The school report that changed public education

The school report that changed public education

September 3, 2026 · 37 min

About this episode

This episode explores the impact of the Coleman Report on public education and the ongoing debate over educational inequality in America.

In 1966, the federal government commissioned a massive survey aimed at solving educational inequality. Instead, the explosive Coleman Report unleashed a 60-year debate over race, resources, and what education in America is actually for. This is the story of how the report came together… and the policy whirlwind that followed. Guests: Victoria Cain, Associate Professor of History, Northeastern University Thomas Kane, Walter H. Gale Professor of Education and Economics, Harvard University Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Guests: Victoria Cain, Thomas Kane

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Organizations: NPR, Harvard University, Northeastern University

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