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Traditional Or Charter Schools? Actually, They Help Each Other, Study Says.
Christian Science Monitor, MA, September 27, 2012
A new study suggests that best practices from charter schools can help student achievement at underperforming public schools. The issue is getting the two to cooperate.

Chicago Teachers Strike Underscores Shift Among Democrats
Washington Post, DC, September 27, 2012
I’m a Democrat because I believe in the party’s basic principles, particularly the idea that we have to look after one another and stand up for those who need help. I believe in fighting for the civil rights of all Americans, especially children and those facing injustices.

‘Won’t Back Down’ Has Teachers Unions Running Scared
Washington Times, DC, September 27, 2012
For more than half a century, in Hollywood message movies from “Blackboard Jungle” to “Lean on Me,” Stand and Deliver” and “Dangerous Minds,” academic failure and juvenile crime have haunted the corridors of failing inner-city schools that were little better than war zones.

High Marks For Class Act
New York Post, NY, September 28, 2012
The rousing school-choice movie “Won’t Back Down” is (already!) inspiring teachers’ unions to protest it with its standard dial-a-mob tactics, but the film makes a serious effort to present the other side’s points.

Parent-Trigger Laws: A Bold Plan To Save Schools
NPR, September 27, 2012
Several states have passed what are known as parent-trigger laws, which give parents a path to make operational changes in failing schools. Education Week reporter Sean Cavanagh talks about where parent-trigger laws are in place and what we know about whether or not they are working.

Money Isn’t Answer For Schools
Sun Sentinel, FL, September 28, 2012
A well-known definition of insanity is, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting difference results.” For decades, the United States threw money at a public education system that had turned sclerotic in many parts of the country, only to see it spiral downward in quality. Yet, many in the public school establishment still insist more money is needed to reverse the deterioration. That prescription is just plain nuts.

FROM THE STATES

ARKANSAS

JHS Officials Explain What’s Next To Become Conversion Charter School
Kait8, AR, September 27, 2012
That implementation has put JHS on track for their next big move, turning JHS into a conversion charter school. Thursday night, school officials met with parents to break down what they’re looking to do and why.

CALIFORNIA

LAUSD, Charters Win $98 Million In Grants To Boost Teacher, Administrator Pay
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, September 27, 2012
Los Angeles Unified and three local charter school networks were among 35 recipients of $290 million in federal grants awarded to boost the pay of effective teachers and administrators, officials said today.

Fresno Unified Board Clashes Over New Millennium Charter School
The Fresno Bee, CA, September 27, 2012
The Fresno Unified School Board erupted with accusations Wednesday night over the district’s handling of the troubled New Millennium charter school, prompting one trustee to say the board had shirked its duty to investigate possible staff misconduct.

Livermore School Board Considers New Portola Academy Charter Petition
Livermore Independent, CA, September 28, 2012
The Livermore School Board held a hearing on Tues., Sept. 17, on a new petition for the Portola Academy charter school, submitted by the Tri-Valley Learning Corporation (TVLC) last month. In July, the State Board of Education (SBE) denied the original Portola Academy petition, which was also denied by the Alameda County Board of Education (ACBOE) and the Livermore School Board earlier in the year.

End Union Control of California Politics
Desert Sun, CA, September 28, 2012
Some of the arguments against Proposition 32 are particularly egregious examples of the misleading rhetoric that tends to surround California ballot propositions.

COLORADO

Students Take Alternative Road to Success
KREX News Channel 5, CO, September 27, 2012
Unlike an equation, the answers to how young adults should be educated can vary. Vista Charter School offers an alternative solution to the traditional method of education.

Re-1 Board To Consider TRES Charter Application
Glenwood Springs Post Independent, CO, September 28, 2012
Organizers of the Two Rivers Expeditionary School have formally applied with the Roaring Fork Re-1 school board to have the proposed Glenwood Springs-based school operate as a charter school within the Re-1 system.

CONNECTICUT

Waterford School Board Gets Details On New Teacher Evaluation System
The Day, CT, September 28, 2012
The Board of Education on Thursday learned more about the district’s new teacher and administrator evaluation system, which went into effect this school year.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

New Plan Will Allow Merit Raises For D.C. School Principals
Washington Post, DC, September 27, 2012
D.C. Public Schools officials plan to offer performance raises to principals and assistant principals who score well on annual evaluations, expanding the merit pay system already in place for teachers.

FLORIDA

6 of 7 Charter School Applicants Fail Committee Approval Test
The Ledger, FL, September 27, 2012
Only one of seven charter school applications submitted to the Polk County School District in August has been approved by an advisory committee.

State Task Force Proposal Would Require School Districts To Fund Charter School Facilities
NPR StateImpact , FL, September 27, 2012
A state task force is considering a proposal which would require local school districts to give money to charter schools for facilities.

GEORGIA

Education Officials: Vote No To State-Controlled Schools
Rome News-Tribune, GA, September 28, 2012
Education officials across Northwest Georgia are urging constituents to “Vote Smart” come Nov. 6 regarding the constitutional amendment on the ballot that would create a commission with the power to approve charter schools in local communities across the state.

