2013 - Page 40 of 65 - The Center for Education Reform

Daily Headlines for May 10, 2013

May 10, 2013 By The Center for Education Reform

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.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

Teacher Appreciation: An Open Letter to My Child’s Teacher

May 10, 2013 By Ted Allen

Julie Collier, Executive Director of Parents Advocate League, shares her story of why she fights so hard for change in education during teacher appreciation week:

Dear Ms. M.,

As our family takes time during Teacher Appreciation Week to celebrate the teachers that have blessed our children, we are reminded how truly important the profession of teaching is to a child. We focus on the ways their teachers helped them learn and improve with mistakes over the years. We talk about my experience as a student and my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Shinn, who inspired me to become an educator. My boys love hearing that I used to hate reading and writing back in the day until Mrs. Shinn allowed me to shine in my own way. They also love hearing about my former students and how I taught them, finding inspiration in their accomplishments.

Every year at this time I use this week to focus on the positive. I remind my children how far they have come, and all the great lessons that are still in store for their future. We talk about each grade they have made it through and how their teachers helped them.

This year was different. This was the first year my older son recognized that we never really talk about his first grade year. The year he was in your class. In that moment I allowed myself to be reminded of this painful time for my son and me as a mom and educator. I remembered (like it was yesterday) the very moment you told me he was having difficulty reading, and you suggested we work with him more at home. We did. I remember when you told me he could have dyslexia, and you suggested we have him diagnosed. We took him to his doctor right away who said, “He absolutely does NOT have dyslexia. If I had a dollar for every 1st grade teacher that said a student had this disorder, I could quit my job.”

I choose to leave the profession of teaching, the profession that I love so dearly, in order to focus fully on being a mother to my children. I knew that my duty, both as an educator and mom, was to get to the bottom of why my son was not learning to read. I continued to seek your advice as a fellow educator and the teacher to my son. I believed in you and trusted that you had all the answers. After all, you were the reading specialist at the school, and you have a masters degree in teaching reading.

I knew there was a problem when my son started crying before school. This was completely uncharacteristic and a huge red flag. He said he hated school and wanted to stay home because he didn’t understand it. He said it was too noisy in class. At one point he asked me if he was “special needs” and if so, why didn’t we tell him? My child, your student, felt like a failure in your classroom. Your continued response was to “do more at home.” There was one time when you brought me all your masters’ books and asked me to go through them because you just did not know what else to do.

The moment that I didn’t see coming, finally arrived February of that year, after months of concern and trying to work with you in resolving this together. My desperate worry for my child’s lack of growth in your classroom came to a head. Exasperated I said to you, “We are doing everything at home we possibly can to help,” and asked, “what more can YOU do to help my child?” You crossed your arms and sternly said, “Julie, we have nothing to offer your son.”

My heart felt like it stopped. I knew in that very moment my son was going to have a wasted school year in your class. I also knew you had washed your hands of this “problem.” I don’t remember if I even responded to you or not. I do remember walking away from you feeling such profound disappointment and frustration, yet total resolve to not let my child fail. It was in my hands now, and mine alone.

That day I had to sit my dejected 7 year old child down and tell him, “This is not your fault. Unfortunately, you do not have a great teacher this year, but I am going to do everything I can help make this better for you. There are great teachers out there, and one day you are going to be a great student like you always wanted to be.” As I explained to your student/my son the new learning plan I had for him, I could see a slight glimmer of hope in his eyes.

I found a tutor. I told you that from this point forward, my son was going to do my homework, and not yours. Most importantly, I found my voice. I got loud. I spoke to anyone that would listen about how my son was failing in first grade. Come to find out, there were other children not doing well in your class, either. My son was not alone, and parents that were feeling the same fear for their child as I was, were also no longer alone. In fact, seven of the children in your class were going to parent-paid, after-school tutoring because you had “nothing to offer.”

Your apathy towards my child’s academic achievement ignited a flame in me that continues to burn to this day. It is why I started Parents Advocate League. It is why I continue to speak out at board meetings and education hearings at the state for students and parents. I volunteer my time to help other parents that feel lost in this system because of you and teachers like you. Your apathy is also why I value the profession of teaching more as a parent than I ever understood as a teacher in my own classroom. I get it now.

I can say with confidence and undeniable proof that one bad school year really can have a profound and negative impact on a child. Eventually, my son made progress, but it has been a constant uphill struggle for him. He started feeling more comfortable, and was open to learning new things. He had some great teachers that helped him along the way, and we celebrate them every year at this time. His greatest improvement came in 6th grade when he enrolled in a new charter school. His state test scores went up over 100 points! Most importantly, he developed a love of learning that carries him to this day. His true colors are finally shining through, like I knew they could. I feel like I can honestly say he has finally recovered, and is on the road to achieving his dream of going to the Naval Academy.

So, going back to my son’s question as why we never talk about his first grade year. I explained to him that he had a point. We should talk about that year because of all the years he has been in school, THAT was the year we all learned the most important lesson of our lives: every child deserves a great teacher every, single school year. A great teacher really does make a difference in the life and future of a child.

This Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to recognize you and thank you. Thank you for teaching us such an important life lesson. Thank you for helping me understand that I can make a difference in my children’s education beyond making copies or holding bake sales. Thank you for inspiring me to find my voice, and to encourage other parents to stand up for their own children. Thank you for the unforgettable memory of the moment you gave up on my child. Horrible though it was to hear those words, it empowers me to this day to stay strong in difficult times and reminds me to never give up, because every child deserves a great teacher.

Thank you.

I truly hope you are well and that you learned a lesson from that year too.

Sincerely,

Julie Collier
Executive Director and Founder
Parents Advocate League

Filed Under: Opinions

I should be curled up in the Fetal position…

May 9, 2013 By Ted Allen

May 9, 2013

I should be curled up in the Fetal position…

Diane Ravitch’s blog is full of comments about me and my family… apparently in an attempt to discredit my integrity. Weird. Apparently, I do not understand the constitution or the concept of federalism and need a civics lesson, too. Ugh. My head is moving quickly toward my feet…

Also, I’m married to a man who teaches at a parochial school (Oh my Lord, save me from the fires of hell!) and my own kids went to said school. It must have needed to be said – the suggestion being that I’m married to a radical and none of us like public education. Push me farther into the abyss of fetal centrism. I never realized how bad I was.

But I’m not curled up, at all. In fact, I’m amused. That Diane Ravitch hosts such people on her blog is a mystery, which I will explore in more detail in my book. In fact, I devote almost a whole chapter to Diane and our numerous communications during the 90s that I’ve cherished.

