June 30, 2008
June 30, 2008
Bad Tenured Teachers Hard To Fire
Washington Post, D.C., June 28, 2008
The case illustrates a nagging problem in school districts in New York and elsewhere around the country: firing bad teachers. It is also part of the ongoing debate over education reform and the role tenure plays in the process.
Homestead Teacher To Open New Charter School
Miami Herald, FL, June 29, 2008
Now that she has gained that experience, she is ready to come home and open a publicly funded charter school in the Homestead and Florida City area, where she grew up.
The Self-Inflicted Economic Death of Ohio
Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2008
While demanding greater control over the K-12 system than his predecessors enjoyed, he has also signaled his intention to back away from academic standards, testing and accountability, and to abandon Ohio's pioneering school-voucher and charter-school programs.
Setback for Philadelphia Schools Plan
Washington Post, D.C., June 29, 2008
Six years ago, the Philadelphia School District embarked on what was considered the country's boldest education privatization experiment, putting 38 schools under private management to see if the free market could educate children more efficiently than the government.
Charter Schools Make The Grade
New York Daily News, NY, June 28, 2008
The stunning achievement levels racked up by students in New York City charter schools make it clear that the Legislature is duty-bound to give many more children the same opportunities for a high-quality education.
Are Teachers’ Unions Anti-teacher? (Larry Sand)
As the yearly convention of the National Education Association (NEA) approaches, it is time to reflect on the relationships that this organization and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have with their members. Much has been written about the nation's two teachers' unions, and the case has been frequently (and justly) made that the unions are anti-student because of their adamant positions on school choice, charter schools and teacher tenure. However, I contend that the unions are not only anti-student, they are all too often anti-teacher.
In 28 of our 50 states, a teacher is essentially forced to join a very costly union. A typical teacher in Orange County pays $922 on a yearly basis to his/her local, which then sends $611 of that amount to the state affiliate, the California Teachers Association (CTA), and $140 to the national affiliate (NEA.) One has to wonder - if the unions are so beneficial, why are teachers forced to join and to pay such hefty dues in most states?
And just where do all those forced dues go? Untold millions go to political causes, whether the teacher wants them to or not. According to Reg Weaver, NEA president, the unions' rank and file teachers are about one-third Democrat, one-third Republican and one-third independent. Yet, well over 90 percent of NEA political spending goes to liberal and left wing causes. Thus, if you are a conservative teacher, your own dues are used to support causes and candidates that you oppose.
If you are religious it can be even worse. Carol Katter, a veteran teacher and lifelong Catholic, objected to the fact that her union supports abortion on demand. When she sought a religious exemption, a union official suggested that she change her religion! In her state, Ohio, only Seventh Day Adventists and Mennonites have the opportunity to exercise that exemption. Only after much legal wrangling was Ms. Katter granted an accommodation.
One of the great bete noires of the unions is merit pay. They insist that all teachers at a similar point in their career make the exact same amount of money as other teachers at that same point. Good teachers earning more than bad teachers? Not on their agenda. Clearly, this old-style industrial model of paying people can kill incentive. Good teachers are less likely to have the impetus to excel when their neighbors who have lower aspirations, are less talented and less effective still make the same amount of money. Hence, good teachers suffer at the expense of their lower performing peers.
Good teachers can also be discriminated against in another way. If a school district needs to cut back its workforce, who gets cut? The lower performing teachers? No. Thanks to the unions, the system is based strictly on seniority. Quality is not a factor. When cutbacks were necessary in a Minnesota school district, a gifted and innovative Teacher of the Year who had won many awards and was loved by her students was among those who lost their jobs. It didn't matter that she was eminently more qualified than most of the teachers who retained their jobs. It was simply their version of last hired, first fired.
In a 2006 article in the LA Times, Kathy Kristof exposed the NEA who frequently steered its members into savings plans with high expenses and poor returns, prompting two union members to initiate legal action. Why would an entity that purports to be pro-teacher do something so transparently anti-teacher? Because, according to Ms. Kristof, "the companies reciprocate with financial support" to the NEA. In other words, the union was getting a kickback for touting an inferior product.
It is time for teachers to speak up. Those who are happy with their union should have the right to continue that affiliation. However, teachers, especially those who live in states where they are forced to join a union, would be well served to take a hard look the organization which claims to represent their best interests.
Larry Sand is a veteran teacher in Los Angeles. He is also the president of the California Teachers Empowerment Network, an organization dedicated to getting information to teachers that they typically don't get from their school districts or their unions. The views herein are strictly his own.
