Daily Headlines for September 15, 2011
SAT Reading And Math Scores Down In 2011, Says College Board
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 14, 2011
More bad news on the national education front: The College Board announced Wednesday that the mean SAT reading score for the high school class of 2011 fell 3 points from 2010’s mean — to 497, making it the lowest reading score since 1972.
Average Scores Slip on SAT
New York Times, NY, September 15, 2011
Average scores on the SAT fell across the nation this year, with the reading score for the high school class of 2011 falling three points to 497, the lowest on record, according to a report Wednesday by the College Board, which administers the exams.
Pipeline Into Partnerships Offers Minority Students A Chance
USA Today, September 15, 2011
Under the program, called Pipelines Into Partnerships, the college’s admissions office outsourced much of the responsibility for choosing 17 members of its incoming freshman class to KIPP, the largest charter chain in the country, as well as to a high school in Brooklyn and the Boys and Girls Club of Schenectady, N.Y.
Urban Schools Search Amiss For The Next ‘Savior’ Superintendent
Christian Science Monitor, MA, September 14, 2011
Urban school districts look to ‘savior’ superintendents, only to fire them when they fail to fix everything. Leadership is important, but no single individual can redeem America’s failing big-city schools. By pretending otherwise, we set our leaders – and our students – up for failure.
FROM THE STATES
California Parents Test Ability To Organize For School Change
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 15, 2011
A statewide tour showcases parents’ organizational ability under the landmark ‘Parent Trigger’ law. An umbrella group, Parent Revolution, will offer training and resources to campus-centered groups.
Effort Launched To Raise $200 Million For L.A. Public Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 15, 2011
The superintendent and a Hollywood philanthropist are collaborating on the fund. Donations could support districtwide initiatives, such as a new training program for principals, among other things.
Alum Rock Board Approves Charter Middle School
Mercury News, CA, September 14, 2011
To the cheers and tears of joy from parents and children, Alpha Middle School organizers have won permission to open the charter school next August in the Alum Rock Union School District.
COLORADO
State Seeks Fed Flexibility In No Child Left Behind
Pueblo Chieftain, CO, September 15, 2011
Colorado’s waiver application for federal No Child Left Behind requirements seeks flexibility to concentrate funds on struggling school districts like Pueblo’s and to help pay for the state’s new teacher effectiveness standards.
FLORIDA
Fla. Teachers Union Files Suit Over Merit Pay Law
Miami Herald, FL, September 14, 2011
The state’s largest teachers union filed suit challenging A new state law that redefines how public school teachers are paid, evaluated, hired and fired.
Student Performance Figures In New Hillsborough Reviews
Tampa Tribune, FL, September 15, 2011
For some Hillsborough County teachers, learning they got an average score on their annual review probably comes as a surprise.
Florida Merit-Pay Law Challenge Is Part Of Bigger Fight By Unions Against GOP Legislatures
Palm Beach Post, FL, September 14, 2011
The Florida Education Association sued Wednesday to overturn a new state law ending teacher tenure and introducing merit pay based in large part on how students perform on standardized tests.
INDIANA
Charter School Panel Ready To Act
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, September 15, 2011
The newly constituted Indiana Charter School Board hopes to consider its first round of charter school applications in early 2012, state education officials said Wednesday.
Ballard Wants ‘Welcome Mat’ For Charter School Groups
Indianapolis Star, IN, September 15, 2011
Mayor Greg Ballard wants to quickly increase the number of charter schools in Indianapolis — a move that is in line with the state Department push for more school choice and likely will further erode enrollment in Indianapolis Public Schools.
IPS To Allow Charter Transfers
Indianapolis Star, IN, September 15, 2011
Indianapolis Public Schools will allow students who are enrolled in charter schools on the state’s official count day to transfer back to the district.
LOUISIANA
Use Teacher Evaluations The Right Way
Daily World, LA, September 15, 2011
The new evaluation system is a way to fight back, part of the larger effort to improve public education across the board. It needn’t be punitive. Test scores could be viewed as a way to identify talented teachers as well as those who need some help and support.
Louisiana Teachers Union Wants Alternative To Test Results In Evaluating Teachers
The Times-Picayune, LA, September 14, 2011
The Louisiana Association of Educators, one of the two biggest state teachers unions, offered its advice Wednesday to a committee shaping Louisiana’s approach to evaluating teacher performance: among other points, drop the reliance on standardized testing.
New Orleans Charters See Reading, Math Scores Rise Faster Than Traditional Schools
The Times-Picayune, LA, September 14, 2011
Roughly half of the New Orleans charter schools that have produced enough test scores to measure are improving student performance in reading or math at a significantly faster rate than competing traditional schools, according to an analysis by Stanford University researchers.
MARYLAND
Task Force Wrongly Nixed Hybrid School Board
Baltimore Sun, MD, September 14, 2011
As The Sun recently reported (“Task force rejects having elected Baltimore Co. school board,” Sept. 10), the legislative task force considering alternatives to the board selection process “abruptly decided Friday to rule out recommending the addition of elected board members.”
