Commentary
Fordham Institute media statement on Ohio report cards 2015-16
School report cards offer important view of student achievement - critical that schools be given continuity moving forward
Topics
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 9/14/16 - Chad Aldis knows what he's talking about in regard to saving money
The State Auditor (that guy!) released a financial performance audit of Cincinnati City Schools earlier this week. He’s got a recommendation or two to help the district save $11 million. Our own Chad Aldis is quoted helpfully as encouraging the district to do so.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 9/12/16 - Many online schools in Ohio seems to have similar "bugs" in their attendance trackers
As one might have expected, the kerfuffle between Ohio’s largest online school and the department of education over an attendance audit did not remain contained between those two entities.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 9/9/16 - Mr. Trump goes to Cleveland
In case you missed it, Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump visited Cleveland yesterday and spoke at a charter school in the city. The candidate’s remarks were mainly about education plans and promises should we elect him to the top office.
Commentary
How to diversify gifted and talented programs without dismantling them
We should all know by now that the “differentiation in the regular classroom” model doesn’t work in practice.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 9/7/16 - Mohip delivers his Academic Recovery Plan for Youngstown
The ongoing kerfuffle between Ohio’s largest online school and the Ohio Department of Education regarding the parameters of an attendance audit is not exactly on the boil at the moment. More of a medium simmer.
Commentary
Advanced Education, Curriculum & Instruction
Reflections on gifted education from the Olympics, part 2: What we can contribute
Throughout the recent Olympic Games, I reflected on the parallels between elite-level athletics and gifted education, and I thought how much we could learn about developing exceptional ability from what we saw during those two weeks.
Commentary
Measurement and policy problems in teacher compensation
How does teaching stack up to other occupations in terms of compensation?
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 9/2/16 - Everything is awesome when you're part of the panel on All Sides with Ann Fisher
A broader-than-usual list of guests, including our own Chad Aldis, appeared on All Sides with Ann Fisher earlier this week, talking about charter school oversight in Ohio. It was awesome, without any reservations at all from me. You should all love it. (WOSU-FM, Columbus, 8/31/16)
Commentary
Advanced Education
Bursting the proficiency bubble: How to stop neglecting low-income high achievers
By Brandon L. Wright
Commentary
Advanced Education
Starting the school year on a positive note: Five key suggestions for parents
The new school year is on the horizon, and you’re already feeling somewhat apprehensive. You know that transitions are a challenge for your gifted child— whether it’s a new school, a new grade level, a new teacher, or all of the above. You want to make sure that your child’s new teacher understands that your gifted child has learning needs that differ from others.
Commentary
Advanced Education
States should use ESSA to do right by high-achieving students
By Chester E. Finn, Jr.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/31/16 - Charter sponsor evaluations in the news
The dulcet tones of our own Chad Aldis are included in this public media report noting that three other online charter schools are staring down the barrel of the same type of attendance audit the state’s largest online school is currently contesting in myriad wa
Commentary
The High Flyer takes off
A robust communications channel for gifted education has taken flight. Designed to illuminate conversations on gifted and talented children and mobilize support for them to reach their potential, The High Flyer is a unique collaboration between the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and the Thomas B.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/29/16 - Big Brother is watching in the town of Liberty...and chuckling ironically
The Dispatch took an interesting look at the demographics of students using the EdChoice Scholarship in Ohio and found a disconnect between the number of eligible black students and the number of black students actually using vouchers.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/29/16 - JEOC to the rescue!
Mike Feinberg, co-founder of KIPP, was in Cleveland this week for an event. The folks at public radio’s Sound of Ideas had Feinberg and Breakthrough Schools’ president John Zitzner as guests that morning, talking about the state of Ohio charter schools.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/24/16 - Common sense appears to be in short supply
While it seems that the question of “worst-run” state government entity in Ohio has been settled for the time being, maybe “most boring” is up for grabs again? After the Funeral Board went into overload last year, I was pretty sure that the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) had the title locked down.
Report
Charter Schools
Pathway to Success: Columbus Collegiate Academy embodies high expectations for all students
Columbus Collegiate Academy (CCA) epitomizes the relentlessness and vision necessary to close achievement gaps in urban education. Started in the basement of a church with 57 students in 2008, CCA evolved into one of the city’s top-performing middle schools.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/22/16 - Appreciation of the CEO's efforts in Youngstown
Late last week, the Ohio Department of Education announced the first ever recipients of state grants for charter school facilities. Given the stringent quality criteria, we are proud that two schools sponsored by Fordham are among the winners.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/19/16 - New school year catch up edition
Ohio Auditor Dave Yost (yes, him again) convened the first ever statewide Charter School Summit in Columbus last week. There were workshops and keynotes and heavy hitters; it was great to welcome folks the caliber of Geoffrey Canada and Steve Perry to our city. It was, as the auditor said in his opening remarks, a chance to celebrate great charter schools in Ohio.
Commentary
Charter Schools
Fordham Institute congratulates winners of Ohio’s $25 million competitive grant for charter school facilities
Today, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission announced eight winners in the state’s inaugural round of funding to charter schools to purchase, construct, or renovate classroom facilities.
Commentary
Ohio’s family score reports badly miss the mark
Ohio has developed one of the nation’s best school report cards, packed with data and clear A–F ratings for schools and districts. In this light, the reports that parents receive on their own children’s state exam performance are doubly disappointing.
Commentary
Fordham Institute media statement on Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost’s Ohio Charter School Summit remarks
Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost calls for “learning-based” funding approach for e-schools
Commentary
What is competency-based funding, and how could Ohio implement it?
Competency-based education has attracted attention as a “disruptive innovation” that could remake American schools.
Commentary
Where are Ohio’s teachers when we need them?
Chronic absenteeism among students elicits serious concern for good reason. When pupils miss many days of school, they risk falling behind.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/8/16 - Good news and (mostly) bad news in Ohio education clips
There are five seasons here in central Ohio: winter, spring, summer, back-to-school whining, and fall. Guess which one we’re in now? [OHIO EDUCATION GADFLY PUTS ON SCREECHY VOICE] “The school year is starting toooooooooo early nowadays.
Commentary
Some Assembly Required: Piecing Together the Preparation Preschool Teachers Need
The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) recently reviewed one hundred of the nation’s pre-K teacher prep programs, attempting to answer whether pre-K teacher candidates are being taught what they need to know to be effective in their future jobs.[1] The answer is, largely, no.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/5/16 - The haves and the have-nots in Lorain
It’s Friday. Time to update you on the seemingly-endless kerfuffle between Ohio’s largest online school and the state department of education regarding the school’s ongoing attendance audit.
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/3/16 - Sheriff Mohip and Deputy Olverson are cleaning up Youngstown together
The Dispatch took a look at Fordham’s latest report – a pretty downbeat assessment of Ohio’s online schools. (Columbus Dispatch, 8/2/16)
Commentary
Gadfly Bites 8/1/16 - School transportation in Youngstown not up to snuff
We’ve already told you about the compliance portion of Ohio’s newest charter sponsor evaluation process. That flag requirement is always good for a laugh.