The blog comments noted above are allegedly related to my statement about the Louisiana Supreme Court decision, and my belief that it can and should be appealed to the US Supreme Court. 10th amendment not withstanding, I have good cause to suggest this, and plan to write a bit about it in the near future (though like any good competitive “team” I wont’ be sharing all my secrets – that would be akin to giving the other guys the playbook!). But before I can spend time doing that, I did find it flattering that so many people want to presuppose so much about my personal life that might explain why I who they apparently like to talk about might actually support a child’s civil right to a great education.

I guess at the heart of these comments is that people think something about me personally is interesting… or worth detesting… so they comment. If you want to know something about me, I suppose you should actually ask rather than pre-suppose, however. And about that husband of mine, and those parochially educated kids… let me just brag for a moment:

That husband of mine, Dr. Kevin Strother, is a recognized musician and music-education teacher who grew up attending the public schools of Edenton, NC, where his parents, both public school teachers, were and remain proud members of the North Carolina Education Association. It gets better. Shelby, his mom, is on the board of East Carolina State U, one of the best teacher ed prep schools in the south. Uncle Ken was the superintendent of a nearby town and other members of the Strother clan were school board presidents. Even in their retirement, they care deeply about public education, and bemoan the lagging conditions that leave kids unprepared. We debate what the causes are, but they never question my dedication to solving it.

Back to that husband of mine, he put himself through college, his masters and his PhD – in music AND education – and took a job at a school that allowed him to create the music program from scratch. He actually teaches not in a parochial school but an independent, catholic boys school, where my kids went for some years. I married the music teacher, in fact, and he married me, a widow, with four kids. Thank God for that private school, which supported and nurtured and cared for my boys during a difficult time the way few public schools could have at the time!

My boys actually learned about the Federalist papers in 10th grade, without an AP class. They learned Latin, English literature, about nature, biology, the Greeks, the Romans, the Europeans and yes, Native Americans. They learned about civil rights, the Constitution and the purpose of American government. They all went to college dramatically more knowledgeable about such subjects than most kids in even better public schools. I know. Their professors told me – constantly – and I’ve seen the data. So yes, my choice was a good one – and while anyone who has read my various tomes know I hardly think them perfect, they are also gentlemen – generous, kind and open-minded, having been schooled classically liberal.

My daughter had a similar experience. Throughout their childhood, my kids have toured public schools with me, charter schools, watched and participated in rallies, conferences and read the news – all the time. So when I share this with them, and the Ravitch blog comments, I know they will say what they always say, unprompted…

Mom, “who are these people?? And why do they care where we went to school?”

Patience, my children. Patience.

by Jeanne Allen

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso

Daily Headlines for May 9, 2013

May 9, 2013 By The Center for Education Reform

NATIONAL COVERAGE

A One-Size-Fits-All Education Model Doesn’t Cut It—And Never Will
Take Part, May 8, 2013
Education reformer Kevin Chavous speaks out about why America is still ‘A Nation at Risk.’

Study: Many Don’t Need Remedial Classes
Miami Herald, FL, May 8, 2013
Many students are needlessly sent to remedial math classes at community colleges to learn high school math they won’t need in their first-year programs anyway, according to new research on what it takes to be successful in community college.

STATE COVERAGE

CALIFORNIA

School District And Plumas Charter Will Continue Greenville Collaboration
Plumas County Beacon, CA, May 9, 2013
A draft memorandum of understanding between Plumas Unified School District and Plumas Charter School for 2013-14 was presented to the school board at the May 2 board meeting in Chester.

Fresno Unified Denies Charter Renewal For Troubled New Millenium School
The Fresno Bee, CA, May 8, 2013
Fresno Unified trustees voted unanimously Wednesday night to not renew a five-year charter for troubled New Millennium in west Fresno, agreeing with district staff and the county grand jury that the school had failed to fix itself.

Silenced By Teachers Union
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, May 8, 2013
In California, where I’m a public school teacher, union bullying is enshrined in state law. The law requires that all teachers in public schools pay compulsory “agency fees” to support the agenda of the teachers unions — the most powerful political force in the state — thus allowing the union to dominate and skew political dialogue.

COLORADO

New Charter School Has A Home In District 51
KJCT, CO, May 8, 2013
A contract was signed Tuesday night that will finalize the location for Juniper Ridge Charter School. Tuesday night, the District 51 School Board thought they had made a decision to post-pone the school’s future, but they spoke too soon.

CONNECTICUT

Not All Votes Counted In Parent Council Election
CT Post, CT, May 9, 2013
Janet Gomes, a Thomas Hooker parent, won a three-way race for president of the District Parent Advisory Council Wednesday in a controversial re-do election in which the votes of parents whose children attend charter schools weren’t counted.

DELAWARE

It’s Time To Change The Conversation On Charter Schools
The News Journal, DE, May 9, 2013
Charter schools have gotten a lot of bad press over the last year. School closings. Teacher videos. Investigations about school leader qualifications. Financial crises. Governance issues.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. to Establish a Hybrid Traditional-Charter School in Southeast
Washington Post, DC, May 9, 2013
A long-struggling Southeast D.C. elementary school will undergo a renovation and then reopen under the management of a high-performing charter school, Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced Wednesday evening.

FLORIDA

‘Parent-Trigger’ Bill Is Just Special-Interest Legislation
TC Palm, FL, May 9, 2013
The Florida House of Representatives recently passed H.B. 867, which would establish a “parent trigger” that allows parents to force a failing public school to be closed or converted to a charter school when requested by a majority of parents. The Senate considered a similar bill.

ILLINOIS

Charter School Advocates Call For Fair Funding At Loop Rally
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 9, 2013
Thousands of people wearing bright yellow caps rallied in the Loop’s Federal Plaza on Wednesday evening in support of privately run charter schools, which are under more scrutiny because of the city’s plan to close 53 neighborhood schools.

Ald. Burke Wants Gov. Quinn To Restart Uno Charter-School Funding
Chicago Sun Times, IL, May 8, 2013
Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) went to bat Wednesday for the embattled United Neighborhood Organization, urging his ally Gov. Pat Quinn to resume funding for an UNO charter school being built in his Southwest Side ward.

INDIANA

Indiana General Assembly Rewards Failure
NW Times, IN, May 9, 2013
Proponents of traditional public schools are upset about the Indiana General Assembly forgiving startup loans for charter schools — even schools that failed. They make a good point.

IOWA

Group Pushes For Reducing Education Gap
Des Moines Register, IA, May 9, 2013
Mark M. Jacobs once was a Fortune 500 CEO and soon may be a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, but for the time being he’s leading a nonprofit group pushing for improvements in K-12 for Iowa’s education system.

