The Learning Accelerator’s video describes how the power and promise of blended learning will impact the future of 50 million students in America.
NEWSWIRE: November 13, 2013
November 13, 2013 By
Vol. 15, No. 42
CALIFORNIA PARENTS WANT POWER. The state of California just boosted the state-aid in the low-income Fresno school district where over 80 percent of students are eligible for free or subsidized school lunches. Once the parents caught wind of the extra funding, hundreds spoke up to claim their power. Because of their engagement with the school board, parents may be able to have more say in how that money is spent. The bottom line is parents across America want more power and want more options but do not realize they can make a difference. When these Fresno parents saw an opportunity to wield more input and influence into their local schools, they eagerly stepped up to the plate and took it. Check out these tools to learn how to Be The Power in your community.
CLOSING THE GAP. Montgomery County, Md., Superintendent Joshua P. Starr discussed at length the wide achievement gap in his district between black and Hispanic students and their white and Asian peers. The superintendent’s emphasis on the wide achievement gap is well intentioned, but arrives at the wrong conclusions. He praised an ‘innovation school’ that has made some changes to its learning program as a way to close the gap, but stopped short of proposing proven solutions. And with policies that yield low Parent Power in Maryland, state lawmakers haven’t exactly facilitated real innovation in the classroom. Montgomery County should look to their Washington, DC neighbors, who have created a reform-friendly environment and whose students posted some of the largest testing gains in the country. Innovations in learning happen in the classroom, but it helps to have support from the statehouse.
PARENT TRIGGER. In a powerful and compelling piece, former California legislator Gloria Romero rightly places the growing consensus surrounding parent power through the lens of civil rights and education as the great equalizer in American society. Romero writes of her impatience with school reform despite receiving annual data that showed unacceptably high failure rates, and consistently underperforming schools. Upon hearing the concept of a parent-trigger law in 2010, which allows parent to decide to take action when their child’s school is failing, Romero immediately set to work drafting the legislation. Romero declares that because parents are empowered they will no longer be complacent or silent with failure. If only more state lawmakers would think and act like Romero, we’d see more gains for all students.
GOING ON DEFENSE. Glenda Ritz, Indiana’s current Superintendent and establishment proxy, who leaked emails to the press in order to marginalize a political opponent, now has a new target in the form of Gov. Mike Pence. Thankfully, Pence continues to defend the level of Parent Power! in Indiana as the nation’s reformiest state. by standing by the statewide Choice Scholarship Program for income-eligible families, positive forces devoted to charter school expansion and performance-based teacher policies. This most recent development highlights the notion that the fight for reform is never over, and defending your hard work is just as crucial to ensuring quality opportunities for kids.
VOLUNTEERING STAGNATION. In a move that focuses on perceived school capacity over student growth, the Nashville, TN school board voted to limit charter school expansion to parts of the city where students are over capacity or local schools are underperforming. Opponents such as the mayor and lone board member who rejected the plan, rightly point out the goal of charters is to boost student outcomes regardless of location, and should not be limited to these types of restrictions, adding that some of Nashville’s highest performing schools are charters. Tennesseans agree. In a recent poll, 71 percent of voting adults in the Volunteer State support the creation of charter schools. In fact, 60 percent prefer parents to be allowed to choose from a number of public schools. The amount of quality charter schools has steadily increased in Nashville in the last few years, but this latest move risks a reversal of that progress. It’s time to bring new and independent multiple charter authorizers to the state to answer the demand for more and better options especially when the status quo is so unwilling to do so.
#GIVINGTUESDAY. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, CER will participate in #GivingTuesday – a national day dedicated to generosity. Our goal is to raise $5,000 on (and prior to) #GivingTuesday towards making schools better for all children – thank you for your support!
Daily Headlines for November 13, 2013
November 13, 2013 By
Click here for Newswire, the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else – spiced with a dash of irreverence – from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.
NATIONAL COVERAGE
Longer school days in store for some in 5 states
Associated Press, November 13, 2013
Thousands of students in five states will be spending more time at school. More than 9,000 students are attending select, high-poverty schools in Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts and New York that have developed expanded school schedules as part of the TIME Collaborative, or Time for Innovation Matters in Education.
Rethinking Parent-Teacher Conferences
Debate, New York Times, NY, November 13, 2013
Teachers have set aside time. Families have rearranged their schedules. Everyone is ready for parent-teacher conferences. This can play out in one of two ways. If there is something crucial to discuss, you might wonder: Shouldn’t the parents and teachers have been communicating about this already? If there is nothing crucial to discuss, is it a waste of everyone’s time?
STATE COVERAGE
CALIFORNIA
A hostile work environment, but ‘these are not bad kids’
Column, Los Angeles Times, CA, November 13, 2013
Todd Irving took over as Spurgeon Intermediate principal after teachers filed a complaint over student behavior. With attention and enforcement, things are starting to turn around.
