School policies have gotten smarter in the decade after No Child Left Behind
Michael J. Petrilli, Chester E. Finn, Jr.By Michael J. Petrilli and Chester E. Finn, Jr.
Steering and rowing in the age of ESSA
If you care about state education policy and/or the new federal education law, you ought to spend some time doing three things. First, consider how the performance of schools (and networks of schools) needs to be assessed.
The Grammy edition
In this week's podcast, Robert Pondiscio and Brandon Wright laud the progress of education policies since NCLB, weigh gentrification’s role in D.C.’s achievement gains, and discuss the controversy surrounding a Success Academies video. In the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines educators’ perspectives on Common Core implementation.
Fictionalizing education reform
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Reformers always face backlash, no matter the realm. People and institutions, structures and routines, budgets and staffing arrangements—all are tailored for the status quo. Indeed, they define the status quo, and myriad interests are then enmeshed in keeping things the way they’ve always been.
ESSA Accountability Design Competition: My big takeaways
On February 2, I had the privilege of being a judge for the Fordham Institute’s ESSA Accountability Design Competition. It’s widely known that I’m a fan of using competition to drive policy innovation, and this competition did not disappoint.
Designing accountability systems to avoid NCLB-era mistakes
I walked away from Fordham’s School Accountability Design Competition last Tuesday pleasantly surprised—not only at the variety of fresh thinking on accountability, but also at how few submissions actually triggered the “I think that’s illegal” response. I left encouraged at the possibilities for the future.
States: Don’t leave K–3 accountability behind under ESSA
Elliot RegensteinThe Fordham Institute’s recent accountability design competition put a lot of great ideas on the table.
Testing the tests: A better lens
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of blog posts that will take a closer look at the findings and implications of Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments, Fordham’s new first-of-its-kind report.
Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments
Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments examines previously unreleased items from three multi-state tests (ACT Aspire, PARCC, and Smarter Balanced) and one best-in-class state assessment, Massachusetts’ state exam (MCAS). The product of two years of work by the Thomas B.
Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments: A Preview
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D., Michael J. PetrilliBy Amber M. Northern and Michael J. Petrilli
The assessments edition
In this week's podcast, Mike Petrilli and Robert Pondiscio preview Fordham’s long-awaited assessments evaluation, analyze low-income families’ education-related tech purchases, and wave the red flag about TFA’s lurch to the Left. In the Research Minute, David Griffith examines how well the nation’s largest school districts promote parent choice and competition between schools.
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Chris Hoffman et al., Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellows, Teach Plus
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Ronald F. Ferguson, Harvard University and Tripod Education Partners, Inc.
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Fostering equitable access to gifted services for English language learners through a balance of measures and program options
Despite English language learners being the fastest growing population of students in the United States, their representation in gifted and talented education continues to lag behind all other types of learners, including other underserved populations. This raises an important challenge for equity and merits attention.In The Beginning
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Richard J. Wenning, BeFoundation and SpreadMusicNow
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability f
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Jennifer Vranek et al., Education First
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Morgan Polikoff, Matthew Duque, and Stephani Wrabel, University of Southern California and Baltimore County Public Schools
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Lydia Burns et al., Student Voice Team, Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Check out our latest event video: Lessons from Ohio’s best charter schools
Ohio Education GadflyWhat can we learn from the leaders of Ohio’s high-quality charter schools?
Quality in Adversity report foreword
Aaron Churchill , Chad L. AldisRaising the voices of charter school leaders
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Josh Boots, EmpowerK12
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
How should states measure school success?
Most of today’s K–12 accountability systems are, themselves, persistently underperforming. One of the big problems is that they lean so heavily on student scores from reading and math tests. Even if the system uses growth measures in addition to proficiency, those growth scores are also typically based on reading and math tests.
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Sherman Dorn, Arizona State University
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Dale Chu and Eric Lerum, America Succeeds
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame