NPR's Rocketship exposé fizzles on the launchpad
Kevin Mahnken2016 is providing ample opportunities for the charter sector to take stock.
The next twenty-five years of charter schools: Bigger, broader, and bolder
Chester E. Finn, Jr., Bruno V. Manno, Chair, Brandon L. WrightBy Chester E. Finn, Jr., Bruno V. Manno, and Brandon L. Wright
Ohio’s implementation of report cards for dropout-recovery charter schools
Sarah Souders, Aaron ChurchillOn June 22, the Dropout Prevention and Recovery Study Committee met for its first of three meetings this summer.
Time for Detroit charter schools to lead—not just fight to protect turf
Robin J. LakeDan Quisenberry’s recent piece in Fordham’s Gadfly suggested that newly enacted legislation in Michigan represents a “victory for charter quality in Detroit.” Dan is great, and it’s true that the legislation will likely help a little with charter quality.
Under the radar: The surprising role of school districts in charter sponsorship
Aaron ChurchillTraditional districts that serve as charter school sponsors are often glossed over in the debate over Ohio’s charter sector. But given their role in two recent reports, it’s an opportune time to take a closer look at their track record.
Market Signals: Evidence on the Determinants and Consequences of School Choice from a Citywide Lottery
Jessica PoinerSchool choice advocates have long agreed on the importance of understanding what parents value when selecting a school for their children. A new study from Mathematica seeks to add to that conversation and generally finds the same results as prior research.
Measuring the success of the country's first urban, public, college-preparatory boarding school
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D., Dara Zeehandelaar Shaw, Ph.D.By Amber M. Northern, Ph.D. and Dara Zeehandelaar, Ph.D.
Charter accountability works in Ohio
Kevin MahnkenElite public academies like Boston Latin, Stuyvesant High School, and San Francisco’s Lowell High School have long been acclaimed for the top-flight academics they offer to applicants who pass their rigorous entrance exams.
How to restart a charter school
School districts across the country are asking high-quality charter school operators to restart failing public schools. In New Orleans, nearly every public school has been relaunched as a charter school. In Tennessee, the new Achievement School District is focusing its attention on a range of school improvement options, including charters, to boost the state’s lowest-performers.
A Call to Action to Improve the Quality of Full-Time Virtual Charter Public Schools
Aaron ChurchillOn the heels of national research studies that have uncovered troubling findings on the performance of virtual charter schools, a
Repairing the charter marketplace
Chester E. Finn, Jr., Brandon L. WrightBy Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Brandon L. Wright
Jeanne makes it manifest
Chester E. Finn, Jr.It isn't perfect, but Jeanne Allen's new education reform "manifesto" makes a number of valuable points and powerful suggestions for the future.
Fordham Institute media statement on today's virtual school quality report release
Ohio Education GadflyToday, a consortium of charter school supporters released a new report containing solid, commonsense policy recommendations aimed at improving virtual schools. This report comes on the heels of national research studies that have documented the dismal performance of virtual schools across the country.
Charter school restarts get a set of online resources
Kathryn MullenBy Kathryn Mullen Upton
Charter Icahnoclast
Kevin MahnkenWe here at Fordham are really jazzed about the potential of high-quality career and technical education (CTE).
Market malfunctions in the charter sector
Chester E. Finn, Jr., Brandon L. WrightBy Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Brandon L. Wright
We need to take a closer look at charter school graduation rates
A high school diploma is a critical marker in the transition to adulthood that affects labor participation, social mobility, and opportunities for success. The good news is that high school graduation rates reached an all-time high of 82 percent in spring 2014. The overall graduation rate for charter public schools, however, fell short of that number by ten points.
Auditor Yost visits high-performing United Preparatory Academy
Jamie Davies O'LearyA first-hand look at another high-performing charter school
Charter school pluralism: "No-excuses" and beyond
Chester E. Finn, Jr., Brandon L. WrightThis is the third in a series of essays marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of America’s first charter school law.
Social justice, education reform, and how this whole Left-Right feud is missing the point
Derrell BradfordBy Derrell Bradford
Gary Johnson quotes about education
Brandon L. WrightGary Johnson, the former two-term governor of New Mexico, is the Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee.
The Left may have the louder voice in school reform, but conservatives shouldn't despair
By Terry Ryan
Fordham Institute media response to Know Your Charter’s review of Ohio CSP grants
Chad L. AldisLike much of Know Your Charter’s (KYC) charter school coverage, today’s report, “Belly Up: A Review of Federal Charter School Program Grants,” intentionally inflates the failures of Ohio’s charter sector, makes misleading performance comparisons, and falls short