LOUISIANA

Jindal Loses On Funding
The Advocate, LA, May 8, 2013
If a defeat for Gov. Bobby Jindal’s position, the governor and other backers of state vouchers for private school tuition can take considerable comfort in a narrowly focused decision by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

MAINE

Maine Charter School Commission Approves Three More Schools
Bangor Daily News, ME, May 8, 2013
The Maine Charter School Commission approved contracts for three new charter schools which are scheduled to open in the fall.

MARYLAND

Demand For Charter Schools Remains High
Frederick News Post, MD, May 9, 2013
According to local brief in Tuesday’s edition of The News-Post, Frederick County Public Schools’ two Montessori charter schools have far more applicants than their programs can accommodate.

MICHIGAN

Bill Would Link Michigan Teachers’ Pay To Student Growth
Michigan Public Radio, MI, May 8, 2013
New teachers in Michigan would be paid based primarily on student growth under a bill in Lansing.

Small School Districts Must Consolidate In Michigan
Detroit News, MI, May 9, 2013
The Buena Vista School District near Saginaw is an example of a small school system that no longer has adequate resources to serve its students, and it is time to end its financial struggles by dissolving. Other Michigan school districts that are facing looming deficits should also consider this cost-saving action.

MISSOURI

House Speaker Loses Again In Bid To Overhaul Educator Evaluations
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, May 9, 2013
In a stinging rebuke to Speaker Tim Jones, the heavily Republican House has rejected for the second time his drive to tie educators’ job evaluations to students’ academic progress.

NEVADA

Elaine Wynn Bemoans State Of Education In Nevada, Lobbies For National Search For New Superintendent
Las Vegas Sun, NV, May 9, 2013
Elaine Wynn called on the Clark County School Board to conduct a national search for its next superintendent during her keynote address Wednesday at a Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

NEW MEXICO

UNM Hits ‘Reset’ On Teacher Education
Albuquerque Journal, NM, May 9, 2013
The University of New Mexico’s College of Education dean stepped down Tuesday in what administrators say is the beginning of a multimillion-dollar revamp with the goal of improving the quality of education in New Mexico.

NEW JERSEY

Camden Charter School To Open In September
Camden Courier Post, NJ, May 9, 2013
For Robin Ruiz, hope started as a thought that grew into a passion. Now it’s a charter school. Ruiz is the lead founder of Hope Community Charter School, described as a new elementary school with a focus on literacy.

NEW YORK

Teach-Eval Ball In State’s Court
New York Post, NY, May 9, 2013
The state’s top education official has been tapped to finally end the city and teachers union’s long-running dispute over a new ratings system for educators.

Teachers Union Loses Three Allies In School Board Races
Buffalo News, NY, May 8, 2013
Someone spent a lot of money in the last couple of weeks trying to elect union-backed candidates to the Buffalo School Board.

Enterprise Charter School Is Granted One-Year Extension
Buffalo News, NY, May 9, 2013
The Buffalo Board of Education voted, 6-2, Wednesday to renew the charter of Enterprise Charter School for only a year, despite objections by school leaders who wanted a longer renewal period.

NORTH CAROLINA

Rock Hill Might Get A Second Charter School
Charlotte Observer, NC, May 8, 2013
Pastor Brian Keith’s idea for a second charter school in Rock Hill began in talks with parents who wanted to see a different kind of education.

OHIO

Cleveland School District And Teachers Union Reach Agreement On Cleveland Plan Details
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, May 8, 2013
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Cleveland Teachers Union have reached a tentative agreement on how the two will work together to implement the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools.

OKLAHOMA

School Spending Should Actually Fund Reforms
The Oklahoman, OK, May 9, 2013
Over the past few years, school officials have repeatedly decried the education reforms that they claimed were unfunded. This year, schools are getting a not-insignificant budget increase. As lawmakers provide it, they should ensure the money actually goes to pay for the reforms school officials have often used to justify increased appropriations.

TEXAS

Top Senator Vows His Charter School Plan Will Pass
Lubbock Avalanche Journal, TX, May 9, 2013
The top proponent for school choice in the Texas Legislature vowed Wednesday that his much-watched effort to expand charter schools in Texas will become law — even though it could still face a tough road in the House.

Senate Democrats Block Texas Education Agency Bill Over Concern About Vouchers
Dallas Morning News, TX, May 8, 2013
Senate Democrats have decided to block legislation that would reauthorize the Texas Education Agency, citing concerns that the bill could become a vehicle for private school vouchers or other education measures they oppose.

WISCONSIN

Special Ed Vouchers Won’t End Discrimination
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, May 8, 2013
What do these children have in common? They all have disabilities, they all tried to participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and they all were denied admission, not served or pushed back into public schools by private voucher schools.

ONLINE LEARNING

Online Schools A Virtual Reality In Sacramento
News Review. CA, May 9, 2013
When Kelly Krug’s son Ben struggled academically, the Fair Oaks mom looked for options that provided computerized instruction.

Gila Vista’s Online Use Earns ‘Rock Star’ Status
Yuma Sun, AZ, May 8, 2013
Gila Vista’s success with online learning, and specifically the Plato courseware system, earned the Yuma junior high school an award from the curriculum’s provider, Edmentum.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

Postcards from the Past — No. 2

May 8, 2013 By Ted Allen

May 8, 2013

Postcards from the Past
A new, occasional blog post by CER President Jeanne Allen in commemoration of CER’s 20th Anniversary in business and the historical events that have taken place during our history.

It was January, 1997. It was Pennsylvania. The letter began:

“I recently read with considerable interest your account of the charter school debate in Pennsylvania…I’m not sure who your source was for that account but I thought I’d take the opportunity…to give you the rest of the story…”

The letter was from the president of the PA School Boards Association, Thomas Gentzel, and he was angry that we called the pending proposal in PA a “lousy” charter bill, because it vested all the authority to create charters with school boards. We said at the time, that doing so might make the Blob content, but that it would never lead to charters being created.

Indeed, back then, and even now, school boards associations are more antagonistic about charter school bills that spread the authority for chartering to other entities, like universities, or Mayors, or independent entities completely. The fact is that any division of power for them is a loss of power.

This recently played out again in Mississippi, as it does in every state when charters come up. Republican leaders who wanted desperately to do something about their state’s very weak charter school law admitted that the school board members and superintendents back home were putting heavy pressure on them to limit chartering to only the failing school districts, so that they would not have any schools opening in their districts. On top of that, they opposed multiple authorizers. They always do of course, but retaining sole authority of charter schools to school districts, as PA’s Genztel argued for in 1997, results in exactly the number of charter schools the school boards associations prefer. Zero.

“…the definition of ‘lousy charter bill’,” says Gentzel, “is a matter of taste. The version that passed the House…achieved a notable balance in our opinion: it afforded considerable relief from mandates to charter schools while ensuring that [only] school directors…were empowered to evaluate and act on charter applications.”

