S2 E3: The Forgotten Experiment

Zig Engelmann gets the chance of a lifetime: Put Direct Instruction to the test in one of the largest education experiments ever conducted. The results could have changed the direction of American education. Instead, they’re contested — and ultimately cast aside.

Read: Why America’s massive educational experiment didn’t transform schools (apmreports.org/story/2026/10/22/project-follow…)
Read: The forgotten voices of Project Follow Through (apmreports.org/story/2026/10/22/east-st-louis-…)
Video: The biggest education experiment you’ve never heard of (youtube.com/watch?v=6x_wb0079fY)

Read: Transcript of this episode (apmreports.org/episode/2026/10/22/sold-a-story…)

Support: Donate to APM Reports (support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn)
Email us: soldastory@apmreports.org
Call us: (612) 888-7323
More: soldastory.org (features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_sour…)

Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a weekly email newsletter from host Emily Hanford (features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/email).