Daily Headlines for June 24, 2011

GOP Lawmaker Challenges Duncan on No Child Left Behind
Wall Street Journal, June 24, 2011
The Republican chair of the House education committee said Thursday he won’t rush into a revamp of No Child Left Behind and challenged the Obama administration’s suggestion that states be allowed to waive parts of the law.

Bills Outline Game Plan For Education Overhaul
Washington Times, DC, June 23, 2011
Brushing off criticism that Congress is moving too slowly on education reform, a key House committee chairman said Thursday that he believes he can push a package of five reform bills through the House this year and end the “draconian” approach of the expiring No Child Left Behind Act.

The Case for Common Educational Standards
Wall Street Journal, June 23, 2011
The success of today’s students will determine our nation’s destiny. America’s economic strength and standing in the world economy are directly linked to our ability to equip students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in the 21st-century economy.

FROM THE STATES

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The Coming Teacher-Union Offensive
Washington Times, DC, June 23, 2011
Already, national political fundraising machines are beginning to hum and s putter toward early targets in their quest to break another election cycle’s worth of spending records.

FLORIDA

3 New Volusia Charter Schools Ready For Opening
Dayton Beach News-Journal, FL, June 24, 2011
Jessica Hewitt was looking for a little something extra when she decided to enroll her daughter in the Ivy Hawn Charter School of the Arts, one of three new charter schools scheduled to open in Volusia County in August.

Rushed Decisions Are Bad For Students
Florida Times-Union, FL, June 24, 2011
A church seemed the appropriate place to hold a meeting on Jacksonville’s four intervene schools, since prayer seems the best intervention at the moment.

GEORGIA

Cherokee Superintendent Wants Limits Put On Charter School
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, June 23, 2011
Cherokee schools Superintendent Frank Petruzielo has warned that approving the application for Cherokee Charter Academy will cost taxpayers and teachers money

ILLINOIS

Teachers Making House Calls?
Chicago Tribune, IL, June 23, 2011
New Chicago schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard expressed support Thursday for the idea of teachers and staff visiting students at home, even in some of the city’s toughest neighborhoods.

MAINE

Charter Schools Serve As Viable Alternative For Frustrated Parents
Portland Press Herald, ME, June 24, 2011
The concept of charter schools — or for that matter, any alternate model of education — came from the frustration that parents have and do experience with failing educational systems.

MARYLAND

Montgomery Superintendent Recommends County’s First Charter School
Washington Post, DC, June 24, 2011
Montgomery County’s superintendent on Thursday recommended approval of the county’s first public charter school, signaling that one of the nation’s marquee school systems is ready to accept such an experiment after years of resistance.

MICHIGAN

Stand Up for Reform
The Detroit News, MI, June 24, 2011
Republicans in the state Senate are wobbling on an important education reform bill that would make it easier for schools to get rid of incompetent teachers. They should find their courage and face down the special interests that would keep Michigan an education backwater.

MINNESOTA

Fate of 20 Minn. Charter Schools at Risk as Sponsor Deadline Nears
Minnesota Public Radio, MN, June 24, 2011
The leaders of 20 charter schools across Minnesota are wondering if next week might be their last in business. They all had to find new sponsors this year, but the switch to a new sponsor still hasn’t earned final approval from the state education department.

NEW JERSEY

Parents Rally For Charter Choice
South Brunswick Post, NJ, June 24, 2011
A crowd of about 40 men, women and children from around the region gathered Tuesday night in front of the Municipal Building on Route 522 to ask their state representatives for the right to vote on whether charter schools should be allowed to open in their communities.

NEW YORK

UFT-NAACP Child Abuse
New York Post, NY, June 24, 2011
The fate of thousands of kids’ educations may be decided next week by a ruling in a lawsuit aimed at thwarting charter schools and keeping open some 22 abysmal traditional schools.
Or maybe it won’t be decided.

Groups Bid To Rebuild Failing Schools
Buffalo News, NY, June 24, 2011
Twelve groups-from the Buffalo Museum of Science and Buffalo State College to a high-profile consulting firm out of Long Island – have submitted proposals to help turn around seven of Buffalo’s failing schools.

OHIO

Teacher Merit Pay Expected to Be in Final Ohio Budget
Columbus Dispatch, OH, June 24, 2011
A new teacher merit-pay system probably will be included in the final state budget, which could take shape today if a conference committee is ready to start plowing through more than 500 differences between the House- and Senate-passed versions of the bill.

Bill Puts Limits On Inferior Charter Schools
Wooster Daily Record, OH, June 24, 2011
Charter schools that earn lower ratings on state report cards than nearby public sch

ools would be prohibited from admitting students who live in those districts, under legislation being considered in the Ohio Senate.

PENNSYLVANIA

Aid For Private School Students Can Cut Companies’ Pa. Taxes
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, June 24, 2011
Businesses in Pennsylvania have a choice to either send their tax dollars to the state or use the money to fund private school education. But time is running out if they want to use the latter option this year.

Charter School Suit Would Challenge State Law
Courier Times, PA, June 23, 2011
In seeking to recoup more than $180,000 in annual payments from School Lane Charter School , the lawyers for the Bensalem School District might also need to overturn a state law. On Wednesday night, the school board voted to sue the charter school over allegations it failed to make regular payments to the district as promised in a 1998 contract.

Corbett Gears Up For Push On School Vouchers
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, June 24, 2011
Saying he believes the Legislature is in “as good a position” to get a school voucher bill passed as it has been “for many, many years,” Gov. Tom Corbett said he wants lawmakers to approve legislation before leaving for recess next week.

Catholic Schools Urge Support For School Choice
Beaver County Times, PA, June 24, 2011
Catholic schools representatives are backing a state initiative by a local legislator that would provide vouchers for students in poor-performing public schools.

VIRTUAL LEARNING

Nevada Connections Academy Sees Enrollment Grow
KTVN, NV, June 23, 2011
With the public school system juggling budget cuts and overcrowded classrooms, more and more parents are turning to alternative schooling for their children.

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