Sign Up For Our Newsletter

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.

Holding States and Schools Accountable
New York Times, NY, February 10, 2013
As Congress contemplates rewriting No Child Left Behind, President George W. Bush’s signature education law, legislators will tussle over a vision of how the federal government should hold states and schools accountable for students’ academic progress.

The Secret to Fixing Bad Schools
New York Times, NY, February 10, 2013
WHAT would it really take to give students a first-rate education? Some argue that our schools are irremediably broken and that charter schools offer the only solution. The striking achievement of Union City, N.J. — bringing poor, mostly immigrant kids into the educational mainstream — argues for reinventing the public schools we have.

FROM THE STATES

ARKANSAS

ADE Discusses Common Core and Charter Schools
KARK, AR, February 10, 2013
The Arkansas State Board of Education is meeting for a work session to discuss Common Core state standards and upcoming charter school renewal process ahead of the board’s meeting Monday morning.

CALIFORNIA

Teamwork Reverses School’s Fortune
Stockton Record, CA, February 11, 2013
Undeterred by the foreboding sky threatening rain, fifth-grade teacher Talia Ortega led her 30 students to the Nightingale Charter School playground last week, not for fun and games but to study the water cycle.

COLORADO

Charter School Opens $9.7 Million Facility
9NEWS, CO, February 10, 2013
Tammy Stringari knows first-hand how difficult it can be for charter schools to pay for their own buildings. That’s why when Jefferson Academy opened the doors on a new building for the first time Saturday afternoon, the principal says it was the end of a journey both short and long.

Waldorf-Inspired Local Charter School Focuses On Sustainability
The Coloradoan, CO, February 9, 2013
More than three years ago, a group of local parents and educators convened to discuss how they could create a Waldorf-inspired school in Fort Collins. Their vision was to open a school where children would be educated to know their own creative power, their day to day would be steeped in sustainable living practices, arts and music would be the threads that tie all subjects together, and each child would feel their place within the community.

Critics Linger, But Colorado Girds For Roll-Out Of Common Core
Denver Post, CO, February 10, 2013
As a ninth-grade earth-science teacher, Cheryl Mosier initially figured the upcoming implementation of national standards for math and literacy would have little impact on her classes at Columbine High School.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Debates Growth Of Charter Schools
Washington Post, DC, February 10, 2013
It’s the latest sign that the District is on track to become a city where a majority of children are educated not in traditional public schools but in public charters: A California nonprofit group has proposed opening eight D.C. charter schools that would enroll more than 5,000 students by 2019.

Charters Shell Out To Renovate Long-Vacant D.C. School Buildings
Washington Examiner, DC, February 10, 2013
With its students divided among three campuses on 16th Street Northwest — sharing facilities with churches on two — it’s easy to understand why Washington Latin Public Charter School is eager to lease a former D.C. public school.

The Exaggeration Of Charter School Waiting List
Washington Post Blog, DC, February 10, 2013
No doubt there are excellent charter schools in the country where the waiting lists are very, very long. But there also are instances where waiting lists aren’t exactly as long as they appear.

FLORIDA

With Millions At Stake, Tutoring Lobby Goes Into Action
Miami Herald, FL, February 11, 2013
Florida won a waiver from a requirement that school districts hire tutors, but the industry made sure the money kept flowing.

GEORGIA

Blackmon: ‘Parent Trigger’ Sidesteps Real Education Issues
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, February 9, 2013
Making its way through the Georgia House of Representatives is a nefarious bill under the misleading name of Parent and Teacher Empowerment Act. It is more commonly known as the “parent trigger.” Some are calling it The Chaos Theory of Running Our Schools Act.

Bill Seeks New Teacher Evaluation System
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, February 9, 2013
State Rep. Randy Nix, R-LaGrange, has introduced legislation to establish a new system for the evaluation of teachers, assistant principals and principals.

IDAHO

On Education, Legislators Must Do More Than Listen
Idaho Statesman, ID, February 11, 2013
Idaho’s House and Senate Education committees need to focus more on Idaho’s educational dog and not the charter school tail wagging it. If you rounded up every child enrolled in a charter school as well as every student who’d like to attend one, you’d still be talking about no more than 10 percent of the kids in the Gem State.

ILLINOIS

A Do-Over On Accountability For UNO Charter-School Contracting
Chicago Sun Times, IL, February 10, 2013
The United Neighborhood Organization seems to have forgotten that it pays its bills with public dollars.

CPS Parents Make Pre-Emptive Push To Keep Logan Square School Open
Chicago Tribune, IL, February 11, 2013
Brentano Elementary Math and Science Academy not yet slated for shutdown, but it meets CPS criteria for closing

KANSAS

School Choice Provides Hope, Opportunity
Wichita Eagle, KS, February 11, 2013
The results of our assignment-by-ZIP code public-education system over the last half century show that we shouldn’t. Graduation rates have remained stagnant since the 1970s, with roughly three-quarters of students graduating. In some of America’s largest cities, fewer than half of all students complete high school.

LOUISIANA

La. High Court To Hear Voucher Case
The Advocate, LA, February 11, 2013
Louisiana’s top court next month will hear the state’s appeal of a Baton Rouge judge’s ruling that Louisiana’s expanded voucher program, along with another key legislatively approved piece of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s public school overhaul plan, unconstitutionally divert public funds to private and parochial schools.

Cravins Calls For Independent District
Opelousas Daily World, LA, February 10, 2013
Opelousas Mayor Donald Cravins has said that he will ask the city council at its Feb. 19 meeting to either create an independent school district for the city or move to a charter school system.

Continuing School Reforms In Jefferson Parish
Times-Picayune, LA, February 10, 2013
For years Jefferson Parish school leaders resisted change, rejecting education reform measures and allowing parish schools to slide downward. Fortunately, that is no longer true. The latest evidence is the new partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to try to make the system’s budget line up with goals for reform.

MARYLAND

Montgomery Schools Wrong To Balk At Evaluation Proposals
Washington Post, DC, February 9, 2013
MARYLAND ESTABLISHED its credentials as a leader in education reform by insisting on making schools accountable for their results. That certainly was the hallmark of now-retired state schools superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick, whose lengthy tenure pioneered reforms that are now established education policy.

