NATIONAL

Feds Contributed Little To Schools in 2007
Associated Press, July 28, 2009
Per pupil spending in public schools varies widely from state to state, but the federal government contributes comparatively little to K-12 education, according to a Census report released Monday.

CALIFORNIA

California Schools Chief Reacts To U.S. Criticism On Teacher Evaluation
Los Angeles Times, CA, July 28, 2009
California’s top education official sought Tuesday to counter federal criticism of the state’s reluctance to use student test scores to evaluate teachers, paying a visit to Long Beach to highlight one of the few California school districts to make extensive use of such data.

FLORIDA

Race to the Top
Miami Herald, FL, July 29, 2009
Florida’s A+ Plan for Education has put the state ahead of the rest in tracking individual student achievement, helping keep the focus on students who need to catch up.

NEW JERSEY

Resident Says Rules Of Union Politics Must Be Changed
Woodbridge Sentinel, NJ, July 29, 2009
The state Legislature of New Jersey and the Edison public schools provide an excellent microcosm of the rules of the game. State incumbent legislators must pander to the unions and are elected to keep in place a support system, among other things, of gerrymandered election districts, teacher and secretary tenure, 600 school districts, union negotiated contracts, and a fierce resistance to competitive charter schools and vouchers.

NEVADA

Charter School Seeking New Location Faces Opposition
Las Vegas Sun, NV, July 29, 2009
A rapidly growing charter school in the Silverado Ranch area is trying to expand into Henderson, but its would-be neighbors at a private school say the street isn’t big enough for the both of them and are trying to block the move.

NEW YORK

The Uses of Vouchers
City Journal, July 2009
In 1975, Congress passed legislation giving students with disabilities the right to an appropriate education at public expense. But having a right is only as good as your ability to enforce it.

TENNESSEE

Public, Parental Involvement Vital
The Tennessean, TN, July 29, 2009
School-choice policy should begin with a rationale. The rationale may be political in nature, holding that choice is a public good and a fundamental democratic principle. Parents have a right to choose the school for their child.

WASHINGTON, DC

13 Schools In District to Offer Specialty Programs
Washington Post, DC, July 29, 2009
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee, seeking to stanch declining enrollment and the exodus of students to the District’s fast-growing charter schools, announced Tuesday that 13 public schools will launch plans for specialized programs in science and technology, arts and languages.

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Like a C-SPAN junkie throwing a shoe at the TV to thwart a clueless Washington Journal guest, a supporter of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program can at times feel like a solitary soldier in the face of the bureaucratic juggernaut that is Capitol Hill.

There have been hearings, reports, letters, editorials, parent and student testimony, rallies…

And yet, Congress and the Administration continue to fret over the effectiveness of DC’s voucher program, laboring (or not) to find an answer even as it stares them right in the face.

Okay, perhaps not the President, but at least Members of Congress get out into the real world and rub shoulders with the residents of their transitory home.

Do they realize that 74% of the folks passing them in the street each day support a continuation of DC OSP?

A new report out today from the Friedman Foundation cuts past the politicos and gets right to the heart of the matter: how District residents - beneficiaries of this and other reforms - feel about their schools, their school leaders and the choices they have for their children.

Their desire to to see the program survive this prolonged vetting is reinforced by groups such as Save Opportunity and DC Children First that work one-on-one with DC families on a daily basis in an effort to enlighten elected officials to the reality of the program’s success.

This is a wake-up call that needs to be delivered to every elected representative with a vote to cast.

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Despite the hype, It sounds like a (sadly) pretty easy race to the top for states hoping to take a victory lap around the Department of Education’s discretionary pot ‘o stimulus money for innovation.

In formal announcements last week about the Race to the Top competition, Secretary Duncan singled out a few states he thinks are already out of the gate toward the stimulus fund victory lap as far as their work with charter legislation is concerned, but is it possible he’s already lowered the bar before they get to the finish line?

