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NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for 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

Will Charter Schools Survive The Confusing Charter Movement?
Washington Post Blog, DC, April 3, 2013
There has been a flood of news about charter schools recently, and in the following post, Jeff Bryant, a marketing and communications consultant for nonprofits, tries to make sense of it.
 

Another Voucher Victory
Chicago Tribune, IL, April 4, 2013
We imagine the justices of the Indiana Supreme Court were surprised to find themselves ruling on an issue the U.S. Supreme Court essentially had resolved in an Ohio case 11 years ago: No, plaintiffs, you’re wrong — publicly funded education vouchers do not unconstitutionally divert public money to religious schools.
 

Bill Gates: A Fairer Way To Evaluate Teachers
Washington Post, DC, April 3, 2013
In much the same way that sports teams identify and nurture talent, there is a window of opportunity in public education to create systems that encourage and develop fantastic teachers, leading to better results for students. 

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

YES Appeal Should Focus On Merits
Appeal Democrat, CA, April 3, 2013
We hope the Yuba County Office of Education gives full consideration to an appeal by YES Charter Academy.
 

Proposal For Parent-Trigger Overhaul At L.A. School Well-Received
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 3, 2013
Leaders of a parent group have endorsed a plan to improve 24th Street Elementary, which would be jointly run by L.A. Unified and Crown Prep charter school.
 

CONNECTICUT

Funding For Charter Schools
Hartford Courant, CT, April 3, 2013
I am the parent of a student at Explorations Charter School in Winsted. I urge continued support for increasing the per-pupil funding for charter school students proposed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
 

Charter Schools Give Children A Chance
CT Post, CT, April 3, 2013
Hugh Bailey, in his recent column, “Spend the money where it’s needed most” (published March 29) forgot an important fact when he advocated against charter schools: Public charter schools are actually making a difference in the lives of children in our community.
 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Nine D.C. Charter School Applicants To Present Ideas At Public Hearing
Washington Post, DC, April 4, 2013
Nine groups seeking to open new charter schools in the District will present their ideas at a D.C. Public Charter School Board hearing Monday.
 

D.C. Schools Brace For Population Boom
Washington Examiner, DC, April 3, 2013
The District is seeing a boom in its population of children younger than 5, prompting local education experts to question whether the city’s schools can handle the growth.
 

FLORIDA

Grading Teachers
Gainesville Sun, FL, April 4, 2013
Once again, Florida has made the national news for all the wrong reasons. The New York Times reported Sunday that a growing number of states are implementing teacher-evaluation systems to weed out weak instructors.
 

School Choice Advocates Rally at Florida Capitol
Sunshine State News, FL, April 4, 2013
With Florida’s legislative session at its midway point, calls for action get a little louder — including advocates for school choice.
 

GEORGIA

Why Are We Still Waiting For More School Choice?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, April 3, 2013
The sad thing about the cheating scandal at Atlanta Public Schools during much of the past decade is that APS wasn’t alone. There was also Dougherty County.
 

ILLINOIS

The Thirst For Charter Schools
Chicago Tribune, IL, April 4, 2013
It’s no secret that this page strongly supports charter schools. That support is based on the outstanding performance of the best charter schools, on the growing demand from parents and students for more education options and on the vast potential for innovation at these schools. 

Rahm’s Latest Union Beating
Wall Street Journal, April 4, 2013
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel may have thought he bought labor peace when he agreed to a fat increase in teacher pay to settle a strike last year. Instead the Chicago Teachers Union is throwing massive resistance against his plan to close 54 under-used public schools. 

LOUISIANA

White Grilled On Voucher Funding
The Advertiser, LA, April 4, 2013
Superintendent of Education John White maintained in testimony Wednesday before the House Appropriations Committee that local school systems’ funds are not given to private schools to pay for vouchers. But White did acknowledge that systems lose both their state and local share of funds for every student who transfers to a voucher school.

MAINE

Harpswell Charter School Faces Funding, Legislative Hurdles
Bangor Daily News, ME, April 3, 2013
Before Harpswell Coastal Academy opens to 60 students this fall, the charter school has many hurdles to clear.

MARYLAND

Pr. George’s Delegation Backs Schools Shift, But Full Takeover Bid Falls Short
Washington Post, DC, April 4, 2013
A compromise bill to alter the leadership of the Prince George’s County school system won a key approval Wednesday in Annapolis, but the measure falls far short of the sweeping changes County Executive Rushern L. Baker III proposed in his bid to take over the schools.
 

MISSOURI

St. Elizabeth Academy Could See New Life As Charter School
St, Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, April 4, 2013
That night, she began talking with other alumnae of the school about a way to save St. Elizabeth Academy. What has developed is a plan to transform it into what would eventually be a charter school, leaving behind its roots in Catholic education.
 

MONTANA

Senate Advances Watered-Down Charter School Bill; House Endorses Other School Choice Bill
Billings Gazette, MT, April 3, 2013
The state Senate Wednesday endorsed a bill allowing public charter schools in Montana, but not before a razor-close vote watered down the proposal by limiting any new charter school’s independence from state education rules. 

NEW JERSEY

Three Dozen Applicants Submit Bids for Charter Schools
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, April 4, 2013
With interest hardly abating, nearly 40 applications were filed this week to open new charter schools in New Jersey – a vast majority in cities and one with a notable political name in its title.

NEW YORK

Activist’s ‘Private’ Issue
Wall Street Journal, April 4, 2013
The New York City Department of Education’s most prominent parent activist found herself in an uncomfortable position Wednesday—defending her surprising decision to send her children to private school.
 

NORTH CAROLINA

Republicans Are Unshackling Charters
Greensboro Rhino Times, NC, April 4, 2013
A bill that would fix a lot of the problems the Democrats built into the charter school system was introduced in the state Senate by Sen. Jerry Tillman, a retired school administrator from Archdale who represents Randolph and Moore counties. State Rep. Jon Hardister from Greensboro sponsored a companion bill in the state House. 

OHIO

Charter School’s Rapid Rise Raises Questions
Springfield News-Sun, OH, April 3, 2013
Springfield Prep’s scores soared as it tripled number of students with disabilities. Charter’s leader says smaller classes, more instruction time are keys to improvement.

OKLAHOMA

Students’ Self-esteem Should Be Based On Actual Achievement  
The Oklahoman, OK,  April 4, 2013
SOCIAL promotion is common in Oklahoma, particularly in schools serving low-income children. This strengthens the case for a new law requiring third-grade students to master reading before advancing. It could even help break the cycle of poverty.

PENNSYLVANIA

Opinion Story On PSSA Exams Hits Nerve With Parents
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, April 4, 2013
If you want to get a conversation started with parents, just mention two words: “standardized tests.” 

TENNESSEE

Charter School Applicant Says Board Is Biased
The Tennessean, TN, April 4, 2013
Williamson County Schools officials received the district’s first charter school application earlier this week.
 
Charter School Bill Moves Forward
The Tennessean, TN,  April 4, 2013
Legislation creating a new state panel that could approve charter schools in Tennessee’s largest cities cleared a House Subcommittee Wednesday after Republicans defeated a Democrat-backed amendment to add “financial guardrails” — protections the Metro school board has sought. 

Against Push for Expansion, Haslam Pulls Voucher Bill
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, April 3, 2013
By pushing for a more expansive school voucher program than Gov. Bill Haslam wanted, key state Senate Republicans probably have assured that no voucher bill of any sort will be enacted this year.
 
SMU Teams Up With KIPP Charter Schools To Recruit Students From Diverse Backgrounds, Poor Families
Dallas Morning News, TX, April 3, 2013
Southern Methodist University is partnering with KIPP, a charter school company, to attract greater diversity to the university and help KIPP students succeed in college.

Lawmakers Reject McDonnell Bid To Alter School Takeover Division
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, April 4, 2013
Gov. Bob McDonnell’s statewide school division effort took a bipartisan thumping Wednesday as the General Assembly rejected his attempts to tweak the concept and secure more funding.

County Districts Will Wait And See On Charter Schools
Everett Herald, WA, April 4, 2013
We’re getting a clearer idea this week of where Washington’s first charter schools may open, and it’s not likely to be Snohomish County.

Wisconsin Floats Private School Tuition Tax Break
Oshkosh Northwestern, WI, April 3, 2013
A Republican-backed proposal giving tax credits to parents of students in private schools is being floated in the Legislature as negotiations continue behind closed doors to find an alternative to Gov. Scott Walker’s school voucher expansion plan.

