THOMAS B FORDHAM INSTITUTE
Advancing Educational Excellence
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
K-12 education research
The Fordham Institute publishes and disseminates 8 or more research projects a year that investigate various issues in K-12 education, with a strong focus on high standards, quality school choice, and results-based accountability. Our internal research team collaborates with researchers across the nation to design and conduct cutting-edge research that advances the evidence base on the topics listed above while pushing policymakers to make smarter decisions about education reform.
K-12 education commentary
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute is a thought leader in the field of education reform, using regular commentary in the nation's leading outlets to set the parameters of the education debate.
Ohio education policy
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute also serves as a leader in education reform in our home state of Ohio. Here we use policy research and commentary to weigh in on issues like high-quality charter schools and the implementation of high standards. We regularly engage with stakeholders statewide, including newspaper editors, district leaders, and policymakers.
Ohio charter authorization
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute was the first nonprofit authorizer in the state of Ohio, and now oversees 11 schools serving more than 2,000 children. We're renowned as a model authorizer statewide and nationally.
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our first major goal is to publish ten major research projects, evenly distributed among three strands, annually. At least three annually will receive significant attention from the mainstream media (meaning coverage in national outlets such as the Associated Press, USA TODAY, NPR, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, or the Atlantic), and more than 5,000 views on our website. Our reports will earn, on average, approximately fifteen media hits and be viewed (on average) 3,000 times.
Fordham's overall goal is to continue to move education in a refrom-minded direction. Although difficult to quantify, this remains the overall goal of Fordham’s work. We measure this through quantitative metrics like the number of op-eds we place, the number of journals in which our reports are cited, and the number of times Fordhamites are invited to speak. We also measure this through substantive interactions and policy changes, such as a legislator incorporating our recommendations into a proposal. Nationally, in the next year, we will receive forty-five speaking invitations (half will be for a representative other than Checker and Mike), place twenty-five op-eds in local newspapers, have at least twenty qualitative interactions with stakeholders, and be cited in at least ten other journal articles.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Fordham has been building its capacity as a reform-minded, results-oriented think tank for the last seventeen years under the guidance of Chester E. Finn, Jr., Michael Petrilli and a superb board. Many of our regular research partners, and half of our senior staff, have been with Fordham for more than five years. Over the last year, we’ve expanded prudently, adding Victoria Sears to the research team (which now totals four) and Michael Brickman (Scott Walker’s former education-policy staffer) as our national policy director to increase our capacities in research and commentary. Since the start of our last KFF grant, we’ve divided our former communications role into two—outreach manager and editorial assistant—to give both our online commentary and our media relations the requisite attention. Our Ohio-based staff has steadily expanded its capacity. In 2013, after longtime Ohio chief Terry Ryan moved to lead multiple ed-reform efforts in Idaho, we engaged Chad Aldis from the Walton Family Foundation to lead our statewide work in Ohio and promoted Kathryn Mullen-Upton to the role of vice president for sponsorship and Dayton initiatives. She now leads our efforts to expand our portfolio of charter schools (currently at ten) and ensure they are serving Ohio’s students well, while Chad works with legislators and the governor’s staff (as well as municipal leaders in other cities) to enact reforms that can have a strong, positive impact on schools and students.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
THOMAS B FORDHAM INSTITUTE
Board of directorsas of 06/14/2021
David Driscoll
Rod Paige
U.S. Department of Education
Chester Finn
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Thomas Holton
Porter, Wright, Morris, & Arthur
Michael Kelly
Central Park Credit Bank
Michael Petrilli
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Ian Rowe
American Enterprise Institute
Stefanie Sanford
College Board
Caprice Young
Learn4Life Schools
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes