Kimberly Richey, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the latest federal guidance on school discipline and Title VI. What does the Department’s new approach to racial disparities in discipline mean for schools? Can the new guidance stick, or will the rules continue to change every time a new administration takes control of the White House?

Then, on the Research Minute, Amber Northern reviews a new NWEA study examining whether schools are getting Algebra I placement right, and why students should be allowed to take algebra as soon as they are ready.

Recommended content:

• Dear Colleague Letter: Guidance on Pupil Discipline and Compliance with Title VI —U.S. Department of Education
• Toward a durable compromise on discipline disparities? —Michael J. Petrilli, SCHOOLED
• Doing educational equity right: School discipline —Michael J. Petrilli, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
• Groundhog Day for school discipline —David Griffith, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
• Getting Algebra Placement Right: Expanding Opportunity and Strengthening Preparation —Megan Kuhfeld, Daniel Long, and Scott J. Peters, NWEA (August 2026)

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Ian Rowe, founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss Nikole Hannah-Jones’s recent reflections on her decision to send her daughter to a predominantly Black, low-income public school. They discuss school choice, parental involvement and family stability, and that family structure deserves more attention in conversations about student achievement. Should family structure become a more common measure in education data?

Then, on the Research Minute, Amber Northern shares a new study of team-based teaching in Arizona. The researchers find no overall improvement in student achievement, but positive results in middle school math and much lower teacher turnover.

Recommended content:

• In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own? —Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times Magazine
• Choosing a School for My Daughter in a Segregated City —Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times Magazine
• Why I Send My Kid to Low-Income Urban Public Schools —Matthew Yglesias, Slow Boring
• Family Structure, a Key Factor Hidden in Plain Sight: The Case for Federal Reporting in Education —Ian V. Rowe, Brad Wilcox, and Grant Bailey, American Enterprise
• Evidence on Team-Based Teaching Models in Arizona —Mary Laski, Calen Clifton, and Dan Goldhaber, CALDER (August 2026)

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Mike Petrilli is back on the mic solo this week to weigh the case for and against banning AI in schools. He considers growing concerns about cheating, an erosion of grading standards, and the broader effects of technology on student learning, as well as arguments that well-designed AI tools could still have a useful place in the classroom. Are blanket bans too extreme, or is it time for schools to press pause?

Then, on the Research Minute, Brian Fitzpatrick examines a new systematic review of state and locally funded pre-K programs and what it reveals about the strength of the evidence behind their short- and long-term effects.

Recommended content:

• Let’s debate the AI bans —Michael J. Petrilli, SCHOOLED
• High Tech, Low Standards: High School in the Age of Distraction —Brian R. Fitzpatrick, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
• Schools Are Urged to Embrace AI—and Ban Phones. Can We Resolve the Tension? —Rick Hess, Education Week
• Hot Takes on NYC AI Ban —Ben Wallerstein, Whiteboard Advisors
• A Systematic Review of Research Designs Used to Evaluate State and Locally Funded Pre-K Programs —Anamarie A. Whitaker, Cara L. Kelly, Tyler W. Watts, Mark Lipsey, Juan Camilo Cristancho, Jade M. Jenkins, Caroline M. Botvin, Drew H. Bailey, Greg J. Duncan, Tania Maria Cruz Cordero, Melissa Stoffers, and Mindy Rosengarten, EdWorkingPapers (August 2026)

Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org