Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Common Core implementation: Let’s not lose the forest for the trees
Let's not gloss the challenges of transitioning to Common Core
Commentary
Advanced Education
Unsolved problems—and signs of hope—as 2012 dawns
The central problem besetting K-12 education in the United States today is still—as for almost thirty years now—that far too few of our kids are learning nearly enough for their own or the nation’s good. And the gains we’ve made, though well worth making, have been meager (and largely confined to math), are trumped by gains in other countries, and evaporate by the end of high school.
Commentary
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
All Over the Map: Comparing States’ Expectations for Student Performance in Science
The Proficiency Illusion, science edition
Report
Accountability & Testing
Fwd: How Are Dayton's Charter Schools Doing?
The second edition of Fwd: Arresting Insights in Education summarizes Ohio state report card data for Dayton's district and charter public schools. Despite some recent gains, the phrase academic emergency continues to characterize the majority of Dayton's public schools. Also, youngsters in Dayton's charter schools outperformed their district peers on the 4th and 6th grade proficiency tests -- a finding that flies in the face of recent assertions that charter school students are learning less.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Schooling in the Workplace: How Six of the World’s Best Vocational Education Systems Prepare Young People for Jobs and Life
America: Take notes
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
How about better parents? Ask Clarence Lee
Peter Meyer reflects on Tom Friedman's column about parents and education.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Teacher Prep Falls Short
To improve student learning in Ohio, and in other states, we need to improve the quality of our teaching force.
Report
Accountability & Testing
The Common Core and the Future of Student Assessment in Ohio
Ohio adopted the Common Core standards in ELA and math in June 2010, but now stands at a crossroad in making sure statewide assessments are aligned to those standards. Ohio is a participating member in two federally funded assessment consortia—the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) and the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC)--but is a decision-maker in neither. This primer outlines both consortia and suggests that Ohio make a decision soon to begin the massive reboot required to realign assessments, professional development, and accountability systems to match the Common Core.
Report
Accountability & Testing
2010-11 Ohio Report Card Analysis
Each year, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute conducts an analysis of student achievement in Ohio's Big 8 urban districts and charter schools. 2010-2011's analysis looks at performance, growth (as measured by value-added), growth over time, comparisons between students in district schools, charters (and charters by type and authorizer type), e-schools, and more.
