Daily Headlines for November 7, 2011
NATIONAL
Overhaul of School Policy In Jeopardy
Washington Times, DC, November 6, 2011
Key lawmakers and educators are growing increasingly pessimistic that a massive overhaul of federal school policy can get through Congress before the 2012 election-year battles could doom the hopes for major bipartisan legislation.
Small Elections Drawing Big Money In Some States
NPR, November 6, 2011
It’s not just in North Carolina. All over the country, small-scale, local school board races are attracting big money and big media attention.
Education Law Reform
New York Times, NY, November 5, 2011
Re “The Wrong Fix for No Child Left Behind” (editorial, Oct. 27):The bipartisan bill passed by the Senate education committee overhauls current education law, which has not significantly closed achievement gaps or increased student achievement.
Backsliding on School Reform
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 5, 2011
When it comes to federal school reform, the overriding lesson is to be careful what you wish for. The No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law in 2002, ushered in an era of badly needed educational accountability, requiring schools to improve the lot of disadvantaged, black and Latino students who up to that point had been shorted academically in almost every way.
Stupid In America
Fox News Blog, November 6, 2011
School spending has gone through the roof and test scores are flat.
While most every other service in life has gotten faster, better, and cheaper, one of the most important things we buy — education — has remained completely stagnant, unchanged since we started measuring it in 1970.
STATE COVERAGE
ALASKA
Alaska Should Approve School Choice Legislation
Alaska Dispatch, AK, November 5, 2011
A recent survey of Alaskans’ opinions on K-12 education produced some interesting results. For instance three out of every four people who participated say they pay “a lot of attention” to what’s happening in our school system. It’s great to see that much public interest, but one has to wonder what they pay attention to.
CALIFORNIA
Focus On Standardized Tests May Be Pushing Some Teachers To Cheat
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 6, 2011
The number of California teachers who have been accused of cheating, lesser misconduct or mistakes on standardized achievement tests has raised alarms about the pressure to improve scores.
Shaking up the Status Quo in L.A. Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 6, 2011
A disparate alliance called Don’t Hold Us Back is calling on L.A. Unified and the teachers union to lay down their weapons in contract negotiations and hammer out some big-ticket reforms.
Where Poor Students Soar
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 5, 2011
What works at a school dealing with poverty and a lack of English fluency? Tough love, hard work and a laser focus on achievement.
COLORADO
Helping Dropouts Pick Up The Pieces
Denver Post, CO, November 6, 2011
It’s not that “staying in school” is a new idea. A quick Google search on the phrase gets 65 million hits. No one has a quick fix to the dropout crisis, but Colorado Youth for a Change, a Denver-based nonprofit, is making inroads. Kids are staying in school, returning to school, even going on to college.
Rejected Berthoud Charter School Won’t Appeal To State Yet
Reporter Herald, CO, November 5, 2011
The founders of the proposed Red Rock Academy charter school said Saturday that they won’t immediately appeal the denial of their charter by the Thompson School District Board of Education.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington-Area Schools Confront The ‘Gifted Gap’
Washington Post, DC, November 6, 2011
The budding scholars in Alexandria’s gifted ¬classes are bright and curious enough to make any teacher beam, but these days they’re also an emblem of what the school system calls one of its greatest failures: a lack of diversity among the academic elite.
Charter Enrollment Up, DCPS Down In Raw Count
Washington Post Blog, DC, November 4, 2011
Last year’s historic uptick in DCPS enrollment–the first in four decades–might be short-lived. Officials said late Friday that this year’s unaudited October count came in at 46,191–that’s down 419 students, about six-tenths of a percent– from last fall’s 46,515. That was when the District received a 1.6 percent bump over 2009.
D.C. Public Schools’ Accomplishments And Goals
Washington Post, DC, November 6, 2011
When I took over as chancellor of D.C. Public Schools one year ago, questions swirled across the city, and the country, about the future of education reform. Headlines questioned whether the District’s accomplishments of the previous three years could be sustained under new leadership at DCPS and in the Wilson Building, or whether they would be stripped away by political pressure, dwindling budgets or lack of courage.
FLORIDA
Complex New Teacher Evaluations Tied to Student Test Scores
Miami Herald, FL, November 6, 2011
Starting this year, officials will use a data-driven formula to grade teachers. Half of teachers’ evaluations will still come from traditional principal evaluations.
GEORGIA
Advocacy Group Says Georgia Should Look South
Savannah Morning News, GA, November 7, 2011
When it comes to schools, the Georgia Family Council says the state should look down. Down to Florida, that is, because the Sunshine State has notched 10 years of improving scores for reading among fourth graders on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a standardized test administered across the country.
ILLINOIS
Whew! Detente on the Longer School Day
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 6, 2011
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis was all smiles on Friday as she described how she reached out to Mayor Rahm Emanuel for a big meeting.
