The Education Gadfly Show
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
For more than 15 years, 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, Stephanie Distler, at sdistler@fordhaminstitute.org.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 5, 2020 • 28min
Another reason for more school autonomy - 8/5/20
On this week’s podcast, David Osborne, director of the Reinventing America’s Schools Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, joins Checker Finn and David Griffith to talk about how schools can be given autonomy to adapt to students’ varying needs and to external events. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines whether standardized test feedback to parents can boost students’ math outcomes.
Jul 29, 2020 • 27min
Should districts outsource virtual learning? - 07/29/20
On this week’s podcast, Rob Kremer, director of government relations at Pearson, owner of Connections Academy, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss whether school districts should be trying to build online schools on their own or should outsource the role to companies like his. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how charter school growth has affected local teacher quality and student composition.
Jul 22, 2020 • 28min
NAEP’s flawed reading revamp - 07/22/20
On this week’s podcast, Checker Finn and David Griffith discuss the flawed effort to revamp NAEP’s reading framework. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern and David Griffith examine how inequality has affected families’ engagement with online learning during the pandemic.
Jul 15, 2020 • 23min
What the coronavirus resurgence means for reopening schools - 07/15/20
On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli and David Griffith discuss whether and how schools should reopen in the fall. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines whether the least educated population groups experienced the worst mortality trends during the 21st century.
Jul 8, 2020 • 30min
Why fall testing could do more harm than good - 07/08/20
On this week’s podcast, Mora Segal, CEO of Achievement Network, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss the organization’s latest guidance on assessments for states and districts when school resumes in the fall. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected college students’ graduation, job offers, and future economic expectations.
Jul 1, 2020 • 29min
How assessment data can drive instruction this fall - 07/01/20
On this week’s podcast, Mike Petrilli, Amber Northern, Tran Le, and David Griffith discuss Fordham’s new case study on data-driven instruction in Washington, D.C. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines little interruptions’ big effect on classroom learning.
Jun 24, 2020 • 25min
The case for good schools as a state constitutional right - 06/24/20
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 her new AEI paper, “A constitutional right to a high-quality public education.” On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the effect of virtual classes on high schoolers’ access to advanced courses.
Jun 17, 2020 • 25min
Effecting real change in America - 06/17/20
On this week’s podcast, Checker Finn, Mike Petrilli, and David Griffith discuss what it takes for real change to happen in America. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines whether student outcomes improve when college faculty engage with students more often.
Jun 10, 2020 • 26min
School districts failed the remote learning test - 6/10/20
On this week’s podcast, Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, talks with Mike Petrilli and David Griffith about how well school districts handled remote learning this spring. On the Research Minute, Olivia Piontek joins Mike and David to examine data on academic growth affects parents’ perception of school quality.
Jun 3, 2020 • 24min
The crisis’s outsized impacts on Catholic schools - 06/03/20
On this week’s podcast, Michael McShane, the director of national research at EdChoice, joins Mike Petrilli to discuss how Catholic schools are weathering the pandemic and economic downturn and what public policy can do to help. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the effects of a quarter century of school finance reforms.
