Your daily addiction for breaking news, commentary and debate on education reform
January 31, 2008
January 31, 2008
Charter Schools For The Spread Of Education American Chronicle, California, January 30, 2008 It is to be noted that while charter schools are a variant of public schools, there are certain essential differences.
Congressional Hypocrisy on School Choice Heritage.org, DC , January 30, 2008 But while liberals are quick to support school vouchers for higher education, they are much less enthusiastic about giving students younger than 18 the same power to choose their school.
Charter School Hustle Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia, January 31, 2008 Lawmakers bristle over dictates to the hinterlands from the state folks in Atlanta. Except, of course, when the lawmakers themselves are the ones in Atlanta trampling local control.
Per-Pupil Funding Increase Sought Washington Post, D.C., January 31, 2008 Mayor Adrian M. Fenty said he will seek a 5 percent increase in per-pupil funding for the more than 70,000 students enrolled in the D.C. system and charter schools, a $52.9 million effort to improve city education.
Rally at MO Capitol Calls For School Choice KWMU, Missouri, January 30, 2008 Around 200 students and parents from St. Louis traveled to Jefferson City by bus on Wednesday and held a rally inside the State Capitol for school choice.
Harp Rips Into School Leaders New Haven Independent, Connecticut, January 30, 2008 Wading into an ongoing education battle, State Sen. Toni Harp blasted city officials for fighting with charter school proponents rather than working with them and emulating their success.
More Public Funds For Charter Schools? Portsmouth Herald News, New Hampshire, January 31, 2008 The state's endangered free-standing public charter schools would get a financial windfall from the school districts their students come from under a bill filed Wednesday.
Compromise On Virtual Schools Protects New Ways To Educate The Reporter, Wisconsin, January 31, 2008 Bipartisan agreement on a proposed bill may have paved the way for peace between the state of Wisconsin and the burgeoning virtual schools industry - or at least, for now, an uneasy truce.
Flight Of Students Reflects Need For Change Albany Times Union, New York, January 31, 2008 I was amazed to read that the Albany Board of Education members have not yet figured out why there is an enormous "exodus" from the city school district to the charter schools that are cropping up and flourishing throughout the city.
House Bill Puts School Districts In Charge Of The Cyber Schools Evening Bulletin, Pennsylvania, January 30, 2008 School officials complain while the cyber charters receive the same annual stipend from the district per student enrolled as do the regular charter schools, they don't have the same bricks-and-mortar overhead costs the other charters do.
Grants Would Finance Private Schooling New York Times, January 29, 2008
President Bush's call for a $300 million program called Pell Grants for Kids is the latest effort by his administration to channel tax dollars to low-income parents to help them send their children to private or religious schools.
Pay to Study Findlay Courier, Ohio, January 29, 2008
The motive is motivation. Financial incentives have been tried in other locations, with varying degrees of success.
Not-So-Liberal Teachers Washington Post, D.C., January 28, 2008
Teachers, of course, are classic liberals, right? After all, consider the politics of teachers' unions, the trendiness of curricula and the generally left-leaning nature of academia. Well, maybe not.
Harmony Organizes Rally To Protest Closure Lawsuit Cincinnati Enquirer, Ohio, January 29, 2008
Ohio's attorney general wants to shut down Harmony Community School, one of Cincinnati's oldest and largest charter schools, but school leaders and parents say they'll fight to keep it open.
A Tough Choice For L.A. Teachers Los Angeles Times, California, January 29, 2008
As an urban high school teacher, I'm ceded the moral high ground in most encounters with people in more highly compensated fields; invariably, they tell me how much they admire what I do.
Teachers Abandon a Democrat Over School Choice New York Sun, January 29, 2008
Lawmakers in Albany were given a powerful reminder of the political danger of siding in favor of school choice measures when the state's largest teachers union yesterday endorsed the Republican candidate...
Study: Milwaukee Voucher Students Have Diploma Edge Education Week, January 28, 2008
Students who participate in Milwaukee's private-school-voucher program graduate from high school at significantly higher rates than those who attend regular secondary schools in the city, a new study contends.
Endorsement From Unions Offers Boost, but How Big? New York Times, January 27, 2008
As endorsements go, Hillary Rodham Clinton has hit a trifecta in New York, getting an edge before the Feb. 5 primary by winning the backing of the state’s three most powerful unions.
Successful Charter Schools Giving Families Reason To Stay In Cleveland Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio, January 28, 2008
After a rocky start, charter schools -- independent, tuition-free schools that are publicly funded but privately operated -- are taking root in Ohio neighborhoods.
New Route To Charter Status Sought Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia, January 27, 2008
The best hope of circumventing hostile school boards is passage of pending legislation, HB 881, that would set up a separate state body to pass judgment on charter school applications, said Tony Roberts, chief executive officer of the Georgia Charter Schools Association.
