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
Blog: The Time Districts Spend on Standardized Testing
Washington Post, July 26, 2013
The amount of lost instructional time is somewhat staggering.
Kara Kerwin to Become President of the Center for Education Reform
Education Week, July 25, 2013
The Washington-based Center for Education Reform, one of the most visible advocacy group for charter schools and school choice, has announced that Kara Kerwin will become the next president of the group.
KIPP Charter Schools Forge Pipeline to College
Washington Post, July 26, 2013
How detailed recruiting targets worked for KIPP students who sought admission to college this fall.
STATE COVERAGE
ARIZONA
200 charter schools plan to sue state over funding
AZ Central, July 25, 2013
The Arizona Charter Schools Association and about 200 of its member charter schools plan to file a lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Education today, association president Eileen Sigmund said.
CALIFORNIA
Jordan High’s staff shakeup puts students on better track
Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2013
New, motivated teachers have helped improve test scores.
San Jose school district paid teachers more than required
San Jose mercury News, July 25, 2013
Even in tight budget years, the Alum Rock Union School District paid many of its teachers and administrators more than required by its contracts and rules, a practice that in 10 years has cost more than $1 million.
West Contra Costa teachers union head opposes charter school proposal
Contra Costa Times, July 25, 2013
The head of the West Contra Costa school district’s teachers union announced her opposition to a proposed campus of Silicon Valley-based Summit Public Schools at the district’s Wednesday night board meeting.
FLORIDA
Teacher raises: Orange offers all teachers $1025 raise, ‘effective’ teachers $2,525 (negotiations underway with teachers union)
Orlando Sentinel, July 25, 2013
All Orange County teachers, no matter their final evaluation, would get a $1,025 raise this year while those with “developing,” “effective” or “highly effective” ratings would get even more, under a school district proposal made this summer.
GEORGIA
Georgia school chief explains Common Core test retreat: We couldn’t afford it. We will have similar test.
Atlanta Journal Constitution, July 26, 2013
While Georgia will be pursuing other options for developing its own state assessments in English language arts and math at the elementary, middle and high school levels, these tests will be very similar to what the PARCC tests will be like.
School board member agrees to face ethics hearing in Cherokee
Atlanta Journal Constitution, July 25, 2013
The Cherokee County school board voted Wednesday night to conduct an ethics hearing on controversial board member Kelly Marlow.
LOUISIANA
Character education tied to academic achievement, New Orleans panelists say
Times-Picayune, July 25, 2013
A panel Thursday highlighted an element that gets less notice in the world at large but is obvious to anyone walking into one of New Orleans’ many charter schools: character education.
New Orleans charter school Miller-McCoy hires new principal
Times-Picayune, July 23, 2013
The Miller-McCoy Academy for Mathematics and Business has hired Eric Greely Sr. as principal of New Orleans’ only all-male public charter school.
New orleans education activists to address violence Friday
Times-Picayune, July 25, 2013
The student members of Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools will focus on violence prevention at the group’s eighth annual news conference Friday, emphasizing restorative justice and other ways to end conflicts peacefully.
White wants to continue some sort of accountability testing
The Advocate, July 25, 2013
While the high-stakes test called LEAP ends next year, some sort of measuring stick will likely remain for future students in key grades, state Superintendent of Education John White said Thursday.
MAINE
Portland panel delays $40M school bond vote until 2014
Portland Press Herald, July 26, 2013
Three city elementary schools will have to wait another year before residents can vote on building improvements that school administrators and parents say are desperately needed right now.
MARYLAND
In light of declining test scores, Lowery looks to tackle reform
Baltimore Sun, July 25, 2013
State school superintendent ends first year with new curriculum, teacher evaluations and new tests on horizon
MASSACHUSETTS
Starting high school later may help sleepy teens
Boston Globe (AP), July 26, 2013
Decades of sleep research have confirmed what parents know: It’s hard for teenagers to wake up early.
Vallas to keep Bridgeport job during appeal
Boston Globe (AP), July 16, 2013
Bridgeport’s school superintendent will be allowed to stay on the job while he appeals a judge’s ruling that found he is not qualified to hold the position.
MICHIGAN
Charter schools multiplying in Mich. As more families opt out of public school
Detroit News, July 26, 2013
Kyle McClendon will join hundreds of other students going to 37 new charter schools opening across the state.
Common Core opponents set to testify next week before Michigan House Committee
MLive.com, July 25, 2013
Opponents of the Common Core State Standards are expected to have their day next week before a Michigan House subcommittee hearing testimony on the guidelines.
Kalamazoo Public Schools hires 18 teachers; four others resign
MLive, July 26, 2013
The Kalamazoo Board of Education approved the hiring of 18 teachers and two school psychologists to fill vacancies created by retirements and resignations.
MISSOURI
Teachers brace for classroom changes
KSDK-Online, July 25, 2013
Many school districts in the St. Louis area are saying they will be getting anywhere from a handful to several hundred new students because of the transfers and we wanted to know what this means for local teachers.
NEW YORK
Sharon Springs teachers get tablet help
Albany Times Union, July 25, 2013
Grant helping to train teachers on use of iPads in the classroom.
NORTH CAROLINA
Charlotte-Meck teachers mobilize to protest budget
Charlotte Observer, July 25, 2013
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators plans to take a busload of protestors to Raleigh for the final Moral Monday protest next week, saying efforts to work with legislators failed.
N.C. ‘Read or Flunk’ Plan Gets Mixed Reviews From Local Educators
Charlotte Observer, July 25, 2013
A new state law saying low scores on reading exams can hold children back from promotion to fourth grade drew vigorous discussion Thursday from top officials in four Charlotte-area school districts.
RHODE ISLAND
Gov. Chafee signs legislation strengthening safety standards for school building construction in RI
Providence Journal, July 25, 2013
Governor Chafee has signed legislation strengthening safety standards for the construction of school buildings on properties previously used for industrial or manufacturing purposes.
TENNESSEE
As many Metro Nashville teachers could lose jobs
The Tennessean, July 24, 2013
Metro preps to use data to remove low-performing educators.
TEXAS
Texas’ Bid to Ease Mandatory Exams for Public School Students
New York Times, July 25, 2013
Less time spent on exams comes with caveat of maybe having to obtain NCLB waiver.
UTAH
Utah year-round students head back to school
Deseret News, July 25, 2013
Many of Utah’s year-round elementary schools, including several in Salt Lake and Davis counties, opened their doors to a new school year Thursday.
WISCONSIN
Study: Specialized programs boost MPS students into college
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 25, 2013
More Milwaukee Public Schools students who participate in the district’s specialized curricula ultimately enroll in college than those who don’t, according to a Public Policy Forum report released Thursday.
ONLINE LEARNING
Educators visit Mooresville to learn how to digitally convert schools
News & Observer, July 25, 2013
Eleven districts learning how to form digital classrooms at conference.