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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

A Report Card on Education Reform
New York Times Blog, NY, September 25, 2013
I sat down last week in Washington with Arne Duncan, the secretary of education, and Mitch Daniels, the former Indiana governor and current Purdue University president, after they had met with several dozen chief executives of big companies to talk about education.

Test scores flat, raising concerns about students’ readiness
USA Today, September 26, 2013
Average scores on the nation’s most widely used college entrance exams barely budged this year, raising anew concerns that today’s high school graduates will be unprepared to compete in a global marketplace.

The Charter School Difference: Not Quite What We Imagined
Opinion, TC Columbia University, NY, September 25, 2013
Twenty-one years after the first charter schools opened in Minnesota, what do we know about charter school performance in the United States?

STATE COVERAGE

COLORADO

Douglas County school board leads the way
Opinion, Denver Post, CO, September 25, 2013
The way the political game is played in most urban and suburban school districts, teachers unions recruit, endorse and bankroll candidates who will reliably support the union and its liberal agenda.

DELAWARE

Capital school district balks at Delaware teacher-evaluation system
News Journal, DE, September 26, 2013
The Capital School Board is pushing back against the state’s teacher evaluation system, marking another protest among local school boards against tying teacher ratings to student test scores.

Moyer Academy clears one hurdle with purchase of Wilmington building
News Journal, DE, September 26, 2013
The New Moyer Academy charter school has inked a deal to buy its building, a move school leaders hope will put to rest concerns among some state officials that the school’s finances are not in order.

FLORIDA

Charter school drops bid following School Board criticism
Herald Tribune, FL, September 25, 2013
The list of potential charter schools has been whittled down following a virtual roast of the applications recently by the Sarasota County School Board.

INDIANA

20,047 students apply for school vouchers
Indianapolis Recorder, IN, September 25, 2013
A total of 20,047 students applied for school vouchers for the 2013-2014 school year as of the Sept. 1 deadline, according to data released by the Indiana Department of Education.

LOUISIANA

Common Core a conservative win for La.
Opinion, Shreveport Times, LA, September 25, 2013
Over the past few years, Louisiana has been a leader in education reform. Policies related to the expansion of school choice, higher standards, and workforce development will undoubtedly make a difference for children in the Bayou State.

Hypocrisy runs amok in Louisiana
Letter, Houma Today, LA, September 25, 2013
Governor Bobby Jindal and Superintendent John White, along with U.S. Republican leaders, have sold us a false bill of goods.

Jindal surprises educators with hesitation over Common Core
Monroe News Star, LA, September 25, 2013
Former Board of Elementary and Secondary Education members and current district superintendents say Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recent move regarding the implementation of Common Core are “surprising” in light of his past support.

MASSACHUSETTS

Somerville’s trial and error over teacher evaluations
Editorial, Boston Globe, MA, September 26, 2013
Boston SCHOOL DISTRICTS across the country have been coming under increased political pressure to ratchet up the intensity of their teacher-evaluation process. But as a recent episode in Somerville showed, an overly critical rating process can be as ineffective as a lax one.

MICHIGAN

A middle ground on teacher evaluations
Opinion, Detroit News, MI, September 26, 2013
When I first taught in a high school outside of Flint, I didn’t know I was getting a small taste of what it was like to be the linchpin of American public education.

House education panel delays hearing, vote on Common Core funding
Detroit News, MI, September 25, 2013
A House education committee hearing on resuming funding for Michigan’s Common Core State Standards was canceled Wednesday, after a second resolution was introduced.

MISSISSIPPI

First woman chosen as Mississippi’s permanent education chief
Clarion Ledger, MS, September 26, 2013
The first woman chosen as Mississippi’s permanent state superintendent of education in March left an urban district sullied by an investigation that revealed some teachers cheated to raise students’ test scores.

MISSOURI

Springfield public schools’ innovative programs, higher graduation rate earn praise
Springfield News Leader, MO, September 26, 2013
Following a lesson on how a dam changes the ecosystem of a river, Springfield fifth-graders spent the morning Wednesday at Lake Springfield. They learned about water safety and how to paddle a canoe, a kayak and a paddle board — because that’s how scientists have to sometimes travel to study animals or nature.

NEW JERSEY

Buono, Christie far apart on education
The Record, NJ, September 25, 2013
Governor Christie joined Newark Mayor Cory Booker — the Democrat running for U.S. Senate and the biggest name backing the governor’s opponent for re­elec­tion — to celebrate the building of a mixed development of charter schools, retail and housing.

NEW MEXICO

Groups work to keep kids in school
Albuquerque Journal, NM
September 25, 2013
In a room full of well-educated community leaders at the Zona del Sol youth and family center on Wednesday, it was a 19-year-old high school dropout who stole the show.

NEW YORK

Failed promises at 2 schools
Albany Times Union, NY, September 26, 2013
A few years since they were founded, the city’s two charter high schools have mixed results that ultimately are not better than Albany High School.

The charter school showdown ahead
Opinion, New York Daily News, NY, September 26, 2013
The high stakes in the race for mayor will rise further when an estimated 10,000 charter school parents, teachers and kids march across the Brooklyn Bridge in early October. Their message to the next mayor: Stop bashing charters, many of which are delivering high-quality education to 70,000 kids who might otherwise end up in low-performing schools.

OHIO

Ohio schools need to focus on chronic absenteeism: editorial
Editorial, Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 25, 2013
If Ohio schools want to raise high school graduation rates, they have to work with families to reduce students’ absenteeism rate, according to a study by Attendance Works, found, not surprisingly, that kids who miss school often have trouble reading and graduating from high school.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pa. lawmaker proposes to create website to increase transparency of school spending
Patriot News, PA, September 25, 2013
Citing the charges filed against officials associated with the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools as a call for action, Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, wants public schools to put be more transparent about how they handle taxpayer dollars.

