The Education Exchange

Martin R. West, the editor-in-chief of Education Next, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the recent release of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Long-Term Trends.

David Figlio, the Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics and Education at the University of Rochester, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Figlio's recent article in Education Next, "Can Banning Cellphones Save Student Learning? Evidence from Florida, home of the first statewide mandate," co-written with Umut Özek. https://www.educationnext.org/can-banning-cellphones-save-student-learning-evidence-florida-mandate/

Richard D. Kahlenberg, Director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Kahlenberg's new report, which investigates how American Quarterly has covered American studies and history in the wake of President Donald Trump's one-sided treatment. "The Distortion of American Studies: How the Field’s Leading Journal Has Embraced a Worldview as Slanted as Donald Trump’s," co-written with Lief Lin, is available now at Progressive Policy Institute. https://www.progressivepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/PPI_The-Distortion-of-American-Studies.pdf

Julie Young, the former Vice President of Education Outreach and Student Services for Arizona State University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss her upcoming book, Say Yes: How Virtual Became Reality.

John Singleton, an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Rochester, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Singleton's latest research, which uses large-language AI models to determine the viewpoints and priorities of school board members in California. "Identity and Ideology in the School Boardroom," co-written with Barbara Biasi, Minseon Park, and Seth D. Zimmerman, is available now at NBER.org.

M. Danish Shakeel, a Professor and the director of the E. G. West Centre for Education Policy at The University of Buckingham, UK, joins Paul E. Peterson to Shakeel's latest research, which investigates achievement and inequality trends in the United States between 2005 and 2024. "The Nation’s Achievement Inequality Report Card: An Assessment of Test Score and Equality Trends in Traditional Public, Charter, Catholic, and Department of Defense Schools," co-written with Misty Gallo and Patrick J. Wolf, is available now. https://edworkingpapers.com/sites/default/files/ai26-1378.pdf

Vladimir Kogan, a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Ohio State University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how voters handle school choice at the ballot box in the United States. "Voters Reject Vouchers—Again! What the defeat of private school choice measures in three states signals for the movement," co-written with Parker Baxter and Michael Hartney, is available now at Education Next. https://www.educationnext.org/voters-reject-vouchers-again-defeat-private-school-choice-measures/

Daion L. Daniels, Director of Research for the Indiana Department of Education, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the Arkansas Education Freedom Accounts Program, which documents how many students took advantage of the Arkansas choice program, and its results in student achievement. The 2024-25 Arkansas Education Freedom Accounts Program Annual Report, co-written with Alison Heape Johnson, Joshua B. McGee, and Patrick J. Wolf, is available now. https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/2024-25_Arkansas_Education_Freedom_Accounts_Program_Annual_Report_100125_OSCPE.pdf