Posted by Featured Guest at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)June 27, 2008
June 27, 2008
Middle Management
New York Sun, NY, June 27, 2008
Curiously, it is not the low performers, special education students, minorities, English language learners, or other "at risk" groups that is lagging behind. Rather, despite the soaring scores, it is the group of highest performers that is shrinking.
Grants Will Aid Groups Working for Education Reform
Washington Post, D.C., June 27, 2008
A coalition of philanthropic foundations will award $725,000 in grants today to fund five District nonprofit organizations dedicated to the city's public education restructuring.
2 New Charter Schools OK'd
Denver Post, CO, June 27, 2008
Denver's school board Thursday approved two charter schools for 2009, including the expansion of the successful West Denver Preparatory Charter School. The board gave tacit approval to two other programs, deferring votes until organizers can address some issues.
Stealth Voucher Plan Doesn't Belong On Ballot
Palm Beach Post, FL, June 27, 2008
In November, Floridians could vote on school vouchers without knowing that they're voting on school vouchers.
School Choice Introduces Competition
Boston Globe, MA, June 27, 2008
AS GOVERNOR Patrick aims to reduce the achievement gap between white and minority students in public education, his Readiness Report leaves out the most effective mechanism for improving education for all students in Massachusetts: school choice.
The 5-Year Hitch
Sacramento Bee, CA, June 27, 2008
Charter schools in California have charters with five-year terms. So it makes sense for the school districts that authorize them to have matching facilities agreements with five-year terms.
School Choice Adds Up To Savings
Roanoke Times, VA, June 27, 2008
Several states have begun to address these challenges by offering scholarships to special-education students. One of the most successful of these programs is Florida's McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities.
Public Charter Schools Flourish
Mille Lacs County Times, MN, June 27, 2008
Kaleidoscope Charter in Rogers, Spectrum Charter in Elk River, Pilager Charter in Pilager and Northern Lights Community School just north of Grand Rapids are part of a fascinating, little noticed trend in Minnesota public education.
June 26, 2008
June 26, 2008
Obama Changes Position, Opposes D.C. School Vouchers
Catholic Online, CA, June 26, 2008
Barack Obama told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in February that he was open to voucher programs, but just last week announced his intentions to squash the DC pilot program.
Study: Teachers Not Being Taught Math Properly
New York Times, NY, June 26, 2008
For kids to do better in math, their teachers might have to go back to school. Elementary-school teachers are poorly prepared by education schools to teach math, finds a study being released Thursday by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Emily Lembeck, Superintendent, Marietta City Schools: System prepares for new charter status
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, June 26, 2008
In August, Marietta City Schools will open as one of the first four school systems in Georgia and one of a few in the nation to become a charter school district, operating outside of many traditional state rules and regulations governing public schools.
School Choice Advances in Georgia
Newnan Times-Herald, GA, June 25, 2008
A uniquely American trait is the optimistic belief in progress, often boiled down to the goal of a better life for our children.
Eye on Kids: Charting a New Course
WISH, IN, June 25, 2008
Parents are lining up in Anderson to get their kids on a waiting list for Madison County's first charter school. When the Anderson Preparatory Academy opens in August, it will be a military-style school.
Former Inavale School Reopens As Muddy Creek Charter
Corvallis Gazette Times, OR, June 26, 2008
But excitement already is building among the families and staff committed to opening the new Muddy Creek Charter School on Sept. 3.
Patrick Unveils Extensive Education Plan For Next Decade
Boston Globe, MA, June 26, 2008
But some of the governor's proposals, like lengthening the school day and year, consolidating school districts, and implementing a statewide teacher contract, could face resistance from influential special interest groups such as teachers unions and charter school advocates.
Charter School Group Criticizes Rule
Portage Daily Register, WI , June 26, 2008
The Wisconsin Charter Schools Association strongly opposes changes made by the state Department of Public Instruction to the licensing procedure of charter school staff, which members say will destroy charter schools.
Delaware Lawmakers Approve Charter School Moratorium
Delmarva Daily Times, MD, June 25, 2008
The state Senate narrowly approved the resolution Wednesday on an 11-to-9 vote. The measure now goes to Governor Ruth Ann Minner for her consideration.
Against All Odds: School Offers Hope, Opportunity For Young Men
CNN, National, June 25, 2008
But in the center of this impoverished neighborhood, there is hope. The Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men, founded in 2002, has become a haven.
