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CER to Lead New Multi-State Partnership for Parents
CER Press Release, Washington, DC, November 18, 2003
Using a federal grant focused on helping parents to understand their rights under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the Parent Information Resource Center will support outreach to more than 200,000 parents in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina.
Nation's Report Card: 2003 Results Are Mixed
CER Analysis, November 18, 2003
NAEP's 2003 report card is a mixed bag for American students. While some progress was made in math, reading scores remained flat, the achievement gap persists, and the proficient rate of students in these basic skills still falls short of 50 percent.
Charter Schools' Successful Records Speak for Themselves
CER Press Release, Washington, DC, November 14, 2003
The Center for Education Reform released A Record of Success documenting charter school success in 24 states that offer data. Charter schools continue to outpace non-charter public schools in student achievement, despite fewer resources and mounting obstacles.
GAO Report on Privately Managed Schools is Limited in Scope and Findings
CER Analysis, November 5, 2003
The key underlying principle continues to be that school choice promotes competition, which is beneficial to all schools whether privately managed or traditionally funded. Competition raises the bar across the board and offers parents the freedom of choice when it comes to the educational future of their children.
Nation's Foremost Education Reformers Recognized for Contributions CER Press Release, Washington, DC, October 29, 2003
The Center for Education Reform presents honorees with its "Best of Education Reform" awards at a gala dinner celebrating CER's 10th Anniversary.
CER Marks A Decade of Education Reform Advances at 10th Anniversary Celebrations
CER Press Release, Washington, DC, October 27, 2003
On October 29th and 30th, the Center for Education Reform (CER) will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with two events showcasing the accomplishments of education reform over the last ten years and looking ahead at the next ten years.
Schools of Choice Invited to Perform in Washington, DC at CER's 10th Anniversary Gala
CER Press Release, October 24, 2003
CER's "Be True to Your School" contest winners from Autism Academy of Learning, Maumee, OH, and KIPP Academy, Bronx, NY will perform at CER's 10th Anniversary Gala Celebration.
Nine Years Of Research Confirms Charter Schools' Success: CER Updates Summary Of Research on Charter Schools
CER Press Release, Washington, DC, September 17, 2003
What the research reveals is: charter schools work. Major studies consistently show that charters enrich the educational scene and offer excellent educational opportunities for thousands of children in hundreds of communities.
Expanded School Choice for D.C. Children Closer After House Vote: Davis Amendment Passes in Close Vote With Support from Both Sides
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., September 6, 2003
Bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives brings the promise of better educational opportunities closer to reality for District of Columbia families.
2003 PDK/Gallup Poll: Another Year, Another Skewed Phi Delta Kappa Poll
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., August 20, 2003
It's that time again -- the release of the annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll. Not surprisingly, its results need further probing to discover what they really say about public opinion on education.
$10 Million for D.C. Choice Approved By House Committee As NAEP Shows District Failing
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., July 16, 2003
As achievement in the District continues to lag, city and Congressional leaders have joined together to support the development of expanded public and private options for children.
Harvard Charter Study Misleads: Demographic Comparisons and Conclusions Miss the Mark
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., July 11, 2003
Another misleading report has been issued concerning charter schools, this one from the Harvard University Civil Rights Project. Its comparisons and conclusions about charter school demographics miss the mark.
President Advocates for School Choices in the Nation's Capital: If Parents Don't Have Options Besides Public Schools, There Is No Accountability.
CER Press Release, Washington D.C., July 1, 2003
The President announced that he will request from Congress support for a $75 million choice incentive fund to fuel private school choice in the District of Columbia and help determine if it will make a difference.
Dismantling Philadelphia Reforms?
By Jeanne Allen, CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., May 28, 2003
Last year, the Philadelphia School District contracted with several management groups to revitalize Philadelphia's poorest performing schools. Less than a year later the new Schools Chief wants to change the terms of the deal, threatening to scuttle reforms and further destabilize the schools.
National Charter School Week: National and Local Activities
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., April 24, 2003
It has been more than 10 years since the first charter school opened its doors. Charter schools, their successes, and their contributions to children, families and communities will be celebrated this year from April 28-May 2, 2003.
Congressional Co-Chairs for Salute to Charter Schools Announced: Delegation to Lead National Observance
CER Press Release, Washington D.C., April 18, 2003
The Center for Education Reform (CER) announced today that eight Congressional leaders have agreed to serve as honorary-co-chairs of the Congressional Salute to Charter Schools in conjunction with the fourth annual National Charter Schools Week.
Supreme Court Urged to Consider Case Fortifying Families' Rights to Educational Options: CER Joins in Filing Friend Of the Court Brief to High Court
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., April 18, 2003
The Center for Education Reform has joined an amicus (friend of the Court) brief submitted to the US Supreme Court by the Institute for Justice (IJ) concerning educational options. The brief requests that the High Court accept a case challenging the constitutionality of the Blaine Amendment, a provision in Washington state law that allows for discrimination against use of public funds at schools that are religiously affiliated.
Charter Report Flawed: California Research Group Offers Baseless Criticism
CER Press Release, Washington ,D.C., April 7, 2003
A new charter report released by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) offers a distorted view of charter schools that focuses on inputs and completely ignores the documented charter achievement gains that render those inputs meaningless.
