Daily Headlines for September 12, 2013
Click here for Newswire, the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else – spiced with a dash of irreverence – from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.
NATIONAL COVERAGE
‘Common Core’ is the 115th verse of same old ‘fix schools’ song
Opinion, Clarion Ledger, MS, September 12, 2013
Listen to the speechifying these days and “No Child Left Behind,” the moniker for federal efforts to “help schools do better” under the previous president, was, in reality, a Republican conspiracy to kill public education.
In Charter School Fantasy World, Teacher Experience Irrelevant
Opinion, San Diego Free Press, CA, September 11, 2013
As the New York Times reported on August 27 (“At Charter Schools, Short Careers By Choice”) most charter school teachers only remain in the profession for two to five years. In contrast, traditional public school teachers average nearly fourteen years of experience. But in the fantasy world of charter school proponents, far from being a shortcoming this lack of teaching experience is a positive.
STATE COVERAGE
ALABAMA
A step toward competition
Opinion, Troy Messenger, AL, September 11, 2013
Our state took a step toward school choice and vouchers by passing the Alabama Accountability Act last spring. The Act allows students in the attendance zones of failing schools to enroll in other public schools or private schools with a tuition voucher equal to the state’s portion of per pupil public school funding (around $3,500).
CALIFORNIA
Bill to suspend state tests moves forward
San Diego Times, CA, September 11, 2013
State lawmakers moved ahead Wednesday with a controversial plan to suspend much of a statewide K-12 testing program for a year, despite objections by federal education officials who threatened to withhold federal funds.
COLORADO
Charter school movement growing
KKCO, CO, September 11, 2013
It’s been 20 years since the first charter school opened its doors in Colorado and the option has been growing ever since.
CONNECTICUT,/strong>
ACEL charter’s red ink prompts Fresno Unified scrutiny
The Fresno Bee, CA, September 11, 2013
Fresno Unified officials say they’re planning to keep a closer eye on the Academy for Civic and Entrepreneurial Leadership, known as ACEL, after the downtown Fresno charter school reported a more than $200,000 negative financial balance last school year.
School board results all about the mayor
Commentary, CT Post, CT, September 12, 20132
In a race that pitted Democrat against Democrat, some wondered if Tuesday’s crushing defeat of the party-nominated school board slate in the primary was a referendum on Mayor Bill Finch, the party machine or the Paul Vallas brand of education reform.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. charter board asked to reconsider preschool ranking plan
Washington Post, DC, September 11, 2013
Some D.C. charter school leaders are asking the city’s public charter school board to reconsider a proposal to rank preschools based largely on their performance on varying math and reading tests.
FLORIDA
Broward’s district-run schools lose 2,500 students, charters gain
Sun Sentinel, FL, September 11, 2013
Enrollment at Broward public schools is up this year, but more of those students are choosing charter schools over traditional public schools.
First city-run charter school in Palm Beach County gets green light
Sun Sentinel, FL, September 11, 2013
West Palm Beach will be the first city to open its own charter school in Palm Beach County.
ILLINOIS
Can we trust the school numbers now?
Editorial, Chicago Tribune, IL, September 12, 2013
In July, Chicago Public Schools officials revealed that the number of students who met academic standards had plummeted. That’s because the basic measure of success — the Illinois Standards Achievement Test — had been adjusted to meet reality.
KENTUCKY
Gov. Steve Beshear says he will implement science standards despite legislative committee’s vote
Courier-Journal, KY, September 12 ,2 013
Gov. Steve Beshear said he plans to implement a controversial revamp of science education despite a legislative committee’s rejection of it on Wednesday.
LOUISIANA
Lafayette group has property lined up for new charter schools
The Advocate, LA, September 12, 2013
A group that has applied to open charter schools in Lafayette Parish told the School Board on Wednesday that it has signed letters of intent to purchase 8 acres of land in north and south Lafayette to open two schools by next August.
MASSACHUSETTS
Mayoral hopefuls debate charter schools
Boston Globe, MA, September 12, 2013
Eleven mayoral candidates — many positioning themselves to be the next “education mayor” — ventured inside the Boston Teachers Union Hall Wednesday night where they pitched their ideas to overhaul the school system during a lively forum that at times put some candidates at odds with the city’s largest union.
MICHIGAN
Schools step up student recruiting to keep state aid
Detroit News, MI, September 12, 2013
Shrinking school-age population, more charters, open enrollment options have districts scrambling
MISSOURI
A better way to evaluate school districts
Letter, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, September 12, 2013
In his commentary “School performance reviews mislead” (Sept. 10), Peter Downs finally addressed the elephant in the room. The system that evaluates school districts in Missouri tells us very little about school quality.
NEVADA
How to grow a school
Las Vegas Weekly, NV, September 12, 2013
In December, the Program for International Student Assessment will release its new rankings of academic performance. Odds that the U.S. has improved its global standings since 2009—14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math—are almost as poor as the outcomes of public schools in Las Vegas.