MASSACHUSETTS
New Focus On Choice In Schools
Boston Globe, MA, September 15, 2011
If your child hasn’t found a good fit educationally, a conference this weekend in Marlborough aims to help.
MICHIGAN
Jalen Rose Testifies In Support Of School Choice And Charters
Michigan Radio, MI, September 14, 2011
Former NBA player and one of the “Fab Five” at the University of Michigan, Jalen Rose, told lawmakers at the state Capitol today parents need more school options for their kids.
Why More School Choice Would Be Good For Michigan
Grand Rapid Press, MI, September 15, 2011
Critics argue that school choice is no panacea for the ills of education.
That’s true. Of course, supporters of bills in the Legislature that would expand choice for parents and children aren’t pitching the idea as a cure-all.
MISSOURI
‘We Should Build Bridges’ For Kids, Interim KC Superintendent Says
Kansas City Star, MO, September 14, 2011
Late August, John Covington had abruptly resigned as Kansas City school superintendent, the board was in turmoil and Steve Green could see the storm turning on him.
NEW JERSEY
School Reform
The Record, NJ, September 15, 2011
GOVERNOR CHRISTIE is on the campaign trail. He’s not pushing for re-election, or making a case to run for president. He’s hitting the road to put the hard sell on his ideas concerning education reform. This education road show is rolling through North Jersey on the heels of the release of an interim report by the governor’s Education Transformation Task Force.
NEW YORK
Rochester Students Get More Options In 2012
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY, September 15, 2011
City students will have two new educational options in 2012, as the state Board of Regents’ has approved two new charter schools in Rochester.
NORTH CAROLINA
Putting More Charter Schools On Fast Track Is Good Deal For Education
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, September 15, 2011
The State Board of Education has wisely created the opportunity for new charter schools to open for the 2012-13 academic year. Whether any new charters actually open that quickly is anybody’s guess, however.
RHODE ISLAND
Mayoral Academies: Keep Pushing
Providence Journal, RI, September 14, 2011
It is disappointing that the Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education has rejected a mayoral academy for Cranston.
State Mulls New Teacher Licensing
Providence Journal, RI, September 14, 2011
The state Department of Education is proposing dramatic changes to the way teachers are certified, part of Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist’s plan to raise the quality of teaching throughout the state.
TENNESSEE
Senators Trying To Fix “No Child Left Behind
WVLT, TN, September 14, 2011
Sen. Lamar Alexander is among a group of senators introducing legislation that would end the federal mandates, where Washington, D.C. , decides which schools and teachers are succeeding or failing.
TEXAS
Texas Company Proposes Charter School In Texarkana, Arkansas
KTBS, TX, September 14, 2011
A Texas company is applying with the Arkansas Board of Education to open a charter high school in downtown Texarkana.
UTAH
Support Good Teachers
Deseret News, UT, September 15, 2011
Last week, the Utah State Board of Education voted 9-3 in support of the idea of making it easier to fire experienced teachers. Most board members prefer to leave firing decisions up to local districts, limit the length of teacher contracts and allow districts greater discretion to fire teachers at the end of a contract period.
WASHINGTON
Time For Tacoma Teachers To Return To The Classroom
Seattle Times, WA, September 14, 2011
Tacoma teachers have been ordered back to school. A Pierce County Superior Court judge’s order is bolstered by the fact that such strikes are illegal, and should be. The next move should be fines for strikers.
Will Striking Tacoma Teachers Be Ordered Back To Work?
Christian Science Monitor, MA, September 14, 2011
At issue in Tacoma: class sizes, potential salary cuts, and – most important to some – the district’s desire to transfer teachers between schools based on criteria other than seniority.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
BOCES Helps 8 Westchester Districts Develop Shared Online Courses
The Journal News, NY, September 15, 2011
Students in Stephen Walker and Bob Oddo’s class won’t be handing in their homework this school year – they’ll be uploading it.
State Reimbursement Sought For Mamont School Addition
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, September 15, 201
The district has brought back 15 cyber school students by enrolling them in its own cyber school.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Limit Online Course Offerings
Daily Tar Heel, NC, September 15, 2011
Although some North Carolina school districts are increasing online course offerings due to budget cuts, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are limiting their online course offerings.
Virtual Schools A Difficult Choice For Student-Athletes
The Times-Picayune, LA, September 14, 2011
Today’s students are accustomed to communicating and learning information through technology. Gone are the days when students turned to thick books or written letters for information.
State, Microsoft Launch Virtual Tech Academy
Seattle Times, WA, September 14, 2011
Washington state education officials and Microsoft are teaming up to launch a new virtual academy to teach high school students computer and web-development skills.
Virtual School Sees Tremendous Growth
ABC 7, FL, September 14, 2011
Lee County’s virtual school students learn the basics, but don’t go to a traditional school. All of their classes are online.