Graduate student unions are supposed to advocate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions, but according to a new report, “The Radicalism of Graduate Student Unions Affiliated with the Teacher Unions,” some have become tools for foreign political agendas and radical ideologies. DFI senior fellow Jay Greene joins the podcast to discuss his research exposing union radicalism. He details how these graduate labor unions, which are often affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, are obsessed with anti-American, anti-Israel, and pro-communist activism and how university visa practices are fueling this trend. The discussion concludes with practical solutions like imposing visa limits, requiring affidavits against foreign affiliations, and conditioning federal funding to curb foreign-backed activism.

The Radicalism of Graduate Student Unions Affiliated with the Teacher Unions: https://dfipolicy.org/radicalism-of-graduate-student-unions/

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“How should states invest limited education dollars to raise student achievement at scale?” New research from the American Federation for Children asked this question and found that Florida’s school choice investment was 11 times more cost-effective than increasing public school spending. Patrick Graff, Senior Fellow with the American Federation for Children, compared the best research in the competitive effects of school choice programs and the best research in K-12 school spending, both of which were published in top economics journals. He found that Florida's school choice rich policy environment benefited both public and private school students, and the effects of competition created a return on investment MUCH larger than simply spending more on public schools.

School Choice or School Spending? Florida’s 15-Year Experiment Points to the Answer: https://www.educationnext.org/school-choice-or-school-spending-floridas-15-year-experiment-points-to-the-answer/

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Despite the existence of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law that has been in place for 50 years, many parents face acrimonious, heartwrenching, and expensive fights to ensure that their children’s unique needs are met. Debra Tisler, founder of Emergent Literacy and an educator with 30 years of experience, joins the podcast to talk about the obstacles that parents face, the hostile and litigious due process regime, and why Congress has not reauthorized the law for over 20 years. Debra suggests opportunities to better serve students and families, including expanding education freedom programs that enable families to find and afford the best education option for their child’s needs without exhausting and costly lawsuits.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!