Your daily addiction for breaking news, commentary and debate on education reform
February 29, 2008
February 29, 2008
Study Finds Disparity in Civics Classes New York Times, NY, February 29, 2008
Among other things, their analysis determined that students in wealthier districts were twice as likely to study how laws are made, and about as likely to participate in school-sanctioned community service activities.
Teacher-Pay Model Not Seen as Promising at Secondary Level Education Week, MD, February 28, 2008
A leading model for professionalizing teaching and changing the way teachers are paid shows mixed capacity for raising student test scores...
Anti-Teacher Charges Untrue, Don't Help Rocky Mountain News, CO, February 29, 2008
We understand Moloney's frustration, but find that blaming the Denver Classroom Teachers Association specifically and teachers unions in general, as the major impediments to school reform, is counterproductive and simply not true.
Thinking Right: Tax Swaps; Dumb Fixes; Drought Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, February 29, 2008
One area where Republicans under the Gold Dome promise to make important strides is education.
Virtual Schools Work For Some Families New Richmond News, WI, February 29, 2008
We, as a family, had high expectations the politicians on this day would act like adults and come together on a compromise promoting this highly effective form of education.
School Spotlight: The Gary And Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High San Diego Union Tribune, CA, February 28, 2008
In 2000, High Tech High school opened its doors as a single charter school, the genesis of a coalition of San Diego business leaders and educators.
Fighting Words in Education Crowds New York Sun, NY, February 28, 2008
Seventy years from now, ambivalence over the extension of the public school day will look similar. Despite Knowledge is Power Program and charter schools working wonders with the longer school day...
Council Concerned Office Turning Into Bureaucracy D.C. Examiner, D.C., February 28, 2008
D.C. Council members Wednesday expressed concerns about the quadrupling in staff and ballooning budget of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education as they grilled office head Deborah Gist.
School Board Should Rethink Charter Issue The Coloradoan, CO, February 28, 2008
"Let sleeping dogs lie," or perhaps "stop beating a dead horse." Those old sayings could well apply to the Poudre School District Board of Education's split decision Tuesday to apply for exclusive chartering authority from the state.
Florida Trailblazing Success In K-12 Reform TC Palm, FL, February 28, 2008
Startling statistics show that with abundant school choice and systemic education reform, Florida's Hispanic students already eclipse the average academic performance of many states.
Bill To Ease Career Switch To Teaching Passes In Senate St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, February 28, 2008
The Missouri Senate gave final approval to a bill that would make it easier for people to switch jobs to become teachers, after hours of debate Wednesday evening.
House Panel OKs Teacher Merit Pay Pilot Program Journal Record, OK, February 28, 2008
A Republican-backed merit pay plan for teachers won approval Wednesday in a state House committee, but the proposal came under attack from Democrats...
Charter Fuel Willamette Week, OR, February 27, 2008
Unionized teachers in Portland have questions for Jeff Merkley, a candidate in the May Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, after WWire reported on Monday the powerful state lawmaker considered sending his son to a charter school in 2004.
School Choice Isn't Enough Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2008
I believed then (as I still believe) that giving tuition vouchers to poor inner-city students stuck in lousy public schools was a civil rights imperative.
Survey Finds Teenagers Ignorant on Basic History and Literature Questions New York Times, NY, February 27, 2008
The survey results, released on Tuesday, demonstrate that a significant proportion of teenagers live in "stunning ignorance" of history and literature, said the group that commissioned it, Common Core.
First Things First Rocky Mountain News, CO, February 27, 2008
Expecting graduates to show basic competence in English should not be too much to ask of Colorado's K-12 schools, though clearly some in the educational establishment believe it is.
Bill Would Provide For School Transfers Albany Herald, GA, February 27, 2008
Children in public schools or school systems that lose their accreditation would be allowed to transfer out under legislation approved by a Senate committee Tuesday.
Ohio Voters Make Education A Main Focus For Democratic Candidates WKYC-TV, OH, February 26, 2008
Cleveland has been at the center of education reform from school vouchers and charter schools to the Cleveland School District and its new uniform policy or single gender academies.
LAUSD's Leadership Problem Los Angeles Times, CA, February 27, 2008
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has lined up an impressive team of experts for his education initiative. At the Los Angeles Unified School District, in contrast, key positions on the senior management team remain unfilled nearly a year and a half after David L. Brewer was named superintendent.
Virtual Schools Concept Will Be Difficult To Slow Superior Telegram, MN, February 26, 2008
The virtual school concept, which provides instruction via the Internet, is off to a rough start in Wisconsin, in part because it's opposed by a special interest.
Mixed Results For Milwaukee Voucher Plan New York Sun, NY, February 26, 2008
The Milwaukee, Wis., private school voucher program, the nation's largest, is saving the state's taxpayers $25 million a year in school costs, but it is pushing property taxes higher for that city's residents, a new study of the program released yesterday concludes.
Outside Help for Schools Possible Washington Post, D.C., February 26, 2008
D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee are seeking educational management firms or universities to possibly run some or all 27 schools whose students chronically perform poorly.
