May 07, 2008
May 7, 2008
Teachers Weigh In On Tenure, Evaluations
Washington Post, D.C., May 7, 2008
More than half of teachers believe it's too difficult to weed out ineffective teachers who have tenure, and nearly half say they personally know such a teacher.
Sizing Up the Charter School Movement
U.S. News & World Report, DC, May 6, 2008
It's National Charter Schools Week, and that means lots of chatter in Washington, D.C., about whether charter schools hurt or improve public education.
Rhee's Need to Hurry Runs Into Parents' Fear of Change
Washington Post, D.C., May 7, 2008
The next four months, leading up to the start of the 2008-09 academic year, will be a critical, perhaps defining, period for the chancellor.
Poor Charter Oversight
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, May 7, 2008
As the state moves to improve accountability for public spending, charter school boards stand as an illogical exception to those efforts.
St. Louis Gets State’s First Unionized Charter School
St. Louis American, MO, May 6, 2008
The Construction Careers Center in St. Louis will become Missouri’s first unionized charter school, a move initiated by the school’s employees to improve working and learning conditions, AFT St. Louis, Local 420, announced today.
Changes at New Orleans Schools Bring Gains in Test Scores
New York Times, NY, May 7, 2008
A broad education overhaul under way here has produced improvement in test scores, results released Tuesday showed, though many students are still struggling.
Minnesota Graded 'B' For School Choice Options
Alexandria Echo Press, MN, May 7, 2008
Minnesota ranked fifth in school choice options that increase accountability and improve student achievement according to the Choice and Education Across the States report by The Heartland Institute.
Religious School Vouchers: An Obstacle to Education Reform
Red Orbit, TX, May 7, 2008
The U.S. Supreme Court, in what I believe was one of its worst church-state opinions ever, upheld voucher aid for religious schools in 2002. Since then, the debate has shifted away from the constitutionality of vouchers to their effectiveness.
Dozens of States Consider School-Choice Legislation
Citizen Link, CO, May 5, 2008
A record 44 states have introduced school-choice legislation this year. Lawmakers are using tax credits and other incentives to help low-income families get their children out of failing schools.
May 05, 2008
May 5, 2008
The Center for Education Reform Provides Insight Into the State of School Choice and 4 Innovative New Tools To Strengthen Awareness
PR Newswire, May 5, 2008
Washington-based education reform advocacy group unveils four new online resources to ensure better educational opportunities for all children.
Stay The Course On School Reform
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 5, 2008
Though special interests have grudgingly accepted some reforms, far too many good ideas, such as meaningful school choice, remain "out of bounds."
Funding, Test Scores Seen As Key To Catholic Schools' Future
Chicago Sun-Times, IL, May 5, 2008
Catholic schools need to find new sources of funding and break out test results from individual schools if they are to reverse a long-term trend of declining enrollment, a new national study finds.
School Choice Helps Disabled Ariz. Students
East Valley Tribune, AZ, May 3, 2008
Last year, Arizona joined Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and Utah when it began offering scholarships to students with disabilities that they could use to pay private school tuition.
Turmoil Racks Teachers Union
Washington Post, D.C, May 4, 2008
Turmoil in the 4,200-member Washington union is surfacing at a pivotal time: The organization is grappling with the coming displacement of hundreds of teachers…
Radical Initiative On Ballot
The Ledger, FL, May 4, 2008
These proposed changes to the state constitution are as radical as they are unwise.
Charter Schools Can Be A Valuable Resource
Augusta Chronicle, GA, May 3, 2008
The education field is second only to corporate America when it comes to chasing new fads that promise revolutionary changes but produce little more than a new set of buzzwords.
Boy Sees Charter As Gateway To College
The Tennessean, TN, May 5, 2008
A year later, Devontez is happy he made the decision to leave his zoned school, McKissack Middle, to attend LEAD Academy.
NYC Spends $65M A Year On Teachers Not In Classrooms
Associated Press, May 4, 2008
The number of city teachers yanked from their classrooms because of accusations of wrongdoing has doubled in four years, and some spend years collecting their salaries while awaiting disciplinary hearings, a newspaper reported Sunday.
Charter, Public Schools Fighting For Students
Galveston Daily News, TX, May 4, 2008
That system of school funding - doling out dollars per student - is fueling fierce competition between public and charter schools as they try to enroll and keep as many students as possible.
