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
Education Policies Operating in the Dark
Huffington Post, May 16, 2013
More enlightened awareness of what is required in training and preparing school leaders and less simplistic rhetoric would go a long way toward getting education policy out of the dark and on the path of improving how schools are run, teachers are mentored and children are given the opportunities to learn, goals to which we all aspire.
STATE COVERAGE
ALABAMA
Marsh says he’ll block plan to delay school tax credits
Tuscaloosa News, May 17, 2013
The architect of Alabama’s new private-school tax credits intends to block the governor’s proposal to delay the tax breaks for two years.
CALIFORNIA
Blue vs. Blue
Commentary, City Journal, May 16, 2013
Reformers such as Romero and Rhee should be commended for veering from the traditional Democratic Party line and standing up to teachers’ union bosses and their bought-and-paid-for cronies in Sacramento. Fighting those moneyed interests is a battle that good people of all political persuasions should support.
COLORADO
Denver Public Schools teachers speak out against losing jobs
Denver Post, May 17, 2013
Emotions ran high Thursday night at the Denver Public Schools board meeting as dozens of speakers raised concerns about the district’s decision not to renew contracts for about 250 teachers.
Longmont parents, officials discuss Twin Peaks Charter discrimination concerns
Longmont Times Call, May 16, 2013
A group of Hispanic parents concerned that their children are facing discrimination at Twin Peaks Charter School met with school officials and St. Vrain Valley School District leaders on Thursday, according to a city employee involved in the matter.
DELAWARE
Christina pulls out of fight with Delaware
Delaware News Journal, May 16, 2013
The money has been tied up for months in a battle between the district and the state Department of Education over a plan to attract top-flight teachers to low-performing schools.
FLORIDA
Duval County Public Schools budget shrinks due to turning over charter school funds
First Coast News, May 16, 2013
The Duval County School Board has begun the budget process for next school year.
The board found out today that some budget shortfalls are already threatening some new initiatives Superintendent Nikolai Vitti wanted to begin this next school year.
ILLINOIS
CPS documents raise questions about closings
Chicago Tribune, May 17, 2013
Making the case to close Ericson Academy on the West Side, Chicago Public Schools officials stressed that it would cost $9.6 million to fix the 51-year-old building. What they didn’t point out in materials provided to parents was that they planned to spend nearly as much this summer on repairs to Sumner Elementary, where Ericson students would be reassigned.
INDIANA
Ball State had a duty to pull the plug on charters
Editorial, News Sentinel, May 17, 2013
When Ball State University announced it would not renew the contracts of seven of its charter schools – including three in Fort Wayne – for poor performance ratings, this newspaper received heartfelt letters to the editor from charter parents. Never mind the raw statistics, the letters usually said, our child has shown remarkable growth at the school.
LOUISIANA
Teachers union approved for N.O. charter school
The Advocate, May 16, 2013
Taking the initial step in what will be the first unionized charter school in Louisiana, teachers at the Morris Jeff Community School received recognition from the school’s board of directors Thursday.
More charter schools coming to New Orleans
Times-Picayune, May 16, 2013
The charter school application process for the 2014-15 school year is going forward in New Orleans, which already has the highest percentage of students in charters in the United Statest. Nine groups have applied to open charters under the auspices of the state, and the Orleans Parish School Board announced its final timeline for approving applications.
House OKs ‘union busting’ legislation for teachers
The Daily Advertiser, May 17, 2013
House members Thursday sent to the Senate legislation that prevents future staff and employees of teacher unions to participate in the Teacher Retirement System of Louisiana.
MARYLAND
Diversity and choice key for city schools
Opinion, Baltimore Sun, May 16, 2013
We share the editorial view that outgoing Baltimore City Schools CEO Andrés Alonso created a strong platform to sustain ongoing improvement in our schools (“School reform 2.0,” May 12). But the editorial’s call for more standardization around the system is off the mark.
MISSOURI
Charter elementary school closing, much to dismay of students, parents, teachers
KCTV, May 16, 2013
It was a heartbreaking day Thursday at one area school after students were told they wouldn’t be coming back to their campus next year.
