Vol. 4, No. 41
October 8, 2002

* CHARTERS: The feds announced yesterday the delivery of new federal funds under the public charter school grant program. The program provides up to $198 million for individual charter schools, research grants and best practices dissemination. States apply, as can schools themselves in states that choose not to. 

        To the program's credit, states like Florida and New York received substantial funds for their growing number of charter schools. A cyber charter in Nevada received a grant of $150,000, which is a boost to this type of program. But there are some other grants we'd label as a curious ways to spend money. For example, Hawaii's anemic law got $4.3 million even though it limits charters and the state is fighting for control over two highly successful charters there. Charters in California will be pleased to know that their state received $24 million. Several of them have had to fight for their start up funds from the state each year, but given the amount, Golden State education officials shouldn't have any excuse this year. 

        One last interesting funding note is that researchers from both an Arizona and a Michigan university received grants, despite each having a record of doing pretty shoddy analyses. Let's be clear: the charter money is critical for schools and the institutions that serve them. The lion's share of the money does go to schools. Now the key is to make sure that states are held to account for this new infusion of funding by the schools they are supposed to assist. For a complete list of the grants, go to http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/10-2002/10072002.html.

CORRECTION TO ABOVE (October 15, 2002): Sorry! It turns out that it was not the anti-charter forces at Arizona State University (ASU) that received the grant, but the Leadership for Educational Entrepreneurs (LEE) Masters program located at ASU-West, which is focused on helping charter leaders. For more info on this program go to www.west.asu.edu/coe/graduate/LEE.htm

* TEACHERS: Suburban school officials in Illinois apparently are having a hard time figuring out the definition of "timely," as in all school districts are required to inform parents in a "timely" manner whether their children are being taught by an unqualified teacher. Officials are waiting on state clarification, according to the Chicago Tribune, and Chicago officials say that the task of determining who is and isn't qualified is so daunting that they don't expect to let parents know until February. Federal guidance has been issued regarding teacher qualifications in high poverty areas. In the meantime, we think most parents assume that school officials know what makes a qualified teacher and assume that they have been assessing performance of teachers all along. And to think we needed a federal law to get schools making this determination!

* UNIONS: Choice among schools is so popular a concept that even the nation's largest union serving school employees - the National Education Association - is throwing the term around in its advertising. The good news is that most Americans know the difference between PR and substance. Reg Weaver, the recently tapped president of the NEA, is advocating the "choice to send their children to quality public schools." Elsewhere he uses a dated Money Magazine analysis (that bastion of hard research!) to argue that 10% of public schools are better than the best private schools. Weaver wants us to make all public schools as good…. The problem is, he's not advocating that we have the choice to determine which schools work best for us, but rather, that if all schools were the best, parents would have real choice. Translation: Choice for parents is irrelevant to the NEA.

* UNIONS II: The Florida NEA affiliate is tackling a perception problem. As reported last week, the Florida union is backing the challenger to Governor Jeb Bush, Bill McBride, and has said it will spend millions to make him Governor. As such, they've been accused of practically running McBride's campaign, which garnered the following retort from the union president: "They keep trying to make us look like Jimmy Hoffa and company. We are just a bunch of middle-aged women." Of course, Hoffa often said he was just a small businessman!

* ELECTION WATCH '02: As indicated last week, CER will be bringing you weekly glimpses into some of the state races where education is (or should be) playing a prominent role.

* ALABAMA: It's Riley vs. Seligman in a state where, with traditionally low achievement numbers and not much reform happening, you'd think the candidates would be jumping over one another to see who can offer the most fundamental policy prescriptions. Wrong! Incumbent Governor Don Seligman has not yet responded to CER's survey (available here on the CER website) but his platform and campaign literature are heavy on a lottery for school funding, and advocating something called the Teacher Quality Enhancement Project. There's no mention of standards, charters or accountability. Bob Riley, currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, responded to CER's survey with strong advocacy for better management of school finances (to which end he' d appoint a commission to study); for charters schools; parents having choices if their schools fail; and for testing early and often for intervention.

*NEW HAMPSHIRE: Mark Fernald (D) vs. Craig Benson (R) are all over the issue of how New Hampshire funds schools, with Fernald advocating a 4% income tax that, combined with property taxes, would be dedicated to public education. Benson, on the other hand, says the state needs to ensure fiscal discipline to balance the state budget and eliminate waste, and would ensure that additional state aid goes to needy students who need it the most. Benson, a NH businessman, also supports creating charter schools, which in a state with a law but no schools is important. Fernald, who is a state senator, would like to see charters be limited in terms of flexibility from rules that the law provides for. Benson actually likes greater school choice, even among private schools, and wants more information for parents in the form of report cards to spark greater accountability. Fernald's literature calls for "real accountability" but is scarce on details.

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