Vol 20 - The “Just No Steely Dan” Episode - WonkyFolk Theme Music and the Need for a Stronger Education Theme in National Politics

Andy and Jed discuss what the theme music for their podcast should be before shifting to their voting experiences and frustrations with the current political landscape. The conversation delves into polarizing views on education, highlighting voter behavior differences, the impact of California politics, and significant historical events influencing perceptions. The nuances of charter school regulation, accountability, and data-driven decision-making are explored, emphasizing the difficulties of balancing regulation with performance metrics. The importance of evidence-based advocacy, critiques of past and current administrations, and the need for a balanced approach to promoting a healthy educational environment are underscored. Finally, the discussion addresses systemic issues in education, the challenge of intergenerational advocacy, and the impact of political climates on education reforms.Show Notes:PPI report https://www.progressivepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PPI_Searching-for-the-Tipping-Point-paper.pdfParker Baxter Denver study https://publicaffairs.ucdenver.edu/docs/librariesprovider36/default-document-library/denver_systemwide_and_intervention-effects-technical-report-september-2024.pdf?sfvrsn=f4236bb4_1Michael Bennet and Tom Boasberg on Denver https://publicaffairs.ucdenver.edu/docs/librariesprovider36/default-document-library/leading-for-equity-and-student-growth-lessons-transformation-the-denver-public-schools-sept-2024.pdf?sfvrsn=237174b4_1Eduwonk on electionhttps://eduwonk.substack.com/p/come-talk-ed-politics-plus-heresChalkbeat on CO consolidation https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/10/16/denver-families-for-public-schools-move-past-education-reform/74 on school choice referendum https://www.the74million.org/article/school-choice-questions-dominate-november-ballot-propositions/