RHODE ISLAND

The Highest + Lowest Performing Charter Schools in RI
Go Local Prov, RI, September 26, 2013
Charter schools vary widely in the performance of their students, with some soaring far above the statewide average while others lag behind their peers and even other public schools, data from a local education advocate shows.

TENNESSEE

Charter schools a challenge
Column, The Tennessean, TN, September 26, 2013
The Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Board has begun discussions of potential cost-saving measures for next year, including the possibility of closing or combining underutilized schools, cutting staff or increasing class sizes. Looming in the background of these discussions are increased expenses for expanding and adding new charter schools.

Director Jesse Register can’t quell parents’ fears of broken promises over MLK Magnet
The Tennessean, TN, September 26, 2013
Nashville’s top school administrator took the microphone for Wednesday’s public hearing on slicing two grades from popular Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet, but his facts and projections did little to soothe parents, teachers and former students angry with the plan.

MNPS board member Elissa Kim on why she’s not the charter-school zealot people expected
Nashville Scene, TN, September 26, 2013
At this time last year, Elissa Kim was a freshly elected member of the Metro Nashville school board representing East Nashville, seated amid turmoil surrounding the high-profile denial of an out-of-state charter school.

TEXAS

5 Texas charter school proposals contain striking similarities
Dallas Morning News, TX, September 25, 2013
Texas’ charter schools are supposed to be innovative. But once again, some nonprofit groups seeking to open new schools have submitted proposals with striking similarities.

WASHINGTON

State charter school chief to step into education spotlight
Column, Everett Daily Herald, WA, September 26, 2013
Joshua Halsey is about to become one of the most important people in public education in Washington.

ONLINE LEARNING

Batavia School District 101 joining online consortium
Kane County Chronicle, IL, September 26, 2013
Batavia School District 101 is joining with other districts in exploring how to expand online learning opportunities for students.

Cyber schools flunk, but tax money keeps flowing
Politico, September 25, 2013
Taxpayers send nearly $2 billion a year to cyber schools that let students from kindergarten through 12th grade receive a free public education entirely online.

Middle Schools Pilot Virtual Math Class
Diamondbar-Walnut Patch, CA, September 25, 2013
The virtual honors algebra II class is for advanced students who have already taken algebra I and geometry.

Moyer Academy clears one hurdle with purchase of Wilmington building
News Journal, DE, September 26, 2013
The New Moyer Academy charter school has inked a deal to buy its building, a move school leaders hope will put to rest concerns among some state officials that the school’s finances are not in order.

Who pays if L.A. Unified students lose or break iPads
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 25, 2013
L.A. Unified board grapples with the question of whether to force parents to pay for damaged or lost iPads. It’s uncertain whether responsibility was made clear to all parents.

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

Charter school figures down in Kansas
The Hutchinson News, KS, September 23, 2013
Since 2010, the number of charter schools in Kansas has declined by two-thirds, according to new figures from the state Department of Education.

Feds, Louisiana remain at odds over vouchers
Associated Press, September 24, 2013
The Justice Department touted what it called a “breakthrough” Tuesday in a dispute with Louisiana over its private school tuition voucher program, but Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal said no resolution has been reached, calling the department’s announcement a “PR stunt.”

STATE COVERAGE

CALIFORNIA

MPUSD doubts seriousness of petition for new charter school
The Herald, CA, September 24, 2013
Another charter petition bites the dust. Monterey Peninsula Unified School District trustees have denied a request to approve the California Classical Language Academy Charter School, one of three charter petitions the district is scheduled to consider this year.

CONNECTICUT

Closing the achievement gap
Opinion, Journal Inquirer, CT, September 24, 2013
The Connecticut Council for Education Reform recently released its 2013 Policy Progress Report, which introduces a new rubric to measure Connecticut’s progress in passing and implementing education reforms at the state level. These reforms are designed to close Connecticut’s widest-in-the-nation achievement gap.

COLORADO

The real debate in Denver Public Schools election
Editorial, Denver Post, CO, September 24, 2013
Barbara O’Brien has spent many years working on behalf of Colorado children, so it’s a bit jarring to hear someone claim that she is “too extreme” to serve on the Denver Public Schools board.

FLORIDA

Common chaos
Editorial, News-Herald, FL, September 25, 2013
The one certainty about Florida public education is the ongoing uncertainty about its accountability standards.

Edgewater charter school rejected
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, September 24, 2013
Last minute changes to plans for an Edgewater charter school weren’t enough to keep the Volusia County School Board from rejecting the proposal Tuesday.

Proposed Polk Maritime Charter School Gets Panel’s OK
The Ledger, FL, September 24, 2013
The proposed Polk Maritime Academy was the only one of four charter applicants received favorably by the Polk County School District’s Charter Review Committee, School Board members were told Tuesday.

Standard contract for charter schools on schedule
Florida Current, FL, September 24, 2013
Leaders of a Florida House education committee said Tuesday they expect to finalize a standard contract for school districts and charter schools during the 2014 legislative session. This spring, lawmakers passed HB 7009, which among other things required the Department of Education to proposed guidelines and language for such contracts by Nov. 1.

GEORGIA

Charter School Approvals On The Rise in GA.
GPB News, GA, September 24, 2013
Local boards of education across Georgia have approved about 30 percent of the charter school applications they’ve received so far this school year. That’s about 5 percent higher than last year.

