NEW NEWSWIRE TODAY! 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
The Feds’ Education Power Grab
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 24, 2013
It’s time to have a conversation about the issue before we find that the executive branch, or even the entire federal government, has become our national school board.
School Choice: 49 Million Students Still Without Options
The Hill, DC, January 23, 2013
Heidi and Frank Green used to worry about their daughters while they were at school. The Clarksville, Indiana couple was concerned about bullying, cursing, large class sizes, a revolving teaching staff, and a general lack of attention for students.
National School Choice Week starts Jan.27
Havasu News, AZ, January 24, 2013
National School Choice Week starts Jan. 27 as part of a national campaign to let communities know there are choices when it comes to a child’s education.
Julia Steiny: Michelle Rhee Throws Gas on Ed Reform Hostilities
Go Local Prov, RI, January 24, 2013
The ever-controversial Michelle Rhee and her organization Students First have issued a State Policy Report Card, grading states’ reform policies. Almost all the states got either a “D” or an “F.” Dummies.
Parent Power Index Rates Each State on Education Options
The Epoch Times, January 23, 2013
It is well-known that if parents are engaged in their children’s education, then their children will likely be more successful in school, and now for the first time, parents are provided with a Web gateway that indexes and details how much power each state gives to parents regarding their children’s education.
FROM THE STATES
ALABAMA
School Flexibility Act Pre-Filed in Alabama House of Representatives
Montgomery Adviser, AL, January 24, 2013
House lawmakers have prefiled a bill that would allow school districts to request waivers from some state laws if they believe the waivers could lead to better results in the classroom.
CALIFORNIA
Bullis Willing To Accept Split-Campus Offer
Marin Independent Journal, CA, January 23, 2013
Bullis Charter School announced Wednesday it will accept Los Altos School District’s likely proposal to split it between two campuses next year, provided certain modifications are made.
Cheers Erupt When Blue Oak Awarded Charter Renewal
Whittier Daily News, CA, January 24, 2013
Cheers and applause aren’t sounds usually heard by a school board but celebration erupted in the Chico Unified School District trustees meeting when the panel approved the charter renewal for Blue Oak School.
Viva Cell Towers, School Choice
San Diego Union Tribune, CA, January 23, 2013
We won’t take sides in the endless cell tower debates, other than to point out that we need towers if we want smartphones, and that many careful, reputable studies have failed to find health problems from exposures to microwave radiation at levels approved by the Federal Communications Commission. Yet we won’t hesitate to side with school choice, and the rights of parents to become deeply involved in the operation of publicly funded schools.
A Simpler, Fairer Way To Fund California’s Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 24, 2013
Driving along Pacific Coast Highway, you can see the successive layers of earth and rock that have piled up over millions of years to create California’s coastal landscape. You can see a similar but less attractive phenomenon if you look at the way California funds its public K-12 schools.
COLORADO
District Renews Charter Of Brighton School Stripped Of Federal Grants
Denver Post, CO, January 23, 2013
The board of education for School District 27J in Brighton on Tuesday approved a charter renewal for Eagle Ridge Academy, which was stripped of federal education grant funds and is under criminal investigation.
CONNECTICUT
Committee Hears Options For Rebuilding Charter Oak Academy
Hartford Courant, CT, January 23, 2013
It will cost between $47 million and $49 million to renovate or rebuild Charter Oak International Academy, an architect for the project told committee members and town officials Wednesday night.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Mendelson Puts School Truancy On D.C.’S Front Burner
Washington Times, DC, January 23, 2013
Phil Mendelson is of a mind that his city’s government is obligated to curb the school truancy problem. To that end, the chairman of the D.C. Council is in line with his colleague, David A. Catania, who is legislatively poking at the issue by proposing that parents of chronically truant children be punished.
D.C. Council Members Fear Schools Near Tipping Point As Students Flee System
Washington Post, DC, January 23, 2013
The District’s traditional public school system is in danger of shrinking significantly unless officials make changes that persuade parents to stop fleeing to public charter schools, D.C. Council members said Wednesday.
FLORIDA
No Easy ‘A’ for Rick Scott’s Teacher Pay Hike
Sunshine State News, FL, January 24, 2013
A lot of details need to be worked out to make Gov. Rick Scott’s $2,500 across-the-board salary increase for real for Florida’s teachers.
Local Educators Skeptical of Gov. Scott’s Pay Proposal for Teachers
The Ledger, FL, January 24, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal to give every Florida teacher a $2,500 pay raise in the 2013-14 budget is receiving skeptical responses from local educators.
GEORGIA
Charter Expansion Details In Progress
Cherokee Tribune, GA, January 24, 2013
Regarding Cherokee Charter Academy’s high school expansion, recently approved by the Georgia Department of Education, the school’s Local Governing Council continued to keep mum on plans at its meeting Wednesday.
Center for Ed Reform: Georgia Ranks 16th for Strong Charter Laws
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, January 23, 2013
Georgia ranks 16th in the nation for strong charter laws, according to the Center for Education Reform’s annual scoreboard.
