NATIONAL

Learning to Teach to Bridge the Achievement Gap
New York Times, NY, November 20, 2009
What is turbo-charging academics at this school? It is never easy to prove a cause-and-effect relationship in education, but three ingredients associated with success in other schools are at work: high expectations for everyone, constant assessment and family involvement.

Gates Foundation Gives $335 Million To Raise Teacher Effectiveness
Washington Post, DC, November 20, 2009
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Thursday a $335 million investment in teacher effectiveness, funding experiments in tenure, evaluation, compensation, training and mentoring in three large school systems and a cluster of charter schools.

Changes Urged in Rules for Federal Innovation Aid
Education Week, MD, November 19, 2009
As the U.S. Department of Education prepares final rules for the $650 million Investing in Innovation Fund, officials face strong concerns from school districts and philanthropies that requiring matching funds from the private sector is unworkable and would turn foundations into the gatekeepers for these federal grants.

FROM THE STATES

Arizona

Special-Needs Scholarship Struggles for Donations
The Arizona Republic, AZ, November 20, 2009
A new scholarship fund for Arizona special-needs and foster children to attend private schools is falling flat, forcing some parents to send their children to other schools or to home-school, and prompting some small private schools to close their doors.

Florida

State Will Soon Grade Its Education Schools
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 19, 2009
Florida already grades its public schools and rates its pre-kindergarten programs based on student test scores. Its teacher-preparation programs look to be next. The Florida Department of Education is working on a system to judge programs that train teachers - whether at universities, colleges or school districts - in an effort to boost teacher quality.

Illinois

Brady Unveils Education Reform Package
Chicago Daily Observer, IL, November 19, 2009
Sen. Bill Brady, Republican Candidate for Governor, unveiled a comprehensive education reform package today to give parents a greater choice in their children’s education and to better prepare Illinois students for college educations and 21st Century vocations and careers.

Indiana

Duncan Says U.S. Has Chance to Reform Education System
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 20, 2009
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told educators at a conference Thursday in Indianapolis that too many adults — in classrooms, communities and state governments — are standing in the way of American children getting a good education…. But local educators pointed out afterward that many obstacles stand in the way of reform.

Iowa

School Changes Could Net Millions for Iowa
Des Moines Register, IA, November 20, 2009
Iowa would tie teacher evaluations to student test scores and expand charter schools as part of a school reform effort announced Thursday by Gov. Chet Culver.

Louisiana

Few Charters Operate Privately
Monroe News Star, LA, November 20, 2009
To say that charter schools are “privatizing” the public education system in Louisiana is a serious misstatement and nothing more than an attempt by those that oppose the reforms here to further spread myths and half truths about charter schools.

Massachusetts

Teacher Unions Keep Fighting Education
Enterprise News, MA, November 20, 2009
Every time teachers battle education reform measures that would seem to improve education, their union leaders trot out the mantra “it’s for the children.” Don’t allow teacher testing. Don’t use MCAS tests. Don’t give bonuses to the best teachers. Don’t fight tax increases and raises for teachers.

Fix schools and Budget - Legislature’s Recess Can Wait
Boston Globe, MA, November 20, 2009
WHEN THE state House of Representatives formally adjourned for the year Wednesday night, it left important public business in limbo. The chamber failed to pass a landmark education reform initiative - one that is vital to competing for $250 million in federal education money.

Race for Last Place
Boston Herald, MA, November 20, 2009
In failing to adopt meaningful education reforms by the end of formal sessions this week the Legislature has placed the commonwealth at risk of forfeiting some $250 million available under a new White House education initiative.

Missouri

Three St. Louis Charter Schools Get Federal Grants
St. Louis Post Dispatch, MO, November 19, 2009
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded more than $2 million in Charter Schools Program grants to four new Missouri charter schools.

New York

Teachers at Some Low-Performing Schools Get Bonuses
New York Times, NY, November 20, 2009
Teachers at W.H. Maxwell Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn were among those at 23 high schools citywide awarded a total of $3.5 million in performance bonuses on Thursday, even though the school received a D on its progress report earlier this week.

Ohio

Ohio Should Restore Catholic School Aid
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, November 20, 2009
The old adage not to judge a book by its cover was never more apparent than when the Ohio House released its “Education Funding Protection Act” that ignores students in Catholic schools.

Pennsylvania

Choosing the Public They School
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 20, 2009
However, as much as we all yearn for a neat answer to our educational problems, the current charter school model is not it. Despite constant claims that charter schools do much more with exactly the same students, they don’t.

Washington

Shameful for Washington to Miss Federal School Funds
Bellingham Herald, WA, November 19, 2009
The Obama administration’s Race to the Top initiative has done Washington a painful favor. It has exposed just how hostile the state’s K-12 establishment has been to genuine education reform.

Wisconsin

Number of Milwaukee Children Using Vouchers Rises 4%
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, November 20, 2009
The number of Milwaukee children using publicly funded vouchers to attend private schools increased 4% in 2009, while the total number of voucher schools decreased significantly for the first time in years, according to data released this week by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.