IDAHO

Ohio ed reform advocate new charter network head
Idaho Press-Tribune, ID, September 25, 2013
Terry Ryan owns clear opinions on education and he’s not afraid to share them. He regularly wrote guest opinions and was frequently quoted in national newspapers, and in papers in his former home state of Ohio.

ILLINOIS

CPS figures show enrollment down
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 25, 2013
Enrollment figures released by Chicago Public Schools on Tuesday show an overall decline from last year despite growth in the number of students at charter schools.

IOWA

Many Iowa schools not meeting federal standards
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, IA, September 24, 2013
More than half of Iowa’s schools did not meet educational targets set by the No Child Left Behind Law during the latest academic year, according to a report released Tuesday.

LOUISIANA

Meeting on future of failing schools draws lackluster crowd
Shreveport Times, LA, September 25, 2013
Even amid the threat of school closures, consolidations or even a possible state takeover, a community meeting designed to let residents have a say in what happens to five Caddo schools drew a disappointing crowd of less than 100.

MARYLAND

State school board won’t back off MSAs
Baltimore Sun Blog, MD, September 24, 2013
Maryland’s state Board of Education said Tuesday that state testing will go forward as planned, despite calls from school district superintendents and the teachers union for a one-year moratorium.

Success of Obama’s education initiative in Maryland unclear
Maryland Independent, MD, September 25, 2013
The verdict on whether or not the federal government’s unprecedented $250 million grant to Maryland for education reform is working depends on whom you ask.

MICHIGAN

Michigan Democrats’ school reform proposal draws strong response from Republican spokesmen
Lansing Journal, MI, September 24, 2013
proposal that Democrats in the Michigan House say would improve transparency in charter and virtual school operations, determine the exact cost of public education and create new “action teams” to address issues in struggling schools has drawn a pointed response from spokesmen for Republican leaders.

MISSOURI

Student transfers brought new focus on quality in schools, Nicastro says
St. Louis Beacon, MO, September 24, 2013
The transfer of students from Normandy and Riverview Gardens to accredited school districts has forced a lot of dislocation and financial stress, but panelists at an education forum said Tuesday it has also prompted people to look at students in a new way.

NEVADA

Despite facility needs, teachers get $27.4 million in raises
Editorial, Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, September 25, 2013
Labor peace won’t come cheap for the Clark County School District. On Thursday, the School Board will vote on a one-year contract for teachers that provides a variety of pay raises at a net cost to the public of $27.4 million for the 2013-14 school year.

NEW YORK

De Blasio vs. the 99 Percent
Editorial, New York Post, NY, September 24, 2013
In just a few days, the “other” New York that Bill de Blasio says he represents — the poor and powerless — will march across the Brooklyn Bridge to raise their voices for a better future for their children. When they do, they will find de Blasio standing among the powers working against them.

OHIO

State report cards show: Charter schools received many more Ds and Fs than good grades
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 24, 2013
Charter schools in Ohio performed far worse than traditional districts on the most recent state report cards.

Teachers union can’t back Columbus school-board incumbents without pact
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 25, 2013
The Columbus teachers union has put its stamp of approval on two school-board candidates in a three-seat race. Neither one is an incumbent.

PENNSYLVANIA

Corbett budget czar’s hint that SRC could tax
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 25, 2013
Charles Zogby said what?! Zogby, Gov. Corbett’s budget secretary, said he wasn’t really expecting to make news when he told a reporter this week that there was talk in Harrisburg of giving taxing authority to the unelected members of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission.

Education Failure in Philadelphia
Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal, September 25, 2013
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has extended a lifeline to Philadelphia’s hemorrhaging schools attached to a requirement for modest education and fiscal reforms. No thanks, says the teachers union. Herewith a parable of education decline.

New Hope, York City make arguments
York Daily Record, PA, September 24, 2013
Attorneys for the York City School District and New Hope Academy Charter School argued their cases for and against the charter school’s renewal Tuesday before the state charter appeal board.

Souderton Charter School Collaborative named a 2013 Blue Ribbon School
Lansdale Reporter, PA, September 24, 2013
Souderton Charter School Collaborative, a public school established in 2000 as part of the Souderton Area School District, has been named a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in recognition of academic excellence.

State upholds revoking charter of Career Connections Charter High School
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, September 25, 2013
State education officials on Tuesday voted to uphold a decision by the Pittsburgh school board to revoke the charter for the Career Connections Charter High School in Lawrenceville.

RHODE ISLAND

Cumberland schools ‘vastly better’ than before
Opinion, Valley Breeze, RI, September 24, 2013
In his weekly editorial in The Valley Breeze (“Charter schools’ successes bolstered by caring parents,” 9/17/13) Tom Ward guessed that he might anger some people in our community by suggesting that the “better parents” in town would exclusively send their children to Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy (BVP) at some point in the near future.

WASHINGTON

North End school plan draws a crowd
Seattle Times, WA, September 24, 2013
More than 100 parents and community members packed the commons area of Nathan Hale High School Tuesday evening to share concerns about the Seattle school district’s proposal to ease overcrowding north of the Ship Cana.

Rigorous process ahead for charter schools
Editorial, Seattle Times, WA, September 25, 2013
Washington’s Charter School Commission is taking applications to open charter schools statewide. Applicants should be prepared for a rigorous process.

WEST VIRGINIA

Teachers union launches “competitive pay” campaign
Martinsburg Journal, WV, September 25, 2013
A Martinsburg native and first-year teacher, Dutko knows she could earn more teaching in a neighboring state but isn’t willing to do that – at least not yet.