New San Bernardino Charter School To Explore Science
Press-Enterprise, CA, May 3, 2008
After years of academic success with a technology-oriented charter school in the High Desert, the Lewis Center for Educational Research hopes for similar results with a science-focused campus slated to open in San Bernardino.
April 30, 2008
April 30, 2008
Candidates Stump For School Choice
World Magazine, NC, April 29, 2008
If Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination, Americans will have two presidential candidates who are open to school choice measures.
Schooling the Reformers
American Spectator, VA, April 30, 2008
This was just the latest defeat for school reformers. They also lost a battle in Idaho to develop a teacher performance pay plan…
If Cleveland Schools Can Team With A Charter School, Why Not Others?
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, April 30, 2008
Gov. Ted Strickland and school superintendents take note: Public schools and charter schools need not be mortal enemies.
Against Odds, New Orleans Schools Fight Back
New York Times, NY, April 30, 2008
Dozens of new charter schools, a flood of idealistic young teachers from elsewhere around the country — now as many as 17 percent of the total here .
Charter Schools Win Battle Against Audits
New York Sun, NY, April 30, 2008
A state judge in Albany ruled yesterday that Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office is permanently prevented from issuing audits of charter schools, saying the office "lacks the authority" to do so.
Better Education Options Needed
The Chattanoogan, TN, April 29, 2008
It is estimated that by 2015, that the current 38% of private and home schoolers will increase to 47%. Allowing Charter schools, and providing a voucher program of some type would be a start for more options.
School-Choice Bill Misunderstood By 30
Muskogee Daily Phoenix, OK , April 29, 2008
A recent letter signed by 30 superintendents of eastern Oklahoma school districts (Phoenix April 24 Opinion Page) was critical of Senate Bill 2093, the New Hope Scholarship Act.
April 29, 2008
April 29, 2008
Equal Funds For Charter Schools
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, April 29, 2008
The public tax dollars funding these schools do not belong to the local school boards, but to the taxpayers who expect it to be spent for their kids.
McCain's School Choice Opportunity
Wall Street Journal, April 29, 2008
So when politicians have to choose between a teachers union and some African-American mom who would like to take her son out of a failing public school, guess who usually wins?
Vouchers And Special Education
Washington Times, D.C., April 29, 2008
In response to the disappointing educational experiences of these students, five states have now adopted voucher programs specifically tailored to disabled students.
Vouching for Vouchers
Washington Post, D.C, April 29, 2008
In making education his top priority, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has been guided by one principle: Children trump politics.
Chester Upland Schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, April 29, 2008
The state, too, is trying to be more supportive. But they must do more, faster, if they expect to stop the exodus of children and dollars to the charter schools.
Benoit Joins Assembly Republicans In Calling For School Choice
California Chronicle, CA, April 29, 2008
Assemblyman John J. Benoit (R-Bermuda Dunes) and other Assembly Republican colleagues today joined education reform advocates in announcing a package of innovative and groundbreaking education reform measures...
April 28, 2008
April 28, 2008
Charter Schools Grow Stronger In Pa.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA, April 28, 2008
More than a decade after charter schools became legal in Pennsylvania, it is safe to say the schools, once considered experimental and still sometimes controversial, are here to stay.
Honest Data on High School Dropouts
New York Times, NY, April 28, 2008
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings took a welcome step in the right direction by issuing new rules for how those rates are calculated.
Twenty-Five Years Later, A Nation Still at Risk
Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2008
Today marks the 25th anniversary of "A Nation at Risk," the influential Reagan-era report by a blue-ribbon panel that alerted Americans to the weak performance of our education system.
Charter Schools: Equal Funding, Equal Accountability
Orlando Sentinel, FL, April 28, 2008
The movement that began with Florida's charter-school legislation in 1996 has become a positive influence for many improvements in the public-school system.
School Voucher System Raises Lots Of Questions
Mansfield News Journal, OH, April 27, 2008
Those who attack an Ohio voucher plan that pays for students in troubled schools to enroll in private or parochial schools are missing the more important issue.
Support Scholarships For Poorest Students
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, April 27, 2008
State lawmakers should back program to give school vouchers to students in the state's poorest cities.
The Archdiocese's Open, Honest School Plan
Washington Post, D.C., April 27, 2008
Ultimately, the decision was to continue with a smaller Catholic consortium; to seek conversion of seven schools to high-quality charter schools run by an independent group...
Her Dream, Branded as a Threat
New York Times, NY, April 28, 2008
Things have not gone according to plan. Only one-fifth of the 60 students at the Khalil Gibran International Academy are Arab-American.
