Displaying 1-30 of 34 results
Commentary
12.13.2011
Charter Schools

Is there an Act II for David Brennan the Revolutionary?

Chester E. Finn, Jr., Terry Ryan

Recent news that White Hat, the big, Ohio-based, profit-seeking charter school operator, faces financial problems was surely received as an early Christmas present by many long-time charter opponents, particularly within the Buckeye State. The company?s founder and leader, Akron industrialist David Brennan, has been a larger-than-life-target for school choice foes since Governor George Voinovich appointed him in 1992 to head a commission intended to advance choice in Ohio k-12 education.

Commentary
12.13.2011
Charter Schools

Incubate to promulgate

Terry Ryan

Since 2005, Fordham has been working in Ohio to recruit high quality charter schools to neighborhoods badly in need of better schools. During our six-plus years of effort as a charter authorizer we have managed to recruit just two high-performing models to Columbus (KIPP and a BES school).

Commentary
12.9.2011
Charter Schools

Charter school incubation 101

View the footage from the Fordham & CEE-Trust charter incubation panel discussion, "Driving Quality."

Commentary
11.30.2011
Charter Schools

Romancing the stone

A charter-like governance arrangement for LAUSD

Commentary
11.28.2011
Charter Schools

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Fordham Sponsorship 2010-11 Year in Review

Terry Ryan, Kathryn Mullen

Since their inception in 1997, charter schools have been at the center of some of the most politically contentious debates about education in Ohio. The past year offered yet another example of charter school controversy, but this time with a twist. The 2010 elections were very good for Buckeye State Republicans, with John Kasich winning the governor?s race (replacing Ted Strickland who had been a charter adversary throughout his four-year term). Republicans also took control of the House while expanding their majority in the Senate.

Report
11.22.2011
Charter Schools

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Fordham's 2010-11 Sponsorship Accountability Report

Kathryn Mullen Upton, Terry Ryan

The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation is pleased to share its latest annual Sponsorship Accountability Report, Two Steps Forward, One Step Back. The sixth of its kind, the report reflects on Ohio??s charter school policy environment and the performance of Fordham sponsored charter schools ??? in terms of absolute achievement, growth, and adherence to goals set forth in our authorizing contract ??? as well as developments in state law over the year. Despite some tough battles during the state budget as it relates to holding authorizers (and operators) accountable, overall Fordham and its schools had an encouraging year, with Fordham sponsored-charters making achievement gains and positioning themselves to do even better in the future.

Commentary
11.21.2011
Charter Schools

Suffering schools should learn to do more with less

As school levies fail across central Ohio, I am concerned and disappointed to see so many school districts quickly threaten to reduce the quality of our children?s education. Providing an excellent education for our children may be the single most important thing we can do as responsible citizens.

Commentary
11.17.2011
Charter Schools

From talking the talk to walking the walk of urban school choice

Emmy L. Partin

Fordham has been involved in the arena of school choice in Ohio at virtually every level for the past decade, except that of a parent. Issues of school choice and the quality (or not) of urban schools have been a big part of my professional life the last five years. Now, they are front and center in my personal life, too.

Report
10.21.2011
Charter Schools

Ohio's Education Reform Challenges: Lessons from the Frontlines

Mike Lafferty, Chester E. Finn, Jr., Terry Ryan

Fordham has been both an advocate of choice and an authorizer of charter schools serving some of Ohio's neediest students. This book describes and analyzes our efforts, successes and failures, and what we think it means for others committed to school reform.

Commentary
10.17.2011
Charter Schools

Is school choice a worthy end in itself?

Bianca Speranza

The Columbus Dispatch ran competing op-eds by School Choice Ohio's (SCO) Chad Aldis and Fordham's Terry Ryan on the expansion of vouchers in the Buckeye State. Both Aldis and Ryan support the expansion of school choice programs in Ohio, but how the state should hold these new programs accountable for their academic performance and even whether it should do so is contentious.

Commentary
9.2.2011
Charter Schools

E-school performance in the Buckeye State

Bianca Speranza

This week we took a look at what impact, if any, charter authorizer type (e.g., non-profit, educational service center, school district, or university) has on a school's academic performance, how

Commentary
8.12.2011
Charter Schools

Head of Cleveland NAACP to turn around failing charter school

Jamie Davies O'Leary

File this under pieces of news that confuse my emotions. Rev. Stanley Miller, executive director of the Cleveland NAACP, is leaving that post to take on an area charter school ? a very terrible one to be specific (Marcus Garvey Academy). I am equal parts inspired by this move (Rev. Miller is a 63-year old whose heart is undoubtedly in the right place) and cynical.

Commentary
6.28.2011
Charter Schools

Ed reform victories in Ohio budget

Emmy L. Partin

A legislative conference committee has reported out its version of Ohio's next operating budget.?? The Senate and House are expected to approve the committee's report today and tomorrow, with Governor Kasich signing it into law Thursday.??

Commentary
3.17.2011
Charter Schools

Congratulations (Columbus, Ohio) KIPPsters!

A big congratulations to KIPP Journey Academy students McKeala Hudson and Michael Robinson, who were recently accepted into the KIPP STEP Summer Program at Deerfield Academy! Yes, that Deerfield Academy ?