New Internet Initiative Announced: Grassroots Action Center Will Connect More People With Policymakers on Education Reform
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., April 1, 2003
To facilitate more grassroots-level communication with policymakers at the local, state and national levels, the Center for Education Reform today announced a new internet-based initiative to give people more direct access to their elected officials on matters related to education reform initiatives proposed at any given time.
Improvement Needed: Statement Of CER President Jeanne Allen Regarding the Viability Of the Maryland Charter School Bill
By Jeanne Allen, CER Press Release, Washington, DC, March 25, 2003
As of today, both houses of the Maryland General Assembly have approved legislation that would give Maryland a charter school law, but unfortunately, would prevent any significant number of real quality choices in educationbeing offered to children or to teachers seeking new opportunities.
CER Grades States' Charter School Laws: Arizona and Washington, DC Get Blue Ribbon for Best State Laws; President's Home State Proves No Legislation Is Better than Poor Legislation
CER Press Release, Washington, DC, March 17, 2003
The Center for Education Reform (CER) has published a new ranking of state charter school legislation based on 10 criteria to establish what is strong legislationfor the charter school movement versus weak legislation.
CER Releases 8th National Charter School Directory
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., January 21, 2003
The Directoryprofiles the 2,695 charter schools that are operating for the 2002-2003 school year, serving 684,495 students in 36 states and Washington, D.C.
Latest Charter School Laws Scorecard Released
CER Press Release, Washington D.C., January 14, 2003
The Center for Education Reform (CER) today released its semi-annual ranking and profile of the nation's 40 charter school laws, which will be useful to new policy makers seeking to enact or modify laws.
Statement By CER President Jeanne Allen on the One Year Anniversary of The No Child Left Behind Act
CER Press Release, Washington, D.C., January 7, 2003
A year ago landmark education legislation was signed making it possible for students in chronically failing schools to attend schools that work….For the first time in the history of federal education support, the issues of quality and accountability overcame Washington's previous fixation on resources only.
CER Press Release
(Washington, DC 10/27/03) Over the last decade, in states and communities across the nation, education reform has brought a sea change in policy and practice in public education and in providing options for schooling. On October 29th and 30th, the Center for Education Reform (CER) will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with two events designed to showcase the accomplishments of education reform over the last ten years and provide a look ahead at the next ten years.
CER's gala will recognize those achievements and pay tribute to some of their advocates. "We are honored that our gala dinner on October 29th, and the next day's conference will be attended by so many who have put education reform at the top of their agendas for so long: Governor Jeb Bush, Secretary Rod Paige, New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg and many key state and federal leaders," said CER president and founder Jeanne Allen.
CER's gala will be followed the next day by a conference that will bring together high-level reform participants to discuss the on-going issues and challenges of education reform. Despite entrenched opposition, education reform has moved slowly, but very surely, forward since CER was founded in 1993. Charter schools, school choice, and accountability have grown from the dreams of a few to mainstream realities of thousands.
Today, all but 10 states have charter school laws and last year, the Supreme Court ruled that parents have the right to choose a wide array of options in order to escape failing schools. Today accountability is more than just a buzzword - it is a measure of how schools are working. The Center has been a key player in helping achieve those advances and continues to be in a leadership position in the education reform movement.
The following are details about the two events:
Center for Education Reform 10th Anniversary Gala
October 29, 7:00 pm-9:45 pm
Speakers:
The evening will include: special surprise awards recognizing individual, group and state efforts in improving education for all children. The awards will be presented by distinguished education reform leaders, video tributes and more.
CER 10th Anniversary Conference
October 30, 8:30 am-2:00 pm
The Best is Yet to Come… A Look at the Next Ten Years of Education Reform in America
Education has been the Big Idea of the last ten years when it comes to domestic policy. With the broad notion of school choice at the core of reform, nearly every state in the nation has adopted some form of choice designed to enhance opportunities and respond to growing criticism that the education system as we know it is not good enough and still lags behind most other industrialized countries.
Sessions include:
From the Digital Divide to Literacy Divide, with BlackPlanet.com president Omar Wasow.
From the Front Lines: Maybe School Choice is a Panacea, with Cleveland City Councilwoman Fannie Lewis, Townsend McNitt of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, And Jim and Fawn Spady, Co-Directors of the Education Excellence Coalition of Washington State.
Addressing the Skeptics and Scare Tactics: Education Management on the Offensive, with Mark Thimming, CEO, White Hat Management, OH, Mike Sandler, CEO, EduVentures, MA and Washington's own Donald Hense, Pres. & CEO Friendship-Edison Public Charter Schools.
The Honorable William J. Bennett will address the topic of Twenty Facts: Non-Fiction in a Land of Dreams presented during lunch.
For more information, call Mary Kayne Heinze at CER at 202-822-9000, or visit our 10th Anniversary page on the web.
ALL EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE AT:
The Ritz-Carlton
1150 22nd Street, NW
WASHINGTON, DC
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The Center for Education Reform is the leading authority for information on innovative reforms in education and works in states and communities across the country to advance the cause of educational excellence. For more information, contact CER at (202) 822-9000.