Podcasts by The Report Card with Nat Malkus

COVID-19 relief for schools: where are we at? from 2022-02-10T06:00

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to traditional schooling. In response to the, then, relatively unknown threat of COVID-19, Congress sent emergency relief funding to schools. They di...

The year of school choice from 2022-01-26T15:11

The COVID-19 pandemic has seemingly touched everything in education policy, and school choice is no exception. Since the start of the pandemic and, particularly in the 2020-2021 academic year, over...

How effective are Career and Technical Education programs? from 2022-01-12T15:15

Done well, Career and Technical Education, better known as CTE, provides articled pathways to post-secondary education and high-demand, high-wage careers within specified career clusters.
Ther...

The COVID-induced teacher shortage? from 2021-12-16T15:45

Every year, it seems, national and local press talk a lot about the "teacher shortage," and the reports are often accompanied with words like "emergency" and "crisis." The frequency of these report...

A new way to reignite the pursuit of truth on campus? from 2021-12-02T15:00

Increasingly, political intolerance and polarization is infiltrating college campuses. The impact of these occurrences are growing in prevalence and, to some, are perverting the original purpose of...

What's more important: the college or the major? from 2021-11-18T15:30

College is expensive. Despite this, every year, millions of students enroll in college. For many, this decision is primarily based on the expectation that they will receive a positive positive retu...

Does school choice need bipartisan support? from 2021-11-04T16:00

School choice is one of the most controversial issues in education, and it has been for some time. Since the 1990s, support for private school choice has become increasingly politicized – with Repu...

2021 Yidan Prize winner: Eric Hanushek from 2021-10-21T15:30

Every year, there are a fair few awards and honors handed out in the ed policy space, but none carry the same prestige or repute as the https://yidanprize.org/ (Yidan Prize).
On this episode of...

COVID-19 and homeschooling from 2021-10-07T15:30

Americans have long viewed education as something that primarily happens in schools, and for good reason; since the introduction of the common school, most formal education has taken place in schoo...

How divided are Americans on race, religion, and COVID-19 mitigation in public schools? from 2021-09-23T15:30

The school grounds have been the site of many of America’s most contentious debates, and, after the tumultuous year we've had, it’d be easy to think that Americans are more divided than ever on edu...

How behind are students? Ohio offers some answers. from 2021-09-09T15:30

State assessments from this past spring are slowly coming out and, so far, they’ve all painted a similar picture: students are far behind where they should be in reading and math, and some student ...

Should the Covid-19 vaccine be required for teachers and students? from 2021-08-26T15:30

As students once again head back to school amid increasing Covid cases and hospilizations, can states and districts legally require eligible students and staff to receive the Covid-19 vaccine? Shou...

Should state and local leaders send Covid cash to kids? from 2021-08-12T15:30

In March, state and local governments were given an unprecedented $350 billion in flexible funding to reduce hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. How can these funds best be used to address t...

Will summer learning help mitigate Covid learning loss? from 2021-07-29T15:30

When the coronavirus pandemic hit late in the 2019-2020 school year, its impact on student learning didn’t take a summer vacation. One year later, with Covid retreating and vaccination efforts well...

What should Covid mitigation in K-12 schools look like this fall? from 2021-07-15T15:30

Dr. Joseph Allen, an associate professor of exposure assessment science at Harvard University, discusses the CDC's recently updated reopening guidance for schools, the importance of ventilation as ...

Should states ban Critical Race Theory in K-12 schools? from 2021-07-01T15:30

How did Critical Race Theory (CRT)—once relegated to graduate school seminars and academic journals—become one of the most hotly debated K-12 issues, seemingly overnight? What exactly is CRT? Shoul...

The right direction on Title IX (rebroadcast) from 2021-06-17T15:30

As the Biden administration begins the process of rewriting Title IX regulations and undoing many of the changes to made under Secretary Betsy DeVos, host Listen

Has the Common Core failed? from 2021-06-03T15:30

In just three years, 45 states adopted the Common Core State Standards. By that metric alone, one might argue that the Common Core was a huge success. But on this episode of The Report Card with ht...