April 25, 2008
April 25, 2008
Considering Catholic Education by Jeanne Allen
Washington Times, D.C., April 25, 2008
With Pope Benedict XVI safely home from American soil, many reflect on how his charge that we raise our children to seek peace and justice can occur without the institution of Catholic schools.
A Nation at a Loss
New York Times, NY, April 25, 2008
Tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of "A Nation at Risk," a remarkable document that became a milestone in the history of American education - albeit in ways that its creators neither planned, anticipated or even wanted.
Bush Calls Closing Faith-Based Schools 'Crisis'
D.C. Examiner, D.C., April 25, 2008
As President Bush lauded advances in faith-based education in the District Thursday, D.C. Catholic schools continued to struggle with enrollment and expenses that threaten to erode recent gains.
Tax Credit Scholarships
The Times of Trenton, NJ, April 25, 2008
Despite the importance of these issues, legislators continue to turn a blind eye toward real reform. Instead, they pass meaningless legislation and a new funding formula that will perpetuate wasteful spending ...
They Love The City, But Not The Schools
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, April 25, 2008
But that romance has been put to the test because of doubts about the city public school system. The Braggs and others aren't sure they can afford to stay, because they've decided appropriate schooling comes with a crippling expense.
Charter School Funds Spread Thin
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, HI, April 24, 2008
Hawaii's charter schools, already preparing to get less state money per student next academic year, will have to share their budget with yet another school that gained approval to open its doors.
Education Survey Reveals 'Head-Scratching' Results
One News Now, MS, April 24, 2008
The survey -- conducted by Ellison Research -- asked Americans to rate the overall quality of education students get from public schools, home schooling, charter schools, and three types of private schools: non-religious, Catholic, and Christian.
April 24, 2008
April 24, 2008
White House Summit Will Highlight Religious Schools
New York Sun, NY, April 24, 2008
President Bush will highlight the increasing alarm over the plight of the nation's inner-city Catholic schools today with a summit at the White House.
Re-reading 'A Nation at Risk'
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 24, 2008
Twenty-five years after “A Nation at Risk” warned about the "rising tide of mediocrity" in U.S. public schools, the landmark federal report seems strangely prophetic -- and eerily descriptive of some of Los Angeles' woes today.
Clueless in America
New York Times, NY, April 22, 2008
At the moment, no one seems to have the will to engage any of the most serious challenges facing the U.S.
Charter Bill Irks District
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, April 24, 2008
New legislation that gives state-appointed charter schools more access than ever to local education dollars has riled Decatur city school officials so much that they want an opinion from their attorney.
Strickland Owes Clarity On Education
Columbus Dispatch, OH, April 24, 2008
Strickland then demonstrated that he fully intended to keep his promise to the teachers union when he unveiled his first biennium budget. He called for an ironclad moratorium on charter schools…
With Its Charter School Struggling, Union Should Be Learning
New York Daily News, NY, April 24, 2008
Many school reformers were unhappy when the United Federation of Teachers, the local teachers union, opened its own charter school in East New York back in 2005. I was delighted.
(Hat tip to Whitney Tilson.)
Magna Charters
Philadelphia Daily News, PA , April 24, 2008
The School Reform Commission's decision last week not to renew the Germantown Settlement and Renaissance charter schools showed that the SRC…has gotten some backbone when it comes to its 61 charters.
Bill Likened To Voucher System Fails Passage
Tulsa World, OK , April 24, 2008
A bill to give tax credits to corporations and individuals who pay the tuition of low-income students attending private schools failed in the House on Wednesday.
Bill Would Give Parents More School Choice
News10, CA, April 24, 2008
A Sacramento-area legislator has introduced a bill that would allow parents whose children attend low-performing schools to transfer their kids to another school or receive a tax credit.
Four More Southern California Charter Schools Are Certified
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 23, 2008
The schools were added to a list, now up to 73, of "certified charter schools," singled out for their adherence to high academic, fiscal, ethical and governance standards.
April 23, 2008
April 23, 2008
'Nation At Risk': The Best Thing Or The Worst Thing For Education?
USA Today, April 23, 2008
Twenty-five years ago this week, Americans awoke to a forceful little report that, depending on your point of view, either ruined public education or saved it.
Choice Surges Despite States' Fiscal Woes
Education Week, MD, April 22, 2008
...the school choice movement is gaining some ground as legislatures advance proposals that would indirectly funnel taxpayer money to families who want to send their children to private schools.
