Episodes
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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:
Jill Barshay, “A decade of data in one state shows an unexpected result when colleges drop remedial courses,” The Hechinger Report (September 23, 2024).Michael J. Petrilli, “‘Kid, I’m Sorry, but You’re Just Not College Material’ Is exactly what we should be telling a lot of high school students,” Slate (March 18, 2014).Chester E. Finn, Jr., “What's the point of high school?” Thomas B. Fordham Institute (September 5, 2024).Megan Austin, Ben Backes, Dan Goldhaber, Dory Li, and Francie Streich, Leveling Up: An Academic Acceleration Policy to Increase Equity in Advanced High School Course Taking, American Educational Research Journal (2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
Brandon L. Wright, Think Again: Are Education Programs for High Achievers Inherently Inequitable? Thomas B. Fordham Institute (October 2024). Building a Wider, More Diverse Pipeline of Advanced Learners: Final Report of the National Working Group on Advanced Education, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (June 2023). Brandon L. Wright, “Hope and progress for gifted education,” Advance (July 5, 2022).Jonathan Plucker, “Do programs for advanced learners work?” Thomas B. Fordham Institute (June 24, 2020).M. Cade Lawson and Tim R. Sass, Teacher Effectiveness in Remote Instruction, Annenberg Institute at Brown University (2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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Missing episodes?
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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 America, 50CAN (2024). “Student enrollment is dropping. The charter sector should keep growing anyway.” —Michael J. PetrilliState of Educational Opportunity: Ohio Survey of Ohio Parents, Thomas B. Fordham Institute and 50CAN (2024).Melissa Arnold Lyon, Matthew A. Kraft, and Matthew P. Steinberg, The Causes and Consequences of U.S. Teacher Strikes, NBER (2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“We need supply-side education policy” —David Deming“The vibes for career-tech programs are great. But they’re too rare.” —Michael J. Petrilli“What Kamala Harris should do on education and training” —Bruno V. MannoJohn A. List and Haruka Uchida, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? Toward an Understanding of Fade-out in Early Childhood Education Programs, NBER (2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
Parker Baxter, Anna Nicotera, David Stuit, Margot Plotz, Todd Ely, and Paul Tesk, Systemwide and Intervention-Specific Effects of Denver Public Schools’ Portfolio District Strategy on Individual Student Achievement, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (September 2024)“Denver doesn’t spell doom for portfolio-style reform” —Paul T. Hill“With student enrollment plummeting, which schools should be considered candidates for closure?” —Amber M. Northern and Michael J. PetrilliPauline Moore, Melissa Kay Diliberti, Brian A. Jackson, Teachers’ Experiences with School Violence and Lockdown Drills, RAND (2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“The ‘à la carte education’ accountability conundrum”—Michael J. Petrilli and Devon Nir“Finding the sweet spot on accountability”—Dale Chu" When Only Some Kids Can Afford Summer Camp — Why We Must Close the ‘Enrichment Gap’” —Michael J. Petrilli Jason Jabbari, Yung Chun, Xueying Mei, Stephen Roll, More Money for Less Time? Examining the Relative and Heterogenous Financial Returns to Non-Degree Credentials and Degree Programs, Annenberg Institute at Brown University (2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
Sofoklis Goulas, Underachieving and Underenrolled: Chronically Low-Performing Schools in the Post-Pandemic Era, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (September 2024)“The case for closing underenrolled, low-performing schools” —Michael J. Petrilli“We need to prepare now for the school closures that are coming” —Tim DalyShirin Hashim, Measuring the Efficacy of Zearn Math in Louisiana, AERA Open (2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
Mike Goldstein and Bowen Paulle, The narrow path to do it right: Lessons from vaccine making for high-dosage tutoring, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (March 2021)“Students aren’t benefiting much from tutoring, one new study shows” —JillBarshayMatthew A. Kraft, Danielle Sanderson Edwards, and Marisa Cannata, The Scaling Dynamics and Causal Effects of a District-Operated Tutoring Program, Annenberg Institute at Brown University (August 2024)Elizabeth Setren, Busing to Opportunity? The Impacts of the METCO Voluntary School Desegregation Program on Urban Students of Color, NBER (2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“Should All School Meals Be Free?”—Tim Daly“Make School Lunches Great Again”—Max EdenIan Callen and Christiana Stoddard, “Putting the ‘A’ in AP: The effect of advanced placement state policies on student participation and performance,” Economics of Education Review (2024)Feedback 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 [email protected].
