The Learning Curve

Pioneer Institute

Join The Learning Curve every Wednesday for insight and perspective on education, learning trends, school choice, and public policy. Our hosts and guests offer a mix of provocative commentary as they interview school leaders, innovators, bestselling authors, policymakers, and more. Send any suggestions, tips, and fan mail to pioneer@pioneerinstitute.org. Listen to all episodes of The Learning Curve at Ricochet.com.

  1. 2D AGO

    Progressive Policy Institute's Rachel Canter on Mississippi’s Academic Gains

    On this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools and Mary Tamer of MassPotential speak with Rachel Canter, Director of Education Policy for the Progressive Policy Institute’s Reinventing America’s Schools project and founder of Mississippi First, about Mississippi’s remarkable rise in K–12 student achievement and the policy reforms that helped drive it. Drawing on her experience as a former Teach For America teacher and longtime education advocate, Canter reflects on the leadership, accountability, and strategic reforms that helped Mississippi transform from one of the nation’s lowest-performing states to one of its fastest-improving on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. She discusses the science of reading, the debate between phonics and whole language instruction, and what schools must do to rebuild academic rigor in literacy, STEM, and civics. Canter also explores the importance of exposing students to great literature and roots music from William Faulkner and Delta bluesmen like Robert Johnson, drawing on Mississippi’s rich cultural legacy, and reflects on how lessons from Civil Rights era figures, including Emmett Till and Fannie Lou Hamer, can strengthen civics education today. She concludes by sharing policy recommendations for governors, legislators, educators, and parents seeking dramatic and lasting improvements in student outcomes nationwide.

    50 min

  2. MAY 13

    NYT-Best Seller Dr. Kevin Gutzman on the Jeffersonian Presidents

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and retired MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson speak with Prof. Kevin Gutzman, Professor and former Chairman of the Department of History at Western Connecticut State University, and New York Times best selling author of The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. Prof. Gutzman examines the political and constitutional legacy of America’s “Virginia Dynasty,” beginning with President Thomas Jefferson’s philosophy of limited government, states' rights, and religious liberty. He explores Jefferson’s sharp political differences with the Federalists, the importance of his first inaugural address, and major events such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act. Turning to President James Madison, Prof. Gutzman discusses the “Father of the Constitution’s” disastrous administration during the War of 1812, and reflects on how the conflict severely tested Jeffersonian political ideals. He also considers the jurisprudence of President Madison's nominee Justice Joseph Story and his relationship with Chief Justice John Marshall and other members of the U.S. Supreme Court. Prof. Gutzman highlights President James Monroe’s often overlooked achievements, including the Monroe Doctrine and the “Era of Good Feelings,” while assessing the enduring legacy of the Jeffersonian presidents in shaping the Early Republic. He closes with a reading from The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.

    47 min

  3. MAY 6

    Florida's Julie Young on Say Yes! How Virtual Became Reality

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and the Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Julie Young, edupreneur, innovator, and author of Say Yes! How Virtual Became Reality. She reflects on the pivotal moment in 1997 when she said “yes” to launching Florida Virtual School, sharing what it meant to build a new model of education from the ground up with limited resources and bold vision. Young draws a clear distinction between emergency remote learning and higher-quality virtual education, explaining how confusion between the two during the pandemic negatively impacted students. She discusses early leadership lessons, including guidance from then-Governor Jeb Bush, and what it took to scale a model centered on “any time, any place, any path, any pace.” Young also explores how she built a dynamic organizational culture amid skepticism, and what lessons she carried—and intentionally left behind—when founding ASU Prep Digital. She offers insights on staffing innovation, leadership, and the opportunities and challenges AI presents for the future of education. In closing, she reads a passage from Say Yes!: How Virtual Became Reality.

    47 min

  4. APR 29

    Wash. U's Gerald Early on Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Gerald Early, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters at Washington University in St. Louis, and author of Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America. He shares how his background and education fueled a passion to study the history of African Americans in sports and music, ultimately inspiring him to explore Black Americans in baseball. Working closely with filmmaker Ken Burns, Early described his experience working with the filmmaker on multiple high-profile documentaries to examine the role baseball and jazz music have played in shaping American culture. Switching gears to discuss his latest book, Prof. Early offered a brief overview of the highlights of Black baseball in America from after the Civil War to the turn-of-the-century. He recognized key Black entrepreneurs like Andrew “Rube” Foster, the Negro Leagues, and the players Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Jackie Robinson, for their leadership in redefining the game’s excellence and paving the way for other Black Americans in baseball. He discusses the significance of the Brooklyn Dodgers desegregating Major League Baseball, highlighting the talent and heroism of Jackie Robinson, and shares the legacy that Black baseball players have contributed to American sports and democracy. In closing, Early reads an excerpt from Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America.

