Daily Headlines for June 7, 2013
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NATIONAL COVERAGE
The Corporate Takeover of Public Education
Huffington Post, June 6, 2013
Independent research in recent months has documented that the nation’s wealthiest philanthropic foundations are steering funding away from public school systems, attended by 90 percent of American students, and toward “challengers” to public education, especially charter schools.
Parties offer competing plans to overhaul ‘No Child’ education law
Washington Times, June 6, 2013
After years of failed attempts to replace the widely maligned No Child Left Behind education law, lawmakers are giving it one more try.
Common Core supporters back moratorium on new tests’ high stakes
Washington Post Blog, June 6, 2013
A coalition of education organizations and unions that support the Common Core State Standards issued an open letter on Thursday backing a moratorium of at least one year on the high stakes associated with new standardized tests being given to students that are aligned with the Core.
STATE COVERAGE
CALIFORNIA
Troubled Oakland charter schools to stay open
San Francisco Chronicle, June 6, 2013
A trio of controversial Oakland charter schools slated for closure at the end of this month can continue to operate as they move through the appeal process, an Alameda County Superior Court judge ruled Thursday.
CONNECTICUT
School suspension statistics skewed
Stamford Advocate, June 7, 2013
School suspensions are down statewide, but that is of little comfort if you are a boy, a minority student or attend a state charter school.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Prince George’s among counties unable to develop new teacher performance guidelines
Washington Post, June 6, 2013
Prince George’s and six other counties in Maryland have been unable to agree with the state department of education on the best way to use student test scores to measure teacher performance in time to meet Friday’s deadline for submitting revised evaluation plans.
FLORIDA
Rowlett prepares to count parent ballots in charter decision
Bradenton Herald, June 7, 2013
Whether Rowlett Elementary School will convert from a public school to a charter school is being decided this week as parents cast their ballots on the issue
GEORGIA
Classical Academy Charter School welcomes new director
Savannah Morning News, June 7, 2013
Savannah’s new charter schools have hired administrators and are preparing for opening day.
INDIANA
New Richmond charter school seeks 300-plus students
Palladium-Item, June 6, 2013
Richmond’s new charter school for high school diploma-seeking adults is building a staff and making plans to recruit more than 300 students for this fall while details of a contract with Richmond Community Schools is being considered this week.
ILLINOIS
CPS enrollment figures for closing schools reliable?
Chicago Tribune, June 7, 2013
Chicago Public Schools touted a smooth start to the school closing process this week by announcing that 78 percent of students at schools being shut down have been enrolled at another school, most at the one designated for them by the district.
Group to meet on charter school commission
Kane County Chronicle, June 7, 2013
The meeting is to consider a campaign to overturn Senate Bill 79, which transferred charter school authorization from the Illinois State Board of Education to the commission itself. Among other things, the law allows the commission to reverse a school board’s decision to deny a charter school proposal.
LOUISIANA
5 groups seek to open new Orleans Parish School Board charters
Times-Picayune, June 7, 2013
Five groups have filed letters of intent to open new charter schools under the auspices of the Orleans Parish School Board. If any are approved, it will mark a continuing and gradual expansion of charters in the small system. A sixth group was interested but was deemed ineligible.
Parent trigger bill passes
The Advocate, June 7, 2013
Lawmakers gave final, unanimous passage Thursday to the creation of a “parent trigger” law for poor-performing schools in the Recovery School District.
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston Teachers Union Calls on Lawmakers: Keep Caps on Charter Schools
Open Media Boston, June 7, 2013
The Boston Teachers Union called on lawmakers Tuesday to keep limits on the number of charter schools in the Bay State.
MICHIGAN
Pontiac schools inch closer to state takeover
Michigan Public Radio, June 7, 2013
Pontiac schools are a step closer to a possible state takeover. A state board found Pontiac schools in “probable financial stress,” following a review led by the state schools Superintendent Mike Flanagan. The board’s finding triggers a more comprehensive review of the district’s finances.
Michigan students may get more flexibility
Detroit News, June 7, 2013
The state House passed a legislative package Thursday that proponents say would loosen Michigan’s Merit Curriculum requirements to allow some high school students more flexibility to pursue technical or arts careers.
MISSOURI
Kansas City Public Schools face possible state intervention, education reformers eye ballot initiative
Missouri Times, June 7, 2013
When a stripped-down version of an education reform bill, Senate Bill 125, passed through both chambers of the General Assembly near the end of the 2013 legislative session, everybody knew what part of the state would be most impacted.
NEW JERSEY
Two Tenure Law Sponsors Now Seek Delay in Tougher Teacher Evaluations
New Jersey Spotlight, June 7, 2013
Concerns about the upcoming launch of a new teacher evaluation system in New Jersey have caught the attention of some high-ranking legislators, with two Assembly leaders offering up a resolution to delay some key pieces of the new requirements.
