Elementary-grade reading in Tennessee
Robert PondiscioOver the past decade, Tennessee has seen steady growth in math, science, and social studies scores. Those gains have been accompanied, as in many states, by rising high school graduation rates. But all is not well in the Volunteer State.
Advocating for high-achievers
Brandon L. WrightThanks to No Child Left Behind and its antecedents, American education has focused in recent decades on ensuring that all children, especially those from poor and minority backgrounds, attain a minimum level of academic achievement.
A culturally rich curriculum can improve minority student achievement
Audrey KimFor some, the ivory tower of academia is “ivory” in more ways than one.
Implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act toward a coherent, aligned assessment system
Jessica PoinerWay back in the days of NCLB, testing often existed in a vacuum.
Steering and rowing in the age of ESSA
If you care about state education policy and/or the new federal education law, you ought to spend some time doing three things. First, consider how the performance of schools (and networks of schools) needs to be assessed.
ESSA Accountability Design Competition: My big takeaways
On February 2, I had the privilege of being a judge for the Fordham Institute’s ESSA Accountability Design Competition. It’s widely known that I’m a fan of using competition to drive policy innovation, and this competition did not disappoint.
Designing accountability systems to avoid NCLB-era mistakes
I walked away from Fordham’s School Accountability Design Competition last Tuesday pleasantly surprised—not only at the variety of fresh thinking on accountability, but also at how few submissions actually triggered the “I think that’s illegal” response. I left encouraged at the possibilities for the future.
States: Don’t leave K–3 accountability behind under ESSA
Elliot RegensteinThe Fordham Institute’s recent accountability design competition put a lot of great ideas on the table.
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Chris Hoffman et al., Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellows, Teach Plus
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Ronald F. Ferguson, Harvard University and Tripod Education Partners, Inc.
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Richard J. Wenning, BeFoundation and SpreadMusicNow
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability f
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Jennifer Vranek et al., Education First
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Morgan Polikoff, Matthew Duque, and Stephani Wrabel, University of Southern California and Baltimore County Public Schools
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Lydia Burns et al., Student Voice Team, Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Josh Boots, EmpowerK12
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Dale Chu and Eric Lerum, America Succeeds
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Top #ESSADesign proposals: Chad Aldeman, Bellwether Education Partners
Editor's note: On Tuesday, February 2, Fordham hosted the ESSA Acountability Design Competition, a first-of-its-kind conference to generate ideas for state accountability frame
Some great ideas from our ESSA Accountability Design Competition
Michael J. PetrilliOn Tuesday afternoon, we at the Fordham Institute will host a competition to present compelling designs for state accountability systems under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
ESSA Accountability Design Competition: The Contenders
Michael J. PetrilliEditor's note: For a summary of noteworthy content from contenders' proposals, read "Some great ideas from our ESSA Accountability Design Competition."
ESSA Accountability Design Competition: Meet the Judges
Michael J. PetrilliUnder the newly enacted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states now face the challenge of creating school accountability systems that can vastly improve upon the model required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
Don't blame Common Core for publishers' lousy textbooks
Kevin MahnkenIf you’ve been keeping up with the Common Core scandal pages, you may be wondering who Dianne Barrow is.
NAEP computer-based writing pilot assessment: Fourth-grade performance
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.A new study from the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences provides results for fourth-grade students on the 2012 NAEP pilot computer-based writing assessment. The study asks whether fourth graders can fully demonstrate their writing ability on a computer and what factors are related to their writing performance on said computers.
The Bush education plan
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Education reform has been a specialty of Jeb Bush’s, and his track record on this issue in Florida is unbeatable. He knows the topic up, down, and sideways.
Ten things every American should know
Robert PondiscioNearly thirty years ago, a then-obscure University of Virginia professor named E.D. Hirsch, Jr. set off a hot national debate with the publication of Cultural Literacy.
Has your child's elementary school stopped teaching history, science, and other content? Here's how to do it yourself
Michael J. PetrilliIn a perfect world, all children would have access to an inspiring, well-rounded education, especially in pre-K and elementary school. They need a solid grounding in history, science, art, music, and literature.
Can parents help with math homework? YES
Jason Zimba, Ph.D.My wife and I both spend time working with our kids on their homework. We have also made a family tradition of “Saturday School,” a routine that my wife and I instituted a couple of years ago because our kids’ school was using a pre-Common Core math curriculum that wasn’t keeping pace with the standards.
A fair shot at opportunity
Editor's note: This is the first in a series of blog posts that will be collaboratively published every Wednesday by the National Association for Gifted Children and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Each post in the series will exist both here on Flypaper and on the NAGC Blog.
The case for maximum state flexibility on ESSA accountability
Michael J. PetrilliOfficials at the Department of Education have requested public comments by January 21 about areas in the new Every Student Succeeds Act where regulation might be “helpful or necessary.” My recommendation to the feds: Tread ver