Daily Headlines for June 27, 2011
A Look At Ways To Create A Fair Teacher Evaluation System
The Journal News, NY, June 25, 2011
With school budget crises permeating the country, the threat of teacher layoffs has been in the air, including in the New York City and Yonkers districts, where hundreds of layoffs were threatened. This has led to a debate between the unions and advocates for maximizing the effectiveness of schools by retaining the best teachers, not necessarily the most senior.
School Relief or School Reform?
Daily Item, PA, June 26, 2011
When Barack Obama was campaigning in 2008, he promised that he would work to get rid of No Child Left Behind legislation, but until last week, it appeared that he had forgotten that promise.
CALIFORNIA
For San Diego Schools, a Fear That Larger Classes Will Hinder Learning
New York Times, NY, June 27, 2011
Many in the forefront of what is called the education reform movement – like Bill Gates, the philanthropist, and Arne Duncan, the nation’s education secretary – have attended private schools with small class sizes.
LA Schools Step Up Oversight of Stumbling Charters
Associated Press, June 26, 2011
It’s been a rocky year for charters in Los Angeles Unified, which hosts the most charter schools of any district in the nation – 183 currently, with roughly another 20 slated to open in the fall.
Locke High’s Slow And Steady Turnaround
Los Angeles Times, CA, June 26, 2011
The takeover by charter operator Green Dot hasn’t yielded the quick and dramatic results many had hoped for, but there has been some solid improvement.
Courts Still Involved In Charter School Dispute
The Press-Enterprise, CA, June 26, 2011
The president of the San Bernardino City Unified school board said Friday he hopes the courts will determine who will operate the Public Safety Academy charter school so the district won’t have to make the decision.
Punjabi Charter School to Open in West Sacramento
Sacramento Bee, CA, June 27, 2011
West Sacramento will be home to the first public Punjabi charter school in the country this fall.
Charter School’s Success Validated By Top State Ranking
Marin Independent Journal, CA, June 27, 2011
LEADERS OF Willow Creek Academy in Sausalito deserve to take pride in the elementary school being named one of the 10 best charter schools in California.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
A Disconnect on Big Issues in the District
Washington Times, DC, June 26, 2011
The president and Congress reinstated the scholarship program this spring as part of the federal government’s three-sector approach to public schooling that also appropriates new dollars to traditional and charter schools in the District.
Parents Rush To Apply For D.C. Private School Vouchers
Washington Post, DC, June 25, 2011
For eight years, Elaine Cousins has tried to secure her son a D.C. Opportunity Scholarship from the federally funded voucher program that helps low-income parents pay for local private schools.
FLORIDA
School Holds First Graduation
Tampa Bay Tribune, FL, June 27, 2011
When Melinda Deravil enrolled in Seminole Heights Charter High School she had fewer than half the course credits she needed to walk across the stage and receive her high school diploma.
GEORGIA
Charter Schools To Learn If They Can Stay Open
WSNTV, GA, June 26, 2011
Thousands of children attending about a dozen Georgia charter schools will hear this week whether state officials will allow the schools to remain open.
The Brewing Of A Bruising Fight Over Charter Schools
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, June 25, 2011
For the last couple years, the focus has been on transportation as the public policy issue likely to dominate the 2012 political season.
LOUISIANA
Recovery School District Academic-Gains Data Challenged
The Times-Picayune, LA, June 27, 2011
It’s an impressive set of numbers that Louisiana officials have used to illustrate academic gains made by the state’s Recovery School District in New Orleans: Six years ago before Katrina, 62 percent of city students attended failing schools. Now, just 18 percent do.
Recovery School District Will Put More New Orleans High Schools Under Charters
The Times-Picayune, LA, June 26, 2011
The state’s Recovery School District is offering more concrete details about plans for turning around New Orleans high schools that have continued to struggle under its leadership, the main thrust of which will put more students under the watch of charter school operators who have already convinced state officials they can make gains.
MASSACHUSETTS
Evaluating Teachers May Burden Principals
Boston Globe, MA, June 27, 2011
As state education leaders prepare to vote tomorrow on a sweeping overhaul of the way administrators and teachers are evaluated, local school officials say one key area remains a concern: finding time for overburdened principals to actually do the evaluations.