How to Make College Worth the Expense from 2021-05-20T15:30

College is expensive. How can students and parents make sure that it pays off? On this episode of The Report Card with https://www.aei.org/profile/nathaniel-n-malkus/ (Nat Malkus), https://www.aei....

Racial Achievement Gaps and Covid from 2021-05-06T15:30

Why have fewer Black and Hispanic students returned to their classrooms for full-time in-person learning relative to white students? And what effect will this have on the nation’s stubborn racial a...

Hybrid Homeschooling: The Future of Education? from 2021-04-22T15:30

While hybrid education may appear to be an invention of necessity spurred by the pandemic, splitting instruction between traditional brick-and-mortar schooling and homeschooling has been practiced—...

Covid Enrollment Drops and the Class of 2034 from 2021-04-08T15:30

Enrollment in preschool and kindergarten programs has dropped significantly over the past year. What's behind Covid enrollment drops and how might they affect students, schools, and systems in the ...

Can We Tutor Our Way Out of Covid Learning Loss? from 2021-03-25T15:30

Students are months behind where they should be in their learning. Could a nation-wide tutoring program catch them up to speed? Moreover, what would it take to equalize access to high-quality tutor...

Tracking America's Return to In-Person Learning from 2021-03-11T15:30

It's been 12 months since the coronavirus pandemic sent the nation's students home. How many have returned to classrooms? That's a straightforward question, but one that's proven exceptionally diff...

School counseling in a pandemic from 2021-02-11T15:30

Over the course of a weekend last March, students saw their day-to-day routines completely upended. Now, eleven months into the pandemic, how are students holding up?
On this episode of "The R...

Estimating Covid Learning Loss from 2021-01-28T15:30

Just about any parent could attest that remote learning hasn’t exactly been a one-to-one substitute for in-person learning. But just how far behind have students fallen over the past ten months? On...

Secretary of Education-designate Miguel Cardona: Challenges and Prospects from 2021-01-14T15:00

What does President-elect Joe Biden’s selection of Miguel Cardona suggest about what we might see in education in the next four years? And what are the chances Cardona will be able to accomplish Bi...

Leadership In A Time of Crisis [Rebroadcast] from 2020-12-31T15:00

In just a few short weeks, Joe Biden will take office amid some of the most trying circumstances faced by an incoming president in modern history. What does it take to lead successfully in a time o...

Free College from 2020-12-17T15:00

What will President Biden do with respect to free college? Should college be free for all students or only some students? Would a free college program supplant our current system of financial aid a...

Should college students be on campus or remote? from 2020-12-03T15:00

As college students around the country wrap up a tumultuous semester, debates about whether colleges should be in-person or remote rage on. About a month ago, https://www.aei.org/profile/nathaniel-...

The Election Is Over. What’s Next For Education? from 2020-11-19T15:00

Now that the 2020 elections have (mostly) wrapped up, what’s the education policy forecast for next year and beyond? Will education be a top priority for the Biden administration? Have voters ch...

The Election Is Over. What’s Next For Education? from 2020-11-19T15:00

Now that the 2020 elections have (mostly) wrapped up, what’s the education policy forecast for next year and beyond? Will education be a top priority for the Biden administration? Have voters chang...

The Election Is Over. What’s Next For Education? from 2020-11-19T15:00

Now that the 2020 elections have (mostly) wrapped up, what’s the education policy forecast for next year and beyond? Will education be a top priority for the Biden administration? Have voters chang...

What will the 2020 elections mean for education? from 2020-11-05T20:00:31

Despite pollsters’ predictions, this election has turned out to be a nail biter. Amid this uncertainty, what’s the post-election outlook for education? On this episode of The Report Card, Nat Ma...