Local Dems Blast Charter School Amendment
Athens Banner Herald, GA, September 27, 2012
Democratic candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives Spencer Frye summed up his feelings toward the proposed charter school amendment with an analogy: “If your house is on fire, you put the fire out. You don’t go right next door and build a house the same exact way.”

Smokescreen On Charter Schools?
Athens Banner Herald, GA, September 27, 2012
Is anyone tempted to ask if the Heartland Institute’s position on charter schools is “extremist” or outside the educational mainstream? I hope so.

Charter Column Relied On Scare Tactics
Athens Banner Herald, GA, September 27, 2012
Athens Banner-Herald guest columnist Russell Edwards rehashes silly, worn-out progressive slogans against charter schools in an attempt to scare voters away from what, if it happens in Georgia as it has in 41 other states, would benefit them and their children (Column, “Amendment would hurt public schools,” Sept. 19).

IDAHO

Index Ranks Idaho Education 15th In The Country Based On Options For Students
Idaho Reporter, ID, September 27, 2012
The Center for Education Reform (CER), a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to assisting states with education concerns geared toward choice in education and accountability, has released what it calls the “Parent Power Index,” ranking states on parents’ ability to choose a quality education for their children.

Parents OK With Low School Rating
Idaho Mountain Express, ID, September 28, 2012
Members of the Bellevue Elementary School Parent Auxiliary organization don’t seem overly concerned that the school only received two stars out of a maximum of five in the Idaho State Department of Education’s newly released rating system.

ILLINOIS

A Gold Star for Chicago Teachers Strike? We Think Not
Wall Street Journal, September 28, 2012
The Sep. 24 op-ed “A Gold Star for the Chicago Teachers Strike” by Karen Lewis and Randi Weingarten is a wonderful display of self-congratulatory patting of each other’s backs. However, it is a resounding kick in the pants to the budget of the Chicago Public School (CPS) system.

Charter Reform Time
Chicago Now Blog, IL, September 27, 2012
But the also article reminds me that that there’s a second, behind-the-scenes battle going on over charter schools in addition to the public one going on out in the open between districts and charters. It may be more important than the one going on out in public.

INDIANA

Despite Legislation, Test Shows Students Getting Left Behind
Evansville Courier Post, IN, September 27, 2012
The high school class of 2012 has taken its College Board exams and the results are not good, showing the nation still hasn’t cracked the code of how to deliver a quality secondary education to large numbers of students from diverse backgrounds.

IOWA

2 School Districts Get Head Start On Reform
Des Moines Register, IA, September 28, 2012
Two Iowa school districts are getting a head start on creating career ladders and new compensation systems for teachers.

LOUISIANA

Neville Move Surprises Board
Monroe News Star, LA, September 28, 2012
Monroe City School Board Vice President Mickey Traweek said Thursday he will encourage Neville High School to seek its charter from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, not Monroe City Schools, if the school district continues to prioritize its spending based on the lack of academic success in schools.

Orleans Parish School Board race pits Heidi Lovett Daniels, Ira Thomas for 1st District
Times-Picayune, LA, September 27, 2012
Voters in eastern New Orleans and the Lower 9th Ward have two starkly different resumes to ponder as they consider whom to support in this year’s 1st District race for the Orleans Parish School Board. On the one hand, a veteran of the New Orleans Police Department argues that he and his fellow incumbents have cleaned up the district and deserve another four years to continue the job.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter Head Calls It Quits
Gloucester Times, MA, September 28, 2012
With a stiff budget cut hanging over Gloucester Community Arts Charter School, Executive Director Tony Blackman slashed his own job to keep the teaching staff intact.

MICHIGAN

Michigan’s ‘Parent Trigger’ Legislation Has Right Goal, But Important Flaws
Detroit Free Press, MI, September 28, 2012
Those of us who conceived Parent Trigger three years ago, and have been working on its implementation in California and across the country since, applaud those legislators in Lansing who are joining parents in creating better schools for their kids.

MINNESOTA

Pre-Kindergarten Program Helping Close Achievement Gap
CBS Local, MN, September 27, 2012
In most school districts, children start school at age 5 when they go to kindergarten. But in Minneapolis, an increasing number of kids are going at age 4 as part of a program called High Five. It targets Native American kids, and it’s also a good example of what’s working in local schools.

MISSISSIPPI

Gov. Bryant Continues Push for Charter Schools
Mississippi Public Broadcasting, MS, September 27, 2012
Governor Phil Bryant is continuing his push to bring charter schools to Mississippi. As MPB’s Daniel Cherry reports, Bryant is looking to private schools for ideas on education reform.

NEVADA

District Faces Tough Task In Lifting Underperforming Students
Las Vegas Sun, NV, September 28, 2012
The Clark County School District struggles to remediate nonproficient students, according to last year’s school-level “growth” data released Thursday.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Charter School Moratorium Was Avoidable
Nashua Telegraph, NH, September 28, 2012
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello have made a lot of people laugh over the years with their famous “Who’s on First” comedy routine from the late 1930s, but few bothered to crack a smile last week over a more serious breakdown in communication that led to a moratorium on new charter schools in New Hampshire.

NEW JERSEY

City Should Host An Urban Hope School
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, September 28, 2012
If Camden school board members want detailed information about how opening more charter schools will impact the district’s budget, that’s understandable.

