Daily Headlines for March 23, 2011
Bill Gates Seeks Formula for Better Teachers
Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2011
Bill Gates shook up the battle against AIDS in Africa by applying results-oriented business metrics to the effort. Now, he is trying to do the same in the tricky world of evaluating and compensating teachers.
Ron Bancroft: End to Teacher Tenure Essential To School Reform
Portland Press Herald, ME, March 22, 2011
As long as it’s linked to fair evaluations, the removal of tenure will improve learning.
FROM THE STATES
District of Columbia
Will a BASIS Charter School Work in D.C.?
Washington Post, DC, March 21, 2011
For Washington suburbanites who think their local high school is straining from the weight of Advanced Placement courses and other academic demands, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Florida
Florida Education Secretary Said He’ll Step Down This Year
Miami Herald, FL, March 21, 2011
Florida’s top education official announced his resignation Monday, fueling speculation over who will replace him.
Georgia
Two Groups Rally For School Choice
Athens Banner- Herald, GA, March 22, 2011
The state Capitol was full of the chatter of children and their parents Monday as they buttonholed legislators about various types of school choices, from public charter schools to private schools funded by tax credit-enhanced scholarships.
Indiana
All Students ‘My Public,’ Schools Chief Says
The Tribune Star, IN, March 22, 2011
It wasn’t just the party faithful attending Tony Bennett’s talk before the Clay County Republican Club Monday night.
Massachusetts
Too Much Jargon, Too Few Fixes
Boston Globe, MA, March 22, 2011
THE TEACHER evaluation process in Massachusetts is broken. Principals conduct drive-by classroom observations of teachers who know there will be no consequences for poor performance and no rewards for excellence. Federal officials are fed up.
New Jersey
Furor in N.J. Over Charter School Space
Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2011
The union representing Newark’s teachers is rallying its members to what is expected to be a raucous meeting Tuesday night over whether charter schools should share space with traditional public schools.
A Voucher for Chris Cerf in New Jersey
Star-Ledger, NJ, March 22, 2011
Chris Cerf has been nominated as commissioner of education in New Jersey . He has a long and illustrious background in education reform – more than a decade at Edison Schools Inc. and at the New York City Department of Education combined – and, not surprisingly, he has stepped on a few toes along the way.
Oregon
Oregon Senate Unanimously Approves Changes To Charter School Law
The Oregonian, OR, March 22, 2011
The Oregon Senate unanimously passed a bill to modify the Oregon charter school law. The bill would change the appeals process and some application time lines but remains silent on controversial issues such as funding, transportation and what should be required in the application.
Texas
Let’s Give Charters Access To Funds
Houston Chronicle, TX, March 21, 2011
All around us, we hear we must do more with less. It’s a common theme from how we manage our personal budgets to how our state legislators must cope with our enormous budget shortfall this session. Is it really possible to meet this daunting challenge?
Wisconsin
Poll finds Support In Milwaukee For Voucher Expansion
The Journal Sentinel, WI, March 21, 2011
A majority of Milwaukee residents favor Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to expand the city’s voucher program by removing family income restrictions on participants, according to the results of a poll commissioned by School Choice Wisconsin, a voucher-advocacy group.
Republican Bill Calls For A Board Of Political Appointees To Authorize Charter Schools
Capital Times, WI, March 22, 2011
Under a Republican-sponsored bill, nine political appointees would get to authorize public charter schools while local school districts foot the bill. The creation of this state-wide charter school authorizing board – with members appointed by the governor and the leaders of the state Senate and Assembly – is a key provision of legislation authored by Sen. Alberta Darling of River Hills that will get a hearing on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Capitol before the Senate Education Committee.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Online schools seek funding in Georgia
Augusta Chronicle, GA, March 21, 2011
The Capitol was full of the chatter of children and their parents as groups roamed the halls Monday to buttonhole legislators about various types of school choices, from public charter schools to private schools funded by tax-credit-enhanced scholarships.