For Education Chief, Stimulus Means Power and Risk
New York Times, NY, February 17, 2009
The $100 billion in emergency aid for public schools and colleges in the economic stimulus bill could transform Arne Duncan into an exceptional figure in the history of federal education policy: a secretary of education loaded with money and the power to spend large chunks of it as he sees fit.

Education Gets Much-Needed Boost
Columbus Dispatch, OH, February 17, 2009
That makes the new fiscal-stimulus package a landmark, because it takes a few wobbly steps toward reform and allocates more than $100 billion toward education. That’s a hefty sum — by comparison, the Education Department’s entire discretionary budget for the year was $59 billion…

Problems with Merit Pay Outweigh Benefits
Voice of San Diego, CA, February 16, 2009
This lack of adequate pay and the question of how to regulate payment of teachers have given rise to a rather fervent debate over whether to pay teachers according to their merit and performance and therefore pay teachers different amounts or leave an equal-pay system in place despite the obvious unfairness.

Georgia’s Public Schools On The Right Course
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, February 17, 2009
The picture’s clear. There’s nothing Georgia’s likely to do in public education that offers any more hope of success than what it’s already doing. Just leave ‘em alone. Give the current approach time to work — time that may amount to another eight to 10 years. There’s no quicker fix.

Parents Sue Over Schools
The Advocate, LA, February 17, 2009
A group of parents and teachers — represented by two East Baton Rouge Parish School Board members — have filed a lawsuit, seeking to block the impending state takeover of eight Baton Rouge public schools.

Charter Schools Can’t Succeed Under Plan
Columbus Dispatch, OH, February 17, 2009
Currently a public charter-school student receives about $3,000 less in state funding than a district public-school student. That’s one-third less. Charter schools receive no support from local property taxes or for facilities. District schools have had access to more than $4 billion in facilities funding.

Special Effort: The State Is Not Finished On Education Funding
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, February 17, 2009
You have to look through a long lens to see the benefits of increasing state funding for special education, and that’s especially true now, with the nation’s economy tanking and the state’s budget being squeezed.

Extend Tax Credit For Catholic Schools
Chicago Daily Herald, IL, February 17, 2009
With this remarkable record of achievement in mind, Catholic School parents are justified in supporting legislation increasing the Illinois Education Expense Tax Credit from $500 to $1,000 annually.

School, City Officials Should Heed Message of Charter Backing
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, February 17, 2009
Gloucester city and school officials may not want to hear it, but in recommending approval for a Gloucester charter school last week, state Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester delivered a couple of important messages as well.

Dramatic Inspiration
Boston Globe, MA, February 17, 2009
Dozens of lawmakers were on hand, and gave him a well-deserved standing ovation. I hope they spent some time thinking about the fact that he attends a charter school, an issue state lawmakers have been maddeningly indecisive about supporting.

Patrick’s Charter School Plan Needs Improving
South Coast Today, MA, February 17, 2009
We welcome The Standard-Times’ support for raising the cap on charter schools ("A mixed bag for charters," Feb. 10), but take issue with two assertions made in the editorial.

State Queries Report About School Choice
Brattleboro Reformer, VT, February 17, 2009
Vermont’s education commissioner plans to ask the state board of education not to support a new report which shows that most Vermonters are in favor of expanding school choice in the state.

Kindergartners Go From ABCs to Korean
New York Daily News, NY, February 17, 2009
Students at the Bronx Charter School for Better Learning in Baychester are learning to both speak and read Korean. Staffers saw the lessons as a cultural opportunity for the students, all of whom are African-American.

Parents Check Charter Schools For The Right Fit
Indianapolis Star, IN, February 17, 2009
Parents went shopping Monday at Circle Centre mall, but they weren’t looking for clothes, shoes or toys. Their mission was much more fundamental: They were browsing the schools at a Charter School Community Fair at the Indianapolis Artsgarden.

A Different Kind Of Public Schooling
The Oregonian, OR, February 16, 2009
In a state that prides itself on choice and individual rights, you don’t have to look far to experience the lack of those values in Oregon public education. In the next few months, the Legislature and the Oregon Board of Education will decide whether they will actually grant access to the public education alternatives they profess to support. Oregon parents should pay attention.