The Full Story on the Race to the Top
Today, AEI released my third report on the education portions of the federal stimulus.?? This edition focused exclusively on the Race to the Top.?? (First two here and here.)
Education news nuggets
Check out our recently released review of draft Common Core standards, or read this review of our private public schools report.
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Stafford PalmieriFlypaper readers should be familiar with Fordham's weekly newsletter, The Education Gadfly. I certainly blog enough about it!
Today's Fly, so good
Stafford PalmieriNew From Fordham: Review of the Draft K-12 Common Core Standards.Our expert reviewers have analyzed the draft Common Core K-12 education standards according to a set of rigorous criteria.
Quotable and notable
???I asked the teachers to do lesson plans, which they hadn't done in years.?? Sheryl Byrd said that was a change in work expectations.?? It's a requirement in the Ohio Revised Code, and we're going to follow it.??? -- Mike Dixon, Superintendent of Twin Valley Community Local Schools
Beyond Demographic Destiny: An Analysis of Massachusetts' Minority and White Student Achievement Gaps
Pioneer Institute Richard Cross, Theodor Rebarber, Kathleen Madigan, Bruce Bean March 2010
The 2009 Brown Center Report on American Education: How Well Are American Students Learning?
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Tom LovelessBrookings Institution, Brown Center on Education PolicyMarch 2010
State Test Score Trends Through 2007-2008, Part 5: Are There Differences in Achievement Between Boys and Girls?
Janie ScullNaomi and Victor ChudowskyCenter on Education PolicyMarch 2010
The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2009
Daniela FairchildNational Center for Education StatisticsMarch 2010
The lost case of Georgie Porgie
While cash-strapped sport teams and PTAs across the country have lamented recent financial losses from bake sale bans for the sake of our children’s waistlines, no one has argued against the efficacy of improving student diets. Until now.
Shuttered schoolhouses
What do two mediocre charter schools on opposite coasts have in common? They’re both slated to close come June on account of low enrollment, financial concerns, and subpar test scores. Justice Charter High, a Los Angeles Green Dot campus, and New Covenant School in Albany have been on thin ice in recent years, but they’ve both made great gains in and out of the classroom.
Health-caring for our teachers
If you’ve been wondering how the just-passed health care reform bill will affect your own coverage, consider the coverage of our nation’s teachers. Many enjoy the incredibly cushy Cadillac kind, courtesy of indefatigable unions and generous school boards.
Honors grades for the Common Core
Kathleen Porter-Magee, Chester E. Finn, Jr., Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.We’re one step closer. “Common” standards for U.S. schools are knocking at the door. They won’t likely make it all the way in but even a partial entry is looking like it might do some good.
Congress sues four citizens!
Enough is enough. At least that’s what the tiny school district of the “no-stoplight” town of Congress, AZ is saying to four women who have bombarded it with over 100 public records requests in eight years. The purpose of this paperwork?
Credit Suisse and education
It's not unusual for corporate foundations to invest in education, but increasingly these generally conservative organizations are teaming with reform-oriented groups. The??Credit Suisse Americas Foundation just announced a new initiative that will make grants in two of the most important ed reform areas:
Like the tide, great standards lift all boats
Kathleen Porter-MageeThere's a debate brewing about how much???if at all???great standards contribute to education reform. This week, the Wall Street Journal published an editorial saying that they are not as important to student achievement as universal choice.
Education news nuggets
Mike Petrilli, I don't think you write ???poppycock'. I don't know why people are so mean.
Quotable and notable
"Do we have to have charter schools? We tried, we failed. I don't want to start a race 8 percent behind the other states." ??? Joseph Morton, Alabama state superintendent
Award well deserved
Kudos to Scott Stephens for being recognized by the Education Writers Association for his terrific reporting work in 2009 for Catalyst Ohio!
Back to Basics: Why "common standards" are good for American education
Chester E. Finn, Jr.For five good reasons, conservatives should take seriously the potential of the newly released (in draft form) “common” education standards to strengthen U.S. education.
The Online Learning Imperative: A Solution to Three Looming Crises in Education
Alliance for Excellent EducationBob Wise & Robert RothmanFebruary 2010
Update: Can Race to the Top decisions really be politics-free?
Terry RyanAlmost since the contest was announced,????those of us working in Ohio have????wondered whether Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's Race to the Top decisions could really be politics-free.
GE Lighting is NOT in Cincinnati
In our last issue, Gadfly erroneously reported that GE Lighting is based in Cincinnati, when any student of Ohio history should know that the Lighting & Electrical Institute is housed at the
Interesting news from the pod-waves, the blogosphere, and Romania
Terry M. MoeEducation Next featured TBFI president Chester E. Finn, Jr.
Columbus Collegiate Academy wins prestigious national award, will share best practices
Columbus Collegiate Academy, one of six charter schools authorized by the Thomas B.
Common Core standards are a smart move for the Buckeye State
Emmy L. Partin, Terry RyanOhio has positioned itself to be among the first states to adopt the “common” academic content standards, created through a state-led process coordinated by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association Center fo
Drew Carey cares
When asked how he would go about improving Pittsburgh, Frank Lloyd Wright offered a simple solution: “Abandon it.” But that Price-is-Right hosting, Michael Moore look-a-like (minus the baseball hat and hammer-and-sickle) Drew Carey won’t drop the commitment to his hometown Cleveland that easily.
Who Benefits from KIPP?
National Bureau of Economic ResearchJ. Angrist, S. Dynarski, T. Kane, P. Pathak, & C. WaltersFebruary 2010
Review of the Draft K-12 Common Core Standards
Sheila Byrd Carmichael, Kathleen Porter-Magee, W. Stephen Wilson, Chester E. Finn, Jr., Gabrielle Martino, Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.The Fordham Institute's expert reviewers have analyzed the draft Common Core K-12 education standards (made public on March 10) according to rigorous criteria. Their analyses lead to a grade of A- for the draft mathematics standards and B for those in English language arts. Read on to find out more.