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Statboy's debut
Do you spend your weekends and holidays dreaming about regression models and large-scale data sets? If so, don't miss Mark Schneider - the new commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) - who will give his first public remarks this coming Monday, February 6th, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
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State Charter Program Ruled Constitutional
After a five year battle, the high court ruled today to uphold Ohio's Community School law defining charter schools as public schools, consistent with the charter laws of other states. (Ohio's statute refers to charters as "community schools"). The ruling in the case of State of Ohio, Ohio Congress of Parent and Teachers v.
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Statmeister shines
On Tuesday, Mark Schneider opened his talk at AEI by imploring this publication to change his moniker from Statboy to Statstud. The commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics then proceeded to deliver an eloquent address outlining the challenges that lie ahead for NCES.
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Staying ahead of the Common Core curve
Trying to keep up with the current tally of states who’ve adopted the Common Core State Standards? So were we. That’s why we created this handy-dandy map, located now on our Common Core Resource Page. It’s updated as soon as we get wind of new state adopters so check back often!
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Stay tuned
A study out today from the Education Department confirms what we've been saying: "proficiency" means wildly different things from one state to the next (see New York Times coverage
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Second chance (to watch a lively discussion about The Autonomy Gap)
In case you missed Fordham's scintillating National Press Club event accompanying the release of our latest report, The Autonomy Gap, you can watch the whole thing by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
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Secretary Spellings to help charters help hurricane victims
In an effort to return children displaced by Katrina back to school, Secretary Spellings has announced that she will consider waivers to the Department's Charter Schools Program to help meet immediate educational needs. Plus, approximately $20 million is available to help charters serving Katrina victims.
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Seeds of reform sown by Moynihan (and Coleman)
Seven years after his death, Daniel Patrick Moynihan still makes the front page of the New York Times.
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Seeking education's Daniel Boone
Education Pioneers needs a managing director to lead the expansion of its 2007 Fellows program in Washington, D.C. Applicants should have a graduate degree, strong communication skills, and significant education reform experience in the nation's capital.
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Serve your country
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Non-Public Education seeks a highly motivated, creative individual to serve as a management and program analyst at headquarters in Washington, D.C.
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Set the standard in science
Achieve, Inc. is on the hunt for a new Director of Science. This individual would work with the National Research Council, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and state leaders to develop and implement a new set of science standards.
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Shares of Mrs. Johnson rise as Mr. Thompson falls on negative forecasts
Speculation on student test scores set off a flurry of activity today at the California Teacher Futures Exchange (CTFE) as traders attempted to forecast teachers' pay in the new merit system advocated by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and passed by the California legislature last week.
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Should federal dollars be used to turn around failing charters?
Charter schools are different from traditional district schools in that they are free of many regulations and operating constraints, but in return for their freedoms they are held accountable for their results. Those charter schools that fail to deliver results over time are closed, the theory holds.
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Should school ratings be available before start of new school year?
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….
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Show me the money!
Nancy and Rich Kinder, in partnership with the KIPP Foundation, are accepting nominations until December 31, 2005, for the $100,000 Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award. The award will be presented in the summer of 2006 to an outstanding teacher working in an underserved community.
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Smack that
This week, Mike and Stafford discuss Arne Duncan's overtures towards Detroit, whether Massachusetts disproves the argument that teachers' unions stymie reform, and a recent Associated Press article alleging U.S. performance internationally is not as bad as it seems.
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Smarick = White House Fellow
Gadfly's good friend Andy Smarick, chief of staff at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, will be one of fifteen 2007-2008 White House Fellows. We're thrilled for him. See more here.
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School is about citizenship, too
The Stanford Center on Adolescence is pleased to invite you to a conference on civic engagement of American youth. The all-day June 5 “American Identity Renewed: An Educational Agenda for the 21st Century” will take place in New York City and focus on the goal of promoting positive civic purpose in adolescents.
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School leadership matters
Teachers matter, yes. But, what about principals? Join Fordham, the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, and the Center for American Progress on November 10 from 10:00 to 11:30 AM for a discussion on principal preparation, and release of the Rainwater Leadership Alliance’s newest report on the issue.
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SDP seeks SRM
The Strategic Data Project at Harvard’s Center for Education Policy Research is on the hunt for a Senior Research Manager. Think you’ve got what it takes?
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Round(hous)ing out education
Many celebs have been starting schools of late and Chuck Norris wasn't going to be left behind. Welcome to the new Norris is Power Program (NIPP) charter school, where every student is taught to beat geometry, biology, English, history, and civics into submission. The school is based on five pillars: Despotism; Might and Dominion; More Despotism; Power to Oppress; and Focus on Supremacy.
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RSVP, please
In last week’s Recommended Reading, “The cold union shoulder” (July 8, 2010), Gadfly said that administration officials were not invited to either teacher-union conference this year.
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Salahis seen on seventh floor
Did you miss our really boring event, “Returning the Preschool Juggernaut to Its Original Path”? Well you didn’t miss much, but you may want to check out the video, now posted on our website, because attendees report seeing Michaele and Tareq Salahi in the front row.
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Sartorial splendor
This week, Mike and Rick chat about mohair, pandering, and why Chinese students should move to the U.S. We've got an interview with Joe Williams about New York's charter regulations, and Education News of the Weird is glossy and luscious. Click here to listen through our website and view past editions.
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Save the date: AEI on education research
Join Rick Hess and Anthony S. Bryk as they discuss the future of education research. This afternoon event will commence at 4 pm on November 19 in AEI's Wohlstetter Conference Center. Details can be found here.
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Save the Date! When State Standards Go Wrong: Has the Time Come for National Testing?
On Tuesday, August 29 from noon to 2 p.m., the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation will host a lunchtime debate at the National Press Club about whether the state standards movement has reached its end--and whether national testing is the logical replacement.
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Save the date: With charters up, are vouchers down and out?
Every other word coming out of Secretary Duncan's mouth these days seems to be "charter school," so now we're wondering, "With charter schools ascendant, is there still a future for vouchers?" Join us for a panel discussion on that very question, August 19 from 4 to 5:30 pm.
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Save your pennies for the New Year
Join Fordham and AEI on January 11, 2010, as we co-host an exciting event titled, “A Penny Saved: How Schools and Districts Can Tighten Their Belts While Serving Students Better.” This day-long conference will be held at the Mayflower Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C.