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Podcast

Education Gadfly Show #849: The success of Denver’s “portfolio”-style school reform, with Parker Baxter

Michael J. Petrilli Amber M. Northern, Ph.D. David Griffith, Ph.D. Parker Baxter
12.13.2022
iStock/Getty Images Plus/twilightproductions
 

On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Mike Petrilli and David Griffith talk with the University of Colorado’s Parker Baxter on how Denver’s comprehensive school reform effort led to higher student achievement and graduation rates. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber brings us good news about a third grade retention policy in Indiana.

Recommended content:

  • “The system-level effects of Denver’s portfolio strategy on student academic outcomes” —Parker Baxter
  • A University of Colorado video on Parker Baxter’s study.
  • “Denver Public Schools’ controversial reform strategy led to higher test scores and graduation rates, but not without costs” —Colorado Public Radio
  • The study that Amber reviewed on the Research Minute: Young Hwang and Cory Koedel, “Holding Back to Move Forward: The Effects of Retention in the Third Grade on Student Outcomes,” Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University (December 2022).

Feedback Welcome:

Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to our producer Nathaniel Grossman at [email protected].

Policy Priority:
Quality Choices
Topics:
Governance

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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Parker Baxter, JD, MPA, is Scholar in Residence and Director of the Center for Education Policy Analysis (CEPA) at University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. Parker has two decades of experience in education systems leadership and policy and has worked in a wide variety of roles, including as a district and state administrator, charter school authorizer, policy analyst and researcher, legislative counsel, youth advocate, attorney and teacher.

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