The Education Gadfly Show

By Thomas B. Fordham Institute

Education

What's The Education Gadfly Show about?

For more than a decade, the Fordham Institute has been hosting a weekly podcast, The Education Gadfly Show. Each week, you’ll get lively, entertaining discussions of recent education news, usually featuring Fordham’s Mike Petrilli and David Griffith. Then the wise Amber Northern will recap a recent research study.
For questions or comments on the podcast, contact its producer, Andrew Scanlan.

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LAST EPISODE

The link between location a...

05.27.2020

This week’s podcast guest is John V. Winters, Ph.D., associate professor of economics at Iowa State University and author of Fordham’s new report, What You Make Depends on Where You Live. He joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss ...

The Education Gadfly Show episodes:

05.27.2020 The link between location and income - 05/27/20 This week’s podcast guest is John V. Winters, Ph.D., associate professor of economics at Iowa State University and author of Fordham’s new report, What You Make Depends on Where You Live. He joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss ...
05.19.2020 Teacher to Chief: Pathways to Education Leadership - 05/20/20 This week we're hosting "Teacher to Chief," a special episode with members of Chiefs for Change on their pathways to education leadership. The discussion is tied to a new multimedia report designed to spark teachers’ interest in the chief role. ...
05.13.2020 What Americans think about schools’ response to the Covid crisis - 05/13/20 On this week’s podcast, Paul DiPerna, vice president of research and innovation at EdChoice, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss his organization’s new monthly Public Opinion Tracker. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how superior social skills ...
05.06.2020 A blueprint for reopening schools - 05/06/20 On this week’s podcast, John Bailey, visiting fellow at AEI, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss AEI’s new Blueprint for Back to School. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern and special guest Paul von Hippel, associate professor of ...
04.29.2020 Schools and social distancing: Just hard, or actually impossible? - 04/29/20 On this week’s podcast, Noelle Ellerson Ng, associate executive director of advocacy and governance at AASA, the School Superintendents Association, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the complexities that school systems must consider when reopening schools, especially if ...
04.22.2020 The one where the pandemic turns Robert into a big softie - 04/22/20 On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli, Robert Pondiscio, and David Griffith debate how much we can expect districts to do during the current crisis, whether student work should be graded right now, and if schools will return to normal in ...
04.15.2020 How schools can personalize instruction when students return next fall - 04/15/20 On this week’s podcast, Diane Tavenner, co-founder and CEO of Summit Public Schools, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to offer advice on how schools can help meet students’ individual needs when they return after lengthy closures. On the Research ...
04.08.2020 Research Deep Dive: The impact of school closures On this week’s podcast, Deven Carlson, assistant professor of political science at the University of Oklahoma, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith for the third installment of our Research Deep Dive series, this one focusing on the impact of school ...
04.08.2020 Research Deep Dive: The impact of school closures - 04/08/20 On this week’s podcast, Deven Carlson, assistant professor of political science at the University of Oklahoma, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith for the third installment of our Research Deep Dive series, this one focusing on the impact school closures, ...
04.02.2020 How school districts are dealing with COVID-19 - 04/02/20 On this week’s podcast, Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss district innovation in the face of country-wide school closures. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines whether ...
04.02.2020 How school districts are dealing with COVID-19 On this week’s podcast, Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss district innovation in the face of country-wide school closures. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines whether ...
03.25.2020 COVID-19 concerns: Special education and accountability - 03/25/20 On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli and Checker Finn discuss Betsy DeVos’s quick and laudable U-turn on distance learning and mull what “accountability” might look like over the next three months. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the role ...
03.25.2020 COVID-19 concerns: Special education and accountability On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli and Checker Finn discuss Betsy DeVos’s quick and laudable U-turn on distance learning and mull what “accountability” might look like over the next three months. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the role ...
03.11.2020 On technocrats and culture wars On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli, Checker Finn, and David Griffith discuss Mike and Checker’s new edited volume, How to Educate an American: The Conservative Vision for Tomorrow’s Schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines whether the nationwide rise ...