School Rejection Leaves Camden Neighborhood At A Loss
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 28, 2012
Charlie Marrero had hoped that by the time his son reached third grade in 2014, he would be attending a brand-new school just down the block from his Royden Street home.

Camden Board Rejects Urban Hope Act School Proposals
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, September 28, 2012
Camden’s surprise decision this week to block any new schools under the controversial Urban Hope Act has left local officials — and maybe even the Christie administration itself — with a difficult decision about what happens next in a drama that has become as much about politics as education.

NEW YORK

East Ramapo Charter School Backers Tout Alternative For Students; District Cites Costs
The Journal News, NY, September 28, 2012
Supporters of a proposed charter school are touting the need to give parents in the East Ramapo school district an alternative to the fast-growing, deficit-plagued public schools.

East Ramapo Charter School Makes Community Pitch
Newsday, NY, September 27, 2012
Supporters of a proposed charter school in the East Ramapo Central School District made their case for fiscal responsibility and academic accountability Thursday night at a public hearing in Spring Valley .

Evaluate Teachers, But Not By Tests
Newsday, NY, September 27, 2012
What makes teaching any different from every other job [“Get moving on evaluations,” Editorial, Sept. 21]? It seems obvious to me that, just like any other employee, teachers should be evaluated by their supervisors.

NORTH CAROLINA

The School Board From Another Planet
News & Observer, NC, September 27, 2012
Barring some undisclosed gross malfeasance on Tata’s part, getting rid of the superintendent at this critical moment is just destructive. The board is in the middle of creating a third student assignment plan in three years and getting ready to try to sell to the public a $1.2 billion bond issue for school construction needs.

OHIO

Teacher Evaluations Coming, Much Work To Prepare, Implement
Lima News, OH, September 27, 2012
While the coming teacher evaluation system is state mandated, much of the work will be done at the local level, with decisions needed to be made by next summer.

Cleveland Schools Chief Eric Gordon: ‘It’s Do Or Die Time’ For District
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 27, 2012
The Cleveland schools are in a position to greatly improve the education of the city’s children, district chief Eric Gordon told a City Club of Cleveland audience Thursday. But he said the district needs community support in November for a new school tax to carry out its plans.

OKLAHOMA

Money Talks And Education Will Listen
Tulsa World, OK, September 28, 2012
The last thing education in this state needs is more lip service. Unfortunately, that’s mostly what politicians supply. It was no exception Wednesday from Gov. Mary Fallin.

Oklahoma Schools to Receive A-F Grades Oct. 8
The Oklahoman, OK, September 28, 2012
Oklahoma education workers are finalizing data that will be used to assign an A through F letter grade to Oklahoma’s 1,761 schools. The grades will be announced Oct. 8.

PENNSYLVANIA

Parents From Two Charters Urge SRC To Keep Schools Open
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 27, 2012
Parents from two charter schools whose founder and former top administrators are under federal indictment urged the Philadelphia School Reform Commission on Thursday to keep their schools open.

Helen Thackston Charter School Breaks Ground For Expansion Project
York Daily Record, PA, September 27, 2012
Many of those speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion project at Helen Thackston Charter School said the day was a long time coming.

Pa. Special-Ed Funding Linked To Charter Law Changes
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 28, 2012
A long-awaited overhaul of Pennsylvania’s special-education funding system is on hold this fall, awaiting agreement on proposed charter law changes, according to the chairman of the House Democratic Policy Committee.

TENNESSEE

Parents Can’t Trust School System
The Tennessean, TN, September 28, 2012
There is no substitute for parental involvement in the education of their children; few other factors weigh so heavily in success.

VIRGINIA

A Better Plan For Closing The Gap
The Virginian-Pilot, VA, September 28, 2012
State education officials appear to have finally found the right track with their latest approach for setting educational goals in public schools.

WASHINGTON

New PAC Forms, Starts Advertising In Favor Of School Reform Measures
Spokesman Review, WA, September 27, 2012
A new PAC called “Parents for Education Reform” has filed paperwork with the Idaho Secretary of State’s office, and is running a new TV commercial in favor of Propositions 1, 2 and 3, the education reform referenda.

Tacoma School Board Opposes Nov. 6 Ballot’s Charter Initiative
News Tribune, WA, September 27, 2012
The Tacoma School Board voted 5-0 Thursday to oppose Initiative 1240, the charter school measure that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Community Grapples With Charter School Initiative
Sammamish Review, WA, September 27, 2012
On Nov. 6, people across the state will cast their vote whether or not to allow charter schools in Washington , and locals stand on both sides of the argument.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

‘ Virtual Academy ’ Offers Educational Diversity In Bernardsville
Bernardsville News, NJ, September 28, 2012
In its second year, the Virtual Academy, funded by a grant from the Somerset Hills Education Foundation (SHEF), offers students the opportunity to study a subject, via the Internet, that is not offered at the high school.

Pasco Officials Moving Carefully Toward Virtual School
Bay News 9, FL, September 27, 2012
Plans for a new charter school in Pasco County are moving forward, despite an investigation into the company’s parent organization.