PSD Board To Weigh Applying Again For Chartering Authority The Coloradoan, CO, February 26, 2008
Exclusive chartering authority grants districts the ability to be the sole decision makers on whether a charter school can exist in district boundaries.
Giving Teachers Incentives Hartford Courant, CT, February 26, 2008
In a first, teachers in Hartford now have the chance to earn more if their students are learning more. This won't save the city's schools, but it's one more essential tool we need to try to help more children succeed.
State Panel Turns Down School Voucher Proposal St. Petersburg Times, FL, February 26, 2008
A proposal designed to restore an unconstitutional school voucher program was rejected Monday by a state panel, but a plan that would lift a constitutional ban on state aid to religious schools got early approval.
Ga. School System to Go Single-Sex New York Times, NY, February 25, 2008
Nearly four decades after this rural Georgia county stopped segregating its schools by race, it wants to divide students again - this time by sex.
Ten Tips for Picking a Good School Washington Post, D.C., February 25, 2008
This is the time of year many parents seek advice on how to find a good elementary, middle or high school, public or private, for their children.
Obama and Vouchers New York Sun, NY, February 25, 2008
No sooner had we issued Elizabeth Green's dispatch under the headline "Obama Open to Private School Vouchers" than his campaign was scrambling to undo the potential damage with the Democratic primary electorate.
Reports' Assessments Of City Schools Differ Yale Daily News, CT, February 25, 2008
Tensions between City Hall and Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now escalated last week as two independent companies released contradictory reports on the quality of New Haven's education system.
A Different Kind Of Home Schooling Los Angeles Times, CA, February 25, 2008
Every year thousands of kindergarten- age children of immigrants like Ocario Gonzalez arrive at schools across Southern California unprepared.
Let Detroit's Graduation Facade Fall Detroit News, MI, February 25, 2008
Several years ago, an assistant principal confided to me that her Detroit public high school's graduation rate was barely 20 percent. She shook her head with worry, grappling with what to do.
It's Your Choice, Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, February 24, 2008
In fact, hundreds of published scientific studies on the voucher system in Milwaukee (the nation's oldest, launched 18 years ago) and other citywide programs in Cleveland and Washington, D.C., reveal many facts about them.
Snail's Pace: School Competition Needs A Push The Oklahoman, OK, February 24, 2008
Coffee's comment came as he explained why it may take beyond the current legislative session to successfully broaden the state's charter school law and allow federally recognized American Indian tribes to sponsor schools.
Education Fat Cats Cough Hairballs Georgetown News Graphic, KY, February 24, 2008
Bills filed in the legislature this week signal unsettling days ahead for "edu-crats" who have an ingrained, all-consuming passion for preserving, protecting and defending the status quo.
Management Philosophy Applied To Schools Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, February 23, 2008
The basic idea is that organizations and individuals should set goals, follow a plan to reach those goals, examine the results and come up with strategies for what they will do better the next time.
In a recent editorial board meeting with the Milwaukee Journal, Democratic Presidential frontrunner Barack Obama reiterated his support of charter schools but offered skepticism over the value of school vouchers - but "if [vouchers work], whatever my preconception, you do what's best for kids." Vouchers do work, as Dan Lips points out. Ultimately, Obama concludes, "I will not allow my predispositions to stand in the way of making sure that our kids can learn. We're losing several generations of kids and something has to be done."
Whitney Tilson offers coverage of the back-peddling follow-up response from Obama's campaign (as well as links to the video and transcript of the Journal's original interview with Obama). Even the United Federation of Teachers, although it's thrown its hat in the ring for Hillary, is trying to recant Obama's words by proxy, even as they denounce his support of merit pay. But based on editorials in the New York Sun and Washington Postthis past weekend, they won't be unringing that bell any time soon.
Hawaii Education Law Earns D Grade Hawaii Reporter, HI, February 21, 2008 Hawaii's charter school law earned a D grade and ranks 35th out of the 41 laws across the country, according to an annual analysis of state charter school laws issued by the Washington D.C.-based Center for Education Reform (CER).
Ed Secretary Says Nontraditional Methods Can Help Fill Teacher Vacancies St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, February 22, 2008 Filling teacher vacancies will require using nontraditional methods, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings told members of the Missouri State Board of Education on Thursday.
Class-Size Reduction of Limited Value on Achievement Gap, Study Finds Education Week, February 21, 2008 But while shrinking the number of students in a class can lead to higher test scores overall, it might not necessarily reduce the achievement gaps that exist between students in a given classroom, a new study suggests.
School-Freedom Bill Gains Support Denver Post, CO, February 22, 2008 A panel of Colorado lawmakers Thursday unanimously backed what is perhaps the most-watched education legislation of the year, a bill that would let clusters of schools break from district rules and state law to form "innovation zones."
Mayor To Charters: Relax, 'You're Safe' Indianapolis Star, IN, February 22, 2008 Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard on Thursday voiced his strongest support yet for the charter school system advanced by his predecessor.
Funding Equity For Charters Charleston Post Courier, SC, February 22, 2008 Charter schools have become an important component of public education in South Carolina, but getting a charter under way can be daunting, in part, because of funding inequities.
