Charters & Choice

November 20, 2009

Seeking Quality in the Face of Adversity: 2008-09 Fordham Sponsorship Accountability Report

As a charter school sponsor (authorizer), Fordham submits an accountability report to the Ohio Department of Education at the end of November each year. The report includes profiles of each Fordham-sponsored school, as well as graphics comparing the achievement data of our schools, their home districts, and statewide averages. You'll also find pertinent information on Ohio charter school spending over the last decade, and in the introduction, a timely analysis of the political and legislative environment impacting Ohio charters in 2008-09 that explains why the title, "Seeking Quality in the Face of Adversity," is befitting.

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March 24, 2009

When Private Schools Take Public Dollars: What's the Place of Accountability in School Voucher Programs?

by Chester E. Finn, Jr., Christina Hentges, Michael J. Petrilli, Amber Winkler

Voucher opponents often argue that it?s unfair to hold public schools accountable for results under the No Child Left Behind Act and various state rules while allowing private schools that participate in school voucher programs to receive taxpayer dollars without similar accountability. In pursuit of a reasonable middle ground, we sought the advice of twenty experts in the school-choice world. This paper presents their thoughts and opinions, as well as Fordham?s own ideas.

November 19, 2008

Climbing to Quality 2007-2008 Fordham Sponsorship Accountability Report

This yearly report covers Fordham's sponsorship practices throughout the year as well as newsworthy events related to our sponsored charter schools. You can also find detailed reports on all of Fordham-sponsored schools. Each school report contains information on the school's academic performance, educational philosophy, and compliance for the 2007-2008 school year.

• PDF version

September 15, 2008

Accelerating Student Learning in Ohio: Five Policy Recommendations for Strengthening Public Education in the Buckeye State

As Gov. Ted Strickland concludes his 12-city "Conversation on Education" tour to gather ideas for reforming public education in Ohio, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute has put forth a report of five recommendations designed to keep improvements in the Buckeye State's public schools on track toward three critical goals: 1) maximizing the talents of every child; 2) producing graduates as good as any in the world; and 3) closing the persistent academic gaps that continue between rich and poor, and black and white and brown.

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August 15, 2008

Sweating the Small Stuff: Inner-City Schools and the New Paternalism

by David Whitman

The most exciting innovation in education policy in the last decade is the emergence of highly effective schools in our nation's inner cities, schools where disadvantaged teens make big gains in academic achievement. In this book, David Whitman takes readers inside six of these secondary schools and reveals the secret to their success: paternalism.

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