EdChoice Chats - podcast cover

EdChoice Chats

EdChoiceedchoice.org
EdChoice Chats is the EdChoice team’s official podcast. EdChoice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing educational choice as the best pathway to successful lives and a stronger society. We believe families, not bureaucrats, are best equipped to make K-12 schooling decisions for their children. Our team works at the state level to educate diverse audiences, train advocates and engage policymakers on the benefits of high-quality school choice programs. Listen in to stay updated on the latest controversies, messaging hacks, legislation, litigation and research related to school choice in America. For podcast inquiries, please contact Chantal at media@edchoice.org.
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Episodes

Ep. 404: State of Choice - March 2024

In this episode of “State of Choice” hosted by the EdChoice Policy and Advocacy team, we talk about how Alabama passed landmark legislation advancing choice in the state. Plus, we highlight our favorite advocates in the choice movement for Women’s History Month.

Mar 22, 202416 min

Ep. 402: The Rosenwald Schools

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Robert Enlow, CEO and President of EdChoice, talks with Curtis Valentine co-director of the Reinventing America Schools Project at the Progressive Policy Institute. They discuss the Rosenwald Schools and a number of other topics including how education was formed and started, our current public education system and its impact on communities of color.

Feb 29, 202426 min

Ep. 400: Black History Month Edition

For this episode of EdChoice Chats we have a special edition celebrating Black History Month where we talk about school choice in communities of color and the ever-growing support for it.

Feb 16, 202439 min

Ep. 399: Survey Recap 2023

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane is joined by John Kristof and Alli Aldis to talk about EdChoice's monthly and semi-annual polling and what it reveals about the state of education in the United States.

Dec 13, 202330 min

Ep. 397: Monthly Tracker - October 2023

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Alli Aldis and John Kristof about October's monthly polling results. We asked a range of questions focused on K-12 education, including our usual monitoring of public opinion toward school choice options. In this month’s poll, we also introduced new questions about gifted academic programs and education technology.

Nov 15, 202323 min

Ep. 395: Surveying Teachers - Fall 2023

On this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Colyn Ritter and John Kristof about the recent EdChoice teacher polling. Topics including students’ social media use, absenteeism, classroom disruptions, how likely they are to recommend their profession, and more.

Oct 31, 202329 min

Ep. 394: What's Up with Diverse Charter School Coalition

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Sonia Park, executive director of the Diverse Charter School Coalition. McShane and Park talk about what they are trying to achieve, the actual practices that go on in these diverse by design charter schools, and also the public policy that's necessary for them to start and grow, and be part of the charter school landscape.

Oct 20, 202327 min

Ep. 393: Monthly Tracker - September 2023

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Mike McShane talks with Alli Aldis and John Kristof about the September 2023 monthly polling data. What concerns are at the forefront of parents’ minds in these early days of the 2023-24 academic year? The first challenge for today’s school parents may be keeping students in the classroom and off their phones.

Oct 12, 202324 min

Ep. 392: State Updates - September 2023

The EdChoice state team gives us a summary of all the recent happenings in the states. It's been an exciting month with North Carolina expanding the Opportunity Scholarship. Find out more in the podcast!

Oct 10, 20236 min

Ep. 391: Surfing The Pipeline

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Mike McShane talks with John Kristof about his new paper Surfing the Pipeline: Understanding Pathways into Teaching in Alternative Models of Schooling. They discuss the many new opportunities that are being made available all across the country with entrepreneurial educators starting up new and different school models such as microschools, hybrid homeschools, and more.

Oct 05, 202328 min

Ep. 390: Surveying Teens

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, we dive into our most recent survey of American teens where we tackled such questions as "How can school leaders and teachers maneuver the emergence of modern technology within the classroom?" and "What can be done to resolve mental health and absenteeism?"

Sep 28, 202324 min

Ep. 389: What's Up With Florida Catholic Schools

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Ron Matus, director of research and special projects for Step Up For Students in Florida, and Lauren May, director of advocacy for Step Up For Students. Matus and May have a new paper called "Why Catholic Schools in Florida are Growing: Five Things You Need to Know." We dive into this paper and the five things we need to know!