Teacher union officials need to do the math
Editorial, Charleston Daily Mail, WV, September 25, 2012
OFFICIALS at the West Virginia Education Association, one of two competing teacher unions in the state, launched their annual drive for pay raises.

ONLINE LEARNING

Lakewood launches virtual school
Sentinel Standard, MI, September 24, 2013
2013-2014 school year is the inaugural year for the Lakewood Virtual High School, which is run through Lakewood Public Schools using provided content through Apex Learning.

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

Cantor turns up heat in debate for school choice
Column, Washington Times, DC, September 23, 2013
If you want to know where school choice stands today, the No. 2 leader in the U.S. House of Representations gave a pretty clear indication Monday by opening a new battlefront and throwing an obvious lifeline to Republicans, moderates and conservatives.

House Majority Leader slams federal school policy in Philly visit
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, September 24, 2013
U.S. REP. Eric Cantor, the House majority leader, popped in on a 10th-grade geography lesson at Freire Charter School in Center City yesterday before delivering a speech that jumped all over the political map.

Justice Department vs. Louisiana Voucher Kids
Opinion, Wall Street Journal, September 24, 2013
School-choice programs have faced no shortage of legal challenges en route to their adoption in 18 states and the District of Columbia. But none of the challenges is so perverse or perplexing as the Justice Department’s motion last month to wield desegregation decrees to halt Louisiana’s voucher program.
STATE COVERAGE

COLORADO

Poll shows more opposition to Colorado school finance tax measure
Denver Post, CO, September 23, 2013
Colorado voters so far remain relatively uninformed about Amendment 66, the measure that would raise $950 million in taxes for schools, but would likely vote it down if the election were held today, according to a Republican-leaning pollster.

FLORIDA

Gov. Rick Scott: Reverse course on Common Core tests
Miami Herald, FL, September 23, 2013
TALLAHASSEE After a summer of polarizing public debate, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday ordered the state education department to withdraw from a national consortium creating tests around the new Common Core State Standards.

Plan aims to bridge achievement gap for Pinellas’ black students
Tampa Tribune, FL, September 23, 2013
The achievement gap between black and white students in Pinellas County schools has long been a thorn in administrators sides, but first year Superintendent Michael Grego is hoping a new initiative will end the discussion once and for all.

GEORGIA

City schools host charter petition forum
Times-Georgian, GA, September 24, 2013
Amid public confusion on the meaning and intent of its charter system petition, Carrollton City Schools hosted a community forum Monday night aimed at answering some of those questions and gathering input for its overall strategic plan.

Georgia Supreme Court upholds charter school pension case ruling
Marietta Daily Journal, GA, September 24, 2013
Georgia’s highest court has upheld a Fulton County court ruling that bars Atlanta Public Schools from using tax dollars to pay for its pension obligations before distributing a share of the money to local charter schools.

LOUISIANA

Solutions to overcrowded classrooms
KLFY, LA, September 23, 2013
With the southern part of Lafayette Parish expected to double in population over the next 10 years, Broussard Mayor Charles Langlinais is hoping to find an answer to the overcrowded schools.

Jindal has concerns about ‘Common Core’ standards for schools
The Advocate, LA, September 24, 2013
Wading into a national debate, Gov. Bobby Jindal said Monday that he is concerned Louisiana public school classrooms would be saddled with a “federalized curriculum” sparked by a series of tougher standards called Common Core.

MARYLAND

Baltimore school system sued over homeless students
Baltimore Sun, MD, September 24, 2013
Homeless families in Baltimore have filed a federal lawsuit against the city school system, contending that their children have been denied transportation to school and been stigmatized because they couldn’t afford field trips and uniforms.

MASSACHUSETTS

Maybe it’s time for a state takeover of schools
Letter, Seacoast Today, MA, September 24, 2013
Recent data released by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education show that 60 percent of New Bedford’s public schools are categorized at the worst levels of performance and least improvement, 3 and 4.

MICHIGAN

House Dems unveil school reform plan, faces GOP opposition
Detroit Free Press, MI, September 23, 2013
Democrats in the Michigan House proposed several reforms Monday to improve the state’s K-12 schools, but without support from the Republican majority their ideas aren’t likely to go anywhere.

Students making gains under first-of-a-kind charter; school leaders set bigger goals
Michigan Public Radio, MI, September 24, 2013
On average, students under the state’s first fully privatized public school district are learning at a faster rate than under the old system. That’s according to data released Monday night by the charter company running the Muskegon Heights district.

NEW JERSEY

Newark school district, teachers union take stock after pact’s first year
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, September 24, 2013
Bonuses awarded to those who did stellar work but questions remain about how to deal with those rated as less effective

NEW YORK

Parents to rally against de Blasio’s charter school attacks
New York Post, NY, September 24, 2013
Charter-school parents and students are planning a massive rally next month targeted at Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, The Post has learned.

State raises bar for future educators
Albany Times Union, NY, September 24, 2013
The state will tighten the admissions process for its teacher education programs at the State University of New York.

With the threat of an unsupportive mayor on the horizon, charter schools shamelessly send students to protest de Blasio’s plan
New York Daily News, NY, September 23, 2013
Democrat Bill de Blasio could potentially win the mayoral race, which could spell the end of rent-free space for charter schools located within public school buildings. Twenty-two schools are canceling classes on the morning of Oct. 8 so kids can attend a Brooklyn Bridge rally against the plan.

NORTH CAROLINA

DPS, PEFNC talk charters, school choice
Herald Sun, NC, September 23, 2 013
Two forums last week focused on the challenges charter schools and public schools have and what advocates for each type of school believe their option has to offer.

