Daily Headlines for March 12, 2013
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NATIONAL COVERAGE
AFT’s Weingarten On Why She Got Arrested, ‘The Gall’ Of Reformers, Etc.
Washington Post Blog, DC, March 12, 2013
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten was arrested last week in Philadelphia while protesting a hearing of the School Reform Commission that voted to close 23 public schools. Here’s a Q & A with her about why she went to Philadelphia, what teachers are worried about, and more.
Report: Half Trillion Needed To Update Schools
Associated Press, March 12, 2013
America’s schools are in such disrepair that it would cost more than $270 billion just to get elementary and secondary buildings back to their original conditions and twice that to get them up to date, a report released Tuesday estimated.
FROM THE STATES
ALABAMA
Scofield Responds To Alabama Education Association’s ‘Betrayal Ad
Sand Mountain Reporter, AL, March 11, 2013
State Sen. Clay Scofield, R- Red Hill, recently found himself in the crosshairs of an ad placed by the Alabama Education Association, which claimed he betrayed his constituents with his support of the recently passed Alabama Accountability Act.
Alabama School-Choice Decision as Theater of the Absurd
National Review Online, March 11, 2013
No claim was too ridiculous. But farce doesn’t seem to capture what happened last week in Alabama.
ALASKA
Bill Increases Time Required For Teacher Tenure
Alaska Public Radio, AK, March 11, 2013
Public school teachers might have to wait a couple years longer to acquire tenure rights if a bill proposed in the Alaska House is passed.
CALIFORNIA
Parent Group Receives Proposals To Remake Failing LAUSD Elementary
San Bernardino Sun, CA, March 11, 2013
A group of Los Angeles parents who successfully invoked a state law to take over their failing school have received four proposals on how to remake the school, including one from the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Educators Gathering For Charter School Confab
San Diego Union Tribune, CA, March 12, 2013
Educators from across the state are in San Diego this week for the 20th annual California Charter School Conference.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
KIPP DC Proposes New High School in Southwest Washington
Washington Post, DC, March 11, 2013
One of the District’s highest-performing charter schools is proposing to build a high school on public land in Southwest, drawing mixed reviews from those with a stake in that part of the city.
35% Of Gates Foundation Scholarships Go To Friendship Charter Students
Washington Examiner, DC, March 11, 2013
More than 300 District public school students have received full college scholarships for next year through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
GEORGIA
‘Parent-Trigger’ Bill Bad For Schools
Savannah Morning News, GA, March 12, 2013
House Bill 123, which passed the House and is now awaiting a Senate hearing, is aptly nicknamed the “parent-trigger” bill because it may “trigger” anything from the firing of a principal, switching faculty all over the place or (the real reason) so that a public school could be converted to a charter school.
Byron Council Votes To Transfer Building For Proposed Charter School
Macon Telegraph, GA, March 12, 2013
City Council voted unanimously Monday to give a former elementary school building the city owns to a group working to start a charter school in Byron.
Deal, NAACP In Heated Talks Over DeKalb School Board
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, March 11, 2013
A meeting between Gov. Nathan Deal and leaders of several civil rights organizations took a fiery turn on Monday during discussions on whether Deal should be specifically seeking black candidates to replace DeKalb County’s ousted school board members.
ILLINOIS
A Promise Worth Breaking
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 10, 2013
Chicago Public Schools officials are trying to unload 24 school sites that have been vacant at least 10 years. Soon, they’ll likely have a lot more properties to move in their vast real estate portfolio.
CPS Changing How It Gives Money To Schools
WBEZ, IL, March 11, 2013
Chicago Public Schools is fundamentally changing how it will fund schools next year—giving principals the power to decide how many teachers to hire and what programs to offer.
INDIANA
School Choice Advocates Step Out
The Journal Gazette, IN, March 12, 2013
Supporters of alternatives to traditional public education took to the Statehouse on Monday to encourage lawmakers to continue the fight for school choice.
