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
Eric Cantor and Bill de Blasio exchange fire over schools
Washington Post, DC, January 8, 2014
Calling school choice the best route out of poverty, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor took aim at New York City’s new mayor on Wednesday for his cooler stance toward public charter schools and warned that Republicans may hold congressional hearings on the education policies of Democrat Bill de Blasio’s administration.
How to Solve the Education Crisis – It’s all about who you elect
Pleasanton Express, TX, January 8, 2014
Thanks to assessments of educational progress, we know where our children stand compared to other communities, states, and even nations. Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time to take stock of how we are doing, and set resolutions for the New Year.
Maybe We Should Stem the Panic and Consider Needs
Letters, Wall Street Journal, January 8, 2014
The Common Core was designed to raise the bar as far as what is required for graduation in key subject areas for students in U.S. schools.
Obama administration guidelines could lead to racial quotas in school discipline
Washington Times, DC, January 8, 2014
How discipline is doled out in the classroom now will be under much closer scrutiny by the federal government, but some analysts say the Obama administration’s efforts ultimately may backfire and could lead to de facto racial quotas in American schools.
Report: School Choice Is the Next Education Revolution
US News & World Report, January 9, 2014
While a handful of American school districts are making strides in expanding school choice opportunities to parents and students, the majority still have a long road ahead, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution’s Brown Center on Education Policy.
School Choice Is a Whale-Sized Red Herring
Huffington Post, January 8, 2014
Perhaps the most debated notion in elementary and secondary education these days is school choice. Educational reformers and politicians (an overlapping pair) arouse the public by asking, “Why shouldn’t everyone have the same choices the rich folks have?” That’s a whale-sized red herring and is neither the intent nor the result of school choice.
STATE COVERAGE
ALABAMA
Clark-Shaw Magnet Middle School is all over National School Choice Week
Letter, The Huntsville Times, AL, January 8, 2014
The final week of January is an exciting time for students, parents, teachers and schools because all over the country, excellent choices in education are celebrated.
ARKANSAS
The end of the public school
Opinion, Arkansas Times, AR, January 9, 2014
The Arkansas State Board of Education is the forum this week for another couple of rounds in the ongoing battle over upending the conventional system of public education.
ARIZONA
Basis to open elementary school in OV
Arizona Star, AZ, January 9, 2014
Basis Schools is expanding its early-elementary school education program to Oro Valley.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. Public Charter School Board votes to close Arts and Technology Academy
Washington Post, DC, January 8, 2014
The D.C. Public Charter School Board voted unanimously Wednesday to close Arts and Technology Academy, a large Northeast Washington elementary school, for failing to meet its academic achievement goals over the past 15 years.
FLORIDA
Lawmakers question timeline for new education standards, state tests
Miami Herald, FL, January 8, 2014
When Pam Stewart became state education commissioner in September, lawmakers said they would give her time to untangle the complicated issues facing the education department. That unspoken grace period came to an end Wednesday, when members of the Senate Education Committee grilled Stewart on the future of Florida’s public schools.
GEORGIA
Academy gives PCHS students options
Eatonton Messenger, GA, January 9, 2014
Three years ago, Putnam County Charter School System put in place a new requirement that all students entering high school have a “pathway” of study.
KANSAS
Kansas: House education committee won’t change
Basehor Sentinel, KS, January 8, 2014
Education lobbyists at the Kansas Statehouse were surprised to hear Monday that there will be no changes in the makeup of the House Education Committee, where a bill to greatly expand the state’s charter school law failed last year by a single vote.
LOUISIANA
Jindal teacher tenure law struck down again, heads back to state Supreme Court
Times-Picayune, LA, January 8, 2014
For the second time in as many years, a Baton Rouge judge ruled Wednesday that a controversial teacher tenure law passed in 2012 violates the state Constitution.
RSD’s school closure process has uneven effect on students at failing schools
The Lens, LA, January 8, 2014
When the Recovery School District closed the failing Murray Henderson Elementary last summer, Linda Wattigney’s three grandchildren were assigned to Paul Habans Charter School.
MARYLAND
Md. may no longer technically be No. 1 in education
Baltimore Sun Blog, MD, January 8, 2014
Maryland’s superintendent of schools has no plans to take down dozens of signs in the windows of her agency’s headquarters that proclaim Maryland No. 1 in education. Likewise, Gov. Martin O’Malley is unlikely to stop bragging that Maryland is No. 1 in the nation, a point he made again Wednesday on Twitter.
MASSACHUSETTS
Shrewsbury sees pros and cons in charter school enrollment drop
Worcester Telegram, MA, January 8, 2014
School officials called the recent decline in charter school enrollment a “good news, bad news” scenario for the district.