Joe Robertson | Few Takers For Free Online Classes
Kansas City Star, MO, September 27, 2012
For all those wondering whether legions of families really would transfer out of Kansas City Public Schools if they had a free option, here’s a way to find out. Or at least get a hint.

Internet School Seeks State Charter
Westminster News, CO, September 27, 2012
Colorado Virtual Academy (COVA) may be one step closer to distancing itself from the Adams 12 Five Star School district after the district school board waived its right to retain an exclusive charter to the state’s largest K-12 online school.

The Life and Death of Schools
Austin Chronicle, TX, September 27, 2012
On the subject of public education, Diane Ravitch may be America’s most important whistle-blower.

Julia Steiny: Get Creative with Private-School Vouchers
GoLocal Worchester, RI, September 27, 2012
It might look better if we all took a deep breath and opened our hearts to the potential virtues of private-school vouchers. Forget the current debate. Here’s the driving question: “How can we give more students and families what they believe will work for them?”

‘Won’t Back Down’s’ ‘Parent Trigger’ School Story Draws Protest
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 26, 2012
‘Won’t Back Down’ stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis as a mom and teacher who try to improve a failing public school. Anti-charter advocates aren’t fans.

Let’s Talk About Local Control of Public Education
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, IN, September 27, 2012
A handful of candidates are running for local school board seats in November’s election. It’s a wonder they bother. State and federal dictates keep diminishing school board autonomy. Why seek a public office with growing responsibility but shrinking authority?

Putting the SAT in its Place
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 26, 2012
At the same time that public schools are placing heavier emphasis on a single standardized test — the annual standards exam that each state offers — colleges are edging in the other direction. More are de-emphasizing the SAT, which for years ruled the college admissions scene. And though their motives for this might have a tinge of self-interest, this new flexibility in college admissions is a welcome change.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

FUSD Handling Of Charter Sparks Board Clash
The Fresno Bee, CA, September 26, 2012
The Fresno Unified School Board erupted with accusations Wednesday night over the district’s handling of the troubled New Millennium charter school, prompting one trustee to say the board had shirked its duty to investigate possible staff misconduct.

Oakland’s Award-Winning American Indian Charter Schools Face Closure Threat
Oakland Tribune, CA, September 26, 2012
The governing board for Oakland’s American Indian Model Schools — which boast some of the highest test scores in California — has been put on notice: If they don’t make swift changes to the way the organization is run, it could be shut down.

COLORADO

Best DPS Schools Refute The Critics
Denver Post, CO, September 27, 2012
Local leaders should heed the lessons of successful charter schools, not try to obstruct their growth.

CONNECTICUT

Can Public Schools Really Change?
Slate Magazine, September 27, 2012
Why New Haven’s ambitious new education strategy might actually succeed.

FLORIDA

Pasco School Enrollment Reverses Decline
Tampa Tribune, FL, September 27, 2012
Enrollment in Pasco County schools has grown by more than 500 students compared with the same period last year, the school district reported Tuesday.

Gov. Rick Scott And Florida Teacher’s Union President Meet Again
NPR StateImpact , FL, September 26, 2012
Staying true to his word, Gov. Rick Scott will sit down again this afternoon with Florida Education Association President Andy Ford.

GEORGIA

Richmond County Board of Education Plans Forum Against Charter School Amendment
Augusta Chronicle, GA, September 26, 2012
The Richmond County Board of Education is holding its first of several forums Oct. 4 to inform the public about a controversial constitutional amendment.

School Board Opposes Charter School Amendment
Savannah Morning News, GA, September 27, 2012
Members of the Effingham County board of education oppose a charter school amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Controversial Amendment Could Make It Easier To Create New Charter Schools
41NBC/WMGT, GA, September 26, 2012
Charter schools provide different choices for your students’ education, but there are several hoops you have to jump through to start one. A controversial constitutional amendment on the ballot in November could make it easier to create new charter schools.

Deal Says Charters Schools Amendment Is Not A Power Grab
WSB Radio, GA, September 27, 2012
Gov. Nathan Deal is responding to accusations by opponents of the November ballot question on charter schools who call it nothing more than a power grab by Deal.

Down With Charter Schools
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, GA, September 27, 2012
I retired after 33 years of teaching in the public schools, and I feel that I understand the challenges facing our schools. We have always had plenty of detractors, but never enough support. This latest rush to Charter Schools is detrimental to teachers, to children, and to public education in general.

Charter Approval Process Differs In Georgia And Neighboring States
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, September 26, 2012
Georgia and surrounding states offer different paths for the approval of charter school applicants. Parents or groups that want to establish a charter school in Georgia must first go to their local school board. If they are rejected there, they can turn to the state Board of Education.

IDAHO

Idaho’s Overlooked Education Overhaul Law
Idaho Statesman, ID, September 27, 2012
Of the three Students Come First laws, Proposition 1 doesn’t have much sizzle. It’s not as juicy as Prop 2, the teacher merit pay law, or Prop 3, the law to equip high school students with portable devices. Prop 1 deals with such matters as “evergreen clauses,” longstanding language in teachers union contracts.