A Charter Lifeline: Education Committee Throws A Rope The Union Leader, NH, February 22, 2008 Thanks in part to persuasive arguments from parents who have children in the state's 10 charter schools, the House Education Committee voted 12-2 on Wednesday to give charters more money to keep them from closing.
State Officials Ponder Charter Schools' Future Las Vegas Review - Journal, NV, February 22, 2008 As legislators examine ways to cope with the state's 22 charter schools and facilitate the opening of new ones, they may consider creating a new entity to oversee what essentially has become Nevada's 18th system of public schools.
More Time for Math and Reading Equals Less for Other Subjects, Study Finds Education Week, February 20, 2008
Most of the nation's elementary schools have added at least 75 minutes of instruction time in reading and mathematics each week - and often twice that amount - in the five years since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, but many did so...
Charter Students Outperform Their DCPS Peers D.C. Examiner, February 21, 2008
Re: "Study gives D.C. charter system poor marks for at-risk students," Feb. 14. I was disappointed and disheartened by this story, which did a disservice to Examiner readers.
Smart Options Columbus Dispatch, OH, February 21, 2008
Skipping some of high school to take college courses isn't for every teenager, and Gov. Ted Strickland's proposed Seniors to Sophomores initiative won't change that. But for those who are ready, the program could provide a higher-ed head start, as well as a golden financial opportunity.
Lawmaker Wants To Limit Charter Schools Expansion MyFox Saint Louis, MO, February 20, 2008
Efforts to expand the number of charter schools in St. Louis city could hit a brick wall this summer. A local lawmaker wants to limit the expansion.
Charter Schools Eye State Funds Portsmouth Herald News, NH, February 21, 2008
The state's free-standing public charter schools cleared a big hurdle Wednesday in their fight for enough state funding to stay in business come fall.
Save Charter Schools Concord Monitor, NH, February 21, 2008
All children in this state deserve an appropriate education within the public school system.
Education Reform Attacked Louisville Courier-Journal, KY, February 21, 2008
It has been state Senate Majority Leader Dan Kelly's long-term mission to sabotage the nationally praised education reform program that emerged from the 1990 General Assembly and remains one of the state legislature's historic achievements.
When 'Unequal' Is Fair Treatment Education Week, February 20, 2008
By dividing the Montgomery County, Md., district into two zones, and addressing needs in both, its leaders are conquering achievement gaps.
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February 20, 2008
February 20, 2008
Grading Neighborhood Schools Wall Street Journal, February 20, 2008
Education - an issue that affects everyone in some way or another - is an ideal candidate for discussions on the Web.
McCain Emphasizes School Choice, Accountability, But Lacks Specifics Education Week, February 19, 2008
Buried deep within the campaign Web site of Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican explains the principles that define his K-12 agenda: choice, accountability, and teacher quality.
Charter School Laws Education Week, February 19, 2008
The ways in which most think tanks and researchers rank charter school laws are flawed, and charter school ranking systems should be designed to evaluate how well schools measure up to the original mission of the movement...
Union Is Yesterday Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, February 20, 2008
Free our teachers from the union. Introduce them to the Association of American Educators - an alternative, nonunion organization that gives them benefits without burden.
Teaching to the Test in Massachusetts Washington Post, D.C., February 20, 2008
E.D. Hirsch Jr. should check his facts before embracing the hype surrounding Massachusetts' high-stakes testing scheme ["The Knowledge Connection," op-ed, Feb. 16].
Democrats Seek Enrollment Cap, Study Of Wis. Virtual Schools Winona Daily News, MN, February 20, 2008
A bipartisan deal to allow online charter schools to remain open fell apart Tuesday after the governor hinted he would veto the measure without last-minute changes, including an enrollment cap.
Concord's Silence On Charter Schools Speaks Volumes The Union Leader, NH, February 20, 2008
Five years ago, the state began an experiment with public charter schools. With a dozen schools authorized and close to 500 students, the experiment has been a resounding success. But the recent education funding report is oddly silent about charter schools.
Airing Of Charter Tensions Set Las Vegas Sun, NV, February 20, 2008
Nevada parents want the option of sending their children to charter schools.
State and local education officials say they won't approve charter schools unless they can ensure the schools meet standards.
Despite the good work of curriculum watchdogs like NYC HOLD and Mathematically Correct, and the vigilance of concerned parents (see the front page of today's Washington Post), questionable math instructional methods continue to seep into the classroom. Parents watch in dismay as foundational concepts like the times tables are dismissed as "short cuts" in favor of the new-new math "method mix." In one suburb, families who relocated in part based on the local schools' solid reputation are dismayed to find that the wishy-washy curriculum they thought they'd left behind has been selected for adoption next year by their neighborhood Blue Ribbon school. But they're digging in to fight for what's right. For more on the pedagogical battle, check out Barry Garelick on the topic.
