The Education Exchange

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A weekly podcast highlighting education policy news, hosted by Paul E. Peterson, Senior editor of Education Next

Paul E. Peterson


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 399 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Education Exchange

    Ep. 395 - June 2, 2025 - Public Broadly Supports School Choice Despite Persistent Partisan Gaps

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 36:49


    Paul DiPerna, the Vice President of Research and Innovation for EdChoice, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how public opinion has shaped the conversation around school choice in the United States.

    Ep. 394 - May 27, 2025 - Who Are the Homeschoolers?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 25:36


    Angela R. Watson, a senior research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Watson's recent research on how homeschooling has grown, and how students and parents measure success.

    Ep. 393 - May 19, 2025 - Blacks Progressed More Rapidly Before Affirmative Action than Since

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 49:18


    Jason Riley, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Riley's new book, The Affirmative Action Myth: Why Blacks Don't Need Racial Preferences to Succeed.

    Ep. 392 - May 12, 2025 - Can Vouchers Forge Pathways to College?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 27:53


    David Figlio, the Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics and Education at the University of Rochester, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Figlio's latest report, which investigates the effects of a Ohio school voucher program on student college success. The Effects of Ohio's EdChoice Voucher Program on College Enrollment and Graduation, co-written with Matthew Chingos and Krzysztof Karbownik, is available now. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/effects-ohios-edchoice-voucher-program-college-enrollment-and-graduation

    Ep. 391 - May 5, 2025 - “We Knew from the Beginning Closing Schools Would Be Bad for Kids”

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 30:27


    David Zweig joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss new book, An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decisions, and how the U.S. response to Covid-19 became shaped by politics.

    Ep. 390 - April 28, 2025 - The Largest Educational Intervention You've Never Heard Of

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 36:17


    Bhash Mazumder, a Professor of Economics at the University of California, Irvine, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Mazumder's recent paper, which looks into the history of the Rosenwald Schools in the segregated South and their connection to political activism. "Schooling and Political Activism in the Early Civil Rights Era," co-written with Daniel Aaronson, Mark Borgschulte, and Sunny Liu, is available now. https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/working-papers/2024/2024-06

    Ep. 389 - April 21, 2025 - What's the Matter with Interdistrict Open Enrollment?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 21:58


    Ben Scafidi, Professor and Director of the Education Economics Center at Kennesaw State University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the 2025 Kansas Open Enrollment Report and its implications on enrollment policies nationwide.

    Ep. 388 - April 14, 2025 - Blue State Blues

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 23:05


    Michael Hartney, a fellow at the Hoover Institution and assistant professor of political science at Boston College, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss their new joint research, which finds that states that voted for Kamala Harris in the last presidential election saw more learning loss following the Covid-19 pandemic than those that voted for Donald Trump, according to the most recent results from the 2014 National Assessment of Education Progress. "Red States Have Seen Less Learning Loss," co-written by Hartney and Peterson, is available now. https://www.educationnext.org/red-states-have-seen-less-learning-loss-post-pandemic-scores-nations-report-card-naep/

    Ep. 387 - April 7, 2025 - The State of Our Schools Five Years after Covid

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 42:06


    Thomas Kane, the Walter H. Gale Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how school districts have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and how districts need to pivot from short-term recovery to long-term strategies to improve student outcomes. The latest edition of the Education Recovery Scorecard is available now. https://educationrecoveryscorecard.org/

    Ep. 386 - March 31, 2025 - Reckoning with the Failures of the Covid Era

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 46:41


    Stephen Macedo, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Politics at the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Macedo's new book, "In Covid's Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us."

    Ep. 385 - March 24, 2025 - Once-Thriving Charter Schools Sailing into Troubled Waters

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2025 35:19


    Steven Wilson, a Senior Fellow at Center on Reinventing Public Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Wilson's new book, The Lost Decade: Returning to the Fight for Better Schools in America.

    Ep. 384 - March 17, 2025 - Charter Schools at Center of Urban Policy Dispute in Los Angeles

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 38:14


    Jennifer Hochschild, the Henry LaBarre Jayne Professor of Government at Harvard University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Hochschild's latest book, "Race/Class Conflict and Urban Financial Threat."

    los angeles government harvard university dispute charter schools urban policy hochschild jennifer hochschild paul e peterson henry labarre jayne professor
    Ep. 383 - March 10, 2025 - Why DOGE Cuts at IES Are Incredibly Inefficient

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 27:51


    Adam Gamoran, the president of the William T. Grant Foundation, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how the Trump Administration's contract cancellations will effect the Institute of Education Sciences.