Charter School Movement Wins The Education War In District
D.C. Examiner, D.C., April 23, 2008
The war between the charter school movement and D.C. public schools is over. Charters have won, if victory means that charter schools are thriving and here to stay.
Arizona Educators Can Learn From Florida
East Valley Tribune, AZ, April 23, 2008
Startling statistics show that with abundant school choice and systemic education reform, Florida's Hispanic students already eclipse the average academic performance of many states.
School Choices For Special-Needs Kids Is Matter Of Appeal
Tucson Citizen, AZ, April 23, 2008
In a state such as Arizona, where citizens value their independence, it is inconceivable that the state constitution would favor a bureaucrat's right to choose a child's school over the right of parents to pick the best learning environment for their child.
Charters Are A Lever For School Reform
Record-Searchlight, CA, April 22, 2008
Charter schools are the best thing to have happened to the public school system in over a century.
April 22, 2008
April 22, 2008
No Child Left Behind Faces Changes
New York Times, NY, April 22, 2008
Unable to push education fixes through Congress, the Bush administration is taking its own pen to the No Child Left Behind law.
Failing Schools
Evansville Courier & Press, IN, April 22, 2008
With charter schools, failing to meet standards means the charter could be revoked. If that contract isn't fulfilled, action is taken. Shouldn't the same be true with traditional public schools?
Views Mixed On Private-School Bill
Tulsa World, OK, April 22, 2008
Rural lawmakers are skeptical about a pending bill to help low-achieving urban students attend private schools, the bill's House author confirmed Monday.
UFT Charter School Leader Will Leave After Clash With Teacher
New York Sun, NY, April 22, 2008
Three years later, "oasis" remains the goal, but nearly everyone involved concedes the school isn't there yet.
Minner Clears Way For Single-Sex Charter School
News Journal, DE, April 21, 2008
With a ceremonial stroke of the pen, Gov. Ruth Ann Minner today signed legislation that clears the way for Delaware’s first single-gender charter school to open.
Pay Incentive Can Lure Teachers To Poor Schools
San Jose Mercury News, CA, April 21, 2008
Last week, the Senate Education Committee took a small but monumental step when it passed a bill providing districts with a way to pay higher salaries to math and science teachers in troubled schools. The full Legislature should approve it.
April 21, 2008
April 21, 2008
New Report From KIPP Charters
Washington Post, D.C., April 20, 2008
The most advanced of this bunch, in both information dissemination and achievement gains, is the Knowledge Is Power Program -- KIPP -- a 14-year-old network that this summer expects to have 66 schools in 19 states and the District.
South Carolina's Contender
Wall Street Journal, April 19, 2008
Nonetheless, Mr. Sanford has enacted a voucher system for prekindergarten students, created a statewide charter school district (local districts won't approve new charters), and has pushed for, though not won, vouchers for nearly every child in the state.
Stealing School Tax Dollars
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, April 21, 2008
In its recently adjourned session, the 2008 General Assembly approved a bill that would allow the state to hijack local education tax dollars and divert those dollars to educators and entrepreneurs to start a charter school.
Money For Schools In Dann's Hands
Dayton Daily News, OH, April 21, 2008
The dispute is over the methods by which the Ohio Department of Education counted charter school enrollment.
Are Charter Schools Good For Canton?
Canton Repository, OH, April 21, 2008
Charter schools aren't draining public education resources, according to a recent report about Ohio's urban districts released by a charter schools group.
State's Vouchers In Vogue
Columbus Dispatch, OH, April 19, 2008
Students and private schools alike are showing more interest in state tuition vouchers as the statewide program prepares for its third school year.
State Autism Education Program Flawed, Policy Matters Ohio Says
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, April 19, 2008
A fast-growing state program that gives parents of autistic children up to $20,000 for private educational services lacks oversight and allows providers to exclude children based on religion and other factors, says Policy Matters Ohio.
The Need For Charter Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 21, 2008
Strong leaders hire talented executives. Supt. David L. Brewer's hiring of Ramon C. Cortines as chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Unified School District gives Brewer such an executive and demonstrates a welcome commitment to tackle the many problems the district faces.
Don't Give Up Leverage For Detroit School Reform
Detroit News, MI, April 21, 2008
Once the district falls under that number, state law will allow more charter schools in the city. The possible influx of these independent alternative public schools is putting additional pressure on the administration and Detroit Federation of Teachers to improve.
