Quotable and notable
?I have to scratch my head and wonder why. But at the end of the day, that is the process, and we'll live with it.'' ? Paul Pastorek, Louisiana's superintendent of education
?I have to scratch my head and wonder why. But at the end of the day, that is the process, and we'll live with it.'' ? Paul Pastorek, Louisiana's superintendent of education
Is there more to school reform than student achievement? Baltimore schools CEO Andres Alonso would say no.
The next time Tom Friedman or one of his flat-world henchmen buttonhole you and tell you how America is just about to become India's doormat, in part because India produces so many math-and-science-genius engineers, tell him about the article in today's New York Times th
I'm just back from lunching at Washington, D.C.'s Kelly Miller Middle School, one of seven schools selected this year by the district to be in a pilot program that will feed students meals prepared by DC Central
Don’t miss another vigorous, frank, and eye-opening discussion of Fordham’s own experience authorizing charter schools in Ohio—and how that compares to authorizing elsewhere. Join us Thursday, August 26 from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in Fordham’s DC office (1016 16th St.
Schott Foundation for Public Education2010While its title sounds hopeful, this report’s findings are not very auspicious. The Schott Foundation for Public Education takes an in-depth look at the education of Black males across the US (and state-by-state), analyzing several areas related to performance, such as graduation rates and reading proficiency.
Back-to-school season is in full swing.?? Of the seven schools that Fordham authorizes, five have already opened their doors and by the middle of this week nearly all Ohio school kids will be back in classes. But it won't be till this Friday morning that the Ohio Department of Education will release annual report cards for both district and school performance.
Yesterday, Ohio was selected as a winner in the Race to the Top federal education sweepstakes, garnering $400 million for the state and local schools. We are happy to see Ohio win funds – especially during a brutal recession and with an impending funding cliff threatening K-12 funding. In the short term, the money will surely help Ohio’s schools and its children.
A few weeks ago Fordham hosted an event in our hometown of Dayton to discuss findings from a student mobility study we commissioned.
Sick of hearing stories about cuts facing K-12 education? Here’s a change: The nation’s most expensive public school ever will open its doors next month to 4,200 K -12 students. Robert F. Kennedy Community School located in Los Angeles cost an astonishing $578 million.
A new report from the national Fordham team surveys 30 American cities to find out which have environments that are most conducive for school reform (measured by factors such as access to human capital, a solid funding pipeline, a thriving charter-school market, etc.) The report also grades cities accordingly – no city earned an “A,” while Columbus ranks alongside eight others
American Federation of Teachers, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Education Association, National Staff Development Council August 2010
Nothing matters more to student learning than teacher quality. Not class-size, not poverty, not family background, not even overall school quality. This was the key takeaway from a highly controversial Los Angeles Times analysis of teacher value-added scores for students in the L.A. Unified School District (LAUSD). The significance of this finding can’t be understated.
School started last week for one of the highest performing middle schools in Columbus, the Columbus Collegiate Academy (one of Fordham’s sponsored schools). With the start of school comes the start of familiar problems with student transportation.
This 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.
For those who may not believe in coincidence, consider this: Today, Fordham released a brand-new Rick Hess study that found New Orleans, Louisiana to be the most reform-mind
Today Ohio was selected as a winner in the Race to the Top federal education sweepstakes, garnering $400 million for the state and local schools. We are happy to see Ohio win funds ? especially during a brutal recession and with an impending funding cliff threatening K-12 funding. In the short term, the money will surely help Ohio's schools and its children.
An email from Lori Crouch at the Education Writers Association brings glad tidings?about a light in?the black hole of the bureaucracy:
While we eagerly await the Education Department's announcement about Race to the Top round 2 winners (here's a sneak peek for Ohioans and New Yorkers),
?We cannot become so affixed on the spotlights that we constructively ignore the headlights from the train wreck facing our country.'' ?John H. Jackson, C.E.O. of the Schott Foundation, commenting on the scatter-shot approach to school reform nationally
The question: Which cities are in the mix when it comes to being the ?Silicon Valley? of K-12 schooling? Or, more simply: If you're a problem-solver with some successes under your belt, where will you be most welcome? Cities rounding out the top ten include Charlotte, Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, and San Francisco.
U.S. News & World Report has a handy graph. The National Center for Education Statistics has the details. ?Liam Julian
This month, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington (cherries, not cherry blossoms), emphasized in a speech on the Senate floor the?gravity of mailing billions of federal dollars to states in order to avert the dismissal of scads of public-school teachers. ?In my home state, nearly 3,000 jobs are at risk,?
The irreplaceable and immensely talented Laura Pohl is moving on, following her passion for international relief work. So we're looking to hire our next Director of New Media.
So reports Fritz Edelstein in his daily e-mail blast. (We're working on confirming this with the Department of Education.) If true, the timing is quite a surprise?at least a few weeks earlier than expected. Why is Arne Duncan rushing out this news in the dog days of August? To get a big splash during a slow news week? To connect with back-to-school stories?
It's back to school this week for many, and Michelle Rhee has a tough love message for principals.
?Damn near anything is going to be an improvement on the status quo.'' ? Daniel Willingham, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Virginia, commenting on the way teachers are evaluated
Slowly, slowly, I work my way through the latest issue of Washington Monthly, in which America's colleges and universities are ranked.
Alex Johnston, the CEO of ConnCAN (I yearn for someone in Topeka to found KanCAN?or, better yet, someone in Montparnasse to start CancanCAN), writes that he is waiting for the coming of ?the