In praise of performance pay--for online learning companies
Michael J. PetrilliMaybe it's online schools, rather than teachers, that would benefit most from performance pay.
Rethinking Education Governance for the Twenty-First Century
School reforms abound today, yet even the boldest and most imaginative among them have produced—at best—marginal gains in student achievement. What America needs in the twenty-first century is a far more profound version of education reform. Instead of shoveling yet more policies, programs, and practices into our current system, we must deepen our understanding of the obstacles to reform that are posed by existing structures, governance arrangements, and power relationships. Yet few education reformers—or public officials—have been willing to delve into this touchy territory.
Education Reform Idol: The Reformiest State 2011
Leaders from five cutting-edge states battled for the honor of "Reformiest State 2011." This Fordham Institute panel pitted Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin against one another. The winner, Indiana, was determined by a vote of the in-person and online audience.
When Reform Touches Teachers
There has been much heated debate this year over bold changes that affect teachers, including dialing back pensions and union rights. These matters were candidly discussed by two high-visibility national education leaders who don't always agree: Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and Frederick M. Hess, director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Which issues do we actually disagree about? Can we do so in ways that illumine rather than obscure? Our two panelists will prove that it's possible. Watch this lively conversation, moderated by Fordham's ever-lively Michael Petrilli.
Checker Finn on patriotism, democracy, and teaching about 9/11
On the ten-year anniversary of the 9/11, teachers are looking for advice on how to teach about the attacks. Unfortunately, much of the curricular content available focuses on the wrong things. Checker Finn discusses what teachers should be teaching based on Fordham's new report, Teaching about 9/11 in 2011: What Children Need to Know.
Working Smarter Together
Presented by the Nord Family Foundation, Ohio Grantmakers Forum, and Thomas B. Fordham Institute, with the ESC of Central Ohio and Public Performance Partners, this is a free, non-partisan event to help local government administrators -- from county commissioners and city managers to school district superintendents -- think differently about how they operate, and learn tangible strategies for sharing services and saving money.
The Other Achievement Gap
A trio of recent studies and articles raises troubling questions about America's "Achievement-Gap Mania." Are we leaving our highest performing students behind in the quest to raise the test scores of students at the bottom? If so, what will this mean for our future international competitiveness? Learn about the recent studies--Fordham's Do High Flyers Maintain their Altitude? and the George W. Bush Institute's Global Report Card?as well as Frederick M. Hess's new National Affairs essay, "Our Achievement-Gap Mania." And join a conversation about whether our focus on raising the bottom is blinding us to trouble at the top. View the event page for more details.
Do High Flyers Maintain Their Altitude?
Fordham's study, "Do High Flyers Maintain Their Altitude? Performance Trends of Top Students," is the first to examine the performance of America's highest-achieving children over time at the individual-student level. Produced in partnership with the Northwest Evaluation Association, it finds that many high-achieving students struggle to maintain their elite performance over the years and often fail to improve their reading ability at the same rate as their average and below-average classmates. The study raises troubling questions: Is our obsession with closing achievement gaps and "leaving no child behind" coming at the expense of our "talented tenth"?and America's future international competitiveness?
Reform School: Mike Miles
Mike Miles talks about student achievement and the pay for performance process he has implemented at the Harrison School Disctrict 2 in Colorado Springs, CO.
Is It Time to Turn the Page on Federal Accountability in Education?
With ESEA reauthorization looming, there's much debate over the proper role for the federal government in holding schools accountable. In their recent ESEA Briefing Book, Fordham Institute President Chester E. Finn, Jr., and Executive Vice President Michael J. Petrilli argue that it's time to turn the page on federally-mandated accountability (such as "Adequate Yearly Progress" and connected sanctions), since it can't successfully be imposed from Washington. Instead, they say, Uncle Sam should ensure that education results and finances are transparent to the public?and leave it to the states and districts to do the rest.
DC teachers speak out about teacher evaluations
Many states, including Ohio, are moving toward more rigorous evaluation systems. We talked to DC teachers evaluated by DC's IMPACT evaluation system to hear their thoughts on how they're evaluated.
Are Education Schools Amenable to Reform?