School Marks A First
Baltimore Sun, MD, April 20, 2008
Worried about what he describes as lax discipline and academics at his neighborhood public schools, Sherwood Lennon said he is thrilled at the prospect of sending his children to Baltimore County's first public charter school, Imagine Discovery, scheduled to open this fall in Woodlawn.
Charter Schools Tend To Have Drive To Survive
The Oregonian, OR, April 20, 2008
Strong management, frugal spending and parent/community support have been the key to survival for Oregon's oldest charter schools.
As Charter Schools Gain, TCAPS Has To Compete
Traverse City Record Eagle, MI, April 20, 2008
Charter schools in Michigan have not lived up to the extreme predictions that surrounded their creation in 1993.
Senate Should Approve Charter School Measure
Nashua Telegraph, NH, April 19, 2008
I urge all state senators to support House Bill 1642, providing sustainable funding to public charter schools for next year, which is being heard by the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, April 22.
April 18, 2008
April 18, 2008
Our View On Education: A Nation Still At Risk
USA Today, April 18, 2008
The Osmond A. Church School in Queens, N.Y., serves a high-poverty, minority neighborhood directly in the flight path of Kennedy International Airport. It's not the sort of place you would expect to find a successful public school.
Lawmakers Push To Expand School Vouchers
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL , April 18, 2008
At the same time, lawmakers are pushing to expand a voucher program that takes more money from local schools and gives it to poor students to attend private or religious schools.
Ed Choice Interest Rises
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, April 18, 2008
As the deadline to apply for Ohio’s politically contentious private school vouchers arrives Friday, interest in the program continues to grow. By mid-day Thursday, the state had received nearly 8,900 applications...
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland Vows Education Reform
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, April 17, 2008
In his speech, Strickland swiped at charter schools and the "destructive influence" he says the movement has had on public education.
Voting with Their Seats
New York Daily News, NY, April 18, 2008
They came by the thousands Thursday night to a Harlem armory, parents desperate to place their children in schools that promise far better educations than anything that's been available, year in and year out, in their neighborhoods.
UTLA Puts Itself Before Education And Kids
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, April 17, 2008
But sadly, the UTLA seems to have lost sight of this goal and all too often puts its own short-sighted self-interest ahead of good education, the classroom and the kids.\
Charter-School Movement Not Living Up to Promise
Richmond Times- Dispatch, VA, April 14, 2008
Since the Virginia General Assembly authorized public charter schools in 1998, eight such institutions have opened in the commonwealth.
April 17, 2008
April 17, 2008
National Standard Would Be Good For Tennessee Students
The Tennessean, TN, April 17, 2008
The students will benefit, too. When everyone knows what the real rates are, it should compel teachers, administrators and parents to work together to prepare more students to graduate.
Rhee Lists 6 Firms Eyed To Help Run 10 Campuses
Washington Post, D.C., April 17, 2008
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee plans to hire up to six nonprofit educational companies to help run the city's 10 comprehensive high schools and has invited parents to meet with her tonight to discuss the details.
Bill Expanding Teacher Certification Options Heads To Blunt
Kansas City Star, MO, April 16, 2008
Proponents in the House and Senate say expanding certification options for teachers could help address a looming shortage of educators in the state and encourage professionals who are interested in teaching but daunted by the current requirements for obtaining certification.
Success in Harlem
New York Sun, NY, April 17, 2008
Then the applications started to roll in. As of yesterday, the school had counted 3,600, meaning as many as 5,000 parents, children, and supporters could show up, all fighting for a meager 580 spots.
Real Education Reform Or Status Quo Swirl?
Business Gazette, MD, April 17, 2008
This is not real reform. It is merely a swirl of activity that gives the appearance of change, but won’t improve achievement.
SRC Fails To Renew 2 Charters
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, April 17, 2008
The School Reform Commission yesterday voted not to renew the operating agreements of two public charter schools and postponed renewing the agreement of a third charter …
L.A. Teachers Union Targets Pact On Charters
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, April 16, 2008
Launching a pitched battle against Los Angeles Unified over plans to dole out more space for the growing charter-school movement, the teachers union said Wednesday that it will aggressively campaign against traditional schools sharing sites with the popular independent schools.
April 16, 2008
April 16, 2008
Modernizing Teacher Unions: Traditional Vs. Green Dot Contract
Detroit News, MI, April 16, 2008
Leaders of the charter school nonprofit group say most teachers are frustrated with 1950s industrial-style union contracts that dictate how most American schools are run.