L.A. Unified schools to move forward with trimmed-down iPad plan
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 13, 2013
A tense vote by sharply divided board allows the $1-billion initiative to continue and imposes additional oversight, including evaluation of impact on student achievement.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Harmony charter school seeks to expand to D.C.; business practices raised questions
Washington Post, DC, November 12, 2013
The largest charter-school operator in Texas, an organization with a solid academic record but lingering allegations of connections to a controversial Muslim cleric, is seeking to expand to the District next year.
GEORGIA
3 schools in Richmond, Columbia counties rate high academically
Augusta Chronicle, GA, November 12, 2013
Two schools in Richmond County and one in Columbia County on Tuesday received the highest academic designation by the Georgia Department of Education given to schools serving children from low-income families.
DeKalb BOE Denies Druid Hills Charter Cluster Petition
WABE NPR, GA, November 12, 2013
The DeKalb County Board of Education has denied a petition to form a charter school cluster in the Druid Hills area.
FLORIDA
Fla. court rules teacher data is a public record
WWSB, FL, November 13, 2013
Florida appeals court says that data used to prepare teacher evaluations is a public record.
Most Central Florida teachers make the grade on evaluations
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 12, 2013
Nearly 68 percent of Seminole County teachers earned top-notch, “highly effective” evaluations last year. In neighboring Orange County, fewer than 7 percent earned the same ranking.
INDIANA
State schools chief Glenda Ritz accuses Gov. Mike Pence of trying a ‘complete takeover of education’
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 12, 2013
State schools chief Glenda Ritz escalated her feud with Gov. Mike Pence’s administration on Tuesday, directly accusing him of “not seeking a power-grab, but rather a complete takeover” of Indiana’s education policy.
ILLINOIS
Vallas says he’s OK playing ‘second banana’ to Quinn
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 12, 2013
When he was Chicago Public Schools CEO, Paul Vallas developed a reputation as a control freak who thought he was the smartest guy in the room while he sometimes upstaged his boss, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley.
LOUISIANA
Few Orleans schools seem eager to return to School Board control
The Advocate, LA, November 12, 2013
The public school system in New Orleans has a new status quo: The Orleans Parish School Board governs a few schools, the state’s Recovery School District looks after most of them, and the arrangement seems unlikely to change anytime soon.
Urgent call for reforms
Editorial, The Advocate, LA, November 12, 2013
If the debates over education reform in Louisiana have been intense, and maybe sometimes generating more heat than light, it is too easy to say policy changes have generated the gains we hope to see.
MASSACHUSETTS
State House panel pushes ed. priorities
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, November 12, 2013
Despite new test scores showing Massachusetts students atop the nation in reading and math for the fifth straight time, some education experts say the consistently high grades have masked a less flattering trend of stagnant growth — and, in some cases, declining achievement.
Robert V. Antonucci: Fitchburg doesn’t need this charter school
Opinion, Sentinel and Enterprise, MA, November 12, 2013
I believe in innovative approaches to the challenges facing our public schools. Fitchburg State University enjoys a robust collaborative partnership with the Fitchburg Public Schools, and we are proud to host the McKay Arts Academy
NEW JERSEY
Charter school expansion opposed in East Brunswick
East Brunswick Sentinel, NJ, November 12, 2013
Citing a heavy burden that the Hatikvah International Academy Charter School would place on the public school district’s budget, the East Brunswick Board of Education passed a resolution opposing the charter school’s proposed expansion from a K-5 to a K-8 school.
School Choice aid, once a blessing, could become a headache
Hunterdon County Democrat, NJ, November 13, 2013
School Choice districts that used state tuition aid to fund new programs or reduce the tax levy could end up regretting that decision.
Superintendent urges state to deny bilingual charter’s expansion, renewal
The Jersey Journal, NJ, November 12, 2013
Amid requests to add middle-level grades to a Hoboken charter school, the district’s superintendent is urging state officials to temporarily block the school’s renewal.
NEW MEXICO
Skandera defends evaluation system
Albuquerque Journal, NM, November 13, 2013
Mexico’s education czar addressed a largely hostile crowd of nearly 200 people Tuesday evening and conceded that while the teacher evaluation program she initiated earlier this year is not perfect, it is an improvement over the past.
NEW YORK
Angry Parents Meet With NY Education Commissioner on Common Core
NBC New York, NY, November 13, 2013
Hundreds of frustrated parents, teachers and administrators gathered at a community forum on Long Island Tuesday to complain about the new controversial curriculum called Common Core.
OHIO
State officials must assure that Ohio schools have the computers needed for Common Core standards
Editorial, Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 12, 2013
The new Common Core standards aren’t perfect — and Ohio education officials in particular seem tone-deaf about the need to make sure that every Ohio school district has the resources needed to carry out this major change in how students are taught and tested.