In the end, Gov Tom Ridge and his administration held firm and insisted on an appeals process to mitigate what we convinced them would be the effect of having school board only approval of charters. But to this day, the lack of multiple authorizing that was at the heart of that compromise plagues both existing, successful charters from growing as well as would-be schools from opening.

At the same time that effort was ongoing, founder of the L.A.-based Accelerated Charter School, Johnathan Williams, had traveled at our request to Indiana to meet with business leaders and then State Senator Teresa Lubbers who was leading the charge to enact a charter law, an effort that would finally see success some seven years later! Williams, coming from a state in which at the time only school boards could approve charters and even with an appeals process told the group that they should begin with multiple authorizers so as to avoid the hostilities that he had seen throughout his and other’s tenures in Indiana.

They listened and learned and year after year they chose not to adopt a weak law just to have a law and placate the Blob. In 2001, Indiana passed its charter law, with multiple authorizers including the Indianapolis Mayor and Universities, and it was strong, enabling dozens of new, robust schools to see the light of day and grow to serve students most in need.

Kudos to those policymakers who stand firm from the start, and recognize the importance of lessons learned.

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso Tagged With: Postcards from the Past

Daily Headlines for May 8, 2013

May 8, 2013 By The Center for Education Reform

NATIONAL COVERAGE

La. Schools Chief White Testifies Before U.S. Congress
The Advocate, LA, May 7, 2013
While the Louisiana Supreme Court rejected the funding mechanism for the state’s expanded school voucher system, state Superintendent of Education John White was discussing school choice and accountability with members of Congress.

STATE COVERAGE

CALIFORNIA

Pomona Unified Administrator Propose Turning Yorba Elementary Into Charter School
Inland Valley Daily Herald, CA, May 8, 2013
Pomona Unified School District administrators presented a proposal to the district’s Board of Education Tuesday night calling for converting Yorba Elementary School into a charter school with an emphasis on science and technology.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Gray Nominates Two New Candidates for D.C. Public Charter School Board
Washington Post, DC, May 7, 2013
Mayor Vincent C. Gray has nominated two candidates to fill vacancies on the D.C. Public Charter School Board, which is responsible for authorizing new charter schools and closing poor performers.

FLORIDA

Manatee’s Rowlett Elementary Considers Charter School Option During Budget Crisis
Bradenton Herald, FL, May 8, 2013
Rowlett Magnet Elementary School, concerned about the financial uncertainty facing the Manatee County School District, is exploring a novel approach to ensure the quality of its academic programs, which focus on communications and the arts.

‘Trigger’ Bill Or No, Parents Already Have Good Options To Empower Them
Miami Herald, FL, May 7, 2013
As media websites throughout Florida told of the end of the notorious “parent trigger” bill for this year, one state senator nailed the problem — the law already allows parents to get involved in fixing failing public schools, but few of them bother to do so.

GEORGIA

Common Core Standards Debated
Cherokee Ledger News, GA, May 8, 2013
Federal education standards being piloted in Cherokee County schools as a part of the state’s participation in Race To The Top (RTTT) became the topic of conversation at the May 2 school board meeting.

Georgia DOE Releases New Grades For Public Schools
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, May 7, 2013
Georgia’s new report card for public schools is out. The Georgia Department of Education said the average score for Georgia’s elementary schools is 83.4; middle schools is 81.4 and high schools is 72.6.

Governor Signs Bill Linking Teacher Evaluations To Student Performance
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, May 7, 2013
StudentsFirst, the influential advocacy organization created by former Washington, D.C., schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, sent out a media release today celebrating Gov. Nathan Deal’s signing of House Bill 244.

ILLINOIS

Tick … Tick … Tick …
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 8, 2013
The latest headache for Chicago Public Schools officials: Independent hearing officers oppose efforts to close about a quarter of the 53 elementary schools that are on the block.

LOUISIANA

Jindal Promises To Find Voucher Funding After High Court Strikes It Down
Times-Picayune, LA, May 8, 2013
The Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday declared that the way the Jindal administration has been financing a statewide school voucher program is unconstitutional, a decision that has significant ramifications for the ongoing state budget debate and the approximately 8,000 students who have been promised voucher seats for the fall.

Funding For La. Gov. Jindal’s Voucher Program Struck Down By Court
Washington Times, DC, May 7, 2013
In a setback for Gov. Bobby Jindal’s drive to overhaul the state’s education system, the Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday said the state can’t fund its landmark voucher initiative with money meant for public schools.

Locals Applaud State Supreme Court Ruling On Vouchers
Monroe News Star, LA, May 8, 2013
Local educators and community members were excited Tuesday to learn about the Louisiana Supreme Court’s ruling that the funding mechanism for the Louisiana Scholarship Program is unconstitutional.

MAINE

After Turmoil, Portland Charter School Approved
Portland Press Herald, ME, May 8, 2013
The Maine Charter School Commission approved a scaled-down plan for Portland’s first charter school Tuesday, clearing the way for the Baxter Academy for Technology and Science to open in the fall

Lawmakers At Odds With LePage Administration Over Charter Schools
Portland Press Herald, ME, May 8, 2013
A standoff is developing between the Maine Department of Education and Democratic lawmakers over a new, more equitable way to fund public charter schools.

MARYLAND

Md. Teachers: We’re Not Ready For New Evaluation Systems, Common Core
Washington Post, DC, May 7, 2013
Maryland teachers are asking for more time and training to meet the demands of new evaluation systems and education standards expected to be in place by the start of the next school year, according to a survey from the Maryland State Education Association.

Referendum Petition Drive Targets Prince George’s Schools Takeover Bill
Baltimore Sun, MD, May 8, 2013
A signature-collecting petition drive has started in Prince George’s County to try to force County Executive Rushern Baker III’s impending school takeover to a 2014 referendum.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter School Advocates Want Cap Removed in Mass.
Boston Globe, MA, May 8, 2013
Three years after state lawmakers lifted the cap on the number of charter schools that can legally operate in Massachusetts, advocates urged lawmakers Tuesday to abolish it, citing a study that found that the schools outperform traditional public schools in the state, particularly in Boston.

More School Reform
Boston Herald, MA, May 8, 2013
It’s cute that the Joint Committee on Education scheduled a hearing on a slew of bills related to charter schools during National Charter School Awareness Month.

MICHIGAN

Michigan District Can’t Pay Teachers, Lays Off Staff
Detroit News, MI, May 8, 2013
A Michigan school district that said it can’t afford to pay its teachers will remain closed for a second day Wednesday after laying off staff because of a loss of state funds.

