To address teacher shortages, Ohio needs better data

Over the last few years, dozens of Ohio school districts have expressed growing concern

Are Ohio’s student achievement goals ambitious enough?

In the education world, the last couple months have been awash in news and commentary about sagging student achievement in the wake of the pandemic.

Testimony given before the state board of education--11/15/22

NOTE: Today, the state board of education heard public comment on a pending resolution which would call for the elimination of the 

Ohio leaders need to stand firm on early literacy

If you’ve been paying attention to education headlines this fall, you’ve likely noticed a spate of think pieces and analyses

It’s time to shine a light on Ohio’s Resident Educator Program

Starting a teaching career is no easy feat. There are students and staff to get to know, curricula to learn, school routines and expectations to get acquainted with, and a host of other challenges. For many novice teachers, the first few years can be overwhelming enough to push them out of the profession entirely.

Do the math: How to maximize the benefits of ability grouping

The grouping of students into smaller, more homogeneous cohorts is a widespread instructional strategy utilized in elementary classrooms across the country. It is intended to boost the academic outcomes of all students through instruction targeted at an appropriate level, be that remedial or advanced or somewhere in between.

Could scholarships and loan forgiveness help Ohio diversify the teaching profession?

Research is clear that a more diverse teaching force can improve a wide range of student

Ohio’s dismal NAEP results demand an assertive policy response

Every two years, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) checks the pulse of students’ math and reading achievement across the United States. After a one-year hiatus, the U.S. Department of Education released its latest data from tests given to a representative sample of students in early 2022.

National assessment data show impact of pandemic on Ohio students; policymakers need to redouble academic recovery efforts

Today, the United States Department of Education released data from the 2022 round of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the “Nation’s Report Card.” These assessments are given to a representative sample of students from every state and provides one of the most comprehensive looks at student achievement across the nation.

Will Ohio’s suburban schools slip into academic mediocrity?

Last month, we looked at the recently released state assessment data from the 2021–22 school year. The results are sobering: Student achievement remains depressed in the wake of the pandemic, and gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers have widened.

Examining report card results for districts that were under academic distress

In the summer of 2021, Ohio lawmakers caved to political pressure and created an off-ramp for the three districts under an Academic Distress Com

“Social promotion” returns without a state reading requirement

For the better part of the past decade, Ohio has required schools to hold back third graders who do not meet state reading standards.

A closer look at early literacy results on state report cards

A few weeks ago, Ohio released state report cards for the 2021–22 school year.

Assessing the academic wreckage of the pandemic in Ohio

The past two school years have been anything but normal due to pandemic disruptions, with student achievement showing the strain.

Annual Ohio exams paint mixed picture of post-pandemic academic recovery

Editor’s 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.

Fordham Institute media statement on Ohio report card release

Today, the Ohio Department of Education released its annual report cards for the 2021-22 school year. For two decades, report cards have shined a light on pupil achievement and provided parents and communities with an important check on student progress.

Adding up the impact: A meta-analysis of summer math interventions

While some evidence indicates a return

How can Ohio turnaround its lowest-performing schools? VIRTUAL EVENT

A few years ago, in the midst of debates over academic distress commissions (ADCs), Governor DeWine said “The state has a moral obligation to help intervene on behalf of students stuck in failing schools.”

Why and how Ohio should tackle teacher wellness

The mental health crisis has been a persistent headline over the last few years, as research and

How to make Ohio’s state test results more useful to parents

Earlier this month, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) sent family score reports to school districts.

Investing in the teacher workforce

Fall 2021 tests show Ohio students are making up lost ground—but big gaps remain

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.

ODE should rework its exit criteria, again

In 2015, federal lawmakers passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, the main K–12 education law of the land. Under this statute, states must submit an “ESSA plan” that describes how they intend to implement the provisions. In 2018, the U.S.

Testimony presented before the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on HB 497—May 24, 2022

NOTE: On May 24, 2022, the Ohio House of Representatives’ Primary and Secondary Education Committee heard testimony on a bill to eliminate a key aspect of state’s

Can Ohio clean up its teacher pension mess?

Ohio’s teacher pension system is woefully underfunded, imposes significant costs on teachers and schools, and shortc

The romance versus the reality of teacher pensions

Pensions, a promise of guaranteed lifetime income for retirees, have been around since antiquity.

What do teachers know about their retirement benefits?

How many teachers know even the basics about their retirement plan? Too few according to a recent study by Dillon Fuchsman of Saint Louis University and Josh McGee and Gema Zemarro of the University of Arkansas.

The ADC off-ramp is already letting districts shortchange students

Last year, lawmakers caved to political pressure and created an easy off-ramp for the three districts currently under Academic Distress Commissi