PENNSYLVANIA
The city’s public schools could do a better PR job
Letter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 13, 2013
The Nov. 1 editorial “Shrinking Schools: Pittsburgh Must Study Why Enrollment Is Slipping” encouraged the Pittsburgh Public Schools to “figure out what charters are doing to attract families and replicate their success.” However, who said charters are doing everything right?
SOUTH CAROLINA
Lottery to fill choice slots at schools
Greenville News, SC, November 13, 2013
There will be no more camping out in front of schools, no more huddling in the cold and rain for days to improve your child’s chances of getting into the school of your choice in Greenville County.
Orange Grove Elementary Charter will have to wait to find out whether expansion is a go
Post and Courier, SC, November 12, 2013
The Orange Grove Elementary Charter School community had hoped to know this month whether they would be able to expand to middle grades, but that might not happen.
TENNESSEE
Good Intentions Are Not Enough In Education
Letter, The Chattanoogan, TN, November 12, 2013
Given the importance of creating a positive and collaborative environment for learning and success, it is puzzling and disheartening to see some of the education reform policies currently emanating from many state capitals, including Nashville.
Metro school board limits ’14 charter expansion to certain areas
The Tennessean, TN, November 12, 2013
The Metro school board approved a plan Tuesday night effectively restricting the authorization of new charter schools next year to South Nashville or to schools tagged for three straight years of poor performance.
WASHINGTON
Solutions Summit think tank in Pasco addresses charter school issues
Tri City Herald, WA, November 12, 2013
The Tri-Cities could be missing out on improved educational opportunities by not having any charter schools, officials said at a policy conference Tuesday.
Starting Seattle teachers learn alongside kids in new apprentice program
Seattle Times, WA, November 12, 2013
The Seattle Teacher Residency is one of the first programs in the country to include the teachers union as an equal partner, which makes it both a national model and something of a local miracle in a city often roiled by debates about education reform.
WISCONSIN
Bill would add more math, science credits
Badger Herald, WI, November 12, 2012
Although Wisconsin currently requires the fewest number of math and science credits in the Midwest for high school students to graduate, recently proposed legislation would increase the number of necessary credits in those subjects.
ONLINE LEARNING
3 groups want to open online charter schools in 2015
Lake Wylie Pilot, NC, November 12, 2013
Dozens of new charter schools have opened in North Carolina since the cap on them was lifted a couple years ago. But the state still does not have an online charter. This year, three groups hope to get approval to open virtual charters.
LPHS Virtual Learning Academy Reaches Rock Star Status
LaPorte County Life, IN, November 12, 2013
Education no longer is the cookie cutter representation of a teacher droning on for 70 minutes while students copy down the lecture word for word. Education, like us, has evolved, and the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) at La Porte High School is a shining example of where it could be headed.
Virtual High School courses offer extras for students, insight into demand
Valley Breeze, RI, November 12, 2013
Students and teachers are seeing the benefits of boosting the existing curriculum with online courses, which have, in turn, even prompted changes within the school walls.
Virtual high school in the works for Washington County
Herald Mail, MD, November 12, 2013
Washington County Public Schools are surveying some eighth- and ninth-grade students about what technology and Internet access they have at home, as the school system works on a virtual high school that those students could test this spring, according to the project’s leader.
Virtual school trustees ready to move on
The Recorder, MA, November 13, 2013
Trustees from the Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School do not plan on contracting with Greenfield School Department for administrative services next academic year.
N.J., Va. Governors May Face Legislative Hurdles
November 12, 2013 By
By Andrew Ujifusa
Education Week
November 11, 2013
The two gubernatorial contests this year produced the re-election of a staunch foe of teachers’ unions in New Jersey and the election of a solid friend of public school funding in Virginia. Both winners, though, must deal with legislatures controlled by the opposite party as they consider new K-12 policy pushes.
Aside from the A-F accountability policy and the state-run district, there isn’t much for Mr. McAuliffe to roll back in Virginia, said Kara Kerwin, the president of the Washington-based Center for Education Reform, which supports school choice and charters as well as test-based accountability for schools and teachers. She said Mr. McAuliffe’s campaign rhetoric means he will likely not be interested in other major changes, such as overhauling the state’s charter school law.
Daily Headlines for November 12, 2013
November 12, 2013 By
Click here for Newswire, the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else – spiced with a dash of irreverence – from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.
NATIONAL COVERAGE
N.J., Va. Governors May Face Legislative Hurdles
Education Week, November 12, 2013
The two gubernatorial contests this year produced the re-election of a staunch foe of teachers’ unions in New Jersey and the election of a solid friend of public school funding in Virginia. Both winners, though, must deal with legislatures controlled by the opposite party as they consider new K-12 policy pushes.
