A price tag on misbehavior? An embattled Chicago charter network isn’t alone
Adam EmersonA charter network's practice of charging fees for misbehavior has precedence in some Catholic school codes of conduct.
Embracing the Common Core - Michael Cohen Presentation
Mike Cohen, president of Achieve, spoke to the specifics of PARCC (the assessment consortia Ohio joined last fall) and warned that the implementation of the new standards in ELA and math will not be easy and that districts should start the implementation process now.
Embracing the Common Core - Stan Heffner Presentation
Among the speakers at the event was State Superintendent Stan Heffner who stressed that the system Ohio currently has is letting kids down and not preparing them for the future. He went on to emphasize that the Common Core gives us the opportunity and chance to do better for our kids and we must capitalize on that.
Obama’s education record
Michael J. PetrilliA new EdNext article looks at Obama's education record after four years in the White House.
Big-government business leaders?
Chester E. Finn, Jr.If the 2012 election were to be decided on the basis of federal education policy, chalk up another significant gain for President Obama, as the titans of American business come down foursquare for yesterday's reform agenda.
10 steps to removing governance obstacles to K-12 online learning
Tyson EberhardtThe latest paper in Fordham's Creating Sound Policy for Digital Learning series examines the challenges our education governance system poses to reaching online learning's potential.
ESEA waivers: Are they worth the trouble?
Michael J. PetrilliWith the deadline for the next round of ESEA "Waiverpalooza" looming, states may be better off scrapping their applications.
The Gadfly Daily’s week in review
The Education GadflyCatching up on Fordham’s blogs from the week of 2-6-12
The Gadfly Daily’s week in review
The Education GadflyCatching up on Fordham’s blogs for the week of 2-6-12
America’s reform challenge
Michael J. PetrilliIt’s not that the wrong people are in charge. It’s that nobody’s in charge.
What's holding back America's science performance?
While business leaders rue the lack of American workers skilled enough in math and science to meet the needs of an increasingly high-tech economy, the situation may be growing even grimmer. The latest installment of TIMSS showed stagnation in U.S. science achievement, and the 2009 NAEP science assessment found that only 21 percent of American twelfth-graders met the proficiency bar. Yet while the gravity of the problem is clear, the root cause is not. Is our science curriculum lacking? Is it being squeezed out by an emphasis on math and reading? Is there a problem with our pedagogy? Are our teachers ill-prepared? Or are we simply expecting too little of teachers and students alike? Coinciding with its new review of state science standards, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute will bring together experts with very different perspectives to engage this crucial question: "What's holding back America's science performance?" Watch the discussion with UVA psychologist Dan Willingham, NCTQ President Kate Walsh, Fordham's Kathleen Porter-Magee, Project Lead the Way's Anne Jones, and Achieve, Inc.'s Stephen Pruitt.
Overcoming the Governance Challenge in K-12 Online Learning
John E. ChubbIn this paper, John Chubb examines how local school district control retards the widespread use of instructional technologies. He argues that the surest way to break down the system’s inherent resistance to technology is to shift control from the local district—and thus the school board—and put it in the hands of states. Download the paper to read the ten steps Chubb argues will get us to this brave new governance system.
Obama’s coming "flexibility" debacle
Michael J. Petrilli4 predictions on the President and his education secretary's plans renege on their promise of “flexibility” for the states.
Jack Jennings and a half-century of school reform
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Federal programs then, now and forever.
The sorry state of state science standards
Chester E. Finn, Jr., Kathleen Porter-MageeAre we serious about our STEM challenges or not?
The test score hypothesis
Michael J. PetrilliWhy focusing solely on reading, math, and science could actually make the U.S. less economically competitive.
The State of State Science Standards 2012
Tyson EberhardtFordham's latest report evaluates each state's science standards--and finds most of them sorely lacking.
The State of State Science Standards 2012
American science performance is lagging as the economy becomes increasingly high tech, but our current science standards are doing little to solve the problem.
The Gadfly Daily’s week in review
A look back at some of Fordham’s best posts for the week of January 23, 2012.
Washington insiders favor ESEA flexibility in theory but not in reality
Michael J. PetrilliIt turns out that many in the education world want to change federal policy in theory but not in reality.
Are Bad Schools Immortal?
When it comes to low-performing schools, we seem to be witnessing the same thing over and over—not unlike the classic movie, Groundhog Day.Ground Hog Day A recent study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute tracked about 2,000 low-performing schools and found that the vast majority of them remained open and remained low-performing after five years. Very few were significantly improved. So, are failing schools fixable? Join the Thomas B. Fordham Institute for a lively and provocative debate about that question. Fordham VP Mike Petrilli will moderate, and the discussion will be informed, in part, by Fordham's study, Are Bad Schools Immortal? The Scarcity of Turnarounds and Shutdowns in Both Charter and District Sectors.
Can schools rekindle the American work ethic?
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Encouraging hard work in the nanny state.
Graduating to a new conversation of parental choice
Choice Words' new editor Adam Emerson outlines the need for a reinvented dialogue on school choice.
Charter school teachers would be hit hard by new Treasury Department ruling on pensions
Guest bloggers Michael Podgursky, Stuart Buck, and Renita Thukral explain why proposed regulations would have a "dramatic and detrimental effect" on the ability of charters to accomplish their education goals.
The Gadfly Daily’s week in review
Writers on the Gadfly Daily blogs analyzed issues from around the country this week, discussing everything from the lessons that the Louisiana Recovery School District has to offer to the tough talk coming from
The challenges of charter-district collaboration
Cooperation between charter and district schools has potential, but Fordham’s bloggers highlighted a few reasons for concern.