Daily Headlines for February 24, 2014
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
Education Standards
Letter, New York Times, NY, February 23, 2014
“The Common Core in New York” (editorial, Feb. 15) criticizes teachers for raising legitimate concerns, in concert with parents, about the state’s botched job in carrying out the Common Core standards.
School choice — Good for students, good for America
Opinion, Washington Times, DC, February 23, 2014
The idea that parents have no control over where their children go to school sounds unthinkable, but America’s public education system is exactly that. Children must go to a school based not on choice, but on five numbers — their ZIP code.
STATE COVERAGE
CALIFORNIA
‘No Child’ waiver creates rift among Fresno education leaders
Fresno Bee, CA, February 23, 2014
Nearly seven months after Fresno Unified and seven other California school districts got one year of relief from strict federal accountability rules for student academic performance, administrators are now looking to reapply for flexibility from the much-maligned No Child Left Behind law.
CONNECTICUT
Without fail: Greenwich teachers get passing grade — all of them
Greenwich Times, CT, February 22, 2014
Greenwich public-school teachers received excellent “report cards” last year. They did so well that none of them recorded a failing grade, according to a human-resources report recently released by the school district.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. charter board adopts new way to judge alternative schools
Washington Post, DC, February 23, 2014
The D.C. Public Charter School Board has adopted a new way to define “alternative schools” and judge their performance, taking an important step toward plugging a hole in the board’s system for identifying which city charter schools are serving students well and which need to either improve or be closed.
FLORIDA
Florida lawmakers review school standards
Florida Today, FL, February 24, 2014
If the Legislature adjourns after its upcoming session without passing a single education-related bill, big changes still will be coming to Florida classrooms this fall.
Give every kid a fighting chance to succeed in school
Opinion, Miami Herald, FL, February 23, 2014
That landmark decision 60 years ago opened the pathway to better schools for all children. It gave parents, especially black parents, opportunities that were previously unavailable, and gave students like me an increased sense of hope and excitement about the future. It was a huge step forward, but in many ways we are still fighting for equality in education six decades later.
Scholarship Bill Introduced in Florida House
The Ledger, FL, February 23, 2014
The “massive expansion” of Florida’s de facto voucher system promised by House Speaker Will Weatherford was filed last week, setting up what is expected to be one of the most contentious education battles of the 2014 legislative session.
ILLINOIS
Charters eye closed CPS schools
Chicago Tribune, IL, February 24, 2014
A charter school’s efforts to win support to take over the building of a school closed by Chicago Public Schools last year was instantly criticized by a community leader, illustrating one hurdle the district faces as it tries to find new uses for shuttered facilities.
LOUISIANA
Monroe judge again rules Jindal teacher tenure law unconstitutional
Times-Picayune, LA, February 21, 2014
Parts of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s controversial teacher tenure law passed in 2012 are unconstitutional, a Monroe judge ruled Friday (Feb. 21). Fourth Judicial District Judge Benjamin Jones upheld a decision he made in Augustthat said the law violates the constitutional rights of teachers facing dismissal.
KANSAS
Kan. charter school bill up for debate
Wichita Eagle, KS, February 24, 2014
Senate Education Committee members are expected this week to continue their discussion of a proposal to expand Kansas laws regarding charter schools.
MAINE
If we’re going to reform education in Maine, vague-sounding reforms won’t help
Opinion, Bangor Daily News, ME, February 23, 2014
“High schools are transitioning.” Students will have more “choices about how they acquire and demonstrate learning.” “Students will join integrated learning communities.” “Students will contribute to online discussion boards.” “This move is sending a powerful message.” “We get it, but not only do we get it, we’re rewarding it.”
MINNESOTA
State, Faribault fail to meet target goals to close achievement gap
Faribalt Daily News, MN, February 21, 2014
New data released by the Minnesota Department of Education shows that less than half of districts statewide are on track to close the achievement gap, with Faribault among those not reaching target goals.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Charter school focusing on leadership coming to Manchester
Union Leader, NH, February 24, 2014
A new charter school focused on developing leaders plans to open near the airport in September, one of four new charter schools in New Hampshire.
NEW JERSEY
Administration cautiously oks two charters, passes on two more
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, February 24, 2014
A pair of charter school networks get the nod to open in Camden and Newark, but DOE approach continues to be decidedly slower than in earlier years.
Newark schools chief wants teacher performance included in layoff criteria
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, February 24, 2014
Union leaders leap to defense of long-established contractual practice of basing job cuts on years of experience.
N.J. teachers union reviewing legislation to include parental involvement in educator evaluations
New Jersey News, NJ, February 23, 2-14
A state lawmaker has introduced legislation that would make parental involvement part of the new public school teacher evaluations created under New Jersey’s recently enacted tenure reform law.
NEW YORK
Education Standards
Letter, New York Times, NY, February 23, 2014
“The Common Core in New York” (editorial, Feb. 15) criticizes teachers for raising legitimate concerns, in concert with parents, about the state’s botched job in carrying out the Common Core standards.
Educators say evaluation system is ‘broken,’ but Cuomo isn’t convinced
Journal News, NY, February 23, 2014
So, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s shiny, new Common Core implementation panel had its first meeting Wednesday and there was hardly any mention of perhaps the most divisive issue in our Common Core stew: teacher evaluations.