Report card shows us on the right education path
Editorial, News Sentinel, IN, November 11, 2013
If Indiana education officials needed any encouragement to stay on the reform course embarked upon under Gov. Mitch Daniels and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett, they just got it in a big way from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress, more commonly referred to as the Nation’s Report Card.
Where do Catholics stand on Common Core?
Daily Caller, DC, November 11, 2013
Common Core backers are eager to keep the Catholic Church — a dominating presence in American K-12 education — on their side. But many Catholic scholars and organizations have voiced skepticism about the national curriculum standards, and they are increasingly speaking out.
STATE COVERAGE
ARIZONA
District charters give Dysart financial assist
Arizona Republic, AZ, November 11, 2013
Dysart Unified School District has turned four of its schools into district-sponsored charter schools, beginning with this school year.
CALIFORNIA
In pursuit of excellent teachers
Letter, Los Angeles Times, CA, November 9, 2013
Thank you for your balanced editorial on the use of test scores in evaluating schools and teachers. The “all or none” attitude of No Child Left Behind in using test scores to demonize struggling schools and teachers is counterproductive.
It’s all about choice at El Capitan High School in Merced
Modesto Bee, CA, November 11, 2013
Getting students involved in campus organizations is a key objective at Merced’s El Capitan High School, where 655 of the 765 freshmen and sophomores belong to a group, Principal Anthony Johnson said.
COLORADO
Back to the drawing board for education reform
Editorial, Steamboat Today, CO, November 9, 2013
There are important lessons to be learned from the resounding defeat of Amendment 66. Despite pollsters predicting passage, the measure was rejected by 65 percent of Colorado voters.
Education’s uphill battle begins with hiring great teachers
Opinion, Denver Post, CO, November 11, 2013
“Incremental” is probably the best way to describe the recent progress of Colorado schoolchildren on national achievement tests.
DELAWARE
Standardized tests at the root of teaching problems
Opinion, News Journal, DE, November 11, 2013
The disconnect between Delaware’s excellent teacher evaluation ratings and student performance is not the teachers’ fault. The elephant in every classroom is standardized test-driven projects our elected and appointed decision-makers are imposing on school staff, students and parents.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
DC Charter School Board releases new school rankings for 68 schools; about a third in Tier 1
Washington Post, DC, November 10, 2013
New rankings show a third of the District of Columbia’s charter schools that are subject to annual rankings are high-performing “Tier 1” schools.
Montgomery schools chief: Close achievement gaps, expand innovation
Washington Post, DC, November 11, 2013
Montgomery County Superintendent Joshua P. Starr delivered his yearly “State of the Schools” address Monday, sounding a familiar theme of student hope as he called for collaboration and “embracing the new” in Maryland’s largest school system
GEORGIA
Atlanta calls off vote on K-8 school
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 11, 2013
The Atlanta school board scuttled a planned vote Monday that would have launched an experiment to expand an elementary school to include middle school grades 6-8, a model that could be replicated in other city schools.
First Bibb County charter school session draws 200
Macon Telegraph, GA, November 11, 2013
Two hundred or so parents turned out Saturday to learn more about a Bibb County charter school set to open next fall.
Hundreds Register for ‘ACE’ Charter School in Macon
WMGT-TV, GA, November 10, 2013
Frustrated with the local school system, some families are turning to a new educational choice in Bibb County—charter schools. This weekend, hundreds of parents registered for the ‘Academy for Classical Education’, in hopes to get their kids in the classroom, when the school opens its doors.
School board rejects Druid Hills Charter
Cross Roads News, GA, November 12, 2013
After a marathon four-hour meeting Nov. 11 the DeKalb School Board voted 5-4 to reject a petition to create a seven school Druid Hills charter cluster. The arrangement would have taken five elementary schools, a middle school and one high school in Central DeKalb out of county control and put them under a private board of directors.
FLORIDA
Charter school rule changes raise local control issues, money concerns for public school officials
St. Augustine Record, FL, November 10, 2013
Less local control and potentially more work and expenses for Florida school districts will be the result of charter school revisions, say school officials.
Current School Choice system evolves from school desegregation laws expiring
News Press, FL, November 10, 2013
The seeds of Lee County’s current School Choice system were planted in 2003. Ten years ago, the 1964 court order to desegregate and maintain racial diversity in equal numbers in the Lee County School District expired.
New charter school to be part of PB ‘learning cluster’
Sun Sentinel, FL, November 11, 2013
A new charter school planned near Scripps and Max Planck Institute would help grow a “learning cluster” in northern Palm Beach County, according to officials involved in the project.
