Most parents still live in Lake Wobegon
On this week's podcast, Bibb Hubbard, founder and president of Learning Heroes, joins Mike Petrilli and Alyssa Schwenk to discuss better ways to communicate students’ academic progress (or lack thereof) to parents. On the Research Minute, David Griffith examines the recent AEI study that questioned the relationship between test scores and long-term outcomes.
Ohio to Florida: Better schools for thee but not for me?
Chad L. AldisIf you were on vacation earlier this month—lucky you—you may have missed the release of the 2017 NAEP results. On the whole, you didn’t miss much.
Charter School Deserts: High-Poverty Neighborhoods with Limited Educational Options
Andrew Saultz, Queenstar Mensa-Bonsu, Christopher Yaluma, James Hodges2016–17 was one of the slowest-growth years for charter schools in recent memory. Nobody knows exactly why, but one hypothesis is saturation: With charters having achieved market share of over 20 percent in more than three dozen cities, perhaps school supply is starting to meet parental demand, making new charters less necessary and harder to launch.
O-H-I-No?
On this week's podcast, Paolo DeMaria, Ohio's State Superintendent of Public Instruction, joins Mike Petrilli and Brandon Wright to discuss the state’s new strategic plan for education, which Fordham’s gadflies find disappointing. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the access, perseverance, and outcomes of first-generation college students.
The tragic lack of progress for Ohio’s low-income and black students
Aaron ChurchillAchievement gaps between poor and minority students and their peers are well documented and persistent. For years, data indicate that these students have generally been making slow but steady progress.
When it comes to graduation requirements, mastery matters
Jessica PoinerA recent paper from the left-leaning Center for American Progress (CAP) examined high school graduation requirements across the nation to determine whether they were aligned with requirements for each state’s public university system.
Is America still a nation at risk?
On this week's podcast, Bruno Manno, Senior Advisor to the Walton Family Foundation’s K–12 Education Reform Initiative and a Trustee Emeritus at Fordham, joins Mike Petrilli and Checker Finn to discuss this week’s NAEP results in the context of the thirty-fifth anniversary of A Nation at Risk. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how accountability metrics related to student subgroups affect teacher turnover and attrition.
Five takeaways from Ohio’s 2017 NAEP results
Aaron ChurchillYesterday, the U.S. Department of Education released data from the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
America’s “lost decade” of academic achievement
On this week’s podcast, Hanna Skandera, former New Mexico education chief, joins Mike Petrilli and Alyssa Schwenk to discuss next week’s NAEP score release and why we’ve seen so little progress in recent years. On the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines how NCTQ’s ratings affect teacher education programs.
Charter schools 101: Why would we need charters in suburban, rural, or “good” districts?
By Susan Pendergrass
Behind the curtain of Ohio school choice
Jessica PoinerIn case you missed the headlines, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson recently resigned.
Howard Fuller on school segregation
On this week's podcast, Howard Fuller, renowned civil rights activist and education reformer, joins Mike Petrilli and Alyssa Schwenk to discuss school segregation. During the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines ways to help bachelor’s degrees better facilitate professional success.
Ohio could take a cue from Indiana on diplomas
Jessica PoinerOhio’s State Board of Education recently voted in favor of recommending that the legislature extend softer graduation requirements to the classes of 2019 and 2020.
Five ideas for resolving Ohio’s debate over graduation requirements
Chad L. AldisMalcolm X once said, “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” Wise words. Education has long been the source of opportunity, a passport if you will, for Americans to pursue a better life. But education isn’t a passive activity; it’s earned through hard work, preparation, attainment.
Special School Choice Week edition
On this week's podcast, Mike Magee, CEO of Chiefs for Change, and Nina Rees, CEO and president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, join Mike Petrilli and Alyssa Schwenk to discuss where the choice movement stands on the occasion of National School Choice Week. During the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines a study on school discipline reform in Philadelphia, complete with a jaw-dropping teacher survey.
Beware of faulty claims about Ohio’s Quality Counts ranking
Jamie Davies O'LearyEducation Week just released its 22nd annual report and rankings of state education systems.
Seven takeaways from ECOT’s potential closure
Jamie Davies O'LearyAfter losing its sponsorship, ECOT, the largest e-school in Ohio, appears to be on the brink of closure.
When a district steps up, the state should step out of the way
Jeff MurrayAs reported by the Dispatch last week, Columbus City Schools has unveiled plans to expand selective admission among its magnet schools next year. This is a positive step in an often criticized district—an effort that should be applauded and helped to grow.
First-person perspective: Personalized learning is real—and it works
Jeff MurrayIn a recent blog post, University of Virginia cognitive scientist Dan Willingham posits three possible types of personalization in personalized learning—children learning at their own speed, pedagogical tailoring, and individualized content.
A plan to simplify and balance Ohio’s school report cards
Aaron ChurchillToday, Fordham released a new report suggesting changes to Ohio’s school report cards to help parents and taxpayers get the best information about the performance of their schools and districts. This is the preface to that report.
Three cheers for charter leaders of color
On this week's podcast, special guest Kim Smith—CEO of the National Charter Collaborative—joins Mike Petrilli and Alyssa Schwenk to discuss single-site charter school leaders of color. During the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines Raj Chetty’s new “Lost Einsteins” study, which finds that smart low-income kids are much less likely than their affluent peers to grow up to become inventors.
A deeper look at parent power
Jamie Davies O'LearyThe annual “parent power index” published by the Center for Education Reform raises worthy questions—how much power is afforded to parents, and what can they do to acquire more?
The charter schools popularity contest
On this week's podcast, Mike Petrilli, Alyssa Schwenk, and Brandon Wright discuss why charters enjoy more support in some states than in others. During the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines the impact of administrator and parent support on teacher retention.
You’re invited to a discussion of school choice and collaborative solutions for education success
Ohio Education GadflyFor too long, the topic of school choice in Ohio has been divisive and polarizing. You are invited to attend a thoughtful and substantive discussion of school choice with experienced leaders from across the state. This effort to find common ground and collaborative solutions in support of students promises to be a great evening. We hope you can attend.
Ohio’s latest charter sponsor ratings are out: What do the numbers mean?
Jamie Davies O'LearyYesterday, the Ohio Department of Education released the second round of charter sponsor (a.k.a. authorizer) ratings.
What CER’s parent power report card gets wrong about Ohio
Jamie Davies O'LearySince 2012, the Center for Education Reform (CER) has released an annual “parent power index,”—a scorecard for states as well as an interactive tool for parents “to discover whether their state affords them power ov
Rating the Ratings: An Analysis of the 51 ESSA Accountability Plans
Brandon L. Wright, Michael J. PetrilliThe Every Student Succeeds Act grants states more authority over their accountability systems than did No Child Left Behind, but have they seized the opportunity to develop school ratings that are clearer and fairer than those in the past?
Reputation or data: One parent's effort to identify "good" schools
Jeff MurrayFor the first time in their lives, my twin daughters are attending separate schools. It was a hard decision made after a lot of research and soul searching. My wife and I think both schools are good ones, but I’d be lying if I said I was 100 percent confident.
Cheer up, education reformers
On this week's podcast, Mike Petrilli, Alyssa Schwenk, and Brandon Wright discuss education reform’s surprisingly good year. During the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines a rigorous new study of career and technical education and its relationship to higher graduation rates.