NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.
NATIONAL COVERAGE
In Texas, Obama Lauds ‘New Tech’ High School. Model For The Future?
Christian Science Monitor, MA, May 9, 2013
President Obama kicked off his “Middle Class Jobs & Opportunity Tour” Thursday with a visit to Manor New Tech High School in Manor, Texas, where he met some of the students that will help make up the 1 million new graduates he hopes to see in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) over the next decade.
Michigan Parent To Arne Duncan: ‘Our Schools Are At The Breaking Point’
Washington Post Blog, DC, May 10, 2013
Education Secretary Arne Duncan just visited Michigan where he visited schools in Detroit and the Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti. Here’s an open letter to Duncan, put out before the visit and written by Steve J. Norton, executive director for Michigan Parents for Schools, a nonprofit advocacy group pushing for quality local public education.
National Survey On Teacher Quality Produces Some Troubling Results
The Oklahoman, OK, May 10, 2013
EDUCATION reform debates, locally and nationally, have largely focused on raising the bar for students. Less effort has been placed on ensuring that quality teachers are in the classroom. The National Council on Teacher Quality hopes this will change.
Winners And Losers In The School Wars
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 10, 2013
Education policy does not have to be a war in which 60 percent win, while 40 percent lose. Public education is too important for that. Let’s stop the school wars. With choice, we can all win.
Balloon Bursts On Test-Driven School Reform
Capital Times, WI, May 10, 2013
It’s a terrible time for advocates of market-driven reform in public education. For more than a decade, their strategy — which makes teachers’ careers turn on student gains in reading and math tests, and promotes competition through charter schools and vouchers — has been the dominant policy mantra. But now the cracks are showing. That’s a good thing because this isn’t a proven — or even a promising — way to make schools better.
STATE COVERAGE
CALIFORNIA
Ace Charter Teachers Vote For Union; School Board Wonders Why
Camarillo Acorn, CA, May 10, 2013
“Our board has absolutely no idea why (the teachers) did this,” said Roger Rice, secretary of the ACE school board. “We were not consulted or spoken to and had no warning. Obviously (the teachers) have some concerns, but we just don’t know what drove their decision to organize.”
COLORADO
Aspen Ridge Charter School Looks To Offer Middle School, Enrichment Classes
Longmont Times-Call, CO, May 9, 2013
This week, Aspen Ridge Charter School in Erie announced to parents its plans to offer sixth, seventh and eighth grades and a more immediate goal to launch weekly enrichment classes.
DELAWARE
Delaware Charters Celebrate National Charter Schools Week
WDDE, DE, May 9, 2013
Hundreds of charter school officials, parents and students gathered on Legislative Mall Thursday to celebrate National Charter Schools Week.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
EDELIN: District Must Be Fair In Funding Charters
Washington Times, DC, May 10, 2013
This week is National Charter Schools Week, an event promoted by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools to celebrate the great work accomplished by charter schools across the country. Meanwhile, the D.C. Council is considering Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s proposals for funding D.C.’s charters, which educate 43 percent of the city’s public school students, as well as D.C. Public Schools.
Lawsuit Over Closure Of 15 Public Schools In Washington Heads To Court
Washington Post, DC, May 10, 2013
A lawsuit over the closure of 15 public schools is headed to court in Washington. Lawyers for the District of Columbia and the community group Empower DC will be in court on Friday.
The Charter Future Of D.C. Public Schools
Washington Post Blog, DC, May 9, 2013
With one decision about one elementary school, D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson is filling in the picture of the future of the District’s long-troubled public school system.
GEORGIA
City Schools File To Become Charter System
Times-Georgian, GA, May 10, 2013
The Carrollton city school system has filed a letter of intent to become a charter school system by next fall.
IDAHO
Charter School Plan Gains Momentum
Idaho Mountain Express, ID, May 10, 2013
A petition to form a new state-funded charter school in Blaine County has passed a “sufficiency review” by the Idaho State Department of Education and has now been submitted to the Blaine County School District board of trustees for its consideration.
INDIANA
Pence Signs Voucher Expansion
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, May 10, 2013
Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday signed into law an expansion of Indiana’s already extensive school voucher program.
LOUISIANA
Guillory Vows To Fund Vouchers
Opelousas Daily World, LA,May 10, 2013
Days after the Louisiana Supreme Court struck down private school vouchers funded by public school money as unconstitutional, state Sen. Elbert Guillory, D-Opelousas, said the education committee is working toward a funding solution for the program.
Voucher Payments Under Review
The Advocate, LA, May 9, 2013
State Superintendent of Education John White said Thursday that officials are trying to decide how to make the school year’s final $6 million payment for vouchers after the state Supreme Court scuttled the way the aid is allocated.
MAINE
State’s Plan For Helping Schools Flawed At Core
Morning Sentinel, ME, May 10, 2013
About a week since it released its controversial A-F grades of Maine public schools, the Department of Education has announced how it plans to aid the schools that it has marked out as having fallen behind.
State Proposal No Help To Struggling Schools
Portland Press Herald, ME, May 10, 2013
Maine’s education commissioner announces an underfunded and poorly thought-out plan.
Democrats’ Reaction Cool To LePage Plan For Funding Charter, Certain Religious Schools
Morning Sentinel, ME, May 9, 2013
A long-awaited, sweeping school-choice bill from Gov. Paul LePage that would remove the cap on public charter schools and give public money to certain private, religious schools is getting a cool reaction from legislative Democrats.
