25 Best Podcasts on Failing Schools

1. Have You Heard

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Occasionally funny and periodically informative, Have You Heard features journalist Jennifer Berkshire and scholar Jack Schneider as they explore the age-old quest to finally fix the nation's public schools, one policy issue at a time.MORE Hosts Jennifer Berkshire, Jack Schneider
Producer/Network Have You Heard
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 461Facebook 314.4KTwitter 232.4KInstagram 321.9K Avg Length 43 min Format Long form Get Email Contact Get access to full database of 2.7M podcastsCreate podcast lists, export in spreadsheet or CSV file with email contacts and start your podcast outreach in minutes.Sign Up for Free with Email Continue with Google

2. Rethinking Education

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'Civilisation is a race between education and catastrophe.' (HG Wells)In this podcast, we take Wells at his word. Hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, Rethinking Education features long-form conversations with fascinating guests about how we might create a more diverse, intelligent, responsive educational ecosystem that works for *all* young people.If this sounds interesting to you, welcome to Rethinking Education: Education's Critical Friend: https://rethinking-ed.org/podcastMORE Host Dr James Mannion
Producer/Network Dr James Mannion
Email ****@rethinking-ed.org
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Apple Rating 4/5Apple Reviews 36 Avg Length 85 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

3. Talk Out of School

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Hosted by Leonie Haimson (Class Size Matters), Dr. Kaliris Salas-Ramirez and Daniel Alicea (Educators of NYC)
Hosts Leonie Haimson, Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, Daniel Alicea
Producer/Network Leonie Haimson, Daniel Alicea
Email ****@classsizematters.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 12 Avg Length 60 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

4. Urban Principal: Leadership Lessons

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This podcast is based upon lessons learned in my 31 years of experience in education--21 as a principal. I spent 10 years turning around a high poverty school, and left to start Nebraska's first focus school--a year-round extended day program centered on leadership, technology and communication. It was named by Harvard's One Nation, Indivisible publication as one of the most innovative and successful schools in the country.MORE Host Bret Anderson
Producer/Network Bret Anderson
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 1 Avg Length 19 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

5. Disrupt Education

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Disrupt Education began in 2015 when Peter Hostrawser, inspired by an EF Tour to Europe, saw students reimagine education and heard Sir Ken Robinson challenge the status quo. This sparked Peter's mission to rethink the stagnant system.The podcast shares diverse stories from learners, educators, and EdTech innovators, offering fresh perspectives and pushing boundaries to create an education system that truly empowers students.Join Peter Hostrawser and co-host Alli Dahl today!MORE Hosts Peter Hostrawser, Alli Privitt
Producer/Network Disrupt Education
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.5/5Apple Reviews 16Twitter 2.2KInstagram 992 Avg Length 60 min Format Long form Since Jun 2018 Get Email Contact

6. The Crisis in Education Podcast

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Educators are the backbone of our nation, and education is its lifeblood. But because of a number of issues exacerbated by politics and the pandemic, it is progressively faltering. From teacher shortages and failing schools to growing mental health issues, there is an undeniable growing crisis in Education at the individual, classroom, and school level. Though painful, with the right approaches, crises can be leveraged as an opportunity for growth. Therefore, Dr...MORE Hosts Dr. Paul Gavoni, Drew Carter
Producer/Network Professional Crisis Management Association
Email ****@pcma.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 16Facebook 2.4K Avg Length 48 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

7. School Is Out!

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School is Out is dedicated to creating conversations and thought around all things having to do with school. By almost any metric, traditional schools fall short in many ways. We seek to consider what new and vibrant movements could develop within education. School is out. Now what?MORE Producer/Network Mike Ditzenberger & Miles O'Shea
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Avg Length 43 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

8. Public Education Unfiltered

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By Educators. For Educators. Public education is facing new challenges, and it's time for real talk. Public Education Unfiltered , hosted by public education expert Brian J. Stephens , goes beyond the headlines to tackle the biggest challenges facing public school districts— without the sugar coating. Through raw, unfiltered conversations with superintendents, policymakers, and education reform leaders, this podcast breaks down the real issues affecting schools today, from chronic absenteeism and student recruitment to funding struggles and policy shifts. But this isn't just talk— it's about real-world solutions that help educators, administrators, and decision-makers take action...MORE Producer/Network Brian J. Stephens
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Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 15 Avg Length 32 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