ONLINE LEARNING

League Of Women Voters Against K12 Online Charter Schools
Kane County Chronicle, IL, April 4, 2013
As 18 school districts in the Fox River Valley are poised either to accept or reject a proposal for an online virtual charter school, the League of Women Voters of Illinois will urge them to reject the application.

S.C. And Digital Learning: Good, Bad, Ugly
The Times and Democrat, SC, April 4, 2013
So the question is: How is South Carolina doing in integrating digital learning into our public schools? The report card is in and the answer truly is – good, bad and ugly.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for 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

NRA-Funded Task Force Wants More Armed Personnel In Schools
Washington Times, DC, April 2, 2013
Four months after the Sandy Hook school shooting, a task force set up by the National Rifle Association issued a school safety report Tuesday that calls for more trained and armed personnel on school grounds, arguing the faster someone responds with a gun during an attack, the more lives can be saved.

Outsiders Should Evaluate Students and Teachers
Bloomberg, April 2, 2013
The most important determinant of educational quality is teacher quality. Yet, as a recent study of school principals’ permissiveness in teacher evaluations and a cheating scandal in Atlanta show, this performance is difficult to measure.

The Truth About Common Core
National Review, April 3, 2013
The new Common Core math and reading standards adopted by 45 states have come under a firestorm of criticism from tea-party activists and commentators such as Glenn Beck and Michelle Malkin.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Aspire And State Board Give Up Fight Over Controversial Charters
Ed Source, CA, April 3, 2013
After a six-year legal battle, Aspire Public Schools and the State Board of Education have agreed to give up the permit that enabled Aspire to open a half-dozen charter schools without local district approval.

School Reform That Won’t Fail Students
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 2, 2013
Growing up, I became an expert test-taker at my college prep private school. There wasn’t a fact I couldn’t memorize and I was determined to ace every exam. Problem was, I wasn’t actually learning much of anything.

COLORADO

The Hope For School Choice In Douglas County
Denver Post, CO, April 3, 2013
Colorado Supreme Court justices are very busy people, but if they want to save themselves time in the upcoming appeal involving Douglas County’s Choice Scholarship Program, here’s an idea: copy and paste a few paragraphs from last week’s unanimous high court ruling in Indiana upholding a statewide voucher system.

Denver School Board President Will Forgo Election, But Push Reform
Denver Post, CO, April 3, 2013
Denver Public Schools board president Mary Seawell said that her decision to not seek re-election in November could make her a more effective advocate for the reforms laid out in the district’s strategic plan.

FLORIDA

Charters Reduce Money For Brevard’s Public Schools
Florida Today, FL, April 3, 2013
My concern relates to the continuing monetary shortfall to our public schools from Tallahassee and the new charter school being built in Viera.

Teachers At Closed Miramar Charter School Still Waiting For Bonuses
Miami Herald, FL, April 2, 2013
Teachers who once taught at Miramar’s Parkway Academy charter school are used to receiving bad news — when the school closed last year, teachers not only had to look for a new job, but they didn’t receive their final month’s pay.

Moraitis Says He’ll Amend Charter Schools Bill
Times Herald, FL, April 2, 2013
Moraitis, a Fort Lauderdale Republican, is planning to amend the proposal so that traditional public schools won’t have to share unused space with charter schools, he said.

GEORGIA

Atlanta Educators Face Hefty Bail Over Cheating Scandal
USA Today, April 2, 2013
Educators accused in a massive cheating scandal at the city’s public schools began turning themselves in Tuesday, some facing bonds of $1 million or more.

ILLINOIS

Parental Choice A Civil Rights Issue
Chicago Tribune, IL, April 2, 2013
It is heartening to read about the Chicago Tribune’s recent poll about “public impatience with mediocre schools,” (“Ready for reform,” editorial, March 24.)

Meet Rahm Emanuel, School Reform Leader
Washington Examiner, DC, April 2, 2013
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a famously aggressive, volatile individual, but he may have met his match in the equally confrontational Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis.

INDIANA

School-Choice Arguments Are More About Money Than About Students
News Sentinel, IN, April 3, 2013
As state legislators consider common-sense fixes to Indiana’s school-choice legislation in coming weeks, we are likely to hear many emotionally charged claims that Indiana’s school-choice program is hurting schools.

LOUISIANA

Court Nixes Tangipahoa’s Request For Delay In Voucher Case
The Advocate, LA, April 3, 2013
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday denied the Tangipahoa Parish School Board’s request for a delay in an appellate case challenging the state’s voucher program.

MAINE

Panel Delays Decision On Review Of Portland Charter School
Portland Press Herald, ME, April 3, 2013
The Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee delayed its decision Tuesday on a review of an embattled charter school in Portland until after state regulators consider the school’s license application next week.

MARYLAND

Maryland Senate To Consider Prince George’s School Plan
Washington Post, DC, April 2, 2013
Maryland senators are scheduled to vote on a compromise bill Wednesday that would allow Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III to select the county’s new schools superintendent and choose the chairman and vice chairman of a retooled Board of Education.

MASSACHUSETTS

A New Actor Appears On Schools Stage
Boston Globe, MA, April 3, 2013
The first is growing anxiety about the city’s education system. New polling data show that the quality of education has emerged as the chief concern for Boston voters — and that the public has come to see charter schools as a vital part of the educational landscape.

MICHIGAN

Student Behavior Not Making Grade At EAA Schools
Detroit News, MI, April 3, 2013
Officials with Michigan’s statewide school district released some stunning statistics that show the challenges to reform the worst-performing schools are not just academic — they are behavioral, too.

MINNESOTA

St. Paul’s School-Choice Lottery A Big Hit
Star Tribune, MN, April 2, 2013
The early reviews on St. Paul’s school-choice lottery are in, and it’s a winner.

MISSISSIPPI

‘Historic Day For Education In Miss.’
Hattiesburg American, MS, April 2, 2013
Charter schools have cleared their most difficult remaining legislative hurdle in Mississippi.

Education Reform Remains A Marathon, Not A Sprint
Clarion Ledger, MS, April 3, 2013
Gov. Phil Bryant this week celebrated the legislative passage of much of his “Education Works” agenda. House Speaker Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves both touted passage of a charter schools bill with Bryant’s pledge to sign it.

NEVADA

State Resignation Raises Questions About Reform
Reno Gazette-Journal, NV, April 3, 2013
When Gov. Brian Sandoval appointed James Guthrie superintendent of public instruction in March 2012, he expressed his pleasure that Nevada had been able to attract a figure of national reputation to lead the state’s education reform efforts.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Charter Schools Grow Despite Political Headwinds
New Hampshire Public Radio, NH, April 3, 2013
Today the New Hampshire House of Representatives will vote on a budget that won’t fund $2.5 million for new charter schools. If that policy stands it would be mean a de facto, two-year moratorium on charter schools. It’s a move that was met with surprise and confusion by charter school advocates. But to understand the decision takes knowing something about the long, political history of charter schools.

NEW JERSEY

State Should Reconsider Piscataway Request To Pay Charter Schools Less, Judges Rule
Star-Ledger, NJ, April 2, 2013
An appeals court panel today ordered the state education commissioner to reconsider the Piscataway Township Board of Education’s request to pay less tuition to four charter schools.

Foundation Academy Charter School In Trenton Has Found Winning Formula
Star-Ledger, NJ, April 3, 2013
The founders of the Foundation Academy Charter School attribute its success where others have failed to a simple two-word formula: “No Excuses.”

NEW YORK

With Legacy on His Mind, Mayor Adds More Schools
New York Times, NY, April 3, 2013
As the clock winds down on his administration, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is moving quickly to ensure that his educational legacy lasts until long after he is gone, or at least to make it difficult for his successor to undo it.

NORTH CAROLINA

School-Duggery
News-Record, NC, April 3, 2013
A dramatically brazen piece of legislation from Republican lawmakers would create a separate state board to oversee charter schools that, by definition, would be stacked with charter school proponents and, even worse, would roll back basic standards.

Keeping An Eye On Charters
News & Observer, NC, April 2, 2013
When the charter school system was created by the General Assembly in 1996, the schools were to serve as laboratories of sorts, free to experiment with courses and teaching methods that might prove useful in conventional public schools. It also was thought that the schools, typically smaller than regular ones, might be better suited to teach at-risk or gifted kids.
The intention was, in other words, to create a complement for mainstream public education.