McCain's Education Choice
Politico, DC, April 15, 2008
Later this spring, say McCain aides, the senator will start trickling out his education positions - many of them holdovers from his last run - and proposals will include empowering parents by offering more school choice.
Florida Lawmakers Spar Over Charter-School Funding, Accountability
Orlando Sentinel, FL, April 16, 2008
The Florida Senate wants to make charter schools more accountable. The House response: OK, as long as the schools get more money.
Proposals Growing For Charter Schools
The Star-Ledger, NJ, April 16, 2008
Interest continues to grow in starting charter schools in New Jersey, even though the state has tightened the reins on which ones will be approved.
Schools Panel To Rule On Charters
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, April 16, 2008
Some have complained that the district is holding charter schools to a higher standard than it holds its own schools - 70 of which have failed to make adequate yearly progress during the last five years.
Allow Teachers, Parents To Force School Reforms
Detroit News, MI, April 16, 2008
Cerveny's transformation was made possible by a rare contract exemption negotiated between the Detroit Federation of Teachers union and the Detroit Public Schools.
Community Is Ready For The Right Charter Schools
Rockford Register Star, IL, April 15, 2008
California opens 100 charter schools a year. Here in Illinois, only 60 charter schools are allowed — period — and lawmakers are fighting to lift the maximum to 100.
Charter Schools Fear Funding Shortfall
KGMB9, HI, April 15, 2008
They claim lawmakers are not giving charter schools enough money. And unless something changes very soon they will have less money per student next year than they have this year.
April 15, 2008
April 15, 2008
Shouldn’t Schools Be About the Kids?
New York Times, NY, April 15, 2008
All teachers - tenured or not - who failed to meet improvement goals would be required to spend the summer in a retraining program, and then re-evaluated the following year. No improvement, no job.
High School in Pajamas: Inside Insight
ABC News, April 14, 2008
Insight, which operates as a publicly funded charter school, says it caters to students in a variety of situations -- those who work full time, teens who want to escape peer pressure and teasing…
McCrory and Perdue Should Trust Parents
The Daily Tar Heel, NC, April 15, 2008
North Carolina's charter school initiative is an incredible success. While the number of charter schools in the state is capped at 100, nearly half - three of seven - of N.C. high schools on Newsweek's top 100 U.S. high school lists are N.C. charter or magnet schools.
Opportunity Knocks: Don't Keep Schoolchildren Waiting
San Jose Mercury News, CA, April 15, 2008
After seven months of waiting, William Chavarin recently got the phone call he'd been hoping for: His son, long on the waiting list for the second grade at a well-reputed school, was in.
Merit-Based Pay A Much-Needed Educational Initiative
Greenville News, SC, April 15, 2008
Merit-based pay is a common feature of the private sector. Hard workers and high performers are rewarded. Why shouldn't that be the policy in the public sector as well?
Green Dot's Formula For School Success
Detroit News, MI, April 15, 2008
Local education leaders in Metro Detroit are interested in the Green Dot approach as a model for transforming existing public high schools and opening new ones in Michigan's urban areas. Barr's His formula for school success includes…
Teachers Must Embrace Reform Or Be Run Over By It
Detroit News, MI, April 15, 2008
Detroit Public Schools teachers are following a suicidal path if the union members continue to be the major obstacle to reforming the city's schools.
Thanks For Charter School Support
Chester Daily Local, PA, April 14, 12008
The Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools (PCCS) applauds state representatives Barbara McIlvaine Smith and Duane Milne for supporting charter school families in spite of special interest group pressure.
April 14, 2008
April 14, 2008
More Catholic Schools Closing Across USNew York Times, NY, April 12, 2008
About 1,267 Catholic schools have closed since 2000 and enrollment nationwide has dropped by 382,125 students, or 14 percent, according to the National Catholic Education Association.
From Catholic To Charter Schools
Washington Times, DC, April 14, 2008
At present, the Archdiocese of Washington faces much criticism for its proposal to convert seven Catholic schools into publicly funded nonreligious charters.
Opponents Were Wrong About Impact Of Vouchers
Miami Herald, FL, April 14, 2008
A quality education can change a life. It can lift a child out of poverty and provide young people with the skills to achieve their dreams. Knowing this, how can anyone deny a poor child the right to a quality education?
It's About Carrots And Sticks
Rocky Mountain News, CO, April 14, 2008
Some top performers - namely, several charter schools - may give the district pause. Two of DPS' top 10 elementary schools in growth are charters.
