Daily Headlines for November 8, 2013
Click here for Newswire, 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
2013 Nation’s Report Card: Tennessee shows nation’s best education gains
Memphis Commercial Appeal, TN, November 8, 2013
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and state Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman took a victory lap Thursday, dropping into John P. Freeman Optional School mid-afternoon to celebrate a glory day: Tennessee made the largest gains in the nation in fourth- and eight-grade reading and math, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report.
On your marks
The Economist, November 8, 2013
In the past, teachers were judged solely on their level of education and the number of years they had spent in the classroom—neither of which tells you whether their pupils are learning anything.
Not good enough: math, reading scores up slightly
Associated Press, November 7, 2013
Sometimes the best isn’t good enough: Most American fourth- and eighth-graders still lack basic skills in math and reading despite record high scores on a national exam.
School Reform Delivers
Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal
November 8, 2013
Education Secretary Arne Duncan hailed this year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (i.e., the nation’s report card) results on Thursday as “encouraging.” That’s true only if you look at Washington, D.C., Tennessee and states that have led on teacher accountability and other reforms.
Tennessee and D.C. lead education reform: Column
Column, USA Today, November 7, 2013
How often does Tennessee get cited nationally for producing great academic gains for its children? Almost never, about the same number of times Washington, D.C., gets touted for its superior academic results.
STATE COVERAGE
CALIFORNIA
Charter, Public Schools Can Coexist
San Jose Inside Blog, CA, November 7, 2013
Two events I attended this week provide some optimism about traditional public and charter schools’ ability to coexist. On Tuesday, I participated in a People Acting in Community Together (PACT) panel with two of my Board of Education colleagues, President Grace Mah and trustee Darcie Green. The event was titled, “Low Income Families Deserve More!”
Charter schools movement grows in LAUSD, California
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, November 7, 2013
California added 104 new charter schools to its roster this year, including 19 in Los Angeles Unified, but it still has some 50,000 students on waiting lists for the independent campuses, according to a report released today.
How to grade a teacher
Editorial, Los Angeles Times, CA, November 7, 2013
As the recent job evaluation of Los Angeles Unified Supt. John Deasy showed, test scores and other metrics can be a useful addition to the assessment process — as long as they’re not allowed to substitute for the bigger, more meaningful picture.
Trigger reform?
Editorial, Victorville Daily Press, CA, November 7, 2013
Victor Valley residents are probably as familiar with the “Parent Trigger” law as any other group in the state. The Parent Trigger bill, which was authored by Gloria Romero, then a state senator from Los Angeles, became law in 2010.
COLORADO
Could Douglas County, Colorado make school choice mainstream?
Daily Caller, November 7, 2013
Tuesday night, the voters of Douglas County, Colorado reelected all four incumbents of their school board. While such a news story may seem like just another commonplace occurrence of local politics confined to the front page of the Denver Post, this election was anything but typical.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Test scores point to school reform success in the District
Editorial, Washington Post, DC, November 7, 2013
SCHOOL REFORM in the District is working. That is the unassailable message of test scores released Thursday by federal education officials. Students at every level improved in reading and math, and the improvement exceeded the national average.
GEORGIA
Utopian Academy for the Arts charter school gets state OK in Clayton County
Clayton News-Daily, GA, November 7, 2013
The Clayton County Board of Education split in voting down his petition to start a charter school back in June. But he returned smiling this week to let the board know that the same petition earned state approval.
FLORIDA
A teacher’s take
Column, Florida Today, FL, November 8, 2013
Recently, Gov. Rick Scott gave Florida teachers an opportunity to comment on educational program changes initiated by the state.
ILLINOIS
Who’s ready for college?
Editorial
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 7, 2013
Illinois rolled out its new, information-chocked school report card recently and provided an easy-to-understand figure of how many Illinois high school graduates are ready to go to college.
KANSAS
Legislative hearing on school finance excludes key education voices
Topeka Capital Journal, KS
November 7, 2013
A nuts-and-bolts hearing for House and Senate members on potential reform of the Kansas school finance system Wednesday raised questions about the conspicuous absence of state education department staff members and state school board members from the agenda.
KENTUCKY
Kentucky school districts join together, urge lawmakers to restore funding
Lexington Herald Leader, KY, November 7, 2013
Two decades ago, the Council for Better Education’s efforts led to a landmark court decision to strengthen Kentucky schools and to a reform act from the General Assembly. Now, the council — composed of nearly all school districts in Kentucky — is raising money for a study that could show lawmakers that school funding needs to be restored.
MARYLAND
Baltimore County revokes charter school license
Baltimore Sun Blog, MD, November 6, 2013
After five years of below-average performance, Baltimore County’s only charter school will lose its license to operate in July, but will continue as a regular public school next year.
In grassroots takeover of Northampton School Board, ‘We shook them up’
Delmarva Now, MD, November 7, 2013
Voters in Northampton County’s first-ever school board election sent an electoral rebuke to the status quo, voting in the entire slate of candidates endorsed by the Friends of Northampton County Public Schools.