An Inconsistency For Charter Schools
Jacksonville Daily News, NC, April 2, 2013
We can only shake our head in wonder at North Carolina GOP lawmakers and their discussion last week about creating yet another level of government oversight.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charter Schools Offer A Positive Option For S.C. Students
Charleston Post Courier, SC, April 3, 2013
I would like to correct a statistic that was published in the most informative series “Forgotten South Carolina” as well as respond to a recent letter regarding charter schools.

TENNESSEE

Crucible of Change in Memphis as State Takes On Failing Schools
New York Times, NY, April 3, 2013
In this Mississippi River town marked by pockets of entrenched poverty, some of the worst schools in the state are in the midst of a radical experiment in reinventing public education.

VIRGINIA

Time For A School Takeover Plan
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, April 2, 2013
It has been a long time since Virginia could reasonably be considered a hotbed of educational innovation.

WASHINGTON

Peninsula Shows Interest In Being Charter School Authorizer
News Tribune, WA, April 3, 2013
A dozen Washington state school boards met a deadline this week showing preliminary interest to become charter school authorizers – and two are from Pierce County.

WISCONSIN

Spiraling Inequality Thanks To Vouchers
Chippewa Herald, WI, April 2, 2013
If we are going to reform education as equitable education for all, we need to recognize the inequality being created by the voucher system and restore commitment to public schools.

ONLINE LEARNING

D203 Cool To Online Charter School Plan
Naperville Sun, IL, April 2, 2013
A proposed online charter school for Naperville School District 203 students saw its chances diminished Monday when Superintendent Dan Bridges recommended to the Board of Trustees that they nix the proposal.

Through The Back Door With Money For Home Schoolers
Arkansas Times Blog, AK, April 1, 2013
Good story from Rob Moritz of Stephens Media on an underhanded little ol’ amendment from Sen. Johnny Key of Mountain Home to open the flood gates of state money to support home schoolers with tax dollars.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for 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

In Indiana, A Big Win For School Choice
Washington Post, DC, April 1, 2013
The school choice movement — which germinated 50 years ago in free-market economist Milton Friedman’s fertile mind — recently counted its largest victory.

Charter School Experiment A Success: Our View
USA Today, April 1, 2013
The arrival of charter schools in any city usually starts a fight.
Critics — whether district superintendents or teachers’ unions or school boards or a traveling band of academic doubters — snipe at the newcomers, arguing that they’re siphoning students and money from traditional public schools.

Charter Schools Possess No Magic Formula: Opposing View
USA Today, April 1, 2013
Studies of charter schools have usually shown they provide no benefits. But studies of schools run by KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) have shown strong performance. A new study suggests that KIPP middle schools may boost test-score growth by as much as eight months to eleven months over three years.

There Is A Broad Campaign Afoot To Undermine Support Of Public Schools
Union Leader, NH, April 1, 2013
The most important job of government is to insure that the next generation is educated. It isn’t just because it is the right thing to do for kids, it also is the right thing for society, to preserve and protect our national security, insure a thriving economy and continue the tradition of American leadership. To do the job, we need a strong public school system.

Should Public Money Be Used for Private Schools?
PBS New Hour, April 1, 2013
The Indiana Supreme Court upheld a law allowing taxpayer money to be used for private schools through vouchers. Hari Sreenivasan examines the implications with Kevin Chavous, executive counsel for American Federation for Children, which promotes vouchers, and Dennis van Roekel, president of the National Education Association.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Pacific Collegiate Charter School Could Tap District For Space
Santa Cruz Sentinel, CA, April 1, 2013
When Pacific Collegiate School vacates its Santa Cruz campus in two years, the nationally pace-setting charter school will have a few options for relocation — all of which come with challenges.

FLORIDA

Parent-Trigger Bill, ‘Innovation Schools’ Proposal Advance
Tallahassee Democrat, FL, April 2, 2013
Contentious legislation that would allow parents to petition a school board with a plan to turn around an F-rated school has begun to advance in the state Senate.

ILLINOIS

How Much Demand Is There For Chicago Charter Schools? No One Knows.
WBEZ, IL, April 2, 2013
With admissions to the city’s charter schools handled independently, unmonitored by the school district, neither CPS nor the state knows how many children actually apply to charters.

LOUISIANA

LFT President Hopes Legislature Will Reconsider Voucher, Tenure Reforms
The Advertiser, LA, April 1, 2013
The Louisiana Federation of Teachers hopes that state legislators will revisit several of the education reform initiatives they passed last year when the 2013 session starts next Monday.

MAINE

Charter Schools Funding Comes Under Attack At State House
WABI, ME, April 1, 2013
Lawmakers are considering changes to Maine’s charter school law that would drastically impact their funding. If approved, charter school supporters say it could mean the end of these schools in Maine.

Bowen Argues Against ‘Death By 1,000 Cuts’ For Charter Schools, But Public School Officials Call Current Funding System Unfair
Bangor Daily News, ME, April 1, 2013
Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen said Monday that he is open to exploring new ways to fund charter schools as long as legislators aren’t intent on a future consisting of “death by 1,000 cuts” for the less than one-year-old system.

MASSACHUSETTS

Lowell Charter School Has New Plans
Lowell Sun, MA, April 1, 2013
The developer of the Lowell Collegiate Charter School is seeking to change its construction plan to include the complete demolition of the main Bradford Industries’ warehouse building at the Middlesex Street site

MICHIGAN

Senate Should Embrace EAA Bill To Expand Recovery School District In State
Detroit News, MI, April 2, 2013
A bill that would expand Michigan’s statewide district for the state’s worst-performing schools gained traction last month, passing the House by a narrow margin. The legislation seeks to place the Education Achievement Authority into law and offers fair guidelines. The Senate ought to take up the bill soon.

MISSISSIPPI

Senate Leadership Makes Concessions To Keep Charter Schools Bill Alive
Clarion Ledger, MS, April 1, 2013
Senate leaders signed off on the House version of charter schools legislation just 20 minutes before an 8 p.m. deadline Monday.

NEW JERSEY

Deep Concern Over Camden Schools Evident at Public Forum
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, April 2, 2013
Despite disagreements about specifics and particulars, underlying thrust is putting Camden’s public schools right

NEW MEXICO

Amendment Would Allow Recall Of School Boards
Las Cruces Sun-News, NM, April 2, 2013
In the face of spreading El Paso County school scandals, state Rep. Marisa Márquez on Monday introduced legislation that would allow Texas voters to decide whether they want the ability to recall school trustees.

OHIO

Charter Schools Would Receive ‘F’
Coshocton Tribune, OH, April 1, 2013
Seven in 10 Ohio charter schools wouldn’t make the grade under Ohio’s new school rating system, which will replace ambiguous terms with an A-F scale.

PENNSYLVANIA

City Claiming That Two Brown-Linked Charters Owe Back Taxes
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, April 2, 2013
Two of the three Philadelphia charter schools founded by Dorothy June Brown, who is under federal indictment, have some new legal headaches.

TENNESSEE

Fast Food, The Free Market And Quality School Choices
Commercial Appeal, TN, April 2, 2013
When it comes to education, Tennessee has set itself apart from the rest of the country. Tennesseans achieved this by coming together in a bipartisan manner to establish common-sense policies that are in the best interests of our children.

State-Approved Charters’ Funds Concern Metro
The Tennessean, TN, April 2, 2013
Metro Nashville school officials want a guarantee from the state legislature that, if an outside body is going to approve charter schools in Nashville, it will also protect the local districts from losing too much money in the process.

Dispute Of Details May Have Gov. Haslam’s Voucher Bill In Peril
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, April 1, 2013
Gov. Bill Haslam’s refusal to accept an expansion of his plan for launching a limited voucher system in Tennessee has raised the possibility that the measure will die in a dispute over details despite broad Republican support for the general idea.

TEXAS

Could AISD Lease the Allan Elementary Campus to IDEA?
KUT News, TX, April 2, 2013
The Austin School Board tonight will discuss possibly leasing the Allan Elementary School building to IDEA Public Schools, according to an item on the board’s agenda.

WASHINGTON

Give Principals More of A Voice In Teacher Placements
Seattle Times, WA, April 2, 2013
Principals need more of a say over teacher placements to ensure every student has an effective teacher.

12 State School Districts Agree To Authorize Charter Schools
NWCN, WA, April 2, 2013
A dozen Washington school districts have sent letters to the state Board of Education indicating intent to authorize charter schools starting in 2014, beating a Monday deadline.