NEW YORK
The politics of envy
Op-Ed, New York Post, May 17, 2013
This fall, more than 70,000 students will attend charter schools in New York City. But, sadly, another 50,000 are now on waiting lists.
Charter schools, popular with parents, but not with Dem mayoral candidates
Opinion, New York Daily News, May 17, 2013
The families of more than 69,000 city children have cast votes in favor of school choice and against entrenched educational failure. The heck with them, say most of the city’s mayoral candidates.
NORTH CAROLINA
How school vouchers successfully customize education, change lives
News & Observer, May 16, 2013
The debate over a private learning option for poor schoolchildren in North Carolina has a familiar ring to it because Florida faced similar fears a dozen years ago.
OHIO
Legislature could require Columbus school levy to support charters
Columbus Dispatch, May 16, 2013
Columbus schools would be required to place a levy on the ballot in the fall that would share cash with charter schools, under a bill two state lawmakers introduced today.
Legislator’s plan would provide preschool vouchers for 22,000
Columbus Dispatch, May 16, 2013
A Senate Republican leader on education policy wants to create a $100 million voucher program over the next two years to allow thousands of low-income Ohio children to attend preschool.
PENNSYLVANIA
Hite proposes ending teacher seniority
Philadelphia Inquirer, May 17, 2013
William R. Hite Jr. knows it’s a tough ask: $120 million from a state that historically views Philadelphia and its public schools “as a cesspool.”
TENNESSEE
Hamilton County charter schools reach milestone
Times Free Press, May 17, 2013
There’s a disclaimer that students get before signing up for Ivy Academy: You’re going to get hot. You’re going to get cold. Your socks will get wet. And you’re going to get tired. That’s because students and staff at Ivy spend much of their days outdoors, trekking through the woods, studying trees, creeks and animal life up close.
Charter schools losing struggling students to zoned schools
WSMV, May 16, 2013
Leaders with Metro Nashville Public Schools have serious concerns about what is happening at some of the city’s most popular charter schools.
TEXAS
House votes to raise cap on number of Texas charter schools
Dallas Morning News, May 16, 2013
The long-standing cap on independent charter schools in Texas would be bumped up and state education officials would be given new authority to clean up or close down troubled charter schools under a bill the House tentatively approved Thursday.
UTAH
Utah charter schools under new performance scrutiny
Salt Lake Tribune, May 17, 2013
For the first time, the State Charter School Board has evaluated Utah’s 81 charter schools in three key areas — academics, finances and governance — creating a baseline for comparing the schools next year.
WISCONSIN
Milwaukee’s voucher schools need to clean house
Opinion, Journal Sentinel, May 16, 2013
School voucher proponents should stop being defensive, stop trying to misdirect public concern over accountability and the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program’s lackluster performance on the state’s standardized test measure: the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination.
ONLINE LEARNING
Microsoft donates $1 million to help expand ‘blended learning’ in D.C. schools
Washington Post, May 16, 2013
Microsoft has donated $1 million to help D.C. teachers redesign their classrooms using a “blended learning” approach that combines online learning with face-to-face instruction.
Governor signs virtual schools legislation
WBIR, May 16, 2013
Gov. Bill Haslam has signed into law a measure to tighten enrollment requirements at privately run online schools.
New Report Shows How Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities To Many Tennesseans
Chattanoogan, May 16, 2013
In conjunction with Connected Tennessee’s participation at the East Tennessee Educational Technology Association’s regional meeting, Connected Tennessee on Thursday released Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans, showing online learning is as essential in K-12 as it is in higher education, and can boost the growth of the Tennessee workforce as more degrees and certificates become available online.
Tablets in the classroom push learning
Manteca Bulletin, May 16, 2013
The group at Autrey Mill Middle School in suburban Atlanta is part of a pilot project launched this spring by Amplify, News Corp.’s education technology company, which has tablets in the hands of some 2,500 students at 12 schools across the country including two in Georgia.
State sets hearing dates for online school proposal
Chicago Tribune, May 17, 2013
A state commission will hold hearings next month as it determines whether to overrule 18 suburban school districts that rejected a proposal for an online charter school.