Schools Eye Banning Outside Students From Programs
Gloucester Times, MA, June 26, 2011
Gloucester’s School Department may formally close all after-school activities to “out-of-district” students – including those attending the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School – pending a Wednesday night School Committee’s vote.
MINNESOTA
Charter Schools In Limbo As Deadline Nears
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, June 25, 2011
Anxiety is growing as 20 schools seek state approval for new over
seers ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
MISSOURI
Ambitious School Reform Relies On The Personal Touch
Kansas City Star, MO, June 26, 2011
The nation’s latest, greatest attempt to turn around its lowest-performing schools needed a child’s face.
NEW JERSEY
Intervention Can’t Wait
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, June 26, 2011
It comes as no surprise that the Christie administration closed its eyes when critical factors screamed for state education officials to take a more active role with Camden schools.
Package of Four Controversial Charter Bills To Come Before Assembly
NJ Spotlight, NJ, June 27, 2011
The most contentious proposal would give local voters the right to OK any charters in their community.
NORTH CAROLINA
New Legislation To Affect Charter Schools
Mount Airy News, NC, June 26, 2011
A bill proposing changes to education in North Carolina that started out in the Senate of the N.C. General Assembly Jan. 27 has finally become law after much deliberation and compromise.
OHIO
Breakthrough Charter Schools Buying Four Closed Buildings From Cleveland School District
Plain Dealer, OH, June 26, 2011
The Breakthrough charter schools, seeking to expand, are buying four school buildings closed by the Cleveland school district.
CPS Would Be Smart To Try Charters
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, June 26, 2011
If you can’t beat ’em, own ’em. That’s something of the philosophy Cincinnati Public Schools is taking when it comes to its relationship with charter schools.
PENNSYLVANIA
Charter Schools’ Turnover Lower Here Than Elsewhere
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, June 27, 2011
After nine years at City High Charter School, Casey Teagarden can’t imagine teaching anywhere else.
Pennsylvania Laws Pitting Public Schools Against Private
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, June 27, 2011
Gov. Tom Corbett has laid out a vision for public education in Pennsylvania in which schools compete to offer students the best chance at success.
RHODE ISLAND
A Year-End Assessment of Central Falls High’s ‘transformation’
Providence Journal, RI, June 26, 2011
It’s not easy being a litmus test for the nation. The first struggling school in Rhode Island – and one of the first in the United States – to try to fix itself under new federal guidelines, Central Falls High School finished year one of transformation when its doors closed for the summer on Thursday.
TENNESSEE
Newest Charter Off To Fast Start
Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN, June 26, 2011
After fighting for the Hamilton County school board’s approval for more than a year, officials with Chattanooga’s newest charter school are working hard to recruit students.
WASHINGTON
State Needs Private Schools To Boost Quality Education
News Tribune, WA, June 26, 2011
On Tuesday the Supreme Court of Washington will hear arguments in a significant, albeit misguided, lawsuit concerning education in our state
WISCONSIN
MPS, City Grapple With Deciding School Facilities
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, June 25, 2011
So we’ve got all these empty school buildings in Milwaukee at the same time we’ve got schools or potential schools that need decent buildings. Resolving this doesn’t sound like the most complicated issue facing the human race. Almost needless to say, it’s complicated.
Separate Legislation Best For Green Bay School Voucher Issue
Green Bay Gazette, WI, June 26, 2011
Of all the proposals deleted from the state budget that Gov. Scott Walker will sign today, the plan to expand Milwaukee’s school voucher program to Green Bay gave us the most pause.
VIRTUAL LEARNING
Virtual School Holds Literal Graduation
Statesman Journal, OR, June 26, 2011
About half of this year’s 150 graduates, the school’s largest graduating class, traveled to Salem for the ceremony. Those students hail from all corners of the state; ORCA is the state’s most recognized tuition-free public virtual school.
Online High School in SR?
Press Democrat, CA, June 25, 2011
School Board to establish online charter high school to draw less-traditional students