#966: Is calculus king? Rethinking math pathways, with Matt Giani

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Matt Giani, professor and researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, joins Mike and David to discuss whether there’s a one-size-fits-all math pathway for students, as explored in Calculus or Statistics: Does It Matter?—a new study he coauthored for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber shares a study that examines whether Indiana’s statewide private school voucher program has had any competitive effects on public school student outcomes.

Recommended content: 

• Matt Giani, Franchesca Lyra, and Adam Tyner. Calculus or Statistics: Does it Matter?, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (April 2025).
• Coming Soon: Heena Kuwayama and Adam Tyner. Advanced Math Pathways in New England, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (April 2025).
• The National Working Group on Advanced Education, Building a Wider, More Diverse Pipeline of Advanced Learners, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (June, 2023).
• Anna J. Egalite and Andrew D. Catt, Effects of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program on Public School Students’ Achievement and Graduation Rates, Sage Journals (2025)

Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Stephanie Distler at [email protected].