ILLINOIS

Seminar Aims To Increase Parent Involvement To Close Achievement Gap
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 27, 2012
Educators and parents will gather Saturday, Sept. 29, in DuPage County to discuss issues and try to narrow the gap in test scores between students identified as black or Hispanic and those who are white or Asian.

INDIANA

NACS Approves New Teacher Reviews
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, September 27, 2012
Northwest Allen County Schools board approved an upgraded and legally compliant teacher evaluation system Wednesday night, a plan developed and voted on by teachers that incorporates the use of data to rate teacher effectiveness.

Gary Officials Want To Put Brakes On Charter Schools, Merrillville Seeking Its First
Post Tribune, IN, September 27, 2012
As several Merrillville residents clamor for a charter school in that town, several Gary residents — including top Gary Community School Corp. administrators — don’t want another one.

KANSAS

Close Achievement Gap
Wichita Eagle, KS, September 27, 2012
Normally, one shouldn’t make too much out of a single year’s state test scores, as an increase or decline may not necessarily reflect a trend. But the drop in assessment scores this past year among African-American students statewide (but notably not in Wichita ) was so dramatic that it demands action.

LOUISIANA

Neville Charter Seeks Option
Monroe News Star, LA, September 27, 2012
The Neville Charter School Association will seek the approval of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to operate as a Type II Charter, apart from the Monroe City School Board.

New Evaluation Plan In Works
Baton Rouge Advocate, LA, September 27, 2012
Teachers in Ascension Parish are preparing to undergo a new evaluation program.
Steve Westbrook, assistant superintendent of instruction and school turnaround for Ascension schools, explained to the School Board on Tuesday how the district is implementing a new statewide teacher evaluation system.

Schools Weigh Voucher Funds’ Return
Hammond Daily Star, LA, September 26, 2012
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board has asked federal Judge Ivan Lemelle to call in state education officials to consider the merits of removing state funding from the public school system to follow students in the voucher program.

MASSACHUSETTS

State Dropout Rate Lowest In A Decade, But Some Districts Lag
Boston Globe, MA, September 27, 2012
Every year, thousands of young people in Massachusetts decide to quit high school, for various reasons. They might have been struggling in the classroom because of learning disabilities. Or they were older than their peers because they had repeated grades. They might have jobs, or a baby at home. Often, it’s a combination of factors leading students to drop out before getting their diplomas.

Providence Establishes Education Nonprofit
Brown Daily Herald, MA, September 26, 2012
Legislative leaders announced this summer a $100,000 budget appropriation to fund the nation’s first partnership between labor and education management officials. The initiative United Providence, or UP!, which was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization, has created a unique collaboration between the Providence Teachers Union and the Providence Public School District designed specifically to improve the city’s lowest-performing schools.

MICHIGAN

Vote Yes on Prop 1 to Save Cities, Schools
Detroit News, MI, September 27, 2012
Michigan has two options for rescuing its financially failing cities and school districts: allow the state to intervene to put in place an aggressive turnaround strategy, or let them lurch into bankruptcy court where a judge will do the same thing, only with less concern for the long-term impact.

MONTANA

Superintendent of Public Instruction Candidates Debate
KFBB, MT, September 26, 2012
The candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction also went head-to-head Wednesday night.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Group Aims To Open New Charter School Next Fall
Fosters Daily Democrat, NH, September 27, 2012
The local group notified the Maine Charter School Commission last week of its intention to submit an application to open a charter school for fourth, fifth and sixth grades in Sanford or Springvale. Applications for new charter schools are due by Oct. 31 if a school is to open for the 2013-14 school year, but a notice of intent to submit an application had to be filed by Sept. 17.

Officials: Charter School Moratorium Could Be Lifted By November
Nashua Telegraph, NH, September 27, 2012
The future of Granite State charter schools is beginning to look brighter, after the state Board of Education and lawmakers announced they were optimistic a deal could be reached to end a moratorium imposed last week.

NEW JERSEY

Camden School Board Rejects Hope Act Schools
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, September 27, 2012
Advocates for Hope Act schools on Wednesday expressed disappointment, but not defeat, after the city Board of Education rejected all four applicants seeking to open such schools here.

Camden Board Rejects Four Privately Run Schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 27, 2012
New Jersey Assemblyman Angel Fuentes patiently waited for hours Tuesday to see how the Camden school board would exercise its new power to decide whether to allow more privately run public schools to open in the city.

NEW YORK

Mount Vernon District Sues Again Over Charter School; Amani Students Protest
The Journal News, NY, September 27, 2012
For the third time in two years, the Mount Vernon school district has turned to the courts to challenge the legitimacy of the Amani Public Charter School.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo Releases ‘Tracker Map’ To Follow Teacher Evaluation Progress
Syracuse Post Standard, NY, September 26, 2012
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has pushed school districts to move aggressively to develop new teacher evaluation systems, released an interactive “tracker map” today to help citizens see exactly where their districts stand.

NORTH CAROLINA

Candidate for State School Super Stumps in Jacksonville
Jacksonville Daily News, NC, September 27, 2012
Candidate for N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction John Tedesco said if voters are 100 percent satisfied with how the state school system is being run then they shouldn’t vote for him. But if they’re not then he is their man.

