The Education Exchange

Richard Burkhauser, Professor Emeritus of Policy Analysis at Cornell University's College of Human Ecology, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the poverty rate in the United States, looking at a full-income poverty measure, and raising the question of whether President Lyndon Johnson's original War on Poverty has been a success. Burkhauser is co-author on two recent papers, "Evaluating the success of President Johnson’s War on Poverty" and "Income Growth and its Distribution from Eisenhower to Obama." https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burkhauser-Corinth-Elwell-Larrimore-President-Johnson-War-on-Poverty-WP-1.pdf https://www.nber.org/papers/w26439.pdf

On Aug. 12, 2019, Todd Rogers, Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, sat down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss a new study that looks to curb chronic absenteeism through randomized experiments. The paper, "Reducing Student Absences at Scale by Targeting Parents’ Misbeliefs," is co-written with Avi Feller, and he co-wrote "How to Tackle Student Absenteeism" with Carly Robinson for Education Next. https://www.educationnext.org/how-to-tackle-student-absenteeism/

In a new book, "Love Your Enemies" Arthur Brooks describes the rise of a “culture of contempt”—a habit of seeing people who disagree with us not as merely incorrect or misguided, but as worthless--and considers what we can do to bridge divides and mend relationships. Earlier this year, Brooks spoke to Paul E. Peterson about how contempt corrodes our own happiness, about remembering the difference between people we disagree with and the ideas they embrace, and about the role universities can play in repairing our culture.

Bruce Meyer, the McCormick Foundation Professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his annual report on U.S. consumption poverty, which reveals that poverty has fallen sharply in the past 50 years. Read the full report here: https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/annual-report-on-us-consumption-poverty-2018/

David Steiner, the Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the review of the Providence Public School District recently undertaken by Johns Hopkins. The review includes distressing news on proficiency in math and reading, teacher morale and deteriorating facilities. Read the full review here: https://edpolicy.education.jhu.edu/institute-leads-review-of-the-providence-public-school-district/

Erica Smith, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, a case that takes a deep look at school choice and which could declare the so-called Blaine Amendments unconstitutional in 38 states. Prof. Peterson previously spoke to Richard Komer on this issue, and in the Fall 2019 issue of Education Next, Joshua Dunn analyzed the Espinoza case in “Answered Prayer? Montana case could prompt last judgment for Blaine Amendments.” https://www.educationnext.org/education-exchange-school-choice-blaine-amendments-montana-supreme-court-espinoza/

Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills at OECD, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss the upcoming PISA results, how high-performing nations work to support teachers, and what school systems can do to better prepare students for the future. The 2019 PISA results will be released on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss his time observing a Success Academy school in the Bronx, and his new book, "How the Other Half Learns." Read an excerpt from the book, "Come to Jesus: Effort parties, data walls, reading logs, and “warm/strict” — a look inside Success Academy." https://www.educationnext.org/come-to-jesus-look-inside-success-academy-excerpt-how-the-other-half-learns/

Richard Komer, a former Senior Litigation Attorney at the Institute for Justice, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, a case which could declare the Blaine Amendments in 38 state constitutions unconstitutional. Komer is defending plaintiffs, including Kendra Espinoza, who received a tax credit scholarship to attend a religious school. In the Fall 2019 issue of Education Next, Joshua Dunn analyzed the Espinoza case in "Answered Prayer? Montana case could prompt last judgment for Blaine Amendments." https://www.educationnext.org/answered-prayer-montana-case-prompt-last-judgement-blaine-amendments/

Diane Tavenner, the cofounder and CEO of Summit Public Schools, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss her new book, "Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life," and a series of tips and questions for parents as their children begin the college application process.