Gov. Mike Pence: Indiana Needs More Education Reform
Indianapolis Star, IN, March 11, 2013
Indiana needs to keep pushing for more education reform to build on the momentum of the past two years, Gov. Mike Pence told a Statehouse education reform rally on Monday.
MAINE
Portland Charter School Sues Its Founder
Portland Press Herald, ME, March 11, 2013
he board of Portland’s first charter school is suing fired founder John Jaques, demanding that he turn over all school property that he still controls online.
MARYLAND
Montgomery County Report To Focus On Progress In Narrowing Achievement Gap In Schools
Washington Post, DC, March 12, 2013
The Montgomery County Council will be receiving an update on how well county schools are narrowing the achievement gap.
MICHIGAN
Michigan Education Panel Outlines School Reforms At Pioneer High School Event
Ann Arbor News, MI, March 12, 2013
A forum at Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School to discuss the future of public education in Michigan drew a standing-room-only crowd of nearly 300 people Monday night.
Detroit School Board Seeks Contempt Order Today Against Roberts
Detroit News, MI, March 12, 2013
The Detroit Board of Education is asking a Wayne County judge on Tuesday to hold Emergency Manager Roy Roberts in contempt of a court order that requires both the board and Roberts to work cooperatively in operating Detroit Public Schools.
MINNESOTA
Charter Schools For ‘At-Risk’ Kids: What Are Fair Standards?
MinnPost, MN, March 11, 2013
The school is one of about 25 charter high schools in Minnesota that serve academically at-risk students. This can mean students who are behind in credits, perform well below their grade level, have dropped out of or been expelled from school, are pregnant, have mental health problems or — an increasing problem since the recession — are homeless.
MISSISSIPPI
Miss. House Rejects Appointed Superintendents Bill
Clarion Ledger, MS, March 11, 2013
House members want Mississippians to keep their elected school superintendents.
NEBRASKA
National Common Core Academic Standards Get A Closer Look From State
Omaha World Herald, NE, March 12, 2013
Nebraska’s refusal to adopt the Common Core academic standards in math and language arts could cost students, teachers and taxpayers as 45 other states press full steam ahead to implement them, some educators say.
NEW JERSEY
Matter of Principals: School Administrators Also Getting New Grading System
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, March 12, 2013
Revamped evaluations, which don’t apply only to teachers, prompt questions from principals association about criteria
Poll: N.J. Teacher Evaluations Too Heavy On Testing
Daily Record, NJ, March 12, 2013
Readers overwhelmingly said they think the state is relying too heavily on standardized testing in its newly proposed plans for assessing the state’s educators, but most also said the evaluations should include test scores, according to a New Jersey Press Media online survey this month.
NEW YORK
Panel Rejects Proposal to Stop School Closings
New York Times, NY, March 12, 2013
A city panel on Monday night rejected a proposal to stop city-mandated school closings in a tense, often raucous meeting, effectively putting any hopes of reversing Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s education policy into the next mayor’s hands.
NORTH CAROLINA
N.C. Charter School Review Board May Be Cut
News & Record, NC, March 12, 2013
The 15-member group that reviews state charter school applications could soon be disbanded. Senate Bill 10, or the Government Reorganization and Efficiency Act, would eliminate a host of state boards and commissions, including the Charter School Advisory Council.
For Better North Carolina Schools, Link Teacher Pay To Effectiveness
News & Observer, NC, March 11, 2013
Thirty years after being warned that America is “A Nation At Risk,” our schools are still not where they need to be. Gov. Pat McCrory says the school system is broken. Teachers complain that they are disrespected and underpaid. Parents wonder whether their kids are getting the education they need for a global economy.
OREGON
Kids Unlimited Charter School Hangs in the Balance
KOBI-TV, OR, March 11, 2013
The Kids Unlimited Charter School, which would serve vulnerable kids in the community, has been five years in the making. But now, there are concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
PENNSYLVANIA
Parents Tell School Board They Plan To Open A Charter School
Sun Gazette, PA, March 12, 2013
Southern Tioga School District board members got an earful from a large contingent of Liberty area residents upset that the board closed their school and will bus their children to North Penn in the fall.
