Moving Beyond the Politics of Education
Huffington Post Blog by Kevin P. Chavous, November 6, 2012
On the heels of the most expensive, hype-driven presidential campaign in U.S. history, it is probably blasphemy to suggest that we depoliticize education.
The President Wins. Does Education Win, Too?
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, November 7, 2012
One of the least discussed issues in this presidential campaign was education.
Beyond sharing their respect for teachers, the two candidates gave few details about their education vision or plans. Education was never discussed with much depth at any of the debates.
FROM THE STATES
ARIZONA
Prop. 204: Bid To Retain 1-Cent Tax Fails After Flood Of Last-Minute Ads
Arizona Daily Star, AZ, November 7, 2012
After seeing a barrage of last-minute advertising, Arizona voters rejected a proposal to create a permanent 1-cent sales tax surcharge to fund education and other issues.
CALIFORNIA
Merced Teachers Union Backs Controversial Federal Grant Proposal
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 6, 2012
A Merced teachers union has voted to back a controversial federal grant program, but only after extracting district guarantees that student test scores would not be used to evaluate individual instructors.
Proposition 30 Appears Poised To Pull Off Surprise Victory
Peninsula Press, CA, November 7, 2012
Proposition 30, an initiative backed by Gov. Jerry Brown to raise income taxes on wealthy Californians to support public education, appeared poised to to a surprise victory despite trailing in the week leading up to the election.
In California, a Tight Battle Over a Tax Initiative to Help Schools
New York Times, NY, November 7, 2012
California voters weighed in on a ballot measure Tuesday that would raise taxes by $6 billion annually over seven years, bringing an end to an acrimonious, $123 million battle between Gov. Jerry Brown, who said the money was necessary to save the state’s public schools, and conservative opponents in and outside the state.
CONNECTICUT
Bridgeport Keeps Right To Vote For School Board
Connecticut Post, CT, November 6, 2012
City voters on Tuesday soundly rejected a well-financed plan backed by Mayor Bill Finch that would have empowered him and future mayors to appoint members of the Board of Education — taking the choice away from registered Bridgeport voters.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Mary Lord Wins At-Large Seat On D.C. Education Board
Washington Post Blog, DC, November 7, 2012
Mary Lord appears to have easily won the at-large seat on the District’s State Board of Education, defeating parent activist Marvin Tucker.
FLORIDA
Board Oks Charter School With Alternate Calendar
Gainesville Sun, FL, November 6, 2012
A nearly year-round charter school will open in July 2013 in Gainesville after the Alachua County School Board voted Tuesday to approve its contract.
Dixon School of the Arts Won’t Close This Year
Pensacola News Journal, FL, November 6, 2012
Dixon School of the Arts will not face closure this year. The state Board of Education unanimously approved a waiver request Tuesday for the charter school to stay open.
Funding Levels A Key Issue For School Districts — And Students
Fort Meyers Beach Observer, FL, November 7, 2012
At The News-Press Second Annual Education Summit, Governor Rick Scott laid out his education platform for the 2013 Legislative Session. The Governor touched on a few areas, but I wanted to focus in on two of the larger issues.
Florida Voters Reject Most Constitutional Amendments, Including “Religious Freedom” Proposal
Tampa Bay Times, FL, November 7, 2012
The Florida Legislature loaded up this year’s historically long ballot with 11 lengthy and confusing constitutional amendments — only to see voters reject almost all of them.
GEORGIA
NMHS Could Become A Magnet School
Douglas County Sentinel, GA, November 6, 2012
New Manchester High School’s principal and band director spoke to the Douglas County Board of Education (BOE) Monday night, outlining a plan to become a magnet high school.
State’s Voters Approve Charter Amendment
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 6, 2012
There were lobbying and lawsuits, points and counterpoints and a Brinks truckload of out-of-state campaign cash.
Charter Schools Get Voter Nod
GPB, GA, November 7, 2012
Georgia’s Constitutional Amendment 1 passed by a comfortable margin Tuesday. It will re-establish a state commission that can approve and fund charter schools over the objections of local school boards.
Charter School Measure Wins, But The Fight Has Just Begun
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Blog, GA, November 7, 2012
Perhaps you thought that trip to the polls would settle the struggle for control over your kid’s education – the one waged between the public school establishment and the ladies and gentlemen who inhabit the state Capitol.
IDAHO
Idaho Education Reform Laws Headed For Defeat
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 7, 2012
Voters show their resistance to Luna’s overhaul, sending down Propositions 1, 2, and 3.
ILLNOIS
No More Illusions
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 7, 2012
Illinois education officials reported last week that more than eight in 10 elementary school students met or exceeded standards in math and reading in the latest round of state achievement tests. That’s up from about six in 10 a decade ago.
INDIANA
Tony Bennett Loses Re-Election Bid As School Superintendent To Challenger Glenda Ritz
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 7, 2012
Incumbent Republican Tony Bennett and Democratic challenger Glenda Ritz were locked in a tight race for superintendent of public instruction on Tuesday night.
A Mandate for Ritz
Journal Gazette, IN, November 7, 2012
Gov.-elect Mike Pence might want to reconsider his plan to push for more school choice. The message Indiana voters sent in electing the first Democratic state superintendent in 42 years is a clear sign they’ve had enough.
