New Push Seeks to End Need for Pre-College Remedial Classes
New York Times, NY, May 28, 2009
Like Ms. Martin, more than a million college freshmen across the nation must take remedial courses each year, and many drop out before getting a degree. Poorly run public schools are a part of the problem, but so is a disconnect between high schools and colleges.

More College Grads Join Teach for America
New York Times, NY, May 28, 2009
When school starts next fall, Teach for America will send an unprecedented number of college graduates to teach in poor communities across the country — but not as many as the group would like.

Turning Around Troubled Schools
US News & World Report, May 27, 2009
For years, the Julia Ward Howe School in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood was beset by discipline and academic problems. At one point, only 20 percent of the students at the K-8 public school were meeting state academic standards. In 2008, Arne Duncan, then leader of Chicago Public Schools, was so fed up he approved what usually is seen as a nuclear option: To save the school, he fired the entire staff and put a nonprofit group in charge.

Obama—Who Opposes School Choice—Touts Sotomayor’s ‘Good’ Catholic Education
CNS News, May 27, 2009
President Barack Obama—who opposes school choice in general and whose education secretary last month prevented any new children from entering a school-choice program in Washington, D.C.–touted the fact that his Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, was sent to a Catholic school by a hard-working mother who was determined that her children were going to get a "good education."

Gray and Rhee Still Contesting the Count
Washington Post Blog, D.C., May 27, 2009
D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) and Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee continue their standoff over public school enrollment and funding, with the latest wrinkles involving stimulus money.

KIPP Phila. Gets Grant To Expand Charter Schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 28, 2009
Based on its successful track record, KIPP Philadelphia has been awarded a $4.6 million grant from a national investment fund to help reach its goal of expanding to a network of 10 charter schools in the city over the next decade.

SRC Adopts $3.2 Billion Schools Budget
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 28, 2009
The Philadelphia School Reform Commission adopted yesterday a $3.2 billion budget for the 2009-10 school year that funds dozens of new initiatives and moves to shift controversial assessment employees off the district’s payroll.

Charter Schools Not Getting Enrollment Increases
Philadelphia Bulletin, PA, May 28, 2009
Some heads of charter schools in the city are objecting to the Philadelphia School District’s decisions thus far against allowing the schools an enrollment increase for next year.

Ohio’s Largest E-School Fires Teacher
Columbus Dispatch, OH, May 28, 2009
ECOT is the state’s largest online charter school, enrolling more than 8,000 students.
"I don’t think it was the state’s intent to create a second tier of teacher, but in essence, that’s what the state did with their decision to limit a license," Wilson said.

Graduating With Honors: Post-Katrina Reforms Led To Progress In New Orleans High Schools
Times-Picayune, LA, May 28, 2009
There’s been a dramatic change since then, however. The graduation rate for the recovery district’s seven high schools rose to 77 percent this year.

Pueblo Charter Execs’ Pay Questioned
Denver Post, CO, May 28, 2009
Questions are being raised about salaries of the top officials at the Pueblo-based Cesar Chavez Network of charter schools in southern Colorado as the organization seeks to close a school because of financial problems.

Washington Schools Race to the Top
Seattle Times, WA, May 28, 2009
STATES making the most strides to transform their public schools will snag part of a $5 billion federal "Race to the Top" fund meant to push innovation and reform.

Educational Opportunities Abound
Rogers Hometown News, AR, May 27, 2009
There are a number of educational choices for parents in the Rogers area, including a handful of private schools and two public school programs. One, the Rogers School District, is one of the largest districts in the state. The other public schools are the area’s two charter schools, the Benton County School of the Arts and the Northwest Arkansas Academy of Fine Arts.

Detroit Teacher Union Can Commit Suicide or Embrace Reforms
Detroit News, MI, May 28, 2009
The national leader of the American Federation of Teachers union came to Detroit this week to deliver an unprecedented message to teachers: Your union local must change to save your city. We urge Detroit teachers to embrace this goal.

Where Change Begins at L.A.’s Locke High School
Los Angeles Times, CA, May 28, 2009
Green Dot has promised to educate a new generation of Watts students who not only graduate, but graduate ready for college. A visit to its freshman academies, however, shows that major gains don’t come easy, or fast.

LASD Rejects Charter School Foundation’s Offer
Los Altos Town Crier, CA, May 27, 2009
In exchange for exclusive use of the Gardner Bullis School campus, the Bullis Charter School’s foundation offered this spring to donate $3 million to the Los Altos School District. Superintendent Tim Justus said no – at least while the charter remains independent of the district.

Charter Schools Vote: Schools Are For Kids
Central Maine Morning Sentinel, ME, May 27, 2009
Supporters of the status quo are on the verge of winning the battle against innovation at the Statehouse, where the umpteenth attempt to bring charter schools to Maine is just about dead.

Tax Credits OK’d to Replace School Vouchers
East Valley Tribune, AZ, May 27, 2009
State lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to legislation to create yet another program to divert tax dollars to help some students pay the costs of going to private and parochial schools.

Former Sen. Frist Shares Ideas for Better Schools
The Tennessean, TN, May 28, 2009
Former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist visited Milan on Wednesday to share ideas on reforming education as Tennessee students prepare for tougher standards.

Study: Gap in Student Achievement Still There
Metro West Daily News, MA, May 27, 2009
On the 15th anniversary of the state’s landmark Education Reform, more changes are needed to close a persistent student achievement gap, says a study to be released today by the think tank MassINC.

Study Links Teacher Movement to Influx of Black Students
Education Week, MD, May 27, 2009
The best teachers tend to leave when their schools experience an influx of African-American students, according to a study of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C., school district published today.

California’s Preschool System Can Be Improved Now, When Resources Are Scarce, and In the Future
RAND Corporation, May 28, 2009
California can improve its early childhood education system in an era of fiscal crisis and lay the foundation for improving access and quality in the future when more resources are available, according to a new RAND Corporation study.