Strengthen Charters To Help Urban Kids
Detroit News, MI, April 14, 2008
However, charter schools are succeeding in shaking up corruption-choked urban school systems and forcing their leaders to consider new ideas.
Governor Should Side With Progress In Charters Fight
Portsmouth Herald News, NH , April 13, 2008
Charter schools are doing important work in New Hampshire, providing quality public school alternatives to students and families who are not best served by their traditional education offerings
Michigan Needs To Encourage The Charter School Movement
Oakland Press, MI , April 13, 2008
One alternative that clearly is working is charter schools. These are public schools open to all students. If the number of applicants exceeds capacity, lotteries are held to determine enrollment.
April 11, 2008
April 11, 2008
D.C. Catholic Schools Follow National Trend
Washington Post, D.C., April 11, 2008
The Archdiocese of Washington's plan to give up operating seven of its Catholic schools reflects a national trend outlined in a report released yesterday by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute...
Obama Calls on Parents to Help Students
D.C. Examiner, D.C, April 11, 2008
But he gets some of his loudest applause when he segues to education - and a bit of a lecture to mothers and fathers on how to be parents.
Community Organizing Seen as Help to Schools
Education Week, MD, April 10, 2008
Grassroots organizing efforts to reform schools in seven urban districts are contributing to myriad improvements that include...
How To Evaluate Teachers
New York Sun, NY, April 11, 2008
The schools chancellor, Joel Klein, and the president of the teachers' union, Randi Weingarten, are locked in a bitter debate over whether test scores should be used to evaluate teachers.
Rule Change About Control, Not Education
News & Observer, NC, April 11, 2008
The argument the education establishment uses to support the need for certification and licensure is a familiar one: Only licensed teachers have the skills and training to properly educate our students.
Working with Charters
Daily Breeze, CA, April 11, 2008
For some reason, the Los Angeles Unified School District has a hard time working constructively with charter schools, even though they offer the best hope for raising the educational prospects of kids in L.A.
April 08, 2008
April 8, 2008
For Education, a Regrettable Conversion
Washington Post, D.C., April 8, 2008
The bottom line is clear, says Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl: The Catholic Church can no longer afford to run a full complement of inner-city parochial schools serving a population that is, by an overwhelming majority, non-Catholic.
Charter School Aid Fair, Officials Say
Asbury Park Press, NJ, April 8, 2008
State education officials defended their formula for aiding charter schools Monday, saying those facilities received the same treatment as other public schools and an overall increase in state dollars.
Academy Making A Difference
Tampa Tribune, FL, April 8, 2008
When Susan Hines learned that a charter school that could accommodate special-needs children was going to open in a rural area of northeast Pasco County, she drove to the location before construction of the school began.
Stronger Schools
Augusta Chronicle, GA, April 8, 2008
Indeed, we hope Bedden and others in education -- at the state as well as local level -- will be open to expanding the range of options parents have in schooling their children
Luckie Wants Moratorium On New Charter Schools
Dayton Daily News, OH, April 7, 2008
State Rep. Clayton Luckie, D-Dayton, said Monday that Dayton already has too many charter schools and that he is proposing legislation to put a moratorium on the establishment of new for-profit charter schools.
Charter Schools Can Save Public Education
Concord Monitor, NH, April 6, 2008
The pressure is on the Senate and Gov. John Lynch to follow in a long line of progressive Democrats who understand that the time has come to save public education ...
Kids These Days: Going Private
Daily Pilot, CA, April 8, 2008
So what is it about private schools that causes these regular folks to stretch their incomes so their kids can have this education?
April 07, 2008
April 7, 2008
Charter Schools To Receive Multimillion-Dollar Boost
New York Sun, NY, April 7, 2008
Charter schools that have been struggling to find homes in New York will receive a boost today from the Bush administration, in the form of a multimillion-dollar grant.
School Choice - Now More Than Ever
Wall Street Journal, April 5, 2008
So news that Sol Stern, a veteran advocate of school choice, is having second thoughts about the ability of market forces to improve education outcomes is noteworthy.
Fund Charter Schools Equally
Asbury Park Press, NJ, April 7, 2008
The state's charter schools never have been treated as equals of traditional public schools when it comes to state aid. Gov. Corzine's new school funding formula will leave many of them further behind.
