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Daily Headlines: February 8, 2012

Bentley Calls For Cuts To Government, Funding And Reform For Schools
Montgomery Adviser, AL, February 8, 2012

The governor also promised to back a push for charter schools in the state and said Alabama “had the ability to finance a major in¬frastructure program” through bonds.

Chartering State’s Course: Advocates of Charter Schools Must Study Issue’s Many Variables
Anniston Star, AL, February 8, 2012

With charter schools high on the state Legislature’s agenda, it would do well for readers of The Star to keep last Sunday’s edition handy for reference in the coming weeks.

School Closures: Charter Looks More Promising
Plumas County News, CA, February 8, 2012

Will Plumas Unified School District trustees allow charter schools on their campuses, if it means a high-quality education with more options for students? Indian Valley School Closure and Consolidation Committee members have been exploring different school models, and the most attractive seems to be combining the traditional, charter and academy programs.

District Accepts Context Charter Surrender
Press Enterprise, CA, February 7, 2012

The charter for Context Middle School has been surrendered and the Temecula Valley Unified School District will begin closure proceedings, the school board decided Tuesday.

Board Accepts Several New Charter School Applications Featured
‎Washington Informer, DC, February 7, 2012

The D. C. Public Charter School Board (PCSB) has accepted 11 applications to open new public charter schools. According to a statement issued Feb. 7 by PCSB spokeswoman Audrey Williams, the schools, if approved, would open in fall 2013.

More Colorado Graduates Than Ever Not Ready For College
Denver Post, CO, February 7, 2012

The number of students from Colorado that complete high school but still aren’t ready for college when they are admitted has gone up again, but colleges are doing a better job at helping those students complete the classes and stick around for another year of college.

Flagler School Board Reviews Teacher Evaluation Method
Daytona Beach News Journal, FL, February 8, 2012

Flagler County schools are preparing to roll out a new data-based method for evaluating teacher performance.

SB 1852 Gives Charter Schools More Money To Build
WTSP, FL, February 7, 2012

If given the choice, 9th grader Daniel Rosa says instead of returning to a traditional public school, he would stay at Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School, an A school for two consecutive years.

Rural Lawmakers: Charter School Amendment Is Atlanta Battle. We Don’t Want To Get Caught In Crossfire.
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, February 7, 2012

Here is another perspective on the proposed charter school amendment to the state constitution which may come to a floor vote this week in the House.

Republicans, Democrats Offer Charter School Amendments
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, February 7, 2012

Republicans scrambled in the face of opposition Tuesday to rework a proposed state constitutional amendment that would reassert the state’s right to approve charter schools.

Local Schools Should Be Controlled Locally, Too
Rockdale Citizen, GA, February 7, 2012

If educators, the public and voters alike don’t mount diplomatic opposition against the bad things happening to local school governance we’ll have more in common with the land of Oz as state and federal intrusion leave us wondering if we only had a brain.

Idaho Bill Would Lift Cap On Charter School Growth
Idaho Statesman, ID, February 7, 2012

State lawmakers are again taking up legislation to lift Idaho’s cap on the number of new charter schools allowed each year.

Planning Ahead Would Have Improved Luna Plan
Magic Valley Times News, ID, February 8, 2012
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State public schools chief Tom Luna seems to have a bit of buyer’s remorse.
Last year, Luna scored a major political victory by getting his three-part Students Come First education reforms through the Legislature in the same session that he first revealed them.

Federal Funding Pushes Proposal to Lift Charter School Cap
Magic Valley Times News, ID, February 8, 2012
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Soon, there may be fewer restrictions on the number of public charter schools that can open in Idaho each year.

Jindal, Landrieu Find Common Ground On Education
Alexander Town Talk, LA, February 7, 2012

On his push for widespread change to the way Louisiana educates its students and judges its teachers, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal has an unlikely ally in Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.

Neville Alumni Board Holds On Charter Ruling
Monroe News Star, LA, February 7, 2012

The board of directors of the Neville Alumni and Friends Association decided Tuesday not to proceed immediately with a charter school application. Instead it wants to fully educate the people impacted by the endeavor.

Louisiana Applies To Alter The Way It Grades Its Public Schools
Times-Picayune, LA, February 7, 2012

No one would call the system that Louisiana uses to measure the quality of its public schools the most intuitive. Last year, the state started giving each school the same type of letter grade everyone recognizes — A, B, C and so on. But the math behind them is still quirky.

Large Number Of City Teachers Receive Unsatisfactory Evaluations
Baltimore Sun, MD, February 7, 2012

Teachers believe it is attempt to avoid pay raises, but system says it is effort to help them become more effective

Gloucester Parents File Appeal To Continue Charter School Fight
Cape Ann Beacon, MA, February 7, 2012

A group of parents planned to file an intent to appeal this week, a legal move that would continue their lawsuit against the state’s Commissioner of Education in an attempt to prove the Gloucester Community Charter School should not have been granted its original charter.

A Tale of Two Charter Schools: International Academy of Flint
Flint Journal, MI, February 8, 2012

The data supports Vincent’s comment. The K-12 school landed as the top charter in the county on the Michigan Department of Education’s top-to-bottom list last year, which ranks all schools in the state based on student proficiency, school achievement, academic growth and the socioeconomic gap in five subject areas plus high school graduation rates.

St. Paul District, Teachers’ Union Tout Deal; No Price Tag Given
Pioneer Press, MN, February 7, 2012

The uncommon agreement to “work collaboratively to secure funding” for driving down average class sizes by 2013 is part of a new two-year contract the district and the St. Paul Federation of Teachers unveiled Tuesday. The deal fell short of the hard class-size caps championed by the union, which nevertheless hailed it as a strong commitment.