No Place For Ethics? Hudson Reporter, New Jersey, January 27, 2008
Last week, supporters of a proposed charter school for Jersey City with an "ethics"-based curriculum were dismayed over the state's rejection of their application.
Mr. Fenty's First Year Washington Post, D.C., January 26, 2008
Assuming responsibility for the public schools is the great accomplishment of Mr. Fenty's first year in office, but it remains his most formidable challenge and biggest political risk.
Proposal Could Restore School Vouchers, Lift Religion Spending Ban Sun Sentinel, Florida, January 25, 2008
An unconstitutional school voucher program could be restored and a ban on state aid to religious organizations and institutions could be at least partly lifted through a proposal introduced Friday.
Support Grows For Virtual Education The Reporter, Wisconsin, January 28, 2008
Domingo Alonzo said leaving public school in favor of a virtual education changed his life.
Class Warfare: Schools Compete For Kids East Valley Tribune, Arizona, January 28, 2008
About 5,000 fliers were mailed in Mesa, 4,500 DVDs distributed in Tempe and dozens of open houses were organized across the East Valley during the last few months — all in an effort to let families know it’s time to choose a kindergarten.
'Charter' Flight To Better Education Georgetown News-Graphic, Kentucky, January 27, 2008
I wonder if strident critics of school choice pay attention to the success of charter schools throughout the nation. If they do, I suspect they choose to ignore it or dismiss it as some kind of fad - a bad experiment gone good.
Forbes reaches out to 20 leaders from industry, public policy and education to offer their vision for putting American education and American students back on sound global footing.
Jeanne Allen, President, Center for Education Reform.
Bryan Baker, Thought Leader and Enterprise Consultant for Xerox Global Services
Educating Our Children: Jeanne Allen Commentary Forbes, January 24, 2008 How is the world's only superpower home to an education system that lacks the highly productive, competitive model that other uniquely American industries embrace?
Is School Choice Enough? City Journal, New York, January 24, 2008 City Journal's Winter 2008 issue, contributing editor Sol Stern wrote a piece, School Choice Isn't Enough, that ignited a firestorm of debate within the school-reform movement. Here, some of the nation's top education scholars discuss the story, and Stern responds.
Where They Stand On ... Education Chicago Tribune, Illinois, January 25, 2008 Hillary Clinton: Wants prekindergarten for all 4-year-olds...
Rating Teachers: Are Tests the Answer? New York Times, January 25, 2008 There is both good and bad in many decisions that are made for the "public good." The experiment by the New York City Department of Education in which teachers at 140 schools are rated based on standardized test scores is no exception.
Sparring Continues Over NCLB Legal Ruling Education Week, January 25, 2008 A court ruling that revived a major legal challenge to the No Child Left Behind Act is drawing sharply differing interpretations from Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and advocates for states and school districts.
Losing Patience With Bad Schools Cincinnati Enquirer, Ohio, January 25, 2008 How long should someone have to wait for a publicly funded charter school to raise unacceptably low student achievement?
State Is Shortsighted To Shortchange Schools Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia, January 25, 2008 The rumblings among state leadership over Gov. Sonny Perdue's proposed $141 million reduction in basic per-pupil funding suggest that elected officials are finally recognizing that they cannot continue to shortchange schools and expect academic excellence.
Georgians Want Fundamental Change in State's Charter School Law PR Newswire, January 24, 2008 A new study released today by the Georgia Charter Schools Association and My School My Choice Georgia, a new statewide grassroots charter school advocacy group, shows that a majority of Georgians are demanding fundamental change to state laws, creating more and better education opportunities for students and families.
2 High Schools Join LAUSD Reform Effort Los Angeles Times, California, January 25, 2008 Crenshaw High, south of Leimert Park, and Westchester High, on the Westside, will join the Innovation Division, a new reform initiative of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Panel OKs Access For Online, Charter School Students Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, January 25, 2008 The Senate Education Committee threw its support behind SB36, which would force public schools to allow charter and online school students to participate in extracurricular activities not offered at their schools.
Autistic Kids Find Safe Place to Learn Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, January 24, 2008 The North Salt Lake City school was created because a group of parents wanted to send their children to a school that could accommodate their special needs.
Wis. Lawmakers Announce Deal To Keep Virtual Schools Open Chippewa Herald, Wisconsin, January 24, 2008 Virtual schools would remain open under new regulations meant to ensure quality in a compromise announced by Wisconsin lawmakers on Thursday.
Campaign Drama, Classroom Lessons Education Week, January 23, 2008 The hoopla surrounding the New Hampshire presidential primaries earlier this month stirred some students at Timberlane High School to watch the candidates’ debates…
Mike Feinberg Forbes, January 23, 2008
In 1994, Dave Levin and I started KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) with 50 students in Houston after completing our two-year commitment to Teach for America.