WISCONSIN

Lawmaker Wants Tax Break For Private School Parents
WRN, WI, April 2, 2013
A state lawmaker is renewing a push to give families with kids in private schools a tax break.
State Representative Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) says the parents of children in private school don’t get to take advantage of the money that goes to public education. So, the Neenah Republican is co-sponsoring legislation that offers a $1,500 tax credit for students in elementary school and $2,500 for those in high school.

ONLINE LEARNING

Dist. 203 Board Disenchanted With Virtual Charter School Proposal
Chicago Daily Herald, IL, April 2, 2013
With a list of almost 150 unanswered questions and no corporate representatives present to answer them Monday night, Naperville Unit District 203 officials had little to discuss regarding a proposal to operate a virtual online charter school in the district.

Utah Surpasses All Others In Digital Education, New Study Finds
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, April 1, 2013
Utah ranks No. 1 when it comes to state policies dealing with online education, according to a new national study.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for 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

Curious Grade for Teachers: Nearly All Pass
New York Times, NY, March 31, 2013
Across the country, education reformers and their allies in both parties have revamped the way teachers are graded, abandoning methods under which nearly everyone was deemed satisfactory, even when students were falling behind.

School Suspensions: Does Racial Bias Feed The School-To-Prison Pipeline?
Christian Science Monitor, MA, March 31, 2013
Rocketing school suspensions may feed the school-to-prison pipeline – and even violate civil rights.

Parents Should Make the Choice
Carolina Journal, NC, April 1, 2013
By international standards, the opposite is true in both cases. America spends more tax dollars per student on elementary and secondary education than nearly every other country in the world. And with just over 90 percent of students enrolled in district-run public schools, America has less parental choice and competition than most of our international competitors do.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

Teacher Judging To Get Stricter
Arizona Daily Star, AZ, April 1, 2013
In the fall, all Tucson-area school districts will start judging teachers more strictly based on how their students perform on standardized tests and other measures of student progress.

COLORADO

A Billion-Dollar Bet For Colorado Schools?
Denver Post, CO, March 31, 2013
If you’re going to ask voters for a billion-dollar tax hike for schools, you’d better have a more compelling explanation than the insipid adage, “We owe it to the children.” And state Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, has no trouble passing the test, even if his bill rewriting Colorado’s school finance law doesn’t go as far as it might.

CONNECTICUT

Refining Teacher Prep Programs
Stamford Advocate, CT, March 31, 2013
Graduates of the state’s 21 teacher preparation programs need to be “classroom ready,” while the colleges that produce those teachers need to stand by their work, according to the report.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Charters Are Lifting The D.C. Public School System
Washington Post, DC, March 30, 2013
Courtland Milloy [“D.C. schools chief’s lofty goals face some tough tests,” Metro, March 20] wrongly claimed that D.C. public charter schools siphon resources and talented students from the public system.

FLORIDA

Public School Parents Solidly Reject ‘Parent Trigger’ Legislation
News-Press, FL, March 31, 2013
Despite a bruising defeat in the 2012 Florida Legislative session, Parent Trigger is something proponents are too stubborn to drop. Anointed 2013 sponsors, Rep. Carlos Trujillo and Sen. Kelli Stargel, struggling to re-position their brand say, “We want to give parents a seat at the table.” Thanks, but no thanks.

Debate Grows Over Merit Pay Plan For Teachers In Florida
Bradenton Herald, FL, April 1, 2013
Sen. Anitere Flores has a simple fix for a complex problem. The problem: Teachers have serious issues with the complicated new formula that will be used to evaluate them and determine pay raises. Some are being judged by the performance of students they’ve never met.

Conversation Starters On Charters To Come To Senate Education Committee
Tampa Bay Times Blog, FL, March 30, 2013
There’s been much talk in Tallahassee about the future of Florida charter schools during the legislative session, and the discussion is about to get more provocative.

GEORGIA

APS Officials To Begin Surrendering
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, March 31, 2013
The first of almost three dozen indicted educators are expected to walk through the doors of the Fulton County Jail around daybreak Monday to be searched, fingerprinted and processed as accused felons.

Charters Face Cuts After Dispute With School District
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, March 31, 2013
Atlanta’s charter schools are increasing class sizes, reducing staff and trimming budgets because nearly $3 million is being withheld from them in a legal dispute with the city school district. One judge has ruled the charters should have the money.

IDAHO

Grand Bargain For Schools Turns To Debacle In The Idaho Legislature
Idaho Statesman, ID, April 1, 2013
The Senate last week rejected the appropriations bill 18-17, a narrow defeat for a measure viewed as a compromise that had the backing of Idaho’s public schools chief, school boards and the Idaho teachers union. But it fell apart after Senate opponents charged the Joint Finance-Appropriations budget committee with not properly consulting with the Senate Education Committee about how key slices of the money were to be spent.

ILLINOIS

School-Closings Controversy Needs Some Reality Checks
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 31, 2013
As long as we’re playing “Let’s Pretend,” let’s also pretend lobbing accusations of racism is an effective negotiating gambit and a good lever to pull if you want to move public opinion toward your side.

INDIANA

Don’t Expand Scope Of School Vouchers
Northwest Times, IN, April 1, 2013
While we’re glad the Indiana Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s school voucher law, we’re not in a rush to see that law expanded.

LOUISIANA

Teacher Evaluation Law Up For Changes
The Advocate, LA, March 31, 2013
The chief sponsor of Louisiana’s teacher evaluation law said the change remains a solid idea, but some of the details need reworking.

MAINE

Bills To Limit Charter Schools Funding, Approval Slated For Monday Hearings
Morning Sentinel, ME, March 29, 2013
The Legislature’s education committee on Monday will hear a handful of bills to cut school district payments to charter schools and require local voter approval of new charter schools.

Oversight Unit Sits In Glare Of Charter Politics
Portland Press Herald, ME, April 1, 2013
Members say they can shun the fierce debate as they decide on doing an inquiry into one school’s finances.

MARYLAND

Baker Says School Takeover Plan Seeks To Make Prince George’s More Competitive
Washington Post, DC, March 30, 2013
Student test scores are among the lowest in the Washington region. Many classrooms are overcrowded. School buses often arrive late or not at all. Superintendents and teachers often leave after spending just a couple of years in the district.

Private K-12 Schools In Md. Get Little State Aid
Maryland Reporter, MD, March 31, 2013
The rift between public and private education couldn’t be much larger than it is in Maryland, where the public schools are boasted about as number 1 in the nation and the private schools receive less state funding than several neighboring states.

MASSACHUSETTS

The Ladder Lesson
Boston Globe, MA, April 1, 2013
In Lawrence, teachers’ raises will be based on merit, not seniority. But how will the union react?

MISSISSIPPI

Tate Reeves Risks Blame If Charter School Bills Fail As Session Winds Down
Mississippi Press, MS, April 1, 2013
Tate Reeves looked like a wizard after his first legislative session as Mississippi lieutenant governor. But the reputation of the Republican leader of the Senate could be in for a radical re-evaluation if a charter school expansion doesn’t make it into law in the closing days of the 2013 session.

Charters May Derail Successful Districts
Hattiesburg American, MS, April 1, 2013
We have always enjoyed tremendous success in Biloxi Public Schools, and our district is on track for even greater success.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Hostile To Charter Schools
Concord Monitor, NH, March 31, 2013
I don’t know what is in the water in Concord, but in the last year the House has gone from strongly supportive of public charter schools to outright hostility. Last week the House Finance Committee continued its assault on charters in a party-line vote to cut about $2.5 million from charter school tuition and leave charter school lease aid at $0.

NEW JERSEY

Trenton’s Foundation Academy Charter School Shows Potential For Success
Times of Trenton, NJ, April 1, 2013
When New Jersey’s charter school law was enacted two decades ago, the idea was that these smaller, more flexible institutions would be free to devise innovative approaches to challenges faced in regular public schools. And then their successes — innovations that worked — would be shared, with the hope that all students in a sponsoring district might benefit from fresh approaches to perennial issues.

Newark School Board Candidates Change Tone On Charter Schools
Star Ledger, NJ, March 31, 2013
As Newark’s school advisory board candidates hash out their positions in the run-up to the April 16 election, a change in tone has emerged from a slate once known for its opposition to charter schools.