OHIO

Ohio Charter School Preliminary Report Card Data: 2011-12
NPR StateImpact , OH, September 26, 2012
The Ohio Department of Education released a limited set of school performance data for the 2011-12 school year on Sept. 26. The department has postponed releasing the full set of school report-card data — and the report cards themselves — while the state auditor investigates whether some schools falsified student records.

Schools That Wiped Out Data The Most Take Academic Dive
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 27, 2012
The Columbus schools that deleted the most student attendance records last year posted dramatic academic declines after the practice was halted this year, according to test-passing rates that the state released yesterday on school report cards.

’Ohio 8’ Urban School Districts Target Data System
Canton Repository, OH, September 26, 2012
The powerful “Ohio 8” alliance says in a new analysis that the Ohio Department of Education has failed to adequately train districts on how to use the Educational Management Information System, or EMIS, and reports generated for them through the system can be late, missing or filled with errors.

OKLAHOMA

Holt to Introduce ‘Parent Trigger’ Legislation
Daily Ardmoreite, OK, September 26, 2012
Senator David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, has announced that he would file legislation for the 2013 session that will empower parents to force positive changes in chronically low-performing schools.

PENNSLYVANIA

Pennsylvania Legislature Considering Charter School Regulation Bill
CBS Philly, PA, September 27, 2012
A bill before the Pennsylvania legislature would grant the state broad, new power to regulate charter schools, including over-ruling local school district decisions on granting charters and setting enrollment goals.

Application, Reapplication From Charter School Denied in Sto-Rox
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA, September 27, 2012
For more than a year, those with a vested interest in the future of Sto-Rox have been on a roller coaster ride of emotions as district officials faced the decision of whether to grant an application by Propel Schools to open a charter school in the district.

TENNESSEE

Tennessee Governor’s Voucher Panel Debates When To Launch
Commercial Appeal, TN, September 27, 2012
A task force appointed by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam has skipped over the question of whether to create a school voucher program. Instead, the panel’s most spirited debate Wednesday was over how soon vouchers could be offered in Tennessee.

TEXAS

North Hills Preparatory Ranked 10th Best Public School in the US
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, September 26, 2012
The largest network of high performing charter schools in North Texas has come a long way. Uplift Education started in the 1990s with a small school in Irving.

VIRGINIA

School Accreditation Down After Math Standards Increased
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, September 27, 2012
In a year in which the state implemented tougher math standards, the number of schools that fell short of full accreditation more than tripled and the overall percentage of schools at the top level fell from 96 percent to 93 percent.

WASHINGTON

Teachers Focus On Governor’s Race, Not Charter Schools
Seattle Times, WA, September 26, 2012
Helping Democrat Jay Inslee defeat Republican Rob McKenna in the gubernatorial race is a higher priority for the statewide teachers union this year than whether voters approve public charter schools.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Urban Cyber Charter School Could Be on Its Way to Central Pennsylvania
Fox 43, 2012, September 26, 2012
Next school year, students in Central Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth could have an opportunity to attend an “Urban Cyber Charter School .” The school will target urban populations, while focusing on students who are at risk of school failure. Those heading up the initiative call the school a great combination of a brick and mortar school and online learning.

Pasco School District Officials Recommend Approval Of K12 Charter School
Tampa Bay Times, FL, September 27, 2012
K12 Florida, a charter school outfit that wants to create the Florida Virtual Academy of Pasco County, is under state investigation for allegedly hiring uncertified teachers in another county.

Janus’ $2.1 Million Grant To Boost Blended Learning In Denver Schools
Denver Post, CO, September 27, 2012
The investment firm Janus is giving Denver Public Schools $2.1 million to link teachers, students and software in what some say is a promising mix of high- and low-tech learning.

Romney, Obama Clash Over Education
Wall Street Journal, September 25, 2012
The presidential candidates offered clashing views on education, with Republican Mitt Romney delivering some of his harshest judgments on teacher unions and President Barack Obama defending them.

Romney: Bar Teachers Unions From Giving To Political Campaigns
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 25, 2012
Mitt Romney said Tuesday that teachers unions should not be allowed to contribute to political campaigns, because their financial backing tips the negotiation process away from the interests of students.

Obama A ‘Big Proponent Of Charter Schools’
NBC News Video, September 25, 2012
In an interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, President Obama said he was frustrated at ‘teacher bashing’ and renewed his call to focus on early childhood education and transform schools that are underperforming.

Thriving in School
New York Times, NY, September 26, 2012
Re “How to Fix the Schools” (column, Sept. 18):Joe Nocera is right: the answer to how to fix the schools lies in a different approach to teaching.

FROM THE STATES

Choose Choice
Naples News, FL, September 26, 2012
I am writing to express my support to the Collier County School Board to approve the Charter School Application for Mason Classical Academy .

School Board Addresses Charter School Needs
Panama City News Herald, FL, September 25, 2012
The Bay District School Board on Tuesday approved a North Bay Haven Charter School contract amendment and on-site health clinic but denied Bay Haven Charter Virtual School applications.

Tampa Charter School Withdraws
St. Augustine Record, FL, September 25, 2012
Board chair says charters that are ‘just after a dollar’ aren’t welcome in county. A Tampa-based charter school organization seeking to come into St. Johns County withdrew its application Tuesday morning, mirroring the decision made Monday by another charter school organization.