NEBRASKA

Lawmakers Revive Arguments On Charter-Schools Proposal
Omaha World Herald, NE, May 8, 2013
Nebraska lawmakers who support an Omaha charter-schools bill launched a debate on a measure that was killed in committee this year.

NEW JERSEY

Appeal Filed To Block Camden School’s Approval
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, May 8, 2013
The Education Law Center has filed an appeal to block the state’s approval of the KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy.

NEW MEXICO

District Plans New Charter School Compacts
Santa Fe New Mexican, NM, May 8, 2013
Santa Fe Public Schools is moving forward with a plan to set up performance compacts with the district’s four charter schools in an effort to provide greater transparency and set clear goals for the schools.

NEW YORK

A 30-Month Legal Fight to Conceal E-Mails About a 95-Day Schools Chancellor
New York Times, NY, May 8, 2013
If you have lost three consecutive times in court on the same legal fight, with not a single judge giving you the time of day, and one of them saying that your main argument is “particularly specious,” what would you do?

NORTH CAROLINA

NC Senate Passes Bill Creating Separate State Board For Charter Schools
News & Observer, NC, May 7, 2013
The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday creating a separate regulatory board for charter schools by a vote of 32-17.

OHIO

Curriculum Critics Wrong
Columbus Dispatch, OH, May 8, 2013
A campaign against Common Core educational standards — developed by governors, adopted by 45 states and designed to help American children catch up to their peers around the world — is misguided and misinformed.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pocono Mountain Charter School’s Court-Appointed Custodian Quickly Takes Charge
Pocono Record, PA, May 8, 2013
The court-appointed custodian for the troubled Pocono Mountain Charter School swiftly stepped in Tuesday night, hiring a new principal and firing a public relations firm.

TEXAS

Charter School Rally Planned At Texas Capitol
Houston Chronicle, TX, May 8, 2013
Parents and activists are set to rally at the state Capitol for high-profile proposed legislation to expand charter schools in Texas.

WASHINGTON

New Law Targets How Schools Perform
Everett Herald, WA, May 8, 2013
One of the first Republican-sponsored education reform bills became law Tuesday and will give the state more power to intercede in schools where student performance on basic skills tests is persistently poor.

WISCONSIN

School Choice Will Help Students Succeed
Green Bay Press Gazette, WI, May 7, 2013
Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. Wealthy parents have always had access to a variety of educational options.

ONLINE LEARNING

Gov. Rick Snyder To Visit Zeeland’s Innoacademy Charter School, Site Of New Icademy
Grand Rapids Press, MI, May 8, 2013
Governor Rick Snyder today will visit Innocademy, a Zeeland-based year-round public school academy, and tour its Homestead Campus.

‘Blended Learning’ Leads To Rare Teacher Satisfaction
The Californian, CA, May 7, 2013
By all rights, Wendy Chaves’ Algebra II class should be a zoo. She’s charged with teaching nearly 50 teenagers at a time at the Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High School in Los Angeles. Yet Chaves has never felt more effective.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

Louisiana High Court Violates Parent Rights

May 7, 2013 By Ted Allen

Ruling against state voucher program at odds with US Supreme Court Decision in Zelman

CER Press Release
Washington, D.C.
May 7, 2013

In a clear violation of the civil rights of parents and children, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued an opinion today in a 6-1 decision that the funding method employed in the Louisiana Scholarship Program is unconstitutional.

In the majority opinion, Justice John Weimer wrote in part, “The state funds approved through the unique Minimum Foundation Program process cannot be diverted to nonpublic schools or other nonpublic course providers according to the clear, specific and unambiguous language of the constitution.”

In the majority opinion of the 2002 Supreme Court case Zelman v. Simmons Harris, regarding a similar program in Ohio, the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote, “…the Ohio program is neutral in all respects toward religion. It is part of a general and multifaceted undertaking by the State of Ohio to provide educational opportunities to the children of a failed school district.”

Rehnquist continued, “It confers educational assistance directly to a broad class of individuals defined without reference to religion, i.e., any parent of a school-age child who resides in the Cleveland City School District. The program permits the participation of all schools within the district, religious or nonreligious. Adjacent public schools also may participate and have a financial incentive to do so. Program benefits are available to participating families on neutral terms, with no reference to religion. The only preference stated anywhere in the program is a preference for low-income families, who receive greater assistance and are given priority for admission at participating schools.”

The Court determined that when choices were available and parents acted on their ability to privately choose, the Establishment Clause was not implicated.

“If indeed the Louisiana constitution, as suggested by the majority court opinion, prohibits parents from directing the course of the funds allocated to educate their child, then the Louisiana constitution needs to be reviewed by the nation’s highest court,” said Center for Education Reform President Jeanne Allen.

Allen added: “I urge Governor Jindal to file an appeal to the US Supreme Court, and ask for the justices’ immediate review of the decision. The Louisiana justices actions today violate the civil rights of parents and children who above all are entitled to an education that our Founders repeated time and time again is the key to a free, productive democracy.”

Louisiana State Superintendent John White briefly commented today that while he had not yet read the opinion (he was on Capitol Hill today testifying on federal programs), he understands the ruling to say, “it’s not that the program itself is unconstitutional, but that the funding needs to come from somewhere else.”

White added that, “we will find funding and keep fighting this.”

For more information on this and related school choice programs visit the CER school choice FAQs page, as well as the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) and the Institute for Justice.

Filed Under: Press Releases

Daily Headlines for May 7, 2013

May 7, 2013 By The Center for Education Reform

NATIONAL COVERAGE

New Course Recommended for Some High-School Students
Wall Street Journal, May 7, 2013
Amid a national push to lift high-school standards in the U.S., a new study recommends a different approach for students who go on to community college, one that emphasizes basic subjects to provide them with only the skills they would need to succeed in their future careers.

Republicans Should Love ‘Common Core’
Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2013
The Common Core State Standards are a set of rigorous academic standards in mathematics and English language arts. They are the culmination of a meticulous, 20-year process initiated by the states and involving teachers, educators, business leaders and policy makers from across the country and both sides of the aisle. The standards form a foundation for a high-quality education, have been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia, and are slated for full implementation in 2014.

State School Systems Rethink Common Core Standards
Washington Post, DC, May 6, 2013
The growing backlash against the nationwide K-12 school standards known as Common Core, bubbling to the surface in Indiana, Michigan and elsewhere, has become the hottest story in education.

Assemblyman Diegnan’s Charter Bill Flies in Face of (Rare) Consensus
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, May 7, 2013
One of the few things educators and administrators agree on: charter schools need multiple authorizers

Teacher Pay Hurt by Recession, Report Says
New York Times, NY, May 7, 2013
During the recession and its aftermath, public schools took a hit as both state coffers and local property taxes shriveled. That showed up in shrinking employment, but also in teacher salaries.

