A test of education reform
The testing “opt-out” movement is testing education reform’s humility.
The testing “opt-out” movement is testing education reform’s humility.
Promising early signs that the standards are working. Jane Song
Parents should use the threat of test refusal to demand a well-rounded education for their kids.
What is the critical mass of opt-outs and to what might it lead?
Call it mastery or competency-based education, it holds promise for students of all abilities
Arne Duncan was half right about those “white suburban moms.” Robert Pondiscio
Was Phil Jackson really a great coach? Despite his reputation as the Zen master of hoops, I’ve never been convinced. After all, Kobe, Shaq, and His Airness would have made any coach look like a genius, and there’s never been a natural experiment quantifying Jackson’s impact.
Editor's note: This post has been updated with the full text of "Don't know much about history."
An open letter to the candidates. Tim Shanahan
It takes more than a "gut feeling" to know how a school is doing
This post has been updated with the full text of "Shifting from learning to read to reading to learn."
A great resource fact-checks textbooks’ “Common Core-aligned” claims. Victoria Sears
Just when you thought we’d run out of things to blame on the standards. Kathleen Porter-Magee
This post has been updated with the full text of "No time to lose on early reading"
Both teacher and student characteristics ought to influence instructional design. Megan Lail
I’d like to see Bobby Jindal use a teleprompter the next time he attacks Common Core. I’d like to be reassured he knows how to read.
When we talk about high standards, accountability, and school choice, one essential element is often overlooked: giving parents and education leaders information they can actually use. It’s one thing to produce data, but quite another to make it useful—easily understood, comparable, and actionable.
Character education with real characters. Peter Sipe
A few weeks ago, I used a graphic to show the four dimensions of federal accountability, each of which has a range of options. I then used this graphic to show the consensus for preserving NCLB testing.
While the merit and politics of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have been much debated and discussed, one topic has been virtually ignored: What do the standards portend for America’s high-ability students? In a new brief from Fordham, Jonathan Plucker, professor of education at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education, provides guidance for districts
Higher standards are no excuse to ditch gifted services. Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.
We at Fordham are big fans of Jason Riley, a Wall Street Journal columnist who just joined the team at the Manhattan Institute.
A couple weeks ago, I created a graphic to help explain the contours of the debate about federal accountability in the ESEA reauthorization process.
There’s no such thing as too much, too soon in reading. Robert Pondiscio
Revisiting the Common Core debate in Ohio
Busting myths, but not much to cheer about
It’s fascinating—and telling—how rapidly the zillion issues tucked away in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act have been distilled down to arguments about testing.
It’s the Holy Grail! If only we could figure out what it is. David Griffith
All the pro-testing talking points you’ll ever need. Robert Pondiscio