03.11.2020 On technocrats and culture wars - 03/11/20 On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli, Checker Finn, and David Griffith discuss Mike and Checker’s new edited volume, How to Educate an American: The Conservative Vision for Tomorrow’s Schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines whether the nationwide rise ...
03.04.2020 Heavens to Betsy's block grant - 03/04/20 On this week’s podcast, Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the Trump administration’s proposal to block-grant the federal Charter Schools Program. On the Research Minute, ...
03.04.2020 Heavens to Betsy's block grant On this week’s podcast, Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the Trump administration’s proposal to block-grant the federal Charter Schools Program. On the Research Minute, ...
02.26.2020 Community schools and disadvantaged families - 02/26/20 On this week’s podcast, William Johnston, associate policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the positive impacts of New York City’s community schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how expanding private ...
02.26.2020 Community schools and disadvantaged families On this week’s podcast, William Johnston, associate policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the positive impacts of New York City’s community schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how expanding private ...
02.19.2020 The barriers blocking students of color from challenging courses - 02/19/20 On this week’s podcast, Ed Trust’s Ary Amerikaner and Kayla Patrick join Mike Petrilli to discuss why students of color lack access to gifted programs and advanced coursework, and ways to help fix that. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern ...
02.19.2020 The barriers blocking students of color from challenging courses On this week’s podcast, Ed Trust’s Ary Amerikaner and Kayla Patrick join Mike Petrilli to discuss why students of color lack access to gifted programs and advanced coursework, and ways to help fix that. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern ...
02.12.2020 Why teachers with higher grading standards get better student outcomes - 02/12/20 On this week’s podcast, Seth Gershenson, associate professor at American University, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the Fordham study he authored this month, Great Expectations: The Impact of Rigorous Grading Practices on Student Achievement. On the Research ...
02.12.2020 Why teachers with higher grading standards get better student outcomes On this week’s podcast, Seth Gershenson, associate professor at American University, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the Fordham study he authored this month, Great Expectations: The Impact of Rigorous Grading Practices on Student Achievement. On the Research ...
02.05.2020 Finding the right school for your child - 02/05/20 On this week’s podcast, Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss whether affluent suburban kids deserve vouchers too. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the extent to which older siblings ...
02.05.2020 Finding the right school for your child On this week’s podcast, Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss whether affluent suburban kids deserve vouchers too. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the extent to which older siblings ...
01.29.2020 School Choice Week 2020 - 01/29/20 On this week’s podcast, Mike Magee, CEO of Chiefs for Change, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss National School Choice Week. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how teachers who specialize instead of teaching all subjects affect ...
01.29.2020 School Choice Week 2020 On this week’s podcast, Mike Magee, CEO of Chiefs for Change, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss National School Choice Week. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how teachers who specialize instead of teaching all subjects affect ...
01.22.2020 Research Deep Dive: School discipline reform - 01/22/20 On this week’s podcast, Matthew Steinberg, associate professor of education policy at George Mason University, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith for the second installment of our Research Deep Dive series, this one focusing on school discipline reform.
01.22.2020 Research Deep Dive: School discipline reform On this week’s podcast, Matthew Steinberg, associate professor of education policy at George Mason University, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith for the second installment of our Research Deep Dive series, this one focusing on school discipline reform.
01.15.2020 The 2020 election and education reform - 01/15/20 On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli, Robert Pondiscio, and David Griffith discuss the latest news from the 2020 election debate and what it portends for our schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how air quality (yes, air quality) ...
01.15.2020 The 2020 election and education reform On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli, Robert Pondiscio, and David Griffith discuss the latest news from the 2020 election debate and what it portends for our schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how air quality (yes, air quality) ...
01.08.2020 The best education research studies of 2019 - 01/08/20 On a special all-Research-Minute podcast, Amber Northern, Mike Petrilli, and David Griffith discuss the best research studies of 2019.
01.08.2020 The best education research studies of 2019 On a special all-Research-Minute podcast, Amber Northern, Mike Petrilli, and David Griffith discuss the best research studies of 2019.
