Publications
Commentary & Feedback on Draft II of the Next Generation Science Standards
Paul Gross , Douglas Buttrey , Ursula Goodenough , Noretta Koertge , Lawrence S. Lerner , Martha Schwartz , Richard Schwartz , William H. Schmidt , W. Stephen Wilson / February 4, 2013
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute has provided big-picture feedback and detailed, standard-specific commentary for the second draft of the Next Generation Science Standards—standards that done right, set a firm foundation upon which the rest of science education across the states will be constructed. In our comments on the first draft, we concluded that “the NGSS authors have much to do to ensure that the final draft is a true leap forward in science education.” In comments on Draft II, we address to what extent NGSS writers have moved closer to a set of K–12 science standards that even states with strong standards of their own would do well to adopt.
2011-12 Ohio Report Card Analysis
Aaron Churchill / December 19, 2012
Our annual analysis of school performance in our home state's major urban areas, plus a projection of proficiency rates when the PARCC exams arrive in 2014-15.
Commentary & Feedback on Draft I of the Next Generation Science Standards
Paul Gross , Lawrence S. Lerner , John Lynch , Martha Schwartz , Richard Schwartz , W. Stephen Wilson / June 25, 2012
In May, Achieve unveiled and solicited comments on the first draft of the Next Generation Science Standards, the product of months of work by a team of writers from twenty-six states. This document provides commentary, feedback, and constructive advice that Fordham hopes the NGSS authors will consider as they revise the standards before the release of a second draft later this year.
Putting a Price Tag on the Common Core: How Much Will Smart Implementation Cost?
Patrick J. Murphy , Elliot Regenstein / May 30, 2012
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts and mathematics represent a sea change in standards-based reform and their implementation is the movement’s next—and greatest—challenge. Yet, while most states have now set forth implementation plans, these tomes seldom address the crucial matter of cost. This report estimates the implementation cost for each of the forty-five states (and the District of Columbia) that have adopted the Common Core State Standards and shows that costs naturally depend on how states approach implementation.