GEORGIA

Leader Refutes Charter Claims
Dawson News, GA, September 26, 2012
With the vote on the charter school amendment just over a month away, the heat is getting intense. I know. I have felt it.

Supporters, Opponents Plan Public Forum For Ga. Charter School Amendment
WRDW-TV, GA, September 25, 2012
Georgia voters head to the polls in just six weeks to cast their ballots for big decisions on the local and national level. One state issue on the ballot is the amendment involving charter schools in the state.

Senate Campaign: Candidates Weigh In On Charter School Amendment
Douglas County Sentinel, GA, September 26, 2012
All five candidates seeking the District 30 Georgia Senate seat vacated by Bill Hamrick emphasized their conservative credentials Tuesday, but had some differences on the issue of a charter school amendment.

Unelected Yet Appointed Group Trying To Gain Public School Funds
LaGrange Daily News, GA, September 25, 2012
There are several aspects of one proposed Constitutional Amendment that will be put to Georgia voters in November that worry me. The subject of the question concerns “charter schools.”

Elite Scholars Academy on Top School List Again
Clayton News Daily, GA, September 26, 2012
Elite Scholars Academy, one of two charter schools in the Clayton County Public Schools System, has been selected as a Top 100 Middle School in Georgia . This is the second consecutive year that the school has earned the honor.

Area Schools Prepare To Install School Governance Councils As Part Of Charter System
North Fulton Revue & News, GA, September 25, 2012
Nine schools in North Fulton will take their first step toward increased local control in the coming months as they prepare to elect school governance councils to guide them through the process.

SACS Sends Warning Letter to Clayton Schools
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, September 25, 2012
Clayton County school officials were warned Tuesday that their system’s accreditation could be back in jeopardy because of school board infighting, micromanaging and grandstanding.

IDAHO

Boise School District Takes A Stand Against Education Reform Laws
NWCN, ID, September 26, 2012
The Boise School Board is getting political. With the November election fast approaching, the Board of Trustees decided to hold a special meeting Tuesday to take a stance on the education propositions that will be on the ballot, Propositions 1, 2 and 3.

ILLINOIS

CPS, Teachers End Legal Battles In New Contract
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 26, 2012
A tentative contract between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools brings with it closure on lawsuits and labor grievances filed by both sides before and during the seven-day strike, according to a copy of the agreement posted online by the union.

GreenTek Charter School Still Has No Place In Rockford
Rockford Register Star, IL, September 25, 2012
The Rockford School Board unanimously agreed tonight that GreenTek Career Academy isn’t ready to become part of the Rockford School District .

INDIANA

State Schools Chief Wants Authority To Run Failing Systems
Evansville Courier Press, IN, September 26, 2012
State schools chief Tony Bennett is calling for new authority for his Indiana Department of Education to take over entire school districts that are failing, rather than just individual schools.

KENTUCKY

Brian Cooney: Too-Big-To-Fail Banks Still Threaten Economy
Lexington Herald Leader, KY, September 26, 2012
Of more importance in this regard is freeing schools from onerous rules and allowing parents choice among schools. Charter schools are an example of this. With charters, money follows the children, giving schools a strong financial incentive to adopt practices that parents value. Though Chicago has quite a few charters, Kentucky has none.

LOUISIANA

Value-Added Model Rating System Unfair To Teachers
American Press, LA, September 25, 2012
Contemplate this scenario: The CEO of the company you work for decides to implement an employee evaluation system in which only about 10 percent of the total employees will receive annually the highest level of evaluation possible. Job security and some employee compensation is based on that rating system.

New Orleans School Officials Push Holdout Charters To Join Single-Application Process
Times-Picayune, LA, September 25, 2012
After years of complaints from parents over how complicated it can be to register a student in New Orleans public schools, the city’s top education officials have come tantalizingly close to bringing every school within one streamlined enrollment system.

Teachers’ Organization Director Resigns
Baton Rouge Advocate, LA, September 26, 2012
The executive director of a teachers’ organization resigned suddenly, officials said Tuesday.

MASSACHUSETTS

MCAS Prep, Improvement Is Yearlong Process at Atlantis Charter School in Fall River
Herald News, MA, September 26, 2012
At the Atlantis Charter School, Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam success is a yearlong process.

MICHIGAN

Attorney: Repeal Of Emergency Manager Law Would Have Little Impact On Muskegon Heights Schools
Muskegon Chronicle, MI, September 26, 2012
While politicians were haggling over ballot language challenging the state’s emergency manager law, Donald Weatherspoon was busy composing a new chapter for the beleagured Muskegon Heights school district.

MISSOURI

‘Parent Trigger’ Approach To School Reform Isn’t Just Stuff Of Hollywood
St. Louis Beacon, MO, September 26, 2012
The trigger is pulled when a majority of parents in an underperforming school signs a petition to require the school to be drastically changed in one of a number of ways. In some cases, as the movie portrays, teachers are part of the petition process as well.