Charter And Independent Schools Faced Financial, Academic Challenges
Baltimore Sun, MD, February 9, 2013
In response to a system that many believed had long failed young black boys, a school began to take shape seven years ago in a small East Baltimore neighborhood.

MASSACHUSETTS

Chieppo And Gass: More Charter Schools To Close The Education Gap
Medway Country Gazette, MA, February 10, 2013
It’s easy to become desensitized to the plight of students in our lowest-performing school districts. We routinely read about the latest efforts to turn around a failing school or, as in Lawrence, an entire district. But the problem never seems to go away.

MICHIGAN

Snyder Criticized In School Aid Move
Detroit News, MI, February 11, 2013
For the third year in a row, Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget is balanced by diverting nearly $400 million from a fund normally reserved for K-12 public schools to fund community colleges and four-year universities.

MINNESOTA

German Immersion School Will Move To St. Paul’s Como Park Area
Twin Cities Pioneer Press, MN, February 10, 2013
Minnesota’s only German-language charter school is gearing up for a move this summer. Amid the bustle of light rail construction at its University Avenue spot in St. Paul, the Twin Cities German Immersion School has been looking around for a permanent home. Meanwhile, its enrollment continued to grow.

MONTANA

MEA-MFT Is Wrong In Calling School Choice Unconstitutional
Montana Standard, MT, February 10, 2013
The stark contrast between a statesman and a lobbyist or politician is no more clear than in the remarks Eric Feaver, president of MEA-MFT. Unfortunately, Mr. Feaver’s untruthful remarks (“MEA-MFT: Just say ‘no’ to Joe,” Feb. 1) resonate only with the uneducated, and there are a lot of them.

NEVADA

Improving Schools Isn’t Easy, And It’s Certainly Not Cheap
Reno Gazette-Journal, NV, February 11, 2013
Running a school isn’t easy, and it certainly isn’t cheap. It’s especially difficult if you try to do it on the approximately $6,000 per student that Nevada provides to public and charter schools.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Stiles Should Support Voucher Repeal
Seacoast Online, NH, February 10, 2013
Starting next September, New Hampshire’s new voucher program would provide scholarships worth an average of $2,500 per year to students going to private and religious schools and up to $625 for home schooling costs. Businesses could fund these scholarships in lieu of paying their state taxes. The state would off-set the lost business taxes by reducing state funding to school districts.

NEW JERSEY

In Local Battles Against Charters, Florence Township Joins the Fray
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, February 11, 2013
In what is becoming an annual ritual in towns across the state, another charter school is running into local resistance.

Laying Siege To New Jersey’s Public School System
Times of Trenton, NJ, February 11, 2013
If one follows press reports in this country, one gets the distinct impression that there is a grand scheme afoot to destroy the American public school system. The demise of public schools, it’s suggested, will make way for the Golden Age of Charter Schools, the self-styled wave of the future, the Promised Land and long-awaited Deliverer of American education.

NEW MEXICO

Crammed Classes
Albuquerque Journal, NM, February 11, 2013
For the past three years, Albuquerque Public Schools has been operating under a class size waiver from the state, which allows classes to exceed state maximums. This year and last, the waiver has allowed APS to exceed the minimums by 7 percent. For example, secondary teachers can now have a daily course load of 171 students instead of 160. In fiscal 2011, the district had a 3 percent waiver.

NEW YORK

Harlem Offers Elementary School Options From Magnets to Charters
DNAinfo, NY, February 11, 2013
Talk to Harlem parents, students and educators, and the tension between charter schools and district public schools is evident.

NORTH CAROLINA

To Close Achievement Gap, CMS Needs Cultural Competency
Charlotte Observer, NC, February 10, 2013
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has been nationally recognized for progress in narrowing achievement gaps for our students.

OHIO

Charter Schools Are Scapegoats
Tribune Chronicle, OH, February 10, 2013
Late last month a chorus of local public school administrators sounded off against state funding of charter schools. Those administrators, however, painted a skewed picture of the charter schools issue.

Stakes High For New Teacher Evaluation System
Hamilton Journal News, OH, February 9, 2013
Student performance will factor into teacher’s evaluation. Hamilton, Middletown schools have started to implement system that will be required next school year.

PENNSYLVANIA

Charter Expansion Will Further Damage District
Burlington County Times, PA, February 9, 2013
As a Florence resident whose four children attend our wonderful public schools, I am adamantly opposed to the proposed expansion of the Riverbank Charter School and feel that it will further damage an already well-run school district.

Some Closings Would Shift Students To Buildings In Worse Shape
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, February 10, 2013
Faced with a stock of aging, costly buildings and tens of thousands of empty seats, Philadelphia School District officials recently announced a plan to shut one in six Philadelphia schools.

SOUTH DAKOTA

School Reform Shifts To Students
Sioux Falls Argus Leader, SD, February 10, 2013
After the resounding rejection by voters of Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s teacher-focused education reform agenda, state education officials have turned attention back to the students.

TENNESSEE

Shelby Schools Battle Now Awaits Judge’s Ruling
Commercial Appeal, TN, February 10, 2013
Now that Shelby County’s six suburban municipalities have pulled out of negotiations for municipal charter school organizations, U.S. Dist. Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays must do something he’s been reluctant to since a suburban filing two years ago put schools lawsuits into federal court.

TEXAS

Texas Education Agency Works To Improve Scrutiny Of Charter School Applications
Dallas Morning News, TX, February 9, 2013
State education leaders say they want to avoid a repeat of last year, when several charter school proposals were found to have sections with identical or nearly identical wording.

By Any Name, Vouchers Don’t Work
Amarillo Globe News, TX, February 9, 2013
This is timely advice with the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature under way, and school voucher supporters vowing to make another run at passing voucher legislation despite a string of failed attempts.

VERMONT

New School Choice Rules Get Mixed Review
Burlington Free Press, VT, February 11, 2013
Under a new law, Vermont students may apply to any of the 61 public high schools in the state, regardless of where they live.

