Daily Headlines for December 31, 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
AFT hinders urban education
Opinion, Worcester Telegram, MA, December 31, 2013
This month, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) gave American parents an unwelcome holiday gift: a failing report card. Our students rank behind kids in Estonia, Vietnam, and Latvia in the critical subjects of science and math. Against our rivals in Western Europe and Asia, we additionally lag well behind in reading.
Why do the feds meddle with school choice?
Editorial, Chicago Tribune, IL, December 31, 2013
School choice advocates cheered last month when the U.S. Department of Justice dropped its bid to halt Louisiana’s tuition voucher program, but this battle isn’t over. The feds are still intent on meddling with a program that’s designed to give children more options for their education.
Zero-tolerance stupidity at school
Column, USA Today, December 30, 2013
Last week, the Wall Street Journal’s Alison Gopnik reported on research from professors Jacqueline Wooley at the University of Texas and Paul Harris at Harvard that showed a surprising degree of sophistication among preschool kids. Apparently, though they spend a lot of time in fantasy pursuits, they’re actually quite good at distinguishing fantasy from reality:
STATE COVERAGE
ARIZONA
Charter-schools chief reflects on entrepreneur award
Arizona Daily Star, AZ, December 31, 2013
Raena Janes, founder and director of La Paloma Academy charter schools, recently was presented with a bronze Stevie Award for Women in Business.
CALIFORNIA
Sacramento-area school trustees boost their own pay, send the wrong message
Editorial, Sacramento Bee, CA, December 31, 2013
Trustees of the Sacramento region’s three largest school districts are teaching students some bad lessons: Make sure to look out for number one. Don’t fret too much about being frugal in tough times.
DELAWARE
For some students, early decision options a faster way to secure college goals
Delaware News Journal, DE, December 31, 2013
The 17-year-old was excited, but he didn’t let it change his typical routine at The Charter School of Wilmington. He went to after-school activities and by the time he arrived home and had something to eat it was 6 p.m. His parents huddled nearby as he logged on to the computer.
GEORGIA
Petition for charter school cluster to be resubmitted
Neighbor New Newspaper, GA, December 30, 2013
A group comprised of parents, teachers and principals in DeKalb County are disappointed in the recent board of education’s denial of a charter school cluster, but the members say they are not giving up yet.
ILLINOIS
Bruce Rauner ad promotes charters, but CPS clout call dogs him
Chicago Sun-Times, IL, December 30, 2013
In a new ad, GOP gubernatorial contender Bruce Rauner talks about the benefits of charter schools in Illinois, merit-based pay for teachers and his role as an education reformer.
Rahm creates a process to endorse his plan for more charter schools
Chicago Reader, IL, December 31, 2013
Combatants in the great charter school debate went toe-to-toe a couple of weeks ago in a bout that should have been broadcast live on TV.
KANSAS
Education advocates challenge poll on school finance
Lawrence Journal-World, KS, December 30, 2013
A recent poll by a conservative lobby group suggests that a large number of Kansans oppose the idea of courts determining how much money should be spent on public schools.
MISSISSIPPI
Miss. Charter School Board Gets $125K in Grants
Jackson Free Press, MS, December 31, 2013
The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board has accepted $125,500 in grants.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Stories that Endure: No easy answers for school choice fix
New Hampshire Gazette, NH, December 30, 2013
School choice has been a controversial subject in Massachusetts since the 1980s: This story has some long legs that will continue to stretch into the new year and beyond.
NEW YORK
Bill de Blasio’s choosing Carmen Fariña as schools chancellor will revolutionize city’s schools
Column, New York Daily News, NY, December 31, 2013
The Mayor-elect’s decision to put a veteran educator and daughter of Spanish immigrants in charge of the New York City’s public schools speaks volumes about his intention to break away from the policies of the Bloomberg era.
Charter school officials fret over Fariña appointment
Capital New York, NY, December 30, 2013
Anti-Bloomberg education activists and union leaders had the expected effusive praise for Carmen Fariña, but one group’s concern over her appointment as schools chancellor stood out – charter school operators and advocates.
De Blasio and Farina should call a school reform truce
Opinion, New York Daily News, NY, December 31, 2013
Bill de Blasio’s decision to name experienced educator Carmen Farina as schools chancellor received praise from both Success Academy charter network founder, Eva Moskowitz (albeit with a caveat) and the influential education historian Diane Ravitch.
De Blasio Recognizes Obstacles Standing in Way of Schools Plan
New York Times, NY, December 31, 2013
As he announced his choice of Carmen Fariña as the next chancellor of New York City schools, Bill de Blasio suggested on Monday that he would depart drastically from the policies of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
NORTH CAROLINA
Durham Public Schools looks to address needs aside from superintendent
Opinion, Durham News, NC, December 31, 2013
The graduation rate has increased but the achievement gap persists, two out of three students are not reading at grade level, suspension rates of black and disabled students have led to lawsuits and the system faces growing competition from charter and private schools.
Urgent wake-up call from NC teachers
Opinion, News & Observer, NC, December 30, 2013
How times have changed. We need to take a page from SAS and return our trust to those most capable of finding answers to the challenges in education. And just as SAS is the envy of many companies in the U.S., our goal should be that public education in N.C. be the envy of other states in the nation.
Wake County schools dealing with end of Race to the Top grant
News & Observer, NC, December 30, 2013
With the federal funds running out next summer, the Wake County school system will have to decide what to do with the Renaissance Schools program.
OHIO
Cleveland schools still have nearly 50 classrooms without teachers
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, December 30, 2013
The Cleveland school district still had nearly 50 classrooms without a regular teacher as it headed into holiday break.
The Common Core, new state report cards and Cleveland schools start a transformation plan: Education news in 2013
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, December 30, 2013
Major school “reform” efforts dominated education news in 2013, as Cleveland’s plan to improve city schools started to take effect and several statewide initiatives gathered momentum.
PENNSYLVANIA
Green, possible SRC chief, gives views on schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 31, 2013
Is Bill Green interested in becoming chair of the School Reform Commission? Sources say he is a finalist for the job; Green is mum on the subject.
UTAH
Utah’s high school grad rate still suffers achievement gap
Editorial, Salt Lake Tribune, UT, December 29, 2013
The percentage of Utah high school students who earn diplomas has been steadily rising over the past five years, from below 70 percent in 2008 to 81 percent this year. By any standard, that increase is to be celebrated.
WASHINGTON
Sunnyside charter school group seeks supporters at forum
Daily Sun News, WA, December 30, 2013
A hearing will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 8, in Yakima by the Washington State Charter School Commission to learn more about the proposal from Charter Schools of Sunnyside to open a school in Sunnyside.
ONLINE LEARNING
Shannon schools add online program to help failing students
Clarion Ledger, MS, December 31, 2013
The Lee County School District has adopted a credit-recovery policy that allows students who have failed a class or a state test to take an online course.