A new campus for KIPP
Theda SampsonFantastic things are happening for students in central Ohio's KIPP school.
Groundhog Day: The only thing missing is Bill Murray
Chad L. AldisRepeated failures of charter schools around Ohio seem endless; some hope may be around the corner.
School choice keeps families in the city
Jeff MurraySchool choice marketplace in one Columbus neighborhood, all in the name of urban stability.
First Bell 2-18-14
Elisabeth HoysonA first look at today's most important education news:North Carolina Superior Court judge will hear the case against allowing student opportunity grants for use in private, religious schools.Illinois legislature begins to rew
Smarter Balanced assessments: A big moment for our schools
I began my career as an inner-city elementary teacher because I was dedicated to helping students succeed. Listening to them and helping them improve to meet their goals was at the heart of my work. Today, as the executive director of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, I feel that passion more deeply than at any point in my career.
The Common Core sanity check of the day: Estimation is not a fuzzy math skill
Michael J. PetrilliOops, he did it again.
SIG: The disaster continues
Yesterday, I jokingly tweeted that since today would be a snowy Friday before a holiday weekend, the U.S. Department of Education would probably release SIG data.
Stuff to read while you’re snowed in
Nothing helps pass the time better when you’re snowed in than some high-quality edu-reading. Here’s some of the best stuff I’ve come across recently.
Universal enrollment and the potential for a perfect school-choice marketplace
Jeff MurrayCharter High Schools’ Effects on Long-Term Attainment and Earnings
Andrew McDonnellIn the midst of short-term and mostly small-scale snapshots measuring charter quality, this new Mathematica study brings a more panoramic portrait. Using longitudinal data, the authors sought to determine whether charter-school enrollment is indeed related to student success.
Ten map meditations on economic mobility
For a couple weeks now, I’ve been obsessing over this map. It’s the product of a remarkable research project that collected and analyzed the incomes of the thirty-year olds who were born between 1980 and 1982.
Lies, damned lies, and the Common Core
Michael J. PetrilliIf you want to understand why supporters of the Common Core are frustrated—OK, exasperated—by some of our opponents’ seemingly unlimited willingness to engage in dishonest debate, consider this latest episode.
A New Frontier: Utilizing Charter Schooling to Strengthen Rural Education
Aaron ChurchillWith thirty-two cities across the nation placing more than 20 percent of their students in charter schools, it is clear that chartering has changed the face of urban education. But what about students from rural areas?
The standardized test as Tocquevillian device
This is a cliché by now, but the public schools where I live are producing test takers: pretty good ones, as far as the numbers show. At parent night at the beginning of the school year, we were introduced to a curricular program explicitly built around “assessments”—the new euphemism, I gather; maybe it intimidates less.
School choice and accountability: Finding the right balance
Charles L Glenn, Jr.Editor’s note: This article wades into the ongoing debate over private school choice and public accountability.
Netflix Academy: The best streaming videos on Colonial America
Michael J. PetrilliNote: This post is part of our series, "Netflix Academy: The best educational videos available for streaming." Be sure to check out our previous Netflix Academy posts on
National School Choice Week: A time to recognize outstanding choices
Chad L. AldisWe recognize 25 of the best charter schools in Ohio.
Charter lessons for school choice, including accountability via authorizers
Yesterday at AEI’s terrific conference on “encouraging new and better schools” via school-choice programs, I presented a paper on
The Ticket
Elisabeth HoysonAt less than an hour, this documentary, directed by Choice Media founder Bob Bowdon, provides a digestible overview of school choice and how it impacts families. The film’s slightly hokey structure is a transcontinental exploration of school choice by train.
Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Charter School Laws
Aaron ChurchillA state’s laws and policies set the conditions for a thriving charter-school environment. Good policy can ensure that public charters have access to the resources they need and the freedom to innovate, while also ensuring accountability for academic outcomes. But not all state charter laws are created equal.
Replicating Quality: Policy Recommendations to Support the Replication and Growth of High-Performing Charter Schools and Networks
Kathryn Mullen UptonWe take a look at Public Impact's recent publication of ten policy recommendations to foster growth of successful charters.
Focus on success, not just improvement
Lisa Graham KeeganI have been blessed with a few decades worth of work in education policy, and I have never seen a moment with more potential.