Oklahomans Want Education Alternatives
The Oklahoman, OK, June 25, 2008
The vast majority of Oklahomans favor alternatives to public education such as private or charter schools, according to a public opinion survey.
Special-Needs Children: Impassioned Debate On Bill
Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, June 25, 2008
Parents of special-needs children have called on lawmakers to approve an annual tax credit of up to $6,000, saying that would let their children attend private schools when public schools fail to address their needs.
June 25, 2008
June 25, 2008
NCLB Gets A Passing Grade
USA Today, June 25, 2008
There's only one problem with all this criticism: The standards-and-accountability movement appears to be working. A new, 50-state report on the law's impact by the Center on Education Policy…
Holding Back Young Students: Is Program a Gift or a Stigma?
New York Times, NY, June 25, 2008
With the increasing emphasis on standardized testing over the past decade, large urban school systems have famously declared an end to so-called social promotion among youngsters lacking basic skills.
New Programs for Training Charter Leaders Scrutinized
Education Week, MD, June 24, 2008
An emerging crop of programs tailored to preparing charter school principals shows promise when compared with traditional leadership-training programs, but those programs “miss or treat too lightly” certain issues that many leaders of such schools struggle with most, says a new report.
Strickland Ignores Successful School Choice Program
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, June 25, 2008
The June 19 article "Strickland school summit tries to ID what works" discusses Gov. Ted Strickland's desire to help Ohio's children get a good education. Yet, Strickland remains hostile to one of the highest-performing programs: school choice.
Bad Teachers
Charleston Gazette, SC, June 25, 2008
UNIONIZED public school teachers have strong political clout. Legislators usually give them what they seek - including job-protection laws making it extremely difficult to remove the incompetent or unfit…But the teachers union in Toledo, Ohio, does something to fix the problem.
Students, School Making The Grade
Star-Ledger, NJ, June 24, 2008
After years of struggling, the 8-year-old school has seen across- the-board gains in test scores. In 2004, only 8 percent of students at Greater Newark passed the state's Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment math exam. Last year that number jumped to 77 percent.
Charter School Test Scores Top PS Kids – Again
New York Daily News, NY, June 25, 2008
It was a great day to celebrate for charter school supporters - and also to score political points.
Senator Smith Is Known as a Booster of Charter Schools
New York Sun, NY, June 25, 2008
The increasing likelihood that the next majority leader of the Senate will be the Queens Democrat Malcolm Smith, a founder of two charter schools whose pastor and political mentor is a vocal school voucher supporter, is exciting school choice advocates across the state.
True North Preparatory School, a Rochester Charter, Shows The Way
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY, June 25, 2008
The number that bursts out of the mix is the 98 percent passing mark for sixth-graders at True North Preparatory School, a city charter. That's the best score in the county, beating the champions in Pittsford and Brighton.
Delaware House Approves Charter School Moratorium
D.C. Examiner, D.C., June 25, 2008
The state House on Tuesday approved and sent to the Senate a resolution establishing a moratorium on new charter school applications in Delaware, although questions remain about its scope and effect.
Teachers Union’s Sneaky Tactics Are Exposed
News Journal, DE , June 25, 2008
The very people who pledged to educate Delaware’s children appear to be searching for ways to become deadly adversaries of charter school success.
June 24, 2008
June 24, 2008
Save D.C.’s Catholic Schools
National Review Online, NY, June 24, 2008
Hundreds of D.C. parents breathed a sigh of relief last week when a House subcommittee voted to fund the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program for another year.
A Choice for D.C. Children
Washington Post, D.C., June 24, 2008
Among the most maddening arguments used against the D.C. school voucher program is that it hurts the public schools.
Lawmaker to get school-choice award
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, June 23, 2008
James Salzer reports that Senate President Pro-Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) is scheduled to be presented the Alliance for School Choice’s National Legislator of the Year Award Tuesday in Savannah.
UTLA Needs To Be Progressive
Los Angeles Times, CA, June 24, 2008
Rather than continue on a diatribe about charter schools versus "public schools" (despite the apparent support of charter schools by UTLA President A.J. Duffy), a reevaluation of what public schools should look like is desperately needed.
Attack on Charters Goes Overboard
The News Journal, DE, June 24, 2008
It seems that the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA) and its allies in Delaware are at war with the charter system in the state and will stop at nothing to extinguish this outlet for quality education.
All Rochester Schools Need Flexibility To Succeed
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY, June 24, 2008
We need innovation! As superintendent of a large public school system, I support the creation of great options for students.
