The Education Gadfly Show

Thomas B. Fordham Institute
  • 4.5 (48)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

  1. 2D AGO

    AI in schools: Promise or pitfall? | Episode 1012 of The Education Gadfly Show

    Jean-Claude Brizard, president and CEO of Digital Promise, joins the Education Gadfly Show to discuss the promise—and the pitfalls—of artificial intelligence in education. Drawing on what he’s seen in classrooms abroad, Brizard makes the case that AI can elevate teaching and learning—if it’s used to strengthen pedagogy rather than replace it. But as schools experiment with new tools, how can they embrace innovation without undermining the foundational skills students still need? Then on the Research Minute, Amber Northern looks at new evidence on alternative schools in Chicago—how they affect enrollment, graduation, and even arrests—and what they mean for students’ chances of going to college. Recommended content: AI in education requires national strategy —Jean-Claude Brizard for Fast CompanyThe human stakes of AI grading —Meredith Coffey, Ph.D., Thomas B. Fordham InstituteShould AI be used for teacher evaluation? —Kim Marshall for the Thomas B. Fordham InstituteThe Expansion of Alternative Schools: Impact of Schools Targeting Lower Performing Students —Farah Mallah, Nour Abdul-Razzak, and Monica Bhatt, EdWorking Papers (April 2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org Note: The Education Gadfly Show will be on spring break next week. We’ll be back with a new episode the following week!

    31 min

  2. MAR 25

    Too many A’s, not enough honesty? | Episode 1011 of The Education Gadfly Show

    Bibb Hubbard, founder and CEO of Learning Heroes, joins the Education Gadfly Show to discuss grade inflation and the disconnect between what parents think report cards are telling them and how students are actually performing. As families rely on grades and teacher feedback to understand student progress, can stronger school-family communication help give parents a more honest picture of how their children are doing? Then on the Research Minute, Amber Northern looks at new research on Chicago’s merit-based free community college program and what it suggests about college choice, degree attainment, and whether free tuition at two-year colleges steers students away from four-year success. Recommended content: B-flation | How Good Grades Can Sideline Parents —Gallup, IncThe Engagement Advantage — Dr. Eyal Bergman and Dr. Zenzile Riddick, Learning HeroesFixing grade inflation via clear policies and cultural change —Michael J. Petrilli, SCHOOLEDFixing grade inflation through incentives and transparency —Michael J. Petrilli, SCHOOLEDThe Effect of Merit-Based Free Community College —Emileigh Harrison, Kelly Hallberg, Elijah Ruiz, and Marvin Slaughter, EdWorking Papers (March 2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org

    40 min

  3. MAR 18

    Can we agree on teacher diversity? | Episode 1010 of The Education Gadfly Show

    Mike Petrilli takes a solo turn to tackle teacher diversity, a topic at the center of today’s debates over DEI. Should schools recruit teachers whose backgrounds reflect those of their students? What does the research say about how shared life experiences shape student outcomes? And how can schools promote diversity while maintaining high standards for academic excellence? Then on the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines new research on Arkansas’s LEARNS Act, which raised the state’s minimum teacher salary to $50,000, and what it reveals about teacher pay and retention. Recommended content: The Right Way to Boost Teacher Diversity —Michael J. Petrilli for AEICan left and right find middle ground on teacher diversity? —Michael J. Petrilli, SCHOOLEDIn defense of teacher diversity —Michael J. Petrilli, SCHOOLEDRaising the Floor: Teacher Retention Effects of a Statewide Minimum Salary Increase —Gema Zamarro, Andrew M. Camp, Josh McGee, Taylor Wilson, and Miranda Vernon, CALDER (2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org

    32 min

  4. MAR 11

    Can schools keep up with AI? | Episode 1009 of The Education Gadfly Show

    Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, joins the Education Gadfly Show to discuss the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and what it could mean for schools. As AI tools grow more powerful, do schools need to fundamentally rethink how they prepare students for the future of work? Then on the Research Minute, Amber Northern looks at evidence from New Jersey on whether raising teacher salaries improves student outcomes, highlighting research that links salary increases to gains in test scores, graduation rates, and college enrollment. Recommended content: Agentic AI and the Future of Work —Robin Lake, Think Forward: Learning with AI, The Center on Reinventing Public EducationAI-assisted learning stumbles on the evidence —Daniel Buck and Anna Low, Thomas B. Fordham InstituteWhat Happens When We Pay Our Teachers More? Evidence from New Jersey Public Schools —Prasiddha Shakya, Institute of Education Sciences, EdWorking Papers (2024)Raising the Floor: Teacher Retention Effects of a Statewide Minimum Salary Increase —Gema Zamarro, Andrew M. Camp, Josh McGee, Taylor Wilson, and Miranda Vernon, CALDER (2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org

    37 min

  5. MAR 4

    What the fadeout effect means for testing, accountability, and school choice | Episode 1008 of The Education Gadfly Show

