Our Latest Work
A rising economic tide + reform + resources = better results for kids
Much of the academic progress of the NCLB era may have stemmed from dramatically declining child poverty rates. But other things were also happening that deserve credit, like ed reform and more education resources. So it's likely that these three things were a winning combination. The good news is that we’re living in the midst of an economic boom today, and states are opening their wallets again. If policymakers stick with the reform part of this trifecta, it may work as well now as it did twenty years ago.
Student-Teacher Race Match in Charter and Traditional Public Schools
There’s mounting evidence that, for children of color especially, having one or more teachers of the same race over the course of students’ educational careers seems to make a positive difference. But to what extent, if any, do the benefits of having a same-race teacher vary by type of school? Existing “race-match” studies fail to distinguish among the traditional district and charter school sectors. This study fills that gap and finds that the effects of having a same-race teacher appear stronger in charter schools than in the traditional district sector—and stronger still for nonwhite students.
Who We Are
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute and its affiliated Foundation promote educational excellence for every child in America via quality research, analysis, and commentary. We also have offices in Ohio that advocate for better education for Buckeye State children, as well as authorize a portfolio of charter schools.