Gov. Patrick Introduces School Reform Initiative
Boston Herald, MA, June 24, 2008
Other details of the initiative have already been made public, including the creation of so-called Readiness Schools — public schools that would function like charter schools.
On Tests, Charter Schools Outperform Districts
New York Sun, NY, June 24, 2008
When compared to the overall scores for the school districts in which they are located, some charter schools - such as Bronx Preparatory in the South Bronx and the KIPP Infinity school in Harlem - had as much as double the portion of students scoring proficient in math and reading.
June 23, 2008
June 23, 2008
Better-Qualified Teachers
New York Times, NY, June 23, 2008
The United States has a long and dishonorable history of dumping the least-qualified teachers into schools that serve poor and minority students.
Election to Impact Education in Nation
Arizona Republic, AZ, June 23, 2008
Education's moment in the national political sun has come and gone, replaced by a faltering economy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Summit Convened By Jeb Bush Seeks School Changes
Miami Herald, FL, June 23, 2008
Hoping to invigorate a national dialogue about education reform, former Gov. Jeb Bush convened top education officials last week near Orlando for a two-day summit.
D.C. Parents, Students Need Opportunity Scholarships
D.C. Examiner, D.C., June 23, 2008
Today, some African-American leaders, Capitol Hill lawmakers and union officials are still condemning these children to poor-performing schools and denying them the education they want and deserve. It was wrong then, and it’s still wrong today.
All Parents Deserve the Right to Choose
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, June 22, 2008
State lawmakers should approve pilot program to allow 4,000 kids in poor communities to escape failing schools.
'A Voice' Through School Choice
Charleston Post Courier, SC , June 23, 2008
Giving parents more choices about their children's education invariably gives teachers more help from their students' mothers and fathers.
Teacher Instills A Love Of Words, But The Lesson Is About Life
Los Angeles Times, CA, June 21, 2008
A public charter school founded by Mike Piscal, one of Holmes' Harvard-Westlake colleagues, View Park wanted to find out if high-quality teaching could make a difference in the lives of underperforming black students.
Candidates Should Tell Voters Where They Stand On Charter School Reform
The News Journal, DE, June 21, 2008
The battle is over schools. News reports show that the Delaware State Education Association paid a big Washington public relations firm to craft a campaign to limit the expansion of charter schools.
June 20, 2008
June 20, 2008
Teachers’ Union on Reform
New York Times, NY, June 20, 2008
Blaming “ineffective teachers” and union contracts may be ideologically satisfying, but at the end of the day it does little to solve the problems facing our schools.
It's Culture, Not Just Class Size
Los Angeles Times, CA, June 20, 2008
Class size is not the issue, really; it's the culture of the class that matters. I do not mean racial or ethnic or socioeconomic culture, I mean the culture of a particular group of students in a particular room in a particular institution.
Presidential Candidates Urged To Focus On Schools
Florida Times-Union, FL, June 19, 2008
A former Democratic governor's campaign to get the presidential candidates of both parties to pay greater heed to education received a boost from a couple of prominent Republicans Thursday.
Five Reforms Needed To Fix America
Evening Bulletin, PA, June 20, 2008
More and more informed critics agree that it is about time to introduce the full force of competition and the full force of our miracle-producing market economy to the failing school system.
Follow The Money, Lose The Faith
North Country Gazette, NY, June 19, 2008
Strange as it may sound, this is a hot new trend in education: creating faith-based schools without the faith.
Jeb Bush Supports Return Of School Vouchers
WESH, FL, June 19, 2008
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said he will fight for two controversial amendments. One of the amendments would restore Bush’s private school voucher program; the other would give lawmakers the power to send public school money to religion-based schools.
Charter Schools: Union On The Attack
The News Journal, DE, June 20, 2008
The state's largest school employee union hired a Washington, D.C., consulting firm to craft a public relations strategy for limiting the expansion of charter schools in Delaware.
Charter Schools Deserve Support
Greenville News, SC, June 20, 2008
Not all charter schools perform miracles, but many are transforming young lives. USA Today recently carried a story about a Philadelphia school riddled with violence and underachievement that was turned into a high-performing charter school.
June 19, 2008
June 19, 2008
2 School Entrepreneurs Lead the Way on Change
New York Times, NY, June 19, 2008
Ms. Kopp and Mr. Barth are a power couple in the world of education, emblematic of a new class of young social entrepreneurs seeking to reshape the United States’ educational landscape by creating new schools...