ILLINOIS
State Survey Aims To Offer Detailed Look At Schools
Chicago Tribune, IL, January 24, 2013
Calling it an “X-ray” of public schools, Illinois is launching an unprecedented attempt to gather candid information on how teachers are teaching, students are learning and principals are leading.
INDIANA
Cautionary Tale Comes From Ohio
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, January 23, 2013
Will the seven schools whose charters have been revoked actually close? Ohio’s experience suggests otherwise.
Welcome Charter Ruling
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, January 23, 2013
When union leader Albert Shanker championed charter schools as teacher-directed laboratories of reform in a 1988 address, the president of the American Federation of Teachers probably didn’t envision the disappointing form some of those schools would take 25 years later.
School Appeals Charter Decision
Palladium-Item, IN, January 24, 2013
The board of Kenneth A. Christmon STEMM Academy in Richmond voted Wednesday night to appeal Ball State University’s decision to not renew its charter school contract.
Parents Rally Behind Gary School To Save Charter
Post Tribune, IN, January 23, 2013
Parents and supporters of the Charter School of the Dunes are starting a calling campaign appealing to Ball State University not to yank its charter.
Voucher Bill Delayed Again
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 24, 2013
A move to expand the state’s voucher program was postponed for the second consecutive week Wednesday.
IOWA
Branstad: Education Reform Can Be Passed, But Don’t Get Too Bogged Down In How Dollars Are Divvied Up For Districts
Muscatine Journal, IA, January 23, 2013
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad insisted on Wednesday the state Legislature can pass a comprehensive education reform plan early in the session, arguing that getting bogged down in an argument over how much basic state aid should go to local school districts could imperil the proposal.
LOUISIANA
Program To Help School Dropouts
The Advocate, LA, January 24, 2013
At least 2,000 Lafayette Parish School System high school dropouts between the ages of 15 and 21 now have a chance to earn their diploma on their own time with the support of tutors and an advocate, school officials said Wednesday.
MARYLAND
Achievement Gap For Montgomery Students To Be Re-examined In February
Maryland Gazette, MD, January 23, 2013
The achievement gap between students of different races and backgrounds in Montgomery County Public Schools will be examined again in detail next month.
MASSACHUSETTS
City Considers School Assignment Plans
Boston Globe, MA, January 24, 2013
No favorite emerged Wednesday night after school officials presented three proposals to an advisory committee weighing changes in the way the city assigns students to schools.
New Leadership Closure Triggers Anger And Panic Among Parents, Students In Springfield
The Republican, MA, January 23, 2013
The pending closure of New Leadership, a well-established charter school with 500 students, has triggered a firestorm among the students, parents and faculty and could drive up the city’s middle through high school population by as much as 4 percent.
MICHIGAN
Focus On Teaching Our Teachers
Detroit News, MI, January 24, 2013
Giving teachers more support, better training is an effective way to improve education in Michigan
Detroit Public Schools Face Drastic Cuts To Balance Budget
Detroit News, MI, January 24, 2013
The financial slide inside the state’s largest school district will continue through 2016, leaving Detroit Public Schools with 28 fewer schools, 1,688 lost positions and 13,000 fewer students, according to a deficit elimination plan obtained by The Detroit News.
Huffington Post Blames Charter Schools for Serving Poor Kids
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, MI, January 24, 2013
A recent article in the Huffington Post badly distorts the findings of new study of Michigan’s charter public schools by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes, and in the process blames charter public schools for serving too many poor kids.
MINNESOTA
Minnesota Schools Would Have More Money, Control Under Plan
West Central Tribune, MN, January 23, 2013
School districts and school boards would have more control over how to use state funding under a budget proposed by Gov. Mark Dayton, officials told legislators Wednesday.
MISSISSIPPI
Big Questions About Charters
Jackson Free Press, MS, January 23, 2013
The atmosphere at the Mississippi Capitol got tense for a few moments Thursday when Sen. Kenneth Wayne Jones, D-Canton, leader of the Legislative Black Caucus, questioned the legitimacy of Gov. Phil Bryant’s education policy recommendations.
Mississippi House Approves Charter Schools
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, MS, January 24, 2013
The Mississippi House stayed into session until early Thursday to pass charter school legislation 64-55.
School Officials React To Charter Bill
DeSoto Times, MS, January 24, 2013
DeSoto County will be impacted by the new charter school bill if it passes the Legislature this session.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Law to Fund Private Schools Unconstitutional
Seacoast Online, MA, January 24, 2013
On June 27, 2012, the New Hampshire House and Senate overrode a veto by former Gov. John Lynch and passed a law that diverts public tax dollars for use in private secular and parochial schools.
Manchester Parents Add To Charter Wish List, Say School Budget Is Left Until Too Late
New Hampshire Union Leader, NH, January 23, 2013
Several dozen residents turned out on a frigid Wednesday evening to urge the Charter Commission to consider changes to the city’s basic governing document they said would benefit the public school system.