The Real Cost Of Public Schools
Washington Post, D.C., April 6, 2008
So why force most D.C. children into often dilapidated and underperforming public schools when we could easily offer them a choice of private schools?
'Fund The Child' Plan Would Help Schools
Columbus Dispatch, OH, April 6, 2008
Phillis' charge that "Fund the Child" is simply an attempt to get more money for public charter schools, including the seven sponsored by Fordham, is ludicrous.
Hopewell Academy Served A Purpose
Tampa Tribune, FL, April 6, 2008
It looks as if Hopewell Academy, which abruptly closed its doors on Friday, was a victim of pending budget cuts in the school district and that is unfortunate.
Turf Face-Off May Be In Store For L.A. Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 7, 2008
A vocal group of teachers, students, parents and community organizations say the charter school will impede Fairfax's rise by taking up needed classrooms and creating logistical headaches.
Minneapolis: Is the Choice Worth Funds?
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, April 6, 2008
The program sends some 2,000 city students to nine suburban school districts at an annual cost of $7 million.
April 04, 2008
April 4, 2008
Minding King's Words
Washington Times, D.C., April 4, 2008
Today, that dream must extend to our inadequate, segregated system of education. It is the moral mandate of the 21st century - the civil rights edict of our time.
Dropout Rate "Catastrophe"
Denver Post, CO, April 3, 2008
According to a new study by America's Promise Alliance, 17 of the nation's 50 largest cities had high school graduation rates lower than 50 percent. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, whose wife, Alma, chairs the alliance, calls it a "catastrophe."
Charter Schools Exist To Provide Local Control And Flexibility
The Citizen, GA, April 3, 2008
However, if the criminally incompetent Clayton County School Board capriciously denied this application and chose to keep these children trapped in their broken traditional public school, the local group would have no other avenue to seek approval for their petition.
Vouchers Likely To Win Support
Washington Times, D.C., April 4, 2008
School-choice supporters appear likely to win a sizable victory in this year's General Assembly (MD).
Still Needs Improvement
Boston Globe, MA, April 4, 2008
Uneven performance is the tarnished sign of education reform in Massachusetts. Again yesterday, the state took its customary position at or near the top of the nation's list for overall student performance.
Just 12% Of Idaho Parents Would Choose Public School If Had A Choice
Renew America, D.C., April 4, 2008
A poll commissioned by the prestigious Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice and co-sponsored by the Idaho Values Alliance found that only 12% of Idahoans would chose a "regular public school" if they had a full range of options.
April 03, 2008
April 3, 2008
A Schools Veteran Girds for a Broader Battlefield
New York Times, NY, April 3, 2008
And yet she has embraced other of their ideas, like charter schools and bonus pay programs, that unions, and some of her own members, have long opposed.
Defending Home-Style ABCs
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 3, 2008
... Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to support new legislation allowing home schooling if the decision is not reversed. Meanwhile, the ruling has forged a rare alliance of religious and secular home schoolers.
Missouri Teacher Pay Hike In Peril
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, April 3, 2008
The bill now includes: scholarships for autistic children who attend private schools; a provision that allows school districts to consider other factors besides experience for salary levels; and a portion that requires ...
Amendment Could Sink Charter School Measure
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, April 3, 2008
A bill designed to make it easier to create charter schools over the objections of local leaders passed the Georgia Senate on Wednesday. But the vote was not necessarily good news for supporters.
From Catholic Schools to Charters: What's Left?
Washington Post, D.C., April 2, 2008
The bottom line is clear, says Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl: The Catholic Church can no longer afford to run a full complement of inner-city parochial schools serving a population that is, by an overwhelming majority, non-Catholic.
PCS Debates Growth Proposal
San Jose Mercury News, CA, April 3, 2008
Trustees for the nation's top public charter school debated Wednesday whether to grow enrollment at Pacific Collegiate School in order to reduce teacher workload, keep class sizes small, diversify the student body and grapple with an anticipated $100,000 cut in state revenue.
The Luck Of The Draw
Providence Journal, RI, April 3, 2008
Lottery Day in the state’s public charter schools yesterday brought anxiety and hope to thousands of families waiting to hear whether their children would be among the lucky ones. At Paul Cuffee Charter School, the lottery unfolded in a low-key manner.
Jindal Avoids Calling It Voucher Program
The Times-Picayune, LA, April 2, 2008
So far, Gov. Bobby Jindal's push for a $10 million New Orleans private school scholarship program has been low-key and scant on details. Jindal also has avoided one of the most politically combustible terms in education: voucher.
