The Education Gadfly Show

Mike and Alyssa discuss a Kumbaya moment in the Common Core debate, weigh the wisdom of governors suing Arne Duncan, and confirm that charter schools ought to be about choice. Amber schools us on the evolution of teacher evaluations.

Michelle and Robert applaud Secretary Duncan’s reasonableness, question a North Carolina trial judge (but have a solution), and disparage union agency fees. Amber tells us how classroom peers affect the achievement of students with special needs.

Michelle and Robert unpack New York State’s test-score results, applaud the launch of a “Consumer Reports” for Common Core textbooks, and measure the deep impact of ed-policy polls. Amber sums up the many poll results that weren’t about the CCSS.

Mike and Kathleen Porter-Magee discuss New York State’s half-release of its half-good Common Core test, commend TFA’s diversity surge, and debate the debate about the AP U.S. History Framework. Amber shares a wonky study about teachers’ work hours.

Mike talks with Andy Smarick about Governor Jindal’s legal war on PARCC, Wisconsin’s high-court take on union bargaining, and D.C. charter funding’s time in federal court. Amber doubles down on double dosing.

Mike and Michelle talk teacher-tenure lawsuits, charter schools offering pre-K, and teacher-union midterm politics. Dara ups the stakes with a study on high-stakes testing of voucher students.

Mike and Dara talk school discipline, teacher-prep programs, and high school exit exams. Amber gets practical about school choice.

Mike and 50CAN’s Marc Porter Magee take on career and technical education, sorting by student achievement, and charter schools’ noncognitive effects. Amber reports on charters’ productivity.

On this week’s podcast, journalist Arielle Dreher joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the struggles of rural areas to hold on to their brightest residents. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how different post-secondary pathways affect the ability of disadvantaged students to attain credentials with labor market value.