Daily Headlines: May 30, 2012
NATIONAL COVERAGE
Any State With the Right Reason
Wall Street Journal, May 29, 2012
What do you call a federal law from which 19 of the 50 states have been formally exempted? That would be the No Child Left Behind Act, the 2001 law passed by bipartisan majorities that is now disowned by both the left and right.
Waivers for 8 More States From ‘No Child Left Behind’
New York Times, NY, May 30, 2012
The Obama administration freed eight states from core provisions of the No Child Left Behind education law on Tuesday, bringing to 19 the number of states granted waivers this year, and officials said that even more states would soon qualify for them.
Parental Choice Is The Best Reform To Education
Washington Examiner, DC, May 30, 2012
Teachers unions have consistently used their power to protect poorly performing teachers and schools, to the detriment of children. They’re against merit pay, they make it difficult to fire incompetent teachers and they’re against allowing parents to choose the best schools for their children.
The Missing Link in School Reform: Student Motivation
The Atlantic, May 29, 2012
Amid the dizzying crush of school improvement efforts — federal incentive grants, new regulations for teacher evaluations, proposals to raise state curriculum standards — how often do you hear discussion about student motivation as a factor in academic achievement?
My View: Vouchers Will Tear Down The ‘ Berlin Wall’ of Education
CNN Blog, May 30, 2012
Twenty five years ago, President Reagan gave a speech in West Berlin where he exhorted Mr. Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” Two years later, the barbed wire and wall that was a symbol of oppression came crashing down, ending decades of tyranny and leading to one of the greatest expansions of freedom and liberty in the 20th Century.
America has its own Berlin Wall. It is called K-12 education.
Romney Voucher Plan Just A Sop To The Rich
Las Vegas Review-Journal , NV, May 30, 2012
It’s bad enough that the Republicans want to give tax cuts to the rich on the backs of the middle class, now they want us to pay for the rich kids who go to private schools. Mitt Romney’s voucher system will not get one middle-class or poor kid into an expensive private school.
FROM THE STATES
Districts Use Marketing Strategies To Boost Enrollment
Prescott Daily Courier, AZ, May 29, 2012
For a variety of reasons, about half of the students no longer attending schools in the Prescott Unified School District are getting their educations locally. They enrolled in local charter or private schools, moved to another public school in the area, or took classes online, Assistant Superintendent Joe Howard said.
Unshackling Schools For Better Performance
Tucson Sentinel, AZ, May 29, 2012
This new law is a modest step toward less regulation of our schools that have proven they can get the job done, but the principle behind the measure will enhance school freedom and promote new approaches to education. Now that’s innovation.
State Waiver A Necessity
CT Post, CT, May 29, 2012
It took a few tries, but Connecticut has finally secured a waiver to the No Child Left Behind education reform law passed a decade ago. This is good news for the state.
Teacher Evaluation Planning Belongs In The Open
Hartford Courant, CT, May 29, 2012
State Department of Education committees acted illegally in meeting numerous times behind closed doors on one of the most important parts of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s education reform plan, how teacher and principal evaluations will be done.
Thomas Jefferson High School Is Not For All
Washington Post, DC, May 29, 2012
Regarding John Dell’s May 27 Local Opinions commentary, “The new Thomas Jefferson? It includes remedial math”:
Charter Schools And Districts
Orlando Sentinel, FL, May 30, 2012
In the name of creative autonomy, Florida charter schools largely are let off the hook from rules that hold traditional public schools accountable.
Florida Teachers Union Opposing Evaluation Rule
Ocala Star Banner, FL, May 30, 2012
The Florida Education Association is challenging a proposed state rule on teacher evaluations that would be used in part to determine who gets merit pay.
District 150 Demonstrators, Superintendent At Odds
Journal Star, IL, May 29, 2012
On the eve of the last day of school at District 150, more than 400 ralliers in support of the public school system’s teachers called Superintendent Grenita Lathan’s administration intimidating and one that lacks respect for their work.
At Charter Network, New Management Means New Faculty
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 29, 2012
New management company replacing teachers at low-performing South Side charters
Group Looks To Bring Charter School To U-46
Chicago Daily Herald, IL, May 30, 2012
Members of a group pondering opening a charter school in Elgin Area School District U-46 say their proposal would complement the educational opportunities available in the district, not clash with it.
MCSB OKs 3 Charter Schools
Monroe News Star, LA, May 30, 2012
The Monroe City School Board approved three applications for charter schools in a special called meeting on Tuesday, but not without a legal discussion first.
Senate Approves Rebates For Public School Contributions
Shreveport Times, LA, May 30, 2012
Donors seeking to improve public schools could get 75 percent of their money back in tax rebates if Rep. Katrina Jackson, D-Monroe, agrees to changes the Senate made in HB1104.
Lepage Vetoes Teacher Training Bill
Portland Press Herald, ME, May 30, 2012
In vetoing a bill to support teacher training on Tuesday, Gov. Paul LePage called for a more comprehensive solution and criticized the Maine Education Association for not doing more to improve teacher quality.
