Fordham Institute media statement on school report cards
Ohio Education GadflyToday, the Ohio Department of Education released annual report cards for Ohio’s 610 school districts and roughly 3,500 public schools. Based on data from the 2018-19 school year, report cards include a user-friendly, overall rating along with component ratings that provide additional context.
Testimony given before the Senate Education Committee on substitute House Bill 154—9/10/19
Chad L. AldisNOTE: Today the Ohio Senate’s Education Committee heard testimony on a substitute version of House Bill 154, addressing
Ohio’s voucher testing changes might worry special needs advocates
Jessica PoinerWhen President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law back in December 2015, it marke
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 9.6.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayAn on-the-ground perspective from California
The Mountain Ahead: A report on the college and career readiness of Ohio students
Aaron ChurchillAcross the nation, headlines have trumpeted soaring high-school graduation rates. Ohio is no exception. Lofty rates leave the impression that the vast majority of students are ready to take their next steps in life. But the truth is that too many students exit high school not fully prepared for college and career.
Three school turnaround lessons to learn from Tennessee
Jessica PoinerSince 2005, Ohio has intervened in persistently-low performing school districts by establishing new leadership via an
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 8.30.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff Murray“A lot of people have strong opinions on both sides.”
Ohio needs a better process for improving poor-performing schools
Chad L. AldisPublic education is no stranger to controversy. Whether it’s standardized testing, academic standards, graduation requirements, charter schools or school funding, discussion and disputation are part of the deal.
Three key questions Ohio’s school report card committee should answer
Aaron ChurchillSchool report cards, the primary mechanism through which Ohio maintains transparency and accountability for academic outcomes, have been a hotly debated topic. Critics argue that the ratings track too closely with pupil demographics, some decry the shift to the more transparent and easily understood A–F rating system, while still others are just unhappy with the results.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 8.16.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayCharter student enrollment numbers decline again
A culture of coaching
Mark ComanducciNOTE: 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.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 8.9.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayIn honor of the waning of summer, this week’s edition consists of vacation/beach reads for charter school leaders. News you can definitely use to fill those last long, lingering evenings.
Time to bring the value back into Ohio’s “value added” school grades
Vladimir Kogan, Stéphane LavertuNOTE: 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.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 8.2.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurraySeparate, underfunded, wrongly-maligned
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 7.26.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayCharter schools in Ohio, post-budget
Ohio is fast becoming a great place for quality charter schools
Aaron ChurchillFor many years, first-rate charter networks looked at Ohio and immediately “swiped left.” Sadly, the state’s charter sector had a well-earned reputation for mediocre performance, was too often mired in
Getting to college is only half the battle
NOTE: The Thomas B. Fordham Institute occasionally publishes guest commentaries. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of Fordham.
Tell high school students the truth about college readiness
Aaron ChurchillProficient (adj.): “Well advanced in an art, occupation, or branch of knowledge.” —Merriam Webster
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 7.12.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayThe little-understood role of charter sponsors
Nixing universal ACT or SAT testing would hurt Ohio’s smart, poor students
Aaron ChurchillFor many Ohio students, taking college entrance exams is a key milestone on the path from high school to college. Yet countless thousands have foregone these exams, effectively slamming the door on their opportunity to attend four-year colleges and universities.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 7.5.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayLet’s take it from the top
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 6.28.19
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayReal estate agents to the rescue?
Four key education policies that will be decided in the next ten days
Jessica PoinerAs budget season winds down, lawmakers face the tall task of reconciling some vastly different proposals from the governor’s office, the House, and the Senate on a variety of issues in the budget bill, House Bill 166.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 6.21.19
Chad L. Aldis, Madison YoderCharter school funding in the biennial budget
Senate proposes smart changes to academic distress commissions
Jessica PoinerBack in 2015, former Governor John Kasich encouraged the General Assembly to address the persistent failure of several school districts by strengthening academic distress commissions (ADCs), the state’s mechanism for intervening in chronically underperforming districts. Legislators obliged.
Teach For America and Teacher Quality: Increasing Achievement Over Time
Jessica PoinerTeach For America (TFA) has been recruiting and placing college graduates into underserved classrooms since 1989. Throughout this thirty-year tenure, the program’s teacher-training methods and recruitment strategies have evolved.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 6.14.19
Chad L. Aldis, Madison YoderSettlement reached with former ECOT sponsor