OHIO

Cleveland’s Investment Schools: Family and student needs will be focus of a lead social service agency at each school
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 23, 2013
he Cleveland school district wants to add social support services to all 13 of its “Investment Schools” this year, not just the academic and atmosphere changes that last year’s school levy is already paying for.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charter schools need to do more homework
Opinion, Hilton Head Island Packet, SC, September 23, 2013
If Beaufort County charter schools are any indication, the state needs to do a better job of preparing leaders for the first year of school. The dividing line seems to be the day the school doors open.

TENNESSEE

Nashville schools’ First Choice Festival helps parents navigate many options
The Tennessean, TN, September 24, 2013
As their deep-seated rift with charter schools rages on, Metro Nashville Public Schools sought to set aside differences Monday and showcase the very schools they claim are handcuffing the district financially.

TEXAS

Minority families and leaders are critical to school reforms
Column, Dallas Morning News, TX, September 23, 2013
Until the mid-1980s, the national conversation about education largely revolved around what goes into schools: money, teachers, facilities and principals being among the “inputs” that drew our attention. But the school reform movement took off three decades ago to broaden the conversation.

VIRGINIA

Officials split on state takeover of schools denied accreditation
News & Advance, VA, September 24, 2013
Opinions vary among state and local officials and candidates when it comes to a new law giving the state the power to take over schools that don’t live up to state standards.

WASHINGTON

Panel invites charter school applications
Spokesman Review, WA, September 24, 2013
Washington state’s new Charter School Commission opened the statewide application process for charter schools on Monday.

WEST VIRGINIA

W.Va. teacher union makes push for higher salaries
Charleston Daily Mail, WV, September 23, 2013
Nearly 60 percent of the public and 97 percent of education employees believe that education employees should have a salary increase.

ONLINE LEARNING

Home-grown virtual schools
Beacon News, IL, September 23, 2013
Five school districts in and around the Fox Valley are partnering to bring online education to students who want it.

State rejects draft contract with K12; to be resent next month
The Recorder, MA, September 23, 2013
The state has rejected a draft contract between the Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School and curriculum provider K12 and asked the school to send in a new version by the middle of October.

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

No Child Left Behind Act ignored for too long
Editorial, Poughkeepsie Journal, NY, September 21, 2013
But, when it comes to critical aspects of education reform, President Barack Obama and Congress simply can’t be counted on to do the same. Just take a look at the No Child Left Behind Act.

Voucher battle will be fought in courtrooms
Monroe News Star, LA, September 22, 2013
Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared war against President Barack Obama’s U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and has brought in what was declared some big guns to help him fight it.

STATE COVERAGE

ARKANSAS

School reformers want democracy, just not for charter schools
Arkansas Times Blog, AR, September 21, 2013
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editorial page today lamented again the low turnout in school board elections. This fits hand-in-glove with the campaign by Gary Newton, a Walton-paid head of at least two pro-charter school lobby groups,

CALIFORNIA

Fix the ‘parent trigger’
Editorial, Los Angeles Times, CA, September 23, 2013
Local tinkering isn’t enough. The Legislature and State Board of Education need to amend the law.

CONNECTICUT

Bridgeport Schools Chief Faces Dual Threats
Wall Street Journal, September 21, 2013
Two challenges to the tenure of embattled Bridgeport schools chief Paul Vallas, who was recruited with great fanfare less than two years ago, are coming to a head.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Adding more desks to D.C.’s charter schools
Editorial, Washington Post, DC, September 20, 2013
OR FIVE years, the former Charles E. Young Elementary School has sat empty, its facilities slowly rotting and fast becoming a neighborhood nuisance. Elsewhere in Northeast Washington, Two Rivers Public Charter School has been bursting at the seams and turning away students attracted by its high standards.

School superintendents speak out on key education issues
Washington Post, DC, September 22, 2013
Have Washington area school systems been hurt by federal budget cuts? Are students being bombarded with too many standardized tests? How are schools handling the implementation of the Common Core State Standards?

FLORIDA

Edgewater charter school’s fate up for vote
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, September 22, 2013
The fate of a proposed arts-focused charter school in Edgewater will be decided Tuesday by the Volusia County School Board, with school district staff recommending its application be rejected.

Issues with buildings often trip new charter schools in Palm Beach County
Palm Beach Post, FL, September 22, 2013
The Palm Beach County School District has been inundated in recent years with applications from prospective charter schools wanting to share their vision of education and carve out a stake in their growing industry.

GEORGIA

Bibb County schools take a big step by approving two charter schools
Opinion, Macon Telegraph, GA
September 22, 2013
Those words were uttered right after a presentation that sought to deny approval of the Bibb system’s first public charter school. That effort failed — not because the board voted the effort down — but the proponents of the school couldn’t get its act together.

ILLINOIS

Why $17 million went to Payton Prep
Editorial, Chicago Tribune, IL
September 23, 2013
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s announcement last week of a $17 million addition at Walter Payton College Prep High School stirred some resentment from parents and teachers, coming so soon after Chicago closed dozens of schools and reduced spending at scores more of them.

KANSAS

Charter school movement flounders in Kansas
Lawrence Journal-World, KS, September 22, 2013
Kansas has never been known as a hotbed of charter schools. But new figures from the Kansas State Department of Education show that the number of charter schools — quasi-independent schools that receive public funding but are usually managed by outside boards or private companies — is rapidly declining in Kansas, with only 11 still operating this year.

LOUISIANA

Charter schools’ growth could jeopardize East Baton Rouge schools’ finances, panelists say
Times Picayune, LA, September 19, 2013
As more charter schools open in East Baton Rouge Parish, less money will likely be available to educate students who stay in what remains of the traditional public school system.

