#980: Can education reform help Democrats win again? with Ben Austin

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show, Ben Austin, Founding Director of Education Civil Rights Now, joins us to discuss why the Democratic Party lost its way on education policy—and what it must do to rebuild credibility and improve its chances in national elections.

Then, on the Research Minute, Adam shares a new study on state takeovers of school districts, examining who benefits and how these interventions impact district finances.

Recommended content: 

• “Democrats have lost their way on education policy. Here’s how to get back on track.” —Ben Austin, The Hill
• “Democrats need to break up with Randi Weingarten” —Ben Austin, The Hill
• “Trump’s school choice initiative puts Democratic governors in a bind” —Michael J. Petrilli, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
• “Help wanted: Ed-reform governors needed (again)” —Chester E. Finn, Jr., Thomas B. Fordham Institute
• “How state takeovers of school districts affect education finance, 1990 to 2019”—Melissa Arnold Lyon,  Joshua Bleiberg, and Beth Schueler, Education Finance and Policy (2025)

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