22 Assistant Principals Are Latest to Be Fired
Washington Post, D.C., June 19, 2008
Although the administrative leaders work on year-to-year contracts and can be fired without cause under D.C. law, an official with the principals union
Many States Watch - And Like - Florida's Education Policy
St. Petersburg Times, FL, June 19, 2008
Florida is No. 1 in the nation in vouchers. It's No. 2 in charter school enrollment. It's No. 4 in the percentage of high school students passing college-level exams.
Gov. Ted Strickland Gathers Educators, Community Leaders To ID What Works In Schools
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, June 19, 2008
School's out for the summer, but more than 300 educators, business chiefs, community leaders and parents will begin comparing notes Thursday in a first-of-its-kind statewide summit on improving public education.
School Vouchers And Other Forms Of Choice
Outside the Beltway, VA
June 18, 2008
The depth of the opposition to school choice has convinced me that a new approach is needed, though my proposal is a long shot at best. It is modeled on welfare reform.
Delaware Charter School Moratorium Heads to House
D.C. Examiner, D.C., June 19, 2008
A House committee on Wednesday cleared the way for a House vote on a resolution calling for a one-year moratorium on new charter school applications in Delaware.
Vouching for Private Schools
Indiana Daily Student, IN, June 19, 2008
The idea of school vouchers has often been both controversial and a tough sell. However, those who have supported giving the idea a chance will be pleased to hear that Louisiana seems to be moving forth with a voucher program of their own.
Time to Spread The Word About School Options
Sacramento Bee, CA, June 19, 2008
To its great credit, the Sacramento City Unified school board has done a lot to increase educational options for families. No longer are students limited to one-size-fits-all assigned schools, determined only by where they live.
Grads credit KIPP for Their Success
The Daily Item of Lynn, MA, June 18, 2008
Four years ago, in attempt to raise awareness of his new upstart public charter middle school, KIPP Academy Lynn Director Josh Zoia began dropping into after school programs and community organizations, passing out informative fliers to the city’s youth.
Lifetime Sentence
"We are at that time of year when millions of American college and high school students will stride across the stage, take diploma in hand and set out to the wider world, most of them utterly unable to write a clear and coherent English sentence. How is this possible? The answer is simple and even obvious: Students can't write clean English sentences because they are not being taught what sentences are."
Not much has changed in the two years since University of Illinois Dean Emeritus Stanley Fish wrote about his method for remediating college students in the art and science of correct writing. Ingenious though his approach is, it strikes me as incredibly sad that it takes their invention of an entirely new language for college students to grasp the proper mechanics of their native tongue. (Ever notice how many of the people who learned English as a second language in middle and high school in other countries seem to have a better grasp of grammar, spelling and vocabulary than those of us weaned on American English and educated in American schools?)
We know too many of our kids can't write. So what are our schools (let's leave colleges out, for the moment, under the assumption that students should master English - the mechanics, at least - by the time they've earned a high school diploma) doing about it? In some schools, Latin's coming back. What about sentence diagramming? (My own unscientific polling seem to indicate this is a dying, or dead, skill.) Are your kids being instructed in proper grammar, spelling and vocabulary usage? How (well)? At what grade? Tell us your experiences...
Posted by Edspresso at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)June 18, 2008
Taking It to the Streets (Ian Randolph)
Earlier this month, thousands of parents took to the streets of Los Angeles to protest the ongoing assault against their children's charter schools by the powerful Los Angeles Unified School District.
"Families That Can," the new parent organization and the first-ever statewide advocacy organization for charter school families, objects to the LAUSD's disparate treatment of their children.
"Charter school students are public school students," says founding parent Jackie Duvivier Castillo. "Yet they don't have the same access to resources, funding, and facilities that traditional public schools do." Ample evidence backs ups that claim.
State funding data reveal independently operated public charter schools receive about $3,000 less funding per student than district-run public schools - even though charter schools abide by the same admissions, accountability, and testing requirements as any other public school. This disparity is not new.
In 1992 California became the second state to embrace charter schools in response to overwhelming popular demand for alternatives to failing district-run public schools. Even opponents went along, preferring public charter schools to other proposed education reforms, including private school tuition vouchers. Back then, the Golden State was a trailblazer. Today other states are leaving California in the dust.
In California, public school districts are the primary authorizers of charter schools, and they control the purse strings. In other states, public school districts are one of many chartering entities, including universities, mayors, statewide chartering boards, and non-profit organizations. This helps ensure that charter schools maintain financial autonomy and do not fall prey to the whims of district officials or politicized agendas.
