On Monday, June 29, the Fordham Institute hosted a discussion on turnaround school districts. Will these state-run districts, first launched in Louisiana but beginning to spread, be able to turn around failing schools? What does their growth mean for school governance?

An overview of this topic, “Turnaround School Districts: States try managing lowest-performing schools,” by Nelson Smith, was published by Ed Next earlier this month. The article was based on a longer report written for the Fordham Institute, “Redefining the School District in America.”

The panel included Chris Barbic, Superintendent, Tennessee’s Achievement School District; Veronica Conforme, Chancellor, Michigan’s Education Achievement Authority; Patrick Dobard, Superintendent, Louisiana’s Recovery School District; and Nelson Smith, Author, “Redefining the School District in America.” Fordham Institute President Michael J. Petrilli moderated.

—Education Next