Study: Struggling Miami-Dade schools benefited from teacher transfers
Miami Herald, FL, November 11, 2013
Dozens of struggling Miami-Dade schools benefited in recent years from the forced transfers of hundreds of teachers, according to newly published research.
IDAHO
Reading Levels Focus of Idaho Education Efforts
Twin Falls Times-News, ID, November 11, 2013
Fifteen years after Idaho laid the groundwork for all students to be good readers by third grade, results have been tepid.
ILLINOIS
Time to dump the standardized tests
Opinion, Chicago Tribune, IL, November 12, 2013
Here’s a way to dramatically increase classroom teaching time in Chicago and elsewhere while saving a ton of money: Get rid of most or all standardized testing.
Who saw this coming? Quinn taps Vallas as running mate.
Column, Chicago Tribune, IL, November 10, 2013
Like just about everyone else, I expected Gov. Pat Quinn to choose an up-and-coming Illinois Democrat to be his running mate — an ethnic minority, a woman or both. The party needs to deepen its bench and reach out to emerging communities if it’s going to maintain its hold on power.
INDIANA
Gary Roosevelt making comeback after state takeover
Journal Gazette, IN, November 10, 2013
An unsettling initial year found the state-appointed takeover operator, EdisonLearning Inc., grappling with a lack of student records, a failing heating and air-conditioning system and a principal jumping ship midyear.
KENTUCKY
Failed Education Tax Vote Puts Spotlight on Kentucky School Funding
WFPL, KY, November 11, 2013
Joe Burgan is a coordinator with the Kentucky Charter Schools Association. He says local taxpayers are fed up with consistent hikes in the face of lagging test scores and failing schools, and simply want to make sure their money is being spent wisely.
LOUISIANA
KIPP board gets advice on school governance
The Lens, LA, November 11, 2013
The KIPP New Orleans board of directors, which oversees nine schools on eight campuses, participated in a two-day board retreat and training Nov. 1-2 at the Iberia Bank conference room on St. Charles Avenue.
MINNESOTA
Minneapolis schools to double down on grade gap
Star Tribune, MN, November 11, 2013
Failure to meet most targets means district is likely to put two teachers in early-grade classrooms at schools that are struggling.
NEW JERSEY
N.J. public schools can learn from the success at charters
Opinion, Times of Trenton, NJ, November 12, 2013
I read with interest the article “Ravitch: America’s public schools are in danger — During talk in Princeton, she blames the erosion of public education on promoting charter schools, voucher system” (Nov. 6).
NEW MEXICO
Find common ground on evaluations
Editorial, Carlsbad Current-Argus, NM, November 10, 2013
We agree with Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera that there needs to be an evaluation of teachers that allows us to reward excellence and identify those who are not performing up to expectations.
NEW YORK
Bill de Blasio faces big test in picking next schools chancellor
New York Daily News, NY, November 10, 2013
The mayor-elect’s appointment to lead New York City’s schools will be highly scrutinized and risky, as it will signal his direction for the education of the city’s 1.1 million students.
De Blasio plan will keep 16,000 students out of charters
Editorial, New York Post, DC, November 9, 2013
Bill de Blasio won election as mayor with 74% of the vote — an impressive achievement by any measure.
De Blasio wants charters to pay rent, but what about cultural institutions?
New York Post, NY, November 11, 2013
The mayor-elect plans to charge rent to well-funded charter schools that serve kids in poor neighborhoods, while 34 top cultural institutions — including museums and music venues with huge endowments and million-dollar CEOs — continue to use city space without paying rent.
NORTH CAROLINA
9 Investigates: Questions surround state’s largest teacher advocacy group
WSOC Charlotte, NC, November 11, 2013
The North Carolina Association of Educators has 50,000 members but some teachers, who haven’t seen a raise in years, are asking how effective the organization is.
NC needs to make it easier for charter schools to replicate
Opinion, News & Observer, NC, November 8, 2013
There is one issue that every elected official – whether Democrat or Republican – every policymaker, every educator, every business leader and every parent agrees on: We must provide a quality education to all of our children. Our economic future, even our democratic system, depends on it.
School choice plays growing role in Charlotte’s education scene, panel says
Charlotte Observer, NC, November 11, 2013
School choice plays a growing role in the quest to educate all students in the Charlotte region, speakers told more than 100 people gathered Saturday for a forum on the future of public education.
OHIO
The Cleveland Catholic diocese should be more cautious in leasing to charter schools: editorial
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 9, 2013
Roman Catholic pastors are understandably eager to lease now-closed school buildings to charter schools.
PENNSYLVANIA
Another day, another fishy charter school
KDKA, PA, November 10, 2013
Now the feds are investigating spending practices at the Pittsburgh Urban Pathways Charter Schools. Some of the initial reports looks pretty fishy:
Catholic education on downward spiral as enrollment drops, schools close
Herald Standard, PA, November 10, 2013
After a recommendation was made to close All Saints Regional Catholic School in Masontown in 2005, the community and Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg worked together to keep the facility open.