NH Vs. NCLB: Right Goal, Wrong Method
Union Leader, NH, February 8, 2012

The question for House members hoping to withdraw New Hampshire from the federal No Child Left Behind law is this: Then what?

Education Chief: Tenure Bill Is Positive Step
Daily Journal, NJ, February 8, 2012

The state’s top education official said Tuesday there was much he liked about a Democratic-sponsored teacher tenure reform bill, although he stopped short of endorsing the measure.

Give School Districts A Strict Deadline
New York Daily News, NY, February 8, 2012

Two years ago, New York State’s legislators passed a law requiring districts and teachers unions to replace outdated evaluations that rate nearly all teachers “satisfactory” and fail to provide the feedback and support educators deserve.

Appeals Court Weighs Teacher Ruling
Albany Times Union, NY, February 7, 2012

The court battle over teacher evaluations between the state Education Department and New York State United Teachers continued Tuesday, despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s threat that it must be resolved next week.

A New Charter School , A New Approach to Escaping Poverty
Huffington Post Blog, February 7, 2012

Despite the hard work of the thousands of dedicated and talented professionals that fill public schools, systemic problems contribute to a growing achievement gap that often leaves minority and low-income families at a serious disadvantage

City Voters Trust Teachers Union More Than Mayor: Poll
New York Daily News, NY, February 8, 2012

City voters trust the teachers union more than the mayor to protect public school kids’ interests, according to a poll released Wednesday.

A Charter School That Will Reach Out To Help Others
News & Observer, NC, February 8, 2012

Regarding your Feb. 3 editorial “School rivals”: Research Triangle High School (RTHS), a proposed charter school awaiting approval in March, has been dismayed by the public misunderstandings of its plans.

Celebrating North Carolina’s History of Embracing Educational Options
Durham Herald Sun. NC, February 7, 2012

North Carolina’s strong history of educational options should be celebrated, but we still need to work towards ensuring that this partnership be one that is mutually beneficial for each educational model.

Oklahoma Governor Backs Homeschoolers
The Oklahoman, OK, February 8, 2012

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin says parents have the fundamental right to direct the education and upbringing of their children.

Bad News, Good News For Schools: No Big Grants, But No Big Cuts
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, February 8, 2012

GOV. CORBETT’S state budget unveiled yesterday doesn’t include a miracle infusion of cash to help the Philadelphia School District out of its financial crisis.

Partnership To Help Struggling Schools
WPRI, RI, February 7, 2012

The Providence School District is teaming up with the Providence Teachers Union to create a first-of-its-kind partnership, aimed at turning around struggling city schools.

Regents OK First Achievement Charter School
Valley Breeze & Observer, RI, February 7, 2012

Over the objections of school Supt. Donna M. Ottaviano, the School Committee and Town Council, the Rhode Island Board of Regents last week voted preliminary approval of an elementary school that will be part of the Rhode Island Mayoral Academies in Providence.

Charter School, District Should Set New Course
Beaufort Gazette, SC, February 8, 2012

A federal trial over how many students Riverview Charter School can enroll was a disappointing expenditure in time and money, but at least the issue is settled for the next two years.

Education Plan: New Teachers Would Benefit
Sioux Falls Argus Leader, SD, February 8, 2012

Proposed changes to Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s education reform bill would limit math and science teacher bonuses to only new professionals, while allowing individual school boards to craft their own plans for teacher performance pay.

McDonnell Urges OK For Tax Credits For School Choice
Washington Times, DC, February 7, 2012

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell headlined a rally in Capitol Square on Tuesday to advocate for a crucial element of his 2012 education agenda: a voucherlike program granting tax credits to companies that provide scholarships to low-income children.

Bill Would Signal Big Change For 100,000 Va. Teachers
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, February 7, 2012

Virginia’s public school teachers would operate under two different contract systems under the latest version of a proposed teacher contract and evaluation overhaul backed by the McDonnell administration.

Education-Reform Conversations Must Focus On Opportunities, Not Problems
Seattle Times, WA, February 7, 2012

It was hard to miss state Rep. Eric Pettigrew’s recent testimony before the House Education Committee in support of charter schools.

Wash. Teacher Evaluation Bills Come Back To Life
Seattle Times, WA, February 7, 2012

Two proposals to change the way Washington state evaluates teachers are back in play in Olympia after being blocked last week by the statehouse education committee chairs.

Grass Roots: Dan Nerad Wants You To Help Bridge The Achievement Gap
Capital Times, WI, February 7, 2012

Madison Schools Superintendent Dan Nerad packed the house Monday night for what he termed “a call to action” to the community to join his administration in a strategy to close the racial achievement gap that has haunted the school district for decades.

VIRTUAL EDUCATION

Michigan Must Regulate Online Schools
Detroit Free Press, MI, February 7, 2012

What if I told you that millions of Michigan taxpayer dollars are going to a for-profit business that is not only failing to meet performance standards, but can’t even say how many customers it serves?

America Needs High-Quality Educational Options Like Virtual School
Holland Sentinel, MI, February 8, 2012

As principal of Michigan Connections Academy (MICA), I was disappointed The Holland Sentinel’s recent editorial about virtual schools, which showed little understanding about these effective programs and how they are beneficial for a variety of families.

Digital Learning Day Offers Opportunities
Edmond Sun, OK, February 7, 2012

I celebrated the Alliance for Excellent Education’s first Digital Learning Day this past week with an announcement of these two new free online resources for students and educators throughout our state.

Provider for Idaho Online School Accused of Fraud
Idaho State Journal, ID, February 8, 2012

A private for-profit company hired to provide curriculum for Idaho’s largest online charter school is the target of a lawsuit alleging federal securities fraud.

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