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Podcast

#937: Is universal free lunch a good idea? with Paul Bruno

Paul Bruno Michael J. Petrilli Amber M. Northern, Ph.D. David Griffith, Ph.D.
9.11.2024
Paul Bruno

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Paul Bruno, an assistant professor of education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, joins Mike and David to discuss the pros and cons of universal free lunch. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber explores how mandating Advanced Placement course offerings and waiving AP exam fees impact student participation.

Recommended content:

  • “Should All School Meals Be Free?”—Tim Daly
  • “Make School Lunches Great Again”—Max Eden
  • Ian Callen and Christiana Stoddard, “Putting the ‘A’ in AP: The effect of advanced placement state policies on student participation and performance,” Economics of Education Review (2024)

Feedback Welcome: This week, we're trying something new on the Education Gadfly Podcast! After nearly 20 years of keeping our episodes short and snappy, we're experimenting with a longer format to explore topics in greater depth. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this change—whether you love it or hate it. If you enjoy the podcast, please share it with your friends and colleagues; your support helps us reach more listeners!

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

Policy Priority:
Standards & Accountability

Paul Bruno is an assistant professor of education policy, organization, and leadership in the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He uses quantitative methods to study school finance, school choice, resource allocation in schools, and teacher quality.

President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute

Michael J. Petrilli is president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, executive editor of Education Next, editor in chief of the Education Gadfly Weekly, host of the…

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Amber Northern is senior vice president for research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, where she supervises the Institute’s robust research portfolio and…

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David Griffith is the National Research Director at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, where he manages or authors reports on various subjects including charter schools, …

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