Episode 18
Why have kids left public school?
Published on:
26th June, 2026
Since 2020, more than a million kids have left American public schools. Meanwhile, enrollment in private schools and homeschooling has risen. What's going on? Have parents lost faith in public schools? And which sorts of kids are most likely to leave?
Kara speaks with Thomas Dee, a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education, who has tracked students' movement out of public schools. How do fights over advanced math - and challenging content - affect schools' ability to retain students? How will a fast-growing school choice movement further reshape schools?
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