NEW YORK
The Union Wants An Evaluation Deal
New York Daily News, NY, January 24, 2013
Does Mayor Bloomberg really want a new teacher evaluation system? Is it going to be possible to put such a system in place before Gov. Cuomo’s deadline of Sept. 1?
WNY Maritime Charter Teaches Hamburg Students Leadership Skills
The Sun News, NY, January 24, 2013
High school senior and Hamburg resident Brandon Cruz knew he wanted to join the military after high school. After spending two years at St. Francis High School, he met a few cadets at a camp he attended from the Western New York Maritime Charter School, and decided that the school might be for him.
NORTH CAROLINA
Wake School Changes Have State GOP Support
News & Observer, NC, January 23, 2013
A top Republican state lawmaker says he supports both changing the way the Wake County school board is elected and taking away the body’s power to buy land and own schools.
Schools Chief: Forsyth Not Likely To Be ‘charter-school District’ Soon
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, January 23, 2013
Superintendent Don Martin assured principals in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools this week that the system will not become a charter-school district anytime soon, but state Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, said he will push for a bill to make that possible in the upcoming legislative session.
OREGON
Oregon Scores D- In Teacher Preparation
Statesman Journal, OR, January 24, 2013
Oregon received a D- for its policies on teacher preparation, according to a report from the National Council on Teacher Quality, an education reform advocacy group.
PENNSYLVANIA
Two Camden Charters Lose Tax-Exempt Status
Philadelphia Enquirer, PA, January 24, 2013
After more than three years of failing to file required IRS forms, two Camden charter schools have lost their tax-exempt status, a requirement to be granted a New Jersey charter.
Pennsylvania Charter School Test Results Sag
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 24, 2013
Recalculated figures for attaining Adequate Yearly Progress on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams for 2012 show that 28 percent of charter schools met the standard compared with 49 percent based on calculations made previously.
Pittsburgh Public Schools Rejects Hazelwood K-8 Charter School
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 23, 2013
The board of Pittsburgh Public Schools has rejected a request from Propel Schools to open a K-8 charter school in Hazelwood.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Proposals Would Restrict Private Schools From Championships
Greenville News, SC, January 24, 2013
Greenville County’s private and charter schools would be prohibited from competing for athletic championships against public schools if new proposals are approved by the South Carolina High School League.
TENNESSEE
Annual Report On Charter Schools Released
NewsChannel 5, TN, January 23, 2013
A annual report on Metro Charter schools was released Wednesday night during a special meeting and reception.
TEXAS
Good Reasons for Corpus Christi ISD to Oppose Tuition Vouchers
Corpus Christi Caller Times, TX, January 24, 2013
The Corpus Christi Independent School District’s resolution against vouchers for private school tuition comes as no surprise. Vouchers would be contrary to CCISD’s best interests.
School Leaders Vow To Expand Quality Choices
Houston Chronicle, TX, January 23, 2013
Houston’s urban school leaders vowed Wednesday to continue efforts to expand quality school choices, despite financial and regulatory challenges.
UTAH
Report: Utah Ranks 11th In U.S. For Charter School Policy
Desert News, UT, January 23, 2013
Utah charter school policy ranks 11th in the nation, scoring a B grade, according to the Center for Education Reform.
VIRGINIA
Report: Va. Isn’t Picky Enough About Training Teachers
The Virginian-Pilot, VA, January 24, 2013
The state’s undergraduate teacher-preparation programs are “not sufficiently selective,” according to the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Virginians Support Nontraditional Educational Options
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, January 24, 2013
A majority of Virginians favor three education concepts that have gained little traction among state leaders, according to the latest Commonwealth Education Poll from Virginia Commonwealth University.
WASHINGTON
MAP is the Anti-Standardized Test
Seattle Times, WA, January 23, 2013
The Measures of Academic Progress test that Garfield High School teachers are boycotting provides important insight about students’ academic needs, writes guest columnist Matt Chapman.
WISCONSIN
Advocates In The Home Of Voucher Schools Push For More Freedom To Choose
Wisconsin Reporter, WI, January 23, 2013
School choice in Wisconsin has come a long way since the late 1980s, when Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson and Milwaukee led the national school voucher revolution.
WYOMING
Senate Kills Two Education Reform Bills
Wyoming Tribune Eagle, WY, January 23, 2013
The bills would have raised the dropout age to 18 and made students take four years of math in high school.
ONLINE LEARNING
YWCA Sponsors New Leadership Academy
Valley Breeze, RI, January 23, 2013
YWCA Rhode Island has received the go-ahead from the Rhode Island Department of Education for a groundbreaking online charter school designed for at-risk high school students.
No Cyber Charter School In Pennsylvania Made Adequate Yearly Progress
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 23, 2013
Recalculated figures for attaining Adequate Yearly Progress on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams for 2012 released by the state Department of Education show that the number of charter schools hitting the targets for AYP dropped from 77 to 43.
Hermiston School District Adds Online Classes
Oregon Public Broadcasting, OR, January 23, 2013
Cayla Ontiveros spends her mornings online, perhaps spending time with friends or searching for a job.