In this episode of the Current History podcast, Ken Briggs is joined by education reform advocate Don Parker for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of compulsory education in the United States.
Drawing on decades of experience as a superintendent, charter school board member, policy advisor, and instructor in public policy, Parker explains why education became the central focus of his work and where today’s K–12 system is falling short. The conversation examines competing proposals for reform, including school choice and charter models, and asks what realistic improvement would actually look like in practice.
The episode also takes on some of the most contested issues in education today. Parker and Briggs discuss the urban–rural divide in school choice debates, recent Supreme Court rulings on religious charter schools, and renewed calls to abolish the federal Department of Education. Throughout, the emphasis is on tradeoffs, incentives, and institutional design rather than slogans.
Don Parker is a nationally published leader in education reform. He served as district superintendent for an urban charter school system in Tulsa, Oklahoma, sat on the same board for 15 years, and advised the Oklahoma State Department of Education under three state superintendents. He currently teaches public policy through Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. Prior to his work in education, Parker spent over two decades as a senior manager and executive in the technology and banking sectors.
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