Click here for Newswire, 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
Urban schools improving faster than the rest of us
Associated Press, December 18, 2013
Public school students in the nation’s largest cities are improving their performance in reading and math faster than their counterparts in suburban and rural schools, according to federal data released Wednesday. The biggest gains by far were in the nation’s capital.
Is American Culture to Blame for Failing Schools?
New York Times, NY, December 18, 2013
“Americans do not support an egalitarian society.” That was the response of one reader, Jay David of New Mexico, to the final editorial in our series on science and math education, and in many ways it summed up the bitterness that many others expressed when the American school system was compared to those of other countries.
STATE COVERAGE
ALABAMA
Birmingham Schools, Takeover To Today
WBHM, AL,
December 18, 2013
The Alabama State Department of Education’s intervention team has left Birmingham City Schools. ALSDE staff are approving local board agendas and monitoring finances from Montgomery. A year and a half after the state first took the reins, the local board is quietly going about its business.
ARIZONA
Longer school days tested to boost learning
Arizona Republic, AZ, December 19, 2013
Mesa’s lowest-performing school has joined the ranks of dozens of schools nationwide that are extending their school days with the goal of boosting test scores.
CALIFORNIA
Who’s watching the local charter schools?
Orange County Register, CA, December 18, 2013
Orange County’s recent charter school growth spurt has brought with it a shift in who oversees local programs: More than a third of Orange County’s 25 charter school programs are now run by agencies based dozens or even hundreds of miles away.
D.C.
Despite D.C. public school gains, system trails behind large-city average
Washington Post, DC
December 18, 2013
D.C. Public Schools posted larger gains on 2013 national math and reading tests than any other major urban school system, but the District’s performance continues to trail the large-city average, according to a federal study released Wednesday.
Teachers finally get a chance to speak out on D.C.’s school reform
Washington Post, DC, December 18, 2013
The Dec. 12 editorial “Boo to the naysayers” got one thing right: Teachers, parents and public-education stakeholders are angry about the way mayoral control and the Rhee-Henderson school reform experiment with our kids have gone.
Leftist lawsuit says helping poor kids escape failing public schools is unconstitutional
Daily Caller, DC, December 19, 2013
In North Carolina, a group of over two dozen plaintiffs filed a lawsuit this week challenging the constitutionality of the Opportunity Scholarship Program, a new vouchers program designed to provide a way out of failing schools for the state’s poorest children.
FLORIDA
High school graduation rate up
Gainesville Sun, FL, December 18, 2013
Graduation rates increased at six of Alachua County’s seven public high schools during the 2012-2013 school year, according to a report released last Wednesday by the Florida Department of Education.
Pasco charter school sees its contract reduced
Tampa Bay Times Blog, FL
December 18, 2013
On Tuesday, the Pasco School Board reduced Athenian Academy’s contract from 15 years to three years, ending June 30, 2016. The reason? Athenian Academy no longer qualified for the state’s “high performing” designation that allowed for the longer term.
INDIANA
Charter school puts ‘expeditionary learning’ on display
Muncie Star Press, IN, December 18, 2013
Inspire Academy will open its doors to the public tonight, offering a glimpse of its expeditionary approach to learning.
LOUISIANA
More money for school vouchers coming to Louisiana
Times-Picayune, LA, December 18, 2013
The national Alliance for School Choice will use part of a $6 million Walton Family Foundation donation to expand school voucher enrollment in Louisiana.
Set new, clear standards for La. Vouchers
The Advertiser, LA, December 18, 2013
The Student Scholarships for Education Excellence Program — Louisiana’s public school vouchers — is in its second year of operation. And we still can’t say whether the program works or not, and whether it will be a useful tool as we try to improve Louisiana’s substandard public school performance.
Charter schools enemy of Caddo public schools
Shreveport Times, LA, December 19, 2013
It disturbs me that companies from outside our state are circling the public education system like vultures waiting to land by building nine more charter schools in our state including two more in Shreveport and further erode the resources of our already-strained public system.
Only 26 La. teachers gained national certification in 2013, down significantly
The Advocate, LA, December 18, 2013
Continuing a long decline, only 26 Louisiana teachers achieved certification in 2013 from a well-regarded national teaching organization, a fraction as many as when the program was at its peak in this state.
MARYLAND
Union-area school district, teachers OK incentive pay plan
Bangor Daily News, ME, December 18, 2013
A labor contract worked out between the Regional School Unit 40 Board and its approximately 200 teachers includes a provision for pay based partially on student performance.
MICHIGAN
New charter high school for at-risk, homeless youth graduates 8 in first class
Grand Rapids Press, MI, December 18, 2013
Earlier this year, Christopher Hernandez was ready to give up on getting his high school diploma. On Wednesday, Dec. 18, he became the first valedictorian of a new charter high school for at-risk and homeless young people.
MINNESOTA
The long road to alternative licensure in Minnesota
Twin Cities Daily Planet, MN, December 18, 2013
In 2011, a legislative battle was fought over what is known as alternative teacher certification or “alt cert.” Its passage was supposed to create programs that would allow teacher candidates to run their own classrooms before they graduate from their education program.
MISSISSIPPI
Bryant Wants to Retain State Control of Schools
Jackson Free Press, MS, December 18, 2013
Gov. Phil Bryant wants to ensure that the State of Mississippi is the only entity educating Mississippi kids.
NEW YORK
NYC Student Test Scores Rise Slower Than Other Cities
Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2013
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s reign as head of the nation’s largest school system resulted in greatly improved graduation rates, but test scores that lagged behind the pace of other large American cities.
