2011 may already be a banner year for education reform (in part thanks to the foundation laid in 2010). Policymakers and education activists in many states (and in D.C.) have just cause to smile?and to soak in the victories that have been won.
We asked a few experts to share their thoughts on our newly published paper, "Charting a New Course to Retirement: How Charter Schools Handle Teacher Pensions"?an online forum of sorts.
Today, Fordham released our latest, "Charting a New Course to Retirement: How Charter Schools Handle Teacher Pensions." Authors Amanda Olberg and Michael Podgursky explain the report's findings here.
We asked a few experts to share their thoughts on our newly published paper, "Charting a New Course to Retirement: How Charter Schools Handle Teacher Pensions"?an online forum of sorts.
?People don't want to take a chance. That's the problem D.C. schools face. You don't want to experiment on your own children.'' ?Bruce Lehman, Lawyer
We asked a few experts to share their thoughts on our newly published paper, "Charting a New Course to Retirement: How Charter Schools Handle Teacher Pensions"?an online forum of sorts.
Would you be caught wearing mandals? How about voting for a Mormon candidate? Careful:?
The Fordham Institute has published a new paper today that readers might find quite interesting.
Leave it to Rick Hess to find the current lightening rod issue.
? Basic numeracy skills are a greater predictor of later success in life than basic literacy skills.'' * ? Daniel Ansari, one of the pioneers in the neuroscience of dyscalculia
Stop me when this sounds unfamiliar: You flip through the pages of the latest Economist (or parse through the articles online), looking for interesting material, chuckling to yourself over the risible article titles and amusing photo captions. Then you settle on a number of pieces to read?the majority of which are on topics you know little about.
If you live in New York City, a quarter of the money ostensibly spent on your child's education goes to fringe benefits and pension costs, according to the New York Post: Why have costs continued to skyrocket while performance lags?
It's refreshing to hear that NPR is alert to the ?education crisis? rhetoric peddled seemingly nonstop.
? We're too concentrated on having our children learn the answers. I would teach them how to ask questions?because that's how you learn.'' * ?David McCullough, Historian
A few weeks ago, we at Fordham released a short analysis, Shifting Trends in Special Education. We noticed that some states, like Massachusetts and New York, identified almost twice as many students as needing special education as those in other states, like Texas and California.
There are two stories in today's New York Times that merit some consideration.
Hiking tips: if, during your hike, you find yourself becoming weak from hunger or trapped in a
Note: These were my opening comments during Wednesday's Fordham Institute panel, "Is it Time to Turn the Page on Federal Accountability in Education?" Video of the event is available here.
?While there is still much work to be done, we have succeeded in one critical and monumental task. We have changed the expectations that people have for D.C. public schools.'' * ?Kaya Henderson, D.C. Acting Schools Chancellor
Well, we hosted a terrific event on Wednesday: Is it time to turn the page on federal accountability in education? If you missed it, you can view the video here:
The answer, to my mind, is nothing that a good school wouldn't fix. Perhaps you could convince me that we are taking two steps forward and only one step backward in our focus on educating ?black boys.?? (I hate the term more than the N-word.)? But most of the time it feels as if we're doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
The following is a guest post from Martha Derthick, a political scientist retired from the government and foreign affairs faculty at the University of Virginia. Derthick co-authors the Education Next quarterly column, Legal Beat.
?This city did not get into this financial mess by overpaying teachers.'' * ?Karen Lewis, President, Chicago Teacher's Union
The following, by Peter Wehner, originally appeared on the Commentary Magazine blog.
Pam Allyn, a literacy expert and executive director of LitWorld, penned an opinion piece in Education Week entitled ?Against the Whole-Class Novel.?
This is what I don't understand about Diane Ravitch.? After several years (more or less) of fairly relentless criticisms of school reformers, she is back to her old self today, telling the New York Times that the new NAEP history? test results are ?alarming.?? ?Well, of course, they are.