Making The Grade In Camden Schools
Star-Ledger, NJ, March 31, 2013
The state takeover of public schools in New Jersey’s poorest city, Camden, last week is a move long overdue and presents a new opportunity for the local educational system to reinvent itself.

Critics Say Camden’s State-Appointed Schools Chief Will Have Too Much Power
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, April 1, 2013
An in-depth state report on Camden’s schools “in crisis” laid out several recommendations in August, including hiring a superintendent who could transform the district.

NEW MEXICO

Don’t Forget Charter Schools When Reforming Education
Albuquerque Journal, NM, March 31, 2013
In the modern era, education reform has been present in New Mexico at least since 1972. The conversation in 1972 was about equitable school funding by school enrollment.

NEW YORK

In N.Y.’S Schools, Anxiety Is High Over New Tests
News Journal, NY, March 31, 2013
If your child is due to take one of the state’s mysterious new tests in math and English later this month, don’t be surprised if he or she gets a lower score than in the past.

NORTH CAROLINA

In N.C., Teacher Tenure Doesn’t Mean A Guaranteed Job
Charlotte Observer, NC, March 31, 2013
A 34-year veteran teacher at Corinth Holders High in Wendell, he teaches U.S. history to 11th-graders, and he’s pretty sure that come fall, he’ll be there for his 35th year.

Broken Schools Or Broken Reform?
News-Record, NC, April 1, 2013
Having highly qualified teachers is essential to student success — but who in the future will be lured with wages that start low and fail to keep pace with our neighboring states?

N.C. Charter School Bill Is Very Troubling
Charlotte Observer, NC, March 31, 2013
There are so many troubling things about Senate Bill 337, an N.C. charter school bill unveiled last week, that it’s hard to know where to start. But this item stands out like a sore thumb: The bill would remove the requirement that at least half of a charter school’s teaching staff be certified, or be college educated.

OHIO

Lawmakers Aren’t Near A School-Funding Resolution
Columbus Dispatch, OH, April 1, 2013
Faced with an unpopular formula, a fast-approaching deadline, and an uncertain amount of money, Rep. Gerald Stebelton doubts a final school-funding plan can be crafted by the time the two-year state budget is approved.

Ohio’s New Chief Educator Is Expected To Seek Change
Columbus Dispatch, OH, March 31, 2013
People who know Ohio’s new state school superintendent have called him provocative, direct and impatient.

Urban Districts And Charter Schools Are More Likely To Get F’s On Report Cards
WKSU, OH, April 1, 2013
Starting this August, Ohio schools will be graded on a new set of criteria, ones are supposed to be tougher than the current district report cards. As StateImpact Ohio’s Ida Lieszkovszky reports, that means most urban districts and charter schools would get F’s.

OKLAHOMA

Conspiracy Theories About Common Core Should Be Ignored
The Oklahoman, OK, April 1, 2013
LAST week some lawmakers and citizens insisted that a state-developed, state-implemented set of academic standards is a federal conspiracy or even a United Nations takeover of education. Voters should recognize these views for the “black helicopter” musings that they are.

Oklahoma City Public Schools To Consider Grade-Changing Policy
The Oklahoman, OK, April 1, 2013
Oklahoma City public school students who fail a class but pass an end-of-instruction exam could receive a D in the course if the Oklahoma City School Board passes a recommended proposal at its meeting Monday night.

PENNSYLVANIA

NLRB To Oversee Union-Organizing Vote At Philadelphia Charter School
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, April 1, 2013
And, in what union officials said will be a first for a charter school in Pennsylvania, New Media’s union election will be overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) instead of Pennsylvania’s state labor board.

TENNESSEE

Bill Haslam Will Not Budge On Opposing The Expansion Of School Vouchers
Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN, April 1, 2013
Gov. Bill Haslam is prepared to withdraw his limited school voucher proposal from the Legislature if Senate Republicans carry out current plans to expand it, its sponsor says.

Could Charters Break MNPS Bank?
Nashville City Paper, TN, March 31, 2013
As the charter school movement gains steam in Nashville, local school board members are worried there’s not enough room in the budget to afford a windfall of the novel schools in years to come.

TEXAS

Vista Academy Students Get Pumped Up For First Shot At Assessments
Tyler Morning Telegraph, TX, April 1, 2013
Third- and fourth-graders at the Vista Academy of Tyler, a local charter school, were the center of attention during a pep rally on Friday. The rally was intended to encourage the students before they take state assessments this month.

WYOMING

Don’t Let Charter Schools Siphon Money From Public Schools
Billings Gazette, WY, March 30, 2013
Publicly funded charter schools might work well in some very large urban areas. However, Montana is sparsely populated (ranking 48th among 50 states, 2010 census). Our state is very rural. The counties with large K-12 enrollments are Yellowstone with 22,197, Missoula and Flathead with less than 13,500, and Gallatin and Cascade with less than 11,500.

Wyoming Schools Chief Cindy Hill Launches Public Schools Study
Star Tribune, WY, March 31, 2013
Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill is creating a report on the state’s public schools, which she and legislators say is intended to help guide education policy.

ONLINE LEARNING

Virtual School Uses ‘Blended Learning’
WPRI, RI, March 29, 2013
A high school unlike any Rhode Island has ever seen is set to open in September.

State Virtual School Could See Deep Funding Cut Under Lawmakers’ Proposal
Orlando Sentinel Blog, FL, March 29, 2013
When a student at a Florida public school takes a course with Florida Virtual School, the district doesn’t have to share any of its per-pupil funding — the online school gets money per class directly from the state.

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NATIONAL COVERAGE

States Look to Raise Standards for New Teachers
Stateline, March 28, 2013
David Rock wanted to be a teacher when he graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1987 with a math degree. But poor starting salaries for educators and the dim view of the profession held by his friends and parents convinced him to take a job in defense contracting instead.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

Lawmaker: Eliminate Inequity In JTED Funding For Charter Students
Cronkite News, AZ, March 28, 2013
Arizona’s mechanism for funding students who attend vocational programs offered by Joint Technical Education Districts unintentionally discriminates against those from charter schools, a state lawmaker contends.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Vincent Gray Proposes $442 Million For School Construction
Washington Examiner, DC, March 29, 2013
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray on Thursday proposed spending $442 million on school construction in the coming fiscal year, as well as $79 million more on schools’ daily operations and $7.4 million for charter school facilities.

FLORIDA

Florida Charter-School Advocates Ask For Recurring Facilities Dollars
Bradenton Herald, FL, March 28, 2013
The House Choice and Innovation in Education Subcommittee held a workshop on Wednesday to take up the controversial issue of charter-school funding.

GEORGIA

Legislature Votes To Expand School Tax Credit Program
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, March 28, 2013
The General Assembly voted to expand the state’s private school tax credit program Thursday night after protracted back-and-forth between supporters and opponents of the program.

Charter Schools Oversight Needs Reboot
Georgia Public Radio, GA, March 28, 2013
A new report from the Thomas Fordham Institute says charter schools’ governing structure needs a reboot now that they’ve been around for 20 years. The Institute gives Georgia high marks for its growth of charter schools.

IDAHO

Amended Charter School Funding Plan Passes Through Idaho Senate
Idaho Weekly, ID, March 28, 2013
An amended version of House Bill 206 – which would earmark a percentage of public schools facility levy funds for public charter schools – passed through the Idaho Senate today on a 20-15 vote.

ILLINOIS

Chicago School Closings Ignite Furor And Fears
USA Today, March 29, 2013
The announcement last week that Chicago Public Schools will close 54 schools before classes begin next fall is creating a furor and igniting fears.

INDIANA

Public Schools Lose Again
Journal and Courier, IN, March 29, 2013
Now that the Indiana Supreme Court has ended the debate over the state constitutionality of school vouchers, the legislature can go ahead and proceed with its debate over how large to make the program.

After Project School’s Closure, Parents Make New School Choice: Start Over
State Impact, IN, March 28, 2013
The ink was barely dry on a legal decision that sealed fate of The Project School — Mayor Greg Ballard had ordered the Indianapolis charter school to close — when some of the school’s staff declared they would still hold classes this year, charter or not.

IOWA

Legislators Optimistic About Education Reform
Des Moines Register, IA, March 28, 2013
An education reform package allowing school districts to offer teachers new career leadership options remains the Iowa Legislature’s best hope for meaningful action this year, leaders from both parties said Thursday.