12.17.2019 Why rural education matters - 12/17/19 On this week’s podcast, Daniel Showalter, associate professor of math at Eastern Mennonite University and author of "Why Rural Matters," joins Mike Petrilli and Victoria McDougald to talk about the many challenges facing rural schools in America. On the Research ...
12.17.2019 Why rural education matters On this week’s podcast, Daniel Showalter, associate professor of math at Eastern Mennonite University and author of "Why Rural Matters," joins Mike Petrilli and Victoria McDougald to talk about the many challenges facing rural schools in America. On the Research ...
12.11.2019 On online curriculum materials - 12/11/19 On this week’s podcast, Morgan Polikoff, associate professor of education at USC, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about Fordham’s new report that he coauthored, The Supplemental Curriculum Bazaar. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern discusses a study ...
12.11.2019 On online curriculum materials On this week’s podcast, Morgan Polikoff, associate professor of education at USC, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about Fordham’s new report that he coauthored, The Supplemental Curriculum Bazaar. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern discusses a study ...
12.04.2019 The effects of early college programs - 12/04/19 On this week’s podcast, Kristina Zeiser, senior researcher at American Institutes for Research, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the long-term impact of early college high school programs. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern breaks down the ...
12.04.2019 The effects of early college programs On this week’s podcast, Kristina Zeiser, senior researcher at American Institutes for Research, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the long-term impact of early college high school programs. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern breaks down the ...
11.26.2019 The obstacles of evidence-based practices - 11/26/19 On this week’s podcast, Kim Marshall, author of The Best of the Marshall Memo, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the challenge of spreading evidence-based practices in schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how performance-based ...
11.26.2019 The obstacles of evidence-based practices On this week’s podcast, Kim Marshall, author of The Best of the Marshall Memo, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the challenge of spreading evidence-based practices in schools. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how performance-based ...
11.20.2019 Are screens to blame for NAEP’s bottom falling out? - 11/20/19 On this week’s podcast, Sarah Sparks, a reporter and data journalist for Education Week, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the possible link between students’ screen time and reading scores. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines ...
11.20.2019 Are screens to blame for NAEP’s bottom falling out? On this week’s podcast, Sarah Sparks, a reporter and data journalist for Education Week, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the possible link between students’ screen time and reading scores. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines ...
11.13.2019 The Scarcity of High-Quality Early Childhood Education - 11/13/19 On this week’s podcast, Carrie Gillispie, senior analyst in P–12 policy at The Education Trust, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the state of early childhood education for students of color. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern ...
11.13.2019 The Scarcity of High-Quality Early Childhood Education On this week’s podcast, Carrie Gillispie, senior analyst in P–12 policy at The Education Trust, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the state of early childhood education for students of color. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern ...
11.06.2019 NAEP 2019: It (was) the economy, stupid - 11/06/19 On this week’s podcast, Marty West, a Harvard professor of education, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about last week’s NAEP results and their relationship to the Great Recession. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how graduation ...
11.06.2019 NAEP 2019: It (was) the economy, stupid On this week’s podcast, Marty West, a Harvard professor of education, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about last week’s NAEP results and their relationship to the Great Recession. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how graduation ...
10.30.2019 On education, Warren’s got a pander for that - 10/30/19 On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli and David Griffith talk to Checker Finn about Senator Warren’s flawed education proposal. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines improvements to the student teaching experience that can help candidates feel more prepared for ...
10.30.2019 On education, Warren’s got a pander for that On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli and David Griffith talk to Checker Finn about Senator Warren’s flawed education proposal. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines improvements to the student teaching experience that can help candidates feel more prepared for ...
10.23.2019 Early warning: Kindergarten readiness skills are trending downward - 10/23/19 On this week’s podcast, Megan Kuhfeld, a research scientist at NWEA, joins Mike Petrilli to discuss her recent, sobering findings about the reading and math skills of children entering kindergarten. On the Research Minute, Adam Tyner examines how “stereotype threat” ...

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