Daily Headlines for November 12, 2012
Is There a Need for Parent Trigger Laws?
US News & World Report, November 11, 2012
November Seven U.S. states have passed “parent trigger” laws, which give parents the ability to petition for changes at their children’s low-performing public schools. If more than half of the parents at a school sign the petition, the school district must comply with the changes. These can include hiring a new staff, hiring a public charter school operator to take over reforms, or closing the school altogether and sending students to better performing neighboring schools.
Comparing the Success of Nations in Schooling
New York Times, NY, November 12, 2012
In the world of international education, what Andreas Schleicher thinks matters.
FROM THE STATES
CALIFORNIA
Lawsuit Against Teacher Tenure Laws, Seniority Rights Advances
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 9, 2012
Supporters of a lawsuit to make it easier to remove ineffective teachers hailed a court ruling Friday that will allow them to proceed with efforts to overturn teacher tenure laws and seniority rights.
COLORADO
One Denver Charter To Close, Another Decides Not To Open
Denver Post, CO, November 10, 2012
Denver’s list of charter- school options is shrinking by two.
Northeast Academy has notified Denver Public Schools that it will close its doors in May and surrender its charter.
CONNECTICUT
Efforts To Reform Bridgeport Schools Won’t Stop
Connecticut Post, CT, November 10, 2012
A failed attempt this week to give control of the city school board to the mayor won’t scare off Paul Vallas or his sweeping education reform efforts.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. School Study Vindicates Michelle Rhee’s Reforms
Washington Post, DC, November 10, 2012
REMEMBER THE predictions that former D.C. Public Schools chancellor Michelle A. Rhee’s overhaul of teacher evaluation and compensation would lead to damaging upheaval? That there would be an exodus of good teachers? Those claims — like much of the criticism of D.C. school reform — have been proven baseless: Three years of dramatic change in personnel policy has made the District a model for smart teacher retention.
FLORIDA
Gov. Scott’s Mixed Bag On Schools
Tampa Bay Times, FL, November 12, 2012
The best news about Gov. Rick Scott’s newfound embrace of public education: He’s not asking lawmakers to change much this coming year.
GEORGIA
Attention Shifts To New Charter School Commission
Savannah Morning News, GA, November 11, 2012
Now that Georgia voters have approved a constitutional amendment affirming the state’s authority to create special public schools, attention has shifted to putting the new policy in action.
Charter School Amendment To Have Little Effect Here
Gainesville Times, GA, November 11, 2012
Members of both the Gainesville City Schools and Hall County Schools boards of education have publicly opposed the amendment, saying the current status of the state’s education budget is not conducive for added stress.
Georgia Legislative Caucus To Join Lawsuit Against Gov. Nathan Deal Over Charter School Amendment
Augusta Chronicle, GA, November 11, 2012
Georgia voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment that will allow a state committee to authorize charter schools, but some legislators and educators are not dropping their fight to stop it.
Passage Of Charter Schools Amendment Heartens Some, Worries Others
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 11, 2012
With the bruising battle over the charter schools amendment in the state’s rear-view mirror, educators and politicians are focusing on what they believe comes next.
A Victory For Choice
Augusta Chronicle, GA, November 10, 2012
Sometimes voters send mixed messages. On Tuesday, for instance, they told pollsters the country was on the wrong track – and then voted to stay the course.
IDAHO
Otter Should Take Lead On Education
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 12, 2012
The path to true education reform — worthy of the name, and worthy of our kids — is through collaboration, sorely lacking in the drafting of and politicking for Propositions 1, 2 and 3.
Students Come First Opponent: ‘Ultimately, Voters Do Get The Final Say’
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 11, 2012
Mike Lanza, leader of Vote No on 1, 2, 3, reflects on the campaign that repealed school laws backed by Idaho ’s most powerful politicians
ILLINOIS
Groups To Protest CPS Closings Monday
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 11, 2012
A list of Chicago schools targeted for closing may be months away, but the fight by community groups and the teachers union to thwart the district’s plan is under way and continues with a scheduled downtown demonstration Monday.
Should This School Be Saved? The Fight Over Chicago’s Dyett High
Reuters, November 11, 2012
By just about any definition, Walter H. Dyett High School has failed. Just 10 percent can pass the state math exam; barely one in six is proficient in reading. The technology lab is so ancient, some of the computers still take 3-inch floppy disks. More teens drop out than graduate.
INDIANA
Many Seek To Understand How Tony Bennett’s Heavily Funded Campaign Failed
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 11, 2012
State Superintendent Tony Bennett’s stunning defeat last week to Glenda Ritz sent shockwaves well beyond Indiana .
