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Podcasts episode·Oct 7, 2025

The Economics of Early Childhood: Why the First Five Years Matter Most

Tess Vigeland and James Heckman
Nobel laureate James Heckman explains why ages zero to five are critical for brain development and lifelong outcomes. He discusses the Perry Preschool Program’s surprising health benefits 35 years later, why low-cost home-visiting programs that engage parents outperform expensive institutional...
Topics: Early Childhood Education
Podcasts episode·Jul 22, 2025

Decoding Educational Content: A Computational Comparison Between Public and Religious School Textbooks

Tess Vigeland and Anjali Adukia
Textbooks don’t just teach facts, they shape how children understand the world and their place in it. In this episode, UChicago economist Anjali Adukia discusses her study of textbooks across public schools, religious private schools, and homeschools. Using advanced AI...
Topics: Early Childhood Education
Podcasts episode·Jan 7, 2025

Unlocking Higher Education: Undergraduate Re-Enrollment and Graduate Student Lending

Tess Vigeland and Lesley Turner
Why do so many students leave college before completing their degree, and how can we help them return? Lesley Turner, Associate Professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, discusses results from a mentoring experiment aimed at...
Topics: Higher Education & Workforce Training