Education may now be a “cross-partisan” endeavor
Karen Nussle, Lorén CoxIn a recent Aspen Institute paper, the authors introduce the notion of “cross-partisanship”—two or more sides agreeing on the same policy outcome for disparate reasons—as a modern alternative to bipartisanship, wherein both sides concede something. They argue that adopting this new approach in education policy may be imperative for success—not just for legislative wins, but for the long-term well-being and prosperity of our children and communities.
How the pandemic affected global education: Insights from PISA
Harry Anthony PatrinosThe closure of schools in response to the seismic disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on education worldwide. As nations grappled with closures lasting varying lengths of time, the implications for student learning became increasingly evident.
Our schools have lost their sense of purpose
Tim DalyEditor’s note: A portion of this essay is excepted from the author’s Substack, The Education Daly.<
What we're reading this week: March 28, 2024
The Education GadflyOne Tufts professor taught a seminar on conservative thought, and students learned about more than just Burke and Tocqueville. —Boston Magazine After Florida passed the first such legislation, lawmakers in several states now are making moves to ban cellphones in classrooms.
#913: Advancing cross-partisan education policies, with Lorén Cox and Karen Nussle
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Lorén Cox, the policy director for the Education and Society p
Students deserve better information about billions spent on education R & D
Dan LipsCongress is currently considering legislation to update the way that the federal government funds education research and development.
All students deserve a “gifted” education
Alina AdamsNew York City public schools offer two types of gifted and talented education.
Toward a more research-informed charter school application process
David Griffith, Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.The findings of Fordham’s latest report, "Do Authorizer Evaluations Predict the Success of New Charter Schools?" suggest at least three takeaways: authorizers should pay close attention to applicants’ education and financial plans; should incorporate multiple data sources and perspectives; and must continue to hold approved schools accountable for their results.
Doing educational equity right: Effective teachers
Michael J. PetrilliThis is the eighth in a series on doing educational equity right.
Colorado charters on the back foot
Dale ChuThe hits just keep on coming: Earlier this month, a motley crew of former Colorado lawmakers helped spur the introduction of a grotesque piece of legislation aimed squarely at dismantling the state’s
Quit asking teachers to play therapist
Daniel BuckWhen the TV salesman pitches a beauty product to eliminate wrinkles or a politician promises no new taxes, most of us raise a skeptical eyebrow. If only we afforded that same skepticism to education fads.
How an online tool affected math performance during pandemic closures
Jeff MurrayFor many students and teachers, the pivot from in-person to remote learning in March 2020 was a sudden lurch from the known to the unknown. Writ large, research shows the academic impact of that move was devastating. But details matter—and so do exceptions.
What we're reading this week: March 21, 2024
The Education GadflyAn activist trades the culture wars for more pragmatic concerns after winning a seat on a school board. —Washington Post Advising all students to major in high-income fields such as engineering is an appealing but misguided recommendation.
#912: Predicting charter school success, with Adam Kho and Alex Quigley
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Adam Kho, an assistant professor at the Rossier School of Education, and
Do Authorizer Evaluations Predict the Success of New Charter Schools?
Adam Kho, Ph.D., Shelby Leigh Smith, Douglas Lee Lauen, Ph.D.As the sector’s gatekeepers, charter school authorizers are responsible for ensuring that schools in their purview set students up for success. But can authorizers predict which schools will meet that standard?
Why are teachers missing so much school?
Tim DalyEditor’s note: This was first published on the author’s Substack, The Education Daly.
The “no excuses” model is due for a renaissance
Robert PondiscioMany of the conditions that led to the prominence of “no-excuses” charter schools a quarter-century ago have returned. For students, teachers, and parents who have never lost their appetite for safe and orderly schools, it can’t come soon enough.
Four states that are leading the charge for conservative education
Frederick M. Hess, Mike McShaneIt’s looking like this year’s election will feature a Trump-Biden rematch—a pairing that’s especially frustrating for education, where the nation is wrestling with a raft of real problems:
We know more about improving math outcomes than policy debates suggest
Emily FreitagI recently watched a seventh-grade math lesson that did a better job than I ever did as a teacher asking kids relatable theoretical probability questions. How would you represent the probability of a six-foot-tall seventh grader? How would you represent the probability of getting a test in school in any given week? Making sense of where students were coming from was a fascinating puzzle.
What we're reading this week: March 14, 2024
The Education GadflyOutdated research created a false promise that tutoring could achieve two-standard deviations of academic gains in students. —Paul T. von Hippel, Education Next Joe Biden could court more votes for his struggling campaign by endorsing charter schooling.
#911: The flaws in school funding formulas, with Rebecca Sibilia
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Rebecca Sibilia, the executive director of EdFund, joins Mike and David to deb
Can we ditch the “gifted” label and just focus on what each student needs?
Alina AdamsEditor’s note: This was first published by The 74.
Doing educational equity right: Grading
Michael J. PetrilliThe way we grade student work is flawed—in some ways inequitable—and is in need of reform. But like so many things in American education, the push for “equitable grading” has often been implemented piecemeal, bringing along with it all manner of unintended consequences, the most important of which is lowered standards.
The research is clear: Charter schools work
Daniel BuckLate last year, researchers Sarah Cohodes and Susha Roy partnered with the MIT Department of Economics to release a paper summarizing the results of lottery-based charter studies. The topline conclusion is straightforward and promising:
What if Jeb Bush had won?
Dale ChuNeither of the major parties’ presumptive presidential nominees has anything serious in the offing to help American students get back on track.