Ball State Examines Local Charter Schools
The Journal Gazette, IN, November 11, 2012
The fate of three local charter schools is on the line during ongoing reviews by Ball State University .
Bennett’s Reforms Cost Him His Job
Post-Tribune, IN, November 11, 2012
Indiana’s aggressive education reforms engineered by Tony Bennett galvanized his opposition and likely cost the state’s education chief his job.
New State Superintendent May Face Limit On Power
News and Tribune, IN, November 11, 2012
Democrat Glenda Ritz won the race for the state’s schools superintendent by challenging the education overhaul implemented by the Republican incumbent Tony Bennett, but her power to stop the sweeping changes in Indiana schools may be limited.
LOUISIANA
Education Groups Deploy For Teacher Training
The Advocate, LA, November 12, 2012
Officials of two education groups plan to train 50 teachers to instruct their colleagues on Louisiana’s new educator evaluations and changing curriculum.
MICHIGAN
Teach For America Works To Help Detroit Schools
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 12, 2012
Ramachandran is a second-year teacher, recruited by Teach for America , a national program that trains recent college graduates to teach in struggling and high-poverty schools nationwide. This year, Detroit has the sixth-largest Teach for America corps in the nation — 225 teachers in all.
MONTANA
When It Comes To School Choice, Pupils Before Profit
Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT, November 12, 2012
Back in September, we heard from Greg Gianforte regarding school choice. On behalf of the students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers across the state, I would like to interject some truth into this conversation.
NEVADA
Dream Turns Into Reality
Nevada Appeal, NV, November 10, 2012
As I have mentioned before, I and a group of parents and teachers have been working to develop a new charter high school/middle school with a strong focus on the arts. After two years of hard work, the Public Charter School Board Authority approved our ap¬plication on Oct. 19.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
TEAMS Charter School Enrollment Grows, Leaders Hope For More Students
Concord Monitor, NH, November 12, 2012
After facing the prospect in August of starting the year with zero students, the TEAMS charter school in Penacook found three students just in time and now has seven students enrolled. It’s Director George Roger’s hope that the growth will continue.
NEW JERSEY
More New Jersey Students From Low Income Families Receiving Healthy Breakfast At Their Schools
Courier News, NJ, November 11, 2012
More students in New Jersey from low-income families are receiving a healthy breakfast at the start of their school day, a recent report shows.
NEW MEXICO
Academy Adds Many APS Pupils
Rio Rancho Journal, NM, November 10, 2012
A few years ago, a group of Rio Rancho High School teachers got together and decided to open the city’s first charter school, with the goal of targeting not only the city, but Albuquerque students as well.
NEW YORK
The Elite Eight, on the Federal Radar
New York Times, NY, November 12, 2012
The civil rights office of the federal Department of Education has rightly decided to investigate a complaint filed in September by civil rights groups over the admissions policies of eight highly competitive “specialized” high schools in New York City, among which are Stuyvesant, the Bronx High School of Science and Brooklyn Technical High School.
Districts Wonder if Race to Top Is Worth Cost
Times Herald-Record, NY, November 12, 2012
The federal Race to the Top competition is making school districts dole out far more money than they’re receiving from the program, according to school officials and experts.
Charter School Team Didn’t Do All The Math
Times Herald Record, NY, November 12, 2012
I’ve got a bone to pick with the charter school approval process — because things literally don’t add up. It now looks as though the first charter school for the mid-Hudson is almost a done deal. The questions now focus on costs.
Charter Accountability Paying Off
Albany Times Union, NY, November 11, 2012
The State Education Department’s list of new failing and high performing schools in New York state painted a clear picture of the reality of school performance in Albany.
NORTH CAROLINA
Private School Debate Awaits New Governor
News & Observer , NC, November 10, 2012
Gov.-elect Pat McCrory received a welcoming message from a group that wants more charters and public money to support private school education.
OHIO
Parental Involvement In Education Leads To Successful Students, Stronger Schools
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 11, 2012
Khalilah Jones joined a crowd arriving for the first parent meeting of the year at Citizens Academy and overheard a mother telling her kids, “Hurry, we’re late.”
Tecumseh Tries To Avoid State Takeover
Springfield News Sun, OH, November 11, 2012
Tecumseh Local School District faces state financial takeover if it does not balance projected budget shortfalls before November 2013.
OKLAHOMA
Education Dept. Lifts Rule On Transfers
Tulsa World, OK, November 11, 2012
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has notified school districts across the state that they don’t have to offer school choice to as many schools as originally intended.