Mold-Breaking Schools Can Reach Every Student Washington Post, D.C., January 24, 2008
I don't understand why you continue to ignore the high dropout rates of the high schools you highlight as "breaking the mold" ["High Schools That Break the Mold," Jan. 10].
Middle School Teachers Tout Single-Gender Classes Athens Banner-Herald, Georgia, January 24, 2008
Winder-Barrow Middle School students don't yet have standardized test scores to prove whether a pair of single-gender classes is helping them learn, but teachers, students and parents say the experiment is a success.
The Wake-Me-Up-When-Class-is-Over Governor National Review Online, January 24, 2008
Patrick's chief target is charter schools, which the unions oppose because charters offer parents an alternative to underperforming district schools.
Chicago Public Schools To Fire Hundreds At 8 Under-Performing Schools Chicago Tribune, Illinois, January 24, 2008
In a dramatic proposal to reform eight chronically under-performing schools, Chicago Public Schools could fire hundreds of teachers and their principals next fall, replacing them with better-trained or better-performing educators, school officials said.
School Helps Dropouts Stay On Path To Graduate San Diego Union Tribune, California, January 24, 2008
Each student crammed into the office suite on Bay Boulevard in Chula Vista ended up there because something went wrong.
Senate Should Meet Deadline And Fix Law Allowing Boys School New Journal, Delaware, January 24, 2008
Members are about to recess until mid-March, but still have important business to do. Among the chief concerns is passage of a bill that would amend Delaware's charter school law to allow single-sex schools.
Charter Schools Targeted Albany Times Union, New York, January 24, 2008
Predictably, charter school opponents, including Fred LeBrun, tried to make this out to be an ironic example of charter schools trying to escape accountability and oversight. They couldn't be more wrong.
Governors Face Political Hurdles in Seeking Power to Appoint Chiefs Education Week, January 22, 2008 Convinced of the connection between the quality of their schools and the future of their states - not to mention their own political reputations - some governors are seeking a bigger role in shaping education policy by grabbing for more control over their state schools chiefs.
School Choice Can Halt High Tide Of Mediocrity Los Angeles Daily News, California, January 22, 2008 Allowing parents to send their children to any traditional public school, regardless of where they live, raises school productivity by at least 28percent in terms of higher student achievement and more efficient spending.
Charter Schools and the Next President Washington Post, D.C., January 22, 2008 Many public school advocates think charters threaten to destroy regular public schools by luring away students, money and talent.
What's It Worth To Study? $8/Hour Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia, January 23, 2008 A privately funded trial run at 2 Fulton schools also will offer bonuses to students who improve their performance.
Warren County Schools Aim To Help Students Earn Decent Wages After Graduation NBC Augusta, South Carolina, January 22, 2008 The superintendent wants to expand the program, so the system is applying to become a charter school district. Charter districts are eligible for grants that would help expand the program.
The State of Education Los Angeles Times, California, January 23, 2008 This nuts-and-bolts approach to improving schools is largely what Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell proposed in his State of Education speech Tuesday.
Charter Gender Bill OK'd in House News Journal, Delaware, January 23, 2008 A bill changing Delaware's charter school law to allow single-gender schools was hammered out Tuesday in the state House, with legislators reaching a compromise to assure it provides equal protection and is not vulnerable to constitutional challenge.
State Says Virtual School Needs More Study Coos Bay World, Oregon, January 23, 2008 Concerns about transparency and use of public funds may further delay the North Bend School District's plan to establish a virtual school that would cater to students throughout Oregon.
Chester's Cap On Charter Schools Adjudged Illegal Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania, January 23, 2008 Commonwealth Court has struck down a charter-school enrollment cap in Delaware County's struggling Chester Upland School District...
Charter School Switches Districts Modesto Bee, California, January 23, 2008 University Charter School will be going into its 10th year this fall, but with a new family -- the Sylvan Union School District.
Parents Work To Save Closing Catholic Schools Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, New York, January 23, 2008 Some Catholic school supporters have called for the Rochester Roman Catholic Diocese to follow a national trend of converting doomed schools to "values-based" charter schools.
Who Should Play High School Sports? Deseret Morning News, Utah, January 23, 2008 Now a complex situation is being made even more complicated by the growth of home school, charter, private and virtual (on-line) schools.
Charter Schools Draining Catholic Enrollment The Bulletin, Pennsylvania, January 22, 2008 A parochial urban school system, already troubled with declining enrollment, has found the rapid proliferation of charter and cyber schools in the city is rapidly making the problem of emptying Catholic schools worse.
In today's Washington Post, Jay Mathews lauds Andrew J. Rotherham's 5 so-called win-win Deals charter schools and politicians can make to push charter school growth and achievement to the next level.
