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Podcast

Is the “college enrollment crisis” a myth? | Episode 998 of The Education Gadfly Show

Matt Barnum Michael J. Petrilli David Griffith, Ph.D. Brian R. Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.
12.10.2025
Matt Barnum headshot
 

This week, we’re joined by Matt Barnum, Chalkbeat’s Ideas editor, to unpack whether college enrollment is truly declining—or whether the national narrative has gotten ahead of the data. 

Then, on the Research Minute, Fordham’s new national research manager Brian Fitzpatrick highlights evidence from D.C. Public Schools showing that teacher monitoring improves instruction and student outcomes—especially for teachers under pressure to raise test scores. 

Recommended content: 

  • Is college enrollment really plummeting? — Matt Barnum, Chalkbeat Ideas
  • It’s Too Early to Write Off College Degrees —Callum Borchers, The Wall Street Journal
  • Does Monitoring Change Teacher Pedagogy and Student Outcomes? —Aaron Phipps, Journal of Labor Economics, The University of Chicago Press Journals (2025)

Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? Send them to [email protected]

Matt Barnum
Matt Barnum

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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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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Brian Fitzpatrick

Brian Fitzpatrick is the National Research Manager at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, where he conducts or manages research aimed at enhancing excellence for students and choice for families throughout the U.S K-12 education system. Prior to joining Fordham, he was a Senior Research Scientist at Gibson Consulting, where he worked with school districts to use data to improve instructional practices. This included authoring…

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