Stimulus Money May Fund Summer School, Teacher Pay
New York Times, NY, April 24, 2009
Education Secretary Arne Duncan has some suggestions for how schools can spend their windfall from the economic stimulus law, including summer school and extra pay for teachers to coach struggling colleagues.

Straight A’s for Performance Pay
Washington Times, D.C., April 24, 2009
If there is one thing the lords of Wall Street and their most hapless victims agree on these days, it is that there was a disastrous misalignment between the incentives of bankers and traders and the interests of their clients and shareholders. It should not be so surprising that much of the failure of our public schools can be traced to a similar misalignment…

Where the Jobs Are: Teaching
Forbes, April 23, 2009
Many school districts across the country, particularly in Florida and California, are contending with budget cuts and the threat of layoffs, but people in the field expect them to start hiring again, and heavily, before too long. "We will need almost 4 million teachers by 2014, because of retirements and modest projected increases in enrollment," says Susan Carmon, associate director of the teacher quality department at the National Education Association…

Talkin’ About Charters
Columbus Dispatch, OH, April 23, 2009
Zimmer made a couple of policy recommendations that touch on long-running debates in Ohio’s charter-school movement. First, he said policymakers should examine whether there is a better way to authorize charter schools. Our state allows all types of organizations to oversee charters, but that’s not true in every state.

Summit to Focus on Cleveland’s Dropout Rate
Cleveland Plain Dealers, OH, April 24, 2009
Cleveland’s high school graduation rate — one of the worst in the country — isn’t showing signs of getting better, according to a report issued this week by America’s Promise Alliance. But the group, founded by retired Gen. Colin Powell and his wife, Alma, will help attack the problem next month at a dropout-prevention summit at the Cleveland Convention Center.

Ed. Analysts: Choice Is The Real Issue
Philadelphia Bulletin, PA, April 24, 2009
"Instead of giving money right to schools, attach it to the students and their parents, so they can choose what school to attend. "Mr. McCluskey said charter schools often fall prey to politicians who threaten to close them if they do not comply with certain rules and regulations. "Take that to private schools, then you have real competition," he said. "If everybody has choice, you can’t say [the decision] was for political reasons."

Georgia Should Be Proud of Its Schools’ Achievements
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, April 24, 2009
Our schools aren’t as good as they used to be, and they never were,” joked Will Rogers. I wonder whether he was talking about Georgia. ost folks don’t know it, but Georgia schools are on an impressive run. Believe it or not, Georgia is now ranked No. 1 in the nation in educational technology, according to Education Week.

Oklahoma Charter Schools Pass a Judicial Test
The Oklahoman, OK, April 24, 2009
Oklahoma’s charter schools get to stay open — for now — because they won the first step in a legal case against them. On Thursday, an Oklahoma County judge ruled the 1999 charter school law is constitutional. District Judge Carolyn Ricks rejected complaints about the law by the Tulsa School District.

Education Reform: Big Promises and Big Price Tag
Yakima Herald-Republic, WA, April 24, 2009
Without question, improvements must be made in the way this state handles the basic requirements of public education.

Charter Schools Get $30M Windfall
New York Daily News, NY, April 24, 2009
The restoration of millions of dollars in charter school funding was icing on the cake for the parents of the 475 kids who won coveted seats at the Harlem Success Academy Thursday night. State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith told them Albany is sending the charter schools a one-time-only $30 million grant to ease the pain of a surprise $51 million funding cut in the budget freeze.

Public Is the New Private
Huffington Post, NY, April 23, 2009
The Emerald City had lost its glitter. Thousands of children are without schools and waitlists for both public and private schools are approaching triple digits. Let me tell you, parents are panicking. It feels like all of my ideals and dreams have abandoned me. The public school education that promised to be so nourishing, and that should be an inalienable right, is now out of reach.

Bennett: I Represent A Union, The Children’s Union
Indianapolis Star, IN, April 23, 2009
I am going to stand up every day and say that I represent a union, and I represent the union of Indiana children. And every day I am going to represent my membership. And I am going to represent my membership by talking to this state and saying to this state if we don’t become nationally and internationally competitive…

Charter Schools May Create Second-Class Neighborhood Schools
San Jose Mercury News, CA, April 23, 2009
As elected members of the Santa Clara County Board of Education, we are very concerned about a pending tsunami of charter schools coming to our valley, in many cases through our county Office of Education authorizing process.

Asian Methods Mold Chandler Charter School
East Valley Tribune, AZ, April 23, 2009
Taking a few successful teaching methods and lessons from around the world, two women have co-founded a charter school with international flavor for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

For Fifth Term As Mayor, Menino Must Earn It
Boston Globe, MA, April 24, 2009
Although Menino has done a fair job with the schools, he hasn’t been a persistent, high-profile prod for progress… And despite President Obama’s call for lifting caps on charter schools, Menino opposes more such schools.

Public, Private Schools Have Their Say
The State, S.C., April 24, 2009
Thursday, parents, teachers, education leaders and others clashed over whether a controversial tax credit proposal would help more of the state’s students succeed, especially students who are poor, have learning disabilities or disciplinary problems.

House Measure Fortifies School Vouchers
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL, April 24, 2009
A private school voucher program for children from low-income families would be strengthened by a bill the House passed Thursday, but critics say it would be another financial blow for public education.

Minn. House Passes Legislation To Hold School Funding Flat
Minnesota Public Radio, April 24, 2009
The House education bill also relieves school districts from several costly state mandates. It establishes new accountability and oversight rules for charter schools, and sets new standards for online learning.