Daily Headlines for July 3, 2012
USA’s Top Teachers Union Losing Members
USA Today, July 3, 2012
The USA ‘s largest teachers union is losing members and revenue, potentially threatening its political clout.
FROM THE STATES
DELAWARE
Pencader Adds Six People To Board
News Journal, DE, July 3, 2012
The two remaining members of Pencader Charter High School ’s board of directors elected new members Monday, a week after questions were raised about the school leader’s academic credentials.
Removal Of School Choice To Impact Prince Street Parents
WIC-News, DE, July 3, 2012
Students who attended a different school under the Public School Choice program may have to return to Prince Street Elementary School for the coming school year, unless their parents or guardians can provide transportation.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Barras: What Education Reform Evaluation?
Washington Examiner, DC, July 2, 2012
District taxpayers may have paid out more than $3 billion during the past five years for public education, including modernization of school buildings. But they will have to wait until 2014 to receive a complete assessment about whether all that money actually affected academic outcomes for the city’s children.
FLORIDA
Suit Alleges Sexual Abuse At Miami Charter School
Associated Press, July 2, 2012
Administrators at a charter school repeatedly failed to take action after a 7-year-old student was bullied and sexually assaulted by an older classmate to the point that he attempted suicide, the boy’s mother claims in a lawsuit filed
GEORGIA
Fulton County Schools is the State’s Largest Charter System
Public Broadcasting Atlanta , GA, July 2, 2012
The Fulton County school district officially became a charter system July 1. That makes them the largest charter school system in the state. The designation will allow the Fulton County Schools to apply for waivers from some state laws. For example, superintendent Robert Avossa says the district will ask for more flexibility when hiring teachers.
ILLINOIS
Illinois Pressured To Push Up Teacher Evaluations
Chicago Tribune, IL, July 3, 2012
State plan set target of 2016-17 school year for full implementation of rating system, but feds want it up and running 2 years earlier
Chicago’s Perspectives Charter School Proud of Anthony Davis
NBC Chicago , IL, July 2, 2012
Little known Perspectives Charter School was thrust into the spotlight along with Davis in his rise to basketball fame
LOUISIANA
State School Superintendent Looks To Calm Outcry Over Vouchers
Times Picayune, LA, July 2, 2012
A tiny private school in a remote part of the state is turning into a big headache for Louisiana’s governor and its top education official. In the latest twist, emails have surfaced showing state Superintendent John White laying out a plan aimed — at least in part — at “muddying up the narrative” reporters have been telling about the school.
Charter School Letter Disputed
The Advocate, LA, July 3, 2012
The accusation that autonomy and accountability cannot successfully coexist within the charter school system was made this week by an Advocate reader, who propagated the erroneous notions that there are no consequences for failing charter schools and that classroom teachers of the highest quality are not valued.
Emails Reveal Voucher Scheme
The Advertiser, LA, July 3, 2012
Emails between Louisiana Education Superintendent John White, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s spokesman Kyle Plotkin and Jindal’s policy adviser Stafford Palmieri show White devising a scheme to “muddy up a narrative” and to “take some air out of the room” after a news report about the new voucher program that was published before his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, May 30.
MAINE
Cornville Charter School Rejected
Kennebec Journal, ME, July 3, 2012
Financial concerns torpedoed an application for a proposed charter school in Cornville and delayed a decision on one in downtown Portland until later this month.
MICHIGAN
Deal To Base Some Teachers’ Pay On Student Achievement, Evals
Detroit Free Press, MI, July 3, 2012
Teachers in St. Clair County’s intermediate school district have given their OK to a three-year contract that will have them paid based on merit, rather than their length of tenure and degrees.
NEW JERSEY
Charter School Leases Struck Down in Newark , For Now
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, July 3, 2012
The Newark public schools uneasy relationship with the city’s charter schools stirred more debate last night, as the district’s advisory board rejected leases to share space with the alternative schools. Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson, however, appeared poised to overrule and let the leases proceed.
NEW YORK
Many Districts Miss Teacher Evaluation Deadline, Risk Aid
Journal News, NY, July 3, 2012
Fewer than a quarter of the state’s school districts met a July 1 deadline to submit teacher and principal evaluation agreements to the state Department of Education, as required by an amended law passed this year.
GWL School Board Mulls ‘Parental Choice’
The Chronicle, NY, July 2, 2012
Greenwood Lake School Board to review Tuxedo’s tuition rate as it ponders a parental choice option versus ‘all Warwick’ or ‘all Chester ’ choice
Albany Bill Would Add Family to Special Education Factors
New York Times, NY, July 3, 2012
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is weighing whether to sign a bill on special education that opponents argue would give families more power to send their children to religious schools at taxpayers’ expense.
OHIO
Kasich In Cleveland Signs City-Schools Bill
Columbus Dispatch, OH, July 3, 2012
Gov. John Kasich signed the Cleveland Schools bill into law yesterday. The legislation gives Mayor Frank Jackson approval for his plan to fix the city’s ailing schools.
PENNSYLVANIA
SRC To Borrow $500 Million By Issuing Short-Term Notes
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, July 3, 2012
The Philadelphia School Reform Commission on Monday approved $500 million in short-term borrowing to deal with seasonal cash-flow issues, but said the move would not help the district bridge a spending gap of more than $218 million.
Hite Was Kept Under Wraps
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, July 3, 2012
The Philadelphia School Reform Commission didn’t do its choice for schools superintendent any favors by locking the public out of much of the selection process.
Northwestern Lehigh Hears Pros, Cons Of Charter School Proposal
The Morning Call, PA, July 2, 2012
Turned down in Parkland, Circle of Seasons is making its bid to open in Northwestern Lehigh .
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota Merit-Pay Plan For Teachers Goes To Public Vote
Sioux City Journal, SD, July 2, 2012
South Dakota voters will decide the fate of Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s plan to give bonuses to top teachers, phase out tenure and recruit candidates for critical teaching jobs, Secretary of State Jason Gant said Monday.
TENNESSEE
Nashville School Board Chairwoman Faces Stiff Test
The Tennessean, TN, July 3, 2012
If yard signs tell the tale, incumbent school board Chairwoman Gracie Porter is in the middle of a fight for her political life.
UTAH
Utah Gets A Pass
Salt Lake Tribune , UT, July 3, 2012
Utah and other states have long complained, argued and protested the federal No Child Left Behind education-reform law, former President George W. Bush’s signature domestic policy achievement.
VIRGINIA
Now It’s up to Virginia
Daily Press, VA, July 3, 2012
On first blush, Friday’s news that Virginia has obtained a waiver from the controversial No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law is a welcome relief. Schools in the commonwealth will no longer face sanctions for failing to ensure that students meet unwieldy and arbitrary proficiency measures for reading and math performance.
WASHINGTON
Well-Funded Charter-School Initiative Has Nearly Enough Signatures To Make Ballot
Seattle Times, WA, July 3, 2012
Supporters of allowing charter schools in Washington state have raised nearly $2 million from a handful of high-profile donors and say they are poised to submit the needed 241,153 valid signatures by the Friday deadline.
The Times Recommends: Re-elect Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn
Seattle Times, WA, July 2, 2012
THE election for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction often goes unnoticed. Yet, the job helping to improve Washington ‘s public-school system from early learning to college is one of the most vital in state government.
ONLINE SCHOOLS
Wisconsin Rapids School District Cuts Principal Positions
Daily Tribune, WI, July 3, 2012
Wisconsin Rapids School District officials are working to determine who will oversee two of the district’s charter schools and its virtual school program after the resignation of the person who filled those leadership posts.