9. My Child Can't Read: A Heartland Crisis

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In classrooms across America — and especially here in Kansas — too many children are being left behind in reading. And too often, their parents and teachers are left wondering: What did I miss? Why didn't anyone tell me? Hosted by Jesica Glover — a National Board Certified teacher, reading specialist, and parent who couldn't help her own daughter learn to read — this podcast explores the literacy crisis in Kansas and across the country...MORE Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 29 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

10. The School Turnaround Podcast

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Ladies and gentlemen, educators, and change-makers, welcome tothe School Turnaround Podcast the transformative space where wedelve into the heart of urban education, seeking solutions and sharingstories that inspire positive change. I am your host, Dr. Chance W.Lewis, honored to serve as the Carol Grotnes Belk DistinguishedProfessor and Director of The Urban Education Collaborative at UNCCharlotte.Our journey is made possible by the generous support of the CarolGrotnes Belk Distinguished Professor in Urban Education Fund, atestament to the commitment to excellence in urban education...MORE Producer/Network The STA Podcast
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Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 1 Avg Length 29 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

11. Urban Education Spotlight

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Urban Education Spotlight Podcast: You're Invited!hosted by Dr. Hope O'NeilIn the heart of America's urban public schools, a revolution is brewing. The Urban Education Spotlight invites you to explore the intricate world of K-12 public education, where the stakes are high and the outcomes are critical for our nation's most underserved students.The Journey BeginsJoin Dr. Hope O'Neil as she delves into the successes and challenges faced by urban schools...MORE Email ****@msn.com
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Avg Length 27 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

12. The Education Crisis: What It Is and How to Fix It

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A Serial Podcast Produced by Thembi Duncan and Dr. Charles Reigeluth.American education is in trouble, and small fixes are no longer enough. In this series, host Thembi Duncan and education expert Dr. Charles Reigeluth dive into why our system needs a complete paradigm shift and what it will take to make that happen.Each episode explores tough but important questions: Are we setting students up to fail? How can schools personalize learning so every child has a chance to thrive? What roles should teachers, parents, and students play in a new model of education?You will hear case studies, inte..MORE Email ****@gmail.com
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Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 26 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

13. Heart Work

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Hosted by former teacher, principal, and broadcast journalist Lauren Keeling, Heart Work is an honest profile of America's educators, capturing the raw stories unfolding in today's classrooms. The first collection of Heart Work follows America's ongoing literacy crisis, tracing the journeys of two districts pushing to improve literacy scores — one several years in, the other just beginning. What will it take to make a difference? Featuring esteemed education author Natalie Wexler and implementation specialists Nicole Ormandy and Megan Gierka. Hosted on Acast...MORE Producer/Network Imagine Learning
Email ****@imaginelearning.com
Estimated listeners
Avg Length 19 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

14. Basic Ed

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Education in America is in crisis. This Basic Education Series podcast discusses what's wrong with the educational system and how to create a renaissance in education. basiced.substack.com
Producer/Network Edward Jack Thompson
Email ****@substack.com
Estimated listeners
Avg Length 9 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

15. Bored of Education

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Bored of Education is the podcast that asks the questions parents, educators, and students are thinking—but rarely say out loud. From outdated curriculum and teacher burnout to the realities of special education, we dig into why schools feel broken and what it will take to fix them.MORE Email ****@consultreadi.com
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Apple Rating 5/5 Get Email Contact

16. Miseducation

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New York City is home to the nation's most segregated school system, a fact that surprises those who think of the Big Apple as a progressive beacon. Deep inequities exist at every level of the NYC school system. We think more people should know about them and push to fix them. That's why, each semester, we bring together a team of high school interns from across the school system to tell important stories from the perspective of the real experts: students. Miseducation is a program of The Bell. For more, visit bellvoices.org/podcast and follow us on Instagram @bell.voices.MORE Producer/Network The Bell
Email ****@bellvoices.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 146Twitter 1.3K Avg Length 18 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

