performance at Ivy-Plus colleges 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, Steven Wilson, senior fellow at the Pioneer Institute, joins Mike to discuss his new book The Lost Decade: Returning to the Fight for Better Schools in America, which argues that the push for so-called Antiracist education derailed reform and harmed marginalized students. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a study on how educators divide their attention during virtual tutoring—and how achievement, gender, race, and English learner status influence those interactions. Recommended content: The Lost Decade: Returning to the Fight for Better Schools in AmericaThe Promise of Intellectual JoyAfter a “lost decade,” let’s restore high expectations for students11 thoughts about the massive layoffs at the U.S. Department of EducationDefunding the teacher trainersEducator Attention: How computational tools can systematically identify the distribution of a key resource for studentsFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Charles Barone, Senior Director of the Center for Innovation at the National Parents Union, joins Mike and David to discuss the future of federal assessment and accountability policies under the Trump Administration. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a study on student loan forgiveness and its impact on work, earnings, and borrowing. Recommended content: The Future of Assessment and Accountability | Part 1 | Goodbye Federal Assessment Guardrails?Are states ready to lead on education? Could Trump’s policies set them up to fail?The case for standardized testingStudent Loan ForgivenessFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Jing Liu (University of Maryland) and Seth Gershenson (American University), authors of our latest report, Ready or Not? A New Way to Measure Elementary and Middle School Quality, join Mike and David to explore how tracking students’ future GPAs could offer a clearer measure of school quality. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reviews a new study on young children’s evolving media consumption habits and their effects. Recommended content: Ready or Not? A New Way to Measure Elementary and Middle School QualityMake room, test scores: Introducing “indicators of high school and middle school readinessThe 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to EightFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, John White, former Louisiana superintendent of education and current CEO of Great Minds PBC, joins David and Amber to discuss the reforms he led in Louisiana and their role in the state’s significant NAEP gains. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber highlights a study on the expansion of “transitional kindergarten” in Michigan and its impact on early learning access and socioeconomic gaps. Recommended content: New NAEP Scores Dash Hope of Post-COVID Learning RecoveryA bold state move to improve readingWhy Are Reading Scores Still Falling on the Nation’s Report Card?Transitional Kindergarten: The New Kid on the Early Learning Block 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, Mike and David discuss what’s really going on with DOGE, including its cuts to IES research grants and the implications for education policy. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber highlights a study on whether the Core Knowledge curriculum helped strengthen kindergarteners’ vocabulary and knowledge. Recommended content: Easy, DOGE. IES matters.Culture war vs. competence: Why conservatives should support Penny SchwinnTrump should stay out of what students learn in schoolImpact of a Content-Rich Literacy Curriculum on Kindergarteners’ Vocabulary, Listening Comprehension, and Content KnowledgeFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Delia Pompa, Senior Fellow for Education Policy at MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, joins Mike and David to discuss how the potential threat of immigration agents at school doors is affecting students—and what can be done to keep them coming to class. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a study on the impact of a Hawaii Public Schools policy that raised special education teacher salaries by $10,000. Recommended content: Threat Assesment: Ice raids in schoolsHow Schools Can Navigate Trump’s Immigration PoliciesIn just one week, Trump created a new culture of anxiety in educationThe Impact of a $10,000 Bonus on Special Education Teacher Shortages in Hawai‘iFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Brian Kisida, Associate Professor at the Truman School of Government & Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, joins Mike and David to discuss his recent Education Next article, which reports on what high school students are hearing from their teachers about racism in America. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study about how test-optional policies at elite universities hurt high-achieving, disadvantaged students. Recommended content: Bridging the Divide over Critical Race Theory in America’s ClassroomsIt’s a Crisis! It’s Nonsense! How Political Are K–12 Classrooms?How Test Optional Policies in College Admissions Disproportionately Harm High Achieving Applicants from Disadvantaged Backgrounds 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, Tim Daly, CEO of EdNavigator, joins Mike and David to discuss whether America should refocus its efforts on helping our lowest-performing students and explore the best ways to address this challenge. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study on how students prepare for tests and the effectiveness of their strategies. Recommended content: We’re living through an education depressionGet ready for more bad news from NAEP 2024After a “lost decade,” let’s restore high expectations for studentsAn Evaluation of Secondary School Students’ Use and Understanding of Learning Strategies to Study and Revise for Science ExaminationsFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Rick Hess, the director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Mike and David to discuss education reform (or the lack thereof) during former President Biden’s term and what we might expect from President Trump. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reviews a study on the implementation of college- and career-readiness policies, focusing on the alignment between career and technical education courses and industry-based certifications. Recommended content: Miguel Cardona Is America’s Worst Education SecretaryFault lines in the MAGA coalition and what they mean for educationCurricular-Credential Decoupling: How Schools Respond to Career and Technical Education PolicyFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Barbara Biasi, assistant professor at the Yale School of Management, joins Mike and David to discuss Wisconsin’s Act 10 and its impact on teacher compensation. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber highlights a study on the underrepresentation of certain racial and socioeconomic groups in gifted education. Recommended reading: Wisconsin’s Act 10, Flexible Pay, and the Impact on Teacher Labor MarketsWisconsin’s Act 10 is back in court. Here’s what to know about the controversial law.The (Conference) Room Where it Happens: Explaining Disproportional Representation in Gifted and Talented 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, Alyson Klein, assistant editor at Education Week, joins Mike and David to discuss how President Trump could weaken the U.S. Department of Education without dismantling it entirely. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study examining the impact of early math intervention on student outcomes in Kentucky. Recommended content: How Trump Can Hobble the Education Department Without Abolishing ItWill Trump eliminate the federal role in education or weaponize it?How much blame does the federal government deserve for America’s mediocre schools?Effects of Large-Scale Early Math Interventions on Student Outcomes: Evidence From Kentucky’s Math Achievement FundFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

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.