Should we be sending K–12 students back to school in person? from 2020-10-22T20:00:10

As most schools pass the halfway point of this tumultuous semester, one question continues to loom large: Should schools be reopening for in-person learning? That contentious question was the to...

Rethinking School Staffing from 2020-10-08T19:30:06

As schools confront massive budget shortfalls in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it is critical that they examine how they might use existing funding more efficiently. On this episode of T...

Rethinking Teacher Benefits from 2020-09-24T19:30:52

Now, more than ever, it’s critical that school districts examine how to make the most of each and every dollar they receive. On this episode of The Report Card, Nat Malkus talks with Chad Aldema...

Reopening K-12 Schools: Lessons from Childcare from 2020-09-10T19:30:43

As K-12 classrooms remained shuttered in many parts of the country, childcare and early learning centers are reopening—or, in some cases, never closed in the first place. What lessons might they...

Inside School Reopening Plans: Superintendent Perspectives from 2020-08-27T19:30:24

Nat Malkus talks with three superintendents about the planning that went into students’ return to learning and the challenges that lie ahead

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A big year for education in the Supreme Court (with Josh Dunn) from 2020-08-13T19:30:13

The Supreme Court released two decisions this year that could have a significant impact on the nation’s education landscape: Espinoza v. Montana—a case about a small Montana school choice progra...

How can schools possibly reopen this fall? A conversation with John Bailey from 2020-07-23T19:30:51

Only six weeks away from the start of the school year, many questions still remain as to what schooling will actually look like come fall. Is it really feasible for schools to reopen for in-pers...

The Knowledge Gap [Rebroadcast] from 2020-07-09T19:30:45

When remote learning started up this spring, a number of school districts initially forbade teachers from introducing new content in an effort to prevent achievement gaps from widening. Instead ...

Hybrid homeschooling (with Mike McShane) from 2020-06-25T19:30:55

Over the past few months, nearly every student in America has gotten a taste of what home-based learning has to offer. As many families have discovered, homeschooling has its ups and downs. On t...

Degrees of freedom (with Seth Andrew) from 2020-06-11T19:30:29

In the world of higher education research, “success” is usually defined as a function of two statistics: enrollment and completion. Going by those two checkpoints, students experience very diffe...

The shifting politics of charter schooling from 2020-05-28T19:30:54

For years, the charter school sector enjoyed bipartisan support, counting among its advocates Presidents Clinton and Obama, as well as Presidents Bush and Trump. Yet, in 2020, nearly all democra...

What will it take to get back to school? (with Rick Hess and Candice McQueen) from 2020-05-18T19:30:11

To say that the coronavirus pandemic is one of the most significant disruptions our education system has ever faced is hardly an understatement. Back in March, without a warning, 50 million stud...

Leadership in the coronavirus pandemic, with Governor Jeb Bush from 2020-04-20T19:30:32

Gov. Jeb Bush joins to discuss the immense leadership challenges COVID-19 has brought to bear against all leaders, from the White House to the schoolhouse.

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Teacher leadership amid coronavirus from 2020-04-07T20:00:33

In mere weeks, coronavirus toppled a long-standing pillar of our education system: students receiving in-person instruction from teachers. In the face of this turbulent change, teachers around t...

Teaching amid the coronavirus pandemic from 2020-04-02T20:00:26

Among those whose work has been most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic are teachers. In the course of just a few weeks, nearly all of the nation’s 3.6 million elementary and secondary school ...

Superintendents and coronavirus (with Josh Starr and Duncan Klussmann) from 2020-03-27T20:00:41

With America's education system upended, school districts are faced with complex concerns. Nat talks with two superintendents about how to confront them.

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Coronavirus and school closures (with John Bailey) from 2020-03-23T20:04:34

COVID-19 has upended America's school system in unprecedented ways. AEI Fellow John Bailey joins to provide insight from his 2005 work combatting influenza

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Minerva and the future of higher education with Ben Nelson from 2020-03-12T20:00:07

The world of higher education has increasingly come under fire in the past few years. As concerns about rising tuition costs, workplace readiness of graduates, and inequitable admissions practic...