Deal #5 - let the unions into charter schools. Mathews explains, with jaw-dropping candor, why pols will want to jump on-board with this one: "a Democratic president or governor cannot get far without teacher union backing." In other words, Democratic candidates should throw charter schools under the unionization bus to gain teacher union endorsements. And, presumably, the charter movement should allow it in order to continue its move into the mainstream, or otherwise face increasing, ultimately debilitating, push-back from the unions - and the resulting abandonment from politicians.
It's an explicit acquiescence to, if not downright endorsement of, the political machine, and as such a great idea for unions and politicians. But where do the kids fit into this "fair trade" - except as a football for the political and financial aggrandizement of the 'power' players?
Says Rotherman, "teachers unions are the most powerful education interest group at the state and national level. In other words, for charter schools to expand substantially, either the political landscape will have to change a great deal, or they will have to make some accommodations with teachers union leaders."
Fortunately, the political landscape has already changed a great deal in support of school choice and accountability, and to turn back now to the 'safe haven' of unions' political protectionism would be folly indeed.
New York Measuring Teachers by Test Scores New York Times, January 21, 2008 New York City has embarked on an ambitious experiment, yet to be announced, in which some 2,500 teachers are being measured on how much their students improve on annual standardized tests.
Get the Feds Out of Our Schools! USA Daily, January 20, 2008 NCLB is one of those horrid monster federal programs that is always devoted to noble goals, spends tons of money, and achieves nothing of value.
Charter School Success: The Marine Corps of Public Education NewsByUs, Idaho, January 20, 2008 Charter schools also strike fear in the hearts of teacher unions and their politicians. Overall, charter schools have proved they can produce at least as good—but typically better—results than district schools.
Education Reform Requires Getting The Feds Out Ventura County Star, California, January 20, 2008 The district is sacrificing its local community identity to be more like "every other school," even when doing so means radically altering the apparent success it is achieving.
Top Issue For D.C. Schools? Parents. Washington Post, D.C., January 21, 2008 Seven in 10 D.C. residents believe the city's public schools are performing inadequately, with the lack of parental involvement still cited as the biggest problem facing the nearly 50,000-student system, a Washington Post poll has found.
Low Pay Forcing Missouri Teachers To Moonlight Bloomington Pantagraph, Missouri, January 19, 2008 Joel Chaky teaches social studies to middle and high school students Monday through Friday. On weekends, and some nights, he cooks at a restaurant.
Citing 'Abject Academic Failure,' Dann Sues Charter School Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, January 18, 2008 Attorney General Marc Dann today filed suit against Harmony Community School in Cincinnati, citing the charter school for "abject academic failure, gross financial mismanagement, ethical lapses, and what amounts to consumer fraud."
Take The Brakes Off The Charter Movement Boston Globe, Massachusetts, January 21, 2008 Charter public schools in Massachusetts have transformed urban education, not only giving poor and forgotten children a chance at a quality education and a bright future, but also prompting reforms in district schools.
We Must Take Lessons From Public And Charter Schools Buffalo News, New York, January 19, 2008 The last several weeks have been busy ones for those interested in the charter school movement here in Western New York.
The Pull Of Pop Culture Washington Times, D.C., January 18, 2008 We talk, we all talk, a lot about education. School choice, class size, testing and accountability, teacher pay...
Researchers' Assessment of NCLB Shows Need for Improvement Diverse, Virginia, January 17, 2008 With the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act looming on the horizon this year, the Civil Rights Project at UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies recently completed a collection of essays containing several critiques of the law as well as proscriptions for change.
Charter School Grooms College Grads Dos Mundos, Missouri, January 17, 2008 In its seven-year history, the (Boston) school has achieved impressive results with at-risk students: 99 percent of its first four graduating classes have been accepted to four-year colleges.
Making Things Add Up St. Louis Today, Missouri, January 18, 2008 It represents one teacher's homegrown effort to solve one classroom's deficiencies, with the hope of later helping to turn around an entire district.
A Promising Choice Worcester Telegram, Massachusetts, January 18, 2008 The state Board of Education has chosen well in selecting Mitchell D. Chester as Massachusetts' next education commissioner...
Virtual Schools Aren't 'Home Schooling' Tomah Journal, Wisconsin, January 17, 2008 Regarding your editorial, "Virtual schools questionable recipients of public dollars," there are a number of errors and misconceptions I would like to set straight.
Plans Stall For Same-Sex Charter School The News Journal, Delaware, January 17, 2008 Advocates of a middle school targeting at-risk boys proposed to open in Wilmington this fall had a setback today when legislation to allow single-gender charter schools stalled in committee.