Mass. Sets Plan To Fix Schools in Lawrence
Boston Globe, MA, May 30, 2012
Most Lawrence schools will boost instructional time by 160 hours a year and some of the city’s lowest-performing schools will get a helping hand from charter school organizations, under a plan the state approved Tuesday that aims to turn around the long-ailing school system.
Flint Charter School Center Academy ‘S Future Still Uncertain Following Licensing Denial
Flint Journal, MI, May 29, 2012
With only a few weeks left in the school year, students at Flint ‘s Center Academy still don’t know if they’ll have a school to return to next year.
The charter school is still looking for a new authorizing agent after Central Michigan University declined to approve the school’s operation for another year.
Year’s End Brings More Change For Students In KC Public Schools
Kansas City Star, MO, May 29, 2012
Families in Kansas City’s “roulette” game of school choice are playing by the hundreds this year.
With the area’s largest charter school closing and Kansas City Public Schools taking back the contract for its African-centered education campus, the educational futures of more than 2,000 children are in play.
Education Law Center Fights Camden Charter School Proposal
Camden Courier Post, NJ, May 30, 2012
The Education Law Center is questioning a request for proposal made under the Urban Hope Act, and approved by the school board earlier this month.
Albany Charters At Risk
Albany Times Union, NY, May 29, 2012
The Brighter Choice Foundation is in danger of losing two of the 11 charter schools it supports in the city
More Principals Receive Positive Evaluations
New York Times Schoolbook, NY, May 29, 2012
While the number of teachers rated unsatisfactory by the city’s Education Department has risen in recent years, the number of principals rated poorly has continued to fall.
School Choice Programs
Letter by Jeanne Allen, New York Times, NY, May 30, 2012
“Public Money Finds Back Door to Private Schools” (front page, May 22) doesn’t mention facts and data showing that more choices in education lead to increased student achievement without doing harm to traditional public schools.
Bill to Speed Teacher Firings
Wall Street Journal, May 29, 2012
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is pushing state lawmakers to give local schools chiefs more power to fire school employees for sexual misconduct with students, the latest response to a series of arrests of school workers earlier this year.
House Budget Proposal Adds More Than $330 Million To Local School Districts
News & Observer, NC, May 29, 2012
The state House unveiled a $20.3 billion budget Tuesday that includes $50 million to address housing for mentally ill and elderly residents and $250 one-time bonuses for state employees and teachers.
Lawmakers To Choose Again On School Choice
Daily Advance, NC, May 29, 2012
That the Republican majority in the North Carolina legislature is more open to the school choice movement than their Democratic predecessors should come as no
surprise.
Federal Waiver In Hand, State To Get Tough Evaluating Schools
Columbus Dispatch, OH, May 30, 2012
Also yesterday, a state study of the Kasich administration’s revised accountability system showed that about a quarter of all Ohio traditional and charter school districts — including Columbus and virtually all urban schools — would flunk. The state’s simulation, which used 2011 data, showed that only eight districts (under 1 percent) statewide would get an A.
Parents, Employees Praise Freedom of Charter Schools
Chronicle-Telegram, OH, May 29, 2012
From about 15 when charter schools began in the 1998-99 school year, there are now 352 in Ohio with about 100,000 students, about 6 percent of Ohio students, according to the Ohio Department of Education.
A Tough Talk About Education Funding in Oklahoma Is Long Overdue
The Oklahoman, OK, May 30, 2012
NOT that long ago, the state’s largest teachers union sued the state of Oklahoma to increase common education funding. That didn’t work.
SC Senators Advance Private School Choice Bill
News Channel 7, SC, May 29, 2012
A Senate committee has advanced a bill giving tax breaks to South Carolina parents who send their children to private school or educate them at home.
Two New Charter Schools Aim for 2013 Opening in Nashville
The Tennessean, TN, May 30, 2012
The Metro school board granted approval to two new charter schools, one specializing in literature and language and the other hoping to teach financial literacy along with academics.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Sal Khan’s ‘Academy’ Sparks A Tech Revolution In Education
USA Today, May 29, 2012
His simply narrated, faceless home videos on everything from algebra to French history have been viewed half a billion times. Last year, a number of schools began “flipping” their classrooms, having students study Khan videos by night and do homework with teachers by day.
Kramer Middle School to Institute Online Learning
WJLA, DC, May 29, 2012
One of D.C.’s lowest performing schools hopes it can “log on” to better grades. Next school year, students at Kramer Middle School in Southeast will join some of the few students nationwide spending half their time learning online.
Board Opposes Virtual Charter School
Salisbury Post, NC, May 30, 2012
Kannapolis Board of Education members are taking a stand against a virtual charter school set to open in August. The board unanimously passed a resolution to join litigation contesting a judge’s decision to grant a charter for the school, which would be based in Cabarrus County and accept 2,750 students throughout the state during its first year.
Number Of Cyber Charter Schools To Expand To 15 Statewide
Daily Tribune, MI, May 29, 2012
Oakland County students who are already enrolled in Michigan’s only two cyber charter schools will have more options now that Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law legislation that allows the number of schools offering all classes on computers to increase to 15 by 2015.