WISCONSIN

School Voucher Expansion Wrong
Appleton Post Crescent, WI, February 10, 2013
A year and a half ago, a provision was snuck into the state budget bill at the last minute that established a formula to expand the voucher school program beyond Milwaukee and Racine.

True Accountability In Action At A Choice School
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, February 9, 2013
Two years ago, I wrote an op-ed chiding then editorial columnist O. Ricardo Pimentel of the Journal Sentinel for his ill-conceived column accusing advocates of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) of “cynically” using minority children as “pawns.” Since then, Pimentel has left Milwaukee and I have been hired as president of the largest private school (St. Anthony School of Milwaukee) that currently participates in the choice program.

Number of Wisconsin Parents Using Open Enrollment Program Rises
Wausau Daily Herald, WI, February 11, 2013
Wausau-area school districts are reporting a record number of parents using the state’s open enrollment process to choose the schools their children attend.

ONLINE LEARNING

Local School Officials: Virtual Learning OK As A Supplement
Sentinel & Enterprise, MA, February 9, 2013
Legislators and educators applauded the benefits of virtual schools at a seminar Thursday, praising an innovation that allows students to learn at their own pace and take advantage of technology in the classroom.

Conn. Massacre Prompts Parents To Enroll Kids In Cyber School
Citizen Voice, PA, February 11, 2013
An attack on an elementary school in Connecticut led a Pennsylvania mother to transfer her two sons into a cyber school so they could take all their classes at home on a computer.

Hazleton Cyber School ‘Creative’ To Fit Students’ Needs
Standard Speaker, PA, February 10, 2013
Students in the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy have the same teachers, same attendance rules and earn the same diplomas as their peers at Hazleton Area High School.

Cyber-School Possibilities
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, February 10, 2013
When Philadelphia’s new school superintendent, William Hite Jr., started looking for ways to entice students back who had left the School District, one of his first stated goals was to start a new cyber school.

Virtual Schools Grow In Numbers, But Eau Claire Is Yet To Commit
Leader-Telegram, WI, February 10, 2013
Eau Claire school board member Kathryn Duax asked district administrators last week why they hadn’t pursued opening a virtual school.

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

A Long Struggle for Equality in Schools
New York Times, NY, February 8, 2013
Looking back at the school desegregation case he took as a young lawyer, Rubin Salter Jr. sees a pile of wasted money and squandered opportunities. After almost four decades in court and nearly $1 billion in public spending, little has changed for the black children whose right to a good education he had labored to defend.

The Demographic Power Behind Effective Charter Schools
National Journal, February 7, 2013
Still, Angrist’s work continues to inform the public discussion on charter school expansion. Many states have laws capping the number of charter schools; in 2010, thanks in part to new research, Massachusetts passed a law that relaxed its caps for “proven providers.” As Angrist and colleagues argue in their upcoming paper, policies that favor schools with “documented effectiveness” could go a long way toward reducing achievement gaps.

Feds May Use Education Reforms To Gain More Control
Everett Daily Herald, WA, February 8, 2013
It’s not a new law, just a clarification of an old one, but as clarifications go, it could certainly be very interesting.

Education Reform Will Trump Waivers
Washington Times, DC, February 7, 2013
If Congress decides to do its job, the hard work of education officials in nearly three dozen states suddenly will go down the drain.

Schools Need A Timeout On Standardized Tests
Washington Post, DC, February 7, 2013
The Common Core State Standards have been adopted by 45 states and the District as the foundation for what students in America’s public schools need to know and be able to do. They will require our children to develop a deeper, more conceptual understanding in mathematics and English-language arts. They hold tremendous promise for improving our international competitiveness.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

Charter With Tie To UA To Close
Arizona Star, AZ, February 8, 2013
A Tucson charter school hailed as a model for the future when it opened in 2006 because of its partnership with the University of Arizona will close its doors at the end of this school year.

CALIFORNIA

More Exploratory Options For District 303 Kids
Daily Pilot, CA, February 8, 2013
St. Charles middle school students will have more choice and control over their exploratory classes next school year after administrators say they took parent suggestions to shift the exploratory curriculum.

Closing The Achievement Gap Before It Starts
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, February 7, 2013
It’s well-known that many children in our community come into the education system at a distinct disadvantage. By the time they are 3 years old, high-income children have a vocabulary of more than 1,110 words, while very low-income children possess only about 500 words.

Outside Spending Pours Into L.A. School Board Race
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, February 7, 2013
Outside groups are mounting campaigns to influence the outcome of three races for seats on the Los Angeles Board of Education.

FLORIDA

Payouts at NorthStar Charter Spur Legislative Reform Effort
Orlando Sentinel, FL, February 7, 2013
Florida lawmakers outraged that a failed Orlando charter school paid its outgoing principal more than $500,000 last year are moving to tighten the state’s charter laws so taxpayer money doesn’t go to “unreasonable compensation” or to schools “failing our students.”

Galvano: Teacher Pay Raise Needs A Lot Of Work
The Florida Current, FL, February 7, 2013
Members of the Senate Appropriations Education Subcommittee Thursday listened politely while Kim McDougal, the governor’s education policy coordinator, explained Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed education budget. Senators had few questions about the $22 billion spending plan that includes $488 million to give public schoolteachers across-the-board pay raises of $2,500.

GEORGIA

‘Parent Trigger’ Charter Bill Passes House Subcommittee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, February 8, 2013
A Georgia House subcommittee approved a “parent trigger” charter schools bill Thursday, setting the stage for its consideration next week by the full Education Committee.

New Charter School Report: Success Or Failure Set By Year Three
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, February 8, 2013
Interesting study on charter school successes and failures: A new report by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that charter schools, as they age or replicate into networks, are very likely to continue the patterns and performance set by their early years of operation, and that for most charter schools their ultimate success or failure can be predicted by year three of a school’s life.

ILLINOIS

Mayor Says The UNO Should Be “Held Accountable” For Contract Cronyism
Chicago Sun Times, IL, February 7, 2013
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday the United Neighborhood Organization should be “held accountable” for contract cronyism with a $98 million state grant believed to be the nation’s largest government investment in charter schools.

