Displaying 1-19 of 19 results
Report
12.11.2012
School Finance, Governance, Teachers & School Leaders

Strategies for Smarter Budgets and Smarter Schools

Nathan Levenson

This new policy brief by Nathan Levenson, Managing Director at the District Management Council and former superintendent of Arlington (MA) Public Schools, offers informed advice to school districts seeking to provide a well-rounded, quality education to all children in a time of strained budgets. Levenson recommends three strategies: prioritize both achievement and cost-efficiency; make staffing decisions based on student needs, not student preferences; and manage special-education spending for better outcomes and greater cost-effectiveness.

Commentary
12.3.2012
Curriculum & Instruction

Solipsism generation

Chester E. Finn, Jr.

It isn't going to be easy for David Coleman and his fellow authors of the Common Core English/Language Arts standards to wean U.S. students off writing about themselves.

Commentary
11.20.2012
Curriculum & Instruction

Social studies follies

Chester E. Finn, Jr.

The cumbersome, inscrutable title is the first clue that something is not right: “Vision for the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3): Framework for Inquiry in Social Studies State Standards.”

Commentary
11.12.2012
Curriculum & Instruction

A closer look at union strength

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute's recent study of teacher-union strength is an example of the institute's willingness to "get into the weeds" of standards

Report
10.29.2012
Governance, Teachers & School Leaders

How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison

Amber M. Northern, Ph.D., Janie Scull, Dara Zeehandelaar Shaw, Ph.D.

This timely study represents the most comprehensive analysis of American teacher unions’ strength ever conducted, ranking all fifty states and the District of Columbia according to the power and influence of their state-level unions.

Book
9.28.2012
Curriculum & Instruction

The Diverse Schools Dilemma

Michael J. Petrilli

Lots of parents favor sending their sons and daughters to diverse schools with children from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But can such schools successfully meet the educational needs of all those different kids? How do middle class children fare in these environments? Is there enough challenge and stimulation in schools that also struggle to help poor and immigrant children reach basic standards? Is there too much focus on test scores? And why is it so hard to find diverse public schools with a progressive, child-centered approach to education? These quandaries and more are addressed in this groundbreaking book by Michael J. Petrilli.

Commentary
8.29.2012
Charter Schools, Curriculum & Instruction

Vouchers − Darwin= ??

Chester E. Finn, Jr.

Let there be controversy

Report
3.14.2012
Governance, Teachers & School Leaders

Teacher Compensation Based on Effectiveness: The Harrison (CO) School District's Pay-for-Performance Plan

This report, authored by Superintendent Mike Miles, takes a detailed look at the Harrison (CO) School District 2's Pay-for-Performance Plan. The Harrison Plan confronted the dual challenges of defining an effective teacher and identifying all the things that demonstrate her effectiveness. This how-to guide is meant to serve as a tool and model for Ohio’s school districts.

Report
1.9.2012
Governance, Teachers & School Leaders

Teachers in the Age of Digital Instruction

Will the move toward virtual and “blended learning” schools in American education repeat the mistakes of the charter-school movement, or will it learn from them? The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, with the support of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, has commissioned five deep-thought papers that, together, address the thorniest policy issues surrounding digital learning. The goal is to boost the prospects for successful online learning (both substantively and politically) over the long run.