The final episode of NPR’s “Summer School 2025” podcast series aired today, bringing the educational program to a close with a knowledge test for listeners, recognition of government service workers, and the selection of a class valedictorian.
Hosted by Robert Smith and produced by Eric Mennel, the concluding episode marks the end of the educational series that has been running throughout the summer. Devin Mellor served as project manager, while Planet Money Executive Producer Alex Goldmark edited the episode with fact-checking by Emily Crawford.
Federal Reserve Coverage
In addition to the Summer School finale, NPR noted that their daily podcast “The Indicator” has released coverage regarding President Trump’s recent attempt to remove Lisa Cook, who was appointed to the Federal Reserve Board during the Biden administration.
Planet Money plans to release a dedicated episode about this development soon. In the meantime, the network has directed listeners to previous content that provides context for understanding the significance of this situation.
The editorial note highlighted several relevant past episodes that explore Federal Reserve independence, including:
- “Happy Fed Independence Day”
- “A primer on the Federal Reserve’s independence”
- “The case for Fed independence in the Nixon tapes”
- “Turkey’s runaway inflation problem”
Prior to her appointment to the Federal Reserve Board, Lisa Cook was profiled by Planet Money in an episode that examined her economic research and contributions to the field.
Federal Reserve Independence
The attempted removal of a Federal Reserve Board member raises questions about central bank independence, a topic Planet Money has covered extensively. Past episodes have examined historical precedents and international comparisons regarding political interference with central banks.
One recommended episode references Arthur Burns, who served as Federal Reserve Chairman during the Nixon administration and is often cited in discussions about political pressure on monetary policy. Another examines whether presidents should have more influence over interest rate decisions.
The collection of related content suggests that maintaining the Federal Reserve’s independence from political pressure has been an ongoing concern in American economic governance.
Podcast Availability
NPR reminded listeners that all episodes of Planet Money, including the Summer School series, are available for free through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app, and other podcast platforms.
For those interested in additional content, Planet Money maintains a presence on multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The program also offers a weekly newsletter and bonus episodes through a subscription service called Planet Money+, available through Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
As Summer School 2025 concludes, regular Planet Money programming is expected to continue with its focus on explaining economic concepts and current events to a general audience.