    Ep. 382 - March 3, 2025 - Holding the Line in Los Angeles

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 32:20


    Nick Melvoin, member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how LAUSD have responded to the Palisades wildfires, and reactions to the latest NAEP results in the district.

    Ep. 380 - Feb. 18, 2025 - Students Are Learning About Both America's Progress and its Racist Legacy, Survey Finds

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 23:24


    Brian Kisida, an associate professor at the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs, University of Missouri, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how much critical race theory has made an impact in America's schools. "Bridging the Divide over Critical Race Theory in America's Classrooms," co-written by Kisida, Gary Ritter, Jennifer Gontram, J. Cameron Anglum, Heidi H. Erickson, Darnell Leatherwood and Matthew H. Lee, is available now at EducationNext.org.

    Ep. 379 - Feb. 10, 2025 - Constitutionality of Religious Charter Schools Suddenly on the Brink

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 22:53


    Clint Bolick, the 44th Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how the Supreme Court agreeing to take up the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond case, and what it could mean for the future of charter schools and religious education in the United States.

    Ep. 378 - Feb. 3, 2025 - New NAEP Results Reveal Decade-Long Phenomenon of Persistent Learning Loss

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 25:42


    Martin R. West, the editor-in-chief of Education Next and member of the National Assessment Governing Board, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the latest release of National Assessment of Educational Progress data.

    Ep. 381 - Feb. 24, 2025 - Big Money Comes to High School Sports

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 25:18


    Andrew Perloff, a freelance writer and producer and the co-host of the nationally syndicated sports-radio program "The Maggie and Perloff Show," joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how the name, image and likeness space is making its way from college athletics into the high school realm. "The Marketing of High School Athletes: A Rolling Tide," is available now at EducationNext.org. https://www.educationnext.org/marketing-of-high-school-athletes-a-rolling-tide-name-image-likeness

    Ep. 376 - Jan. 21, 2025 - The Battle of Houston: Rescuing a Floundering District from a Broken System

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 36:55


    Mike Miles, Superintendent of Schools for Houston Independent School District joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Miles' efforts to turn around Houston schools.

    Ep. 377 - Jan. 27, 2025 - Can Pandemic Recovery Be Accelerated with Technology?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 31:05


    Jean-Claude Brizard, President and CEO of Digital Promise Global, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the future of digital and virtual learning, and how innovations can strengthen teachers and students.

    Ep. 375 - Jan. 13, 2025 - Do Religious Schools Discriminate When Students Pray?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 24:37


    Benjamin Fleshman, Council at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the St. Dominic Academy v. Makin case, which looks into whether students at Catholic schools in Maine can participate in the state's school voucher program.

    Ep. 374 - Jan. 6, 2025 - Jeb Bush on School Choice in 2025: “A Lush Green Valley after a Rocky Climb”

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 37:12


    Jeb Bush, the 43rd Governor of Florida and Chairman of ExcelinEd, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the state of school choice as 2025 begins.

    EP. 373 - Dec. 16, 2024 - Massachusetts and the Folly of Replacing Something with Nothing

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 30:10


    Jim Peyser, the former Massachusetts Secretary of Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the recent decision by Massachusetts voters to remove the high school graduation requirement for students taking the state's test, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System.

    Ep. 372 - Dec. 9, 2024 - “A Moment of Peril and Opportunity for Charter Schools”

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 36:14


    Derrell Bradford, the president of 50CAN, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the state of charter schools and school choice in the aftermath of the 2024 elections.

    Ep. 367 - Nov. 4, 2024 - Bringing the Science of Reading To New York City Schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 33:50


    Daniel Weisberg, First Deputy Chancellor, New York City Department of Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the NYC Reads program, which aims to ensure that all New York City students become strong readers.

    Ep. 371 - Dec. 2, 2024 - From “Separation of Church and State” to “Free Exercise of Religion”

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 31:18


    Clint Bolick, the 44th Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how the Supreme Court has interpreted the clauses of the First Amendment of the Constitution, and its impact on religious education in the United States.

    Ep. 370 - Nov. 25, 2024 - Have Charters Lost Their Edge?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 33:33


    Michael Goldstein, the founder of Match Charter Schools and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Education Policy Research, Harvard Graduate School of Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the shift in how charter schools have operated in the past decade.