Absent such diversity, California charter schools become targets when they succeed in educating students in districts that failed to do so. Money is one of the most powerful weapons in a district's arsenal. The massive LAUSD is a case in point.
Eight years ago, in 2000, California voters passed Proposition 39 to make it easier for districts to pass school bonds. Districts, in return, were required to lease facilities to charter schools, but Los Angeles Unified, the state's biggest district, flouted the law. Eight years, a bitter lawsuit, and a court order later, the district relented somewhat and offered to squeeze 39 of its 54 charter schools onto existing district campuses.
Only 22 accepted, but when the local teachers union started squawking, the district rescinded a third of those offers in April, leaving those charter schools without a roof over their head. That was the final straw for parents in Los Angeles and across the state who are desperate for better quality schools for their children.
Over the past 10 years, charters have grown by an average of 50 schools annually. Today nearly 700 charter schools are educating more than a quarter-million students statewide. Superior performance is fueling this growth.
Independent public charter schools consistently outperform district-run schools, in spite of less funding and a more challenging student population, according to a 2003 RAND study. An in-depth analysis released last week by the California Charter Schools Association found that Los Angeles charter schools consistently outscore their district-run counterparts on state tests, and this performance advantage increases the longer a charter school has been operating.
During this season of budget cuts, Sacramento politicians should join with "Families that Can" instead of balancing the budget on the backs of charter-school students. They should also do everything possible to ensure children in their home districts do not become collateral damage of turf wars between special-interest groups. Enforcing the law would be a good place to start.
Ian Randolph is the Education Studies Summer Fellow at the Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco. He will be a junior at Yale University this fall, majoring in Cognitive Science.
Posted by Featured Guest at 03:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)June 18, 2008
Charter school successes supply a lesson plan
USA Today, National, June 18, 2008
What happened at Shoemaker over two years is what usually occurs when high-performing charters either take over a failing school or create a school in high-poverty neighborhoods. Children start learning more.
A frightening prospect
USA Today, National, June 18, 2008
Charter schools run the gamut from inspiring to wretched. But the whole idea of "publicly funded private schools," as one critic calls them, is unsettling.
States Eye Uniform Graduation Rate Reporting
New York Times, NY, June 18, 2008
Comparing graduation rates from state to state, or even school to school, can be difficult because all kinds of methods are used to determine them.
School Choice Survives, Sort Of
National Review, NY, June 18, 2008
A House Appropriations subcommittee voted yesterday to fund for another year the federal voucher program that allows about 2,000 low-income D.C. children to attend private schools. But the panel's chairman said that this was probably the last time …
Education Reform A Fragile Flower
Rocky Mountain News, CO, June 17, 2008
So, what are the similarities in Massachusetts and Colorado? In both states, new Democratic governors succumbed to opponents of the existing order, particularly the unions, which had so extravagantly supported their election.
New York's Novel Way to Kill Charter Schools
Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2008
Ten years ago, New York joined the charter school revolution by passing a law to allow these innovative public schools to open. Today there are nearly 100 charters in the state and dozens more in the pipeline.
Scores Found to Rise Faster in Los Angeles Charters
Education Week, MD, June 18, 2008
Charter schools in Los Angeles are generally producing stronger academic growth than traditional public schools in the city, according to a report released last week by a charter school advocacy organization.
St. Paul's Hmong School Creates A Culture Of Success
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, June 17, 2008
Hmong Academy in St. Paul graduated its second class last week. Just about every senior at the charter school walked across the stage, smiled and grabbed a diploma.
June 16, 2008
June 16, 2008
The Odd Couple
New York Sun, NY, June 16, 2008
But it's hard to credit the Reverend Sharpton as an advocate of what the economists call public choice theory. Neither he nor Mr. Klein is prepared to take the next logical step..
No Child Left Behind Needs To Help Rural Schools Attract More Science And Math Teachers
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, June 16, 2008
As toddlers -- and the federal government -- often discover, demanding something doesn't always work. Such is the case with the federal No Child Left Behind law that required every school district to hire highly qualified teachers.
Amazing Teacher Facts
Wall Street Journal, June 14, 2008
Unions keep saying the best people won't go into teaching unless we pay them what doctors and lawyers and CEOs make. Not only are Teach for America salaries significantly lower than what J.P. Morgan might offer, but these individuals go to some very rough classrooms.
Jeb Bush Campaigns For Education, Not Office
St. Petersburg Times, FL, June 15, 2008
This week, in the center of the state he governed for eight years, Bush ends his 18-month hiatus from Florida public life.
