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CER Publications
June 23, 1999
As we thought, suits have been filed in Florida by the NAACP and the ACLU in protest to Jeb Bush's A+ choice program. What remains to be seen is if the justice will issue an injunction or allow the program to proceed while considering the suits. Stay tuned as we track this issue.Pennsylvania legislators walked away from Governor Ridge's much anticipated Academic Recovery Act legislation. After-hours negotiations were unable to yield a resolution. We commend Governor Ridge for his efforts and look forward to the Fall when the legislators will revisit the issue.
North to Vermont, the Supreme Court found that religious schools cannot be included in the choices available to that states children.
In California charter schools have been bearing the brunt of anti-charter efforts all Spring long. Finally, a brief respite: the bill that awaits the Governor's signature is free of union controls on charter schools.
All across the country the buzz words in reform focus on some level on teachers. I think that any of us would be hard pressed to find someone who honestly says that teachers make too much money! But some teachers unions are actually opposing proposals to raise teacher pay across the board, fearing that this private-sector practice [supply & demand] would undercut union strength! ... this added to their already standard disapproval of merit-based pay. Well, technology may play a part in breaking that camel's back. A tool developed at the University of Tennessee measures student performance at the beginning and end of the school year. Refined, this tool could someday be used to help set teacher salaries.
And finally our salute to an Arizona charter school, The Arizona School for the Arts (ASA), where performing arts are combined with rigorous academics. Principle Dr. Mark Francis should be commended for the success of the class of 1999, which received more than $50,000 in merit scholarships, with all thirteen graduates going on to attend universities this Fall. To contact ASA, call 602-257-1444.
Have a great day!
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The CER Newswire is published by The Center for Education Reform, the nation's leading authority on school reform. CER is dedicated to making schools better for America's children by improving educational access and excellence for all. CER works with parents, teachers and policymakers to advance meaningful education improvement initiatives.
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