Charter School Controversy Here
Lancaster New Era, PA, March 12, 2013
The School District of Lancaster school board is expected to vote March 19 on whether to approve a charter school application that has generated a lot of hard feelings.
ASD Denies Elderton Charter School’ Application
The Kittanning Paper, PA, March 12, 2013
The Armstrong School District Board of Directors formally voted 8-1 to deny the application of the founding board members to create Everlasting Elderton Charter School.
Pa. Must End ‘Double Dip’ Reimbursement Of Charter School Pension Costs
Allentown Morning Call, PA, March 11, 2013
As our school districts prepare their budgets for next school year, we must account for cyber charter school tuition payments for students who do not attend district schools that divert significant resources from our budgets. When it comes to cyber charter school tuition, our school districts and taxpayers are overpaying these schools, and we must address this issue now.
TENNESSEE
Charter School Authorizer Debate Begins To Heat Up
The Tennessean, TN, March 12, 2013
Both supporters and naysayers of a statewide charter school authorizer are taking their pleas to the streets and asking for support.
Memphis Board Members To Consider Cutting Seniority Pay For Teachers
Commercial Appeal, TN, March 11, 2013
School boards for years have affirmed the value of seniority and advanced degrees by paying teachers more for both. Next week, the board is expected to approve policy changes to ditch them both except for math and science teachers.
TEXAS
Texas Tutoring System Provides A Lesson In Dysfunction
Star-Telegram, TX, March 11, 2013
As with many good intentions, No Child Left Behind meant well with its tutoring mandate: low-income students at consistently struggling schools are eligible for tutoring paid by federal funds.
Teachers Rally In Capitol Over School Reform, Funding, Vouchers
Houston Chronicle, TX, March 12, 2013
Hundreds of Texas public school teachers, rallying Monday at the Capitol, left state lawmakers with some homework for the rest of the year’s legislative session: Allocate more money for schools. Require less testing. And say no to vouchers.
UTAH
Left Behind
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, March 11, 2013
But, despite problems with No Child Left Behind, the concept of leaving no child behind as state lawmakers divvy up revenue for public education is well worth keeping in mind. Some education bills under discussion as the legislative session winds down have lost that focus.
WISCONSIN
Every Child Deserves A Great School
Baraboo News Republic, WI, March 12, 2013
If you’ve been listening to the arguments offered by supporters and opponents of Wisconsin’s school voucher program over the years, you’ve probably noticed each side has a very different focus. Supporters speak up for poor kids. Opponents speak up for the public school system.
A Crash Course On The Constitutionality Of School Choice
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, March 12, 2013
Now that Gov. Walker has announced plans to expand the school choice program, we are hearing gravely intoned “concerns” about the program’s constitutionality. These are expressed, not as claims that school choice violates the state or federal constitution, but as the vague raising of “questions” and identification of “issues.”
State Withholding About $1.3 Million From 5 Milwaukee Voucher Schools
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, March 11, 2013
Five private schools in Milwaukee’s voucher program are operating on fumes this semester as the state Department of Public Instruction continues to hold back about $1.3 million in payments to them.
ONLINE LEARNING
District 304 Holds Hearing On Virtual Online Charter School
Kane County Chronicle, IL, March 12, 2013
What if they gave a party and the guest of honor did not show up? That is kind of what happened Monday at Geneva School District 304’s public hearing on an application to establish an online charter school: Virtual Learning Solutions, which made the application, was a no-show at the hearing.
La. Online Program Chooses To Register
The Advocate, LA, March 12, 2013
Despite legal questions the state is taking applications for online and other courses that will be offered by private firms and colleges, state Superintendent of Education John White said Monday.
Virtual Schools Respond
Albuquerque Journal, NM, March 11, 2013
The basic quarrel is whether charter schools should be able to contract with for-profit companies to provide fully online curriculum. Opponents of such schools say that New Mexico law does not allow for-profit entities to manage charter schools, and that these online companies are essentially managing the schools. Proponents say the charters are locally managed by their governing boards, and the online companies are just providing curriculum, like any for-profit textbook publisher.