Daily Headlines: March 16, 2012
Survey Finds Teachers Don’t Trust Annual State Skills Tests
USA Today, March 16, 2012
Despite years of rhetoric from lawmakers and education reformers about the importance of tying teacher pay to student test scores, fewer teachers now believe the move will keep good teachers in the classroom.
No Mandate Left Behind
National Review Online, March 16, 2012
Two weeks ago, when the House Education and the Workforce Committee marked up two bills to update the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), Democrats and their allies screamed bloody murder. Ranking Democratic member (and former chairman) George Miller called the bills “radical” and “highly partisan” and said they would “turn the clock back decades on equity and accountability.” A coalition of civil-rights, education-reform, and business groups said they amounted to a “rollback” of NCLB.
FROM THE STATES
Legislature Should Give Families More School Options
Press-Register, AL, March 16, 2012
THE CHARTER school bill proposed by the governor and Republican legislative leaders provides a reasonable and methodical way to give Alabama families, especially those in failing districts, more public school options.
School Board To Decide On Charter School This Month
Auburn Journal, CA, March 16, 2012
The Auburn Union School District may be opening a new charter school — adding to the more than 300 charter schools opened or converted from existing schools in California since 2006.
Pacific Collegiate Takes Heat Over Nonprofit Plans: School District Urges County Superintendent To Probe Legality Of Facility Funding
Santa Cruz Sentinel, CA, March 15, 2012
The county’s education superintendent said Thursday his agency will look into concerns from public school officials about an acclaimed and well-monied charter school’s move to form a nonprofit organization and acquire its own building.
Guest Commentary: Change in Public Schools Doesn’t Come Quickly
Denver Post, CO, March 16, 2012
The Post got it right in its series on school turnaround: “The dismal history [of failing schools] shows just how hard it is to save a failing school.”
Governor’s Reform Plan Will Improve Schools For All Students
CT Post, CT, March 15, 2012
Believe it or not, by third grade, the average low-income child in Connecticut is three grade levels behind his or her non-low-income peers in reading and math. This disparity is known as the achievement gap, and Connecticut ‘s is the largest in the nation.
Teachers’ Anger Distorts Goals, Provisions of Education Reform
Hartford Courant, CT, March 16, 2012
How mad are some teachers at Gov. Malloy? State cops flanked the stage and auditorium aisles when Malloy spoke in Windham the other night after both the Senate president and the lieutenant governor took pains to remind the audience about grade-school decorum. A town meeting in New Haven dissolved at times into heckling and shouting. In Windham, a teacher derided Malloy’s education plan as “utterly fraudulent” — to wild applause.
Commission: Charter Schools Likely To Continue Gaining On DCPS
Washington Post, DC, March 15, 2012
The D.C. Public Education Finance Reform Commission never drew any strong conclusions about the core issue that triggered its formation: inequities in the funding of public and public charter schools. But it gathered a lot of useful data, some of it projecting how the city’s two public education sectors are likely to grow over the next few years.
KIPP Ready to Pay Students a Little Cash for FCAT Scores
Florida Times Union, FL, March 16, 2012
Other students in Northeast Florida have been offered gift cards, parties, even cars for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. KIPP Impact Middle School, though, wants to give cash — $20 — to students who reach specific learning gains scores.
Charter Schools Vote Gains Support Among Democrats
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, March 15, 2012
The GOP-controlled General Assembly came within reach Thursday of asking voters to revive the state’s ability to sponsor charter schools, when one of the Senate’s most venerable statesmen said he would buck his party and vote yes — as two others suggested they would strongly consider it.
Relatives Often Find Doors Open To Maintenance, Teacher Assistant Jobs
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 16, 2012
Custodians, buildings and grounds workers, and summer maintenance helpers made up the largest employment category when the Tribune looked at what kinds of jobs have been going to school board members’ relatives.
State Overrides Local School Board, Orders Charter School Opened in North Chicago
WBEZ 91.5, IL, March 15, 2012
Illinois’s top school official has overruled the local school board in suburban North Chicago and ordered a charter school be opened there.
Charter Option for Polk
The Gazette, IA, March 16, 2012
Should we consider an alternative solution? My lifelong passion for, and involvement in education in Iowa leads me to believe we should. By state law and with permission of the Cedar Rapids school district, a charter school could be created and operated by a parent/teacher organization.
Search Gets Serious; 73 People Attend Focus Groups To Determine What Characteristics The Community Would Like To See In The Next USD 234 Superintendent.
Fort Scott Tribune, KS, March 16, 2012
Seventy-three community members had the opportunity on Thursday to participate in the search for a new superintendent for the USD 234 district to replace Rick Werling following his retirement on June 30.