Discouraging week: I grudgingly agreed to help my fifth grader finish his "All about me" photo presentation before the bus came this morning (what ever happened to book reports?), while the biggest consensus among candidates in our School Board primary on Tuesday was to "go green" by getting rid of Styrofoam lunch trays. As the siren song of home schooling haunts my subconscious, I raise my morning cup o’ joe to Tony Woodlief for his ditty on "Intelligence Designer" Howard Gardner in today’s Wall Street Journal.
On Charter Schools, State's Ranking Is OK News OK, Oklahoma, February 15, 2008
Oklahoma's charter school law - caught in a tug-of-war to either be expanded or overturned in court - fell in the middle of a ranking this week assessing the strength of charter school laws nationwide.
Group Says Poll Shows Wyoming Residents Want More Charter Schools KPAX-TV, Montana, February 14, 2008
Most people in Wyoming would favor changing state law to make it easier to create more charter schools, according to a poll commissioned by charter school advocacy groups.
Intelligence Designer Wall Street Journal, February 15, 2008
MI theory was for parents, meanwhile, a blessing and a curse. The blessing was that even children who scored poorly on traditional IQ tests might be gifted in other areas of intelligence.
Catholic School Closures, Vouchers Are In National Spotlight The Tidings, California, February 15, 2008
When President George W. Bush gave his State of the Union address Jan. 28, he briefly mentioned something Catholics know all too well: Their inner-city schools are closing.
Varying Degrees of Flexibility Found in Teacher Contracts Education Week, February 14, 2008
Just five of the teacher contracts in the nation's largest school districts grant school leaders the kind of flexibility they need to run schools well.
Changes Atop Ohio's K-12 Education Bureaucracy Probably Wouldn't Hurt Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio, February 15, 2008
But if all of Ohio's education decisions were left to this governor, parents might find they have new concerns. In an effort to appease supporters in organized labor, Strickland has adopted inflexible and wrongheaded positions on charter schools and school vouchers.
Lawmaker Wants Failing Schools To Pay Kids To Attend Other Schools WRDW-TV, Georgia, February 14, 2008
School choice may be getting a boost from the legislature. State Senator Eric Johnson of Savannah wants to force failing public schools to provide scholarships and vouchers so students can pick another school if they want to.
Greene County Going Entirely To Single-Sex Public Schools Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia, February 14, 2008
Students in all of Greene County's (GA) regular public schools will be separated by gender starting next fall, a move educators hope will improve rock-bottom test scores and reduce teen pregnancy and discipline rates in the small, rural system.
Senate To Take Up Virtual Schools Compromise Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, February 14, 2008
The state Senate will vote next week on a compromise proposal to preserve the state's virtual charter schools.
Equity In Charter Schools Los Angeles Daily News, California, February 14, 2008
Kicking and screaming all the way, the Los Angeles Unified School District has finally agreed to face up to the future of education in L.A. - charter schools.
Disappearing Students Los Angeles Times, California, February 14, 2008
L.A. Unified students perform well in elementary school; so why is the district’s dropout rate so high? Should we be concerned about a high dropout rate, or does attrition of unmotivated students help motivated students? David Tokofsky and Lisa Snell debate.
Larger Share of Students Succeed on A.P. Tests New York Times, February 14, 2008
A higher percentage of students in public high schools are taking and passing Advanced Placement exams, according to a report issued Wednesday by the College Board. The gap between the performance of black and white students, however, remains large.
The Voucher Band-Aid New York Sun, February 14, 2008
U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings says school vouchers are "an idea whose time has come."
Better Planning for Education Harvard Crimson, Massachusetts, February 14, 2008
…NCLB should put more pressure on the states to spend time and resources on innovative ways to improve failing schools.
The New Business of Education - Charter Schools Nightly Business Report, Florida, February 13, 2008
The Federal No Child Left Behind Act has radically changed the education industry, boosting standardized testing and funding for charter schools.
Choice Not Hurting Schools' Funding, Study Says Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, February 14, 2008
Critics of Ohio's tax-funded school-choice programs have long argued that charter schools and tuition vouchers drain much-needed resources from traditional public schools.
Bills Would Provide Aid For Disabled Students To Switch Schools Joplin Globe, Missouri, February 14, 2008
Harper, Kaminsky and other parents of developmentally disabled children pleaded with lawmakers Wednesday to approve a voucher or tax credit program that would let them send their children to the public or private school of their choice.
Bill Gives Kids Option To Leave Failing Schools Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia, February 13, 2008
A powerful group of state senators has introduced legislation to give state-funded scholarships to children in failing public schools so that they could attend private schools.
So Is That Like an A? New York Times, February 14, 2008
These examples come from a new report card, introduced last November in all of Hartford's elementary schools. It measures 58 academic, social and behavioral skills and, including other information, can run as long as seven pages.
What's New in New Orleans Washington Post, D.C., February 14, 2008
Those efforts followed the Katrina catastrophe, as did the replacement of half of the city's public schools with charter schools.
Time to Put the Candidates to the Test Newsweek , February 18, 2008
In this primary season, one major issue has been all but missing in action: education. Newsweek asked two experts, the Education Sector's Thomas Toch and Jeanne Allen, chief of the Center for Education Reform, to evaluate each candidate's plan.