KENTUCKY

Louisville Tea Party Supports Charter Schools, Less Transportation, More Fiscal Accountability
WFPL, KY, March 28, 2013
The Louisville Tea Party has developed new education initiatives the group plans to support through fund raising.

MAINE

LePage: Portland Mayor ‘Stunningly Cynical And Shortsighted’ In Charter School Challenge
Bangor Daily News, ME, March 28, 2013
Gov. Paul LePage took aim at what he called Mayor Michael Brennan’s “campaign” against a proposed charter school in Maine’s largest city, saying in a letter to the Portland mayor that he is “appalled by your constant attacks upon students who simply want to better learn technology and science.”

Inflating Schools’ Woes Eases Path To Privatization
Morning Sentinel, ME, March 29, 2013
Gov. Paul LePage’s education reform conference in Augusta last week made one thing clear: The governor is less interested in improving public schools than in replacing them.

MICHIGAN

Albion Public Schools Officials Talk Charter Schools As Way To Fix $1 Million Budget Deficit In 2013-14
Jackson Citizen Patriot, MI, March 28, 2013
Staring down a$1 million budget deficit in the coming fiscal year, Albion Public Schools Board of Education members Tuesday discussed ways the district could share some of its operations with a charter school.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Democrats Are Playing Politics With Charter Schools
Concord Monitor, NH, March 28, 2013
The Democrats on the New Hampshire House Finance Committee are playing the worst kind of political games because this involves our children’s education.

Voucher Supporters Covet Government Money
Portsmouth Herald, NH, March 29, 2013
The two organizations that have been lobbying for education tax credits — The Network for Educational Opportunity and The Alliance for the Separation of School and State — declare on their Web sites: “I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education.”

The More We Learn, The Worse Vouchers Seem
Portsmouth Herald, NH, March 29, 2013
I would like to respond to the spirited defense of Sen. Stiles mounted in a Saturday, March 19, letter from the prime sponsor of the voucher bill, former Sen. Jim Forsythe.

NEW JERSEY

Give Camden School ‘Intervention’ A Chance
Vineland Daily Journal, NJ, March 28, 2013
A major problem with education in New Jersey is the people in charge keep trying the same things over and over, expecting a different result.

How Union City Saved Its Schools
New York Daily News, NY, March 29, 2013
Union City, N.J., is an unlikely poster child for education reform. But today, this poor enclave has a strong reputation for bringing Latino immigrant youngsters into the education mainstream. New York City’s current mayoral candidates would be smart to absorb its lessons.

NEW YORK

Teachers’ Union Fighting Tests, Evaluations Pairing
Times Herald Record, NY, March 29, 2013
The New York State United Teachers union has launched a $250,000 statewide campaign that blasts the State Education Department for promoting what’s known as “high-stakes testing.”

Attempted Charter Cuts Leave Some Bad Feelings
Albany Times Union, NY, March 28, 2013
Local legislators inserted a poison pill into the state budget on behalf of the Albany school district that would have stripped millions of dollars in charter school funding. The proposal is now dead, but it has left some hard feelings in its wake.

NORTH CAROLINA

Mooneyham: Teachers Not Warm To GOP
Greenville Daily Reflector, NC, March 29, 2013
State Senate leader Phil Berger may be making no friends among school teachers. For a second straight year, the Rockingham County Republican is proposing that tenure for North Carolina public school teachers be eliminated.

Scary Reading In Charter School Bill
Washington Post Blog, DC, March 28, 2013
A bill in the North Carolina Senate is highly revealing about how much concern its Republican sponsors really have for accountability in education.
OHIO

‘Still Frontier Kids’
Marietta Times, OH, March 29, 2013
Becoming a charter school would not sever Lawrence Elementary’s ties with the Frontier Local school district.

PENNSYLVANIA

School Reform Commission Passes $2.7B Preliminary 2013-14 Budget
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, March 29, 2013
Already in dire financial straits, the Philadelphia School District must now find ways to plug a hole of as much as $304 million next year.

York Schools Debate All-Charter Option
York Dispatch, PA, March 28, 2013
Red Lion Area Senior High School teacher Cari Ayala is convinced her daughter is getting a quality education in the York City School District.

TCCS CEO: Bright Future For Charters
Times Observer, PA, March 29, 2013
Public school districts try to provide new opportunities through varied curricular choices and enhanced programs. But a different model exists charter schools.

TENNESSEE

TN Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman Rejects Invitation From Metro School Board
The Tennessean, TN, March 29, 2013
Despite an invitation to discuss the Metro school board’s top legislative concern, the state’s top education official won’t be stopping by.

TEXAS

More Access To Private Education Makes Sense
Houston Chronicle, TX, March 28, 2013
Private schools have been serving Texas families very well for decades. But now that state lawmakers are discussing ways to increase access to those schools for low- and middle-income families, myths about private education are being raised.

Texas ‘Parent-Trigger’ Schools Measure Advances
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX, March 29, 2013
A measure making it easier for parents to urge their school boards to close failing schools or convert them into charters was sent Thursday to the full Texas Senate for consideration, but with modifications adding an extra year to the process and seeking to ensure such efforts aren’t led by outside groups.

People Can Seek School Fixes Sooner Under Legislative Bill
Reporter News, TX, March 29, 2013
A measure making it easier for parents to urge their school boards to close failing schools or convert them into charters was sent Thursday to the full Texas Senate for consideration, but with modifications adding an extra year to the process and seeking to ensure such efforts aren’t led by outside groups.

Parents Speak About Choosing Magnolia Charter School
KSLA, TX, March 29, 2013
Caddo Parish’s newest public school, Magnolia School, is already filled to capacity for next year, and parents are speaking to KSLA News 12 about why they are choosing to place their kids in this charter school.

WASHINGTON

Tacoma School Board Moves Ahead In Process To Become Charter Authorizer
Bellingham Herald, WA, March 28, 2013
By a 4-1 vote Thursday, the Tacoma School Board approved sending a letter to the Washington State Board of Education that signals the district’s intent to apply to become an authorizer of the independently run, publicly funded schools.

NK School Board Backs Away From Taking Role In Charter School Formation
Kitsap News, WA, March 28, 2013
The North Kitsap School Board on Thursday shied away from having a hand in formation of a charter school within the district.

WISCONSIN

Republicans Against Vouchers
Wall Street Journal, March 29, 2013
School vouchers are usually opposed by teachers unions and their Democratic allies, but a dirty little secret is that some suburban Republicans oppose them too. The latter is the case in Wisconsin, where GOP Governor Scott Walker’s plan to get more kids out of failing schools is facing opposition from short-sighted members of his own party.

ONLINE LEARNING

Funding Cut For Virtual School?
Gainesville Sun, FL, March 28, 2013
A change to the way funding for the Florida Virtual School is calculated passed a pair of House committees Wednesday, despite criticisms that the changes would deeply reduce funding for the online institution.

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NATIONAL COVERAGE

With Vouchers, States Shift Aid for Schools to Families
New York Times, NY, March 28, 2013
A growing number of lawmakers across the country are taking steps to redefine public education, shifting the debate from the classroom to the pocketbook. Instead of simply financing a traditional system of neighborhood schools, legislators and some governors are headed toward funneling public money directly to families, who would be free to choose the kind of schooling they believe is best for their children, be it public, charter, private, religious, online or at home.

What’s Really Wrong With America’s Education System
Washington Times, DC, March 26, 2013
It’s amazing how education reform was suddenly transformed into the Democrats’ key domestic policy issue. Consider the Democratic strategy for improving urban education in America so far: Dump millions and billions of our tax dollars down the ratholes of failing school districts in the name of saving our children, a tactic which has consistently failed for two generations.

FROM THE STATES

ALASKA

House Panel Amends, Advances Teacher Tenure Bill
Juneau Empire, AK, March 27, 2013
A bill that would require teachers to work in the same district continuously for five full school years to be eligible for tenure moved out of its only committee of referral on Wednesday.

ARKANSAS

School-Choice Bill Clears Senate Panel
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, AR, March 28, 2013
The Arkansas General Assembly should enact a new school-choice law with a 2015 expiration date, which would allow lawmakers in two years to incorporate, if necessary, a pending federal appeals court ruling on a challenge to the current law, the Republican chairman of the Senate Education Committee said Wednesday.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. School Facilities Plan Considers Charters For The First Time
Washington Post, DC, March 27, 2013
Neighborhoods in Southeast Washington, on Capitol Hill and along the eastern border of Rock Creek Park are among those most in need of school renovations, according to a school facilities plan the Gray administration released Wednesday.

