Daily Headlines for May 9, 2013
NEWSWIRE IS BACK! 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
A One-Size-Fits-All Education Model Doesn’t Cut It—And Never Will
Take Part, May 8, 2013
Education reformer Kevin Chavous speaks out about why America is still ‘A Nation at Risk.’
Study: Many Don’t Need Remedial Classes
Miami Herald, FL, May 8, 2013
Many students are needlessly sent to remedial math classes at community colleges to learn high school math they won’t need in their first-year programs anyway, according to new research on what it takes to be successful in community college.
STATE COVERAGE
CALIFORNIA
School District And Plumas Charter Will Continue Greenville Collaboration
Plumas County Beacon, CA, May 9, 2013
A draft memorandum of understanding between Plumas Unified School District and Plumas Charter School for 2013-14 was presented to the school board at the May 2 board meeting in Chester.
Fresno Unified Denies Charter Renewal For Troubled New Millenium School
The Fresno Bee, CA, May 8, 2013
Fresno Unified trustees voted unanimously Wednesday night to not renew a five-year charter for troubled New Millennium in west Fresno, agreeing with district staff and the county grand jury that the school had failed to fix itself.
Silenced By Teachers Union
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, May 8, 2013
In California, where I’m a public school teacher, union bullying is enshrined in state law. The law requires that all teachers in public schools pay compulsory “agency fees” to support the agenda of the teachers unions — the most powerful political force in the state — thus allowing the union to dominate and skew political dialogue.
COLORADO
New Charter School Has A Home In District 51
KJCT, CO, May 8, 2013
A contract was signed Tuesday night that will finalize the location for Juniper Ridge Charter School. Tuesday night, the District 51 School Board thought they had made a decision to post-pone the school’s future, but they spoke too soon.
CONNECTICUT
Not All Votes Counted In Parent Council Election
CT Post, CT, May 9, 2013
Janet Gomes, a Thomas Hooker parent, won a three-way race for president of the District Parent Advisory Council Wednesday in a controversial re-do election in which the votes of parents whose children attend charter schools weren’t counted.
DELAWARE
It’s Time To Change The Conversation On Charter Schools
The News Journal, DE, May 9, 2013
Charter schools have gotten a lot of bad press over the last year. School closings. Teacher videos. Investigations about school leader qualifications. Financial crises. Governance issues.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. to Establish a Hybrid Traditional-Charter School in Southeast
Washington Post, DC, May 9, 2013
A long-struggling Southeast D.C. elementary school will undergo a renovation and then reopen under the management of a high-performing charter school, Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced Wednesday evening.
FLORIDA
‘Parent-Trigger’ Bill Is Just Special-Interest Legislation
TC Palm, FL, May 9, 2013
The Florida House of Representatives recently passed H.B. 867, which would establish a “parent trigger” that allows parents to force a failing public school to be closed or converted to a charter school when requested by a majority of parents. The Senate considered a similar bill.
ILLINOIS
Charter School Advocates Call For Fair Funding At Loop Rally
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 9, 2013
Thousands of people wearing bright yellow caps rallied in the Loop’s Federal Plaza on Wednesday evening in support of privately run charter schools, which are under more scrutiny because of the city’s plan to close 53 neighborhood schools.
Ald. Burke Wants Gov. Quinn To Restart Uno Charter-School Funding
Chicago Sun Times, IL, May 8, 2013
Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) went to bat Wednesday for the embattled United Neighborhood Organization, urging his ally Gov. Pat Quinn to resume funding for an UNO charter school being built in his Southwest Side ward.
INDIANA
Indiana General Assembly Rewards Failure
NW Times, IN, May 9, 2013
Proponents of traditional public schools are upset about the Indiana General Assembly forgiving startup loans for charter schools — even schools that failed. They make a good point.
IOWA
Group Pushes For Reducing Education Gap
Des Moines Register, IA, May 9, 2013
Mark M. Jacobs once was a Fortune 500 CEO and soon may be a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, but for the time being he’s leading a nonprofit group pushing for improvements in K-12 for Iowa’s education system.
LOUISIANA
Jindal Loses On Funding
The Advocate, LA, May 8, 2013
If a defeat for Gov. Bobby Jindal’s position, the governor and other backers of state vouchers for private school tuition can take considerable comfort in a narrowly focused decision by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
MAINE
Maine Charter School Commission Approves Three More Schools
Bangor Daily News, ME, May 8, 2013
The Maine Charter School Commission approved contracts for three new charter schools which are scheduled to open in the fall.
MARYLAND
Demand For Charter Schools Remains High
Frederick News Post, MD, May 9, 2013
According to local brief in Tuesday’s edition of The News-Post, Frederick County Public Schools’ two Montessori charter schools have far more applicants than their programs can accommodate.