Pittsburgh schools may hire from Teach for America
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 9, 2013
Pittsburgh Public Schools superintendent Linda Lane wants Teach for America — which has deployed 32,000 college graduates without education degrees to classrooms nationwide for more than two decades — to help the district fill 15 to 30 teaching vacancies next fall.
School district must pay shuttered charter’s bill
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 11, 2013
The cash-strapped Philadelphia School District has been stuck with a $305,000 bill from a controversial cyber charter school that shut down last month.
State Senate Charter School Proposal Faces Criticism
WESA NPR, PA, November 11, 2013
Some education advocates are criticizing a state Senate proposal to revamp how public charter schools start, expand and receive funding because it would remove a check on the growth of the alternative schools.
TENNESSEE
Goodwill plans to open charter school in Memphis for adult dropouts
Memphis Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2013
Goodwill Industries is preparing to get in the education business in Memphis with a charter school for adults who quit high school.
Large School Districts Interested in Challenging BEP to Get At Charters
Nashville Scene, TN, November 11, 2013
As the Tennessee School Boards Association met at the Opryland Convention Center this weekend, school board members from the state’s four largest districts broke off to talk strategy on Sunday, finding themselves with joint appetites to coalesce against the state.
School attendance shouldn’t be used to punish families
Letter, The Tennessean, TN, November 11, 2013
The state Senate is searching for a solution to the growing problem of truancy within Nashville’s poorest communities. Sen. Brian Kelsey’s answer to the growing issue is to cut welfare benefits of families whose children do not meet satisfactory school attendance.
TEXAS
New charter school caters to creatives
Cross Timbers Gazette, TX, November 11, 2013
In the center of Flower Mound’s Parker Square, a new charter school has opened its doors to help prepare high school students from across North Texas for careers in digital arts, business marketing, and fashion merchandising in a college-like campus setting.
UTAH
Utah’s schools educating 11,566 more students this year
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, November 9, 2013
Utah’s charter schools continue to add students at a faster clip than do traditional schools, contributing to an overall increase of nearly 2 percent — 11,566 students — in public-school enrollment this year.
VIRGINIA
Petersburg to try year-round programs at two failing schools
Richmond Post-Dispatch, VA, November 9, 2013
Petersburg will begin year-round programs at two chronically underperforming schools that are slated for state takeover under Gov. Bob McDonnell’s contentious Opportunity Education Institution.
ONLINE LEARNING
Regional Collaborative submits virtual school plan
Dedham Transcript, MA, November 11, 2013
The Education Cooperative was the only organization to submit a proposal to the state Monday, Nov. 4, to start an online school.
State targets Merrill charter school
Wausau Daily Herald, WI, November 9, 2013
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has notified the Merrill school district that a charter school it operates doesn’t meet legal requirements to exist as a school.
Technology at work in Arkansas’ Catholic classrooms
Arkansas Catholic, AR, November 12, 2013
More parochial schools integrating students’ iPads, tablets to enhance learning
Virtual schools are changing education
Opinion, Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 10, 2013
Recently, under the headline “Cyber schools flunk, but the money keeps flowing,” Politico — a Washington-based political news outlet — reported on the poor performance of students taking online courses from various providers in a variety of states.
York City schools propose in-house cyber option
York Dispatch, PA, November 11, 2013
The York City School District is gearing up to launch its own cyber school.
District officials are touting the program as a quality education for students who prefer to learn online without the loss of extracurricular activities, social events and a traditional diploma.
2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress Math and Reading Results
November 8, 2013 By
Read CER’s statement on the 2013 Nation’s Report Card here.
Download or print your PDF copy of the 2013 Nation’s Report Card Reading Results for 4th and 8th Grade.
Download or print your PDF copy of the 2013 Nation’s Report Card Mathematic Results for 4th and 8th Grade.
2013 Nation’s Report Card: Tennessee shows nation’s best education gains
November 8, 2013 By
Memphis Commercial Appeal, TN
November 8, 2013
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and state Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman took a victory lap Thursday, dropping into John P. Freeman Optional School mid-afternoon to celebrate a glory day: Tennessee made the largest gains in the nation in fourth- and eight-grade reading and math, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report.
After years of work in the trenches, only to rank in the high 40s out of 50 states, fourth-graders bolted, going from 46th in math to 37 in the nation. In reading, they did even better, plowing their way up to 31 from No. 41.
“There couldn’t be better news for the state of Tennessee, to show the highest gains in the history of this national test,” Haslam told a circle of teachers and reporters in the library. “This test is an apples-to-apples comparison to other states and shows the significant progress the state of Tennessee is making.
