Since there’s no shortage of news on low-performing schools, we’re interested in shining a spotlight on schools deserving of positive attention.  To that end, we hope to make "Great Schools" a recurring feature that gives some positive attention to schools that do more with less, that are shining examples of excellence, and are schools that lots of parents would send their children to if they had the chance.  If you know of a school–public, private, or public charter–that fits this description, please contact me at rboots at allianceREMOVETHISforschoolchoice dot org.-ed.

KIPP Philadelphia Charter School, which got its start in the summer of 2003, presently serves 300 students between the 5^th through 8^th grades.  KIPP schools are known for their high-flying ways, but even so, KIPP Philadelphia stands out: the current eighth grade class has improved from the 17^th to the 70^th percentile in math, and from the 21^st to the 55^th percentile in reading in their first three years at KIPP as measured by the TerraNova, a norm-referenced test.  In addition, those students outperformed both the state and the district on this year’s state test with 86 percent proficient or advanced in math, and 80 percent proficient or advanced in reading.

Principal Marc Mannella took the time to talk about how he wandered into education, what it’s like starting a brand-new KIPP school, and whether all those 80-hour days are wearing on him. 

More “Great Schools: KIPP Philadelphia”

We’ve all heard of special-needs vouchers for children with disabilities.  But what about vouchers for the gifted?

More “Special-needs vouchers–on the other end of the scale”

After last week’s swipe at school choice in Texas (I blogged it–click here or scroll down), one of the main contributors to the program also responds. 

Report: Blacks, Hispanics trail white students - Despite significant gains in minority undergraduate and graduate enrollments at the nation’s colleges and universities, the rate at which black and Hispanic students attend college continues to trail that of white students, a report says.

Spitzer says he’s funneling more funding to private schools - Gubernatorial hopeful Eliot Spitzer said yesterday he favors funneling more state cash to private schools.

D.C paid for training schools said didn’t occur - In September 2005, Equal Access in Education billed the city $76,250 to train math and reading teachers in techniques to boost student performance at five D.C. public charter schools that failed to meet academic targets.

DC public schools - reform is not the answer - Over the past 24 years, the D.C. Public Schools have gone through 10 superintendents. Based on the historical pattern of 2.4 years per incumbent, Clifford Janey had better beware. His turn is about up.

Ariz. candidates on education - Munsil: Provide $4,000 state scholarships for children in failing schools, allowing those students to attend any private school of their parents’ choosing.

Texas programs highlights benefits of providing school choice - Jim Leininger: The Horizon Program for school choice funded by me and others over the past 10 years is the second-longest-running school choice program in the nation, as recently noted in a comment by Paul Kelleher.

Check back later for more education news. 

UPDATE:

In NY, system to help poorest schools faces criticism - The residents of this tumbledown city of 30,000 routinely voted down school budgets over the years, leaving their schools so hard up by the early 1990s that broken windows were patched with cardboard and principals did their own typing because they could not afford secretaries.

Iowa plan puts experts in the classroom - School districts worldwide struggle to find teachers for subjects such as math, science, foreign language and special education. Experts like De- Vries could fill Iowa’s classrooms - even before they take courses on how to be a teacher - if state regulators decide to change the rules.

Language, income barriers, force suburban schools to adapt - Village Meadows Elementary School for decades was filled with the children of White, middle-class families. Those kids began disappearing 10 years ago, giving their seats to students who grew up in lower-income, often Spanish-speaking families.

Ed Week: Law’s ‘persistently dangerous’ tag weighed - (subscription required) Of all the reasons so few schools are identified as “persistently dangerous” under the No Child Left Behind Act, the label itself may be the biggest, according to members of a federal advisory panel.

Ed Week: Minnesota governor struggles to keep seat - Gov. Pawlenty is having to overcome many educators’ view that his ideas for improving K-12 education in Minnesota conflict with the decisions he’s made over the past four years to manage the state budget.

Ed Week: Ohio Supreme Court narrowly upholds state charter law - In a 4-3 ruling handed down last week, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the state’s charter school law.

Ed Week: Work schools of graduates seen lacking - New employees with just high school diplomas, and even some employees with four-year college degrees, lack the work skills needed to succeed in a global and increasingly competitive workplace, suggests a survey of corporate human-resource officials.

Parents must get refunds - The Camden school district is being sued by parents trying to recover nearly $600,000 in school trip fees that never should have been collected.

Fate of education up to new guv - Colorado:  Democratic sweep of key state races Nov. 7 would touch off the widest ranging discussion in years of public education. A Republican win would bring less far-reaching change, although party leaders say they would look at revising tests administered under the Colorado Student Assessment Program.

Five years can feel like a lifetime in politics, where momentum can be a stronger force than gravity. For the Bush Administration, five years invested in implementing and defending No Child Left Behind has created a sense of ownership over all aspects of a law that was the result of heavy negotiations.  This was apparent in Education Secretary Margaret Spelling’s recent comment that the law needs few changes in its reauthorization. But compared to the original education plan President Bush offered in 2001, the current No Child Left Behind falls short of the Administration’s goals. 

More “The Bush Education Agenda: Then and Now (Dan Lips)”