A-F Grading System Already Having An Effect In Some
The Oklahoman, OK, November 11, 2012
A little over two weeks after the release of report cards for each of Oklahoma’s 1,744 school sites, the A-F grading system is already having more impact than the prior Academic Performance Index system of school evaluation.
Easton Area School District To Bill Cyber And Charter Schools For Students Who Play Sports
Lehigh Valley Express-News, PA, November 12, 2012
Former Easton Area School District students who transferred to cyber and charter schools can still play for Easton’s home teams, but their new schools will have to pay.
TENNESSEE
Local Control At Risk In Charter Schools Fight
The Tennessean, TN, November 12, 2012
“Move on” is the sound bite of the moment. It’s a targeted message, and it’s appealing. We are all suffering from Great Hearts fatigue. I wholeheartedly agree with my colleagues on the Metro Board of Education that this controversy has been an immense distraction from important work we must undertake, and I guarantee that no one wants to “move on” more than I.
Memphis Parents Sound Off Against Achievement School Process
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2012
More than 60 parents and community members like Barbara Swearengen-Ware, former Memphis City Council member, listened to the reasons the state needs to take over failing public schools, at a recent meeting, then let loose with their worries.
A Magic Wand?
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2012
I don’t understand how the state can come into a city school, take it over and — voila! — the school is automatically predicted to “make enough improvement to be in the top 25 percent of schools statewide” in five years (Nov. 8 article, “State taking over 10 more city schools”).
Compare All Metro Schools Online
The Tennessean, TN, November 10, 2012
Officials at the Tennessee Charter School Incubator and Metro Nashville schools are launching a joint online portal that allows side-by-side comparisons of test scores for charter and traditional public schools.
VIRGINIA
Parents Hope To Save Middleburg By Turning It Into A Charter School
Washington Post, DC, November 10, 2012
Loudoun County public school enrollment has essentially doubled in the past decade, with the district taking in thousands of new students every year and racing to build new, look-alike buildings to relieve some of the pressure on crowded schools.
Charter Schools, the Cliffhanger Issue of the 2012 Election
The Atlantic, November 10, 2012
The presidential election, gay marriage, and marijuana legalization all had clear outcomes. So why is the Washington state charter school vote still too close to call?
WASHINGTON
Anxiety, Resignation As School Boards Mull Charter Schools
Kitsap Sun, WA, November 11, 2012
School officials in Kitsap and North Mason counties are sketching out strategies to accommodate charter schools, should Initiative 1240 pass.
Opponents Not Conceding Charter-Schools Ballot Victory
Seattle Times, WA, November 10, 2012
Charter-school supporters claimed victory Saturday, but opponents refused to concede in the face of a vote tally that remains too close to call.
ONLINE SCHOOLS
Prospects For Pupils Following Graduation
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
How do cyber-charter students fare after graduation?
Commonwealth Connections Academy’s website lists nearly 500 colleges and universities that have accepted its graduates, including Harvard University and Amherst College .
Cyber-Charter Pupils Not Connecting Well On Pa. Tests
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
SusQ-Cyber Charter School promises “the best education possible.” PA Distance Learning Charter School claims it “fosters academic excellence.” But neither school has made “adequate yearly progress” for at least three years. PA Distance’s graduation rate is 51 percent. SusQ’s is 32 percent.
CYBER-CHARTERS: Critics: More Oversight Needed
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Taxpayers can get an inside look at local school districts by visiting their child’s classroom or attending a school board meeting.
Brick-and-mortar charter schools are authorized and overseen by the school district in which they’re located, giving nearby residents some degree of input.
Districts Floored By Payments To Charter-Cyber Schools
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Lancaster County school districts’ annual cyber-charter costs are soaring. According to a Lancaster Newspapers analysis, county districts paid almost $14 million in cyber-charter tuition in 2011-12.
Who Is Taking The Attendance At Cyber-Charter Schools?
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Cyber-charter leaders say many checks and balances are in place to make sure students log on and do their work. But critics say tracking attendance relies too heavily on the honesty of the student and the dedication of the student’s family.
Several Mid-Michigan Schools Begin Offering Virtual Learning Centers
Morning Sun, MI, November 11, 2012
With time comes change and with change comes growth. Through the years education and technology have been changing and schools have been growing to encompass these new changes. With locations in Ashley High School , St. Louis , Fulton and St. Johns , several mid-Michigan schools provide new virtual learning centers.
Online School Is Adding K-5 Classes
Star Tribune, MN, November 10, 2012
An online public school affiliated with the Fergus Falls School District is expanding its program to include elementary students.