On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle takes a look at the Darnell “Dynasty” Young bullying incident in Indianapolis and the Mark Berndt scandal enveloping L.A. Unified, and point out the consequences of failed school leadership. From superintendents such as Eugene White in Indianapolis blaming kids they call “crippled” and “crazy” for failure mills, to administrators looking away as criminal behavior happens in school buildings, the consequences of weak school leaders extend beyond academics.

You can listen to the Podcast at RiShawn Biddle’s radio page or download directly to your iPod, Zune, MP3 player, smartphone, Nook Color or Kindle Fire. Also, subscribe to the podcast series. It is also available on iTunes, Blubrry, Zune Marketplace and PodBean. Also download to your phone with BlackBerry podcast software, Google Reader, BeyondPod, DoggCatcher and other mobile software.

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As the countdown begins for the first annual Summer of Transforming Education fundraising campaign for grassroots reform groups coming this Memorial Day, watch this month’s On the Road podcast featuring Connecticut Parents Union President (and Dropout Nation Contributing Editor) Gwen Samuel’s testimony before the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee. Learn how Parent Power and school choice are critical aspects of to help all children succeed in school and in life. (Connecticut Parents Union, which helped pass Nutmeg State Gov Dan Malloy’s array of reforms, is one of the organizations Dropout Nation will ask you to support, either as a Champion of Parent Power member or through a generous donation.)

Watch On the Road on the site or download. You can also subscribe to this series and to the overall Dropout Nation Podcast series. It is also available on iTunes, Blubrry, Zune Marketplace and PodBean. Also download to your phone with BlackBerry podcast software, Google Reader, BeyondPod, DoggCatcher and other mobile software.

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On this week’s Monitor, RiShawn Biddle notes the House Education and the Workforce subcommittee’s hearing on Parent Power and Family Engagement featuring Connecticut Parents Union President Gwen Samuel; checks out the lawsuit filed by StudentsFirst, Parent Revolution and others against California’s state government over tenure and reverse-seniority layoffs; and looks at efforts in Missouri to expand charter schools and inter-district school choice.

Watch the Midweek Monitor on the site or download. You can also subscribe to this series and to the overall Dropout Nation Podcast series. It is also available on iTunes, Blubrry, Zune Marketplace and PodBean. Also download to your phone with BlackBerry podcast software, Google Reader, BeyondPod, DoggCatcher and other mobile software.

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On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle explains how school data — especially early warning systems focused on stemming dropouts — can help keep kids on the path to college and career success. With so many new ways to identify children struggling with literacy and numeracy, there is no reason why schools and districts can’t get 1.2 million young men and women off the path to despair.

You can listen to the Podcast at RiShawn Biddle’s radio page or download directly to your iPod, Zune, MP3 player, smartphone, Nook Color or Kindle Fire. Also, subscribe to the podcast series. It is also available on iTunes, Blubrry, Zune Marketplace and PodBean. Also download to your phone with BlackBerry podcast software, Google Reader, BeyondPod, DoggCatcher and other mobile software.

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As you check out Editor RiShawn Biddle’s latest American Spectator column on the likelihood of Mitt Romney embracing former president George W. Bush’s school reform agenda, listen to the Best of The Dropout Nation Podcast from October 2010 on why school reformers haven’t been able to translate their success in gaining attention to the problems of American public education to this year’s midterm elections. The lessons from then — that it will take more than documentaries to make sure that education is the primary issue in this year’s presidential, congressional, and state elections — remains as important now as ever.

You can listen to the Podcast at RiShawn Biddle’s radio page or download directly to your iPod, Zune, MP3 player, smartphone, Nook Color or Kindle Fire. Also, subscribe to the podcast series. It is also available on iTunes, Blubrry, Zune Marketplace and PodBean. Also download to your phone with BlackBerry podcast software, Google Reader, BeyondPod, DoggCatcher and other mobile software.

A special Dropout Nation Podcast will be broadcast tomorrow.

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On this week’s Dropout Nation Podcast, RiShawn Biddle observes the politically craven behavior of politicians in Connecticut, Alabama, and Washington State, bending to the will of NEA and AFT affiliates — and challenges reformers to fully embrace politics. It will take more than crafting policies to force politicians fearful of teachers’ union influence to do what’s best for our children.

You can listen to the Podcast at RiShawn Biddle’s radio page or download directly to your iPod, Zune, MP3 player, smartphone, Nook Color or Kindle Fire. Also, subscribe to the podcast series. It is also available on iTunes, Blubrry, Zune Marketplace and PodBean. Also download to your phone with BlackBerry podcast software, Google Reader, BeyondPod, DoggCatcher and other mobile software.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download