Teachers' Union Opposes Charter School Lawsuit Politics on the Hudson, New York, January 17, 2008 New York State United Teachers wants to enter the fray over whether state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli should have the authority to perform so-called performance audits - anything that falls outside a financial audit - on charter schools.
Flint-Area Charter Schools Gaining In Popularity Flint Journal, Michigan, January 17, 2008 The International Academy of Flint doesn't have a sports team, but Lynn Barbee has been a cheerleader for the charter school ever since she enrolled her daughter, Lynise, there in the second grade.
"Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children." - Martin Luther King, I Have A Dream
Now is the time to put the improvement of schools over and above the protection of the system. Now is the time to give parents strong choices instead of weak platitudes. Now is the time to challenge all children to excel, rather than protect any teacher who doesn't.
What's Gotten Into Kids These Days? Wall Street Journal, January 17, 2008 In several studies released in the past month, researchers at Yale, Rutgers and Cornell universities, among others, are treating preschoolers' conduct as a challenge that calls for changes in school programs and classroom management.
School Choice Isn't Enough City Journal, New York, January 17, 2008 Yet social-change movements need to be attentive to the facts on the ground. Recent developments in both public and Catholic schools suggest that markets in education may not be a panacea - and that we should reexamine the direction of school reform.
Reforming Education Washington Times, D.C., January 17, 2008 Congressional Democrats may put an extension of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) on their legislative agenda for this year, but it seems more likely that nothing will happen before 2009 in order to keep options open for the incoming president.
As Parents Fight School Closings, D.C. Chancellor Says Input Matters Washington Post, D.C., January 17, 2008 D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee said yesterday that she intends to make "significant changes" in her school closure proposal, but she declined to say whether any of the 23 schools would come off the list, as numerous parents are demanding.
Charters Form Lobbying Group Concord Monitor, New Hampshire, January 17, 2008 Eight of the state's 10 currently open charter schools have formed an association with two goals.
Valley West Hopes To Limit Cyber School Funding Citizens Voice, Pennsylvania, January 17, 2008 The Wyoming Valley West School Board on Wednesday urged the community to contact their legislators in support of a bill that would shift the cost of cyber charter schools from local districts to the commonwealth.
Charter School Boom Hits District's Budget Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania, January 17, 2008 The Philadelphia School District is experiencing a boom in charter school enrollment - nearly a 50 percent larger increase in students than it had budgeted for - and a large chunk of them are in cyber charters, district officials said yesterday.
In recent Associated Press coverage of an appeals court ruling that blocked funding to Wisconsin Virtual Academy, Barbara Stein of the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union, "objected to the use of tax dollars to support what she called a new form of home schooling.
"'The issue is whether a program where you don't have licensed educators and where you don't have students working directly with other students should be getting fully funded as though it were a quality educational experience,' she said."
Lets turn the New-New Math penchant for trying to morph mathematical algorithms into literary exercises on its ear, and turn Ms. Stein's statement into an equation: licensed educators + working directly with other students = quality educational experience Don't think so. Maybe rigorous curriculum + accountability = quality education.
Critics of virtual schools denounce them as "little more than home schooling at taxpayer expense." Gee, what do you know - it's that old "they're draining our resources" chestnut, as if taxpayers are simply supposed to fork over their hard-earned bucks for the edification of tax-spenders, regardless of results. Guess what, folks, what we taxpayers are forking over our cold, hard cash for is the proper education of our (collective) children. If you can't deliver that, get out of the way for those who can. Because can there be any bigger drain on - or abuse of - taxpayer dollars than an undereducated child?
Two interesting commentaries in today's Morning Shots – one an editorial in a Colorado paper on a charter proposal that lost on appeal to the State Board of Education, and the other from Tom Needles, who served as then-Gov. George Voinovich's education adviser at the time Ohio's charter and voucher laws were put in place during the 1990s.
The Colorado editorial, harkening to some imagined "why can't we all just get along" détente among Democratic presidential candidates (that's your first clue), chastises the charter parents' vow to "continue their effort to create an alternative to the local public schools. This is unfortunate. Their efforts would be better placed working within the school system to implement some [of] the laudable educational features they desire."
Although the charter proposal in Colorado would have served a small rural community (the editorial offers the argument: "In a small town such as Ridgway, there simply does not exist a scale of economy to support duplicating educational facilities"), and Mr. Needles' comments regard the 86,000 mostly urban schoolchildren who are exercising choice in Ohio through charters and vouchers, his points get at the real reason why parents continue to fight for educational choices to address districts' shortfalls, even in self-proclaimed "good" districts.
"Critics of school choice either don't understand or are too caught up in their tired arguments to see that at its most fundamental level, school choice became a moral issue.... We understood the simple concept that competition within any industry, including education, is absolutely necessary to guarantee results.... I wish [the education bureaucracy] would stop blaming kids and their families, rather than themselves, for failure.... Here's an idea for all those public school leaders who continue to fight so hard to preserve one of the last monopolies left in America: Join with us to compete so that all ... schools, both public and private, continue to improve."
