Big Labor’s Losses
Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2012
Unions can boast about helping President Obama win re-election and raising taxes through the roof in California, but when their own causes were directly at issue on Tuesday, unions didn’t fare so well.
Election Day Brings Victories And Setbacks For Teachers Unions
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
Teachers unions scored political victories in several states Tuesday, beating back proposals that ranged from merit pay to school vouchers and unseating a Republican school superintendent with a national reputation for aggressively changing the way teachers are evaluated and compensated.
FROM THE STATES
ALASKA
Student Achievement Could Be Part Of Teacher Evaluations
Anchorage Daily News, AK, November 8, 2012
A new rule proposed by the Alaska Department of Education would add student achievement — in the form of test scores or other data — to the criteria on which teachers are evaluated each year.
CALIFORNIA
Novato Charter Supporters, Opponents Square Off
Marin Independent Journal, CA, November 8, 2012
More than 250 people packed the Novato Unified School District ‘s headquarters Thursday night to debate a controversial proposal for a new charter school.
School Board Rejects Woodland Poly Charter
Daily Democrat, CA, November 8, 2012
The Woodland school board rejected a proposal for a K-8 charter school Thursday night, with most trustees saying petitioners were simply not ready to start a new school yet.
Lawsuit Against Teacher Tenure Poised To Move Forward
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 8, 2012
A lawsuit to overturn teacher tenure laws and seniority rights remained on track Thursday when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a tentative ruling allowing the litigation to move forward. Judge Rolf M. Treu did not rule on the merits of the case.
Teachers Union Says SF Students Shorted
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, November 8, 2012
San Francisco teachers union officials have refused to name names, but said Thursday they stand behind their allegations that some district schools are violating state law by depriving students of science, history, art, physical education and other required subjects to focus solely on boosting math and English scores.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C.’s Education Emergency
Washington Examiner, DC, November 8, 2012
The District continues to have a public education emergency. Many charters could be considered mediocre. A significant number of traditional schools have been labeled low performers; some of those, undoubtedly, are on Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s and DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson’s facilities closure list, expected to be released within days.
DCPS Graduation Rate Up Slightly; But Well Short of Goals
Washington Examiner, DC, November 8, 2012
The number of students who graduated from D.C. Public Schools in four years increased by three percentage points to 56 percent last year, but the system’s chief said DCPS would have to pick up the pace and make stronger gains to meet its goals.
School And City Officials Address Truancy Rates In District
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson said Thursday that the school system’s high truancy rates amount to an educational “crisis,” as D.C. officials disclosed that more than 40 percent of the students at Ballou, Anacostia, Spingarn and Roosevelt high schools missed at least a month of school last year because of unexcused absences.
FLORIDA
Florida’s Race-based Standards Are A Solution With Problems
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 9, 2012
Race is never far below the surface when talking about public education. Except right now. Thanks to a recent decision of the State Board of Education, it’s not below the surface at all, stirring all sorts of emotions.
Former YMCA Complex to Become New Charter School
WCJB, FL, November 9, 2012
As the YMCA of north central Florida deals with its financial hardships, one of their old facilities is getting a new ‘lease’ on life.
City Waives Fees for Charter School
WCJB, FL, November 8, 2012
The school was being charged about $18,000 for phase one and about $62,000 for phase two.
City council member Daniel Owen said he was in favor of waiving the fees because there are quality students graduating from the charter school.
GEORGIA
Lawmaker Wants To Let Parents Decide On Charter Schools
My Fox Atlanta, GA, November 8, 2012
A leading Georgia lawmaker wants to make it easier for parents to convert traditional public schools into charter schools. State Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta) plans to introduce legislation to do that in the next General Assembly session.
IDAHO
No Timeline for AG Opinion on Merit Pay
Magic Valley Times, ID, November 9, 2012
School districts and public charter schools will receive pay-for-performance money later this month, but that doesn’t mean it will make it into teachers’ hands.
Unfinished Students Come First Business
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 9, 2012
When it came to passing Students Come First, state Superintendent Tom Luna’s far-reaching and hastily assembled K-12 overhaul, Idaho’s powers that be certainly figured out how to move quickly.
ILLINOIS
As CPS Shows, Time Is Now For Real School Choice
Chicago Sun Times, IL, November 9, 2012
In fact, we are pleased enough with the education our children are receiving that we pay their tuition on top of the hefty taxes we pay to support public schools. But many families can’t afford to this, which raises the question: How can we best ensure greater choice for children of all means and backgrounds? One idea is for tax dollars to flow to students rather than to schools.
INDIANA
New State Superintendent May Face Limit On Power
Pharos Tribune, IN, November 9, 2012
Democrat Glenda Ritz won the race for the state’s schools superintendent by challenging the education overhaul implemented by the Republican incumbent Tony Bennett, but her power to stop the sweeping changes in Indiana schools may be limited.