MASSACHUSETTS
Will The City’s New Mayor Be Pro-Charter?
Boston Globe, MA, May 10, 2013
IT WAS a juxtaposition that demonstrates the way things are changing in Boston.
One of the elected officials who came to the State House this week to weigh in on charter schools was Boston Mayor Tom Menino. The mayor wants more charters that are subject to mayoral control (surprise, surprise), but doesn’t favor lifting the cap to allow more of the independent academies known as Commonwealth charters.
MICHIGAN
Officials Scramble To Save School Year For Saginaw County District
The Detroit News, MI, May 10, 2013
Amon-Weigandt was among the parents who blasted the school board Thursday night for allowing the tiny district to run out of money, forcing the cancellation of classes this week.
Michigan Schools Can Stop Deducting Union Dues
The Detroit News, MI, May 10, 2013
A divided federal appeals court released a ruling Thursday that lets Michigan public schools stop collecting union dues under a law approved last year.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Manchester Takes Legal Action To Stop Hooksett Exodus
Union Leader, NH, May 10, 2013
The Manchester School District is seeking an injunction in the Hillsborough County Superior Court to halt Hooksett School District from reassigning students to other schools.
NEW MEXICO
Boards Discuss Teacher Evals
Albuquerque Journal, NM, May 10, 2013
In an unusual joint meeting Thursday of the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho school boards, members of both boards raised concerns about the costs, logistics, timeline and fairness of the state’s new teacher evaluation system.
NEW YORK
DOE Plans To Co-Locate Charter School In Adult Learning Center
Amsterdam News, NY, May 9, 2013
The Department of Education’s (DOE) controversial co-location of charter schools is slated to affect adults who use the system to advance their education. Plans are in the works to co-locate a charter school in the Mid-Manhattan Adult Learning Center (MMALC) in Harlem.
BTF Going To Court To Enforce Teacher-Evaluation Agreement
Buffalo News, NY, May 9, 2013
The Buffalo Teachers Federation voted Thursday to take the Buffalo school district to court to enforce a teacher-evaluation agreement that the state Department of Education, the state education commissioner and the governor have declared illegal.
PENNSYLVANIA
City Leaders Pledge Effort To Get School Funds
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 10, 2013
City officials and leaders of the Philadelphia delegation in Harrisburg pledged their strongest efforts Thursday to find an additional $180 million for the School District, as about 300 students marched peacefully to City Hall, asking the government to “save our schools.”
Education Cuts Taking A Toll
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 10, 2013
Over the past four years, my children have attended their neighborhood school in Philadelphia. My husband and I were attracted to Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School in Roxborough because of its dedicated teaching staff, its vibrant parent community, and its academic strength and diversity.
Charter School For Autistic Students Proposed
Reading Eagle, PA, May 10, 2013
Tom Lubben is no stranger to starting a charter school. The Northampton County man had a hand in starting two arts-related charter schools in the Lehigh Valley. And he’s preparing to do it again.
Urban Pathways Charter Schools Committed To 100 Percent Graduation
New Pittsburgh Courier, PA, May 9, 2013
100 percent. This figure has remained constant at Urban Pathways Charter Schools. For the past three years, one hundred percent of Urban Pathways’ seniors have graduated and been accepted into mostly four-year colleges and universities.
RHODE ISLAND
Bill Exempting School Employee Evaluations From The Public Records Act Passes RI Senate
Providence Journal, RI, May 9, 2013The bill exempting all school employee evaluations from the public records act passed the Senate on a vote of 37 to 0 Thursday.
http://news.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/2013/05/bill-exempting-school-employee-evaluations-from-the-public-recirds-act-pass.html
TENNESSEE
Nashville’s Top Teachers Can Get Bonuses For Signing With Low-Performing Schools
The Tennessean, TN, May 10, 2013
Top teachers in Metro Nashville’s five lowest-scoring schools might earn a bonus next year, thanks to a state plan that will reward them for staying in troubled schools or give them a pay boost for moving to one.
TEXAS
Texas Charter School Wait List Numbers Remain Fluid
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX, May 10, 2013
As lawmakers debate expanding Texas charter schools to accommodate students wanting to leave unsatisfactory traditional classrooms, new details show charter school waiting list numbers can fluctuate during the year due in large part to varied reporting standards and duplications.
WASHINGTON
Sequim Says No To Charter Schools; Port Townsend Mulls Them
Peninsula Daily News, WA, May 10, 2013
The Sequim School Board will not authorize charter schools in its district, at least for the foreseeable future, and the Port Townsend School Board will discuss the matter Monday.
ONLINE LEARNING
D300 Supt. Bregy Sees Progress In Springfield On Online Charter Bill
Courier News, IL, May 9, 2013
Community Unit School District 300 Superintendent Michael Bregy was back at the Illinois State Capitol Tuesday — this time, without the red apparel that first gained the legislatively active district notoriety as it protested the extension of the economic development area around Sears corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates about a year and a half ago.
Early Glimpses At Digital Learning
Greenwich Times, CT, May 9, 2013
In one corner of her classroom at Hamilton Avenue School, second-grade teacher Karrie Vale sits cross-legged on a circular rug, surrounded by a small cluster of students, a scattering of books and the glowing screens of iPads.