Because while districts might claim to embrace the goal of providing "the best education possible for our youth," families shouldn't have to wait around, begging at the school house door to be heard, while deaf bureaucrats fail, year after year, to deliver on that goal.
Dropout Solutions That Work Washington Post, D.C., January 15, 2008 Belfield and Levin are among the best of the economists who are doing some of the most promising research on how to fix schools.
Evidence for Moving to K-8 Model Not Airtight Education Week, January 15, 2008 Since the late 1990s, districts in a growing number of cities, including Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and New York, have taken steps to move middle-grades students back into elementary schools.
School Choice Success Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio, January 16, 2008 On Dec. 16, the Akron Beacon Journal published an article headlined ''Charter school challenge'' that quoted opponents ....
Same Goals, If Only Owl Creek Parents Would Consider Working In District Ouray News.com, Colorado, January 16, 2008 In the case of Ridgway, the existing school establishment and the well-meaning supporters of the failed charter school bid would ideally acknowledge that they both strive for the same goal - the best education possible for our youth.
An 'A' Can Be Achieved Herald Bulletin, Indiana, January 15, 2008 The report, by Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, put Indiana in the top 10 nationwide.
Seattle Teachers Fighting Back Against Privatization Socialist Worker Online, Illinois, January 16, 2008 New Seattle Public Schools superintendent, Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson, in her effort to centralize and standardize the Seattle Public School District has hired the New York-based consulting firm McKinsey & Co.--a corporation with a track record of supporting school privatization.
Anti-Charter Bullet Dodged By Enterprise Buffalo News, New York, January 16, 2008 Buffalo's School Board came to its senses Monday. Deflecting pressure from the state Education Department, it asked the state Board of Regents to delay a scheduled vote Tuesday that could have ended the life of the city's most innovative school.
Wisconsin at Center of National Debate Over Virtual Schools WTMJ-TV, Wisconsin, January 15, 2008 Seventh grader Marcy Thompson is caught in the middle of a national policy debate that could close her school and help determine the future of online education.
The Hurricane Messed a Lot of Us Up Education Week, January 15, 2008 At O. Perry Walker Senior High School, a charter school on New Orleans' West Bank, Principal Mary Laurie has assigned "behavior interventionists" to every grade level to handle a range of challenges brought on by the hurricane...
We Must Not Allow This To Continue Kingman Daily Miner, Arizona, January 14, 2008 As Bush enters the final year of his second term in office and is in a "lame duck" position, one has to wonder what lies ahead for NCLB.
Preschool for All? Washington Post, D.C., January 15, 2008 The District ranks second in the nation in the percentage of 3- and 4-year-olds attending preschool programs that receive government support, but the programs vary widely in quality.
Perceptions vs. Performance Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Indiana, January 15, 2008 In the finger-pointing climate of Indiana’s property-tax debate, local schools end up as Exhibit A among tax-dollar drains.
Study Says Charter Schools Fare Better Than Public In 5 Districts Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio, January 14, 2008 Charter schools exceeded state expectations at a greater rate than traditional schools in five of the state's eight largest districts, a group that promotes charter schools said Monday.
Union Chief Blasts Charter Proposal Standard Speaker, Pennsylvania, January 15, 2008 John Busher would rather see a second high school built in the Hazleton Area School District before seeing the doors open at Valley Academy Charter School.
Re-think Certification Bonuses Charleston Post Courier, South Carolina, January 15, 2008 The governor said merit pay should reflect student achievement, and cited the James Island Charter High School as an example where bonuses have been rewarded for results.
Forum to let public quiz candidates NewsOK.com, Oklahoma, January 15, 2008 The four candidates for seats on the Oklahoma City School Board will have their first chance to interact together with the public at a forum tonight hosted by Harding Charter Preparatory High School.
Alternatives for the Alternative Louisiana Weekly, January 14, 2008 If there is a "charter experiment," then its primary research question should be, how can local schools create an inclusive environment that is both educationally rich and transformative? In other words, find ways to educate the special needs kids you receive?
Teachers Divided National Review, January 11, 2008 While the National Education Association hasn't yet endorsed a candidate, its New Hampshire affiliate came out for Clinton (and Huckabee on the Republican side).
Improve No Child Left Behind Charleston Post and Courier, South Carolina, January 11, 2008 The No Child Left Behind Act, at its best, helps raise academic performance at long-struggling schools through effective accountability measures.
All-Girls Charter School Wins State's Support Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia, January 11, 2008 Gwnnett County's first free, single-sex school will open this summer after winning crucial state support. On Thursday, Georgia Board of Education members unanimously approved Ivy Preparatory Academy, a planned girls-only public charter school.