    46 min

  5. APR 22

    Harvard Pulitzer Winner Stephen Greenblatt on Christopher Marlowe - Elizabethan Playwright & Spy

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Stephen Greenblatt, Cogan University Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University and one of the world’s foremost scholars of Renaissance literature. Greenblatt discusses his acclaimed book, Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival, and explores the remarkable life, work, and legacy of Christopher Marlowe. He explains how Marlowe, the son of a cobbler from Canterbury, rose through England’s demanding classical education system to become one of the boldest playwrights of the Elizabethan era. Prof. Greenblatt examines the political and cultural climate of Elizabethan England, shaped by censorship, religious conflict, and surveillance, and how those pressures influenced Marlowe’s daring artistic voice. Greenblatt also unpacks enduring mysteries surrounding Marlowe’s life, including theories that he served as a secret agent for Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth I's spymaster. He also discusses Marlowe’s landmark plays Tamburlaine and Doctor Faustus, his celebrated poetry, and the dramatic innovations that transformed English theater. Additionally, he also reflects on Marlowe’s rivalry with Shakespeare, mysterious death, and enduring influence on literature today. In closing, Prof. Greenblatt reads a passage from his book, Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival.

    43 min

  6. APR 15

    Discovery Institute's Dr. Keri Ingraham on School Choice & Edu Federalism

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and American Federation for Children’s Walter Blanks speak with Dr. Keri Ingraham, Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute. Dr. Ingraham reflects on her academic and athletic journey, including being an Academic All-American, and how it shaped her belief in discipline, opportunity, and high expectations in education. She shares that in deep blue states like Washington, Oregon, California, and New York, strong teacher union political influence has often limited K-12 reform and innovation. Despite roughly $800 billion in annual K–12 spending, she points to stagnant academic outcomes, highlighted by National Assessment of Educational Progress results, as evidence that funding alone is insufficient without meaningful school choice and accountability. She discusses persistent achievement gaps and their economic consequences, emphasizing how today’s workforce increasingly rewards knowledge and skills. She also highlights the rapid expansion of school choice policies following landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions, such as Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue and Carson v. Makin, and critiques testing monopolies like those tied to the College Board. Dr. Ingraham concludes by underscoring the importance of federalism and a more limited role for the Beltway in education, with states, localities, and parents leading the way on school reform efforts.

    39 min

  7. APR 8

    DFI's Jim Blew & Lynch's Katie Everett on Fed. Ed. Tax Credit in Blue States

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Jim Blew, founder of the Defense of Freedom Institute, and Katie Everett, executive director of the Lynch Foundation. They explore the newly established federal education tax credit program and its national implications. Blew traces the policy’s origins to proposals from former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, while unpacking how the program allows taxpayers to receive credits for donations that fund scholarships for private schooling, tutoring, and specialized services. Everett discusses the growing number of states opting in and why Massachusetts remains a key battleground, citing political resistance, state constitutional barriers to private school choice, and the influence of teachers’ unions, while arguing the program could expand access and greater opportunity for all students. They highlight lessons from post-pandemic school choice expansion, the significance of Colorado's Democratic Gov. Jared Polis opting in, and whether the program’s voluntary structure will encourage broader adoption or deepen divides. Katie concludes with a preview of her upcoming event on April 15th at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library on what this federal initiative could mean for families across Massachusetts and the country.

    44 min

  8. APR 3

    Gijs van Hensbergen on Antoni Gaudí & the Sagrada Família

    In this week’s special Easter episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Dutch art historian Gijs van Hensbergen, author of Gaudí: A Biography and The Sagrada Familia: Gaudí's Heaven on Earth. They discuss the life, faith, and enduring legacy of Antoni Gaudí and his masterpiece, the Sagrada Família. Mr. van Hensbergen reflects on Gaudí’s upbringing in Catalonia, where deep Catholic devotion, modern artistic dynamism, and the natural landscape shaped his unique architectural philosophy. He explores how Barcelona’s Modernisme movement, alongside avant-garde artists like Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, fostered Gaudí’s distinctive blend of Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, and organic design. He highlights Gaudí’s vision of the Sagrada Família as a “stone Bible,” uniting theology, geometry, and nature-inspired engineering. Mr. van Hensbergen also discusses the Nativity, Passion, and Glory façades, each representing key moments in the life of Jesus Christ, and the challenges of continuing construction after the destruction of Gaudí’s plans and models during the Spanish Civil War. In closing, Mr. van Hensberger reflects on Gaudí’s lasting influence and the spiritual and artistic significance of his work, by reading a passage from Gaudí: A Biography.

    46 min
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5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Join The Learning Curve every Wednesday for insight and perspective on education, learning trends, school choice, and public policy. Our hosts and guests offer a mix of provocative commentary as they interview school leaders, innovators, bestselling authors, policymakers, and more. Send any suggestions, tips, and fan mail to pioneer@pioneerinstitute.org. Listen to all episodes of The Learning Curve at Ricochet.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Pioneer Institute
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    352
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Pioneer Institute
  • Show Website
    The Learning Curve

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