INDIANA

House Committee Approves Expansion Of Indiana’s School Voucher Program
Evansville Courier & Press, IN, February 7, 2013
The Indiana House Education Committee signed off Thursday on an expansion of the Republican-backed school voucher system.

LOUISIANA

BESE President Wants More Charters
Monroe News Star, LA, February 8, 2013
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education President Chas Roemer believes creating charter schools, including chartering both high- and low-performing existing schools, and empowering people at local schools to make their own decisions will help reform public education in Louisiana.

Value Of School Waivers Questioned
The Advocate, LA, February 8, 2013
A national report Thursday questioned one of the key strategies Louisiana is using to improve student performance after the state landed some highly touted waivers last year from the federal government.

MAINE

Legislators Working To Close Spending Gap, Resolve Conflict Over Budget Proposals
Morning Sentinel, ME, February 7, 2013
LePage administration has proposed $153.2 million in adjustments to meet 2013 budget gap

MASSACHUSETTS

Tears at Charter School Lottery; Applications Up 20 Percent
Farmington Patch, MA, February 8, 2013
The Christa McAuliffe Regional Public Charter School held its annual lottery for admission Thursday night.

MICHIGAN

Charter School Staff Votes To Seek Union Representation
Detroit Free Press, MI, February 8, 2013
Eva Coleman is looking to have more of a voice in how the school she has taught at for nearly 12 years operates, which is why she is among the staff at Cesar Chavez Academy to vote Thursday to seek union representation.

Attorney General Bill Schuette Loses Effort To Remove 7 Of 11 Detroit Public Schools Board Members
Detroit Free Press, MI, February 8, 2013
The state attorney general lost a court challenge this week to remove most of Detroit’s school board.

Friends School of Detroit Reviving Slowly, Battling to Survive
Detroit News, MI, February 8, 2013
It’s the little school that could stay open.
The Friends School of Detroit — opened 48 years ago near downtown to promote Quaker values — is trying to battle back from declining enrollment and financial problems.

School Advocates Say Budget Increase Is A Start, But Not Enough
Detroit News, MI, February 8, 2013
Education advocates applauded Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposed funding increase in the 2013-14 budget unveiled Thursday, but said more needs to be done to get back on the path to prosperity.

MINNESOTA

Vouchers Are Not Best Bet For Minnesota Schools
Star Tribune, MN, February 7, 2013
When even an advocate of private-school choice has to admit there is no convincing evidence that vouchers produce better student achievement (“Minnesota falls behind on school choice,” Jan. 28) it raises the question: How is Minnesota missing the boat?

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi Senators Approve Education Reform Efforts Aimed At Kids’ Early Years
Commercial Appeal, TN, February 7, 2013
State senators on Thursday approved two key provisions of education reform efforts: legislation authorizing an $8 million pre-kindergarten program and a bill requiring children to be able to read before leaving third grade.

MISSOURI

Governor’s Idea To Lengthen The School Calendar Could Get Complicated
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, February 8, 2013
Students in Missouri who grumble about too much time in school should take comfort: The state’s minimum requirement for school days is one of the shortest in the country.

NORTH CAROLINA

Wake Schools Chairman Accuses County Commissioners Of ‘Power Grab’
News & Observer, NC, February 7, 2013
Wake County school board Chairman Keith Sutton accused county commissioners Thursday of attempting a “power grab” with proposed state legislative changes that he said would “decimate” the school system.

PENNSYLVANIA

Planners Offer Vision of New Bear Creek Community Charter School
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader, PA, February 8, 2013
The new Bear Creek Community Charter School started to take shape Thursday during a marathon planning session involving the school’s board of trustees, administrators and representatives of the construction team for what the presenters called “the school in the woods.”

Closing Schools: It’s Not Just About Money
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, February 7, 2013
School District of Philadelphia recently issued its list of 37 schools to be closed permanently this year. We just can’t afford them anymore, the district tells us. The deficit is too big, so it’s time for parents and students to make “painful choices.” The financial crisis is one reason neighborhood schools are on the chopping block, but it is not the only one.

TENNESSEE

Education Chief Praises Tennessee’s Progress
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, February 8, 2013
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan lauded Tennessee’s new teacher evaluation system Thursday as an example of how states are working to boost teacher quality and student performance.

TN School Voucher Issues Ripple Far
The Tennessean, TN, February 8, 2013
When deciding whether to support Gov. Bill Haslam’s school voucher proposal, state lawmakers will need to consider if ultimately allowing 20,000 students to take advantage of vouchers is really the best use of public money, a Vanderbilt University professor said Thursday.

VIRGINIA

McDonnell, Jindal Meet Today To Talk About Education Reform
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, February 8, 2013
A week after enlisting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in his campaign for education reform, Gov. Bob McDonnell is calling on another prominent fellow Republican.

WASHINGTON

Seattle’s New Elementaries Would Be Among State’s Biggest, Most Expensive
Seattle Times, WA, February 7, 2013
The average price tag of the elementary schools in Seattle’s levy proposal is at least 20 percent higher than every similar project approved in the state in recent years.

School Funding Should Be Tied To Improvement In Student Learning
Seattle Times, WA, February 7, 2013
Washington state should reconnect learning to spending so as we add additional dollars into public education it means better results for our students, writes guest columnist Steve Litzow.

WEST VIRGINIA

Governor, Officials Urge Education Reform
Charleston Daily Mail, WV, February 7, 2013
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, legislators and education officials agree: the time to reform West Virginia education is now.

ONLINE LEARNING

Virtual Academy Deal Was Thoroughly Botched
Greenville News, TN, February 7, 2013
Gov. Bill Haslam has sponsored a bill to cap student enrollment in the Tennessee Virtual Academy. This is essentially a vote of “no confidence” by the governor for the program in particular and online primary and secondary schooling in general.

Glendora-Based Online Academy Offers Alternative For K-12 Education
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, CA, February 7, 2013
Since its inception three years ago, Oak Knoll Virtual Academy has provided an alternative way to get a public education for grades K-12.

A Los Angeles High School Illustrates the Strengths and Challenges of Blended Learning
Paramus Post, NJ, February 7, 2013
Blended learning, an innovative educational model that combines online with traditional instruction, is starting to take hold across the country as a means for improving efficiency, reducing costs, and boosting student achievement.

