The Education Gadfly Show

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Mike flies solo to reflect on what’s happening across the education reform landscape—from the private school choice debate to the question of whether education reform has successfully scaled. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam shares a study examining four-day school weeks and their (paltry) impact on teacher recruitment and retention. Recommended content: Maine Case Opens New Battleground for School Choice: The Right to DiscriminateWhat Betsy DeVos should say about vouchers, LGBT rights, and religious libertyJohn Arnold’s Instructive Retreat from Ed ReformFewer Children Left Behind: Lessons From the Dramatic Achievement Gains of the 1990s and 2000sThe Effects of the Four-Day School Week on Teacher Recruitment and Retention—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, Jon Valant —director of the Brown Center on Education Policy and a senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings—joins Mike to discuss his recent analysis of the federal tax credit scholarship initiative included in the Republican budget bill and its potential to open the door to waste, fraud, and discriminatory practices. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam shares a Belgian study comparing the cognitive and non-cognitive effects of work-based learning within different vocational education arrangements. Recommended content: The Educational Choice for Children Act opens the door to waste, fraud, and abuseFederal school choice skeptics are tilting at windmillsThe impact of work-based versus school-based learning on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes in vocational secondary education—Economics of Education Review 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, Linda Darling-Hammond and Anne Podolsky of the Learning Policy Institute—authors of our latest Think Again brief, “Do the Returns to Teacher Experience Fizzle Out?”—join Mike and David to discuss whether teachers really stop improving after just a few years on the job. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam shares a study examining the extent of school board turnover and whether it is linked to school performance. Recommended content: Think Again: Do the returns to teacher experience fizzle out?Effective Teacher Professional DevelopmentThe voices we don't hear: Teachers who gave upHigh Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States— EdWorking Paper 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 Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust, joins Mike to explain why charter school advocates keep winning in red states—and how others might follow Indiana’s lead. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam shares a new study documenting the sharp rise in teacher absences post-pandemic—and why it matters for schools and students. Recommended content: Charter school advocates keep winning—at least in red statesEducation reform in red versus blue statesFive ways to ensure that charter schools have a political futureEd in ‘28: A playbook for Democratic education reformersState data shows K–12 teacher absences surged post-pandemicBrookings InstituteFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Tom Toch, director of FutureEd, and Lynn Olson, former deputy director at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, join Mike and David to discuss Lynn’s new paper, “Quality Check: The New, Best Way to Measure School Performance.” Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study on the economic effects of Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs, showing that UPK boosted workforce participation across nine states and cities. Recommended content: Quality Check: The New, Best Way to Measure School PerformanceA New, Bipartisan Agenda for Raising Student AchievementThe Full Measure of a SchoolReady or Not? A New Way to Measure Elementary and Middle School QualityUniversal Pre-K as Economic Stimulus: Evidence from Nine States and Large Cities in the U.S—, NBERFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Genevieve Collins, Texas State Director for Americans for Prosperity, joins us to discuss Texas’s newly passed Education Savings Account bill—an ambitious policy that could position the Lone Star State as a national leader in school choice. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber highlights a Michigan study showing that simply being flagged for third-grade retention can boost students’ reading scores—even if they aren’t actually held back. Recommended content: A Texas-Sized Win for Families in the Trump Education EraJeb Bush: Texas’ Education Savings Account Victory Can Set Nationwide StandardHow Genevieve Collins, Americans for Prosperity, Are Shaping Texas’s FutureThe Impacts of Grade Retention Policy With Minimal Retention—EdWorking PapersFeedback 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, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, joins Mike and David to discuss the religious charter schools case currently before the U. S. Supreme Court. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study out of Dallas on whether an automatic Algebra enrollment policy boosted participation among underserved students. Recommended content: SCOTUS should mandate state support for religious education, but not via charter schoolsSupreme Court Case Could Reshape Landscape for Charter and Religious SchoolsThe religious charter schools case is a bigger deal than you thinkWhy SCOTUS should—and will—approve faith-based charter schoolsClosing the Gaps: An Examination of Early Impacts of Dallas ISD’s Opt-out Policy on Advanced Course Enrollment—, EdWorkingPapersFeedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.

#968: Are school inspections the accountability tool we’ve overlooked? with Erik Robelen On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, former Education Week reporter Erik Robelen joins Mike and David to discuss school inspections—what they are, how they might fit into accountability systems, and who’s actually using them in U.S. schools. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber highlights a study on how AI tools can help middle school math teachers personalize their lessons. Recommended content: The Full Measure of a SchoolEducation NextEngland’s School Inspections Get a MakeoverEducation NextBlueprint for Maryland’s Future: Expert Review TeamState Review Panel: School Review ProtocolCharter School Site Visit ProtocolScaffolding Middle-School Mathematics Curricula With Large Language Models, EdWorking Papers (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, Rachel Canter, the founding executive director of Mississippi First and the new director of education policy at the Progressive Policy Institute, joins Mike and David to discuss what really fueled Mississippi’s dramatic gains in student achievement. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reports on a new study examining the impact of Ohio’s EdChoice voucher program on college enrollment and graduation rates. Recommended content: The Truth About Mississippi’s NAEP GainsA bold state move to improve readingOhio’s EdChoice scholarship program improved college outcomesThe Effects of Ohio’s EdChoice Voucher Program on College Enrollment and Graduation, 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, 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.