Groups Sue To Remove Voucher Ballot Items
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL, June 14, 2008
The battle in Florida over school vouchers returned to the courts on Friday when teachers, civil rights and other groups sued the state to keep two voucher-related proposals off the November ballot.
Disturbing Signs in California's Public Schools
Ventura County Star, CA, June 16, 2008
These are just a few of the disturbing points that politicians should be discussing. Instead, they're regurgitating the same dreary arguments over money, as if that's the only factor affecting how well California's kids are learning...
Ready to Learn
Boston Globe, MA, June 14, 2008
The formula for charter public schools - innovation, autonomy, and responsiveness to student and family needs - has the potential to revolutionize public education.
June 12, 2008
June 12, 2008
Democrats Offer Plans to Revamp Schools Law
New York Times, NY, June 12, 2008
Democrats are dividing into camps as they debate a new course for education policy after President Bush leaves office.
Political Play: Now, A Word From Obama
Washington Post, D.C., June 11, 2008
Screams and cheers nearly drowned out his brief remarks to graduates of the Young Women's Leadership Charter School of Chicago, most of whom were black.
Leave the Charters Alone
Washington Post, D.C., June 12, 2008
In what can only be described as an Orwellian political move, the D.C. Council wants to get involved in running charter schools ["Attack on Charters," editorial, June 9].
Catholic Schools Market 'Affordable Excellence'
The Stamford Times, CT, June 12, 2008
Enrollment in the diocese's schools is not suffering, Donahue said, but there are still several misconceptions about the education provided by Catholic schools that she and the other members of the marketing team are hoping to prove false by the campaign.
Ready for Better Schools
Boston Globe, MA, June 12, 2008
A PLAN BY the Patrick administration to create autonomous "readiness schools" should help students, provided the proposal does not become a stalking horse for an attack on charter schools.
Entrepreneur Seeks To Lift Charter School Cap
Turn to 10, RI, June 11, 2008
Angus Davis divides his life between two worlds. One is the technology world, which made him a very young multi-millionaire. The other is education reform -- his passion.
Longer School Days? Teachers Say 'Not One More Minute'
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, June 12, 2008
The city teachers' union is balking at a school district proposal that teachers and other school employees work longer days starting this fall.
La. Senate OKs School Vouchers For New Orleans
The Times-Picayune, LA, June 11, 2008
In a major legislative success for Gov. Bobby Jindal, the Louisiana Senate voted 25-12 Wednesday for a bill that would let up to 1,500 low- to middle-income students in New Orleans attend private schools at taxpayer expense.
June 05, 2008
June 5, 2008
Transforming Inner-City Schools To Train Tomorrow's Work Force
Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2008
The goal is to create attractive options for students of every background across the city "and let them choose a program that works for them," says Arne Duncan, chief executive of the city's schools. "The large, one-size-fits-all high school doesn't fit anybody."
Today on the Presidential Campaign Trail
Associated Press, June 5, 2008
The nation's largest teachers union plans to endorse Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama now that the Illinois senator has clinched his party's nomination.
Supporting Choice Broadly Is in the Public Interest
Education Week, MD, June 4, 2008
Catholic parents and thousands of others continue to pay twice: taxes for their local public schools, and tuition for the schools of their choice.
Graduation Rates Provide Bleak Outlook; Local Student Succeeds With Center's Help
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH June 5, 2008
Instead, the 17-year-old Cleveland girl -- who left Glenville High School last September to care for her baby daughter -- enrolled in Life Skills Center of Cleveland, a privately operated, publicly funded dropout recovery program that serves 4,600 students across Ohio.
LAUSD's Teacher Walkout
Los Angeles Times, CA, June 5, 2008
Teachers unions have every right, perhaps a responsibility, to take strong actions against budget cuts. But they and their students would be better served by more effective protest with minimal if any impact on kids
Rhetoric and Reality for Charter School
Laconia Citizen, NH, June 5, 2008
At a preplanned news conference on Tuesday, the officials accused the department and Commissioner Tracy of deliberately undermining the charter school experiment in the state by engaging “in a low-profile starvation plan” to ensure that alternative schools like the Career Academy fail due to a lack of funding.
June 03, 2008
June 3, 2008
Clone of Voucher Plan for New Orleans Clears Another Hurdle
Education Week, MD, June 2, 2008
New Orleans families, who have seen a dramatic increase in public school choice since Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, may soon get even more publicly funded options, under a plan to offer private school vouchers that has built momentum in recent weeks.