Southern California Online Academy Progressing, Officials Say
Press Enterprise, CA, February 7, 2013
Southern California Online Academy is progressing well, district officials told the Lake Elsinore Unified school board during a special workshop Thursday, Feb. 7.

Students Praise Charter School Online Program
Friday Flyer, CA, February 8, 2013
Canyon Lake families sometimes wonder about alternatives to public education for their children – alternatives that include private school, home school or charter school.

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

We Shouldn’t March Blindly To Jeb Bush’s School Agenda
The Olympian, WA, February 7, 2013
It’s understandable that state Senate Republicans are feeling their oats these days. After watching their bills get quashed in committee for the last eight years, the new Republican-controlled majority is pushing a flurry of bills on its pet issues with unleashed enthusiasm

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

House Committee Approves School Flexibility Bill
Anniston Star, AL, February 7, 2013
Despite the objections of the state’s largest teachers’ organization, the Alabama House of Representatives is moving ahead with a bill to provide local school systems more administrative flexibility.

ARIZONA

Bill Would Help Students Remain In Same Charter School System
Cronkite News, AZ, February 6, 2013
After six years as a parent at Archway Classical Academy in Chandler, Lori Venberg is searching for a new school for her daughter.

Parents Hear About Crane’s Science-Based Charter School
Yuma Sun. AZ, February 6, 2013
A large number of families from the community gathered Wednesday evening to find out more about the Gowan Science Academy, which will open this fall.

CALIFORNIA

Peabody Charter School Holds First of Four Attendance Lotteries
Noozhawk, CA, February 6, 2013
Capped at 750 students and with demand so high, the K-6 Santa Barbara school conducts a lottery every year

3 Santa Rosa Schools In Running For Spanish Immersion Charter
Press Democrat, CA, February 6, 2013
Comstock and Cook middle schools, as well as Lewis School on Lomitas Avenue, emerged Wednesday night as strong contenders to house the Spanish-language dual-immersion program planned by Santa Rosa City Schools.

CONNECTICUT

More Money For Schools, But How?
Greenwich Time, CT, February 6, 2013
It was not Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s pledge to continue the momentum of his education reform agenda by upping the state’s contribution to both traditional schools and public schools of choice that had some lawmakers worried Wednesday.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Charter School Enrollment Outpaces That of DCPS
Washington Post, DC, February 6, 2013
The District’s public charter schools are growing far faster than the traditional school system, according to audited enrollment figures released Wednesday by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

FLORIDA

Proposed Bill Would Benefit Charter Schools
Tallahassee Democrat, FL, February 6, 2013
A Florida House panel is working on a bill that would ease the expansion of public charter schools.

GEORGIA

Atlanta Lawmakers Look Closely At Dublin Charter Schools
Macon Telegraph, GA, February 7, 2013
A bill that would let parents shut down failing schools or remove all employees is the only major piece of education legislation to appear in the Georgia General Assembly so far this year.

Dekalb School Board Can’t Find A Majority For New Chairman
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, February 6, 2013
They tried and tried again Wednesday, but the nine members of the DeKalb County school board still couldn’t find five votes to elect a new leader.

HAWAII

What’s Going On With Hawaii Ed Task Force On Teacher Evaluations?
Honolulu Civil Beat, HI, February 7, 2013
A state education task force formed to help come up with a teacher evaluation system is causing some consternation among members who worry little is being accomplished as a deadline for recommendations quickly approaches.

IDAHO

Charter Schools Operate Without Safety Net
KTVB, ID, February 6, 2013
Charter schools are an option that is only growing in demand. Along with that growth is the demand for equality, specifically when it comes to funding.

Charter School Students And Parents Rally For More Funding
KIVI-TV, ID, February 6, 2013
Hundreds of charter school students and their families gathered on the statehouse steps Wednesday afternoon.

INDIANA

State Board Of Education Gives Mayor Greg Ballard Control Of 4 State Controlled Schools
Indianapolis Star, IN, February 6, 2013
With a unanimous vote by the State Board of Education on Wednesday, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard expanded the growing group of local schools that his office oversees.

Keep Building, But Attract A Sponsor
Northwest Times, IN, February 7, 2013
The Charter School of the Dunes in Gary’s Miller area is going forward with construction of its new building even though Ball State University decided to stop sponsoring the school. It’s a gutsy move, but not the only one the school needs to make.

Charter Schools Have Unfair Advantage
Indianapolis Star, IN, February 7, 2013
The Indianapolis Star’s Feb. 3 “Hits and Misses” commentary criticizes my recent proposal for the Indianapolis mayor to collect the state law authorized nominal 3 percent administrative fee from charter schools he authorizes. Unfortunately, The Star omitted important information regarding this issue.

More Education Choice For More Parents In Indiana
News Sentinel, IN, February 7, 2013
School choice advocates got some very good news this week. Gov. Mike Pence announced his support for an expansion of Indiana’s voucher system that goes beyond what he advocated in his gubernatorial campaign.

IOWA

Senators Skeptical Of Seal For High School Diplomas
Des Moines Register, IA, February 6, 2013
A key provision of Gov. Terry Branstad’s education reform plan appears to be in trouble in the Iowa Senate.

LOUISIANA

Orleans Parish Charter Einstein Awarded $1 Million, Will Take Over Recovery School District Elementary
Times Picayune, LA, February 6, 2013
Einstein Charter School in eastern New Orleans has won $1 million and will take over the struggling Intercultural Charter this summer, marking the first time that a school under the control of the Orleans Parish School Board will assume leadership of a Recovery School District campus.

MAINE

One Student Finds Room To Grow At Sciences Academy
Kennebec Journal, ME, February 6, 2013
Alexander West grabs governor’s attention as typical charter school student

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter School Rebuts Claim That Special Ed Students Get Short Shrift
Boston Globe, MA, February 7, 2013
WE WERE pleased to see the article “Charter schools’ building costs cited” (Metro, Jan. 28), which points to a serious funding problem that many charter schools face.