Bobby Jindal Education Bills Whisk Through Louisiana Senate Panel
Times Picayune, LA, March 15, 2012
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s package of sweeping education changes is set for floor votes as early as next week after an administration-friendly Senate Education Committee on Thursday easily approved a trio of proposals to refashion primary and secondary education.
Teachers Could Be Destined To Lose Public Support
American Press, LA, March 16, 2012
Two things are for sure: it’s wrong for teachers to go to Baton Rouge to protest and be paid for it. And it’s wrong to have to close schools, under the pretense of professional development, so teachers can head for the State Capitol. If those keep up, teachers are destined to lose public support.
Our Views: Lifelong Learning A Worthy Goal
The Advocate, LA, March 16, 2012
Kevin P. Chavous, one of America’s more prominent advocates for charter schools, was in Baton Rouge earlier this month to promote his views. As the Legislature considers legislation that would give greater emphasis to charter schools in public education, Chavous’ views have renewed currency.
House Committee Weighs Expanding Charter School Program
Maryland Gazette, MD, March 16, 2012
Jessica Roerick wants other parents to have the same choice she had when she sent her son, Liam, to Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School in Hanover .
Testimony Divided On Lepage Education Bills
Sun Journal, ME, March 16, 2012
Lawmakers on Thursday heard emotional testimony from parents, students and teachers supporting and opposing two of Gov. Paul LePage’s more contentious education proposals.
Framingham’s Mcauliffe Charter School Picks 126 Students
Metro West Daily News, MA, March 16, 2012
Eny Almeida was sitting on the edge of her metal folding chair last night when the three words she had been waiting to hear for months rang out over the loudspeaker in the McAuliffe Charter School gymnasium: “Maria Julia Almeida.”
Students Selected For New Charter School In Springfield
WWLP, MA, March 15, 2012
81 fifth grade students were chosen Thursday to attend Springfield’s newest charter school.
Veritas Preparatory Charter School held an open enrollment lottery and chose about one-fourth of the 320 students who applied.
Bill Isn’t School Reform, It’s Political Payback
Daily Telegram, MI, March 16, 2012
There’s reform, and then there’s political payback. A bill on its way to Gov. Rick Snyder’s desk that would forbid public schools from deducting union dues from employees’ paychecks falls into the second category.
Bill Requiring N.J. Towns To Approve Charter Schools Gets Approved By State Assembly
Star-Ledger, NJ, March 15, 2012
The Assembly has passed a measure that would require local approval of charter schools, even after they’ve been given the green light by the state commissioner of education.
Long Debated, Legislature Revives Talk of School Vouchers
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, March 16, 2012
After a winter hiatus, a trimmed-down Opportunity Scholarship Act proposal is back in the legislature with a prominent new sponsor in the state Assembly but the loss of another in the Senate.
ACLU Delaware Asks State To Say ‘No’ To Newark Charter Expansion
Newark Post, NJ, March 15, 2012
The president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware, Helen Foss, submitted a letter this week to Education Secretary Dr. Lillian Lowery asking that the Newark Charter School not be permitted to expand on the grounds of under representing minorities and low-income students due to its policy of not providing free and/or reduced price lunches to its students.
Choice Schools Set To Get Extra $14 Million In State Aid
Press of Atlantic City, NJ, March 15, 2012
School choice is proving to be a profitable choice for the state’s 73 choice school districts that will share $33 million in extra state aid next year.
Failed Bills Won’t Halt Teacher Grades
Santa Fe New Mexican, NM, March 15, 2012
The New Mexico Public Education Department plans to implement a revised teacher-evaluation process via executive rather than legislative order later this year. The new plan would take effect in the 2013-14 school year.
Schools Remove Problem Workers
Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2012
After a department-wide personnel review, New York City is removing eight teachers and school aides who were “insufficiently disciplined” for previous offenses, school officials said Thursday.
Meet the Principals
New York Times Schoolbook, NY, March 16, 2012
Here’s a look at some of the principals who gathered on Long Island this week to be photographed for a new ad protesting the implementation of a new teacher evaluation system.
Wake Schools To Post Student Assignments Friday
News & Observer, NC, March 16, 2012
Wake County families can go online starting at 5 p.m. Friday to find out if their student got into the school they wanted for this coming fall. Parents can go to assignment.wcpss.net to find out if they’re among the 74.9 percent of the 19,048 applicants whose children got their first-choice school or the 82.2 percent who got one of their top two choices. Notices also will be mailed to parents.