MASSACHUSETTS

School, state officials keep on sparring
Boston Globe, MA, September 22, 2013
The new school year has brought many changes to Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden, but the change many parents had been anticipating — expansion of the school’s board of trustees — hasn’t happened, despite a July 31 deadline set by the state Department of Education.

New Boston charter schools yield high MCAS scores
Boston Globe, MA, September 22, 2013
Many Boston charter schools that have opened additional campuses frequently scored higher than state averages on last spring’s MCAS, a sign that high performance can be sustained as more students enroll, according to a Globe review of data released Friday.

MICHIGAN

See which charter schools are attracting Ann Arbor students
The Ann Arbor News, MI, September 20, 2013
Within the past five years, charter schools in Washtenaw County and beyond have drawn students from Ann Arbor Public Schools in growing numbers.

MISSOURI

Time for teacher tenure reform?
Column, Southeast Missourian, MO, September 23, 2013
We may not have rubber rooms, but Missouri superintendents recognize that teacher tenure is an issue that should be addressed.

NEW YORK

City plans to end guarantee for local high school slots
New York Daily News, NY, September 23, 2013
In a push that is alarming parents, the Bloomberg administration plans to stop guaranteeing eighth-graders a spot in the city’s remaining neighborhood high schools.

OHIO

Akron to add transportation for kids in charter schools after cuts to its own students
Akron Beacon Journal, OH, September 21, 2012
The Akron school board in its meeting Monday will consider spending an additional $300,000 to transport children not in its schools — charter school students that the state says it must bus.

Wide racial gap persists in education testing
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 22, 2013
Even if they come from affluent families or attend highly rated schools, black students in Ohio continue to lag far behind their white peers in school, according to a Dispatchanalysis of data from state standardized exams.

PENNSYLVANIA

Congressman Cantor to Speak at Philly Charter School
NBC10, PA, Sept 22, 2013
Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor is set to speak at a Philadelphia charter school on Monday to meet with students and deliver a major policy speech on school choice, according to a spokesperson.

Pennsylvania Legislature mop-up session to consider pension, school taxes, more
Tribune-Review, PA, September 22, 2013
Meanwhile, there’s a need for more openness and accountability for cyber charter schools, Turzai said.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Schools could receive flexibility on teacher evaluation processes
Capital Journal, SD, September 22, 2013
A proposed change in state rules would allow South Dakota school districts to use their own processes for evaluating teachers’ performances, rather than following the standard model already established by the state Board of Education.

TENNESSEE

MNPS School Choice Festival set for Monday
The Tennessean, TN, September 22, 2013
Leaders of Metro Nashville Public Schools learned their lesson about venues during the inaugural First Choice Festival.

MNPS attorney: Don’t be deterred by state in pursuing legal options
The Tennessean, TN, September 22, 2013
An attorney for Metro Nashville Public Schools told school board members Friday that they shouldn’t be deterred by the opinion of the state attorney general as they pursue a wide range of legal challenges over school funding inequity.

Mississippi charter schools starting up without money
Commercial Appeal, TN, September 22, 2013
Mississippi’s newly created charter school board is beginning its mission with no director and no money.

VIRGINIA

Six schools in Va. facing state takeover
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, September 21, 2013
Six schools in Virginia, including two in Petersburg, are poised to be the first seized by an embattled statewide division intended to turn around academically struggling schools.

The mayor’s evolution
Editorial, Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, September 19, 2013
Saying he has “evolved” on certain education questions, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones explained recently that he now supports charter schools and the involvement of the private sector in education.

WASHINGTON

Tacoma shows new interest in charter schools
News Tribune, WA, September 22, 2013
Tacoma Public Schools will submit a second letter of intent to state officials, indicating the district’s renewed interest in possibly becoming an authorizer of charter schools. But the soonest a charter school could open in Tacoma with the district’s blessing is still two years away.

Washington’s charter-school pioneers need to be bold
Opinion, Seattle Times, WA, September 19, 2013
Three Washington educators are at the forefront of the state’s new charter school effort. Columnist Lynne K. Varner welcomes them to this exciting endeavor.

WISCONSIN

Many independent charter schools miss mark on state report cards
Journal Sentinel, WI, September 23, 2013
Despite having more freedom over curriculum, budgets and staffing than traditional public schools, the majority of Milwaukee’s independent charter schools are not meeting performance expectations, according to statewide report card results for 2012-’13.

Sen. Kathleen Vinehout: Report cards for voucher schools? Yes
Column, Capital Times, WI, September 23, 2013
Report cards have just come out. Not for the children, but for schools. They help us know how our schools are doing and how schools can improve to help all students learn.

Voucher schools must report test scores
Editorial, Journal Times, WI, September 22, 2013
What is at question is whether private schools, such as Catholic schools, should have to report achievement data to the state if they accept students through the taxpayer-funded voucher program.

ONLINE LEARNING

Boost online learning
Editorial, News Herald, FL, September 23, 2013
Florida leaders continue to push the state forward on the issue of online education. They should keep up their efforts, despite the Sunshine State’s already high ranking in the online education field.

Hillsboro Online Academy expands to include grades 4-6, increases enrollment
Oregonian, OR, September 19, 2013
Hillsboro Online Academy, the virtual public school that the district launched in 2012, has expanded to include students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades this year.

More students taking online courses
Herald Argus, MI, September 22, 2013
The number of students in online courses at La Porte High School has increased from seven in the fall of 2012 to 181 in 2013.