Fariña Meets With Charter School Leader
Wall Street Journal Blog, February 22, 2014
New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña, meeting Saturday morning for the first time since she took office with charter school leaders, said the discussion was positive and engendered good will.
Keep the Charters Coming!
Opinion, Democrat and Chronicle, NY, February 21, 2014
Educational reform has taken a great leap forward with the recently announced new charter school openings and existing charter expansions within the city.
Save these schools
Editorial, New York Daily News, NY, February 22, 2014
New York City’s innovative, high-performing charter schools are bracing for impact as Chancellor Carmen Fariña, due to meet with school leaders Saturday, gets set to determine their fate under Mayor de Blasio.
NORTH CAROLINA
Taking the long view on raising teacher pay
Opinion, Charlotte Observer, NC, February 22, 2014
Public school teacher pay is too low. The governor’s plan to increase pay in the early years is a good start, but like nearly all proposals so far, is a partial approach disconnected from the realities of today’s workplace. What is needed is a comprehensive approach.
Voucher effort misplaced
Editorial, Greenville Daily Reflector, NC, February 22, 2014
In Friday’s ruling to grant a preliminary injunction halting the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program, Wake County Superior Court Judge Robert H. Hobgood found that not doing so would “cause irreparable harm.” That same argument helps build the case for a lawsuit filed against the voucher program by the N.C. Association of Educators and the N.C. Justice Center.
Judge halts private school vouchers
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, February 22, 2014
Thousands of North Carolina students’ plans to attend private school next year were put on hold Friday when a judge halted the state’s controversial private school voucher program.
OHIO
Franklin Elementary reform plan excites teachers
Chronicle-Telegram, OH, February 23, 2014
Franklin Elementary School teacher Amy Yates said she listened to the ideas school officials were proposing — preschool, arts-based learning, combining technology and curriculum — when she heard about the “New Beginnings” proposal several weeks ago.
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Legislature may rescind Common Core education standards
Tulsa World, OK, February 24, 2014
Opposition to national K-12 curriculum standards among Oklahomans persists, and may be rising, as a new measure to eliminate the Common Core appears ready to make its way to the House calendar this session.
PENNSYLVANIA
Future of New Hope Academy in York City to have court hearing March 10
York Dispatch, PA, February 23, 2014
The future of a York City charter school will be the subject of a courtroom hearing next month in Harrisburg.
Mastery wins right operate charter schools in Camden
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, February 23, 2014
CAMDEN Philadelphia charter school powerhouse Mastery Schools was given the green light Friday to operate in Camden, where the organization also hopes to open a “Renaissance” school through a separate application process.
Phila. revamps its charter school policy
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, February 22, 2014
PHILADELPHIA Amid mounting financial pressure from charter schools, the Philadelphia School District Friday unveiled a revised charter policy proposal that uses a carrot-and-stick approach.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Private school choice program for students with disabilities awards more than $600K in scholarships
Post and Courier, SC, February 22, 2014
Aiden was the first student in the Lowcountry to receive a $10,000 scholarship to the $27,000 per year school as a result of the state’s new private school choice program.
TENNESSEE
For-profit charter school operators watch TN
The Tennessean, TN, February 24, 2014
Out-of-state companies that bring in millions in revenue by managing charter schools have their eyes set on Tennessee, an epicenter of education reform.
Kingsport teacher pay plan shifts weight from degrees to performance
Kingsport Times-News, TN, February 23, 2014
Kingsport City Schools’ new differentiated compensation policy for teachers will result in a pay increase for every teacher.
WASHINGTON
State Senate fails on teacher evaluations
Editorial, Seattle Times, WA, February 22, 2014
The state Senate’s failure to improve teacher evaluation standards comes with professional and financial risks for Washington school districts.
Political center crumbles on state education reforms
Column, News Tribune, WA, February 20, 2014
It’s probably risky business to make assumptions about how politicians in political bodies will behave, although I’ve usually been safe assuming that legislators will vote yes on their own bills.
ONLINE LEARNING
Expand access to online learning for all Maine students
Opinion, Bangor Daily News, ME, February 23, 2014
In 2012, Gov. Paul LePage issued an executive order requiring the Department of Education to expand access to online learning opportunities for Maine’s students. Two years have passed, and the greater community of 185,000 Maine students is still missing the real promise of digital learning.
OG ‘flips’ over new teaching method
Hancock County Reporter, OH, February 22, 2014
In the topsy-turvy world of Mat Deveany’s math classrooms, “homework” is done in school and lectures are watched online at home.
Still no deal between Greenfield schools, virtual school
Greenfield Recorder, NH, February 22, 2014
The Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School’s contract with the Greenfield School Department is set to terminate next Saturday, and the two sides still haven’t reached agreement on a new deal.
Students, say goodbye to snow days — and say hello to school at home
CNN, February 24, 2014
Earlier this month, Zak Terzini roused himself about five minutes before his English class began and didn’t panic. Instead, the high school sophomore grabbed his iPod and checked on a class discussion of “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” without even getting out of bed.