Well done, Urban Prep
For the second year in a row, all the seniors at the all-male Urban Prep charter school in Chicago have been accepted?by a four-year college or university.?And to its credit, the school isn't just focused on getting its students accepted; it wants to ensure that every one of them earns a bachelor's degree.
Event Recap: Are Bad Schools Immortal?
In case you missed it?..On February 2 -- Groundhog Day -- we held a terrific (& quite lively) event to discuss the seemingly eternal problem of low-performing schools and what to do about them. We tied it loosely to the cult classic movie Groundhog Day, in which the main character lives the same day over and over.
Co-location in L.A.
Peter MeyerIt's not a new sci-fi movie ? but it's a longstanding issue for charter schools: finding space ? that's not outer!
The Henry Ford model of school choice
Chris TessoneReferring to the Model T, Henry Ford famously said, ?A customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.? It turns out that Dr. Jerry Weast, the superintendent in Montgomery County, Maryland, where I live, feels the same way about school choice ?
America's Best (and Worst) Cities for School Reform: Attracting Entrepreneurs and Change Agents
Stafford Palmieri, Janie ScullThis study tackles a key question: Which of thirty major U.S. cities have cultivated a healthy environment for school reform to flourish (and which have not)? Nine reform-friendly locales surged to the front. Read on to learn more.
Eight questions for Chester Finn
Checker shared his thoughts in this recent interview, posted on the Economist's blog, Democracy in America.
Hess: The mix-up over the purpose of choice and accountability
Stafford PalmieriMost of the Fordham office was over at the AEI-Fordham event yesterday for Diane Ravitch's new book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System. (If you missed our live tweeting, you can watch the event video here.) The event's moderator, Rick Hess, has (as promised) now posted hi
UTLA gains control of 22 LA schools
Stafford PalmieriI've now gone from optimistic to doubtful to disappointed on the LAUSD outsourcing plan. If you recall, the district decided to outsource the management of 12 low-performing schools and 18 new ones. Teachers, parents, charter organizations, and other non-profits were invited to apply.
Weighing NY charter school and district school demographics
New York City's United Federation of Teachers (UFT) recently published a report in which it said the area's charter schools don't serve at least the district-wide average of neediest students, despite serving an overwhelmingly poor population.
'Public' schools in name only
Michael J. PetrilliA new report from Fordham today, authored by yours truly and our research assistant Janie Scull, identifies some
Did YOU attend a "private public school"?
Michael J. PetrilliOur new report, America's Private Public Schools (described below), is meant to pierce the tired rhetoric used by so many defenders of the status quo in education.
Can failing schools be turned around or is it better to close them?
Watch our debate on school turnarounds vs. closures, and don't miss insightful and provocative comments from the panelists, including this one from Andres Alonso, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools:
Messy democracy
Stafford PalmieriThat's certainly what the LAUSD vote on which of 30 schools to hand over to outside operators sounds like.
Another gold star for NYC charters
Stafford PalmieriThe now famous (or infamous) CREDO charter study from last June generated a ton of hype. (See our analysis here.) The results were largely mixed, seemly putting numbers behind the assertion that putting "charter" in front of (or after) a school name does not guarantee success.
U.S. News rankings out today
Stafford PalmieriThe annual U.S. News and World Report high school rankings have been released. Thomas Jefferson HS in Alexandria, VA takes number 1 (again).
Strong charter school demand in Texas
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Anybody who thinks charter schools are plateauing or reaching some sort of natural limit had better think again.??The Texas Public Policy Foundation has just released the number of young Texans who were on waiting lists for charter schools in that state during the last scho
Seeking Quality in the Face of Adversity: 2008-09 Fordham Sponsorship Accountability Report
Kathryn MullenAs a charter school sponsor (authorizer), Fordham submits an accountability report to the Ohio Department of Education at the end of November each year. The report includes profiles of each Fordham-sponsored school, as well as graphics comparing the achievement data of our schools, their home districts, and statewide averages. You'll also find pertinent information on Ohio charter school spending over the last decade, and in the introduction, a timely analysis of the political and legislative environment impacting Ohio charters in 2008-09 that explains why the title, "Seeking Quality in the Face of Adversity," is befitting.
Michael Gove: Attempting a revolution
Stafford PalmieriWe commented on the new British Tory plan for education in last week's Gadfly.
More on Caroline Hoxby and New York charter schools
Eric OsbergToday's Education Gadfly and Wall Street Journal editorial both capture the most important news about Caroline Hoxby's
RSD for a few more years, at least
Stafford PalmieriState Superintendent of??Louisiana??Paul Pastorek says the state will retain control of RSD for at least a few more years--and maybe forever. In a recent poll conducted in New Orleans, schools were found to be the number one improvement area in a pre- and post- Katrina comparison.
Recognizing Agassi
Stafford PalmieriThe U.S. Open starts on Monday and the opening ceremony will have a special guest: Andre Agassi.
RE: Majority of Americans misinformed about charters
Stafford PalmieriI'm just as outraged as Jamie about the general American populace's ignorance about charters... but I can't say I'm surprised. Take for example this survey of federal spending from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Tautological thinking from WV
The following is a guest post from Fordham Staff Assistant Mickey Muldoon.
D.C. enrollment drops, again
Stafford PalmieriYesterday was the first day of school in our nation's capital and only 37,000 students showed up for the big day.
Not mincing words
Emmy L. PartinAfter his second attempt to dismantle the state's charter school program was thwarted, Ohio Governor Ted S
Increasing Charter Accountability in the Wild, Wild Midwest
Terry RyanOhio's charter school program dodged a bullet this recent budget cycle (here).
Speakers announced for Fordham's forum on the future of school choice
Join us Wednesday, August 19, for a panel discussion on how the changing education policy landscape is affecting both charter schools and voucher programs. The Obama administration is aggressively pushing to expand the number of charter schools available to American families.