Reform-minded Candidates Secure IPS Board Seats
Indianapolis Business Journal, IN, November 6, 2012
The Indianapolis Public Schools board will have a new look in the new year. Reform-minded candidates Caitlin Hannon, Gayle Cosby and Sam Odle were elected Tuesday to the seven-member board, which governs the troubled urban school district. Incumbent Diane Arnold had no opposition.
LOUISIANA
Term Limits Seeing Wide Approval
The Advocate, LA, November 7, 2012
A bid to enact term limits for local school board members was winning approval by wide margins in the Baton Rouge area, according to incomplete election results on Tuesday night.
Cenla Parishes OK Term Limits For School Boards
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, November 7, 2012
Rapides Parish voters decided Tuesday to limit school board members to three terms.
MICHIGAN
Michigan Voters Kill Emergency Manager Law, Reject All Proposals
Detroit News, MI, November 6, 2012
Financially troubled cities and school districts in Michigan were dealt a blow of uncertainty when voters struck down the state’s Emergency Manager law.
MINNESOTA
Osakis Charter School To Close Its Doors
Osakis Review, MN, November 7, 2012
“An orderly winding down” of the Osakis Lakes Area Charter School (LACS) was approved on a 4-0 vote at a special meeting of the LACS School Board on Tuesday, October 30, according to Phil Grant, LACS director.
MISSISSIPPI
Group Seeks Education Reform
Hattiesburg American, MS, November 6, 2012
The 62,000-member Parents’ Campaign, a private-sector, non-profit advocacy organization for public education progress in Mississippi, makes a non-legislative priority one of its most important 2013 policy goals, and it can be achieved by reforming and strengthening the curriculum in Mississippi’s public university schools of education.
NEW YORK
Making The Case For Teachers’ Merit Pay
Syracuse Post Standard, NY, November 7, 2012
I would like to endorse merit pay for teachers, which was explored in a recent Post-Standard article.
NORTH CAROLINA
N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction: Atkinson Defeats Tedesco
News & Observer, NC, November 7, 2012
Incumbent Democrat June Atkinson held a commanding lead over GOP challenger John Tedesco in the race for superintendent of public instruction late Tuesday night.
OHIO
Cleveland School Levy Sails To Apparent Victory
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 6, 2012
The Cleveland school levy was passing Tuesday night, winning support from about 55 percent of voters with almost all of the ballots counted.
Collins Wins Re-Election to Ohio Board of Education
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 6, 2012
The new board has some heavy lifting in the coming year, starting with the hiring of a new state superintendent. The post has been vacant since early August when Stan Heffner resigned following the release of a politically charged ethics probe.
OKLAHOMA
Paranoia Strikes Deep Among Some Oklahoma School Administrators
The Oklahoman, OK, November 7, 2012
Instead of concocting alternative-reality theories to explain away deficiencies, school officials must rise to the challenge and ensure all Oklahoma children get a quality education. Oklahoma schools should develop students’ critical thinking skills, not foment “paranoid style” delusions.
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota Voters Reject Teacher Merit-Pay Plan
Rapid City Journal, SD, November 7, 2012
South Dakota voters have rejected Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s plan to give bonuses to top teachers, phase out tenure and recruit candidates for critical teaching jobs.
Election: Education Reform Law Turned Back
Argus Leader, SD, November 7, 2012
Voters overwhelmingly rejected Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s education reform law, which sought to overhaul the way South Dakota public schools evaluate and reward their teachers.
TENNESSEE
TN Lawmakers Vying Over Funding For Charter Schools, Vouchers
The Tennessean, TN, November 7, 2012
Tennessee lawmakers are preparing for a pitched battle over education in the upcoming session — specifically, who’s best at providing it and whether it’s right to put public education into private hands.
UTAH
Utah State School Board Incumbents Win
The Salt Lake Tribune, UT, November 7, 2012
Incumbents appeared to win big Tuesday in a state school board election that grabbed little limelight but could have a sizable impact on Utah classrooms.
VIRGINIA
Fairfax Teachers Struggle With New Evaluations
Washington Examiner, DC, November 6, 2012
Some Fairfax County teachers said they plan to resort to “cheating” to perform well on new evaluations introduced this fall that link their ratings to student achievement, according to a survey by the teachers union.
WASHINGTON
Charter-School Initiative Has Slim Lead
Seattle Times, WA, November 6, 2012
Initiative 1240, the charter-school initiative, held a slight statewide lead in Tuesday’s initial vote count.
WISCONSIN
Educators’ Association Grows As Unions Shrink
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, November 7, 2012
As a public school teacher, I was forced to be a part of the union. For 15 years money was deducted from my paychecks. The last year union dues were taken, the amount exceeded $800, used to support policies and politicians I did not believe in.
ONLINE SCHOOLS
Schools Hoping To Attract More Home Schoolers With Online Program
Gateway News, OH, November 7, 2012
When the Streetsboro City School District signed up with a digital academy that offers online courses, officials hoped it would attract more home schoolers and students who transferred to other districts back to Streetsboro.