NATIONAL

Education Finalists Picked
Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2010
The Obama administration picked 15 states and the District of Columbia as finalists in a heated competition for extra federal education funds to shake up underperforming schools.

For Pursuit of Education Reform, Give Obama Credit
Washington Post, DC, March 5, 2010
Some conservatives object to any policy that involves a federal role in education, no matter how effective. But education policy points to the limits of federalism. States and localities have often protected and perpetuated systemic educational malpractice. And it is a basic commitment of justice that when local institutions seriously fail, higher-level institutions should intervene.

Hard Lesson
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, March 5, 2010
The Obama administration has just shown how serious it is about reforming the nation’s failing schools. Last week, the entire 93-member staff of Rhode Island’s Central Falls High School was fired. That’s teachers, counselors, the principal. All gone.

Saving Catholic Schools
American Spectator, March 5, 2010
The poor black and Latino children attending Sacred Heart School in the Columbia Heights section of Washington, D.C., probably don’t know that Century Foundation Senior Fellow Richard Kahlenberg thinks their participation in the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship and other voucher plans merely helps to make “’separate-but-equal’ work.”

FROM THE STATES

Arizona

Private School Scholarship Restrictions Rejected
East Valley Tribune, AZ, March 5, 2010
State lawmakers refused Thursday to limit taxpayer-funded scholarships for private schools to the poor and the middle class. On a 33-22 margin, the House rejected putting income limits on the program. Rep. Rick Murphy, R-Glendale, said there is no reason to deny the benefits to the children of all.

District of Columbia

D.C. Schools in, Va. Out in Contest for Federal Aid
Washington Post, DC, March 5, 2010
The Obama administration gave a major lift Thursday to the reform agenda of Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee and D.C. charter school leaders, announcing that the District had joined 15 states as finalists in an unprecedented $4 billion contest for federal aid.

Florida

As Public Schools Face Cuts, State Vouchers For Private Schools May Get Boost
Palm Beach Post, FL, March 4, 2010
A state-financed program that gives tuition vouchers to thousands of low-income Florida students to attend private schools, primarily religious ones, may get a boost in funding while cash-strapped public schools face more cuts.

Maryland

O’Malley Endorses Controversial School Contribution Tax Credit
Annapolis Capital , MD, March 4, 2010
Gov. Martin O’Malley threw his support behind controversial legislation Wednesday that would offer tax incentives for donations to private school scholarship programs and other education-related nonprofits.

Massachusetts

Menino’s ‘Circle’ of Change
Boston Globe, MA, March 5, 2010
Adaptation could be jarring, starting with the schools. Each new speech brings the five-term mayor closer to the charter school movement. Menino said he is now prepared to turn over the management of some of city’s worst performing schools to high-quality charter schools.

Minnesota

Pawlenty’s Spokesman Rips Teachers Union
Minnesota Public Radio, MN, March 4, 2010
“It’s hard to race to the top with an anchor tied to your leg. For years the teachers union has fought against any meaningful education reforms. First they opposed charter schools and open enrollment and now they’re fighting tenure reform, alternative licensure, and meaningful performance pay for teachers. If Minnesota is to have any chance of success in round two of this competition, the legislature must adopt these types of reforms immediately.”

Pawlenty Wants To Rewrite Teacher Tenure Rules
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, March 4, 2010
Minnesota’s K-12 teachers would have to reapply for teacher tenure every five years if a proposal from Gov. Tim Pawlenty is approved by the legislature.

New Mexico

Charter Schools See Increased Demand Nationwide, Locally 
Taos News, NM, March 4, 2010
As Taos charter schools expand their campuses and see increased interest each year, a national pro-charter school group has announced parental demand for charter schools is up nationwide.

New York

Race for the Chumps
New York Post, NY, March 5, 2010
President Obama’s allegedly reform- minded Department of Education of fered New York as much as $700 million in bonus school aid — provided Albany adopted some key public-education reforms. New York blew off the reforms. But yesterday the feds said Albany is in line for a big chunk of cash anyway. We smell a rat.

Lift the Cap on Charters
New York Daily News, NY, March 5, 2010
This growing demand is based on results: Across New York State, students at 71 of 83 charter schools outperformed their local school district peers in math on the 2008-09 state exams, and 55of the 83 charter schools outperformed their school district peers in English. In New York City, on those same exams, 91% of charter school students scored “proficient” or higher in math, and 77% did so in English. This was higher than the city’s traditional public school students in both subjects.

Oklahoma

Don’t Count State Out in Reform Competition
The Oklahoman, OK, March 5, 2010
Oklahoma lost out on its first shot at millions of dollars in federal Race to the Top money to improve the state’s public schools. That’s no reason to panic. State officials now know much more about what it will take to impress federal education officials and tweak Oklahoma’s application before a second round of competition this summer.

Utah

Utah Won’t Get Race to the Top Money for Schools This Round
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, March 5, 2010
Utah is officially out of the first round of a race for a piece of $4.35 billion in federal dollars for schools.