NATIONAL

Several States Stay Off Charter-School Bandwagon
Associated Press, May 11, 2010
Several other states also put strict limits on the number of new charter schools. Another 11 states don’t allow charters at all, even though the federal government has created a $4.35 billion competition to encourage charters and other educational innovations.

National Review: A New Life For Catholic Schools
National Public Radio, May 12, 2010
Charter schools, Dolan observes, are considered by some in the educational community to be the future - and he admits that charter schools are a “hot issue” in Catholic education circle.

FROM THE STATES

Colorado

Tenure Bill Nears Passage
Denver Post, CO, May 12, 2010
With a midnight deadline bearing down on Colorado lawmakers, the controversial teacher-reform bill passed second reading, with eight Democrats crossing party lines to vote for Senate Bill 191.

District of Columbia

Finally, a Passing Grade
Washington Post, DC, May 12, 2010
THE DETERMINATION that the District can afford the proposed teachers contract clears the way for the union’s rank-and-file to vote.

Georgia

School Choice Passes First Important Georgia Court Test
Gwinnett Gazette, GA, May 12, 2010
School choice advocates in Georgia have prevailed in an important Superior Court ruling that upholds the constitutionality of state-created charter schools with partial funding from state taxpayer dollars. Attorneys on both sides predict this case will be appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court with a final decision sometime next year.

Peevy to Head Up State Charter Schools
Walton Tribune, GA, May 12, 2010
Peevy was recently announced as the first executive director of the Georgia Charter School Commissions, an alternate authorization body that will guide charter school development throughout the state.

Illinois

Charter School To Hold Student Lottery
Peoria Journal Star, IL, May 11, 2010
The odds of being chosen to attend Peoria ’s math, science and technology charter school are about as good as receiving a kidney from a living donor: about 1 in 3.

Why Poor Students Are Stuck in Bad Schools
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 12, 2010
Some Illinois House Republicans had an opportunity to give 30,000 poor, black children stuck in some of the worst, most overcrowded Chicago public schools a chance for a better education. But when it came to the moment of truth, they tossed the kids overboard.

Maryland

Two Montgomery Schools Join Catholic Church
Business Gazette, MD, May 12, 2010
Two Montgomery County private schools, The Avalon and Brookewood schools have joined the Archdiocese of Washington as independent Catholic institutions, becoming the first to do so in almost a quarter-century.

Massachusetts

Charter Schools Gain Edge From Hours, Says Study
Boston Globe, MA, May 12, 2010
Students at Boston charter schools appear to have an academic edge over their peers at the city’s traditional schools because of the additional time they spend in school each year, according to a report being released today.

Minnesota

Even with Lure of Money, Some Minn. Schools Balk At ‘Turnaround’ Effort
Minnesota Public Radio, MN, May 12, 2010
The 34 schools deemed Minnesota ’s persistently lowest performing are working with state officials on plans to turn them around.

Education Bill Would Open A Door To Teaching - But Just A Crack
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, May 12, 2010
The House bill, which passed 86-47 late Tuesday, also requires annual evaluations of teachers and principals.

New Jersey

New Jersey Bill Would Provide Scholarships to Allow Students in Poor-Performing Schools to Switch to Another Public Or Private Learning Institution
Press of Atlantic City , NJ, May 11, 2010
Students attending struggling schools in Atlantic City , Bridgeton , Pleasantville and Wildwood would be among about 80,000 children statewide eligible for scholarships to other public or private schools under a new state bill scheduled to be discussed Thursday in Trenton .

New York

Charter Backers Education Reform Now’s Ads Blast Seniority-Based Layoffs
New York Daily News, NY, May 12, 2010
Fresh off a victory in the state Senate, charter school advocates are ramping up their battle against the teachers union with a $1 million ad campaign.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Kids Deserve School Choice
Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2010
Under President Obama’s new $4.35 billion Race to the Top program, states can compete for funds by creating programs that improve the quality of their schools. The idea of rewarding school reform initiatives is good, but one-time grants from the federal government will not improve our public education system by itself.

Tennessee

Caldwell School to Get New Life as KIPP Charter
DeSoto Appeal, TN, May 12, 2010
Memphis City Schools plans to lease its soon-to-be empty Caldwell Elementary to a charter school, putting the rent in escrow to cover $1.7 million in maintenance the district hasn’t performed.