Reform in Education — an Oxymoron
San Diego Daily Transcript, CA, May 28, 2009
Parents and educators are anxious to learn how President Obama will reform U.S. education. His campaign promises could be tough to implement within the bureaucracy of local and state school systems. The hierarchy of teachers and administrators is ruled by the unions that do not like changes.

Duncan: States Could Lose Out on Stimulus Cash
New York Times, NY, May 29, 2009
States will hurt their chance to compete for millions of federal stimulus dollars if they fail to embrace innovations like charter schools, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Thursday.

Profound Shift In Kind Of Families Who Are Home Schooling Their Children
USA Today, May 28, 2009
Parents who home-school children increasingly are white, wealthy and well-educated — and their numbers have nearly doubled in a decade, a new federal government report says. What else has nearly doubled? The percentage of girls who are home-schooled. They now outnumber home-schooled girls by a wide margin.

The Selling of School Reform
The Nation, May 27, 2009
It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke: Al Sharpton, Newt Gingrich and Mike Bloomberg–all failed presidential hopefuls–arrive at the White House for a joint meeting with President Barack Obama. Upon leaving the Oval Office, they convene a press conference on the White House lawn.

Stop Alienating D.C.’s Teachers
Washington Post, D.C., May 29, 2009
Regarding Marc Fisher’s May 21 Metro column, "Getting Through to Kids, if Council Stays Out of the Way": D.C. Deputy Mayor Victor Reinoso missed a golden opportunity to foster a spirit of partnership with D.C. Public Schools teachers.

D.C. Should Create Its Own School Voucher Program
Washington Examiner, D.C., May 29, 2009
Thousands rallied in DC earlier this month to save a federal program that helps low-income families afford private schooling. On the same day, President Obama signaled that he opposes school vouchers, but will seek funding so that students already attending private schools may continue to do so through the end of high school. When they’ve graduated, the voucher program would die. That isn’t good enough.

Enrollment Drop Dooms Private School’s High School
Tulsa World, OK, May 29, 2009
When more than half of the high school students didn’t enroll for next fall, administrators at Grace Christian School made the tough decision this week to close the high school. "This year alone we had 60 students withdraw," Superintendent Ken Stewart said. "They simply didn’t have the money to be here. We had not had those problems prior to this year."

Charter Exec Defends Salaries
Denver Post, CO, May 29, 2009
The director of a Pueblo-based charter-school network that is opening a school in Denver defended his annual salary of $261,732 that makes him among the highest paid K-12 educators in Colorado.

WHEN MassINC Speaks, It’s Well Worth Listening.
Boston Globe, MA, May 29, 2009
After all, the nonpartisan think tank has established itself as a thoughtful, careful, credible voice on public policy in Massachusetts.

N.J. Court Approves Shift in School Funding
Wall Street Journal, May 28, 2009
New Jersey’s Supreme Court has ruled the Corzine administration’s new system for funding schools is constitutional, a major step toward ending the system of special help for 31 urban school districts that has been a sore spot for many taxpayers and politicians for decades.

Helping More Children
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 29, 2009
Tears being shed over yesterday’s state Supreme Court ruling that ends an education funding formula that favored New Jersey’s 31 poorest school districts are premature. If implemented properly, the landmark decision will ensure that extra dollars follow poor students, no matter which school they attend.

Community Turns Out For Charter School Talk
Gary Post Tribune, IN, May 29, 2009
An administrator and two school board members went on the defensive for Duneland School Corp. on Thursday night at a well-attended community information meeting for the proposed Discovery Charter School.

Grateful to Graduate: Charter School Is Safety Net For Some
Duluth News Tribune, MN, May 29, 2009
Two years ago T’Nise Harper was a high school dropout and pregnant. Thursday night the 19-year-old received her high school diploma. She was one of 10 students honored at a graduation ceremony for Lake Superior High School, a Duluth charter school that sometimes serves as the final net for students in danger of dropping out of the education system altogether

Senate Bill Supports 21st-Century Skills
eSchool News, May 29, 2009
States offering students curriculum options that integrate key 21st-century skills would receive matching federal funds through an incentive bill introduced in the U.S. Senate May 13 by West Virginia Democrat John D. Rockefeller IV.

No Charters for Kids of Board Vice-Chair
Washington Post Blog, D.C., May 28, 2009
Brian W. Jones, vice chairman of the D.C. Public Charter School Board, was finishing up his testimony at the D.C. Council’s confirmation hearing today for an old friend and colleague, Kerri L. Briggs, the Acting State Superintendent for Education, when he mentioned that he was the father of two school age children. Where do they go to school? Chairman Vincent C. Gray asked.

Mayor Won’t OK Charter School Bill
Toledo Blade, OH, May 28, 2009
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner yesterday said he would not approve a Toledo City Council ordinance strongly urging the city plan commission to strip Glass City Academy charter school of its ability to relocate in a former west-side synagogue.

Doing Better for Charter Schools
News & Observer, NC, May 29, 2009
Proposed legislation in the General Assembly has been touted as the first step in that forward momentum. But close inspection of the bill has left some wondering whether the measure inadvertently could mean "one step forward and two steps back" for the state’s charter school movement — particularly for those schools serving low-income and at-risk students.

Senator Asks BESE to Think About Funding
The Advocate, LA, May 29, 2009
In a surprise move, a Senate leader Thursday asked leaders of the state’s top school board to re-examine their plan to freeze basic state aid to public schools at current levels. Senate Education Committee Chairman Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, made the request at the end of a committee hearing on legislation that is backed by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Editorial: Legislature’s Cutting of Florida Virtual School Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish
TC Palm, FL, May 29, 2009
The evidence is in: Virtual schools that serve K-12 students save money and increase learning opportunities. Unfortunately, the nearsighted Florida Legislature still lacks a clear vision for online education.

Too Much of Good Thing? The Limits of Choice
Indianapolis Star, IN, May 29, 2009
There has been a great deal of talk and some strong positions taken on the growth of charter schools in Indiana. The governor, the state Superintendent of Public Instruction and The Star’s Editorial Board support the unlimited growth of charter schools. However, as superintendent of a school district affected by 17 charter schools, I requested at the beginning of this year’s legislative session — and I am still asking for — a moratorium on new charter schools in Marion County for the new two-year budget cycle.

The Governor on Vouchers
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, May 28, 2009
Our editorial board met briefly with Gov. Mitch Daniels this afternoon. The still-unfinished state budget was the primary topic. Public school officials will not be pleased to learn that the governor continues to push for the "school scholarship tax credit" — a thinly disguised voucher bill. The governor termed the $5 million-a-year price tag as "almost insignificant."

No Tax Hike Before Reform
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 29, 2009
As Democratic leaders search for an answer, Republican leaders are finding their voices and pushing for reform legislation. If they hold together as a group, they have a tremendous opportunity to force major changes in how Illinois government spends your money and conducts its business…