Charter Schools At A Crossroads: Limited Growth, Growing Demand The Jersey Journal, New Jersey, February 12, 2008
New Jersey's charter movement, which today numbers 56 schools, finds itself at a crossroads. There are notable successes among the schools, which offer an alternative to traditional public education in troubled urban districts.
A Reversal on School Vouchers, Then a Tempest New York Times, February 13, 2008
Although colleagues long thought they had him pegged, he made an abrupt about-face on vouchers in the most recent issue of City Journal, the institute's magazine...
Teachers' Union President to Step Down; New Yorker Is Seen as Successor New York Times, February 13, 2008
Edward J. McElroy, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, announced Tuesday that he would step down in the summer, a move widely expected to put Randi Weingarten...
Chartering Success City Journal, New York, February 12, 2008
In October 2006, the New York Times reported that the Bush administration had given public school districts "broad new latitude to expand the number of single-sex classes, and even schools."
Senate Panel Rejects Charter School Bill Rapid City Journal, South Dakota, February 13, 2008
A plan to allow the creation of public charter schools was rejected for a second time Tuesday by a South Dakota Senate committee, but senators urged the Rapid City School District to do more to deal with a high dropout rate among Native American students.
Does GI Bill Voucher Concept Work for Kids? Wall Street Journal, February 11, 2008
From what I have read, much of the discrediting has come from Mr. McElroy and his cronies with financial and political investments in the teachers unions and their efforts to expand union influence.
Reed Hastings: Movie Man Wall Street Journal, February 9, 2008
Mr. Hastings, who taught high-school math in Swaziland from 1983 to 1986, found a vehicle for innovation in charter schools. Naturally, Mr. Hastings brought an entrepreneur's sensibility to the endeavor.
4,200 in Valley Can Get Vouchers Youngstown Vindicator, Ohio, February 10, 2008
At least 4,200 children in the tri-county area are eligible to apply for state Education Choice Scholarships that would pay their tuition at private schools this fall.
Educators: No Takeover Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, February 9, 2008
Education leaders say Gov. Ted Strickland's plan to expand his control over education policy by creating a cabinet-level education director would politicize Ohio's system of primary and secondary schools.
Reimagine LAUSD Los Angeles Times, California, February 11, 2008
Blame -- or praise -- the charter movement's takeoff. It took 13 years for the school board to approve its first 100 charter schools. Less than two years later, the number of approved charters is at 144.
Chester Schools: Finally, Students Win Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania, February 11, 2008
Commonwealth Court handed a major victory to students in Pennsylvania's failing Chester-Upland School District when it struck down an enrollment cap on charter schools.
Funding Issue Could Close Seven Charter Schools Portsmouth Herald News, New Hampshire, February 9, 2008
All but three of the state's 10 public charter schools could go out of business this fall.
Other Key Ingredients Los Angeles Times, California, February 9, 2008
Re "Charters' competitive edge," Opinion, Feb. 5 The five key factors Eli Broad identifies as being central to charter schools having a competitive edge were alive and well in our schools. We had a sixth ingredient: parental involvement.
Hats off to Jay Mathews for giving a recent Washington Post poll an insightful analysis. The poll, which asked DC residents what they thought were the biggest problems plaguing DC schools, found that at the top of the list of perceived 'culprits' was parental apathy. Teacher quality was at the bottom of the list. But perceptions aside, Bad Parents Don't Make Bad Schools. Rather "great teaching makes great schools, and once you have a good school, parents become engaged and active." In other words, 'if you build it, they will come.'
School Choice A Must Arizona Republic, February 8, 2008 The conservative education reform agenda is centered in choice. Allow parents to choose the schools their children attend, and schools will improve as they are forced to compete, goes the argument.
Vouchers Open Up Opportunities Baltimore Sun, Maryland, February 8, 2008 Opposing President Bush's school voucher plan, state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick states, "We support public education because it is the crucible of our democracy" ("Vouchers revisited," Feb. 3).
Education and the Candidates Washington Times, D.C., February 8, 2008 As Congress and the White House grapple over reauthorizing NCLB and how to make college more affordable, it is worth looking at where the major presidential candidates want to steer education policy.
Education's Role In The Election, Or Lack Thereof Baltimore Sun, Maryland, February 7, 2008 I don't know about you, but I've been pretty frustrated about the lack of debate over education in the presidential campaign.
Report: No 'Magic Elixir' For School System Alameda Times-Star, California, February 8, 2008 National policy experts have watched, fascinated, as the state-run administration created new schools, overhauled old ones and, in a few instances, handed the reins over to chartering organizations. Captivating, yes, but is it working?
State Performance-Pay Plan Could Expand To All Teachers Arizona Republic, February 8, 2008 A two-decade-old state program that rewards high-performing teachers in a select number of Arizona school districts would be expanded statewide under a legislative proposal to be introduced today.
Making a Public Case Against Home-Schooled Athletes Washington Post, D.C., February 7, 2008 Just as it's fair for state high school athletic associations to prohibit home-schooled students from competing on public high school teams because they're not, you know, public high school students.