Reformers Shake Up IPS Board
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 8, 2012
The effort to raise standards, improve performance and enforce accountability in Indiana ‘s schools suffered a heavy loss Tuesday with the defeat of incumbent state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett. The education reform movement is likely to face significant obstacles now that Democrat Glenda Ritz, a vocal opponent of most reform measures, will now run the state Department of Education.
LOUISIANA
EBR Superintendent Taylor Wants Four School Regions
The Advocate, LA, November 9, 2012
East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Bernard Taylor on Thursday suggested dividing 36 public schools in Baton Rouge into four attendance regions where students could choose to attend any school in the region.
MARYLAND
Progress for City Schools
Baltimore Sun, MD, November 8, 2012
The most recent data on high school graduation and dropout rates from the Maryland State Department of Education suggest that while Baltimore City still lags behind other jurisdictions, it is making solid progress in its school reform effort.
MASSACHUSETTS
Charting Progress
Boston Herald, MA, November 9, 2012
I read with interest the letter that stated charter schools do not enroll a student and then keep them through to their graduation and urging that “taxpayers focus on the high dropout rate of charter schools” (“More to the story” Oct. 23).
Marshall Elementary Moves A Step Closer To Becoming In-District Charter School
Boston Globe, MA, November 8, 2012
Plans to convert Dorchester’s Marshall Elementary School into an in-district charter school are closer to fruition.
MICHIGAN
With State Takeover Rejected, Detroit Schools Can Refocus Mission To Serve Students
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 9, 2012
Detroit Public Schools has been both numerically and academically decimated during the past decade.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
$4.45 Million For NH Charter Schools
Union Leader, NH, November 8, 2012
The Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee Thursday approved the necessary money to meet the state’s obligation to the 17 charter schools operating today.
Committee Approves $4.5M For Charter Schools, But Officials Say More Needed To Lift Moratorium
Nashua Telegraph, NH, November 9, 2012
The state’s Joint Fiscal Committee approved an additional $4.45 million to help cover the costs of the state’s charter schools, but the move will not reverse the current moratorium on approving new charter schools.
OHIO
Local Schools Feel The Pinch From Loss Of State Funding
Youngstown Vindicator, OH, November 9, 2012
Cuts in state funding for public schools and the diversion of funds from public school districts to charter schools and voucher programs have been a fact of life in Ohio for years.
Northeast Ohio Students Move Frequently In Some School Districts, Study Says
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 8, 2012
A new statewide study attaches numbers to a situation faced by many Ohio teachers every year: The names on their student roster on opening day aren’t going to be same ones they check off on the last day of school.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Passion, Questions Abound on Choices for FSD1
Morning News, SC, November 8, 2012
Choices Charter School is safe through the end of the school year despite a lapsed charter, according to a report the Florence School District 1 board heard Thursday night, though the district has more questions than answers on how to keep the school open after that.
TEXAS
Texas School Finance Trial Presses On
Texas Tribune, TX, November 9, 2012
The massive trial involving more than two-thirds of the state’s school districts and most of its charter schools has been under way for two weeks now — and while the evidence will continue to pour in until January, the arguments of all seven parties, including the state, have taken shape.
WASHINGTON
Spokane Will Seek Charter School
Spokesman Review, WA, November 9, 2012
Although votes are still being counted on Washington ’s charter school initiative, Spokane Public Schools officials have already decided the district will apply to have one if it passes.
ONLINE SCHOOLS
Charter School Holds Online Classes During Power Outage
The Advertiser News, NY, November 8, 2012
A power outage didn’t stop one local school from holding classes. The Sussex County Charter School for Technology, which is located in Sparta , was closed and without power since the initial winds and rain from Hurricane Sandy affected the area last Monday until this Tuesday when its lights initially came back on.
Learning Before Dollars
Pittsburgh Tribune Review, PA, November 8, 2012
While I agree that cyber education provides a valuable service, the news story “Districts hit Web to lure students, save money” (Oct. 29 and TribLIVE.com) made some inaccurate and misleading claims.
Warwick Board Reviews Progress Of ‘Virtual Academy’
Lancaster New Era, PA, November 8, 2012
Warwick school board members on Tuesday received a good news about the performance of the district’s new cyber school.
Lake County School Board Raises Eyebrows By Tapping Umatilla High School Principal For Virtual School
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 9, 2012
School Board members last week — without a word of discussion — reassigned a veteran principal to oversee Lake’s virtual school while keeping his salary of $102,610 a year.
Some Online Schools A Waste Of Money?
Fox 23, OK, November 8, 2012
Taylor is one of 240 students who learns online through Tulsa Public Schools’ own program – Tulsa Learning Academy – while Chelsea signed up online with another program, Oklahoma Virtual High School through a charter school called Epic One-on-One.