    Ep. 369 - Nov. 18, 2024 - Union Endorsements and School Board Elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 21:27


    Michael Hartney, a fellow at the Hoover Institution and assistant professor of political science at Boston College, Joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the influence of teachers-union endorsements on school-board elections. "The Politics of Teachers' Union Endorsements," co-written with Vladimir Kogan, is available now. https://edworkingpapers.com/ai23-841

    Ep. 368 - Nov. 12, 2024 - Hoover Institution Proposes Massive K–12 School Reform

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 37:00


    Macke Raymond, a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution and director of the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss a report from the Education Futures Council, which looks to identify and remove barriers to student success within the K-12 educational system. "Ours to Solve, Once — And for All" is available now from Hoover.org. https://www.hoover.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/EFC_OursToSolve_Web_101824.pdf

    Ep. 366 - Oct. 28, 2024 - Free College for One Year

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 34:10


    Dr. Jefferson Pestronk, Executive Director, Modern States Education Alliance, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the platform, which serves as an on-ramp to college for thousands of students. Learn more at ModernStates.org.

    Ep. 365 - Oct. 21, 2024 - School-Funding Lawsuits Pursue Big Dollars, Make Little Sense

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 22:11


    The co-leader of the Eversheds Sutherland Business and Commercial Litigation team, Rocco E. Testani, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss recent education adequacy cases in states, how spending has increased in that time, and whether these cases will continue to be brought.

    Ep. 364 - Oct. 15, 2024 - New Study Highlights Other Ways Divorce is Bad for Children

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 27:46


    Wolfgang Frimmel, an Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics at Johannes Kepler University Linz, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Frimmel's latest research, which examines the causal effect of parental divorce on student's long-term outcomes in education. "How does parental divorce affect children's long-term outcomes?," co-written with Martin Halla and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer, is available now from the Journal of Public Economics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047272724001373

    Ep. 363 - Oct. 7, 2024 - The Windy Education City: Turmoil in Chicago's Schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 21:22


    Michael Hartney, a fellow at the Hoover Institution and assistant professor of political science at Boston College, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the end of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, and how the city of Chicago will look to cover the change in funding.

    Ep. 362 - Sept. 30, 2024 - The Case for Expanding Vocational Education Options in High Schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 28:26


    Mikko Silliman, Assistant Professor, Aalto University, Department of Economics, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Silliman's latest research, which looks at the impacts on students who choose a vocational academic path. "Labor Market Returns to Vocational Secondary Education," co-written with Hanna Virtanen, is available now. https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/app.20190782

    Ep. 361 - Sept. 23, 2024 - In Oklahoma, Students Seen As Essential for Future Innovation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 31:34


    Nellie Tayloe Sanders, the Oklahoma Secretary of Education & Chief Education Advisor, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how Oklahoma is advancing school choice, and preparing students to be leaders in innovation.

    education innovation students oklahoma essential oklahoma secretary paul e peterson
    Ep. 360 - Sept. 16, 2024 - Massachusetts Charter Schools Create a Wider Path to College

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 27:10


    Sarah Cohodes, an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Cohodes' recent research, which details how charter schools in Massachusetts helped increase college graduation. "A Surprising Finding on Massachusetts Charter Schools: Urban charters raise test scores, nonurban charters lower them. Both boost college graduation.," co-written with Astrid Pineda, is available now at EducationNext.org. https://www.educationnext.org/surprising-finding-on-massachusetts-charter-schools-test-scores-college-graduation/

    Ep. 359 - Sept. 10, 2024 - What Can Be Done to Prevent the Next School Shooting?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 25:58


    Daniel Hamlin, an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Hamlin's research school shooting prevention strategies and its relationship to shootings in America.

    Ep. 358 - Sept. 3, 2024 - How Have American Classrooms Changed Since Covid?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 31:25


    Brian A. Jacob, the Walter H. Annenberg Professor of Education Policy and professor of economics at the Ford School, University of Michigan, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Jacob's latest research, which reports findings from a survey of K-12 teachers that examines potential long-term impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic. Jacobs' paper, "The Lasting Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on K-12 Schooling: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Teacher Survey," is available now.

