NATIONAL

Push is on for a ‘common’ education standard for US schoolchildren
Christian Science Monitor, MA, June 10, 2009
Education Secretary Arne Duncan threw his weight Wednesday behind a “common” education standard for all of America’s schoolchildren, saying the current state-by-state system has produced uneven results in which some students “are totally, inadequately prepared to go into a competitive university, let alone graduate.”

FROM THE STATES

IOWA

Wanted: Leaders of school reform
Editorial, Des Moines Register, IA, June 11, 2009
It’s critical Iowa business and education leaders step in to fill the void, either expanding on the work of an existing group or with a new private, nonprofit business-education alliance committed to comprehensive reform.

ILLINOIS

Noted school reformer to meet with city leaders this weekend
Peoria Journal Star, IL, June 10, 2009
Noted school reformer Paul Vallas will be in Peoria this weekend to discuss education issues with city leaders.

MASSACHUSETTS

Menino - status quo running as agent of change
Opinion, Boston Globe, MA, June 11, 2009
IT TOOK 16 years. But Tom Menino is finally getting tired of the status quo. Unfortunately, he is part of it. On Tuesday, Menino reversed his long-held position against charter schools in a speech to hundreds of executives at a luncheon at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Now, he now supports more of them. This puts him at odds with the Boston Teachers Union - and in line with proposals released earlier by two mayoral opponents, city councilors Michael F. Flaherty and Sam Yoon.

NEW YORK

Plan by Silver Would Extend Mayor’s Control of Schools
New York Times, NY, June 11, 2009
The New York State Assembly moved closer to preserving mayoral control of city schools as lawmakers on Wednesday night considered a proposal by Speaker Sheldon Silver that would maintain the mayor’s dominance but add checks, including limiting his ability to approve contracts and close schools.

OHIO

Now, the hard part
Editorial, Columbus Dispatch, OH, June 11, 2009
Strickland and House Democrats also would decimate funding for charter schools, which represent one of the most efficient avenues to innovative alternatives in public schools. The Senate budget plan restores much of current funding for charters.

TENNESSEE

It’s time to take shackles off charter schools in Tennessee
Opinion, The Tennessean, TN, June 11, 2009
The threat of losing $100 million in federal stimulus money because Tennessee has a bad charter-school law is one reason to think twice about killing a pending law change that would have improved the law — and public education — considerably.

UTAH

Utah may pay for cap on charter schools
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, June 10, 2009
Utah’s cap on charter schools will hurt the state when it comes to competing for new federal education reform dollars. States that put artificial caps on public charter school growth will “jeopardize their applications” under the so-called “Race to the Top Fund,” money aimed at reforming America’s lowest-performing schools, said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How much freedom do charter schools deserve?
Opinions, Los Angeles Times, CA, June 9, 2009
Are charter schools given too much latitude in teaching ideology to their students? Lisa Snell and Ralph E. Shaffer debate.