Strickland Wants To Appoint Education Director Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio, February 7, 2008
It said the department was "inordinately slow" in delivering diagnostic tests to low-income students. And it described Ohio's charter-school program as "a train-wreck waiting to happen."
D.C. Teachers Lacking 'Highly Qualified' Tag May Be Out Of Jobs D.C. Examiner, February 7, 2008
Hundreds of D.C. public school teachers who have yet to prove their competence under No Child Left Behind guidelines could find themselves out of a position next year, Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee told The Examiner this week.
Sorting Out School Choices Washington Post, D.C, February 7, 2008
My children have D.C. Opportunity Scholarships, and, as a single parent, I thank those who are supporting this program.
Teachers' Union Rejects Merit Pay Gainesville Sun, Florida, February 6, 2008
The Alachua County School Board got the message Tuesday evening. Members of the teachers' union voted resoundingly against merit pay.
Real School Reform: Lynch Lets It Die The Union Leader, New Hampshire, February 7, 2008
Gov. John Lynch showed yesterday that he will pay lip service to education reform, but won't make real improvements permanent when he has the chance.
Different Schools Work For Different Students Melrose Free Press, Massachusetts, February 6, 2008
Not too long ago, I spent considerable time evaluating what the Mystic Valley Charter School, the Melrose Public Schools and a local private school had to offer a student entering high school.
On Governors, Education and Leadership - For a Change
How is it that governors - who have nearly ultimate power to change education laws for the better - spend most of the education space in their State of the State addresses year after year touting money as their "unique" answer to improving education in their state?
A review of Education Week's digest of these traditional speeches shows that, regardless of party or state, almost all the nation's chief executives punt to business-as-usual when talking about this most fundamental of issues.
The notable exception this year seems to be Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who announced he would seek to implement many of the recommendations of his Committee on Education Excellence, including the novel ideas of allowing non-traditional entities to enter the teacher-preparation market and pursuing new routes to earning a teacher credential. These recommendations won him the headline from Ed Week that the Gov "backs off planned 'year of education'" - "back off," I suppose, because he didn't offer the proverbial chicken in every education pot. Thus, the establishment believes, he has backed off his dedication to schools.
It all depends on how you look it.
Now the Gubernator, who has never been one to take the establishment too seriously, could be like his New Jersey colleague Jon Corzine, whose entire education focus is on money, despite his state, already among the top education spenders in the nation at $12,252 per student, being home to some of the most pathetic school systems in the world. Or he could be like the purportedly progressive Tim Kaine of Virginia, who rededicated himself to statewide pre-school, but who presides over one of the weakest charter states in the nation, ignoring for the second year now a reform that is much in-demand and, even more importantly, needed in the state. Or he could be like Ed Rendell in Pennsylvania who wants to debate how to give more funds to districts and how to create more than one end-of-school test for 12th graders, to ensure that everyone can graduate, albeit by bending standards.
Scores of policy groups and university researchers have concluded that within the public education system the reforms with the most impact focus on governance. Pushing authority and accountability down to the school district level remains one of the most promising and well-researched policy prescriptions. It cuts out the middlemen in a significant way, and with state standards and assessments still in place, allows educators to drive change locally, while still being accountable to at the state level. The ultimate implementation of local control are those policies that actually push authority to the family level by offering parents multiple educational offerings from which to choose. For education experts including AEI's Rick Hess, University of Washington's Paul Hill and dozens of others, these ideas seem to be all but a fait accompli in forums across the nation. But no governor seems to acknowledge that money woes can become more manageable - and transparent - when such power shifts occur.
A few mayors and their city chiefs of education have tackled variations of this on their own, and implemented partially autonomous school programs. But with labor and contract laws still in place, the full potential of such approaches are not being realized anywhere.
One need not be an historian to remember how once, not too long ago, there were governors who advocated in their annual addresses for fundamental changes, rather than just selling their audiences a laundry list of superficial offerings as if they were peddling their wares at the local market.
There once were governors, and a handful of state chiefs, who truly sought to improve schools and who dared to challenge the status quo to do so. Michigan's John Engler, Wisconsin's Tommy Thompson, Delaware's Tom Carper are among those who didn't use their annual state addresses to pander, but to implore legislator and citizens to shake off the comfort of the familiar, however inadequate, in favor of more challenging and more responsive schools.
They were among the first to embrace equitable (but not unaccountable) spending, to ensure standards - and consequences for those not meeting them - were in place, and to embrace school options for families, enacting strong charter laws and even low-income choice scholarship programs.
Others, like Tom Kean in New Jersey, pushed for alternative routes to certification, the beneficiaries of which now account for almost half of the Garden State's teaching force.
The gradual pendulum swing in attitudes of state leaders was stunning. On the heels of governors pulling together at national summits in the late 80s and early 90s (bipartisan gatherings organized first under Bush 1 and then under Clinton) there was a slow but strong shift to recognizing that when most children aren't learning well we're in crisis, and there were successful efforts to address that crisis. Governors in Colorado, Massachusetts and Virginia were among the earliest adopters of high standards and strong assessments tied to those standards. (Sadly these have slowly been chipped away at since, as people without a memory for why they were implemented in the first place, or understanding of the positive impact they've had, have assumed various positions of authority and turned their attention to special interests' demands rather than communities' educational needs.)
