Quotable & notable
?I speak Spanglish... I say 'Necesito ayuda con my homework.'' * ?Miguel de La O, student at Coral Way Elementary school
News of the World? Or, catching up on Rupert, Nick, Alexis, and the NAACP
Peter MeyerI have been on the road for much of the last couple of weeks, much of that time spent visiting ?poor? schools doing well.? You will, I hope, see the results of my road trip fact-finding in future Fordham publications, but for now I can confidently report that, despite economic challenges (which are real), good things are happening in the provinces (i.e.
"Halting a Runaway Train" highlights K-12 trailblazers in pension reform
Tyson EberhardtThis is the third in a series of blog posts introducing Fordham's latest report, Halting a Runaway Train: Reforming Teacher Pensions for the 21st Century.
Quotable & notable
?Frequently, we think of digital media as a distraction and a risk, but it is a potential bridge between what students find engaging and what they need to know'' * ? Joseph Kahne, Professor of Education at Mills College
Now What? Imperatives and Options for Common Core Implementation and Governance
Chester E. Finn, Jr., Michael J. PetrilliThis Fordham Institute publication—co-authored by President Chester E. Finn Jr. and VP Michael J. Petrilli—pushes folks to think about what comes next in the journey to common education standards and tests. Most states have adopted the Common Core English language arts and math standards, and most are also working on common assessments. But...now what? The standards won't implement themselves, but unless they are adopted in the classroom, nothing much will change. What implementation tasks are most urgent? What should be done across state lines? What should be left to individual states, districts, and private markets? Perhaps most perplexing, who will govern and own these standards and tests ten or twenty years from now?
Cracks in the Ivory Tower? The Views of Education Professors Circa 2010
Steve Farkas, Ann DuffettThis national survey of education school professors finds that, even as the U.S. grows more practical and demanding when it comes to K-12 education, most of the professoriate simply isn't there. They see themselves more as philosophers and agents of social change, not as master craftsmen sharing tradecraft. They also resist some promising reforms such as tying teacher pay to student test scores. Still, education professors are reform-minded in some areas, including tougher policies for awarding tenure to teachers and financial incentives for those who teach in tough neighborhoods. Read on to find out more.
Charter School Autonomy: A Half-Broken Promise
Jacob L. Rosch, Dana BrinsonThe typical U.S. charter school lacks the autonomy it needs to succeed, once state, authorizer, and other impositions are considered. For some schools—in some states, with some authorizers—the picture is brighter but for many it's bleak. State-specific grades for charter autonomy range from A to F.
America's Private Public Schools
Michael J. Petrilli, Janie ScullMore than 1.7 million American children attend what we've dubbed "private public schools"—public schools that serve virtually no poor students. In some metropolitan areas, as many as one in six public-school students—and one in four white youngsters—attends such schools, of which the U.S. has about 2,800.
Renewal and Optimism: Five Years as an Ohio Charter Authorizer
Kathryn MullenThe Thomas B. Fordham Foundation is pleased to share our 2009-10 Sponsorship Accountability Report. The report, Renewal and Optimism: Five Years as an Ohio Charter Authorizer, contains a year in review for Ohio's charter school program, detailed information on the Fordham Foundation's work as a charter school sponsor, and data on the performance of our sponsored schools during that year.
It sure wasn't pretty, but Harkin-Enzi's out of committee
Michael J. PetrilliThe Senate HELP committee voted last night to send the Harkin-Enzi ESEA bill to the floor. It passed 15-7, with support from all of the Democrats and three Republicans (Mike Enzi, Lamar Alexander, and Mark Kirk).
"Halting a Runaway Train" looks beyond K-12 to resolve the pension crunch
Tyson EberhardtThis is the second in a series of blog posts introducing Fordham's latest report, Halting a Runaway Train: Reforming Teacher Pensions for the 21st Century.
Quotable & notable
?It shouldn't be a rite of passage for students to feel bad when they come to high school.'' * ?Mark Frank, dean of Parke House at New Albany High School
Wrapping up "The Other Achievement Gap"
[pullquote]"I got to tell you, the only viable political strategy for getting broad-based support of school reform on that premise is to get those middle-class parents drunk.? -AEI's Rick Hess[/pullquote]We wrap up coverage of Monday's panel discussion, ?The Other Achievement Gap,?
Halting a Runaway Train: Reforming Teacher Pensions for the 21st Century
Mike LaffertyWhen it comes to public-sector pensions, writes lead author Mike Lafferty in this report, "A major public-policy (and public-finance) problem has been defined and measured, debated and deliberated, but not yet solved. Except where it has been." As recounted in "Halting a Runaway Train: Reforming Teacher Pensions for the 21st Century," these exceptions turn out to be revealing—and encouraging. As leaders around the country struggle to overhaul America's controversial and precarious public-sector pensions, this study draws on examples from diverse fields to provide a primer on successful pension reform. Download to find valuable lessons for policymakers, workers, and taxpayers looking for timely solutions to a dire problem.
Tracking the Fordham Investment Index
Chris TessoneMicrosoft just reported its quarterly earnings, posting $5.7 billion in profits but disappointing investors, who had hoped for more. News like this naturally excites Wall Street more than it does education wonks.
"Halting a Runaway Train"
Tyson EberhardtThis is the first in a series of posts that will introduce the Fo
Quotable & notable
?The genie of school choice is out of the bottle'' * ?Terry Ryan, Vice president for Ohio programs and policy, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
PODCAST: 666 is 999 turned on its head
Mike and Janie hold down the fort this week, discussing the Harkin-Enzi bill, same-sex schooling, and St. Louis (both its new gifted-ed program and the Cardinals). Amber evaluates teacher-prep programs and Chris finds a novel way to hide a bald spot. [powerpress]
Talking High Flyers at ?The Other Achievement Gap?
Monday's panel discussion, ?The Other Achievement Gap,? provided a chance for critics and supporters of the Fordham Institute's recent study Do High Flyers Maintain their Altitude? to make their cases in person.?
Education news nuggets
I wonder if Sesame Street and the movies can teach math to our students more efficiently than a
Why watch the Fall Classic when there's ?The Other Achievement Gap??
In case you missed the entertaining back-and-forth at Monday's panel discussion, you can now watch the ?The Other Achievement Gap? in its entirety on our website.?
Responding (reluctantly) to the Think Tank Review Project
The left-leaning Think Tank Review Project reviews virtually every analytic report that Fordham publishes—and they have yet to find one that they like.
K5 Learning offers new findings from High Flyers data
In this guest blog post, the team at?
Quotable & notable
?Kids are barometers of truth. ?They know whether you care for them.'' * ? Angelique Jacques Marcoulis, Principal of Opportunities Unlimited Charter High School