Charter Schools: The Report Card
MSNBC, May 7, 2013
On Friday the White House issued a presidential proclamation naming May 5 -11 “National Charter School Week.” Charter Schools are publicly funded schools that are governed by an independent organization through a contract–or charter–with the state.

Corruption is Destroying America’s Schools
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, May 7, 2013
The recent 65-count cheating indictment against 35 Atlanta school officials, including the superintendent, has reignited an intense national debate on the use of standardized test scores as a key feature in teacher evaluations.

STATE COVERAGE

ALABAMA

Alabama’s Private Schools Don’t Want State Involvement
Montgomery Advertiser, AL, May 6, 2013
Private and parochial schools want to make sure Alabama’s new tax credits and scholarships for private school attendance don’t lead to the state government having a role in their operations.

CALIFORNIA

Bullis, LASD Battle ‘Escalating’
Mountain View-Voice, CA, May 6, 2013
The ongoing battle between Bullis Charter School and the Los Altos School District appears to be escalating — with officials from both organizations accusing the other of breaking the law.

LA Mayoral Candidates: Boost Education Reform
My Fox Atlanta, CA, May 7, 2013
The countdown is on for the May 21st election and the candidates are coming-a-courting. While officially the Mayor of Los Angeles has no role in how the public school system is run, extra-officially, he/she can play a big role. The Mayor’s office is a great bully-pulpit.

CONNECTICUT

Weingarten Proclaims Victory In New Haven
New Haven Independent, CT, May 6, 2013
Three thousand miles away from New Haven, the city became Exhibit A in a showdown between a national union president and a charter school proponent about the future of school reform.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Charter School Waitlists Vary Widely
Washington Post, DC, May 6, 2013
Charter school waiting lists vary widely across the District, according to data released Monday by the D.C. Public Charter School Board that suggests demand tends to be greatest for early childhood programs and schools rated high-performing.

FLORIDA

Pasco County Charter Schools, By The Numbers
Tampa Bay Times Blog, FL, May 6, 2013
Pasco County School Board members plan a wide-ranging discussion on charter schools on Tuesday, discussing the future of charters in the district as well as the impact of newly adopted legislation.

GEORGIA

Charter School Funding A Hot Topic At APS Board Meeting
WXIA-TV, GA, May 6, 2013
Parents are putting pressure on the Atlanta Public Schools Board concerning charter school funding.

ILLINOIS

One Vote, Many Lives
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 7, 2013
The Chicago City Council will vote on many items Wednesday. None likely will be more important than the zoning change on tap for the property at 2245 W. Pershing Road. That is where Concept Schools, a top-quality charter operator, wants to open the Horizon Science Academy-McKinley Park.

INDIANA

Charter’s Opening Is Set For ’14 After Snafu
The Journal Gazette, IN, May 7, 2013
A technology-centered charter school approved to open this fall with some conditions will delay opening until 2014, according to a statement from the school.

LOUISIANA

Teachers Want Higher Standards, Delayed Consequences, Poll Says
Times-Picayune, LA, May 6, 2013
Higher educational standards, yes; consequences based on them, not yet. That’s the conclusion of a nationwide poll of 800 members of the American Federation of Teachers. The union released the results on May 3.

Louisiana House Backs Bill Allowing Parents To Shift RSD-Controlled Schools Back To Local Systems
Times-Picayune, LA, May 6, 2013
A bill allowing parents to petition to transfer control of their child’s school from the Recovery School District into the local school system easily cleared the House on Monday.

House Puts Teacher Evaluation Impact On Hold
Monroe News Star, LA, May 7, 2013
Some kinks in Louisiana’s teacher evaluation need to be straightened out before teachers’ futures are decided using the instrument, House members said Monday in unanimously approving legislation by Rep. Gene Reynolds, D-Minden.

MARYLAND

City Schools Chief Alonso Resigns
Baltimore Sun, MD, May 6, 2013
His six-year tenure has been marked by bold yet divisive reforms; Tisha Edwards will be interim superintendent

Andres Alonso’s Departure: An Opportunity for Baltimore to Move Beyond the Traditional District
Dropout Nation Blog, May 7, 2013
School reformers in Baltimore, along with those in the city looking to keep the city from becoming the next Detroit, can’t help but be pensive about yesterday’s news that Andres Alonso is departing as chief executive officer of its traditional district to take a gig at Harvard University’s education school.

MASSACHUSETTS

Bill Would Loosen Cap On Mass. Charter Schools
Boston Globe, MA, May 7, 2013
Supporters of legislation to lift the cap on charter schools in the state’s lowest performing school districts will be making their case before lawmakers.

66 Percent Support More Charter Schools
Cape Cod Today, MA, May 6, 2013
Charter school proponents on Monday morning were promoting new poll results showing voters in the Boston area support lifting caps on the number of charter schools by a nearly three to one margin.

MICHIGAN

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan ‘Very Encouraged’ By Visit To Michigan’s Reform District
Detroit Free Press, MI, May 6, 2013
Gov. Rick Snyder joined U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan today at Thirkell Elementary School and Brenda Scott Academy of Theater Arts in Detroit as part of three school tours highlighting local education reform and the importance of investing in preschool.

Michigan Schools Leave Food Subsidies On Table
Detroit News, MI, May 7, 2013
Every year, the federal government buys more than $1.4 billion in chicken, beef, butter and dozens of other products from U.S. farmers and then offers them at substantial discounts to America’s schools.

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi Prepares New Push On Education
Associated Press, May 6, 2013
Republicans’ statewide solutions include making it easier to create charter schools and holding back third-graders who can’t read. Other changes approved by lawmakers are state-funded prekindergarten and higher qualifications and merit pay for teachers.

MISSOURI

Paranoia About ‘Common Core’ Is A Lousy Way To Fix Schools
St. Louis Post Dispatch, MO, May 7, 2013
The anger is being fueled by conspiracy theorists, including some in the Missouri Legislature, who see the common core movement as some evil federal takeover of schools, rather than the thoughtful and bipartisan attempt that it is to raise standards and unify them across state lines so that the United States can do a better job of competing in a global economy.

NEW JERSEY

Newark Charter Is A Scam On Schoolchildren
Star Ledger, NJ, May 7, 2013
Here’s what we know about Fredrica Bey, founder of Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School in Newark: She has consistently taken money intended for kids in order to enrich herself and her organizations.

NEW MEXICO

4 On Your Side Investigation Reveals Charter School Rent Problems
KOB, NM, May 6, 2013
A 4 On Your Side Investigation has found taxpayers are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent money for school buildings they already own.