The 90s also saw the enactment of new charter laws, and an attempt by state leaders to depart from the status quo by putting teacher quality and the whole notion of how public education is structured and delivered on the table to get beyond the standard "more money" solutions.
Eventually the fundamental conversation began to change, and quality education - not money - became the common denominator of proposals across most state and even from some federal leaders. Policymakers who still led with "more money is the answer" were considered ineffective and all but ignored. Reforms took hold across ideological lines, and it all seemed to culminate in the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, where, despite state and local concerns, there was a sense of unanimity that Congress should join the accountability movement and allow parents to have (albeit limited) options when their children are not well served by the system.
NCLB seemed to recognize the previous 15 years of state level reform efforts - even if it's somewhat nationalistic. But since that time, the pendulum seems to have swung almost all the way back to pre-90s levels of ennui. Money once again is embraced as the answer. Money for pre-school, money for teachers, money for buildings, money for tests. Money.
There seems to be amnesia about what happens what states allocate money in the absence of true reform. In short, bureaucracies grow, creating regulations - and pet programs with reassuringly child-centric sounding titles - that suck up the money, but very little, either in the way of actual improvements, or even funding, ever actually really reaches the classroom.
In that classroom, teachers with outdated credentials that do not demonstrate subject-area knowledge preside over bland curricula, and in the schools in which they teach, their performance is rarely measured, while number of years teaching and degrees earned determine their salary. The pool of teachers remains smaller than it needs to be because of a fixation on input-based credentials, necessitating the kind of changes the California Governor recommended.
One would not know that by reading this year's State of the State addresses of the nation's chief executives. Making kids go to school earlier, keeping them longer, lowering graduation standards and raising higher education subsidies (despite the enormous number of remedial courses needed there to make up for primary education failures) are once again the norm in budget proposals.
When it comes to families, options outside of the district system that may better meet individual children's needs still only serve around two percent of all public school students; in most school systems, children are captive attendants at the neighborhood school, regardless of how well, or if, that school meets their needs. A recent bi-partisan legislative push by Georgia legislators to give children more opportunities, by strengthening its charter law with the establishment of an independent authorizing body beyond the local school board, has been privately praised by the Governor, but not publicly pushed. The lack of a push for out-of-the- box solutions that work is a major difference between state execs today and those of just a few years ago. In those days, drawing school board opposition might be seen as a badge of honor, while engendering parental and business support for reform were the keys to political longevity.
It seems like all the conversation and activity surrounding real reform have escaped some of those in leadership, who instead turn to simple bandaids steeped in what has once again become the prevailing 'conventional wisdom' : money must be the problem, money must be the answer.
The states of 2008 feel more like 1984. Time for a change.
Charters' Competitive Edge Los Angeles Times, California, February 5, 2008
Charter schools -- public schools that have been exempted from selected state and local regulations -- are changing the competitive landscape of American elementary, middle and high schools.
Pell Grants for Kids Are Vouchers Writ Small Wall Street Journal, February 5, 2008
Regarding your editorial "Those Pell Vouchers" (Jan. 30): President Bush's Pell Grants for Kids proposal is a voucher scheme undeserving of the Pell name.
Learning Online New York Times, February 5, 2008
Re "Online Schooling Grows, Setting Off a Debate" (front page, Feb. 1): It has been clear since the onset of online learning in the 1990s that the students for whom it is most suitable are mature, motivated learners who are able to work independently.
More School Vouchers, Fewer Programs Washington Times, D.C., February 5, 2008
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said the budget would cut "ineffective" and duplicative programs to allow a nearly 3 percent increase in funding for poor schools.
Inside the 'Crucible' of School Reform Education Week, February 4, 2008
But the politics of continuing to do nothing (or to continue tinkering around the edges) in these schools have now become untenable.
Student Achievement Gap Data Sparks Outrage Among Black, Hispanic Leaders D.C. Examiner, February 5, 2008
Despite efforts to improve the performance of black and Latino students in Montgomery County, community leaders want more done to erase the dramatic achievement gap between whites and minorities, especially at the middle and high school levels.
Performance Pay Washington Times, D.C., February 5, 2008
Would cash change their minds and their habits? That notion is behind a proposal making headlines in Maryland, and, despite all the raised eyebrows, it's worth trying.
Vouchers, Legal and Logical New York Sun, February 4, 2008
There are three distinct ways to look at school vouchers. One is to regard them as a bogeyman.
Can Education Research Save Us? An Upbeat View Washington Post, D.C., February 4, 2008
So here comes Columbia University political scientist Jeffrey R. Henig, in a new book, saying I should keep trying but strive to do better. He insists that education researchers, journalists and policy makers can learn to communicate well and that readers will benefit.
Left in Dark Over No Child Left Behind New York Daily News, February 3, 2008
A centerpiece of the controversial No Child Left Behind act - the chance to transfer out of a failing school - goes almost entirely unused by city students, statistics show.