Westside Private School Hopes To Be Charter
Charlotte Observer, NC, March 15, 2012
The old Wilson Middle School could become west Charlotte’s first charter school, if the private school that took over the building succeeds with a plan to become an independent public school.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich Wants Legislative Sponsors For Cleveland Schools Plan; Mayor Frank Jackson Asks For Patience
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, March 16, 2012
Gov. John Kasich says Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson seems to be having trouble finding a legislator from the Cleveland area to step up and sponsor his schools plan in Columbus .
Proposed Panel To Review Charter Schools Could Meet Behind Closed Doors
Cleveland Plain Dealer Blog, OH, March 16, 2012
Mayor Frank Jackson’s proposed panel to hold Cleveland’s public charter and district schools accountable would be able to work behind closed doors, according to the latest draft of laws needed to create it.
Achievement Compacts In Oregon : Remembering What Matters Most
Oregonian, OR, March 16, 2012
Parents are worried. Teachers are disheartened. Taxpayers are skeptical. Those are the data points that should matter most to Gov. John Kitzhaber and his education superboard members as they oversee the next steps of school reform. The state can design the most technically amazing and thorough “achievement compacts” in the world, but these compacts will work only if they ultimately serve the needs of parents, teachers and taxpayers.
Charter School Lottery Drawing in Trenton
WPVI 6abc, PA, March 15, 2012
The educational future of some students in Trenton, N.J. was left to chance, but when it comes to filling the seats of a charter school, perhaps there’s no better way to do it.
Advocates Make Pleas For Their Schools Before SRC
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, March 16, 2012
Save charter schools, some said. Allow charter schools to expand, others said. Don’t close public schools. Keep arts education at the forefront; bolster anti-bullying education.
Pocono Mountain Charter School Worried About Future
Pocono Record, PA, March 16, 2012
Pocono Mountain School District still is looking to trim about $4.7 million from its 2012-13 budget.
For School Board, Money — Not Children — Is The Main Factor
Cumberland Times-News, PA, March 15, 2012
School choice has become an important part of education K-12 in the U.S. It helps children go to school close to home, leave bad schools, continue school with friends, etc. It should not be impinged upon by state or local boards of education.
Bill Could Increase Charter School Numbers in S.C.
Aiken Standard, SC, March 16, 2012
The South Carolina Senate will resume debate next week on a charter school bill that Superintendent Mick Zais calls his top legislative priority.
Hamilton County Board of Education Approves New Law and Business Charter School
Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN, March 16, 2012
After twice denying the application from the New Consortium of Law and Business, the board voted 7-2 on Thursday to allow the charter’s opening. The state board of education held an appeal hearing last month and remanded the decision to Hamilton County for approval, officials said.
Texas Schools Face Bigger Classes and Smaller Staff
New York Times, NY, March 16, 2012
Many Texas teachers have found themselves in a similar predicament. Texas Education Agency data for the 2011-12 school year show that the number of elementary classes exceeding the 22-1 student-teacher ratio has soared to 8,479 from 2,238 last school year.
DISD Announces Charter School Proposal
CBS Local, TX, March 15, 2012
In an effort to bolster choices for parents, Dallas ISD trustee Lew Blackburn announced Thursday that an elementary campus set to close could be transformed into a charter school.
Governor Pledges To Veto Charter Schools Bill
News Tribune, WA, March 15, 2012
Gov. Chris Gregoire is vowing to veto a measure to bring charter schools to Washington state.
Senator: Charter School Veto Promise “Unfortunate,” Referendum Possible
Seattle Times Blog, WA, March 15, 2012
State Sen. Rodney Tom expressed frustration tonight at the pledge by Gov. Chris Gregoire, a fellow Democrat, to veto any bill that authorizes charter schools in Washington state.
Nuestro Mundo Charter School Could Move to Monona
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, March 15, 2012
Madison’s Nuestro Mundo charter school would move into its own building in Monona next fall, under terms of a six-year lease being finalized by Madison and Monona Grove School District officials.
VIRTUAL LEARNING
United School Board Tables Cyber School Proposal
Blairsville Dispatch, PA, March 16, 2012
United School Board on Tuesday tabled a decision on possibly launching the district’s own cyber school program in a proposed partnership with neighboring Blairsville-Saltsburg School District .
Partnerships Have the Power to Transform Schools
Huffington Post, March 15, 2012
Knowing that this nontraditional school was the last stop for many students before dropping out, Kim has aggressively created a supportive academic environment with palpable love and equally palpable high expectations.
Virtual School’s Students Meet For Real-World Science Fair in Corte Madera
Marin Independent-Journal, CA, March 16, 2012
Yet two things made Thursday’s presentation by the California Virtual Academies different from a traditional science fair. The first was its location, tucked into the children’s section of the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Corte Madera Town Center.