Commentary
Commentary
Who should govern digital learning?
Education Sector's John E. Chubb wonders how to encourage public schools to adopt technology at a pace governed more by what works for students and less by what is comfortable politically.
Commentary
Will U.S. education policies advance or throttle online learning?
Fordham's latest publication, Education Reform for the Digital Era, explains how the U.S. education system must change in order to realize the potential of digital learning.
Commentary
Replay "Education Reform for the Digital Era"
Watch the full video from yesterday's panel discussion on the future of digital learning.
Report
Governance
Education Reform for the Digital Era
Can we be smarter about taking high-quality online and blended schools to scale—and to educational success? Yes, says this volume, as it addresses such thorny policy issues as quality control, staffing, funding, and governance for the digital sector. Read on to learn more.
Video
Education Reform for the Digital Era
Is digital learning education's latest fad or its future? What fundamental changes to the ways we fund, staff, and govern American schools are necessary to fulfill the technology's potential? Will policy tweaks suffice or do we need a total system overhaul—and a big change in the reform priorities that can bring this about? Who will resist—and do their objections have merit? Fordham is bringing together experts on all aspects of education policy—from governance to finance to human capital—to examine how policymakers can make digital learning a transformative tool to improve American education...and weigh the dangers that lie ahead. The panel featured the governance expertise of the Hoover Institution's John Chubb, insights into teaching's future from Bryan Hassel of Public Impact, analysis of the costs of online learning from the Parthenon Group's Eleanor Laurans, and the cautionary perspective of Emory University's Mark Bauerlein.
Commentary
Video
How School Districts Can Stretch the School Dollar
Fordham president Michael J. Petrilli explains three solutions to schools’ money woes.
Commentary
Stretching the district dollar
In Fordham's latest policy brief, Mike Petrilli provides districts dos and donts for dealing with tight budgets.
Report
Standards
Review of Draft Texas Mathematics Standards 2012
In April 2012, Texas adopted new math standards. Fordham reviewed the draft standards and found them to be a modest improvement. But not by much, and they remain inferior to the Common Core math standards. Download the review to learn more.
Commentary
Digital learning 101
There’s still time to hear experts answer that question by registering for this Thursday’s panel discussion, “Education Reform for the Digital Era,” from 9 to 10:30 a.m. EDT.
Commentary
The Gadfly Daily’s week in review
A look back wit and wisdom from the Fordham Institute for the week of April 9, 2012
Commentary
We don't judge teachers by numbers alone; the same should go for schools
Bring on the school inspectors
Commentary
Report
School Finance, Governance
How School Districts Can Stretch the School Dollar
The "new normal" of tougher budget times is here to stay for American K-12 education. So how can local officials cope? This policy brief, by Mike Petrilli, provides a useful tool for navigating the financial challenges of the current school-funding climate, complete with clear dos and don'ts for anyone involved in or concerned with local education budgets.
Commentary
Charter Schools
Next stop for Louisiana: Accountability, done right
Louisiana became the latest state to embrace the introduction of school vouchers, but the legislative moxie it showed should stimulate a new conversation about private school choice and accountability.
Video
The Tartans: The Story of the Sciotoville Community Schools
Watch the unique story of a traditional public school that was going to be shut down by its district until the community rallied around the school to keep the school from closing the doors.
Commentary
Is the media biased in favor of reform? It depends on the reform
As it turns out, journalists (especially broadcast journalists) are enamored with policies put forward by lefty reformers.
Commentary
Defining Strong State Accountability Systems
Fordham's latest publication asks, how can better standards get greater traction?
Commentary
A journalism review dupes its journalists
Paul Farhi’s smackdown of education reform and education reporting in the American Journalism Review may be inspirational to those who would march with the status quo, but it is dangerous coming from a publication that sets the standard for how newsrooms ought to conduct their affairs.
Report
Accountability & Testing, Standards
Defining Strong State Accountability Systems: How Can Better Standards Gain Greater Traction?
Rigorous standards and aligned assessments are vital tools for boosting education outcomes but they have little traction without strong accountability systems that attach consequences to performance. This pilot study lays out the essential features of such accountability systems, intended to add oomph to new common standards and aligned assessments.
Commentary
Charter Schools
10 years after Zelman, challenges still loom for voucher advocates
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision a decade ago didn't end the fight over private school choice, even though it should have caused states to rethink what they so sweepingly consider “aid” to sectarian institutions.
Video
Video
Commentary
The Gadfly Daily’s week in review
A look back at wit and wisdom from the Fordham Institute’s blogs for the week of March 26, 2012
Commentary
Charter Schools
Wisconsin, school vouchers, and the perfidy of Tony Evers
Wisconsin's top educator has again used his position to imply that the Badger State is throwing more money at a voucher program he once called "morally wrong."
Commentary
Digital learning debate not dying down
To parse the debate swirling around digital learning’s potential and the policy challenges it poses, Fordham will host several leading lights on the subject at our D.C. office on April 19.
Commentary
Alfie Kohn's message: Half-crazy, half-true
Alfie Kohn’s startling message on schools may be hurting America's poorest students.
Commentary
Commentary