MASSACHUSETTS
Test score gap persists between white, minority students
Eagle Tribune, MA, November 8, 2013
Massachusetts fourth- and eighth-graders lead the country in reading and math scores, although grade four reading levels have slipped in the state and persistent achievement gaps remain.
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor area principal named best charter school administrator in Michigan
Ann Arbor News, MI, November 7, 2013
East Arbor Charter Academy Principal Shawn Leonard has been named the top charter school administrator in the state.
DPS debt swells $18.7M, looks at cutting costs
Detroit News, MI, November 8, 2013
The cash-strapped Detroit Public Schools racked up an additional $18.7 million in debt from July through September after its plan to boost enrollment failed, and it spent above budgeted amounts on security, transportation and maintenance.
MISSISSIPPI
Low test scores merit action
Editorial, Clarion Ledger, MS, November 8, 2013
The National Center for Education Statistics released its 2013 Nation’s Report Card on Thursday, and the news for Mississippi was mixed, at best.
NEVADA
Break charter school barriers
Editorial, Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, November 8, 2013
Demand for alternatives to neighborhood Clark County public schools continues to exceed the valley’s supply of them. Thousands of students are on wait lists for charter schools and Clark County School District magnet programs.
NEW JERSEY
Big concerns spur big turnout of teachers at annual NJEA convention
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, November 8, 2013
Tougher evaluations, new standards and testing for students – and re-election of nemesis Gov. Chris Christie – among items on agenda.
NORTH CAROLINA
Lower test scores for NC schools show results of tougher standards
News Observer, NC, November 7, 2013
The sobering consequences of more rigorous classroom standards became clear Thursday when the state Board of Education revealed the dramatic drop in performance by students, schools and districts on standardized tests.
OHIO
8 shuttered charters lacked for pupils, not state money
Columbus Dispatch, OH
November 8, 2013
The charter schools told the state they would teach 1,600 students. Skeptical, the state cut that down to 700 students when it estimated how much money to send.
New education standards known as the Common Core start forcing changes in Ohio’s schools and in other states
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 7, 2013
With the state asking schools across Ohio to start using the new standards this year, your children’s teachers are spending hours sorting them out, re-working what they’ll have to cover, re-writing lesson plans and adjusting the way they teach.
PENNSYLVANIA
New website launched for all types of high-school applications
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, November 8, 2013
A COALITION of district, charter and parochial schools introduced a new website yesterday where Philadelphia students can download 2014-15 applications for all three types of high schools.
Only two New Hope parents attend York City information meeting
York Dispatch, PA, November 8, 2013
York City School District Superintendent Eric Holmes delivered a presentation Thursday to an almost empty auditorium.
TEXAS
Top Academics but Little Diversity at Two New Charters
Texas Tribune, TX, November 8, 2012
On an evening in late October, several hundred parents crowded into a Temple Beth-El auditorium near downtown San Antonio to learn about a new school opening next fall.
WASHINGTON
Truancy program keeps kids in school, out of court
Commentary, Renton Reporter, WA, November 8, 2013
Many people are surprised when I tell them that we have a Truancy Dropout Prevention Unit in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. “Shouldn’t you be going after the serious criminals, instead of kids who skip school?” they ask.
WISCONSIN
GOP Amendment Makes It Easier To Create Charter School Districts
Wisconsin Public Radio News, WI, November 7, 2013
Republicans have introduced an amendment that would let school boards more easily convert all public schools in their district to charter schools.
State Officials Hope to Solve Achievement Gap Problem
WUWM, WI, November 8, 2013
Wisconsin’s numbers have been consistently low compared to the national average. The achievement gap hasn’t narrowed in 20 years. Other states at the bottom for reading scores among black eighth graders are Mississippi and Alabama.
Why some parents are choosing voucher schools
Journal Times, WI, November 7, 2013
Parents who remove their children from Racine Unified — or who bypass the district altogether — using school choice vouchers largely do so because of concerns about big class sizes, behavioral issues like bullying and poor academic performance, they said.
ONLINE LEARNING
Arkansas Virtual School fails to meet standards—ranks as needing improvement
Opinion, Examiner, November 7, 2013
ARVA is a popular choice for parents who want the ability to have their children learn at home but do not have the confidence, finances or desire to go a traditional homeschool route.
Florida Virtual School fighting legal battle with company of similar name
WFTV-TV, FL, November 7, 2013
Tax dollars are funding a major court battle that school leaders say, is over the quality of education for children. Parents got Florida Virtual School and Florida Virtual Academy confused, so leaders took the issue to the Supreme Court.
LP’s Virtual Learning Academy gets national award
Herald Argus, IN, November 7, 2013
Some are missing high school credits, others can’t attend a traditional classroom environment, and still others want to enrich themselves with courses not offered locally.
Metro Schools touts success, flexibility of virtual school
WSMV-TV, TN, November 7, 2013
Just weeks after a study showed that students enrolled in Tennessee Virtual Academy are learning less than their peers, Metro Nashville Public Schools is touting the success of its virtual school.
Students dip feet into online learning … now required
The Virginian-Pilot, VA, November 8, 2013
The Nansemond River High School sophomore has joined hundreds of Hampton Roads students taking online courses, a growing option in secondary education. And now a required one.