Standardized Tests: Correlation to Future Successes? (Part I of II)
Laura RobisonFirst of a two-part analysis looking at early indicators to future success.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-14-14
Jeff MurrayTeacher evaluations; Dude, Who Moved My Alternative School?; and the IRS all feature in today's clips.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-11-14
Jeff MurrayThere’s not a ton of stories today, but those few clips are pure gold:
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-10-14
Jeff MurrayCommon Core, homeschooling, and the downstream effects of legislative changes lead the news today.
Vergara, Harris, and the fate of the teacher unions
The most interesting story coming out of the landmark Vergara and Harris decisions is the coming irresistible
Examining Spillover Effects from Teach For America Corps Members in Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Laura RobisonTeach For America (TFA) is growing. In 2013–14, some 11,000 corps members reached more than 750,000 students in high-need classrooms around the land. Yet TFA-ers remain a drop in the bucket of 3 million teachers.
Time’s up for tenure?
The Education GadflyFollowing the watershed Vergara case in California, last week an advocacy group filed the first “copycat” lawsuit, this one challenging teacher-tenure laws in New York City.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-8-14
Jeff MurrayThe tone is a bit condescending, but we’ll take the media hit: StateImpact Ohio takes a look at Fordham’s Lacking Leaders report. (StateImpact Ohio)
Examining Spillover Effects from Teach For America Corps Members in Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Laura RobisonDigging into the effect that TFA teachers may (or may not) have on their non-TFA colleagues.
Still Searching: Job Vacancies and STEM Skills
Aaron ChurchillWill highly-touted (and heavily-funded) STEM skills translate into STEM jobs for graduates?
The (tax) burden of proof
Jeff Murray, Chad L. AldisNobody loves higher taxes, but does a shift in the tax structure really spell doom for Ohio's public schools?
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-7-14
Jeff MurrayBack from vacation with education news from across the state.
Celebration, Ambition, Inspiration: The Education Reform Summit in London
The Education Foundation, in partnership with the British Department for Education, is hosting the UK's first Education Reform Summit on July 9 and 10 in London. It will provide an opportunity to hear from inspirational school leaders, teachers, and politicians who are transforming education systems across the world.
Open enrollment--quality choices or just business?
Jeff MurrayParents make educational choices in the best interests of their children, but to many school districts involved in open enrollment, it's only about numbers on a spreadsheet.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-3-14
Rounding up Ohio education news for the week ahead of the holiday. Happy 4th!
Opportunity and Hope: Transforming Children's Lives through Scholarships
Ashley CouncilWhen it comes to educational options, there are sundry open doors available to the nation’s more affluent kids—and far fewer for their poorer peers to walk through.
TALIS 2013 Results: An International Perspective on Teaching and Learning
Pamela TatzOne often hears anecdotes of teachers feeling undervalued and, at times, isolated in their profession. The most recent OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey—a study that homes in on the working conditions of teachers and learning environments of schools, focusing on lower secondary education—confirms the narrative.
Performance Screens for School Improvement: The Case of Teacher Tenure Reform in New York City
Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.This very timely new study out of CALDER examines whether a tenure-reform policy initiated in New York City in 2009–10 impacted the rate at which tenure was awarded and the composition of the teaching force. The study tracked the tenure review process for all probationary teachers in NYC public schools between 2007–08 and 2012–13.
College Initiatives Redefined: A Responsive Approach to College Counseling and Alumni Support
Robert PondiscioFounded in 1998, Houston-based YES Prep has set the pace for college completion among graduates of so-called “no excuses” charter schools. Among its 1,700 alumni, 72 percent are either still persisting in college or have graduated.
Critical friends
The Education GadflyEgged on by viral posts and comedians mocking confusing homework assignments, parents are becoming increasingly leery of the Common Core–aligned approach to mathematics instruction.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-2-14
The usual roundup and commentary on education news stories from around the state.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 7-1-14
Jeff MurrayThird grade reading, Common Core, fiscal oversight, academic oversight, and teacher union discontent in today's news.
New EdChoice data highlights academic success
Yitz FrankVoucher program data is starting to emerge in Ohio, and everyone is taking notice.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 6-27-14
Jeff MurrayBig city news dominates our coverage today. Check it out.
Ohio Gadfly Daily News 6-26-14
Jeff MurrayA fully rounded round-up of news today - city, suburb, rural; budgets, teacher contracts, assessments; district, private, charter. Enjoy!
Rocky transitions and civil society
The Education GadflyAfter much dithering, Governor Rick Scott signed legislation expanding eligibility for Florida’s tax-credit scholarship program and creati