MICHIGAN

Snyder Wants 2% Bump In Education Funding
Detroit News, MI, February 7, 2013
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will propose giving public schools, universities and community colleges 2 percent more overall funding in the next school year.

MISSISSIPPI

Legislation Aimed At Punishing Desoto
DeSoto Times Tribune, MS, February 7, 2013
Legislation coming out of the State Capitol in Jackson is squarely aimed at undermining the state’s fastest growing and academically high achieving school system as punishment for helping to defeat charter school legislation last year.

Charter Schools Are Innovative
Hattiesburg American, MS, February 6, 2013
The advocacy coordinator for a Mississippi charter school lobbying group says the institutions would not take away tremendous financial resources from public schools, as some opponents of charter schools have argued.

MONTANA

‘School Choice’ Bills Advance On Mostly Party-Line Votes
Helena Independent Record, MT, February 7, 2013
A trio of “school-choice” bills that use state funds or tax credits to help finance private or charter schools passed out of legislative committees Wednesday on mostly party-line votes, with Democrats solidly opposed.

Charter Schools Are Not The Solution To AYP Concerns
Laurel Outlook, MT, February 6, 2013
In regard to recent legislative testimony on proposed Montana charter schools, the statement, “Only students that earn free and reduced lunch are eligible to apply for those [Supplemental Educational Services (SES)] services,” is accurate with the clarification that students qualify for, not earn, free and reduced lunch. That is a requirement of No Child Left Behind and Title I funding, both requirements of federal legislation.

NEW YORK

Syracuse Charter School Aims To Expand By 40 Percent
Post-Standard, NY, February 6, 2013
The Syracuse Academy of Science, one of two charter schools in Syracuse, is seeking permission to increase its enrollment by 40 percent over the next four years.

NORTH CAROLINA

Concord Parents Learn About Charter School
Charlotte Observer, NC, February 7, 2013
The parking lots and side streets of Fire Station No. 9 were full Feb. 5 as parents went to learn about a charter school opening in Concord in August.

Janet Joyner Says Education Reform Should Proceed Cautiously
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, February 7, 2013
It will be interesting to see how in-state interests are served by the particulars of state Rep. Donny Lambeth’s future bill to “charterize” the entire Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school district. An underlying theory of school “reform” schemes like parental choice and charter schools is that they improve education, especially for poor students.

PENNSYLVANIA

Charter School: Dollars And Common Sense
Burlington County Times, PA, February 6, 2013
As the Burlington County Times has reported, the Riverbank Charter School of Excellence in Florence has an application pending with the state for charter renewal and expansion to grades 4-5.

RHODE ISLAND

Achievement First to Spend $10M Renovating Closed Prov. School
WPRI, RI, February 7, 2013
Achievement First, which is set to open its first Rhode Island charter school in September, will spend approximately $10 million to renovate the vacant Oliver Hazard Perry Middle School on Hartford Avenue, according to Reshma Singh, the organization’s vice president of external relations.

TEXAS

Bright Ideas Chief Defends Low Scores
Times Record News, TX, February 7, 2013
Bright Ideas Charter School Principal Lynda Plummer defended the city’s only charter school despite glaringly low performances on the first administration of the new STAAR test compared with state and local peers.

Local Charter School Founder Questions Trial, Ruling
Lubbock Avalanche Journal, TX, February 6, 2013
Richard Baumgartner, the founder and director of Rise Academy in Lubbock, said he was opposed to the Texas Charter Schools Association becoming one of six parties in the school finance lawsuit that wrapped up Monday.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Needs More Charter Schools, But Not This One
Washington Examiner, DC, February 6, 2013
Virginia will remain a school choice desert, thanks to state Senate Democrats. In defiance of even President Obama’s policy toward charters, they killed a bill empowering the state Board of Education to authorize new public charter schools.

WISCONSIN

‘Choice’ Sparks Debate
Beloit Daily News, WI, February 6, , 2013
Parents deserve more choices, according to panelists who spoke out at an informational meeting on school choice Tuesday in Beloit.

ONLINE LEARNING

Stahle: Cyber Schools Deserve Funding
Times Herald, PA, February 6, 2013
It must be fun to work in your pajamas. People think that’s really what I do. In actuality, I teach at a cyber charter school; one where families choose how and where to educate their children.

Ligonier Valley Wary As State Revises Marks For Cyber Schools
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, February 6, 2013
Under either standard, none of the seven charter or cyber schools attended by students living within Ligonier Valley School District made adequate progress last year, according to state statistics.

Digital Learning Day — Students, Educators Share Enthusiasm For Continuing Initiative
Register Herald, WV, February 7, 2013
Technology providing new opportunities to personalize challenges in the classroom

Virtual Schools In Iowa Gaining Popularity
KWWL, IA, February 6, 2013
A new school in Iowa is getting some attention and helping a lot of kids who want a different option than a traditional school.

Nevada Schools Push Bill To Expand Access To Digital Learning
Reno Gazette Journal, NV, February 6, 2013
What is taught in Vegas won’t have to stay in Vegas if Clark County finds success in Carson City with its Digital Learning Act. It won’t have to stay in Reno, either.

Troubled K-12 Virtual School Receives 1-Year Charter Extension—With Conditions
KUNC, CO, February 7, 2013
The state’s largest K-12 virtual school will stay open for one more year. Struggling with poor academic performance, compliance and board governance issues, 12-year-old Colorado Virtual Academy had faced opposition from its authorizer, Adams 12 Five Star in January.

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

US States, Local Governments Plead For New ‘No Child Left Behind’
Reuters, February 5, 2013
U.S. state and local officials again called on Congress to pass renewed “No Child Left Behind” education legislation, writing in a letter on Tuesday that it must become “a top priority for every member of the House and Senate.”

Education Miracles That Aren’t
Los Angeles Times, CA, February 6, 2013
Beware of education miracles. Too often, there’s less there than meets the eye. Remember the extraordinary gains in test scores and lowered dropout rates in Houston schools more than a decade ago?

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

School Spending Report Unveiled
Arizona Journal, AZ, February 5, 2013
Charter schools spent an average of $3,189 per student on classroom instruction, or $652 less than the state average, and $178 per pupil on classroom supplies, or $36 more than the state average.