Take a look at the “accomplishments” of five states he has already commended and see for yourself:

Rhode Island - After working towards making mayoral academies a reality in the Ocean State last year, reformers had to wage a fight on the pages of national newspapers just to receive the money they were promised to open two new charter schools. So, a legislature that reneges on a promise only to save face by fulfilling it in the end is a contender in the Race to the Top? (They still have a cap by the way, Mr. Secretary.)

Connecticut - At the end of the day, a budget cut to charters was voted down. Innovation at work.

Indiana - A charter school cap and moratorium were fiercely debated, but in the end taken off the table. So, not deciding to limit the growth of charters is enough to win a place of honor?

Massachusetts - The Bay State may or may not expand charter options to a specific group of students in specific areas. They may or may not pass proposed legislation to have a slightly less restrictive cap on charter seats in some districts. Will a wink and a nod from DoEd turn the tide one way or the other?

Colorado - Of all states, Colorado may be the most shameless in actively seeking $timulus support without much reform. They added a $10 million fund and some people to their state education budget with only the goal of securing education money from the Race to the Top.

If this is any guide, it’s going to be a very sad race.

(At least legislators won’t have to break a sweat…)

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NATIONAL

As Charter Schools Unionize, Many Debate Effect
New York Times, NY, July 26, 2009
Dissatisfied with long hours, churning turnover and, in some cases, lower pay than instructors at other public schools, an increasing number of teachers at charter schools are unionizing.

Teachers Are Key To School Reform
Denver Post, CO, July 27, 2009
Of all the reform elements in the $4.3 billion federal Race to the Top program, which was formally rolled out last Friday, the one that has the potential to move tectonic plates in the education world is teacher accountability. Put simply, it asks states to link student test scores to decisions about a teacher’s effectiveness.

A $4 Billion Push for Better Schools
Washington Post, DC, July 24, 2009
President Obama is leaning hard on the nation’s schools, using the promise of more than $4 billion in federal aid — and the threat of withholding it — to strong-arm the education establishment to accept more charter schools and performance pay for teachers.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

L.A.’s Schools — A New Day?
Los Angeles Times, CA, July 27, 2009
We’ve all heard the horror stories about crumbling campuses, falling test scores, growing class sizes and decreasing graduation rates. Yet the debate over education reform remains stuck in neutral. School leaders, principals and unions haggle over contracts instead of hashing out lesson plans. We fight yesterday’s battles — over tenure and time sheets — when today’s economy demands real, tangible reform of what goes on in the classroom.

Green Dot Connects
Los Angeles Times, CA, July 25, 2009
When Green Dot Public Schools took over Locke High School a year ago, the thinking was that a well-run charter might prove an instructive model for improving Los Angeles’ public schools. That might yet prove true. What few expected was that Green Dot would set a new example for other charter schools.

CONNECTICUT

Hartford Schools Getting National Praise After Reforming System
The Hartford Courant, CT, July 27, 2009
In recent history whenever the Hartford school district made news, it usually wasn’t good. From high dropout rates to low standardized test scores that were celebrated by past administrations for not being the worst in the state, the capital city’s schools and students have been much maligned.

FLORIDA

More Virtual School Options Available For Florida Students
Florida Times-Union, FL, July 27, 2009
Florida students interested in learning outside of a traditional classroom environment have another full-time option this year through their local school districts - virtual classes.

LOUISIANA

Recovery School District Superintendent Paul Vallas Cites National Firsts, “Tipping Point” For Charter Schools
The Times-Picayune, LA, July 24, 2009
In laying out his goals for upcoming school year in a morning news conference, Recovery District Superintendent Paul Vallas kept returning to a common theme: First in the nation.

NEVADA

Nevada Law Bars It From ‘Race To The Top’ Education Grants
Las Vegas Review - Journal, NV, July 25, 2009
The Obama administration is offering $5 billion in federal grants to spur innovation in education, but cash-strapped Nevada is likely to take a pass on the “Race to the Top” fund. The president wants to do four things he considers to be reforms — toughen academic standards, find better ways to recruit and keep effective teachers, track student performance and turn around failing schools.