Liberian education and Bridge International Academies with George Werner and Steve Cantrell from 2020-02-27T21:00:48

Liberian Education Minister George Werner and Bridge Int'l VP Steve Cantrell talk about how their partnership has helped transform Liberia's school system.

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Why Meadow Died: with Max Eden from 2020-02-13T21:00:48

The 2018 Stoneman Douglas shooting was the deadliest school shooting in US history. Author Max Frost offers his take on how to prevent similar tragedies.

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Evaluating supplemental curricula with Morgan Polikoff from 2020-01-23T21:00:48

Dr. Morgan Polikoff of USC joins Nat to discuss the materials teachers use to create engaging lesson plans, much of which is made without oversight

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Success Academy Charter Schools with Robert Pondiscio from 2020-01-09T21:00:04

Nat and guest Robert Pondiscio discuss NYC's successful - yet contentious - Sucess Academy Charter Schools, what sets them apart, and the lessons from them

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2019 Education Year in Review: with Erica Green, Alyson Klein, and Josh Mitchell from 2019-12-19T21:00:41

Education news was prevalent in 2019. Join Nat Malkus and guests as they cover the year's biggest stories and look ahead to what 2020 will bring

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Teen Vaping with Scott Gottlieb, Mila Vascones-Gatski, and Evie Blad from 2019-12-12T21:00:16

Host Nat Malkus talks to former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb about how teen vaping, a growing trend in high schools, affects both students and schools. Substance abuse counselor Milagros Vasc...

Free College in New York with Elsa Magee and Christopher Barto from 2019-11-27T21:00:15

The idea of free college isn’t new. In 2014, President Obama proposed free community college in his State of the Union Address. Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders had free college plans in ...

Social emotional learning with Jackie Jodl and Robert Pondiscio from 2019-11-14T21:15:19

Nat Malkus, Jackie Jodl, and Robert Pondiscio discuss the benefits (and possible pitfalls) of American education's growing trend: Social Emotional Learning

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Deeper Learning with Jal Mehta from 2019-11-01T20:30:08

How can schols go beyond surface level learning? Nat Malkus and Jal Mehta discuss the benefits of deeper learning and how classrooms can better implement its features nationwide

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Choosing college with Michael Horn from 2019-10-17T20:30:18

Do college rankings help students choose the right college? Nat Malkus talks to Michael Horn about his new book and the roles various people play in students' college decision-making journey

Rural education with Jeff Hawkins and Campbell Scribner from 2019-10-03T20:30:55

host Nat Malkus talks to Jeff Hawkins of the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative and Campbell Scribner at the University of Maryland about the unique challenges and strengths of rural school...

Is the achievement gap actually a knowledge gap? (with Natalie Wexler and Ashley Berner) from 2019-09-20T10:43:50

When it comes to teaching reading, most American schools prioritize skill acquisition over background knowledge. Students are asked to find the main idea of a passage without learning the backgr...

Citizen Philanthropists and Education Reform with Charles Best from 2019-09-05T20:32:45

In 2000, Charles Best started DonorsChoose.org, a website that allows teachers to request needed materials for classroom projects, and “citizen philanthropists” from across the country could fun...

Could the P-TECH schools model close the skills gap? (with Grace Suh) from 2019-08-08T21:00:20

In P-TECH schools, students earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree tied to the needs of local industry partners that provide workplace experiences.

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Can income share agreements address college affordability and accountability concerns? (with Beth Akers and Tonio DeSorrento) from 2019-07-25T12:00:54

Last year, student loan debt hit $1.5 trillion. From free college to loan forgiveness, there are plenty of ideas to lower student debt.

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Debate Edition: The right direction on Title IX Sexual Harassment regulations from 2019-07-11T21:00:40

In this special episode of The Report Card, Nat Malkus brings you a debate that took place live at AEI on proposed new Title IX regulations that roll back Obama-era rules.

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