CALIFORNIA

No. 2 Republican In House Seeks To Reframe Party Agenda
Los Angeles Times, CA, February 5, 2013
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) casts the GOP as an advocate for improving Americans’ lives while reaffirming the party’s focus on balancing the budget.

CONNECTICUT

Malloy’s ECS Proposal Could Help Narrow Gap
The News-Times, CT, February 5, 2013
A school aid proposal by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy acknowledges those realities. If approved by the state Legislature, the governor’s plan would affirm Connecticut’s resolve to close an achievement gap that has separated students, largely along lines of race and affluence.

A ‘Flagrant’ Misuse of Taxpayer Money
CT Post, CT, February 5, 2013
Whatever your concept of public education is, your Connecticut state tax dollars are currently underwriting the public financing of a massive private enterprise.

State Board Of Education May Slow Roll-Out Of New Evaluation System
The Hartford Courant, CT, February 5, 2013
The state Board of Education is expected to consider a recommendation Wednesday to allow school districts to more slowly phase in a new teacher evaluation system for staff this coming fall.

DELAWARE

The Missing Link In Charter School Reform
Delaware News, DE, February 6, 2013
The state is reviewing the existing charter law for possible revisions. This might be a good time to think about the missing link in the charter school reform movement, i.e., the sharing of the lessons learned, both good and bad, with the traditional public schools for possible implementation.

FLORIDA

Legislature Should Not Give Charter Schools A Construction Subsidy
Palm Beach Post, FL, February 6, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott says he wants to provide an additional $1.2 billion next year for public schools. The need is evident from Post reporter Allison Ross’ story Tuesday detailing a potential $56 million shortage in the Palm Beach County School District’s 2014 construction budget.

School Districts May Have To Share Space With Charters
Sun Sentinel, FL, February 5, 2013
The relationship between charter schools and traditional schools could soon get a lot cozier under a legislative proposal that could require them to share space.

GEORGIA

Time To Stop Trapping Low-Income Students In Failing Schools
The Macon Telegraph, GA, February 6, 2013
We are lucky enough to live in a country where we have the latitude to make choices in almost every arena of our lives. Yet when it comes to one of the most important aspects of a child’s upbringing — education — parents are too often offered frustratingly few choices. Our broken public education system can leave low-income students and parents with no alternatives to find a quality education.

HAWAII

Hawaii Charter School Commission Gets New Director
Civil Beat Blog, HI, February 5, 2013
The State Public Charter School Commission announced today the appointment of its Executive Director, Tom Hutton. Mr. Hutton is a national authority on education law and policy and was a co-founder of a noted Washington D.C. charter school, Thurgood Marshall Academy.

INDIANA

Racing Ahead On School Vouchers
Journal and Courier, IN, February 5, 2013
Emboldened, perhaps, by a new governor whose vague directives about education boil down to more choice and more freedom for classroom teachers, proponents of Indiana’s fresh school voucher program are charging ahead for more.

Pence Backs Voucher Program Expansion
Pharos Tribune, IN, February 6, 2013
Gov. Mike Pence officially threw his support Tuesday behind a major expansion of Indiana’s school voucher program that goes well beyond what he campaigned for last year by calling for more vouchers in limited cases.

EACS Hears Plea To Sponsor Charter School
The Journal Gazette, IN, February 6, 2013
At the request of Timothy L. Johnson Academy parents and officials, the East Allen County Schools board will discuss authorizing the charter school.

Charter School Of The Dunes To Finish Building Despite Nonrenewal Of Charter
NW Times, IN, February 5, 2013
Despite notice that its charter won’t be renewed, Charter School of the Dunes is operating in the black and will finish its $13 million school building, officials said.

MAINE

Two More Charter Schools Approved In Maine
Portland Press Herald, ME, February 6, 2013
Applications in Harpswell and Gray are strongly supported, which will bring the state’s total to five.

MARYLAND

Montgomery’s ‘Proven’ System In Question
Maryland Gazette, MD, February 6, 2013
When it comes to proving himself an effective first-year teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools, Lanham, who teaches Advanced World Studies, said, “It’s not all cupcakes and candy canes.”

MICHIGAN

Turnaround Leader Ross Leaves Detroit Schools
Detroit News, MI, February 5, 2013
Doug Ross, hired by Detroit Public Schools to lead its school turnaround program, has left the district after 18 months. DPS Emergency Financial Manager Roy Roberts made the announcement Tuesday, saying Ross left the district to focus exclusively on the turnaround of urban high schools outside DPS.

MISSISSIPPI

Doing The Math On Charter Schools
Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, February 5, 2013
Now that the charter school bills have passed both the house and the senate, it is a sit and wait game to see which leader will bend in trying to come to compromise on the bill.

Bill: School Takeovers Would Last 3 Years
Hattiesburg American, MS, February 6, 2013
State education officials could only take over a school district for three years under a bill moving forward in the Senate.

MISSOURI

KC School Takeover Bill Advances In General Assembly
Kansas City Star, MO, February 5, 2013
A bill that would allow the state to immediately take over troubled Kansas City Public Schools won initial approval Tuesday in the Missouri Senate.
A final vote is expected Thursday. If it passes, the bill will go to the House, which unanimously approved it last year.

NEVADA

Funding Woes Forcing Rainshadow Community Charter School In Reno To Close
Reno Gazette Journal, NV, February 5, 2013
When Rainshadow Community Charter School principal Steve West called an assembly last Thursday, students Ryan and River Rees were ecstatic.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Bill Provides Boost To Charter Schools
Eagle Tribune, NH, February 6, 2013
Lawmakers are considering a proposal that offers hope for charter schools struggling to fund an alternative education for New Hampshire students.

NEW JERSEY

Independent Report: Teachers Remain Skeptical About New Evaluation System
NJ Spotlight, NJ, February 6, 2013
With less than nine months and counting, New Jersey’s rollout of a statewide teacher evaluation system is moving ahead, but the deadlines are tight, reliability remains an issue — and the system has yet to win the confidence of the teachers it’s intended to evaluate.

