Want to Improve Education? Here’s a Simple Fix
AOL News, September 9, 2010
Back to school in America coincided with the release of another set of depressing academic results. A new report from the American Institutes for Research measures state and district student math performance against the world, and the results are shameful:

When Every Teacher Is Rated ‘Great,’ Students Suffer
USA Today, September 8, 2010
After studying teacher evaluations in 12 districts in Arkansas , Colorado , Illinois and Ohio , the group concluded that “on paper, almost every teacher is a great teacher,” even in districts replete with failing schools. The upshot is that bad teachers don’t get replaced, great teachers don’t get rewarded and students’ lives are blunted.

FROM THE STATES

Arizona

San Tan Valley Charter School Opens With 700 Students
Arizona Republic, AZ, September 8, 2010
San Tan Valley added a school to its roster this season. Legacy Traditional School - Queen Creek, a 45,000-square-foot charter school, started its first school season Aug. 16 with about 700 students.

California

California Charter Schools Grow In Popularity
Sacramento Bee, CA, September 9, 2010
The school is among 22 charters opening this school year in the area stretching north from San Joaquin County to Butte County , according to the California Charter Schools Association.

Harmony Magnet Academy Offers Students Unique Opportunities
Visalia Times-Delta, CA, September 9, 2010
But unlike other Tulare County high schools, Harmony Magnet Academy ’s Academic Performance Index score last year was above the 800 threshold, 843, and school and officials are predicting a higher score this year when 2010 numbers are released on Monday. Most Tulare County High Schools average in the 700s.

Colorado

High-Tech Success Wants To Help Students Chart Brighter Future
Denver Post, CO, September 9, 2010
Caine has started Summit 54, a foundation to help out academically motivated eighth-graders who cannot get into a high-performing high school - targeting students stranded on charter-school waiting lists.

Florida

Will Vero Beach, Indian River County School Board Be Able to Find Bold Leaders?
TC Palm, FL, September 9, 2010
Unfortunately, both governments are in positions where status quo thinking won’t cut it. And, unfortunately, elected leaders of each government have, so far, taken the easy way out by agreeing to hire run-of-the-mill consultants to find executive replacements.

Georgia

Area Educators Favor Deal’s Plans For Schools
Gainesville Times, GA, September 8, 2010
Hall County School officials are weighing in with positive reactions to gubernatorial hopeful Nathan Deal’s education platform that was released Tuesday.

Idaho

New Foundation To Give Charter School Needed Funds
LocalNews8, ID, September 8, 2010
The ribbon was cut on the new Academy Harbor Foundation at the Academy at Roosevelt Center Wednesday. The foundation, which will supply the public charter school with private funds, fills a huge void left by education budget cuts, said the school’s Vice Principal, Jonathan Braack.

Louisiana

School Choice Divides Candidates
The Advocate, LA, September 9, 2010
The main issue that divides the two is school choice. Hammatt’s full-throated skepticism about charter schools and private school vouchers has prompted some local business leaders to openly oppose him. Hammatt also has had a running feud with State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek.

New York

Back in Class, Theme Is: We’ll Succeed With Less
New York Times, NY, September 9, 2010
As classes for more than one million New York City schoolchildren began on Wednesday, teachers and students returned to schools facing serious new challenges.

North Carolina

Private Schools Set For Growth
News & Observer, NC, September 9, 2010
Conservative businessman Bob Luddy, a high-profile figure in the debate about the future of the Wake County public schools, will build on the success of his three private Thales academies by opening high schools in Rolesville and Apex, he said Wednesday.

Virginia

The Real Cost Of Public Education
Suffolk News-Herald, VA, September 8, 2010
We’ve been treated to hand wringing all year over the school budgets for this fall, which are supposedly inadequate, under funded, unacceptable. But what you think you know about K-12 education spending is wrong; we’re not spending too little, we’re wasting too much.

VIRTUAL EDUCATION

Prince George’s To Open First Online Classroom
Maryland Business Gazette, MD, September 9, 2010
Prince George’s County students will be able to take their learning online Tuesday with the launch of the first web-based program for juniors and seniors in county high schools.