Expanded School Choice Would Encourage Innovation Evansville Courier & Press, Indiana, February 4, 2008
Today, millions of American students are benefiting from policies that enable parental choice in education.
Back To Drawing Board With Charter Schools Bill Athens Banner- Herald, Georgia, February 4, 2008
State Rep. Jan Jones, R-Alpharetta, along with the co-sponsors of House Bill 881, and the legislators who voted in favor of the measure designed to make it easier to establish charter schools around the state, deserve at least partial credit for their work. But, as it currently is written, the bill shouldn't become law.
An All-Too-Quiet Reaction Over D.C. Schools' Future Washington Post, D.C., February 3, 2008
The big protest rally was supposed to draw thousands of people, but only dozens showed up. The boycott was going to paralyze the school system, but hardly anyone noticed.
Girls School: A Model For Change Detroit Free Press, Michigan, February 4, 2008
The school has been transformed into the Detroit International Academy, the state's first all-girls public school. It represents one of several new settings the Detroit Public Schools system offers to lure back students.
Online Schooling Grows, Setting Off a Debate New York Times, February 1, 2008 Half a million American children take classes online, with a significant group, like the Weldies, getting all their schooling from virtual public schools.
Merit Pay Problems Los Angeles Times, California, February 1, 2008 We must look with serious concentration upon the ways in which we support and reward what is considered to be the work of good teachers.
House Votes To Create Charter School Panel Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia, February 1, 2008 A new state commission could begin authorizing more tuition-free charter schools next year and give parents more educational choices for their children.
100 March Against Plan to Close Schools Washington Post, D.C., February 1, 2008 With prayer, song and chants, more than 100 D.C. students, parents and supporters took their displeasure over a proposal to close 23 schools to the school system's headquarters yesterday.
Gist Picked For Prestigious Superintendent's Academy D.C. Examiner, February 1, 2008 D.C. State Superintendent Deborah Gist was selected for a highly competitive superintendent's academy run by a national group that funnels millions of dollars into the charter school movement.
Calls Tout Availability Of Vouchers Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, February 1, 2008 Since December, the nonprofit advocacy group has called about 64,000 Ohio families to tout EdChoice, the 2-year-old statewide voucher program.
Collegiate High School Would Offer A Fast Track Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Florida, February 1, 2008 Edison College wants to start a high school where students can get their diploma and an associate degree at the same time. But first, the college must gauge whether there is enough community interest.
More Than 4,000 Apply For Charter School In Tradition TC Palm, Florida, February 1, 2008 By March, parents of the more than 4,022 students who have applied to the new charter laboratory school in Tradition will know if their children have seats.
Groff School Bill Offers Flexibility Denver Post, Colorado, February 1, 2008 A bill that would give traditional Colorado schools the flexibility to operate more like charter schools and allow them to be removed from union agreements was introduced into the legislature Thursday.
American Teachers Unions: The Fatal Flaw Rocky Mountain New, Colorado, February 1, 2008 In rejecting the very reasonable reform requests sought by the great majority of the school's teachers, supported by parents and approved by the Denver Public Schools board, the DCTA has gotten a very public black eye that no amount of union doubletalk or sophistry can conceal.
Ohio Launches New STEM Initiative Through $12 Million Gates Grant Education Week, January 31, 2008 In the latest state-level effort to promote science and technology education, Ohio has launched a new public-private partnership intended to connect 100,000 students over the next 10 years to high-tech careers aimed at helping to fuel the economy.
Online Schools Better With More Oversight Appleton Post-Crescent, Wisconsin, February 1, 2008 Parents who want their children educated through one of 12 online schools in Wisconsin got a victory last week when legislators decided, in effect, to keep the schools open.
School Choice Las Vegas Review - Journal, Nevada, February 1, 2008 Nevada's education establishment should take notice of a recent opinion poll on parent satisfaction with public schools.
Lawmakers Concerned About Achievement Gap Washington Post, D.C., February 1, 2008 A consultant's report on new state and local money spent on Maryland public schools since 2002 drew criticism yesterday from some lawmakers, who said poor, black and Hispanic students are not sufficiently narrowing the gap in achievement with white students.
School Issues Separate Topeka Capital-Journal, Kansas, February 1, 2008 I have been distressed by the heated discussion between the Topeka USD 501 Board of Education and advocates for a charter school.
Another School Is Not Bad News Daily News - Galveston County, Texas, February 1, 2008 News that a charter school system with a national reputation is talking about opening a campus in Galveston shouldn't worry officials in public-school districts. But it has.
Charter Schools Get Starved The Union Leader, New Hampshire, February 1, 2008 And what if the school had to close, sending your kids to a school that's wrong for them, because the state decided the other school should get the money?
Louisiana Seeks Partners to Take Over Failing Schools Education Week, January 31, 2008 Louisiana's top education officials have launched a nationwide search for organizations to help them turn around academic achievement in 11 chronically failing schools in districts around the state.
Are You Up Yet? New York Times, February 1, 2008 The obvious remedy would be for high schools to start later - well after 8 a.m.