Spending Gap Between State’s Rich, Poor Schools Is Vast
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 7, 2011
Wealthy school districts still spend up to three times as much per student, annual report finds
‘We Are Not Failing. The System Is Failing Us’
Peoria Journal Star, IL, November 6, 2011
The administrators have spoken. They are mad as you know what and they’re not going to take it anymore. Or at least, they’re not going to stress about standards that are not achievable.
INDIANA
Hoosier Families Like Their Choices
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 5, 2011
The comparative rush by families to sign up for the state’s new school voucher program — nearly 4,000 students in the first year — is evidence of the strong demand in Indiana for sound educational alternatives, especially in urban areas.
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Schools Are Better, But The Work Is Far From Done
Times Picayune, LA, November 6, 2011
Louisiana’s educational reforms, from the accountability system put in place over the past 15 years to the transformation of New Orleans’ public schools after Hurricane Katrina, have greatly expanded options for many families and improved the academic performance of thousands of children.
MICHIGAN
State School Board President John Austin: If Charter Cap Is Lifted, Take Steps To Ensure Quality And Accountability
Grand Rapids Press, MI, November 6, 2011
If lawmakers are going to lift the cap on charter schools, they should take steps to ensure quality and accountability, said the last two state Board of Education members to weigh in on the issue.
Compare the True Performance of Michigan’s Charter Schools
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 6, 2011
As the Legislature considers new laws for charter schools, we wish to correct erroneous information about public school academies.
UPrep Won’t Become a Charter but Remain Within Grand Rapids schools
Grand Rapids Press, MI, November 5, 2011
Five months ago, it appeared the Grand Rapids school that’s a partnership with business leaders was going to become a charter school. The only question was if it would be a school district- or university-sponsored charter.
NEW JERSEY
NJEA: Meaningful Reform Is More Than Evaluation, Tenure
Star-Ledger, NJ, November 6, 2011
Meaningful education reform must deal with much more than evaluation and tenure. NJEA’s plan does, as legislators and the public will see. We take a backseat to no one in our commitment to making sure New Jersey has a great teacher in every classroom.
What’s Waiting for the Winners in Trenton? Education Reform
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, November 7, 2011
Education reform may not have come up much as an issue in individual races leading up to tomorrow’s legislative election, but it has remained a big topic looming in the background for both the candidates and the special interests backing them.
NEW MEXICO
County and Charter School to Partner
El Defensor Chieftain, NM, November 5, 20111
Socorro County Manager Delilah Walsh said the county could help the charter school acquire three new permanent buildings for classroom space through a lease for purchase agreement the school is eligible to use.
NEW YORK
In Tennessee, Following the Rules for Evaluations Off a Cliff
New York Times, NY, November 7, 2011
Last year, when Tennessee was named one of the first two states to win a federal Race to The Top grant, worth $501 million, there was great joy all around.
OHIO
Charter Schools Draw Students and Money From High-Ranking Suburban Districts
Cleveland Plain Dealer Blog, OH, November 6, 2011
Mention the words “charter school” and people are likely to picture classrooms full of poor kids who have fled failing big-city districts — much like the story told about the Harlem Children’s Zone in the documentary “Waiting for Superman.’ ”
The Complex Landscape of Ohio Charter Schools
Cleveland Plain Dealer Blog, OH, November 6, 2011
Since the legislature opened the doors to charter schools in 1997, Ohio has become one of the top states in the number of schools and students.
OKLAHOMA
Academic Shortfalls Put Financial Burden on Oklahoma Schools
The Oklahoman, OK, November 7, 2011
As more Oklahoma schools and school districts than ever found themselves sanctioned by federal law for not meeting academic standards, the red tape and paperwork are bogging down administrators mid-school year.
School Voucher Critics Cite Lack Of Accountability
Tulsa World, OK, November 6, 2011
Public schools must account for every dime of state and federal funding they spend to educate students.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Charter-School Funding Is Not Passing The Test
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 7, 2011
Legislation that the Pennsylvania Senate passed in October called for several changes in charter-school law, including establishing a state committee to study charter-school funding and issue a report by Nov. 30, 2012.
Should Pa. Expand Vouchers?
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 7, 2011
Advocates for school vouchers in Pennsylvania want us to believe that vouchers are the best way to help students escape failing public schools.
“Would You Send Your Child To A School Where Failure And Mayhem Are The Rule?
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 7, 2011
The Pennsylvania Senate recently passed school reform legislation that includes important charter school reforms; an expansion of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit, which provides scholarships to low- and middle-income families; and a limited school voucher program.
Now, For Vouchers – Ackerman Says School Reform Is New ‘Civil-Rights Movement’
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, November 7, 2011
THE CONTROVERSIAL reforms that Michelle Rhee pushed during her tumultuous tenure as public-schools leader in Washington, D.C. , were hardly the last marks she’d make on U.S. public education.