NEW YORK

Quinn Offers Plan to Add Slots for Gifted in City Schools
New York Times, NY, May 7, 2013
Seeking to address pervasive racial disparities at the top echelons of New York City schools, Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker, plans on Tuesday to propose a significant overhaul of gifted and talented programs that would provide space for more children and loosen admissions requirements.

Charter Schools: A Skeptical Look
Brooklyn Eagle, NY, May 6, 2013
In his third term, Mayor Bloomberg is increasingly showing his true colors. Nowhere is this more evident than in his advocacy of charter schools. Bloomberg has constantly pushed for more charter schools, and unsuccessfully lobbied for the state to raise the cap on the number of charter schools that are permitted.

Charter School Success Spurs More To Act
Utica Observer Dispatch, NY, May 6, 2013
Utica With one charter school opening in the fall, the area might have two more schools on the horizon — one in Utica, another in Rome.

It’s Unfair To Ask Taxpayers To Subsidize Private Schools
Buffalo News, NY, May 7, 2013
Providing tax credits for those who choose a private or parochial school education for their children is no different. Parents, of course, have every right to choose what kind of education they believe is best for their children, but they shouldn’t be asking the public to subsidize their personal choices through back-door voucher schemes masquerading as charitable giving.

NORTH CAROLINA

Next Step For Charter Schools
Salisbury Post, NC, May 6, 2013
The strongest argument for charter schools when the concept gained widespread recognition in the 1990s was their ability to experiment with education techniques and curriculum. The schools could innovate free of many state and local regulations. The best practices developed from these living laboratories could be adopted by public schools, thereby improving education for everyone, advocates said.

Charter School Bill Would Lower Teacher Quality Standards
Progressive Pulse, NC, May 6, 2013
Tomorrow afternoon, the North Carolina Senate is set to vote on SB 337, which creates a Public Charter School Board that is separate from the State Board of Education and does away with the Charter School Advisory Council. This bill would needlessly exempt charter schools from any requirement that teachers be certified.

OHIO

Another Blow To City Schools
Columbus Dispatch, OH, May 7, 2013
Thursday’s records seizures at 20 Columbus high schools by the state auditor ought to prove convincing to those who have blindly defended the district or downplayed the seriousness of a monumental cheating scandal in the district.

PENNSYLVANIA

Auditor: Kensington Charter School Had Longtime Money Woes
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 7, 2013
A Philadelphia School District auditor testified Monday about long-standing financial issues at a Kensington charter school during a district hearing to determine whether the school should remain open.

Wrong Reform
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, May 7, 2013
The Bethel Park School Board recently passed a resolution asking the Pennsylvania Legislature to reform charter school funding. We agree, but not with Bethel Park’s proposed solution.

WISCONSIN

Wausau Schools Deal With Minority Achievement Gap
Wausau Daily Herald, WI, May 6, 2013
Minority students overall lag significantly behind their white peers in the Wausau School District, reflecting the racial achievement gap that affects students across the state.

ONLINE LEARNING

To Embrace Virtual Schools Would Be To Shortchange Maine Students
Portland Press Herald, ME, May 7, 2013
Instead, Maine should boost funding for the ‘bricks and mortar’ system that responds to the public.

Cincinnati’s First Tuition-Free Charter School To Open In August
Soap Box Media, May 7, 2013
Carpe Diem-Aiken will offer a blended learning model of digital curriculum with blended learning experiences, says Rick Ogston, founder of CDLS.

‘Blended Learning’ Charter High School Impresses One Grand Rapids Lawmaker, Another Raises Concerns
Grand Rapids Press, MI, May 6, 2013
State lawmakers visited the new Nexus Academy of Grand Rapids charter high school Monday to gain greater perspective on the model being used in Michigan and Ohio.

Board Approves Virtual School Proposal
Garden City Telegram, KS, May 7, 2013
USD 457 Board of Education members Monday night approved a virtual school be put into place at the Alternative Education Center.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

Newswire: May 7, 2013

May 7, 2013 By Ted Allen

Vol. 15, No. 18
SPECIAL EDITION, from the Editor
WHY NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE
(excerpted. Read the Full Analysis here)

“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after.”
–Oliver Goldsmith

This quote seems particularly apt today, the second day of National Charter Schools Week, a time to reflect on as well as celebrate the milestones made when this simple concept was created by thoughtful people in the late 1980s.

The birth of the first charter law in Minnesota in 1991 ushered in a major, bi-partisan movement. The first school, City Academy High School in St. Paul was what it was all about – teacher driven, with parents highly empowered and curriculum tailored to the interests and needs of students. TIME Magazine would, a few years later, call it a “Grassroots Revolt.” And so it was. Organic, interesting innovations in teaching and learning began to be developed in application after application, school after school. Innovations in authorizing were similarly adopted, with laws suddenly empowering universities, mayors, and city councils to step up to the plate and engage in creating the “new public school.”

Some 22 years, 6,200 schools, 2.5 million students and 6 million adults involved later, there are many more policies and laws than ever dreamed, and a rigorous push for more and better schools daily, demanded largely by the people who led the battle to start – frustrated teachers and parents who know that they and their children can do better if given a choice.

Yet too often, those involved lose sight of that original goal and spend time advancing bad ideas that have no connection to the original concept. So it was that Tuesday’s Thought from Oliver Goldsmith which struck me as particularly apt today. “People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after.” It happens to the best of us, the best movements. In the charter school world today, it’s happening, period:

With an authorizer group that believes its model for authorizing is the only one, despite evidence to the contrary and examples of disconnect with the very people authorizers are intended to support and serve;
With charter school networks, which believe that their way of educating is the best and only way, to the detriment of the small, independent groups who know their communities and families best and work hard to serve them outside of the public eye, yet fail to garner the public attention that the more well-funded among us get;
With policymakers who believe in charter schools but keep putting their names on bills that empower more government involvement, and disempower the people running the schools;
With organizations, who limit their visions and often focus on turf over substance;
With funders who fail to question – have I become blinded by one model, one group, one approach?
With all of us who assume that it’s someone else’s job to fight these fights and challenge their friends to do better.

And yet, despite all of these internal deficiencies the reform eco-system has, thousands of great stories of student and educator success are evident. These three stand out, today:

At Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School, FL, the first two graduating classes (Class of 2012 & 2013) have had tremendous success with college placement. Of a combined total of 65 students of the first two graduating classes, 97% have been admitted to 4-year colleges and universities, roughly 60% have been admitted to Top-100 colleges and universities and about 15-20% have been admitted to Top-20 colleges and universities including Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Williams, Amherst, Stanford, MIT, Pomona, Brown, Duke, West Point, Vanderbilt, Emory, and more. Although Archimedean Upper Conservatory has been in existence only since 2008, it boasts several successes in academic competitions including: National VEX Robotics Silver Medals (2011 & 2012), National Science Olympiad (2012), National History Bowl & Bee (2011, 2012, 2013), National Ocean Sciences Bowl (2013), National Academic Championship (2013), State Science Olympiad Silver Medalist (2011 & 2012), State Science Olympiad Bronze Medalist (2013), Miami-Dade District Geography Bee Champions (2011 & 2012), and more.

