The State of State Standards Post-Common Core
David Griffith, Victoria McDougaldEight years ago, we compared states’ English language arts (ELA) and mathematics standards to what were then the newly-minted Common Core State Standards. That report found that the Common Core was clearer and more rigorous than the ELA standards in thirty-seven states and stronger than the math standards in thirty-nine states.
Reading and Writing Instruction in America's Schools
David GriffithSince 2010, when most states adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the Thomas B. Fordham Institute has been committed to monitoring their implementation.
Self-Discipline and Catholic Schools: Evidence from Two National Cohorts
Regardless of where you stand on the debate currently raging over school discipline, one thing seems certain: Self-discipline is far better than the externally imposed kind.
Fordham statement on state board of education’s recommended changes to Ohio graduation requirements
Ohio Education GadflyThe state board of education voted today to recommend that the General Assembly extend previously-relaxed graduation requirements for the class of 2018 to the classes of 2019 and 2020.
Ohio’s new readiness seal: Soft skills, but a hard reality
Jessica PoinerIn case you missed it during the hustle and bustle of the holidays, Ohio recently announced how students can earn a new endorsement on their high school diplomas.
Illiteracy in Ohio: Where does the buck stop?
Madison YoderLast month, several urban Ohio school districts began sounding alarms over Ohio’s third-grade reading guarantee—a policy put in place several years ago that requires students who don’t reach reading proficiency by the end of grade three to be held back—fearful that a much larger number of their third graders won’t meet the requirements for promotion.
What Teens Want From Their Schools: A National Survey of High School Student Engagement
John Geraci, Maureen Palmerini, Pat Cirillo, Victoria McDougaldAmong high school students who consider dropping out, half cite lack of engagement with the school as a primary reason, and 42 percent report that they don’t see value in the schoolwork they are asked to do.
House Bill 176: Stealing the playbook won’t lead to results
Jessica PoinerBack in February, U.S. News and World Report named Massachusetts the top state in its Best States rankings.
House Bill 176 goes nuclear on education
Jessica PoinerIn politics as of late, there’s been a lot of talk about “going nuclear” in order to accomplish a goal.
The Right Tool for the Job: Improving Reading and Writing in the Classroom
Melody Arabo, Jonathan S. Budd, Shannon Garrison, Tabitha PachecoAlthough it’s been almost seven years since many states took the important step of elevating their academic standards by adopting the Common Core, teachers and administrators across the country still bemoan the lack of reliable information about which instructional materials are high-quality and best aligned to the new standards.
Some immodest advice to the Ohio graduation requirements work group
NOTE: The Thomas B. Fordham Institute occasionally publishes guest commentaries on its blogs. The views expressed by guest authors do not necessarily reflect those of Fordham.
Enrollment and Achievement in Ohio's Virtual Charter Schools
June Ahn, Ph.D.This Fordham study, conducted by learning technology researcher June Ahn from NYU, dives into one of the most promising—and contentious—issues in education today: virtual schools. What type of students choose them? Which online courses do students take? Do virtual schools lead to improved outcomes for kids?
Common Core Math in the K-8 Classroom: Results from a National Teacher Survey
Jennifer M. Bay-Williams, Ann Duffett, David GriffithIn Common Core Math in the K-8 Classroom: Results from a National Teacher Survey, Jennifer Bay Williams, Ann Duffett, and David Griffith take a close look at how educators are implementing the Common Core math standards in classrooms across the nation.
The Grammy edition
In this week's podcast, Robert Pondiscio and Brandon Wright laud the progress of education policies since NCLB, weigh gentrification’s role in D.C.’s achievement gains, and discuss the controversy surrounding a Success Academies video. In the Research Minute, Amber Northern examines educators’ perspectives on Common Core implementation.
Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments
Evaluating the Content and Quality of Next Generation Assessments examines previously unreleased items from three multi-state tests (ACT Aspire, PARCC, and Smarter Balanced) and one best-in-class state assessment, Massachusetts’ state exam (MCAS). The product of two years of work by the Thomas B.
America's Best (and Worst) Cities for School Choice
Priscilla Wohlstetter, Ph.D., Dara Zeehandelaar Shaw, Ph.D., David GriffithMore than twelve million American students exercise some form of school choice by going to a charter, magnet, or private school——instead of attending a traditional public school.
Building education's watershed moment
Robert PondiscioAt the beginning of the twentieth century, the average American lived to be about 50 years old.
NEW from Fordham: Is EngageNY uncommonly engaging?
The Education GadflySince we at Fordham began reviewing state academic standards in 1997, we have understood—and made clear—that standards alone are insufficient to drive improvements in student achievement.
Uncommonly Engaging? A Review of the EngageNY English Language Arts Common Core Curriculum
Elizabeth Haydel, Sheila Byrd CarmichaelThe need for standards-aligned curricula is the most cited Common Core challenge for states, districts, and schools. Yet five years into that implementation, teachers still report scrambling to find high-quality instructional materials. Despite publishers’ claims, there is a dearth of programs that are truly aligned to the demands of the Common Core for content and rigor.
Getting College and Career Ready During State Transition Toward the Common Core State Standards
Jane SongPromising early signs that the standards are working. Jane Song
Review: Brookings analyzes opt-outs and teacher evaluations
Jessica PoinerWhat is the critical mass of opt-outs and to what might it lead?
Not meeting standards: A warning light, not a death sentence
Michael J. PetrilliMisunderstanding Common Core’s aspirational nature. Michael J. Petrilli
Ten arguments against Common Core presidential hopefuls should avoid
Tim ShanahanAn open letter to the candidates. Tim Shanahan
EdReports.org
Victoria McDougaldA great resource fact-checks textbooks’ “Common Core-aligned” claims. Victoria Sears
GreatKids Milestones
Robert PondiscioA new video series shows what it looks like when your kid meets Common Core benchmarks. Robert Pondiscio
Moral facts and the Common Core
Kathleen Porter-MageeJust when you thought we’d run out of things to blame on the standards. Kathleen Porter-Magee
No time to lose on early reading
Robert PondiscioThis post has been updated with the full text of "No time to lose on early reading"
CPAC's Common Core vaudeville show
Robert PondiscioI’d like to see Bobby Jindal use a teleprompter the next time he attacks Common Core. I’d like to be reassured he knows how to read.
America's Millennials: Overeducated and unprepared
Robert PondiscioA sobering new report says our most educated generation still can’t compete. Robert Pondiscio