NEW YORK

Taken to School: Obama Funding Plan Must Force Legislature To Accept Education Reforms
New York Daily News, NY, July 26, 2009
President Obama has dealt a much-deserved slap to lawmakers in New York and other states who kowtow to teachers unions: They must get rid of anti-reform limits on holding teachers accountable and opening charter schools, or they will kiss hundreds of millions in federal education grants goodbye. The choice for Albany could not be clearer: Repeal those now.

Senate Deal Keeps Mayor in Control of Schools
New York Times, NY, July 25, 2009
After weeks of delays, negotiating and name-calling, Democrats in the New York Senate reached a deal with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on Friday to renew the law giving him control over city schools.

OHIO

Charter School Students’ Success Must Really Irk Ohio Gov. Strickland
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, July 26, 2009
Before making two trips to Greater Cleveland last week to peddle pabulum about fixing Ohio’s schools, Gov. Ted Strickland should have paid a visit to a Cleveland school he tried to destroy.

OKLAHOMA

Choice Poses Challenge, Opportunity For Districts
The Oklahoman, OK, July 27, 2009
Reading about the chaos that has beset Detroit’s public school system feels like a bit of deja vu. The school district - once one of the country’s largest - is shedding students at an alarming rate and may well be headed for bankruptcy court.

RHODE ISLAND

R.I. to Apply For New Pool Of Federal Aid To Education
Providence Journal, RI, July 25, 2009
Rhode Island will compete for a portion of the $4.35-billion Race to the Top fund, a tantalizing pot of gold dangled by the U.S. Department of Education to spur dramatic education reforms.

WISCONSIN

Charter Schools Need A Shout-Out In Madison Action Plans
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, July 25, 2009
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was a cheerleader for charters Friday during a conference call with regional reporters. He told me Obama is boosting federal money to help launch more charter schools. And billions in competitive school reform grants will be available to states that don’t cap charter schools. Tony Evers, Wisconsin’s superintendent of public instruction, emphasized his support for charter schools at a recent forum in Downtown Madison.

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NATIONAL

Bill Gates: Better Data Mean Better Schools
Associated Press, July 21, 2009
The U.S. must improve its educational standing in the world by rewarding effective teaching and by developing better, universal measures of performance for students and teachers, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Tuesday.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Could Parents’ Screams Jolt L.A. Unified Into Action?
Los Angeles Times, CA, July 22, 2009
The world’s gone mad, no doubt. But shenanigans of this variety are so common, most people just shrug. That’s why I’d like to call attention to some parents who are ticked off about the state of public education, but instead of shrugging, they’re screaming.

INDIANA

IPS Needs To Turn Talk Into Results
Indianapolis Star, IN, July 22, 2009
A fascinating report set for release today should help reshape the debate over education reform within Indianapolis Public Schools. It also should give Superintendent Eugene White more of the muscle needed to make the changes to teacher staffing rules he insists he wants.

MASSACHUSSETTS

Menino, Teachers Union Grow Further Apart
Boston Globe, MA, July 22, 2009
When Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston announced his support of charter schools last month after years of opposition, he lauded their ability to attract and retain top-notch teachers, tailor lessons to students’ needs, and create flexible workplace rules.

MICHIGAN

Charter Schools Get Green Light To Come to Detroit
Detroit News, MI, July 22, 2009
State Attorney General Mike Cox opened the door to greater school opportunities for Detroit children Monday by allowing more charter schools in the city. This is the right move for Motown’s children.

MISSOURI

Charter Cap Hurts Our Kids
Columbia Daily Tribune, MO, July 21, 2009
The geographic restriction regarding charter public schools in Missouri might seriously limit the state’s chance to access a portion of the $4 billion Race to the Top Fund set for initial distribution this year. Charter schools now are only allowed to operate and enroll students in the Kansas City school district and the city of St. Louis.

NORTH CAROLINA

Battle Over Charter Schools, Money
abc11, NC, July 22, 2009
Many wonder if North Carolina would really pass up tens of millions of dollars, because law-makers and some education groups don’t want to allow more charter schools.

VIRGINIA

Bill Would Give Vouchers For Better Schools
Marine Corps Times, VA, July 21, 2009
A key senator has come up with a proposal to subsidize attendance at private or charter schools for military dependents.

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