Valley Academy to Open Next Year
Standard Speaker, PA, November 6, 2011
Backers of the proposed Valley Academy Charter School continue to search for a home as educators craft a curriculum for classes that are expected to begin next year.
TENNESSEE
Merger of Memphis and County School Districts Revives Race and Class Challenges
New York Times, NY, November 6, 2011
When thousands of white students abandoned the Memphis schools 38 years ago rather than attend classes with blacks under a desegregation plan fueled by busing, Joseph A. Clayton went with them. He quit his job as a public school principal to head an all-white private school and later won election to the board of the mostly white suburban district next door.
Education: Educate All the Children
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 7, 2011
It’s been said many times before by those involved in the merger of Memphis and Shelby County schools, but it was good for Memphis City Schools Supt. Kriner Cash to say it again last week.
School Vouchers Aren’t Yet Up To Grade
The Tennessean, TN, November 6, 2011
Reform-minded members of the Tennessee General Assembly want to turn around the fortunes of struggling students, and do it now.
Tennessee Voucher Debate: Private School Bailout Or Much-Needed Choice
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, November 6, 2011
Critics of a bill to create a school voucher system in Tennessee characterized the plan as a “bailout” for financially failing private schools while proponents hailed it as a needed new choice in education during a legislative hearing this past week.
TEXAS
HISD Magnet Program Draws Big Crowd
Houston Chronicle, TX, November 6, 2011
So many parents packed the magnet information session that the district had to open more parking spots – a sign that nerves have settled some since a January audit of the magnet program proposed sweeping changes, including stripping funding from numerous schools.
UTAH
Charter for Change
Daily Herald, UT, November 6, 2011
We don’t have the answer. At minimum, however, the popularity of charter schools in Utah County shows that parents and students do want alternatives — probably for a wide variety of reasons. Because of that alone, the charter schools there should be considered successful and deserving of strong support.
VIRGINIA
Charter Bill Watered Down by General Assembly
Richmond Times Dispatch Blog, VA, November 4, 2011
Bob McDonnell lamented during his 2009 campaign that there were not enough charter schools in Virginia , and he promised to do something about it if elected governor.
Making Virginia a Southern Education Leader
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, November 6, 2011
While Virginia was a national leader in developing substantive content standards for basic K-12 subjects in the 1990s, it has lagged badly in enabling parents to make choices as to which schools best meet those standards and their children’s particular needs.
Parents Upset By Falls Church Charter School Proposal
Washington Examiner, DC, November 5, 2011
Falls Church parents are furious over a proposal to build a public charter school just down the road from Falls Church High School, a diverse campus that’s wanting for programs and renovations.
WISCONSIN
Tim Birkley: Madison Prep Should Have Union Workers
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, November 7, 2011
The response of Urban League of Greater Madison President Kaleem Caire to the prospect of Madison Prep Academy employing union custodial and food service workers is exactly why many Madisonians have reservations about funding this with public dollars.
Chalkboard: Independent Charter School Bill Fails To Muster Votes
Capital Times, WI, November 5, 2011
A controversial bill that would have established a state-run authorizing board to help expand the number of independent charter schools in Wisconsin was not able to gather the 17 votes necessary for passage in the state Senate by the end of the day Thursday.
Bill Allows Performance-Based Pay For Teachers
The Badger Herald, WI, November 6, 2011
The state Assembly approved legislation early Friday morning that would allow school districts to use student performance on standardized test scores as a factor to discipline or fire teachers.
VIRTUAL LEARNING
Elementary Schools, Colleges See The Value Of Online Education
Deseret News, UT, November 4, 2011
Twenty years ago, classrooms were lucky to have at least one computer in their room. Now, it seems, most classrooms in America would be considered completely inept without at least one.
County Students At Virtual Fulfill Graduation Requirements Online
Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, November 6, 2011
He’ll still be taking the same Clark County School District classes as other sophomores, but through Virtual High School, a sort of “Tron” educational environment where he completes homework, takes test and even communicates with his teacher and classmates on the Internet through instant messaging and in chat rooms.
Charter Schools’ Programs For The Gifted, Computer Skills Attract Students
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 6, 2011
The online charter school, better known as ECOT, has more than 11,000 students statewide and a report card rating of Continuous Improvement (equivalent to a C grade.)
Schools Rebuilt But Lack Students
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 6, 2011
All five school buildings in the neighborhoods that surround East High School are top-notch. And this, in an odd way, is the problem.
Endeavor Academy’s Sweeping Changes Show Signs of Success
St. Petersburg Times, FL, November 6, 2011
Along with the new name, Endeavor has a new administrator, a new staff and the new instructional method centered on computer-assisted learning.
Board Sets Policy on Virtual Academy
Herald Citizen, TN, November 4, 2011
Putnam County students will not be able to leave Putnam County Schools mid-school year to enroll in the for-profit online school known as Tennessee Virtual Academy.