Pennsylvania taxpayers cheated by charter school corruption
Letter, Lehigh Valley Times, PA, September 21, 2013
As a new school year begins, leaders of the largest and second-largest for-profit cyber charter schools stand accused of stealing from school children while Gov. Corbett and the Legislature looked the other way.

Remote learning not for all
Editorial, Post and Courier, SC, September 23, 2013
3It appears one more rift could be developing between traditional and charter schools. This time it is between traditional schools whose at-risk students leave and online charter schools where they enroll.

Santa Fe-based online academy offers alternative for 500 students statewide
Santa Fe New Mexican, NM, September 21, 2013
It’s 2 p.m. on a recent Thursday, and science teacher Yvette Martinez is preparing to review some math skills with her ninth-grade science students.

State initiative growing technology in classrooms
Augusta Chronicle, GA, September 22, 2013
The initiative is part of a larger effort to grow technology in the classrooms, from incorporating more devices into the learning experience to offering more online courses.

What will be the impact of virtual schools and technology on brick and mortar schools?
Opinion, Daily News, MI
It is clear that technology must be thoughtfully and carefully integrated into the learning environment. Technology is ever changing and will require that teachers, students and, yes, parents continually adapt.

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

Lobbying Congress with kids, Advocates push childhood education
Time, US, September 19, 2013
Members of Congress defend early childhood education.

Next Steps Weighed on Federal ‘Double Testing’ Relief
Education Week, US, September 19, 2013
The Department of Education gives states option to administer either current standardized tests or field tests emphasizing Common Core for next school year.

Opinion: The Elephant in the (Class)room
USA Today, US, September 19, 2013
Column recommends combating classroom boredom by investing in technology, early childhood education to close global achievement gap.

STATE COVERAGE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

California takes a left turn on state exams
Washington Post, DC, September 19, 2013
California suspends state exams this year, against advice of US Education Secretary.

GEORGIA

North Atlanta principal will stay and attempt to change a “You can’t” culture in APS
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, September 19, 2013
Principal rescinds resignation after having accountability concerns addressed.

Two charter schools approved for Bibb
WMAZ, GA, September 19, 2013
County school board votes in favor of two new charter schools.

ILLINOIS

Schools CEO Barbara Bennett tells charter parents closings not their fault
Chicago Sun Times, IL, September 19, 2013
Chicago Public Schools CEO tells parents charter schools not to blame for string of school closings.

KANSAS

Church to host forum on school choice at former Mueller School
Wichita Eagle, KS, September 19, 2013
Church interested in converting starting a charter school holds town hall meeting.

LOUISIANA

Charter schools still a possibility in Lafayette Parish
KATC Online, LA, September 19, 2013
Charter schools can still gain approval from state despite rejection from local board.

Former State Sen. Ann Duplessis to head pro-voucher group
Times-Picayune, LA, September 19, 2013
Ann Duplessis named president of the Louisiana Federation for Children.

State superintendent would limit school letter grade drop under new tests
Times-Picayune, LA, September 19, 2013
State superintendent says school letter grades will only drop one letter at most due to testing considerations.

MARYLAND

Linwood school dedication seen as new era of learning, cooperation
Baltimore Sun, MD, September 20, 2013
$7 million new school and facility opens for special needs students.

MICHIGAN

Pontiac High may close or move to EAA under consent agreement
Detroit News, MI, September 19, 2013
School district must make plan to transfer to state control, close building or enact reforms.

MISSISSIPPI

Community leaders show support for charter high school helping struggling students earn diplomas
MLive.com, MI, September 19, 2013
Charter school holds open house, explains mission of helping students in need of second chance.

Miss. Charter school board to seek funds
Clarion Ledger, MS, September 19, 2013
Charter school seeks money for start funds and leadership positions.

MISSOURI

Lawmakers divided on DESE request for emergency funds
Missouri Times, MO, September 19, 2013
Unaccredited school district requests emergency funds to handle student transfer costs.

St. Louis school boards break ice and meet
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 18, 2013
School Board leaders meet to discuss district rating systems.

NEW JERSEY

Grudging Acceptance of Christie Policies Sets Tone As School Chiefs Gather
NJ Spotlight, NJ, September 20, 2013
Superintendents and school officials grapple with recent state reforms in meeting with Commissioner.

NEW YORK

Delaware Seeks to Steer the Poor Towards Top Colleges
New York Times, NY, September 18, 2013
Delaware to provide vouchers to low-income achieving students for applications to top colleges.

NORTH CAROLINA

School Board candidates argue over Wake issues
News & Observer, NC, September 20, 2013
School board candidates debate over school renovations and construction projects.

OHIO

Campbell Ridge parent ready to lead
Cincinnati Inquirer, OH, September 19, 2013
Parent to attend institute to learn how to become better advocate for education and improve schools with other parents.

School choice on Catholic agenda in Kentucky
Cincinnati Inquirer, OH, September 19, 2013
Catholic district superintendent hopes for school choice legislation in Kentucky.

State report card shows: charter schools are growing but are still a small part of state’s education landscape
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 19, 2013
More students attending charter schools statewide, still small part of state education system, except in Cleveland.

PENNSYLVANIA

Boy sought help from the top in changing schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 20, 2013
Boy sends letter to President Obama expressing desire to attend new school, ends up in charter not too soon afterwards.

New school friendly tax abatement system in works
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 20, 2013
Property tax bill gives larger share of tax dollars to schools over time.

RHODE ISLAND

Opinion: Break the Chains on Charter Schools in Mass.
Providence Journal, RI, September 20, 2013
Column urges Massachusetts legislature to expand charter school sector.

