Stimulus Plan Would Provide Flood of Aid to Education
New York Times, NY, January 28, 2009
The economic stimulus plan that Congress has scheduled for a vote on Wednesday would shower the nation’s school districts, child care centers and university campuses with $150 billion in new federal spending, a vast two-year investment that would more than double the Department of Education’s current budget.

School Reform That Works
Washington Post, D.C., January 28, 2009
But even within the United States, there is a big gap between people who get the chance to make the most of their talents and those who don’t. Melinda and I believe that providing everyone with a great education is the key to closing this gap.

Is Michelle Rhee the New Face Of Education reform?
Christian Science Monitor, MA, January 27, 2009
Her tough approach and willingness to take on “untouchable” issues in education have earned her a reputation as a nonideological crusader who might be carving out a new model for school reform. But critics, including many teachers, see her tactics as heavy handed and capricious. Is she education’s new White Knight or just a Michelle the Knife?

Recessions and Private School Enrollment
Wall Street Journal, January 27, 2009
The Wall Street Journal reports that private schools are feeling pinched by the recession, as strapped families opt to pull their children out, or at least apply for financial aid.

The Value of National Board Teachers
Washington Post, D.C., January 28, 2009
I hope that support for this important tool for professionalizing teaching will be restored to the budget. Just as in other professions, talented teachers need opportunities to advance their skills and gain recognition.

Should Congress Continue To Fund The D.C. School Voucher Program? PRO
Should Congress Continue To Fund The D.C. School Voucher Program? CON
Kansas City Star, MO, January 28, 2009
The program that provides scholarships of up to $7,500 per year for low-income students to attend private schools is funded only through the 2009-10 school year.

Germantown Charter School Parents Demand Action
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 28, 2009
Several parents of special education students from Germantown Settlement Charter School are demanding action because they say an exodus of qualified staff and a lack of services for their children has created an educational emergency.

Reforms We Can Believe In
Daily Pennsylvanian, PA, January 28, 2009
So what does Duncan’s appointment mean for the School District of Philadelphia? Ideally, only good things. Having an advocate for urban education reform at the federal level should help out struggling urban school districts like ours.

Teachers Union Still Remains Biggest Roadblock of Reform
The News Journal, DE, January 28, 2009
In her Jan. 23 column “Changing the view on Del. education,” Sondra Shippen, head of one of Wilmington’s charter schools, points to the positive attributes she witnessed visiting the Edmonton, Canada, schools.

Learning to Cooperate
Times Picayune, LA, January 28, 2009
Woody Koppel, the new president of the Orleans Parish School Board, says he wants to improve relations with the district’s independently run charter schools as well as the other players in the city’s complex public education landscape, and that’s a positive direction for the board to take.

New Federal Blood Can’t Hurt Nevada
Las Vegas Sun, NV, January 28, 2009
A fresh slate with a new education secretary can only help Nevada. Education officials and lawmakers have had little luck convincing the feds that the Silver State needs more money for its growing population of at-risk students and greater flexibility in how their progress is measured.

Charter Schools Score in Budget
Boston Globe, MA, January 28, 2009
Governor Deval Patrick, who has consistently opposed raising the cap on the number of charter schools, will dramatically change course in the budget he releases today, allowing for more charters in low-performing districts as long as these new schools try to help the most vulnerable students.

Charter Schools Continue to Open
Ball State Daily News, IN, January 28, 2009
In 2002, Ball State University sponsored its first charter school. Since that time, the university has added 28 additional schools to its ranks.

Miss. NAACP Questions Some Education Legislation
WREG, TN, January 27, 2009
The Mississippi NAACP held its annual legislative day on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to oppose the “Children’s First Act” and any proposals for charter schools and voter identification.

Legislative Bill Aims For Smaller School Sizes
Carlsbad Current Argus, NM, January 28, 2009
East Mountain High School, a six-year-old public charter school located in Sandia Park, east of Albuquerque, is a model for small-school success. Most of the 330 students meet federal benchmarks for academic achievement; the school has a 96.2 percent graduation rate; and nearly all of its graduates go on to higher education.