New research shows students in 2023 are making less progress in reading and math than their counterparts were prior to the pandemic. Rather than catching up after the return to in-person schooling, students fell even further behind. How can this be and what can we do about it?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Michael J. Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and visiting fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. Mike identifies contributing factors to the issue, such as chronic absenteeism and the lowering or elimination of assessment benchmarks. He argues that along with the need to place high expectations on students, we must learn to hold teachers and parents accountable for ensuring students learn. Lastly, Mike discusses bipartisan efforts to get America’s students back on track.

Resources

• We Can Fight Learning Loss Only With Accountability and Action | Michael J. Petrilli
• Unlocking the Future | Ian Rowe, Robert Pondiscio, Jessica Schurz, John Bailey

Show Notes

• 00:41 | Do we have to accept the reality that students are behind due to the pandemic?
• 03:43 | Why is it that students are moving backwards?
• 06:32 | Are policy leaders, parents, and educators paying attention to this issue?
• 10:59 | Do state-takeovers of education systems help with accountability?
• 13:35 | How do you strengthen teachers’ abilities to hold students’ accountable?
• 16:09 | What is the political landscape around education reform? Are there any bipartisan efforts happening?
• 22:29 | Are states mirroring other states’ policies or is there tunnel-vision when it comes to education reform?