STEAM Studio charter plan would weaken Andover schools
Letter, The Andover Townsman, MA, January 9, 2014
High School teacher of 15 years experience and her father who has 10 years of service on the Andover School Committee and 10 additional years of service on the Andover Finance Committee.
MISSOURI
Say yes to longer school year
Editorial, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, January 9, 2014
Parents in some school districts whose kids are home for the 19th day in a row are probably wishing mightily that Gov. Jay Nixon’s proposal last year to add six days to the state’s academic calendar had succeeded.
STL Language Immersion Schools recognized internationally
St. Louis American, MO, January 9, 2014
A group of second graders at the French School, a local language-immersion charter school, recently fought for the right to use school lockers – and won.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
House passes bill to increase aid to charter schools, sustains Hassan’s vetoes
Concord Monitor, NH, January 9, 2014
In a surprise vote late yesterday, the House went against a committee recommendation and passed a bill that would increase the amount of state aid given to charter schools.
NEW JERSEY
School chiefs tout gains while also warning that much work remains
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, January 8, 2014
In a meeting that lasted nearly five hours, representatives of the growing roster of state-controlled New Jersey school districts made their annual presentations yesterday to the State Board of Education.
NEW YORK
Cuomo offers education plans, but funding in doubt
Albany Times Union, FL, January 8, 2014
In a State of the State address that focused largely on job creation, economic development and tax relief, Gov. Andrew Cuomo also issued a sweeping agenda for education, including support for statewide, full-day prekindergarten programs and a plan to funnel $2 billion to upgrading technology in schools.
Cuomo wants to pay best teachers more
New York Post, NY, January 9, 2014
Gov. Cuomo made a dramatic proposal in his State of the State speech Wednesday to offer bonuses of up to $20,000 for teachers who receive top marks on their evaluations.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pottsville Area develops committee to focus on charter school
Republican Herald, PA, January 9, 2014
At its first workshop of 2014, Pottsville Area School District on Wednesday introduced a new committee which will focus on alternative education in the district, including Gillingham Charter School.
SASD talks about financial effects of special education, charter schools
The Reporter, PA, January 8, 2014
Education lobbyists at the Kansas Statehouse were surprised to hear Monday that there will be no changes in the makeup of the House Education Committee, where a bill to greatly expand the state’s charter school law failed last year by a single vote.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Void left by the closing of Choices
Editorial, Morning News, SC, January 9, 2014
We were disappointed to hear this week about the closing of Choices Charter School in Florence. With low enrollment and even lower funding, the little rustic campus out by Interstate 95 will be no more by month’s end.
TENNESSEE
What to expect from Tennessee’s ringmasters, jugglers and clowns in ’14 as the legislature rolls back into town
Nashville Scene, TN, January 9, 2014
With the next election a short 10 months away, state lawmakers are hoping to spend as little time as possible at Capitol Hill this spring so they can kick off the campaign season.
TEXAS
Dallas ISD’s 2011 Principal of the Year has left to run a charter school
Dallas Morning News Blog, TX, January 8, 2014
Dallas ISD’s 2011 Principal of the Year recently left to run a charter school opening this fall in Keller.
WASHINGTON
Skepticism greets Por Vida charter school proposal
Yakima Herald Republic, WA, January 9, 2014
Local educators expressed skepticism Wednesday about a Texas-based nonprofit that wants to open the Yakima Valley’s first charter school under a new law permitting a number of the nontraditional schools starting this year.
WISCONSIN
Independent Charter Schools divert money to private interests
Column, La Crosse Tribune, WI, January 8, 2014
“Will the Legislature allow statewide expansion of charter schools and how will that affect my local public school?” This question is one I hear so often, particularly in communities where people are worried about the future of their small local schools.
Little Chute opening unique charter school
Fox 11, WI, January 8, 2014
Little Chute is set to open the district’s first K-8 charter school in the fall. Administrators hope the alternative school helps Little Chute keep growing.
ONLINE LEARNING
K12 founder Ron Packard steps down to start new online education venture
Washington Post, DC, January 8, 2014
Ron Packard, the founder and chief executive of Herndon-based online education provider K12 Inc., has resigned and plans to form a new company focused on technology-based learning programs.
Online Schools Prove Tough Rivals in Quest for Students, Funds
Education Week, January 9, 2014
Virtual education is prodding many districts to ramp up their own cyber offerings
Ripon’s Online Public School Adding Teachers
Fox 40, CA, January 8, 2014
Modern technology is changing the realm of education. Some students are choosing to skip traditional brick and mortar schools and log on to virtual classrooms.
Snow angels: Catholic schools teach an important cyber lesson
Editorial, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 9, 2014
Rather than have students sit home idly, teachers emailed assignments to them with the tasks to be completed by 5 p.m. In developing the program, Seton-La Salle worked with Serra Catholic in McKeesport, which started its initiative last year.