MICHIGAN
Bill Would Link Michigan Teachers’ Pay To Student Growth
Michigan Public Radio, MI, May 8, 2013
New teachers in Michigan would be paid based primarily on student growth under a bill in Lansing.
Small School Districts Must Consolidate In Michigan
Detroit News, MI, May 9, 2013
The Buena Vista School District near Saginaw is an example of a small school system that no longer has adequate resources to serve its students, and it is time to end its financial struggles by dissolving. Other Michigan school districts that are facing looming deficits should also consider this cost-saving action.
MISSOURI
House Speaker Loses Again In Bid To Overhaul Educator Evaluations
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, May 9, 2013
In a stinging rebuke to Speaker Tim Jones, the heavily Republican House has rejected for the second time his drive to tie educators’ job evaluations to students’ academic progress.
NEVADA
Elaine Wynn Bemoans State Of Education In Nevada, Lobbies For National Search For New Superintendent
Las Vegas Sun, NV, May 9, 2013
Elaine Wynn called on the Clark County School Board to conduct a national search for its next superintendent during her keynote address Wednesday at a Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
NEW MEXICO
UNM Hits ‘Reset’ On Teacher Education
Albuquerque Journal, NM, May 9, 2013
The University of New Mexico’s College of Education dean stepped down Tuesday in what administrators say is the beginning of a multimillion-dollar revamp with the goal of improving the quality of education in New Mexico.
NEW JERSEY
Camden Charter School To Open In September
Camden Courier Post, NJ, May 9, 2013
For Robin Ruiz, hope started as a thought that grew into a passion. Now it’s a charter school. Ruiz is the lead founder of Hope Community Charter School, described as a new elementary school with a focus on literacy.
NEW YORK
Teach-Eval Ball In State’s Court
New York Post, NY, May 9, 2013
The state’s top education official has been tapped to finally end the city and teachers union’s long-running dispute over a new ratings system for educators.
Teachers Union Loses Three Allies In School Board Races
Buffalo News, NY, May 8, 2013
Someone spent a lot of money in the last couple of weeks trying to elect union-backed candidates to the Buffalo School Board.
Enterprise Charter School Is Granted One-Year Extension
Buffalo News, NY, May 9, 2013
The Buffalo Board of Education voted, 6-2, Wednesday to renew the charter of Enterprise Charter School for only a year, despite objections by school leaders who wanted a longer renewal period.
NORTH CAROLINA
Rock Hill Might Get A Second Charter School
Charlotte Observer, NC, May 8, 2013
Pastor Brian Keith’s idea for a second charter school in Rock Hill began in talks with parents who wanted to see a different kind of education.
OHIO
Cleveland School District And Teachers Union Reach Agreement On Cleveland Plan Details
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, May 8, 2013
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Cleveland Teachers Union have reached a tentative agreement on how the two will work together to implement the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools.
OKLAHOMA
School Spending Should Actually Fund Reforms
The Oklahoman, OK, May 9, 2013
Over the past few years, school officials have repeatedly decried the education reforms that they claimed were unfunded. This year, schools are getting a not-insignificant budget increase. As lawmakers provide it, they should ensure the money actually goes to pay for the reforms school officials have often used to justify increased appropriations.
TEXAS
Top Senator Vows His Charter School Plan Will Pass
Lubbock Avalanche Journal, TX, May 9, 2013
The top proponent for school choice in the Texas Legislature vowed Wednesday that his much-watched effort to expand charter schools in Texas will become law — even though it could still face a tough road in the House.
Senate Democrats Block Texas Education Agency Bill Over Concern About Vouchers
Dallas Morning News, TX, May 8, 2013
Senate Democrats have decided to block legislation that would reauthorize the Texas Education Agency, citing concerns that the bill could become a vehicle for private school vouchers or other education measures they oppose.
WISCONSIN
Special Ed Vouchers Won’t End Discrimination
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, May 8, 2013
What do these children have in common? They all have disabilities, they all tried to participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and they all were denied admission, not served or pushed back into public schools by private voucher schools.
ONLINE LEARNING
Online Schools A Virtual Reality In Sacramento
News Review. CA, May 9, 2013
When Kelly Krug’s son Ben struggled academically, the Fair Oaks mom looked for options that provided computerized instruction.
Gila Vista’s Online Use Earns ‘Rock Star’ Status
Yuma Sun, AZ, May 8, 2013
Gila Vista’s success with online learning, and specifically the Plato courseware system, earned the Yuma junior high school an award from the curriculum’s provider, Edmentum.