GOP Hopefuls Would Limit Federal Role In Education
Associated Press, November 14, 2011
When it comes to education, the Republican field of presidential candidates has a unified stance: Get the federal government out of schools. How they’d do that varies.
/11/10_things_to_think_about_as_mi.html”>10 Things To Think About As Michigan And Other States Overhaul Teacher Evaluations
Kalamazoo Gazette, MI, November 13, 2011
Now 33 states — including Michigan — are overhauling their teacher evaluation systems, one of the most significant shakeups in U.S. education in recent years.
Time Running Out On School Finance Overhaul
Arizona Daily Sun, AZ, November 13, 2011
The results from Tuesday’s school elections in Arizona show again just how broken the school funding system is. And without an overhaul that will involve a new vision for the role of public education in Arizona , it’s likely to get worse.
1113,0,3570128.story”>Parents Organize to Push for Better California Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 12, 2011
Some 100 parent leaders with the Educate Our State network gather to train on how to better campaign for more school funding, top-notch teachers and a high-quality education for all students.
County Board of Education Approves County-Wide Charter Guidelines
San Jose Examiner, CA, November 13, 2011
After renewing the charter of Bullis School in Los Altos last month, the Santa Clara County Board of Education has approved a set of guidelines, to be consistent with its ruling, for countywide chartering of public schools.
Life Skills Challenges Closure Recommendation from Denver Public Schools
Denver Post, CO, November 12, 2011
The one school Denver Public Schools recommended for closure this year — an alternative charter school run by a for-profit company — is publicly challenging the district on its decision.
Tax Credit Scholarship Fund Hits $50 Million Cap
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, November 13, 2011
A growing number of taxpayers funneling part of their state income taxes to the Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship Program has helped the fund — which financially assists public school students moving to private schools — hit its $50 million cap for the first time.
Lanier Charter Serves Students of All Breeds
Gainesville Times, GA, November 12, 2011
School officials say the reason is Lanier Charter Career Academy, a nontraditional high school that first opened for credit recovery in 2004. Though the school doesn’t have a very high graduation rate, less than 30 percent, that’s 30 percent more students than would have graduated if the school didn’t exist, officials contend.
1114,0,7622731.story”>CPS Fails To Close Performance Gap
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 14, 2011
Twenty years of reform efforts and programs targeting low-income families in Chicago Public Schools has only widened the performance gap between white and African-American students, a troubling trend at odds with what has occurred nationally.
Concern Over Changing Teacher Evaluations
Chicago News Cooperative, NY, November 14, 2011
For the first time next year, thousands of Chicago Public Schools teachers will be evaluated based partly on how well their students are doing academically. Many fear they will face dismissal if the standards are not applied fairly.
1114/NEWS05/111140319/Private-school-kids-may-get-state-aid-take-college-classes?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE”>Private-School Kids May Get State Aid To Take College Classes
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 14, 2011
But the legislative provision has sparked controversy, with critics contending that private-school and home-school students shouldn’t be able to access public money to participate in the state’s dual-enrollment program.
$100,600 • $79,558 • $63,671 Lottery Jackpots? Nope. Sick Day Payouts For Teachers
St. Louis Post Dispatch, MO, November 13, 2011
In total, Rockwood spent $1.42 million to pay departing administrators and teachers this benefit during the last school year. Those kinds of expenses are common for school districts across the region, even in recent post-recession years.
Keep Charter Roles in Perspective
St. Louis Post Dispatch, MO, November 13, 2011
In a Nov. 6 letter, Missouri State Board of Education President Peter Herschend discussed his views of the board’s role in the oversight of Missouri’s charter schools.
More Pupils In City Pick New Schools
Nashua Telegraph, NH, November 14, 2011
The number of students taking advantage of school choice through a provision in No Child Left Behind jumped by nearly 50 percent in two years, putting the squeeze on schools required to take them in.
City Teacher Tests Turn into E-ZPass
New York Post, NY, November 14, 2011
Becoming a public-school teacher has never been easier.
Just 84 out of 17,500 applicants failed the elementary or secondary school test required to become certified as a teacher in New York last year — the lowest number on record, The Post has learned.
A Growing Divide
Buffalo News, NY, November 13, 2011
Phil Rumore walked into a meeting of Buffalo’s parent group one recent night and did what he has been doing for 30 years. Fight for Buffalo teachers. But something different happened, too. Parents fought back.
Proposed Bill Would Expand Voucher Program To All School Districts
Dayton Daily News, OH, November 14, 2011
Not all public school educators opposed Senate Bill 5, though more than a few administrators and school board members stood beside the teachers’ unions in working to repeal the controversial collective bargaining law.
Transfer, Tutoring Options Need To Be Used By Students
The Oklahoman, OK, November 14, 2011
OKLAHOMA’S dismal performance in placing a record number of schools and districts on the federal needs-improvement list has one redeeming factor: More students than ever have an opportunity to transfer to a better school in their district.
Rally for School Choice to Be Held in Harrisburg
Republican Herald, PA, November 12, 2011
Busloads of students, parents and educators from nine Schuylkill County schools will arrive outside the state Capitol Rotunda building Nov. 15 to support school choice and celebrate the Senate’s approval of Senate Bill 1 during the REACH Foundation’s Rally for School Choice.
Fraud At School: The U.S. Attorney Is Right To Look At Education Funds
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 14, 2011
One of U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton’s new initiatives will target public corruption in education, and recent events suggest that local school districts will be a rich vein for the region’s federal prosecutor to mine
Phila. District’s Empty Seat Estimate Debated
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 14, 2011
It was an eye-opening figure: There are 70,000 excess seats in the Philadelphia School District , officials told the public earlier this year – enough empty chairs to fill a football stadium.
1114/OPINION01/111140303″>Go Slow On Public School Voucher Recommendations
Jackson Sun, TN, November 13, 2011
Gov. Bill Haslam should err on the side of caution in deciding his position on school vouchers. He has said he will offer his position by the end of the year, after additional careful study.
/nov/12/editorials-teachers-get-the-states-ear/”>Teachers Get The State’s Ear
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2011
Public education reform won’t go far if those on the front line aren’t considered part of the solution.
School District Not Surrendering Education To Charter Schools
Austin American-Statesman, TX, November 12, 2011
In its Nov. 5 editorial, “East Austin community deserves voice,” the American-Statesman claimed that “Superintendent Meria Carstarphen wants to cede the job of educating East Austin students to an outside charter operator.” As a long-standing member of the East Austin community and trustee for District 2, I disagree.
My Teacher Is an App
Wall Street Journal, November 12, 2011
More kids than ever before are attending school from their living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. The result: A radical rethinking of how education works.
The ABCs of Online Schools
Wall Street Journal, November 12, 2011
The growing popularity of online public schools lets states and local school districts effectively outsource some teaching functions—to parents.
1113/OPINION/111130314/Make-grade-online-options”>Make the Grade with Online Options
Statesman Journal, OR, November 13, 2011
Kids today learn how to use a computer or a video game system before they can even read or write, yet states are not taking advantage of this kind of technology in education, according to the Nation’s Digital Learning Council.