Reform schools structure
Editorial, Reno News & Review, NV, September 12, 2013
That same kind of empire building was reflected when Sandoval called on the Legislature to allow him to appoint the state superintendent of schools, previously appointed by the Nevada Board of Education. Then, for good measure, he also asked that he appoint the members of the Board of Education.
NEW JERSEY,/strong>
NJ Senate Committee To Consider Charter Schools For Students With Substance Abuse Problems
New Jersey Today, NJ, September 12, 2013
Tell everyone to get New Jersey News from WWW.NJTODAY.NET The Senate Education Committee will take up legislation today authored by Senator Raymond Lesniak allowing for the creation of recovery charter schools for students with substance abuse problems.
NEW MEXICO
Suit filed to stop teacher evaluation
Albuquerque Journal, NM, September 12, 2013
A cadre of state legislators, teachers unions and an individual teacher have filed a legal petition against the state Public Education Department, seeking to halt the state’s new teacher evaluation system.
NEW YORK
RIT announces new partnership with Rochester Prep charter school
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY, September 11, 2013
Rochester Institute of Technology is working with True North Rochester Prep Charter School to open a high school in the city — an unprecedented partnership those behind it say could become a national model for collaboration between colleges and K-12 systems.
The ugly war on co-locating city schools
Opinion, New York Post, NY, September 11, 2013
For a taste of how the November election could bring the bad old days back to New York City’s schools, consider the lawsuit by teachers-union boss Mike Mulgrew to throw out the Bloomberg administration’s plans for school sitings for the 2014 school year.
NORTH CAROLINA
Bertie County’s 1st Charter School Causing Budget Concern
WITN, NC, September 11, 2013
The first ever charter school in Bertie County will provide options to parents who send their kids to public school, but not everyone is happy about it.
Local charter school options growing
Charlotte Post, NC, September 11, 2013
The charter school movement is growing across North Carolina in general and Mecklenburg County in particular.
PENNSYLVANIA
Nutter, Clarke again tout alternate school-funding plans
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, September 12, 2013
DESPITE Mayor Nutter’s ongoing push for City Council to support Gov. Corbett’s school-funding plan, Council President Darrell Clarke announced yesterday that he’s moving forward with an alternative proposal when the body returns from its legislative break today.
Tribal warfare
Editorial, Philadelphia Daily News, PA, September 12, 2013
A STATE hearing on education funding Tuesday held at the Franklin Institute often seemed not so much a hearing as a temporary détente among warring factions.
TENNESSEE
Lobbyist argues at length against charter school moratorium
Tennessean Blog, TN, September 11, 2013
In an email that’s longer than most New Yorker magazine profiles (just kidding, but it is a robust 1,160 words), lobbyist James Weaver told Metro Council members this week why they should reject a non-binding resolution seeking a moratorium on the approval of new charter schools in Nashville.
TN school superintendents ask Gov. Haslam to rein in Commissioner Huffman
The Tennessean, TN, September 12, 2013
In an unprecedented move, school directors across Tennessee are calling for the governor and legislature to put the brakes on Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman and his reform ideas.
UTAH
Gov, lawmakers agree to tweak Utah’s school grading law
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, September 12, 2013
Education » The governor says he supports the concept, but the system needs to be adjusted.
WASHINGTON
Open union-bargaining meetings to the public
Opinion, Seattle Times, WA, September 11, 2013
Conducting government-labor contract negotiations in secret deprives the public of the ability to monitor important discussions, argues guest columnists Jami Lund and Maxford Nelsen.
Spokane’s charter school gets state board’s OK
Spokesman-Review, WA, September 12, 2013
Spokane could have the first charter school in Washington by next fall. It will be a historic and controversial development closely watched by school administrators, teachers, politicians and education reformists throughout the state.
Yakima County school districts to explore options of charter schools
KIMA-TV, WA, September 11, 2013
The State Board of Education met in Yakima on Wednesday to go over charter schools. A couple of school districts in Yakima County have expressed interest in starting charter schools, but are holding off for now.
ONLINE LEARNING
Digital Textbooks Present New Learning Frontier For Students
NY 1, NY, September 12, 2013
In response to persistent concerns over the weight of backpacks for students, a school in White Plains is the first high school in the nation to go digital and get rid of all paper textbooks for good. NY1’s Adam Balkin filed the following report.
Penn-Trafford teachers union chief calls for changes in cyber-school funding
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, September 11, 2013
In the wake of a federal indictment against the founder of PA Cyber Charter School, the president of the Penn-Trafford teachers union is calling for reforms to the funding formula for cyber schools in the state.
Schauer needs to be schooled on cyber charters
Letter, Detroit Free Press, MI, September 12, 2013
As the parent of children receiving a great education in one of Michigan’s cyber charter public schools, I was dismayed to read a column in the Free Press by Mark Schauer attacking my family’s decision to pursue the best possible education for our kids.
Vern Van Y Elementary becomes virtual academy
Burton View, MI
September 12, 2013
Superintendent of Atherton Schools John Ploof wasn’t about to let the Vern Van Y Elementary building sit empty. A “non-traditional” alternative academy called Atherton Alternative Virtual Academy is now at the site of the old Vern Van Y building, which closed its doors earlier this year.