    The Education Exchange: The End is Nigh for ESSER Funds. What Comes Next?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 27:10


    Marguerite Roza, a research professor at Georgetown University and director of the Edunomics Lab, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how school districts have spent their federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, and what impact that has had on student achievement. “The Massive ESSER Experiment: Here's what we're learning,” co-written with Katherine Silberstein, first appeared on Education Next.org in April 2023. https://www.educationnext.org/the-massive-esser-experiment-heres-what-were-learning/

    The Education Exchange - 356 - Horton

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 33:54


    Sue Horton, Professor Emerita at the University of Waterloo, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Horton's career-long research on the effects of malnutrition on intelligence. For more, read "Malnutrition: Global economic losses attributable to malnutrition 1900-2000 and projections to 2050," co-written with Richard H. Steckel. https://copenhagenconsensus.com/sites/default/files/malnutrition.pdf

    Ep. 355 - Aug. 12, 2024 - U.S. Schools Have More Special Education Teachers Than Ever

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 25:32


    Chad Aldeman, the founder of Read Not Guess, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the shortage of special education teachers in the United States. "Where are All the Special Educators? Schools employ more special education teachers than ever. So why is there a shortage?" is available now from Education Next. https://www.educationnext.org/where-are-all-the-special-educators-teacher-shortage/

    Ep. 354 - Aug. 5, 2024 - Teachers Report Worse Conditions Since Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 29:34


    Cory Koedel, a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Missouri, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Koedel's latest research, which looks into the changes in working conditions for teachers following the Covid-19 pandemic. "The Decline in Teacher Working Conditions During and After the COVID Pandemic," co-written with Sofia Baker, is available now. https://edworkingpapers.com/sites/default/files/ai24-1000.pdf

    Ep. 353 - July 29, 2024 - ESSER Funds May Have Slightly Boosted Achievement in Math, Not Reading

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 31:58


    Dan Goldhaber, the Director of the Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER), joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Goldhaber's research, which estimates the effect of federal ESSER funds on K-12 schools in 2023. "ESSER and Student Achievement: Assessing the Impacts of the Largest One-Time Federal Investment in K12 Schools," by Goldhaber and Grace Falken, is available now. https://caldercenter.org/publications/esser-and-student-achievement-assessing-impacts-largest-one-time-federal-investment-k12

    Ep. 352 - July 22, 2024 - Los Angeles Says No More Cell Phones in Class

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 24:00


    Nick Melvoin, member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss LAUSD's decision to ban cell phone use during the school day, which will take effect in January 2025.

    Ep. 351 - July 15, 2024 - More U.S., European Students in Special Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 19:44


    Nina Thorup Dalgaard, a senior researcher at VIVE, The Danish Center for Social Science Research, joins the Education Exchange to discuss the rise in students receiving special education, and how meeting the individual needs of all those children has become more challenging.

    Ep. 350 - July 8, 2024 - Are Teachers Paid Enough?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 26:39


    Chad Aldeman, the founder of Read Not Guess, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how teachers are paid, and how recent demands by the Chicago Teachers Union could impact the teacher salary landscape.

    Ep. 349 - July 1, 2024 - Catholic Education at a Crossroads

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 32:28


    Greg Richmond, the superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the challenges Catholic schools have faced through the years, and how they are navigating the current school choice landscape.

    Ep. 348 - June 24, 2024 - Presidents Do Not Influence Public Opinion on K–12 Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 26:45


    David Houston, an Assistant Professor at George Mason University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Houston's latest research, which investgiates what happens to public opinion when prominent partisan officials intervene in education policy debates. Houston's working paper, "How the Engagement of High-Profile Partisan Officials Affects Education Politics, Public Opinion, and Polarization," co-written with Alyssa Barone, is available now. https://edworkingpapers.com/sites/default/files/ai24-919.pdf

    Ep. 347 - June 17, 2024 - Charter Schools Better at Preparing Girls to Vote

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 25:29


    Sarah Cohodes, an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Cohodes' recent research, showing how education can increase civic participation.

    Ep. 346 - June 10, 2024 - Universal ESAs Elevated as Key Issue in Texas Primary Runoff

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 22:14


    Cal Jillson, a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Southern Methodist University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's effort to oust Texas House Republicans in primary races who have opposed his statewide Education Savings Account initiative.

    Ep. 345 - June 3, 2024 - Biden's Proposed Cut to Charters Would Deprive Money for New Schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 20:37


    Christy Wolfe, the senior vice president for policy, research, and planning for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, joins the Education Exchange to discuss what the budget cuts proposed by the Biden Administration could spell for charter schools.

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