The Rise of 'Virtual Schools' Divides Education World
MinnPost, MN, June 2, 2008
Because online school programs know no geographic boundaries, they create keen competition for students that could endanger some districts' finances and futures.
Republicans Committed To Better State Public Schools
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, June 3, 2008
If you keep on doing what you're doing, you keep on getting what you're getting. That's not good enough for 1.6 million school-aged children in Georgia counting on us to provide a solid public education.
When Will We Admit That It's the Home Environment?
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, June 3, 2008
I agree that there needs to be more deliberation before the School District approves funding for additional charter schools ("Charters: Too many, too fast?," May 27). … I've watched charters pop-up like Starbucks. And like an addictive cup of coffee, parents are lining up to get their charter-school "fix."
Private Schools See Record Enrollment
News & Observer, NC, June 3, 2008
A slowing economy didn't prevent enrollment in North Carolina's private schools from reaching a record high this school year.
Advantage Academy fills a specific need
Kalamazoo Gazette, MI, June 2, 2008
The children served by the Kalamazoo Advantage Academy represent a challenging demographic. They come from low-income families. About 90 percent of its 270 students qualify for free or reduced lunches.
June 02, 2008
Math Missteps
Barrry Garelick reflects at ednews.org on Capitol Hill's committee response to the recent National Math Advisory Panel's finding that "the delivery system in mathematics education .... is broken and must be fixed." In the wake of a hearing "full of praises for math coaches, technology, and interdisciplinary studies" - missing only "the ritual chorus line kick and singing of Kumbayaa by the Committee members" - Garelick predicts that politicians' reaction, as per usual, will be "authorizations to spend money on hands-on problem solving classes and interdisciplinary approaches" that will still leave "the next generations of high school graduates to benefit from Congress' largess" without a firm grasp of fundamental math.
In the spirit of fuzzy math's emphasis on literacy (v. numeracy) in math, we offer some remedial reading - Mr. Garelick's take on the National Math Panel's actual report recommendations.
Posted by Edspresso at 01:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)June 2, 2008
A Blatant Attempt to Mislead the Voters
St. Petersburg Times, FL, June 1, 2008
However, the real effect and intent of these two amendments is to legalize private school vouchers - giving tax dollars to parents to send their kids to private schools, including religious schools.
Woman Testifies For Children's Education
Lancaster Eagle Gazette, OH, June 1, 2008
Like most parents, Angel Dawson believes her children, 12-year-old son Douglas and 10-year-old daughter Christian, deserve a quality education.
Genders Split Up At More Schools
Denver Post, CO, May 31, 2008
Single-sex education has been a longtime province of private and parochial schools, but recent research and school choice are making it an attractive option for public schools despite protests from civil libertarians.
Investment in Public Education for State's Students Pays Off
San Jose Mercury News, CA, June 2, 2008
On June 9, 50 seniors at East Palo Alto Academy will walk across the stage at Stanford's Memorial Auditorium to receive their high school diplomas. Half of the seniors have been accepted to four-year colleges
LEAP Lost: 'Failed' Charter Was an L.A. Success Story
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, June 2, 2008
If Chatsworth's LEAP Academy had been a traditional public school, and not a Los Angeles Unified School District charter, it would be celebrated as a model of success. Instead, it's closing up shop.
The Answer
Boston Globe, MA, June 1, 2008
Fifteen years into education reform, a growing number of critics charge that the effort has hit a wall. With MCAS, the sometimes controversial achievement test, the state has become quite good at identifying schools where performance is lagging. But it has failed at the crucial next step: fixing the schools.
Charter Schools Start With Expectations
Rockford Register Star, IL, June 1, 2008
The charter school I want for those students who want a chance at a better life starts simply with expectations - for the kids, for the parents and for the community. We can do it; we must do it; we must expect it!
Rescue Kids From 'Sinking Ship'
The Oklahoman, OK, June 1, 2008
Another legislative session has come and gone, and again this year the education establishment was able to squash legislation that would have given parents more school choices.
It’s Time To Open The Doors To Out-Of-State School Models
Providence Journal, RI, June 1, 2008
Can Rhode Island benefit from these proven successes? In a word, no. Our laws fiercely protect Rhode Island’s educational status quo, as though it were a real treasure like Narragansett Bay or our historical architecture.
Arnold Brings Grant News to Charter School
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, May 31, 2008
In what supporters of charter schools hailed as validation of their efforts, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday announced $463 million in state funds will be made available for construction and modernization projects.