NEW YORK
Harlem Children Zone’s Promise Academy charter school, built with $60M from city, opens
New York Daily News, NY
June 6, 2013
Some neighbors don’t see the benefit, as most slots are for students from outside the immediate area. Mayor Bloomberg hails public-private charter partnership.
Teachers irate: Students’ hours in lab could affect evaluations
Journal News, June 6, 2013
High school science teachers had better hope their students did their lab work this year, or teachers could see their own grades lowered.
Teacher evals a ‘gotcha’ program
Letter, Newsday, June 6, 2013
As a retired teacher, I have nothing to gain or lose with this new evaluation system [“Teacher evaluations will factor into mayoral race,” Editorial, June 4]. But as a former teacher, I know future generations have everything to lose and nothing to gain. There is nothing in this evaluation system that helps teachers improve. It is only a gotcha system.
NORTH CAROLINA
Year-old private school seeks charter approval
Herald Weekly, June 7, 2013
The next step in the evolution of the Pioneer Springs Community School happens June 18 when its board meets officials in Raleigh to receive final approval to become a charter school.
Charter school leader response to criticism from district
WECT, June 6, 2013
The man who founded and operates three charter schools in the Cape Fear region is responding to criticism from Brunswick County Schools.
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma City should overhaul bad public schools, allow successful charters to multiply
Editorial, The Oklahoman, June 7, 2013
A major selling point for charter schools is their accountability. In exchange for operational flexibility, charter schools face strong penalties for failure — including closure. This is why the Oklahoma City School Board’s recent decision to close the Marcus Garvey Leadership Charter School isn’t a defeat for charter schools, but a victory.
PENNSYLVANIA
Wissahickon Charter to get $1.5 million grant to expand
Philadelphia Inquirer, June 7, 2013
The Philadelphia School Partnership will announce Friday that it is awarding a $1.5 million grant to Wissahickon Charter School in Nicetown to help it expand.
City charter school backers are back
Lancaster New Era, June 6, 2013
A Manheim Township businessman apparently is again trying to get a publicly funded charter school started in Lancaster city.
RHODE ISLAND
Ma href=”http://www.golocalprov.com/news/reaction-to-gists-extension/”target=”_blank”>Reaction to Gist’s Extension
Go Local Prov, June 7, 2013
Following one of the most divisive debates on education in recent history in Rhode Island, the Board of Education yesterday voted to renew Education Commissioner Deborah Gist’s contract for two years.
TENNESSEE
The Achievement School District is helping the education reform effort here continue in high gear
Editorial, Memphis Commercial Appeal, June 7, 2013
The education reform effort in Memphis is continuing in high gear with the announcement Monday that the Achievement School District will authorize nine charter schools to take over more city schools in the fall of 2014.
UTAH
Davis ATC prepares to open charter school for career seekers
Standard-Examiner, June 6, 2013
Davis Applied Technology College this fall will open a charter school for high school students seeking not only a diploma, but technical training likely to lead directly to a job with a good paycheck.
WASHINGTON
State lawmakers need to keep focus on education
Editorial, Seattle Times, June 6, 2013
In the waning days of an overtime session, Washington lawmakers need to prioritize education in a sustainable, gimmick-free budget
WISCONSIN
Schultz worries about ‘opening the floodgates’ with vouchers
Dubuque Telegraph Herald, June 7, 2013
Gov. Scott Walker and Republicans who crafted a deal allowing the statewide expansion of private school vouchers stood by their plan, despite promises from a moderate GOP senator who said he and others would attempt to limit the program’s growth.
ONLINE LEARNING
New Hope-Solebury to add cyber charter school
Courier Times, June 6, 2013
Cyber charter schools, which educate students online, are growing in popularity and drawing ever more money away from school districts.
Reform rules in order to grow online learning
Opinion, Fairfax Times, June 7, 2013
In late April, the Carroll County School Board voted to close Virginia’s largest full-time statewide virtual school, leaving only a small school of 130 students in King and Queen County offering full-time online options to the state’s 1.2 million public school students.
Home-schoolers gather for training, graduation
Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 7, 2013
Barr was among many like-minded parents who flocked to Richmond on Thursday for the start of the 30th annual Virginia Homeschool Convention, which is expected to draw more than 14,000 people from Virginia and surrounding states to the Greater Richmond Convention Center through Saturday.
More virtual learning options
Opinion, The Herald, June 6, 2013
Classrooms of today have no blackboards, overhead projectors or pull-down maps of the world. Tomorrow’s classrooms might have no walls.
Tigard-Tualatin Online Academy offers summer school to Beaverton kids
The Oregonian, June 6, 2013
The Tigard-Tualatin Online Academy has opened its summer school program to middle and high school students from both inside and outside the Tigard-Tualatin School District.