Dropout Nation

Episodes

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  The Dropout Nation Podcast: Banish Failed School Leaders

  5/20/2012

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  Duration: 22:38

  On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle takes a look at the Darnell “Dynasty” Young bullying incident in Indianapolis and the Mark Berndt scandal enveloping L.A. Unified, and point out the consequences of failed school leadership. From superintendents such as Eugene White in Indianapolis blaming kids they call “crippled” and “crazy” for failure mills, [...]

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  On the Road with Dropout Nation: Gwen Samuel Talks to Congress About Parent Power

  5/19/2012

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  Duration: Not Available

  As the countdown begins for the first annual Summer of Transforming Education fundraising campaign for grassroots reform groups coming this Memorial Day, watch this month’s On the Road podcast featuring Connecticut Parents Union President (and Dropout Nation Contributing Editor) Gwen Samuel’s testimony before the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee. Learn how Parent Power [...]

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  The Dropout Nation Midweek Monitor: Congressional Parent Power Hearing, Teacher Quality in California, & School Choice in Missouri

  5/16/2012

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  Duration: 4:13

  On this week’s Monitor, RiShawn Biddle notes the House Education and the Workforce subcommittee’s hearing on Parent Power and Family Engagement featuring Connecticut Parents Union President Gwen Samuel; checks out the lawsuit filed by StudentsFirst, Parent Revolution and others against California’s state government over tenure and reverse-seniority layoffs; and looks at efforts in Missouri to [...]

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  The Dropout Nation Podcast: The Power of School Data

  5/14/2012

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  Duration: 25:00

  On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle explains how school data — especially early warning systems focused on stemming dropouts — can help keep kids on the path to college and career success. With so many new ways to identify children struggling with literacy and numeracy, there is no reason why schools and districts [...]

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  Best of The Dropout Nation Podcast: Rallying Voters Around School Reform

  5/7/2012

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  Duration: 12:57

  As you check out Editor RiShawn Biddle’s latest American Spectator column on the likelihood of Mitt Romney embracing former president George W. Bush’s school reform agenda, listen to the Best of The Dropout Nation Podcast from October 2010 on why school reformers haven’t been able to translate their success in gaining attention to the problems of American [...]

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  The Dropout Nation Podcast: Politically Mobilizing School Reform

  4/29/2012

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  Duration: 20:18

  On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle observes the politically craven behavior of politicians in Connecticut, Alabama, and Washington State, bending to the will of NEA and AFT affiliates — and challenges reformers to fully embrace politics. It will take more than crafting policies to force politicians fearful of teachers’ union influence to do [...]

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  Best of The Dropout Nation Podcast: Forging Iron Men

  4/23/2012

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  Duration: 18:19

  As you read today’s New York Daily News piece by Dropout Nation Editor RiShawn Biddle and Why Boys Fail author Richard Whitmire on why the rhetoric over the supposed “war on women” obscures the real crisis among young men, listen to this Dropout Nation Podcast from last May on the impact of the nation’s education [...]

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  The Dropout Nation Midweek Monitor: Schott and Zip Code Education, Charters in Alabama, and Releasing Teacher Data

  4/18/2012

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  Duration: Not Available

  On this week’s Monitor, RiShawn Biddle takes a look at the Schott Foundation’s latest report on educational opportunities for poor and minority kids; observes the debate in Alabama over allowing charter schools; and considers the raging argument in New York State over releasing teacher performance data. Watch the Midweek Monitor on the site or download. You can also subscribe to this [...]

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  The Dropout Nation Podcast: Transform Education to Bend the Arc of History

  4/15/2012

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  Duration: 21:23

  On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle takes a look at the progress of American history from 1890 to today, and explains why overhauling public education is critical to keeping it going. In an increasingly global and knowledge-based economy and society, high-quality education is critical to sustaining the nation’s place as the superpower and [...]

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  The Dropout Nation Podcast: Keep Kids Out of Special Ed

  4/8/2012

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  Duration: 24:48

  On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle takes a look at the nation’s special education ghettos and explains how they exacerbate the nation’s education crisis. Contrary to what House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline thinks, no more money is needed for programs that serves as way-stations for young men and minority [...]