FLORIDA

Montessori Charter School Could Succeed Where Others Have Failed
Orlando Sentinel, FL, March 28, 2013
Charter schools in Lake County so far have been either a bore or a dismal failure.
That’s too bad, because charters hold intriguing possibilities for education. They also can quickly descend into the realm of educational whimsy — funded by you, the very helpful taxpayer. (“Yahoo, Martha! Let’s build us a dang school! We can teach them young’uns their letters ‘n’ cipherin’!”)

Teacher Evaluations Changes Advance In Legislature
Ocala Star Banner, FL, March 27, 2013
Efforts to revise the way Florida public school teachers are evaluated took a big step forward last week when a key legislative committee unanimously approved proposed changes.

House Finds Money To Match Scott’s Teacher Raises
Tallahassee Democrat, FL, March 28, 2013
Thanks to some new arithmetic, the Florida House is in a position to meet, and possibly exceed, Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed across-the-board pay raise for teachers.

ILLINOIS

Loop Rally, March Targeting CPS Closings Lead To 127 Detained
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 27, 2013
On a day when Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the time for negotiations on school closings was over, the Chicago Teachers Union led hundreds of supporters in a highly orchestrated downtown rally and march as part of its continuing efforts to derail the district’s plan to shut 53 elementary schools.

INDIANA

A Good Decision For Families
Indianapolis Star, IN, March 27, 2013
The legal arguments raised against Indiana’s school voucher program have been an unnecessary, unpersuasive distraction from addressing the very real problems that face many schools in our state.

Let The Voucher Debate Proceed
News-Sentinel, IN, March 28, 2013
There never should have been any doubt about the constitutionality of Indiana’s school voucher program. Now there isn’t. The state Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that the vouchers do not violate the Indiana constitution’s prohibition of spending “for the benefit of” religious institutions.

Senate Panel Adds Public Review Of Indianapolis Mayor’s Charter School Approvals To Bill
Indianapolis Star, IN, March 27, 2013
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard’s effort to strengthen his power to sponsor charter schools inched ahead today in an Indiana Senate committee, following a compromise that partly addressed concerns about losing the public’s review of his decisions.

IOWA

Learning to Teach
Sioux City Journal, IA, March 28, 2013
Iowa’s push for school reform has education majors waiting to see what changes may be in store as they prepare to start their teaching careers.

LOUISIANA

Voucher Applicants, Participating Schools Rise
The Advertiser, LA, March 28, 2013
Despite a court ruling that it’s unconstitutional to use funds dedicated to public schools to fund vouchers to attend private schools, the number of parents applying for vouchers for their children and the number of schools offering voucher slots is higher than a year ago.

Jindal Administration Begins Renewed Push For Education Overhaul, Starting With Teacher Tenure
Times-Picayune, LA, March 27, 2013
As Gov. Bobby Jindal’s massive education overhaul awaits judgment by the state’s highest court, the governor and his allies in the Capitol are hoping to take out insurance against an unfavorable ruling by re-filing last year’s legislation in smaller, more easily digestible pieces.

MARYLAND

Say No To Prince George’s Schools Takeover
Baltimore Sun, MD, March 27, 2013
Handing over authority for Prince George’s County schools to county executive would set a regrettable precedent for Maryland

MICHIGAN

Detroit Schools’ EM Fires Academics Chief
Detroit News, MI, March 28, 2013
Detroit Public Schools emergency manager Roy Roberts in an executive order is expected to announce today that he has fired the interim superintendent of academics, just as a new emergency manager law takes effect.

Educational Achievement Authority Needs More Accountability
Battle Creek Inquirer, MI, March 27, 2013
Neither the Legislature nor Gov. Rick Snyder have articulated a clear vision of how they are going to build capacity for meaningful public education reform, so we see no compelling reason to expand the state’s ability to take over local schools.

MISSISSIPPI

Be Constructive On Teacher Education
Enterprise-Journal, MS, March 28, 2013
That was quite a tantrum Gov. Phil Bryant pitched at the College Board recently, criticizing its members for voicing concerns about his effort to increase standards for education majors.

Charter Schools Votes Shift in the House
WTOK, MS, March 27, 2013
Some Mississippi House members shifted their positions on a bill that would provide for charter school expansion in the state, allowing it to move forward Wednesday.

MISSOURI

Rethinking The Achievement Gap
St. Louis American, MO, March 27, 2013
Over the last few decades, the notion of the “achievement gap” has come center stage in the national debate on education. First coined in the 1960s, the term refers to disparities in academic achievement along racial and economic lines. And since then, it’s been an important driver of the work to address those disparities.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Hudson Elementary Students May Be On The Move
Nashua Telegraph, NH, March 28, 2013
Hudson Superintendent Bryan Lane was under no delusions when he put forward a dramatic redistricting plan to boost student achievement in the town’s elementary schools.

NEW YORK

Study Faults Progress Report Controls
Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2013
Public high schools are more likely to get poor grades on New York City’s annual progress reports if they have higher numbers of students who are impoverished, special-needs, black or Latino, according to a study set to be released Thursday.

NORTH CAROLINA

GOP Seeks New Way To Govern Charter Schools
Charlotte Observer, NC, March 27, 2013
Frustrated by current restrictions, Republican lawmakers are crafting an entirely new system to manage charter schools, establishing a separate governing board filled with advocates and eliminating requirements for licensed teachers.

Lawmakers Seem Intent On Demonstrating Muscle
Hickory Record, NC, March 27, 2013
Now, some lawmakers want to remove oversight of charter schools from the state Board of Education and put a charter school board in charge. That doesn’t make sense. These lawmakers want to alter the way tax-funded charter schools operate. So instead of drafting a new code and letting the bureaucracy in place implement the changes, they want a completely new hierarchy to run charter schools.

OHIO

In Choosing A Charter School, A Free Bus Ride Sometimes More Important Than Academic Quality
Akron Beacon Journal, OH, March 24, 2013
Last school year, 6,143 Akron-Canton area students all shared one thing in common: They withdrew from traditional public schools to attend publicly funded, privately run charter schools that had lower academic ratings than the public school they left, according to state data.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City Rally Questions Common Core State Standards Planned For Public Schools
The Oklahoman, OK, March 28, 2013
Opponents question the cost and purpose behind developing the curriculum. Oklahoma education officials say the curriculum, which will be implemented in 2014-15, would provide a consistent understanding of what students are supposed to learn.

TENNESSEE

Charter Authorizer Bill Shifts Focus To Largest TN Cities
The Tennessean, TN, March 28, 2013
Controversial legislation that would create a new state panel that could authorize charter schools might take on a new form to target Tennessee’s largest cities, including Nashville.

UTAH

Charter Schools Should Be Accountable
The Spectrum, UT, March 27, 2013
In recent years, Utah charter schools have fulfilled the needs of students that otherwise might not have been met.

WASHINGTON

Charter Schools Opponent To Become Supporter?
News Tribune, WA, March 28, 2013
The board of the state’s third-largest school district will decide tonight whether Tacoma Public Schools will consider being a charter schools authorizer under last fall’s Initiative 1240.

ONLINE LEARNING

Shaler Students Blast Off Into Virtual World Of Learning
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, March 27, 2013
Last week, the school celebrated the official launch of IKS Titan, a virtual classroom that provides students with educational, simulated adventures.

Florida Virtual School Supporters Oppose House Spending Plan
Tampa Bay Times, FL, March 27, 2013
Supporters of the Florida Virtual School, for example, took issue with a proposed tweak to the way Florida calculates per-student funding. They argued the new model would cost the state’s online school about $35 million in public money.

Blended Learning Is Part Of Improvement Plan
Reynoldsburg News, OH, March 27, 2013
A peer-tutoring program created by students is part of a continuous improvement plan for Hannah Ashton Middle School that features blended learning, linking lessons with technology.

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NATIONAL

Indiana Court Backs School-Voucher Law
Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2013
Indiana’s Supreme Court upheld a law that lets taxpayer funds pay for private schools, boosting an effort to expand what is already the broadest such voucher program in the U.S. and rebuffing critics who say it undermines public education.

School Vouchers Survive Their Test
Journal and Courier, IN, March 26, 2013
Indiana’s private school voucher system, touted as the broadest in the nation, is here to stay.