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#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:
Eric Hengyu Hu and Paul L. Morgan, Explaining Achievement Gaps: The Role of Socioeconomic Factors, Fordham Institute (August 2024)“America’s highest-achieving students are disproportionately Asian. Let’s not be afraid to investigate why.”—Michael J. Petrilli and Amber M. NorthernMeredith Coffey and Adam Tyner, Excellence Gaps by Race and Socioeconomic Status, Fordham Institute (August 2023)Trang Pham and Stephanie Potochnick, Undergraduate Grading Practices of International and Domestic Faculty: Evidence From Three Large U.S. Public Universities, AERA Open (2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“How Kamala Harris can move to the center on education”— Michael J. Petrilli “What could a Vice President Vance do to advance rural and small town education?”—Aaron Churchill“Will next month’s Harris-Trump debate even mention education?”— Dale ChuShaun M. Dougherty, Andrew Miller, and Yerin Yoon, “Charter School Expansion, Catholic School Enrollment, & the Equity Implications of School Choice,” EdWorkingPaper 24-1027, Annenberg Institute at Brown University (2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“‘Everything, everywhere, all at once’ solutions to chronic absenteeism”—Kelly James and Brad Bernatek “To fix chronic absenteeism, we must ask why kids don’t want to go to school” —Leslie Colwell“How does teacher experience impact student absenteeism in early elementary school?” —Heena KuwayamaAaron Garth Smith and Christian Barnard, “Billions: The Cost of State Hold Harmless Policies in K-12 Education,” Reason Foundation, (June 2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“How to implement a cellphone ban in schools” —Amber M. Northern, Ph.D., Fordham Institute“LAUSD approves cellphone ban as Newsom calls for statewide action” —Howard Blume and Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times“New York City Schools Should Be Next to Ban Mobile Phones” —Michael R. Bloomberg, BloombergEric A. Hanushek, Andrew J. Morgan, Steven G. Rivkin, Jeffrey C. Schiman, Ayman Shakeel, and Lauren Sartain, “The Lasting Impacts of Middle School Principals,” NBER Working Paper No. 32642 (July 2024)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“Are AP exams getting easier?” —Chester E. Finn, Jr. “The Great Recalibration of AP exams” —John Moscatiello“The College Board’s new method for raising AP scores” —John MoscatielloAli Derakhshan, Timothy Teo, Esmaeel Saeedy Robat, Mostafa Janebi Enayat, and Akbar A. Jahanbakhsh, “Robot-Assisted Language Learning: A Meta-Analysis,” Review of Educational Research (May 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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:
“Flawed work to close city schools will hurt Columbus for years to come. It must be fixed.” —Vlad Kogan, The Columbus Dispatch“Schools Will Have to Start Closing Again” —Michael Petrilli, Wall Street Journal“Enrollment down. Achievement lackluster. Should this school close?” —Francis Pearman, Education WeekMatthew Chingos, Ariella Meltzer, and Jay Carter, “Will implementing class size caps exacerbate hiring challenges in New York City’s highest-poverty schools?,” Urban Institute (July 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].
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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 Biden passing the torch and Trump picking J.D. Vance could affect U.S. school policy. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a new study that compares the academic impacts of urban versus suburban charter schools.
Recommended content:
“Vance vs. Pence: How Trump’s VP picks compare on education” —Dale Chu, Fordham Institute“The Democratic replacement candidates on education” —Daniel Buck, Fordham InstituteSarah Cohodes and Astrid Pineda, “Diverse paths to college success: The impact of Massachusetts’ urban and nonurban charter schools on college trajectories,” National Bureau of Economic Research (July 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Daniel Buck at [email protected].
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On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Francis Pearman, an assistant professor of education at Stanford University, joins Mike and David to debate the impact that budgets, enrollment, and race play in closing schools. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a new study investigating the efficacy of learning-loss-recovery interventions across eight districts.
Recommended content:
"Enrollment down. Achievement lackluster. Should this school close?” —Francis Pearman, Education Week“Schools will have to start closing again” —Michael Petrilli, Wall Street Journal“Doing educational equity right: School closures” —Michael Petrilli, Fordham InstituteMaria V. Carbonari et al., “Impacts of Academic Recovery Interventions on Student Achievement in 2022-23,” CALDER Working Paper (July 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Daniel Buck at [email protected].
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On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Kristen Huff, the vice president of assessment and research at Curriculum Associates, joins Mike and David to discuss the academic performance our youngest students in the wake of the pandemic. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines a new study investigating the demographic effects of test-optional policies at selective universities.
Recommended content:
“The Youngest Pandemic Children Are Now in School, and Struggling” —New York TimesEthan Young and Kelsey Young, “Student growth in the post-COVID era,” Curriculum Associates (June 2024). “The Democratic replacement candidates on education” —Daniel Buck, Fordham InstituteAdam Tyner, “Think Again: Do College Admissions Exams Drive Higher Education Inequities?” Fordham Institute (February 2023).Kelly Rosinger, Dominique J. Baker, Joseph Sturm, Wan Yu, Julie J. Park, OiYan Poon, Brian Heseung Kim, and Stephanie Breen, “Exploring the relationship between test-optional admissions and selectivity and enrollment outcomes during the pandemic,” Annenberg Institute at Brown University (June 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Daniel Buck at [email protected].
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On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Marguerite Roza, the director of the Edunomics Lab and a research professor at Georgetown University, joins Mike and David to discuss how schools and school systems can downsize in response to declining enrollment. Then, on the Research Minute, Adam examines a new study investigating the academic impacts of ESSER funding, the largest one-time federal investment in public schools in history.
Recommended content:
“The math of school closures: How district leaders should navigate the perfect storm of budget shortfalls and declining student enrollment” —Marguerite Roza & Aashish Dhammani, The 74“Schools will have to start closing again” —Michael Petrilli, Wall Street Journal“Doing educational equity right: School closures” —Michael Petrilli, Fordham InstituteDan Goldhaber and Grace Falken, “ESSER and student achievement: Assessing the impacts of the largest one-time federal investment in K12 schools,” CALDER (June 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Daniel Buck at [email protected].
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On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Alina Adams, a New York Times best-selling author, joins Mike and David to discuss the parenting lessons she learned from watching “Young Sheldon.” Then, on the Research Minute, Adam examines a new study investigating the rigor (or lack thereof) of online credit recovery courses.
Recommended content:
“I watched the parenting on ‘Young Sheldon’… and did the exact opposite” —Alina Adams, Education Next“Fun fact: ‘Young Sheldon’ provides insight into parenting bright children” —Jonathan Plucker, Education Next“Time to press ‘pause’ on credit recovery” —Adam Tyner, Fordham InstituteJennifer Darling-Aduana, Carolyn J. Heinrich, Jeremy Noonan, Jialing Wu, and Kathryn Enriquez, “Failing to learn from failure: The facade of online credit recovery assessments,” Education Finance and Policy (March 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Daniel Buck at [email protected].
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