    Drew Bailey, professor at the University of California, Irvine, joins The Education Gadfly Show to discuss the fadeout effect across education interventions. Why do early treatment effects shrink over time, and what does that mean for judging program success, especially when test score gains diminish but long-term outcomes like graduation rates and earnings persist? We also debate the role of test scores in accountability, the evidence linking school value-added to real-world success, and what this all means for the role of testing in school choice initiatives. Then on the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines new data on how states define “proficiency” in reading and math and what NAEP reveals about rigor, transparency, and the debate over standards. Recommended content: Why Do Most Education Interventions Fade Out Over Time? —Drew Bailey, Tyler Watts, and Emma Hart, Education NextSchool Choice, Test Scores and Long-Term Outcomes: The Evidence Is Ambiguous —Michael J Petrilli, Education NextReducing Inequality through Dynamic Complementarity: Evidence from Head Start and Public School Spending —Rucker C. Johnson and C. Kirabo Johnson, American Economic JournalA future for IES? —Chester E. Finn, Jr., Thomas B. Fordham InstituteMapping State Proficiency Standards Onto the NAEP Scales Results From the 2022 NAEP Reading and Mathematics Assessments —Darrick Shen-Wei Yee and Brian Cramer, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics (2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org

    36 min

  6. FEB 25

    When state curriculum lists go bad | Episode 1007 of The Education Gadfly Show

    Karen Vaites, founder of The Curriculum Insight Project, joins us to discuss the evolving debate over curriculum reviews and state adoption policies. As more states look to third-party evaluations to guide decisions—and some consider mandating state-approved lists—how can policymakers avoid making costly mistakes? Then on the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines new evidence on whether teacher effectiveness truly transfers when high-performing educators move into lower-achieving schools. Recommended content: Educators Were Sold a Story About Phonemic Awareness —Karen Vaites, The Curriculum Insight ProjectWhat American Education Reformers Can Learn from England — Helen Baxendale, Education NextIs Teacher Effectiveness Fully Portable? Evidence from the Random Assignment of Transfer Incentives —Matthew A. Kraft, John P. Papay, Jessalynn James and Manuel Monti-Nussbaum, EdWorkingPapers (2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show in 2026? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org

    30 min

  7. FEB 18

    Mike gives easy A’s a big ole F | Episode 1006 of The Education Gadfly Show

    This week on The Education Gadfly Show, Mike Petrilli goes solo to talk about grade inflation—what it means, how it’s changed over time, and why tougher grading standards help students learn more. He argues that easier grades don’t serve students well—and explores what states can do about it. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber Northern shares new evidence from Texas showing that distance from public colleges—especially community colleges—strongly shapes whether students enroll in and complete college, with particularly stark effects for lower-income and Hispanic students. Recommended content:  Grade Inflation in High Schools (2005–2016) —Seth Gershenson, Thomas B. Fordham InstituteGreat Expectations: The Impact of Rigorous Grading Practices on Student Achievement —Seth Gershenson, Thomas B. Fordham Institute“Equitable” Grading Through the Eyes of Teachers —David Griffith and Adam Tyner, Thomas B. Fordham InstituteEasy A’s, lower pay: Grade inflation’s hidden damage —Jill Barshay, The Hechinger ReportDistance to degrees: How college proximity shapes students’ enrollment choices and attainment across race-ethnicity and socioeconomic status —Riley Acton, Kalena E. Cortes, Lois Miller, and Camila Morales, Economics of Education Review (2025)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show in 2026? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org

    30 min

  8. FEB 11

    Can states build coherent early childhood systems? | Episode 1005 of The Education Gadfly Show

    This week on The Education Gadfly Show, we’re joined by Elliot Regenstein, partner at Foresight Law + Policy and author of Readiness: Preparing State Early Childhood Systems for a Brighter Future, to talk about early childhood education and care—and why state systems are so often fragmented and hard to navigate. We discuss who makes key decisions, why coordination is so difficult, and what it would take to build more coherent early childhood systems going forward. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber Northern shares new evidence on achievement gaps across different types of schools, showing that inequality has grown fastest in traditional public schools, while charter schools show more positive trends over time. Recommended content: Readiness: Preparing State Early Childhood Systems for a Brighter Future —Elliot RegensteinThe Best American School System —Tim Daly, The Education DalyThe Nation’s Achievement Inequality Report Card: An Assessment of Test Score and Equality Trends in Traditional Public, Charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense Schools —M. Danish Shakeel, Misty Gallo, and Patrick J. Wolf, EdWorkingPapers (2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show in 2026? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org

    29 min
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4.5
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Thomas B. Fordham Institute
  • Years Active
    2006 - 2026
  • Episodes
    532
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Education Gadfly Show
  • Show Website
    The Education Gadfly Show

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