Merit Pay Bypasses Area Teachers Orlando Sentinel, Florida, January 11, 2008 Only a handful of Central Florida teachers, and just a fraction of those in the state, may be eligible for the performance-based bonuses that would average about $2,000.
Teachers' Union Is Leery of Effort to Limit Taxes New York Times, January 11, 2008 Gov. Eliot Spitzer's plan to contain the rising property taxes that support New York's schools could mean a confrontation with the state's largest teachers' union, whose president said on Thursday he was wary of a new commission leading the effort.
Cuts Could Scuttle Reforms For L.A. Unified Los Angeles Times, California, January 11, 2008 The district might have to trim $36 million now and $500 million next year. It's unacceptable, board president says.
Report: What Counts In Improving Schools? Charlotte Observer, North Carolina, January 11, 2008 A reader e-mailed, suggesting the Observer share the results of the latest Quality Counts report, an annual nationwide assessment of education quality done for Education Week magazine by the nonprofit Editorial Projects in Education Research Center in Bethesda, Md.
Give Folks a Choice of Schools Alameda Sun, California, January 11, 2008 Within the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD), everyone agrees that students have a right to choose their school; yet a clique seems unwilling to provide substantive choices. It's equivalent to a free press with no paper to print on.
Schools Starting To Resemble HMO Amherst Bulletin, Massachusetts, January 11, 2008 In the past five years, administrators have been gradually changing the structure of our school system to resemble an HMO. Money and resources are being diverted from students and teachers, and allocated toward a powerful central office.
Bill Would Allow Boys Charter School CBS 3, Pennsylvania, January 11, 2008 Saying some students learn better in same-sex classrooms, (DE) State Representative Debbie Hudson plans to introduce a bill allowing same-gender charter schools.
Mission Creep Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Michigan, January 11, 2008 This week, the state Board of Education discussed expanding the role of the Michigan Department of Education to allow it further regulatory authority over charter school authorizers.
State Gets Tough On Charter Schools News and Observer, North Carolina, January 11, 2008 Even as they consider raising the cap on charter schools in North Carolina, state education officials have started a crackdown on existing charters they say are failing students in Wake and Durham counties.
Sparring Over Online Schools Wisconsin State Journal, January 10, 2008 Key Republican and Democratic leaders launched competing efforts on Thursday to rewrite Wisconsin 's laws for online schools, just weeks before families begin filling out applications to transfer from their traditional home school districts.
Charter Schools Feeling Growing Pains, Backlash TC Palm, Florida, January 10, 2008
Florida is scratching a 12-year itch over charter schools. Having grown to 397 schools enrolling 96,000 students, charter campuses pose evermore competition to conventional public schools.
Push on for Better Teacher-Evaluation Systems Education Week, January 9, 2008
Unless schools find better ways of evaluating the performance of teachers, the campaign in recent years to raise teacher quality is in danger of stalling, a panel of experts said here yesterday.
High Schools That Break the Mold Washington Post, D.C., January 10, 2008
I think these schools deserve a special look because their success is so at odds with the low expectations people might have for them.
Lawmakers To Focus On Tightening Teacher Ethics Laws D.C. Examiner, January 10, 2008
Putting parents and police on a panel that disciplines teachers and penalizing school officials who fail to report misconduct are among recommendations in a teacher ethics report embraced by a (Florida) Senate committee Wednesday.
Graduates Receive A Fresh Start Miami Herald, Florida, January 10, 2008
The School for Integrated Academics and Technologies Charter School gave a fresh start -- and a high school diploma -- last month to more than 80 young people enrolled at the Homestead and Miami Job Corps.
Tax Debate Could Be Affecting Perceptions Of School Performance Herald Bulletin, Indiana, January 9, 2008
The annual telephone survey conducted by Indiana University’s Center for Evaluation and Education Policy also found that charter schools remain a mystery to most Hoosiers and consolidation of small districts is not something people want in their own communities.
Raise The Cap, But ... Charlotte Observer, North Carolina, January 10, 2008
When the 1996 General Assembly approved the creation of charter schools to provide another form of public schools, it cautiously capped the number of schools at 100.
Charter Schools To Sue Comptroller New York Sun, January 10, 2008
Thirteen city charter schools are suing the state comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, pushing back against what appears to be a campaign by Mr. DiNapoli against the city Education Department.
Chicago's Mixed Record On School Reform Christian Science Monitor, January 9, 2008 In many ways, Chicago – a city that embraced accountability, standards-based reforms, and consequences for failing schools even before the 2001 law mandated them – is a perfect place to examine how such reforms are playing out.
