Education serves as one of our country’s great equalizers, giving children of all backgrounds the opportunity to succeed. Lately, however, it seems our education system has missed the mark. For decades, test scores around the country have lagged behind those of other developed nations and recent studies have indicated that right here in Wisconsin, six in ten students can’t read at grade level. At no fault of our nation’s remarkable teachers, we’re failing our kids – particularly those who are disadvantaged. What, if anything, should we do to reverse these trends?

To explore this question, Rep. Gallagher is joined by Dr. E.D. Hirsh, founder and chairman of the Core Knowledge Foundation and one of the nation’s foremost education scholars. Dr. Hirsh is the author of bestselling books like Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and How to Educate a Citizen, and joins the podcast to share his revolutionary views on common knowledge and why he believes it serves as the foundation for literacy. For more information on his work, click HERE.