At Boys Latin Charter School, Philadelphia – the only public school in town to take the National Latin Exam – students have increased their medal count each year and actually doubled last years total. They compete in Certamen, a “college bowl” competition for HS Latin students, competed at Yale and most recently at Holy Cross, where the Boys Latin young men placed third (against competitors from toney New England private schools). College enrollment percentages beat any ethnic or gender rates in the district, including Asian girls. The first two graduating classes had college enrollment rates of 74% and 81% respectively, mostly in 4-year institutions. There does not appear to be another public HS in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania graduating more than 25% African-American males who can beat that performance. Because it is an all-boys school it thrives on competitive outlets.

Evergreen Community Charter School in Asheville, NC is recognized for its environmental mission as well as its academics. It’s been a Designated Honor School of Excellence for two consecutive years and received the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Award for being a school that exercises a comprehensive approach to creating “green” environments through reducing environmental impact, promoting health, and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education to prepare students with the 21st century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy (2012). The school’s Middle school science teacher, Stuart Miles, won North Carolina’s Charter School Teacher of the Year (2010-11). Evergreen received the Exceptional Environmental Education Center award from the Environmental Educators of North Carolina (2010) and was approved for charter renewal for 10 years and full SACS CASI accreditation through AdvancED, an organization that advances excellence in education worldwide (2009).

Great Valley Academy in Manteca, California demonstrates the power of the “Ripple Effect.” In its first year the API score was 800, without test prep. Its kids include high numbers of children with dyslexia, ADD and Autism, yet their students are able to function without academic deficiencies. Great Valley ensures that not only does every child succeed academically, but every class learns to run a business. And there’s still time to be a model for physical fitness and instill strong character in its students. In a short period of time they have been so successful that the traditional school district signed a contract with its leaders to implement the program in their schools and they are beginning to work with a county school to do the same.

These are but a few models that exist. Visit these charter schools — and others — TODAY by going to their websites at the Center’s Online Directory, and get involved, become outspoken and ALWAYS seek to improve (without asking government to impose additional restrictions and bureaucracy to get there!)

For more ways to improve what you do in the charter school eco-system, check out the ideas and tools listed in the full analysis.

Filed Under: Newswire Weekly

Why Charter Schools Week Is An Opportunity To Improve

May 7, 2013 By Ted Allen

Newswire: Tuesday May 7, 2013
SPECIAL EDITION
WHY NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE
by Jeanne Allen

“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after.”
–Oliver Goldsmith

(‘In other words, self-reflection is essential but seeing others exhibit characteristics or actions that are worth learning from is also helpful. It offers perspective and examples of successful practice.’ From Rick Larios, a veteran education reformer who cut his teeth at Edison Learning, I receive a special “thought” every day that almost always inspires.)

This particular quote seems particularly apt today, the second day of National Charter Schools Week, a time to reflect on as well as celebrate the milestones made when this simple concept was created by thoughtful people in the late 1980s.

With an authorizer group that believes its model for authorizing is the only one, despite evidence to the contrary and examples of disconnect with the very people authorizers are intended to support and serve;
With charter school networks, which believe that their way of educating is the best and only way, to the detriment of the small, independent groups who know their communities and families best and work hard to serve them outside of the public eye, yet fail to garner the public attention that the more well-funded among us get;
With policymakers who believe in charter schools but keep putting their names on bills that empower more government involvement, and disempower the people running the schools;
With organizations, who limit their visions and often focus on turf over substance;
With funders who fail to question – have I become blinded by one model, one group, one approach?
With all of us who assume that it’s someone else’s job to fight these fights and challenge their friends to do better.

And yet, despite all of these internal deficiencies the reform eco-system has, where thousands of great stories of student and educator success are evident, day after day, in the nation’s cities and towns, and blissfully ignorant of the grasstops battles that are waged over policies to help them maintain and advance their most precious commodities, our kids. To wit:

At Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School, FL, the first two graduating classes (Class of 2012 & 2013) have had tremendous success with college placement. Of a combined total of 65 students of the first two graduating classes, 97% have been admitted to 4-year colleges and universities, roughly 60% have been admitted to Top-100 colleges and universities and about 15-20% have been admitted to Top-20 colleges and universities including Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Williams, Amherst, Stanford, MIT, Pomona, Brown, Duke, West Point, Vanderbilt, Emory, and more. Archimedean Upper Conservatory although has been in existence only since 2008 has several successes in academic competitions including: National VEX Robotics Silver Medals (2011 & 2012), National Science Olympiad (2012), National History Bowl & Bee (2011, 2012, 2013), National Ocean Sciences Bowl (2013), National Academic Championship (2013), State Science Olympiad Silver Medalist (2011 & 2012), State Science Olympiad Bronze Medalist (2013), Miami-Dade District Geography Bee Champions (2011 & 2012), and more.

At Boys Latin Charter School, Philadelphia – the only public school in town to take the National Latin Exam – students have increased their medal count each year and actually doubled last years total. They compete in Certamen, a “college bowl” competition for HS Latin students, competed at Yale and most recently at Holy Cross, where the Boys Latin young men placed third (against competitors from toney New England private schools). College enrollment percentages beat any ethnic or gender rates in the District, including Asian girls. The first two graduating classes had college enrollment rates of 74% and 81% respectively, mostly in 4-year institutions. There does not appear to be another public HS in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania graduating more than 25% African-American males who can beat that performance. Because it is an all-boys school it thrives on competitive outlets.

For more ways to improve what you do in the charter school eco-system, check out these ideas and tools:

The Essential Guide to Charter School Lawmaking: Model Legislation for States  – CER has developed a roadmap for policymakers and advocates that focuses on essential elements of charter school law: Independent and Multiple Authorizers, Number of Schools Allowed, Operations, and Quality. This framework is based on 20 years of experience working with charter school leaders, policymakers, and legal experts, and reflects what actually works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to ensuring sound charter school policy.

The Parent Power Index (PPI) measures the ability in each state of a parent to exercise choices – no matter what their income or child’s level of academic achievement – engage with their local school and board, and have a voice in the systems that surround their child. The Parent Power Index gives parents an interactive tool to discover whether the state affords them power –and if not, what they can do to get it.

Start a Charter School Today! Use CER’s step-by-step toolkit to help you through the process of establishing a charter school.

Filed Under: Opinions

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