Grading Schools Education Week, January 8, 2008 Let's talk about grading schools and about when it is appropriate to close schools. It seems that the accountability idea has become the overriding passion in American education:
Stingy With School Aid Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia, January 9, 2008 That was back in 2004. Today, Georgia schools are still funded at a basic level, and maybe not even that. And it's still not good enough. And the governor and other state officials have done nothing to change it.
Bill on School Firings Passes Washington Post, D.C., January 9, 2008 Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee won the authority to terminate nonunion employees without cause. Additional emergency legislation allows her to take action immediately.
Debate Over Evolution, Intelligent Design Gets Passionate D.C Examiner, January 9, 2008 Kelli McCormack decided to homeschool her two daughters because she didn't want them being taught "medieval superstitions" and "religious doctrine" in their science classes, especially when it came to evolution.
Seattle School Parents Pressured To Pay Seattle Times, Washington, January 9, 2008 But, our state's piecemeal approach to education funding has proved ineffective. Seven years later, class sizes in Seattle remain high.
Future of Appleton’s K-8 Virtual School In Question Appleton Post-Crescent, Wisconsin, January 8, 2008 Nearly $2.3 million in state funding to operate Wisconsin Connections Academy, Appleton’s K-8 virtual school, could be in jeopardy as a result of a state appellate court ruling in December.
Happy New Year and welcome back Edspresso readers!
Campaigning for accountability (Chicago Tribune) while school districts continue to fight it (New York Times), BLOB reduction slated for D.C. (Washington Times), search for new state schools chief heats up in the Bay State (Boston Herald) and more holiday hits in today’s Morning Shots.
Tools For School Reform Washington Post, D.C, January 8, 2008 The D.C. Council is poised to adopt an historic education measure that will catapult this city onto the national education scene.
Bush Touts School Reform Law Chicago Tribune, Illinois, January 8, 2008 President Bush came to Chicago on Monday to promote No Child Left Behind and lay the groundwork for renewal of his signature domestic initiative—a once-popular education reform that's quickly losing its luster.
Court Revives Lawsuit Against No Child Left Behind Law New York Times, January 8, 2008 A federal appeals court on Monday revived a legal challenge to the federal No Child Left Behind education law, saying that school districts have been justified in complaining that the law required them to pay for testing and other programs without providing sufficient federal money.
New Jersey Revamps State Aid to Schools New York Times, January 8, 2008 After a tense three-hour stalemate, legislators handed Gov. Jon S. Corzine a dramatic political victory on Monday night when they approved his $7.8 billion plan to revamp New Jersey's formula of financing the state's public schools.
Reports Detail Voucher Spending Deseret Morning News, Utah, January 7, 2008 The nearly nine-month battle between public school advocates and voucher proponents over the controversial school voucher program had a price tag of around $8.4 million, according to campaign reports released today.
Education Commissioner Finalists Slam 'Status Quo' Boston Herald, Massachusetts, January 8, 2008 MCAS tests, charter schools, and achievement gaps were among the topics the three finalists were quizzed about during their interviews with the state Board of Education, which plans to vote on Jan. 17.
Excellence Charter School - A Model for Academic Achievement Huffington Post, January 7, 2008 In New York, one of a number of schools addressing that lack of preparation is the Excellence Charter School of Bedford-Stuyvesant, which serves minority students from low-income families who live in some of Brooklyn's most economically depressed neighborhoods.
Teams Will Visit Failing Schools To Help Tailor Restructuring Plan Washington Post, D.C., January 6, 2008 D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee is sending evaluation teams into 27 of the city's lowest-performing schools, a fact-gathering effort aimed at helping her decide how to improve schools that for years have failed to meet reading and math testing benchmarks.
Charter Supporters Want Law Changed Wyoming Tribune, January 4, 2008 In Wyoming, local school boards decide if charter schools can get off the ground.
Groups Spend Big To Push Agendas Winston-Salem Journal, North Carolina, January 3, 2008 The American Federation of Teachers reported spending almost $800,000 last month on mailings and radio advertisements in Iowa and New Hampshire in support of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid.
No Child Law Priorities New York Times, December 28, 2007 It would be a travesty for the most vulnerable of our children to be denied the current and future benefits of No Child Left Behind.
Schoolhouse Rock Wall Street Journal, December 22, 2007 This week, the city council gave preliminary approval to Chancellor Rhee's request for authority to fire nonunion employees in the central office.
Genuine Reform Can't Be Comfy Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia, December 24, 2007 Talk about public education reform is like a cheap dress. Adding lace around the hem and pressing with starch won't turn it into couture. Likewise, gussying up public education won't make Mary and Johnny learn. Real change will.
Voucher Program Gets Parental OK D.C. Examiner, D.C., December 22, 2007 Parents of D.C. students in the school-choice voucher program are generally satisfied with the voucher system yet increasingly on the prowl for more information about the private schools ...
