Fordham Institute media statement on new study demonstrating academic benefits of third grade retention
Ohio Education GadflyToday, Ohio Excels and the Ohio Education Research Center (OERC) released a study on the academic impact of retaining students under Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee and providing them with extra support.
Ohio’s urban students lost a full grade level of learning. Here’s what their schools need to do right now.
Aaron ChurchillBy now, it’s no secret that the pandemic and schools’ pivot to remote learning was a disaster for most students.
Despite the best of intentions, education policy still comes up short
Tom GunlockNOTE: This piece was originally published in the Dayton Daily News.
Charter sponsors need to be accountable for the performance of their schools
Aaron ChurchillWith the budget bill speeding to the finish line, the Statehouse rumor mill is cranking into high gear. Among the rumblings is an effort by a few charter advocates to weaken the state’s sponsor evaluation system.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 5.19.23
Jeff MurrayOne more story from National Charter Schools Week
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 5.12.23
Jeff MurrayAnother Charter Schools Week is in the books
Reinventing Ohio’s Charter School Sector, 2015–2023: Ohio’s successful charter turnaround—and what’s needed next
Aaron ChurchillFor more than two decades, the charter school movement has aimed to provide parents with more public-school options, empower educators to launch innovative schools, and boost student achievement. This report looks at the progress Ohio is making toward achieving these ambitious goals. It includes an overview of the landmark reforms that state lawmakers enacted in 2015 to strengthen accountability for charter school performance, as well as the improvements the sector has made since then. The report also discusses the large funding disparities that public charter schools in Ohio still face, and how legislators can work to bridge those gaps.
Backing down from the Third Grade Reading Guarantee is on brand for Ohio policymakers
Jessica PoinerOhio’s recent focus on early literacy is largely thanks to Governor DeWine’s budget recommendations, which contain a bold plan to boost reading achievement in Ohio.
The social and emotional damage of socially promoting struggling readers
Jessica PoinerOver the last few weeks, debates about early literacy have dominated headlines in Ohio.
Fordham Institute testimony on Substitute House Bill 33—4/19/23
Aaron ChurchillNOTE: Today, members of the Ohio House Finance Committee received testimony on the education provisions of Substitute House Bill 33, establishing the operating budget for the sta
Will Ohio’s Covid Generation Get Back on Track? An analysis of 2021–22 state test results—and how to accelerate learning
Aaron ChurchillIn fall 2022, the Ohio Department of Education released state assessment results from the 2021-22 school year. The data continue to reveal the massive learnings losses that occurred during the pandemic, along with the uneven recovery in its wake. This report offers a close look at Ohio's achievement data from the 2018-19 to 2021-22 school years, and concludes with four recommendations that can help accelerate student learning across the Buckeye State.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 4.7.23
Jeff MurrayKudos to charters and their staffers across Ohio
A reminder that third grade reading retention is right
Jessica PoinerIn 2012, Ohio lawmakers enacted the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, a significant early literacy reform package. Under the initiative, schools must administer diagnostic reading assessments to students in grades K–3.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 3.31.23
Jeff MurrayGood news of the week—brick-and-mortar edition
The search for clarity among the What Works Clearinghouse and its peers
Jeff MurrayClearinghouses in education are entities that review research studies, analyze the effects of the interventions studied, and provide ratings of those interventions.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 3.10.23
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayIn case you missed it, Charter News co-author Chad Aldis is leaving Ohio and returning to his native Iowa for a big important job. This is his last edition of the news, but our weekly roundups will continue with Jeff Murray as solo author.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 3.3.23
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayOhio Education By the Numbers
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 2.24.23
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayHappening now in Ohio charter schools
Ohio is narrowing the charter funding gap—but it still needs to do more
Aaron ChurchillOhio has long underfunded charter schools. Back in 2004, we at Fordham published a Dayton-specific study finding that the city’s charters received just two-thirds of the revenue as the local district.
What can Ohio learn from Mississippi’s early literacy initiatives?
Jessica PoinerIn 2013, Mississippi passed a comprehensive early literacy policy aimed at ensuring that students can read proficiently by the end of third grade, which research shows is a make-or-break benchmark.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 2.17.23
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayCelebration and appreciation
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 2.10.23
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayBudget coverage, media style