NATIONAL

Few States to Qualify for Grants
Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2010
The Obama administration will inform most states on Thursday that they didn’t make the grade to receive billions of dollars in education funding.

FROM THE STATES

Alabama

Damaging Decision
Montgomery Advertiser, AL, March 3, 2010
Once again the Democrat majority that controls the Alabama State Legislature did what they so often do — fail the parents and children of Alabama. The latest abuse of their legislative majority is the killing of a bill that would allow charter schools in Alabama.

California

Charter Schools Gain Momentum in California
News10, CA, March 3, 2010
The 17th annual California Charter Schools Conference opened in Sacramento Tuesday as charter schools are seeing significant growth in California.

Colorado

New School or Old School?
Denver Daily News, CO, March 3, 2010
The report, released by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, states that Denver children are unable to access high-performing schools in the Denver Public Schools system, and therefore there is a need for higher-performing schools, which can be accomplished through new schools such as charter schools.

Florida

Big Tussle With Teachers Looms
Miami Herald, FL, March 3, 2010
Channeling former Gov. Jeb Bush, leading Republican lawmakers filed legislation this week that would dramatically overhaul teacher tenure and pay — making it tougher for classroom teachers to achieve tenure, easier to get fired, and tying half of their pay formula to student test performance.

Idaho

Senate Committee Approves Charter School Measure
Fox12Idaho, ID, March 2, 2010
The Senate Education Committee approved 6-3 Tuesday revising a state law that now limits the number of new charter schools to six a year. Coeur d’Alene Republican Sen. John Goedde said changing the law could help the state in its quest for $75 million to $120 million in competitive federal grants.

Illinois

A Decent Education
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 3, 2010
When state Sen. James Meeks asks fellow Democrats to give education vouchers to kids who attend some of the worst schools in Chicago, the legislators often tell him they don’t want to divert dollars from public education. Meeks’ response: “If the public schools are not doing their job, why do you want to continue to reward them with money?”

Louisiana

State Shifting Part of Teacher Pay Expense to Local Districts
The Times Picayune, LA, March 3, 2010
Under a new state policy with an especially big impact in Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes, local school districts next year will be expected to pay a mandatory $5,000 stipend for each nationally certified teacher because the Louisiana education department is discontinuing its past practice of covering the cost.

A Collaborative Effort
The Times Picayune, LA, March 3, 2010
A group of 10 New Orleans charter schools are helping each other improve by sharing and comparing test results, and that’s a smart approach.

Michigan

Detroit Public Schools Gets $4 Million for 11 Properties
Detroit Free Press, MI, March 3, 2010
Keith Johnson, president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers union, said it’s not financially a good idea to sell buildings to charter schools at a time when the district is planning to close up to 40 more schools.

Nebraska

Legislative Report
Chadron Record, NE, March 2, 2010
The last of my bills is LB 1028 which would create Charter Schools in Nebraska, was heard this week in the Education Committee.

South Carolina

Charter Schools Plan Rally at the Capitol
WPDE, SC, March 2, 2010
South Carolina Charter Schools plan to rally at the State House Wednesday. Teachers, administrators, parents and students are gathering at the Capitol to ask legislators to ensure equity in school funding for all public schools across the state by allowing all of the local funds and the state funds to support a student.

Washington

Behind in the ‘Race’
The Columbian, WA, March 2, 2010
Gov. Chris Gregoire and the state Senate are trying hard to qualify for the second round of federal education funding in the $4.3 billion “Race to the Top” program. The governor has proposed significant reform measures in response to federal demands, and the Senate on Feb. 11 passed a bill that likely will enhance the state’s eligibility.

West Virginia

Wells Retreats on Charter Schools but Blasts Unions
Daily Mail, WV, March 3, 2010
Sen. Erik Wells surprised fellow lawmakers when he effectively killed a controversial charter schools bill he’s been championing all this legislative session.