Will Obama’s Budget Recognize Charter Schools?
Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2013
President Obama will soon release his federal budget for 2014, and a top priority is likely to be early-childhood education, particularly for the poor. But will the proposal seek much funding for the growth of charter schools—at least more than the paltry 0.4% of federal education spending that currently supports these exciting and demonstrably successful schools?

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Taking A Crack At California’s Education System
Los Angeles Times, CA, March 27, 2013
Michelle Rhee came to prominence as the tough-minded chancellor of Washington, D.C., schools. Now she’s in Sacramento, taking on this state’s system — and its teachers unions.

Temecula Valley Charter Changes Likely Mean New Teachers
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, March 26, 2013
With the revision calling for the charter school to hire non-district teachers, all 19 of the school’s instructors are expected to leave the 500-student school in Winchester, school officials said.

CONNECTICUT

Teachers Union Opposes Nomination Of Charter School Executive To State Board Of Education
Hartford Courant, CT, March 26, 2013
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s nomination of a charter school executive to the state Board of Education has met with a brushfire of opposition from a teachers union.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Charter School Board To Start Investigating Special Education Practices
Washington Examiner, DC, March 26, 2013
D.C. charter schools’ special education programs will be investigated if the schools appear to discriminate against students with disabilities, under a new policy announced Tuesday.

FLORIDA

Pinellas Officials Fighting Charter School Legislation
Tampa Tribune, FL, March 27, 2013
New proposals from Florida legislators could bring more charter schools to Pinellas County, but not if Pinellas County School Board members have their say.

Charter School ‘Trigger’ Bill Backers Hopeful
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL, March 26, 2013
Advocates for a bill that would give parents the ability to turn over failing schools to charter companies insisted Tuesday that the legislation will improve public education, not undermine it.

GEORGIA

Six Charter School Efforts Under Way In Bibb County
Macon Telegraph, GA, March 26, 2013
At least six efforts are in the works to start charter schools in Bibb County in 2014, the most recent coming this month from two former Westside High School educators.

Druid Hills Parents May Use Charter Law To Gain Control Over School Cluster
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, March 26, 2013
Parents from Druid Hills High School and the middle and five elementary schools that feed it are moving to activate a state law that allows a buffer between school “clusters” and district leadership.

HAWAII

Teachers Grade Teacher Evaluations
Hawaii News Now, HI, March 26, 2013
The new contract public school teachers will vote on April 17 says teacher evaluations will be based on observations of instructors, student surveys and student growth.

IDAHO

Idaho Lawmakers Dump Private School Tax Credits
Idaho State Journal, ID, March 26, 2013
A Senate panel ended hopes of private and religious schools that were pushing for Idaho to extend a tax break to people who donate to scholarships meant to defray the cost of tuition.

ILLINOIS

1,500 Kids
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 27, 2013
Last year Concept Schools came to Chicago public schools officials with a terrific idea. The Des Plaines-based charter operator wanted to open two new K-12 schools focused on math and science. Concept, which runs the prestigious Chicago Math and Science Academy, wanted to give 1,500 children a chance at a superior education.

IOWA

Senate Democrats Tout “Flexibility” In Education Reform Plan
Iowa Radio, IA, March 26, 2013
Senate Democrats have formally endorsed their own education reform package, giving schools flexibility to choose from a variety of teacher improvement plans.

KENTUCKY

Kentucky To JCPS: Make Fixes At Low-Performing Schools Or Face Takeover
Louisville Courier Journal, KY, March 27, 2013
Jefferson County Public Schools must better train its principals and remove union obstructions at its lowest-performing schools — part of a host of changes the district has to make to avoid a state takeover of those schools’ turnaround efforts.

MARYLAND

Prince George’s Council: ‘No Checks And Balances’ In Rushern Baker’s School Takeover
Washington Examiner, DC, March 26, 2013
Prince George’s County Council members are lamenting their lack of power under County Executive Rushern Baker’s proposal to take over the county school system.

MISSISSIPPI

House Deals Blow To Gov. Bryant’s Education Reform Bill
Clarion Ledger, MS, March 26, 2013
The House may have killed Gov. Phil Bryant’s overall education reform bill known as Mississippi Education Works, which allows charter schools, prevents third grade students from passing to the fourth grade if their reading level isn’t up to standards, sets standards for future teachers, among other things.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Education Plans Scaled Back
Sea Coast Online, NH, March 27, 2013
With no gambling revenues for New Hampshire to count on, House budget writers voted Tuesday to scale back on education proposals, recommending less money for the state’s university system and moratoriums on new charter schools and school building projects.

NEW JERSEY

Teeny-Weeny Education Reform, Small Steps to Success in New Jersey
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, March 26, 2013
In 1994, Gov. Christie Whitman announced a plan, never endorsed by the Legislature, to offer publicly funded vouchers to private and parochial schools for children in Jersey City. Over the past 20 years, Whitman’s modest proposal has evolved into the Opportunity Scholarship Act (OSA).

State Takeover Of Camden Schools Is A Necessity
Star-Ledger, NJ, March 27, 2013
The Camden school district spends more than $22,000 per student, and more than half of them drop out.

Results of New Jersey School Takeovers Mixed
USA Today, March 26, 2013
Now that the state of New Jersey has taken over the troubled Camden city school district, the public should expect mixed academic results at best and a major state role that could last into the 2030s, experts say.

OKLAHOMA

KIPP Provides An Educational Model Worth Emulating
The Oklahoman, OK, March 27, 2013
FOR years, KIPP Reach College Preparatory in Oklahoma City has been one of Oklahoma’s best schools while serving low-income students from the urban core. A new study of Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) schools nationwide shows KIPP Reach is not an anomaly.

PENNSYLVANIA

Harrisburg’s CASA Faces Many Changes As It Transitions Into Charter School
Patriot News, PA, March 26, 2013
Assuming they do well both onstage and in the classroom during the coming school year, Livingston and Weinstock will be members of the first graduating class of the Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charter Schools Bring Change
Charleston Post Courier, SC, March 27, 2013
It’s still difficult for some educators to say “charter schools” without sneering. But in Charleston County, charter schools are delivering on promises.

TENNESSEE

Nashville School Evaluation Plan Has Different Focus Than State’s
The Tennessean, TN, March 27, 2013
Metro Nashville school board members got their first look at a new school performance measurement system that gives little weight to closing the achievement gap between different groups of students, a point of emphasis with the state.

Welfare Bill Now Pushes Parents’ Role In Schools
The Tennessean, TN, March 27, 2013
A state Senate committee passed an amended version of a bill reducing federal welfare benefits for families with students who fail a grade in school.

TEXAS

Amended Charter School Bill Advances
San Antonio Express, TX, March 26, 2013
A revised version of a bill to change the Texas charter school system advanced out of the state’s Senate Education Committee on Tuesday.

Senate Education Panel Considers “Parent Trigger” Bill
Texas Tribune, TX, March 26, 2013
A contentious Senate committee hearing on Tuesday pitted advocates of education reform against those who worry changes will weaken public education in the state as they discussed a measure that would make it easier for Texas parents to ask school boards to take action against failing schools.

WEST VIRGINIA

Senate Bill Makes Administrators Substitute Teach
Logan Banner, WV, March 26, 2013
The West Virginia Senate will vote on a bill Wednesday that would require certain school administrators to serve as substitute teachers for three days each year.

Local Officials See Education Reform Bill As A Start
Charleston Daily Mail, WV, March 27, 2013
When Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signs his education reform package into law, West Virginia’s 55 local school boards will gain a certain amount of power.

ONLINE LEARNING

Support Charter School Reform To Save Money
Delaware County Times, PA, March 27, 2013
The General Assembly can produce these savings by passing my bipartisan charter and cyber charter school reform bill, which will soon be introduced as H.B. 934.

MASD Advertises Resolution On Cyber Charter School Funding
The Sentinel, PA, March 26, 2013
The Mechanicsburg Area School District moved a resolution forward regarding the district’s stance on cyber charter school funding.

As Expansion Looms, Gov. Rick Snyder Gives Cyber School Technology A Whirl
Grand Rapids Press, MI, March 26, 2013
Gov. Rick Snyder got some hands-on experience Tuesday with the type of cyber charter school program that will be expanding next fall under a new Michigan law.

D203 Candidates Question Virtual Charter School Proposal
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 26, 2013
A proposal for an online charter school in the western suburbs did not make a good first impression on many of the candidates running for the Naperville Unit District 203 school board.