NEW MEXICO

Skandera Still Awaiting Confirmation
Albuquerque Journal, NM, February 6, 2013
More than two years after being appointed to the helm of New Mexico’s public school system, Public Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera still has not been confirmed by the state Senate.

NEW YORK

School Money Lawsuit Filed
Wall Street Journal, February 6, 2013
An attorney who once successfully sued to increase New York state school funding on Tuesday challenged the state’s decision to withhold about $250 million from New York City after district and union officials failed to reach an agreement on teacher evaluations.

Cuomo Closing Off Best Pre-K Hope
New York Post, NY, February 6, 2013
Why is Gov. Cuomo hobbling one of his signature initiatives? Drawing on a core recommendation of his education-reform commission, Cuomo is targeting pre-K education in New York’s worst school districts.

Parents Rally In Support Of Charter Schools
WXXA, NY, February 5, 2013
More than 1,000 charter school parents converged on Albany Tuesday to try to get lawmakers to let charter schools compete for funding to serve Pre-K students.

Charters Make Pre-Emptive ‘Move’
New York Post, NY, February 6, 2013
The city Department of Education is trying to fast-track the placement of charter schools in public-school buildings years ahead of schedule — in a bid to protect the schools from a less charter-friendly mayor.

NORTH CAROLINA

Parents Tell Bacon Academy Not To Abandon Plan For 2nd School
News Star, NC, February 5, 2013
The Roger Bacon Academy held an informational meeting Tuesday in Supply to find out if there is enough interest to add another school to southern Brunswick County.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma Legislative Panel Rejects Charter School Measure
The Oklahoman, OK, February 6, 2013
A bill targeting four Oklahoma charter schools would have required that the five highest-paid administrators are American citizens. The bill failed in committee Tuesday.

School Choice Is The Answer
Oklahoman Gazette, OK, February 6, 2013
The larger fallacy John Thompson (Commentary, “The fallacy of test-driven school reform, Jan. 16, Oklahoma Gazette) fails to recognize is the fallacy of centrally planned and administered education. MAPS for Kids has been a total failure, as schools are not buildings. The only obvious beneficiaries are the government contractors who built the buildings.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pittsburgh Public Schools Charter Review Team Recommends Denial Of 3 Applications
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, February 6, 2013
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials have recommended that the school board deny the applications for three charter schools less than two weeks after the board rejected a proposal for a charter school in Hazelwood that the administration favored.

Charter School A Negative For Florence District
Burlington County Times, PA, February 6, 2013
The expansion of the Riverbank Charter School of Excellence is not in the best interest of Florence.

Medical Academy Charter School: We’re Doing Our Part
Allentown Morning Call, PA, February 5, 2013
Faced with a threat to its existence, Medical Academy Charter School representatives said Tuesday they’re teaching kids about medicine, sending them on field trips and working to line up hands-on experiences for them.

Corbett Budget Proposes Education Funding Boost
Erie Times-News, PA, February 6, 2013
Gov. Tom Corbett wasn’t shy on Tuesday about trumpeting his plans to increase education funding, saying his 2013-14 budget proposal would invest “more Pennsylvania tax dollars in basic education than at any time in our history.”

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charter Renewal Breathes New Life Into Florence’s Choices School
WBTW, SC, February 5, 2013
Officials with Choices Charter School say it’s back to business as usual on campus, following the renewal of a charter agreement that caused some confusion and distress last fall.

TENNESSEE

Charter School Proposal Throws County Officials For A Loop
The Tennessean, TN, February 5, 2013
Bewildered and flat-footed. That was the mood Monday afternoon as some of the most influential people in Williamson County politics tried to wrap their heads around a proposal to open a charter school that would challenge their public education system.

Group Seeks Tougher Academic, Licensing Standards For Teachers
The Tennessean, TN, February 6, 2013
Less than a week after state education officials linked better ACT scores to teacher effectiveness, an education advocacy group is calling for teaching candidates to face tougher academic standards before starting their own studies.

TEXAS

Teacher Group, GOP At Odds Over School Flexibility Bill
Anniston Star, TX, February 5, 2013
The Alabama Education Association is preparing to square off against the Legislature’s Republican leadership in a battle over what’s left of Alabama’s failed charter school proposal.

VIRGINIA

Richmond School Board Votes ‘No’ On Hiring Help For Failing Schools
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, February 6, 2013
Five of Richmond’s chronically failing schools will have to wait at least another week before state-mandated help arrives, putting them more than a month behind schedule in receiving promised help.

Bolling’s Votes Pass 2 Education Reform Bills In Va. Senate
Washington Times, DC, February 5, 2013
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling cast tiebreaking votes Tuesday as the Senate passed two key components of Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell’s education-reform agenda.

WASHINGTON

Parents Joining Teachers’ Test Boycott As Garfield High Principals Give Exam
Seattle Times, WA, February 5, 2013
Seattle Superintendent José Banda has ordered Garfield High’s principal and assistant principals to give the tests that Garfield teachers have been protesting, but many students are opting out anyway.

State Superintendent Speaks On Education
News Tribune, WA, February 6, 2013
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn gave his thoughts on several wide-ranging education topics during an address Thursday at the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Public Affairs Forum.

ONLINE LEARNING

Consider Virtual Schooling For Your Child
Wausau Daily Herald, WI, February 6, 2013
There are many education choices for Wisconsin children to best meet their learning needs. The state’s open enrollment period, when parents must make initial decisions on 2013 education options, started Monday. As the principal at Wisconsin Connections Academy, a virtual school educating students throughout the state, I urge parents to look at all options and make an informed choice.

Celebrating Digital Learning
Marshall Independent, MN, February 6, 2013
Marshall Public Schools will be part of the Second Annual National Digital Learning Day today, joining 50 states, nearly 25,000 teachers and millions of students who are celebrating the presence of technology in schools and spotlighting the digital learning that is taking place in classrooms across the country.

School District To Decide Fate Of K-12 Virtual School Charter
KUNC, CO, February 5, 2013
The future of the state’s largest virtual K-12 school will be decided by Adams 12 Five Star Board of Education members Wednesday night.