17. M-TIP

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The M-TIP Podcast with Dr. Tamara amplifies voices in education, equipping districts and leaders with data-driven strategies to transform struggling schools into thriving communities. The podcast explores root cause analysis, leadership sustainability, and turning negative trends into positive outcomes.MORE Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 53 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

18. Rebel Teachers Rising

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Even before the pandemic lock-downs, American teachers from sea to shining sea reported a critical shortage of teachers within their ranks, and have watched in horror at the crippling levels of greed, arrogance, apathy, and ignorance at every level of K-12 educational governance. While embattled teachers have continued to try in vain to draw attention to the issues, our leaders have failed to acknowledge the problems at all.  But since covid, the nation's teachers have borne witness to a break neck hastening pace of this downward spiral and a total avoidance of a conversation from our leade..MORE Estimated listeners
Avg Length 47 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

19. K-12 Confidential

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Even before the pandemic lock-downs, American teachers from sea to shining sea reported a critical shortage of teachers within their ranks, and have watched in horror at the crippling levels of greed, arrogance, apathy, and ignorance at every level of K-12 educational governance. While embattled teachers have continued to try in vain to draw attention to the issues, our leaders have failed to acknowledge the problems at all.  But since covid, the nation's teachers have borne witness to a break neck hastening pace of this downward spiral and a total avoidance of a conversation from our leade..MORE Estimated listeners
Avg Length 41 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

20. Teachers Underground

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So here's what I'm curious about - when did public education become such a punchline that we can't even talk about the real stories happening in our classrooms?Here's the thing that doesn't make sense to me: we've got incredible teachers doing amazing work every single day, but instead of hearing their voices, we get endless bureaucratic theater and consultant-speak from people who haven't stepped foot in a classroom since the Bush administration. Welcome to Teachers Underground - where we collect the 'Wait, what?' moments that make you question everything you thought you knew about America..MORE Email ****@gmail.com
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Avg Length 37 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

21. Knowledge Born Presents: On the Road With Coach Eddie and Coco

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'Coach Eddie' Velez is a former principal and current coach who is emerging as one of the most sought-after educational coaches for school improvement. His work takes him across the country, as he helps schools to improve the learning outcomes for all students. Join Coach Eddie and his Al co-host (Coco) as they bring you a first-hand view of what it's like to be on the front lines of school improvement...MORE Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 29 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

22. Educational Equity Emancipation

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'We have to do better'… That's Dr. Almitra Berry's heart-felt answer when asked about educating children from diverse cultural and language backgrounds.Dr. Berry has a strong message for educators and school system leaders who don't understand that cultural differences can profoundly affect the quality of education these children experience…'You have children with failing test scores. You have teachers who want to teach but aren't given the freedom or allowed to use the tools and strategies they need...MORE Producer/Network Dr. Almitra L. Berry
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Avg Length 25 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

23. Boys v School

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Boys vs School is an audio documentary that investigates one of the most urgent and overlooked problems in modern education: why working class boys are falling behind. In conversation with host Stephen Mullan, educators, researchers and boys unpack the dynamics of a system where working class boys are more likely to be excluded, underachieve, and disengage. The series explores the roots of this crisis and asks what it will take to help boys not just survive school, but thrive.MORE Email ****@dreamschemeni.org
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Avg Length 14 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

24. GBU: Education Unpacked

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GBU: Education Unpacked is the honest, hopeful podcast pulling back the curtain on what's working—and what's broken—in our schools today.Hosted by Keala, a former teacher and turnaround principal who came from hard places and fought for students in harder ones, this show doesn't sugarcoat the system—but it doesn't wallow either.With heart and edge, each episode unpacks the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of education: from outdated policies to transformative practices that are often hiding in plain sight.Expect transparent storytelling, sharp observations, and practical tools to change liv..MORE Estimated listeners
Avg Length 8 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

25. The Broken Bell Theory

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What's really going on inside education? Who's getting left behind, and why? The Broken Bell Theory digs into the unseen sides of education:inequality, exam pressure, mental health struggles, rural access, and the invisible walls that shape millions of students' lives. It's about the stories that rarely get told, the gaps that keep growing, and the urgent questions no one wants to face. This podcast isn't about judging schools or teachers. It's about shining a light on the system's cracks, hearing voices from the margins, and asking what education could be if it actually worked for everyone.MORE Estimated listeners
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