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Finn forum
Only yesterday, Fordham's Checker Finn chatted on-line about his new book, Troublemaker, and about innumerable topics of burning significance, with Ed Week readers. Check out the transcript here.
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Finn testifies on NCLB
Read Checker Finn's June 7 NCLB testimony before the House Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee here.
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Firefights in L.A.
Los Angeles Superintendent (and former Navy admiral) David Brewer III wrote in a recent Los Angeles Times op-ed that anyone reading about the city's schools probably thinks "not a single thing is going right and that nothing is happening to fix what's wrong." Some things are indeed going right, including charter schools, which are trying to gain a bigger role in the C
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Five minutes, Dad!
This week, Mike and Rick chirp about Fenty's haircut, strategies for good HOUSSEkeeping, and whether Bangalore is the new Cambridge. We've got an interview with Andy Smarick that will rock your socks, and News of the Weird isn't hurting anybody, man. If this 20-minute podcast is played in a forest, and nobody hears it, do bears have computers? Think about it.
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Flexing some union muscle. . .
There's nothing like a little old-fashioned blackmail. . . . The Wall Street Journal reports that education unions are increasingly turning to powerful allies in their fight against education privatization and outsourcing: public employee retirement funds and their billions of investment dollars.
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Florida puts on its thinking "cap"
Florida has been “reconsidering” its state constitutional class size amendment since…2002, a.k.a. the year it was passed by voters.
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Flypaper sticks more ideas
In case you hadn't noticed, the Fordham Ohio team has started contributing to the Institute's blog, Flypaper. They've already added some stellar content and are sure to continue doing so in the future.
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Follow the money
Have strong communication skills, a deep interest in philanthropy, and two or more years of experience in K-12 education? Then you may be just the candidate sought by the Philanthropy Roundtable to fill its deputy director of K-12 education programs position.
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Fordham and the AFT: Together on NCLB!
The latest issue of the AFT's American Educator features an article about Fordham's Proficiency Illusion report, which showed state tests and their definitions of "proficiency" are all over the map in terms of difficulty. Read it here.
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Fordham descends from the ivory tower
On August 26 from 3:30-5pm, join us for a presentation and discussion of our recently published reflection on authorizing charter schools in Ohio.
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Fordham does charters and vouchers
In our next edition of the Great Debate series, Kevin Carey, John Kirtley, Gerard Robinson, and Susan Zelman will discuss "With charter schools ascendant, is there still a future for vouchers?" Mike Petrilli will moderate. It's happening on August 19 from 4 to 5:30 pm. RSVP to Amy Fagan at [email protected].
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Fordham enters the future
As astute Gadfly readers and Fordham watchers have no doubt noticed, in recent months we've introduced ever more media products for your education policy pleasure. First (after Gadfly itself) came our Education Gadfly Show podcast (two full years ago!).
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Fordham event: national education standards
Our upcoming event “National Education Standards circa 2009” is sold out! But don’t fret, you can watch the proceedings via live webcast on our website www.edexcellence.net on the day of the event.
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Fordham fêtes
On Wednesday, February 6th, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., we're hosting a Fordham open house (at 1016 16th St.
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Fordham is lots of things, but hypocrite is not one of them
Dayton Daily News ran two articles over the weekend illustrating a frustrating dichotomy when it comes to charter school quality in Ohio.
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Fordham's charter school sponsorship contract 2.0
Next school year marks the Fordham Foundation’s fifth year as a charter school sponsor in Ohio. We currently have four schools up for renewal of their original sponsorship agreements (aka, charters).
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Fordham's hostile takeover
Mike and Rick tackle Duncan’s secret RTTT panels, the impact of Obama’s “spending freeze,” and leadership voids in a few left-of-center ed policy shops. Then Amber explains the new OECD findings and Rate that Reform goes red.
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Forget Al Sharpton
This week, Mike and Rick debate D.C. vouchers, L.A. walkout, and PA exit exams. Jeff Kuhner defends an accused terrorist, and Education News of the Weird is the blade that stands up gets mowed down. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.
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Forgive me, Father
This week, Mike and Rick talk about NAEP, militant Miami soccer moms, and a Fordham report's long-lost twin. Our interview is holier than thou, and News of the Weird goes Sub-Saharan. Click here to listen through our website and view past editions.
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Formulaic literature
Should computer algorithms determine our national English curriculum? That’s what E.D. Hirsch wants to know when he raises this shockingly relevant--if absurd--question in his evaluation of the draft “Common Core” college-ready standards. The standards, in his view, have several pluses.
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For the good of us all
Common Good has set up a new webpage, EdWatch, that tracks "recent news and commentary illustrating how laws, rules, and regulations are affecting public education." It's well worth checking out.
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Foundation to reward outside-the-box education reformers
The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation this week announced the creation of two annual $25,000 prizes to be awarded to individuals who have made extraordinary accomplishments in education scholarship and reform. The Foundation is seeking nominations for these new prizes, which will first be awarded in January 2003. A prize committee will choose the winners.
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Fractions are-a-multiplying
At the release of the National Math Panel report last month, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics president Prancis "Skip" Fennel-pollen argued that just as "plastics" was the catchword of The Graduate, "fractions" should be the catchword for today's teachers.
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Free Publication
Schoolwide reform is capturing the attention of policymakers, parents and educators across the nation, and Congress is appropriating huge sums to promote the adoption of dozens of "whole school" designs. But how to choose among these designs? Better By Design, written by distinguished journalist James Traub and published by the Thomas B.
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Disturbing trend: Reformers as compliance police
Once upon a time, centrist school reform had a single, overriding theme: accountability for results. This was apparent in the standards movement, with its focus on delineating clear expectations for all students, the achievement of which was to be measured by rigorous tests and linked to real consequences for adults.
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Everyone needs a veep
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is searching for a vice president for quality and growth. It sounds like a fine opportunity, about which more information can be gleaned by clicking here.
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Field Notes: Kafka, the sequel
I knew as soon as we had finished saying the Pledge that it could be an interesting school board meeting: there were only four members present, which (because we were a 7-member board) meant that we had to have unanimous consent to pass any resolution, including, as we would soon learn, convening a meeting. A motion to accept the agenda was made and seconded.
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Field notes: Through the special ed looking glass
While Mike was reporting that special education spending was “heading toward one-third” of all school outlays, I was listening to a report from our school district’s special education director who said she didn’t really know how much it cost
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Fordham Event! The Grape Debate
Red or green? Seeds or seedless? Concord or cabernet? Join us on Saturday afternoon for this stemwinder of a discussion. The debate will feature our own Deanne Ravaged taking on everybody else. Reception to follow, featuring a carefully chosen selection of the fruit of the vine.