Sep 26, 202328 min

Ep. 388: What's Up With Dade Prep

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Andy Prieto and Mark Strickland of Dade Prep, where they are going to help answer the question, "What's up with Dade Prep?" Dade Prep is a credit recovery secondary school that generally targets older students who have been truant or who have otherwise become disconnected from the education system and helps them with credit recovery, to graduate, and then enter the workforce.

Sep 19, 202333 min

Ep. 387: Monthly Tracker - August 2023

In this edition of EdChoice Chats, we dive into our monthly poll results on education-related issues including public sentiment on the direction of K-12 education, what values parents want schools to teach their children, support for school choice, and more.

Sep 12, 202326 min

Ep. 386: What's Up with Primer - with Ryan Delk

Calling all teachers who want to start their own schools! Mike McShane has CEO and founder of Primer, Ryan Delk on the podcast to talk about the work Primer microschools is achieving. Primer gives the top 1% of teachers the tools and preparation needed to launch their own schools, while also allowing their students to set their own pace and pursue their passions.

Aug 31, 202330 min

Ep. 385: The Three Languages of School Choice

The Three Languages of School Choice is a starting point for the next wave of educational freedom. For education freedom to truly take hold in the United States, the school choice movement must reclaim its politically multilingual roots and adapt them for today’s political age. In this episode, Mike McShane talks with the paper's author, John Kristof, as well as with Neal McCluskey, Director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, and Gerard Robinson, Professor of Practice i...

Aug 28, 202326 min

Ep. 384: Priorities of State and Local Governments - with Ben Scafidi

How are schools growing their numbers in staff members without growing the same number in students? Ben Scafidi joins Mike McShane to talk about his recent report, Priorities of State and Local Governments From 1994 to 2022 which highlights the public schools' staffing surge over the years.

Aug 14, 202325 min

Ep. 383: Monthly Tracker - July 2023

“Where do you typically receive information about K-12 education?” The EdChoice Research team asked that question and many others to America’s public and school parents. Listen today to find out the team’s most notable findings.

Aug 11, 202323 min

Ep. 382: State Updates - July 2023

With the session ending, the EdChoice state team has given us a summary of all the recent happenings in the states. It's been an exciting year for school choice so far with seven states enacting new programs and nine states expanding their existing programs, seven of those nine being nearly universal.

Aug 08, 202313 min

Ep. 381: Schooling in America

Mike McShane, Colyn Ritter, and John Kristof talk about what's inside Schooling in America, including the data that stood out to them the most.

Aug 01, 202324 min

Ep. 380: What's Up with Prenda - With Kelly Smith

Mike McShane talks with Kelly Smith, CEO of the Prenda microschools and author of the book, A Fire to be Kindled. The two talk about how Smith started Prenda and the meaning behind his book title.

Jul 26, 202327 min

Ep. 379: Implementing K–12 Education Savings Accounts - With Mike McShane

John Kristof talks with Mike McShane about his new report with Nicole Stelle Garnett at the Manhattan Institute titled, Implementing K–12 Education Savings Accounts Is Really Simple. They talk about the new wave of school choice and the expansion of education savings accounts across the country.

Jul 11, 202332 min

Ep. 378: The 123s of School Choice - 2023 Edition

Members of the EdChoice team discuss the recent publication, The 123s of School Choice, an in-depth review of the available research on private school choice programs in America.

Jul 07, 202329 min

Ep. 377: State Updates - June 2023

If you need a rundown on the latest litigation involving school choice across the states, the EdChoice state team has you covered in this podcast.

Jul 07, 202318 min

Ep. 376: Monthly Tracker - June 2023

In this monthly tracker podcast, EdChoice team members discuss the new question added to the poll about a four day school week while also reflecting on the past school year.

Jun 30, 202333 min

Ep. 375: Surveying Teachers - Spring 2023

Our own team member and former elementary school teacher, Margo Foster joins the podcast to discuss the results from this month's teacher survey.

Jun 09, 202321 min
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