“We know this, we couldn’t have made these gains without significant progress here in Memphis and Shelby County; it’s too big of a proportion of the population.”
Huffman, who continues to take heat from teacher groups around the state, gave the credit to them and their school leaders.
“I’m grateful for all the educators in the state,” he said. “We’ve asked people to do more and work harder. We’ve had more rigor in the classroom, and it’s paid off in better results. We are incredibly grateful.”
The minute the speeches were over, Haslam, wife Crissy and Huffman fanned out across John P. Freeman, dropping in classrooms and taking part in the day, which included an impromptu cheer from students in West Tennessee Teacher of the Year, Dr. Melissa Collins’ classroom.
Eighth-grade scores for Tennessee moved up more modestly, now ranking 43rd in math and 34th in reading. The data show Mississippi schools continuing to lag among the nation’s worst, its fourth-grade scores in math and reading ranking 50th and 49th, respectively, and its eighth-grade scores ranking 49th and 50th in math and reading.
NAEP, often called the Nation’s Report Card, is the only test that compares how students across states are performing in core subjects. The tests were given to a sample size group of students in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, last winter, and the report compares 2013 results to 2011 scores, the last time NAEP gathered data.
While Tennessee is making the fastest gains, its eighth-graders are significantly behind the national average in math. Only 28 percent of the public schoolchildren in the state are proficient in math, compared to 34 percent nationally.
Haslam used the NAEP results to trumpet the major changes in education policy and more rigorous academic standards that began under his predecessor, former Gov. Phil Bredesen.
He invited Bredesen to join him at a choreographed ceremony in a large auditorium at West Wilson Middle School in Mt. Juliet, near Nashville.
Bredesen, a Democrat, echoed his Republican successor in saying that Tennessee’s gains are resulting from a bipartisan “relay race.” Both men credited teachers for seeing the difficult process through.
“This to me is one of those sort of gates you get through, or milestones, that make you feel progress is being made,” Bredesen said after the ceremony.
He added: “The way this stuff gets done is two or three or four of five governors in a row keep plugging away at stuff. Everybody puts their own mark on it but you don’t just go careening off in some new direction every time there’s a change in control. Gov. Haslam has done a great job of that. His administration has put its own mark on stuff but the core stuff and the commitment to the standards, which I think is the key to all this, has been there and I really congratulate him for it.”
The scores
Key findings from the NAEP data, with scores that are based off 500-point tests:
–Tennessee fourth-graders are ranked 37th in the nation in math, scoring 240, a 3 percent increase over scores in 2011. Mississippi fourth-graders are ranked 50th in math, scoring 231, a 0.4 percent increase. Nationally, fourth-graders scored 241 in math, a 0.4 percent increase.
–Tennessee eighth-graders are ranked 43rd in math, scoring 278, a 1.3 percent increase. Mississippi eighth-graders are ranked 49th in math, scoring 271, a 0.7 percent increase. Nationally, eighth-graders scored 284 in math, a 0.4 percent increase.
–Tennessee fourth-graders are ranked 31st in reading, scoring 220, a 2.4 percent increase. Mississippi fourth-graders are ranked 49th in reading, scoring 209, a 0 percent increase. Nationally, fourth-graders scored 221, a 0.5 percent increase.
–Tennessee eighth-graders are ranked 34th in reading, scoring 265, a 2.4 percent increase. Mississippi eighth-graders are ranked 50th in reading, scoring 253, a 4.2 percent decrease. Nationally, eighth-graders scored 266, a 0.8 percent increase.
Officials were actively promoting the achievement on social media, including this from Shelby County Schools chairman Kevin Woods tweeted: “The REAL credit goes to the schools/communities. Teachers are delivering!”
Nationally, the gains were small. Overall, only about a third of children are doing schoolwork on grade level. “It’s a disgrace and truly incomprehensible that after decades of mediocrity, we celebrate today the fact that only 34 percent of our nation’s 8th graders can read at grade level and only 34 percent are proficient in math,” Kara Kerwin, president of The Center for Education Reform, said in a prepared statement.
Racial achievement gap persists
Tennessee also showed growth for African-American students, although it did not make the gains other states did in reducing the achievement gap between white and minority students.
African-American scores in Tennessee show about a half-year of additional academic growth and a corresponding decrease in the achievement gap, particularly in eighth-grade reading, where the distance between the groups dropped six points. In NAEP, 10 points is considered a year’s worth of growth.
But the gap between white and African-American fourth-graders in Tennessee widened three points in math and science. When the scores of the four tests are averaged together, African-American students showed a point more growth than white students here and a larger gain than the national average
Tennessee, which received a waiver from the No Child Behind legislation, must reduce the achievement gap in order to show it is making progress.
Impact on legislative agenda?
