Theory without experience is intellectual play
John Dickinson, probably our nation’s most underappreciated founder, argued at the Constitutional Convention, “Experience must be our only guide. Reason may mislead us.”
Faith, hope, and hard work: Reflections on Year One of Partnership Schools
Kathleen Porter-MageeJune marked the end of my first year as superintendent of Partnership Schools, a nonprofit school management organization that (thanks to an historic agreement with the Archdiocese of New York) was granted broad authority to manage and operate six K–8 urban Catholic schools.
The Educator's Dilemma: When and how schools should embrace poverty relief
Jessica PoinerPutting anti-poverty programs under one roof is a promising approach. Jessica Poiner
Buckets of Water into the Ocean: Non-Public Revenue in Public Charter and Traditional Public Schools
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.Everybody knows charters make up funding shortfalls with philanthropic dollars. And everybody’s wrong. Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.
RIP, Marva Collins
Chester E. Finn, Jr.It wasn't cool to be a "no-excuses," tough-love teacher for poor minority kids in the 1970s. That was the era of access centered "equity" for one and all, and most educators fretted more about kids struggling in school than about boosting their achievement.
The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 10 Years After Hurricane Katrina
Ellen AlpaughAn insightful and nuanced take on a unique school district. Ellen Alpaugh
What Happens When Schools Become Magnet Schools?
Alyssa SchwenkA study of specialized schools reveals a mixed legacy of success. Alyssa Schwenk
Charter schools at (almost) a quarter-century: Looking back, looking ahead
Chester E. Finn, Jr., Bruno V. MannoReasons to be hopeful for the next twenty-five years. Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Bruno V. Manno
Holding Public Charter School Authorizers Accountable: State Experiences and Policy Recommendations
Michelle LernerCommonsense reforms to rein in misbehaving authorizers. Michelle Lerner
Deregulation in the Buckeye State
Chad L. Aldis, Aaron ChurchillConcrete ideas for empowering traditional public schools. Chad L. Aldis and Aaron Churchill
NEW from Fordham: Redefining the School District in America
The Education GadflyIn Redefining the School District in America, Nelson Smith reexamines existing recovery school districts (RSDs)—entities in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Michigan charged with running and turning around their states’ worst schools—and assembles the most comprehensive catalog of simil