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A New Paradigm for Economic Development
Universities and higher-education systems across the country are taking leading roles in their states’ economic development efforts — and this Institute report says that trend seems likely to strengthen as the nation moves into the era of an “innovation economy.” The study found that higher education’s increasingly important role builds on, but goes well beyond, the research strengths of universities – incorporating efforts as wide-ranging as job training, business consulting, housing rehabilitation and even securing seed money for new businesses.
David F. Shaffer and David J. Wright, March 2010
An Agenda for Education Reform in New York
In a thoughtful and provocative presentation outlining his vision for education reform, New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner said the current practice of designing curricula to meet a predetermined, standardized outcome "is actually backwards." What the state — and country — needs, he said, is a thoughtful conversation over the question, "What is an educated citizen?" If curricula are developed with that aim in mind, and teachers are properly trained to teach the curricula, then the desired outcome is more likely to be reached, Steiner continued. He called for a balance among curriculum development, teacher training and educational assessments to improve schools.
A Public Policy Forum — Feb. 24, 2010
Nonresident Tuition and Fees at SUNY
Increases in nonresident tuition and fees do not always yield gains in total revenues for universities, and may reduce out-of-state enrollments enough to offset new income from such students, education scholars conclude in this Institute study.
Craig W. Abbey and Allison Armour-Garb, Feb. 22, 2010
Spending Is Up, and So Are Interstate Disparities in States’
K-12 Education Revenues
[PDF]States are spending more on schools, but differences in education funding have also been growing since the 2001 recession. The current economic downturn — as well as federal stimulus funds — could widen those gaps, according to this Institute report. The result could be a growing mismatch between funding levels and student need.
Allison Armour-Garb, Lucy Dadayan, and Thomas Gais, Nov. 4, 2009
Should "value-added" models be used to evaluate teachers?
States are developing education data systems that can match teachers to students, and track students’ test scores from year to year. These systems may lay the groundwork for evaluating teachers based on the academic progress of their students, using standardized tests to gauge student progress, teachers’ unions have noted with concern. Such “value-added” evaluation models are intuitively appealing because they attempt to get at a central question: How much are teachers contributing to their students’ progress? But controversy surrounds the use of the data for decisions involving such issues as tenure or merit pay. In a “Point/Counterpoint” discussion in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Douglas N. Harris of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Heather C. Hill of the Harvard Graduate School of Education debate the merits of value-added teacher evaluation models. As a guest editor for the Point/Counterpoint feature, the Rockefeller Institute’s Allison Armour-Garb provides background on the issue. The complete article is available through the Journal, with a fee for non-subscribers.
Allison Armour-Garb, Fall 2009
Not Your Mom and Pop's Charter School
As more American students attend charter schools, educators are gleaning important lessons for addressing lingering challenges, said experts at a June 10 Institute Forum. Speakers were Chester E. Finn Jr. of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and Stanford University, and Douglas Lemov of Uncommon Schools.
A Public Policy Forum — June 10, 2009
Education in New York: Today and Tomorrow
The next round of education reform — including establishment of new national standards — will be driven by the states, with New York among those leading the way, State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills told educators, legislators and researchers at this Institute event. He predicted that the $4.4 billion in federal stimulus money intended to reward states that have taken the lead in pursuing federal reform priorities will be won by consortia rather than individual states. Mills' talk also covered a range of other current education topics, including standards, outcomes, financing, technology and more.
A Public Policy Forum —May 4, 2009
Charter Schools in New York and the Nation
The current status and future prospects for the nation's charter schools were the topics of this public policy forum. Presenting the latest facts and findings was Jonas S. Chartock, executive director of the State University of New York's Charter Schools Institute. SUNY is the state's largest charter school authorizer, with 63 charter schools approved for operation to date.
A Public Policy Forum —March 11, 2009
The Sole Supervisory District of Sullivan County: A Study of Potential Educational Reorganization of the Sullivan County BOCES
[PDF]The Sullivan County Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) should merge with neighboring Orange-Ulster BOCES to improve the educational and management services provided to students and school districts, a Rockefeller Institute report for the state Education Department finds. A merger would provide Sullivan County BOCES with access to enhanced resources and expertise, with resulting benefits offsetting the challenges posed by combining the two organizations, the study concludes.
The Rockefeller Institute of Government, January 2009