Many reformers and funders have written off schools of education as beyond repair, and much of the current energy for teacher preparation is centered on non-traditional programs like Teach For America. But are schools of education more ready for reform than the conventional wisdom supposes? Join the Thomas B. Fordham Institute for a lively and provocative debate about that question. Institute President Chester Finn will moderate, and the discussion will be informed, in part, by Fordham's recent study, Cracks in the Ivory Tower? The Views of Education Professors Circa 2010, as well as by the recently-announced effort, led by Jim Cibulka's NCATE, to overhaul the teacher evaluation system.
Better Choices: Charter Incubation as a Strategy for Improving the Charter School Sector
Terry RyanIn this policy brief, Public Impact??s Joe Ableidinger and Julie Kowal examine the merits of the incubation model, outline specific strategies for supporting it, and profile organizations around the U.S. putting it into practice. The authors explain that through the strategic recruitment, selection, and training of talented leaders???and support of them as they launch or expand new charter schools???incubators offer charter school advocates an important tool in guaranteeing quality school choice.
The Euro and the Common Core
Chester E. Finn, Jr.What the Euro zone crisis can teach us about national standards.
The Obama Administration's war on Stuyvesant and Thomas Jefferson
Michael J. PetrilliED's diversity enforcement policies could negatively impact magnet schools.
Paul Hill in EdWeek: Edtech innovation requires new school funding model
Tyson EberhardtSee Paul Hill's commentary on digital learning funding in EdWeek.
Don???t blame D.C.???s woes on school choice
Michael J. PetrilliDC schools have serious issues, but increased school choice is part of the solution, not the root of the problem.
Business buy-in doesn???t sell out digital learning
Tyson Eberhardt?Selling Schools Out: the Scam of Virtual Education Reform.? The headline gracing the cover of the Nation?s December 5 edition does a pretty good job conveying the nuance and objectivity to be found in its expose of the digital learning landscape, a sprawling indictment of online schooling in general.
The future of educational accountability, as envisioned by 11 leading states
Michael J. PetrilliMike takes a look at what states are proposing in their ESEA waivers applications.
The week in review: local control, teacher unions, & democracy
Who knew democracy could be such a sensitive subject? When Mike wondered whether union clout has corrupted the progressive ideals of school boards and local control on Monday, he touched off a flurry of posts in the ed reform blogosphere over the interplay of politics and education. Here?s a quick recap.
What does the Digital Age mean for teachers?
Tyson EberhardtYesterday, the Fordham Institute released the latest papers in its Creating Sound Policy for Digital Learning series, including Bryan and Emily Hassel?s ?Teachers in the Age of Digital Instruction.? Digital learning is often portrayed as a threat to the teaching profession, swapping teachers for computers in order to cut budgets. The reality, the authors argue, will be both more complicated and rewarding for educators:
Tom Vander Ark on "School Finance in the Digital-Learning Era"
The second paper released yesterday deals with the digital learning implications for school finance. Author Paul Hill leads the Center for Reinventing Public Education. His work over the last two decades has done more to shape my views about how to design delivery of public education than any other scholar. Like the Hassels? paper, the recommendations presented in School Finance in the Digital-Learning Era are well aligned with the recommendations of Digital Learning Now.
The Race's slow pokes
The Chariots of Fire theme song echoed across the plains on Tuesday as states submitted their Race to the Top applications. But not everyone is drawn to the bait of federal dollars when it contains reform hooks.
The truth about 21st century skills
Seems 21st century skills have become all the rage, but do they deserve the kudos? Common Core will take on this very topic on February 24, 2009 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm.
Wanna mess with Hess?
It’s a once in a lifetime (or every three years) opportunity: work for the one-and-only Frederick M. Hess. He, of AEI education policy scholarship, is currently seeking a Research Assistant, who would support him in various organizational, writing, and other tasks. Think you can keep up with the man who writes 452,908 books a year?
Wanted: Money whiz
Us: a think tank at the forefront of education reform. You: An energetic, organized, and creative person with strong investing and accounting skills, who welcomes the challenge of strategic budgeting for a complex, multi-million-dollar nonprofit.
Wanted: Tutors for urban students
Recent college grads, are you looking for a hands-on opportunity to make a difference in urban education? Parents of unguided recent college grads, do you know a 22-year old who would benefit from doing something useful for others? And in Boston, no less?