Writing in ohiocapital.com, Jeanne Melvin and Denis Smith denounced the central role that the Thomas B. Fordham Institute plays in directing education policy in Ohio. TBF is the think tank of the Ohio Republican Party; that party has controlled the state in recent years. It is curious that TBF directs education policy in Ohio since TBF is based in Washington, D.C.
Melvin is a parent activist, and Smith worked for the Ohio Department of Education.
In Ohio, TBF has been a strong advocate for high-stakes testing and school privatization. It has pushed charter schools and other conservative reforms in Ohio.
As the article says, TBF is an advocacy organization, not a think tank. Its policy positions are aligned with other conservative organizations, still promoting the failed reforms of the past two decades, unable to imagine schools that are not subject to high-stakes testing, unable to imagine schools that are not governed by carrots-and-sticks. TBF is also a charter school authorizer and collects a percentage of the state revenue for every student who enrolls in one of their charter schools. Many of their charter schools have failed. Most charter schools in Ohio are rated low-performing by the state.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I just don’t understand why this pro-charter, pro-voucher and anti-public school think tank/lobbying organization has such a huge influence in Ohio public education.
Why are we bothering to elect these lawmakers and members of the executive branch if they’re just going to take marching orders from a think tank? Couldn’t lawmakers, I don’t know, actually TRAVEL to the public schools in their districts and talk to the actual citizens of this state who use, work in and pay for the public schools in the state?
If I had wanted to put Fordham in charge of the public schools they don’t support, didn’t attend, don’t use and don’t work in I would have elected them. I expect lawmakers to do their own work and their own thinking. I am tired of every public school in the state being subject to the whims, fashions and fads of the national ed reform lobby.
90% of the students in this state attend the public schools Fordham opposes. Could we possibly get one or two people in state government in Columbus who actually support those schools and students and do some real, measurable work on their behalf?
whim; fad — exactly understanding how this feels for those teaching
Never underestimate the lack of imagination in the ed reform cheerleaders & their political sycophants. It’s astonishing.
Because they can?
Becau$e they ¢an.
Likely started with the connection from former state senator Peggy Lehner whose sister works/worked at TBF
I never agreed with Lehner’s views on Ohio’s education policy.
I highly recommend this investigative report on the Fordham Institute and Foundation by Richard P. Phelps. The title is “Influence for Hire.”
https://nonpartisaneducation.org/Review/Articles/v14n6.htm