TENNESSEE

Common Core hearing offers overview that keeps emotions down
Tennessean, TN, September 20, 2013
State Senate hearing holds recitation of Common Core standards in possible attempt to keep emotions down.

Criticism of MLK Magnet plan doesn’t let up in second parents meeting
Tennessean, TN, September 20, 2013
Opposition grows to eliminating 7th and 8th grades at local magnet school.

State closes Houston charter school over hiring failures
Houston Chronicle, TN, September 19, 2013
School closes after employees not properly vetted, students transfer to other schools.

VIRGINIA

Fairfax schools hiring rate is lower than many Ivy League schools’ admissions rates
Washington Post, DC, September 19, 2013
Hiring rate for teachers in Fairfax County, VA currently at 6.8%.

ONLINE LEARNING

Hillsboro Online Academy expands to include grades 4-6, increases enrollment
Oregonian, OR, September 19, 2013
Virtual public schools expands enrollment and grade levels.

Northern York expects $30,000 savings for online learning program this year
PennLive.com, PA, September 19, 2013
School district to use own teacher personnel and laptops to participate in online learning program, saving on costs.

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

Lawmakers Question Education Research’s Usefulness
Education Week, US, September 19, 2013
Congress debates usefulness of federal education research to streamline process in context of cutting down budget.

National leaders meet in Miami to discuss early education for Hispanics
Miami Herald, FL, September 18, 2013
National education leaders meet to discuss expansion of early learning programs for Hispanic children.

STATE COVERAGE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

KIPP DC, Two Rivers charters to lease shuttered District schools in Northeast
Washington Post, DC, September 18, 2013
Two high performing charter schools will lease shuttered DC school buildings in Northeast.

Opinion: Louisiana school voucher fight: Justice Dept vs poor kids
Washington Times, DC, September 19, 2013
Department of Justice lawsuit in Louisiana sets education reform backward.

GEORGIA

Getting it wrong: Can we trust the accuracy of tests?
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, September 18, 2013
The reliability of tests is becoming a critical question as students, schools and teachers are being held to higher and higher accountability.

ILLINOIS

$17 million at Peyton Prep planned
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 19, 2013
$17 million addition could create up to 400 new seats at one of Chicago’s top high schools.

Non-tenured CPS teachers rated under new system
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 18, 2013
For the first time, Chicago Public Schools released teacher evaluations based in part on student test scores, no striking changes from previous year.

LOUISIANA

East Jefferson, West Bank schools receive service-learning grants
Times-Picayune, LA, September 18, 2013
Foundation distributes grant to schools for community service projects.

MICHIGAN

Amid growth of Michigan charter schools, teachers often less experienced
Detroit News, MI
September 19, 2013
Teachers at Michigan’s 298 charter schools average three years of experience, part of a growing trend.

Pontiac district OKs consent agreement, avoids EM
Detroit News, MI, September 19, 2013
School district reaches agreement with state to deal with financial emergency, avoiding emergency manager.

MISSOURI

State school board seeks $6.8 million for Normandy
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, September 18, 2013
School district seeks funds as it experiences mass migration of students into better districts.

NEW JERSEY

State funnels $1M to Schools Ranked Lowest for performance, achievement
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ
State education department gives out grants to low-performing schools, aimed at helping students with disabilities.

NEW MEXICO

APS to City Council: Butt Out
Albuquerque News Journal, NM, September 18, 2013
Public school system criticizes City Council decision to limit funding for school infrastructure projects.

NEW YORK

Bronx partnership aims to build parent-engagement skills
Education Week, US, September 19, 2013
Local college begins program for parents to be more active in child’s education and school, more able to help children academically, behaviorally and socially.

NORTH CAROLINA

McCrory checks in on group revamping NC education
News & Observer, NC, September 18, 2013
Gov. Pat McCrory met with education leaders working to streamline state’s education system, encourage cooperation with state education budget.

Students seek to complete GEDs before test changes
News & Observer, NC, September 18, 2013
New computer based GED to launch in January based on Common Core standards, also will be more expensive.

OHIO

School levy ‘has a shot’ Coleman says
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 18, 2013
Possibility of property tax increases to fund school districts this election cycle.

OKLAHOMA

State chamber seeks to push school choice through new nonprofit
Tulsa World, OK, September 18, 2013
Chamber seeks funds to recruit education reform advocate to push for and manage school choice program.

PENNSYLVANIA

Teacher to Corbett, Nutter: Try my job for an hour
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 19, 2013
Teacher challenges in a letter to elected officials to try teaching economically disadvantaged third grade students.

Washington School to be charter site in Penn Hills
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, September 19, 2013
School council approves application to convert local school facility to charter school.

TENNESSEE

Most school superintendents opt not to sign letter criticizing TN education chief
The Tennesean, TN, September 19, 2013
A majority of Tennessee school chiefs opted not to join their colleagues in publicly criticizing beleaguered Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman.

VIRGINIA

Fairfax teacher workforce grows over five years
Washington Post, DC, September 18, 2013
Fairfax County hired fewer teachers this year than in years past.

Gov. McDonnell visits Virginia Beach charter school
Virginian Pilot, VA, September 19, 2013
Governor visits charter school in effort to advocate for charter sector expansion statewide.

ONLINE LEARNING

No More Books: High School goes all digital
Detroit Free Press, MI, September 18, 2013
New York high school becomes one of first schools in the country to fully switch to a “digital library.”

Orleans Parish School Board approves city’s first blended-learning charter
Times-Picayune, LA, September 18, 2013
The joint venture education model combines in-person and online coursework.