Charter school not the answer to better education
Elmira Star-Gazette, NY, December 18, 2013
As a retired career educator in the Elmira City School District, the continued rhetoric concerning the establishment of a charter school in our community is very alarming.
In One NYC School, A Snapshot Of Bloomberg’s Education Legacy
NPR, December 18, 2013
Washington Irving High used to be a large school of 4,000 students. But today, the elegant, century-old building, its walls painted with murals depicting scenes from New York history, is home to seven separate schools.
Mayor Bloomberg doubled education budget, but reform efforts yielded little improvement
New York Daily News, NY, December 19, 2013
Hizzoner’s efforts to overhaul the city’s schools have brought about a slight increase in graduation rates, but test scores remain largely unchanged and class sizes have increased slightly.
NEW JERSEY
Newark school restructuring includes plans to put charters in district buildings
Star-Ledger, NJ, December 18, 2013
As part of a comprehensive plan to overhaul the state’s largest school district, Newark Schools Superintendent Cami Anderson wants to increase access to charter schools by expanding them into district-owned buildings.
Only 3 students scored college-ready in Camden, NJ
The Trentonian, NJ, December 18, 2013
The new school superintendent in Camden says it was a “kick-in-the-stomach moment” when he learned that only three district high school students who took the SAT in the 2011-12 school year scored as college-ready.
NORTH CAROLINA
The debate over teacher tenure
Times News, NC, December 18, 2013
The Alamance-Burlington School System faced a lot of mandates from the state and federal governments this year.
OHIO
Charter enrollment costs district funds ‘Alarming’ financial facts regarding charter schools reported
Morgan County Herald, OH, December 18, 2013
“The Morgan Local School District lost approximately $420,000 directly from our general fund last year because 69 Morgan County students enrolled in electronic on-line charter schools,” said Superintendent Lori Lowe. “Our schools are funded by the number of students attending our schools. When we lose students to charter schools, we lose funds.”
PENNSYLVANIA
Charter school seeks Erie School Board support
Erie Times-News, PA, December 19, 2013
An application for a proposed new charter school lists prominent local organizations as potential partners should the school be approved.
Two charter schools pitched to Allentown School Board
Allentown Morning Call, PA, December 18, 2013
Plans for schools on Union Boulevard, Hamilton Street draw lukewarm response from some school board members.
Pittsburgh school board reverses on Teach for America contract
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PA, December 18, 2013
New members of the Pittsburgh public school board flexed their muscles at a Wednesday night meeting, reversing previously passed actions by voting to dissolve a contract with Teach for America and to keep doors open at Pittsburgh Woolslair K-5 on the Bloomfield-Lawrenceville border.
TENNESSEE
Camille Benbow: Education remained a hot topic in 2013
The Tennessean, TN, December 19, 2013
As 2013 nears its close, let’s take a look back at the year in education. It’s a safe bet that many of the topics energetically discussed over the past 12 months will continue to surface in the year ahead.
TEXAS
Facing the achievement gap
Houston Chronicle, TX, December 18, 2013
Regarding “Address the achievement gap” (Page B7, Monday), nowhere is the miracle of the American experiment more tested than in the education of today’s children. Elisa Villanueva Beard of Teach for America proposes an interesting change.
WASHINGTON
Charting a New Course
The Columbian, WA, December 18, 2013
Although it’s likely the state Supreme Court eventually will have to weigh in, Washington’s budding charter school system received a green light last week from King County Judge Jean Rietschel.
WEST VIRGINIA
BOE writes draft school-reform report
Charleston Gazette, WV, December 18, 2013
It’s been nearly a year since Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin challenged the West Virginia Board of Education to tackle six major initiatives alongside his education reform bill. State education officials say the board has made progress, but there’s still work to be done.
ONLINE LEARNING
Special report: Pa. cybers still falling short of York County schools on state standards
York Dispatch, PA, December 18, 2013
School performance reports might be on a new website and in a different format, but Pennsylvania cyber schools still fall short of the standards set by their public school counterparts in York County.
District exploring new virtual education options
Aiken Standard, SC, December 19, 2013
The S.C. Virtual School Program is providing online opportunities for students in grades 7-12, and now Aiken County School District administrators are exploring a similar approach at the District level.
Governor to review digital learning proposals
WRCB-TV, GA, December 19, 2013
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal says his office is going to review a task force’s recommendations to use digitally-based programs to improve student achievement.
Ann Arbor schools’ A2 Virtual+ Academy website goes live
The Ann Arbor News, MI, December 18, 2013
Ann Arbor Public Schools launched the website for its A2 Virtual+ Academy Monday—a program that the district is opening to students on a limited basis for the spring semester.
POLITICAL / LEGISLATIVE COVERAGE
Results vs. tenure
The York Dispatch, PA, December 18, 2013
If one of three competing state House bills become law, financially strapped Pennsylvania school districts soon could furlough teachers based on poor performance rather than on the length of time they’ve been on the job.
Bill To Expand Charter Schools Now Limited To Milwaukee Area
Wisconsin Public Radio, WI, December 18, 2013
The original version of the bill would have allowed high-performing charter schools statewide to expand; however, the substitute amendment narrows the bill down to independent charter schools in the Milwaukee area.
Jindal no friend of education
Houma Today, LA, December 18, 2013
As a long-standing advocate for excellence in public education, I’ve spent quite a few years as a public official focusing on and investing in what works for school turnaround and individual student success.
California measure would replace seniority with performance for teacher layoffs
Sacramento Bee, CA
, December 18, 2013
A ballot measure submitted by a political consultant for education advocate Michelle Rhee seeks to remove seniority as a factor when California school districts lay off teachers, requiring instead that decisions be based on performance and student test scores.