Education reform's women—and the credit and opportunities they deserve
When the history of this era’s urban-education reform movement is written, four big policy innovations are sure to get attention: the nation’s first voucher program, first charter law, first mayor-controlled charter authorizer, and first “
Detroit is failing its students, and politicians are failing Detroit
Kevin MahnkenAfter roughly a year of presidential politicking during which education has been given short shrift, two primary debates over the past few days have restored the issue to news cycle relevance. Both were held in troubled Michigan cities in advance of today’s crucial primary.
Ohio school report cards: The end of education’s era of good feelings
Aaron ChurchillThe "ratings bubble" bursts for Ohio’s schools and districts
Whose America is it? Why I want my students to read Ta-Nehisi Coates but believe Lin-Manuel Miranda
Robert PondiscioBy Robert Pondiscio
Pencils down: What I learned from studying the quality of state tests
Morgan PolikoffEditor’s note: This is the last in a series of blog posts that takes a closer look at the findings and implications of Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments, Fordham’s new first-of-its-kind report.
How well do next-generation tests measure higher-order thinking skills?
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D., Victoria McDougaldEditor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of blog posts that takes a closer look at the findings and implications of Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments, Fordham’s new first-of-its-kind report.
How school suspensions could engender racial disparities in academic achievement
Andrew ScanlanBy Andrew Scanlan
The effect of teacher demographic representation on student attendance and suspensions
Jamie Davies O'LearyBy Jamie Davies O’Leary
How the Louisiana voucher system affected students
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.By Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.
Using ESSA to fix reading: Implications for state policy
Robert PondiscioBy Lisa Hansel and Robert Pondiscio
The next phase of D.C. reform
If you’re at all interested in Washington, D.C. schools, you should read this excellent report by David Osborne. It serves as a quick and comprehensive history lesson on the city’s last two decades of reform.
Leaving talent on the table: Fixing gifted education in America
Talk is cheap.For decades, elected officials, education leaders, and others have consumed much oxygen talking about the challenges facing our nation from countries doing a much better job developing their academic talent.Despite this the reality is that we have largely failed to address this concern as many of our most talented children are being overlooked and uncultivated.
Can higher standards survive their own success?
Robert PondiscioOn the campaign trail, Senator Ted Cruz reliably wins applause with a call to "repeal every word of Common Core." It's a promise he will be hard-pressed to keep should he find himself in the White House next January.
Opting out has minimal impact on Ohio school grades
Jamie Davies O'LearyA minor wrinkle in this year's report card data
Five ways to stop wasting teachers' time with ineffective professional development
Andrew ScanlanAny teacher worth his salt can recognize that there are differences among students that must be taken into account in the classroom. Why, then, can’t we acknowledge that the same is true for teachers?
Introducing the Fordham Institute’s 2015 Annual Report
Michael J. PetrilliEditor's note: This letter appeared in the 2015 Thomas B. Fordham Institute Annual Report. To learn more, download the report. Dear Fordham Friends,
Bernie Sanders quotes about education
Brandon L. WrightEditor's note: This post was first published on Flypaper on May 4, 2015.
Marco Rubio quotes about education
Brandon L. WrightEditor's note: This post was first published on Flypaper on April 27, 2015.
Ted Cruz quotes about education
Brandon L. WrightEditor's note: This post was first published on Flypaper on April 29, 2015.
John Kasich quotes about education
Brandon L. WrightEditor's note: This post was first published on Flypaper on July 21, 2015.
Ben Carson quotes about education
Brandon L. WrightEditor's note: This post was first published on Flypaper on May 5, 2015.
This time it's personal: Round two of Vergara v. California
Kevin MahnkenIf you take an interest in the intersection of American education and law, the news this month has clearly been dominated by one story: The death of Antonin Scalia has transformed the ideological complexion of the Supreme Court during
Fordham Institute media statement on today's report card data release
Ohio Education GadflySchool ratings decline due to rising academic standards but a more accurate depiction of college and career readiness emerges
The promise of rural education collaboratives
Jeff MurrayRural school districts face many of the same challenges as their urban counterparts: lots of students living in poverty, low college-attainment rates among parents, high and growing numbers of ELL students, and diffi
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.
Educators' perspectives on Common Core implementation
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.A new Harvard University study examines the link between Common Core implementation efforts and changes in student achievement.