From Utah to Arkansas

Can't Miss Education Stories

Over the past few weeks, we've covered dozens of important education stories nationwide. Here are some highlights of what you may have missed from around the Lost Debate network. 

Declining Reading, Birth Rates, IQ

On a recent "Trendy Thursday" episode of Lost Debate, Rikki and I discussed trends upending American society, including a few that touch on kids and schools. Those included kids spending less time reading than ever, a decline in IQ, and couples choosing to have fewer kids. Listen here.

Gen-Z Meets Gen-X

I took last week off to celebrate my [REDACTED] birthday, so Rikki took my place on the Citizen Stewart show. She (a Gen-Zer) and Chris Stewart (a Gen-Xer) discussed social media and mental health, focusing on teenage girls. Listen here.

Four-Day School Week? 

On a recent episode of Lost Debate, we tackled the movement to shorten the school week. Is this a smart way to attract and retain teachers? Yet another way to shortchange students? Both? Listen here and tell us what you think. 

Florida Vouchers 

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill that expands the state's school voucher program to every student. On last week's episode of Pulso y Péndulo (our Spanish language show), hosts Carlos Curbelo and Fabiola Galindo discussed that bill and what it means for Florida families. Listen here. 

Coaching Coaches

On last week's episode of Sweat the Technique, Doug Lemov interviewed Cody Royle, a coach of coaches from professional Rugby to leaders in the corporate world. Cody offers insightful lessons about how great coaches operate. For example, theatrical halftime speeches in movies are not the real thing – great coaches simply provide specific, effective instructions for succeeding in the moment. Listen here. 

In Defense of Quinta Brunson

I recently wrote a piece in this very newsletter about the backlash to Abbott Elementary and its creator Quinta Brunson. I implored education reformers to be more thoughtful in how they engage in these battles. Chris Stewart pushed back on my arguments in a spirited episode of the Citizen Stewart show. Listen here. 

Universal School Lunch

Some blue states and cities are making school lunches free for all students, including middle and upper-income kids. Rikki and I debated these measures as well as conservative critiques of them. I offered a counterintuitive point — that making all lunch free is actually a way to simplify a critical government service and eliminate red tape, an argument that Rikki found persuasive. Listen here. 

From KIPP to the Pros

On a recent episode of Sweat the Technique, I interviewed Marc Mannella, a former KIPP superintendent who now uses his expertise from K-12 to train prominent leaders to act more like great teachers. He's trained coaches and players from professional sports teams, such as the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Guardians. He offers insights into how high-performing charter schools' best practices can translate into locker rooms and on the field. Listen here. 

Arkansas Learns 

Last month, Arkansas legislators passed a sweeping overhaul of the state's education system, which included universal Education Savings Accounts, increased starting teacher pay, investments in literacy and vocational education, and content prohibitions. On Lost Debate, Rikki and I applauded the state for its boldness while raising questions about its ability to finance and implement such an aggressive series of changes. Listen here. 

Utah Social Media Ban 

Utah recently passed a law severely restricting social media for minors. I support their policy, and Chris Stewart, a noted social media addict, opposes it. Of course, we hashed it out on the show. Listen here. 

That's all for now. Make sure to subscribe to our shows here. And if you like what you hear, please leave us a review.