By Amy L. Sales, Ph.D. When asked whether it is “good” or “bad” if 20% of the seats in a school are empty, my answer is always, “compared to what?” Without comparison to some other number, it is difficult to know. Yet in our work to create a system to answer such questions, we frequently encounter Jewish day schools that are resistant to using comparison data. This resistance is particularly curious at a time when benchmarking is on the rise … [Read more...] about Benchmarking is Not a Solo Sport
JData
The Enjoyably Unexpected “Ah-Ha” Moments of Site Visits
By Aaron Saxe Leaving the confines of the Jim Joseph Foundation offices for an on-the-ground visit with grantees is both an important and genuinely enjoyable part of the job as a program officer. I credit these “site visits” for playing a significant part in my continued growth at the Foundation over the last six months. They have strengthened my relationship with grantees and greatly improved my understanding of a grant program or … [Read more...] about The Enjoyably Unexpected “Ah-Ha” Moments of Site Visits
Getting on the Data Bandwagon
By Jonathan “J.C.” Cohen The American Jewish education enterprise is huge. More than two billion dollars is earmarked annually for youth education. In so many communities, funding for education tops the disbursement list. To make those sorts of planning and allocation decisions demands significant data tied to the right questions and analyzed in a thoughtful manner. So why is it so hard for so many of our communal leaders to get on the data … [Read more...] about Getting on the Data Bandwagon
Jewish Day School Affordability: Lessons Learned from the Field
[eJP note: This article is part of a series focusing on new ideas emerging from the day school field with relevance for Jewish professionals in Jewish education and beyond. The post contributes to the conversation on the topic of 21st Century Sustainability.] by Charles Cohen I have spent the last nine months immersed in day school affordability. I eat it, I drink it, I sleep in it. I’ve learned more about the heroic efforts of schools … [Read more...] about Jewish Day School Affordability: Lessons Learned from the Field
Shedding Light on Jewish Education
In advance of its October 2012 Board meeting, the Jim Joseph Foundation Board of Directors invited a small group of community thought leaders to submit a madrich narrative addressing the following question: What "big idea" for supporting Jewish education would you propose the Jim Joseph Foundation fund? … [Read more...] about Shedding Light on Jewish Education
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