MONTANA

Candidates Seeking To Run State Schools Square Off
Montana Standard, MT, September 26, 2012
Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau said in a debate Tuesday that charter schools would not work in Montana, while Republican opponent Sandy Welch said she would consider a properly designed charter school system.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Charter School Moratorium Could Be Lifted
Union Leader, NH, September 25, 2012
The charter school moratorium could be lifted as soon as November if legislative budget writers approve an additional $5 million next month.

NEW JERSEY

NJ To Pilot Early Testing for Kindergarten
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, September 26, 2012
As part of the Christie administration’s latest push for early literacy, the state is launching a pilot program for testing children as they enter kindergarten.

Charter School Opens With Exorbitant Waiting List
North Brunswick Sentinel, NJ, September 26, 2012
After three years of planning and paperwork, the Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School (TEECS) opened its doors in September for children in kindergarten through fourth grade.

NEW YORK

Growing Pains: Union , Teachers And Students Complain About Crush Of 6,620 Oversized Classes In City Schools
New York Daily News, NY, September 25, 2012
Classes routinely exceed limits set by Department of Education and union. Two most packed schools are Benjamin N. Cardozo HS and Forest Hills HS, where some students are forced to sit on the windowsill or FLOOR, to get an education

Mount Vernon Files Another Legal Challenge Over Charter School
Newsday, NY, September 25, 2012
Mount Vernon is mounting yet another legal challenge against the New York Department of Education for approving the Amani Charter School , which city officials argue is “financially irresponsible” and will negatively impact the district’s budget.

Charter School Officials Not Greeted Warmly In Utica
Utica Observer-Dispatch, NY, September 25, 2012
The people behind two proposed Utica charter schools saw only a handful of friendly faces at public hearings Tuesday night.

NORTH CAROLINA

Wake School Board Fires Superintendent Tata
News & Observer, NC, September 26, 2012
The Wake County school board voted Tuesday to fire Superintendent Tony Tata after less than 20 months on the job, with some of the board’s majority Democrats calling him a polarizing figure who couldn’t bridge the board’s political divisions. The move points to the panel’s partisan divide and leaves its administration without a permanent leader as it faces pressing issues of growth, achievement, student assignment and financial support.

OHIO

State Issues Schools’ Slimmer Report Cards
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 26, 2012
The slim version of Ohio’s school report cards that will go public today is like a hamburger without the bun: There won’t be attendance rates or an overall grade.

OREGON

Kids Unlimited Hoping to Start Charter School
NBC52, OR, September 25, 2012
Tom Cole, Executive Director at Kids Unlimited in Medford said he’s been hard at work. “We’ve submitted an application to the Medford School District based on a program ideology that we hope will someday land a school,” said Cole.

PENNSYLVANIA

Philly District Seeks Input On Which Schools To Close
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 26, 2012
The Philadelphia School District is preparing to close roughly 40 schools in June, and officials want your opinion on how they should pick which ones to shutter. Really.

York’s Charter Schools Struggle To Improve
York Dispatch, PA, September 25, 2012
Helen Thackston Middle and New Hope Academy charter schools have asked to expand their schools in the past year, as families have been clamoring to get students enrolled.

TENNESSEE

New Diversity Policy Won’t Close Any Nashville Schools
The Tennessean, TN, September 26, 2012
While Metro Nashville school officials grapple with how best to define school diversity for a system that has no majority race or ethnicity, on Tuesday they promised no school would be closed as a result of a new plan.

Nashville Democrats Slam Charter Fine
The Tennessean, TN, September 26, 2012
Nashville Democrats said they will oppose any effort to impose a statewide chartering authority, and they said Metro Nashville Public Schools may have grounds to sue the state after it withheld $3.4 million for rejecting Great Hearts Academies’ charter school application.

WASHINGTON

Why Charter Schools Are Not Enough
Ballard News Tribune, WA, September 26, 2012
This editorial is by Demian Godon, an opponent of I-1240 — an initiative that would allow charter schools in Washington — and a parent of two kids at Ballard High School . It’s no secret that we need to improve education in this state. But a charter schools measure on this year’s ballot is the wrong move.

No Need Here For Charter Schools
Issaquah Press, WA, September 25, 2012
Once again, Washington voters are being asked whether charter schools should be allowed here, as they are in 41 other states.

Under Initiative 1240, Local Charter School Is Unlikely
Issaquah Press, WA, September 25, 2012
On Nov. 6, people across the state will cast their vote whether to allow charter schools in Washington , and locals stand on both sides of the argument.

WISCONSIN

Program Targets Achievement Gap
Badger Herald, WI, September 25, 2012
Dane County announced plans to launch an education program addressing the area’s achievement gap that focuses on children before they begin kindergarten.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Online Holdouts No More
Wall Street Journal, September 26, 2012
As online learning has been incorporated into nearly every aspect of U.S. education—from prestigious universities to struggling public systems—one type of school has largely resisted the trend: elite private academies.

School Board Denies Application For Charter School
Ocala Star Banner, FL, September 25, 2012
A nonprofit group’s application to launch a Marion County online charter school was denied by the School Board on Tuesday.

School Politics
Santa Fe Reporter, NM, September 25, 2012
Virtual charter schools, which allow kids to learn online from home, may be the wave of the future in a rural state like New Mexico . But they’re also unproven and politically contentious, as a recent decision by the state’s Public Education Commission illustrates.