Both Haslam and Bredesen said the state legislature should resist efforts to roll back the controversial Common Core State Standards.
The upcoming legislative session will see further battles, including efforts to repeal parts of Common Core and to create a voucher program that allows parents to take taxpayer funding to pay private school tuition for their children.
A public campaign, funded by conservative out-of-state donors, for an expansive voucher program launched statewide in Tennessee last week, but Haslam said Wednesday and again Thursday that he wants only the limited, experimental voucher program he proposed early this year — in which only low-income children in low-performing schools would qualify.
Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis issued a statement Thursday congratulating Tennessee teachers “for these extraordinary gains,” which he said bolster the opposition to private school vouchers.
“Public schools are winning without the help of vouchers, charters and for-profit schools. Taking money away from public schools will only undermine their success,” Kyle said.
But State Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, rejected that premise: “This is a sign that the education reforms that we have been working on in Nashville are working and we need to push for more reforms, like opportunity scholarships, in Memphis, rather than less reform.”
Proficiency scores
Here is a look at the percentage of students scoring proficient or better in math:
–40 percent of Tennessee fourth-graders were proficient in math, up from 30 percent in 2011. 26 percent of Mississippi fourth-graders were proficient in math, up from 25 percent. Nationally, 41 percent of fourth-graders were proficient in math, up from 40 percent.
–28 percent of Tennessee eighth-graders were proficient in math, up from 24 percent in 2011. 21 percent of Mississippi eighth-graders were proficient in math, up from 19 percent. Nationally, 34 percent of eighth-graders were proficient in math, unchanged from 2011.
–34 percent of Tennessee fourth-graders were proficient in reading, up from 26 percent in 2011. 21 percent of Mississippi fourth-graders were proficient in reading, down from 22 percent. Nationally, 34 percent of fourth-graders were proficient in reading, up from 32 percent.
–33 percent of Tennessee eighth-graders were proficient in reading, up from 27 percent in 2011. 20 percent of Mississippi eighth-graders were proficient in reading, down from 21 percent. Nationally, 34 percent of eighth-graders were proficient in reading, up from 32 percent.
Daily Headlines for November 8, 2013
November 8, 2013 By
Click here for Newswire, the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else – spiced with a dash of irreverence – from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.
NATIONAL COVERAGE
2013 Nation’s Report Card: Tennessee shows nation’s best education gains
Memphis Commercial Appeal, TN, November 8, 2013
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and state Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman took a victory lap Thursday, dropping into John P. Freeman Optional School mid-afternoon to celebrate a glory day: Tennessee made the largest gains in the nation in fourth- and eight-grade reading and math, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report.
On your marks
The Economist, November 8, 2013
In the past, teachers were judged solely on their level of education and the number of years they had spent in the classroom—neither of which tells you whether their pupils are learning anything.
Not good enough: math, reading scores up slightly
Associated Press, November 7, 2013
Sometimes the best isn’t good enough: Most American fourth- and eighth-graders still lack basic skills in math and reading despite record high scores on a national exam.
School Reform Delivers
Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal
November 8, 2013
Education Secretary Arne Duncan hailed this year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (i.e., the nation’s report card) results on Thursday as “encouraging.” That’s true only if you look at Washington, D.C., Tennessee and states that have led on teacher accountability and other reforms.
Tennessee and D.C. lead education reform: Column
Column, USA Today, November 7, 2013
How often does Tennessee get cited nationally for producing great academic gains for its children? Almost never, about the same number of times Washington, D.C., gets touted for its superior academic results.
STATE COVERAGE
CALIFORNIA
Charter, Public Schools Can Coexist
San Jose Inside Blog, CA, November 7, 2013
Two events I attended this week provide some optimism about traditional public and charter schools’ ability to coexist. On Tuesday, I participated in a People Acting in Community Together (PACT) panel with two of my Board of Education colleagues, President Grace Mah and trustee Darcie Green. The event was titled, “Low Income Families Deserve More!”
Charter schools movement grows in LAUSD, California
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, November 7, 2013
California added 104 new charter schools to its roster this year, including 19 in Los Angeles Unified, but it still has some 50,000 students on waiting lists for the independent campuses, according to a report released today.
How to grade a teacher
Editorial, Los Angeles Times, CA, November 7, 2013
As the recent job evaluation of Los Angeles Unified Supt. John Deasy showed, test scores and other metrics can be a useful addition to the assessment process — as long as they’re not allowed to substitute for the bigger, more meaningful picture.
Trigger reform?
Editorial, Victorville Daily Press, CA, November 7, 2013
Victor Valley residents are probably as familiar with the “Parent Trigger” law as any other group in the state. The Parent Trigger bill, which was authored by Gloria Romero, then a state senator from Los Angeles, became law in 2010.
COLORADO
Could Douglas County, Colorado make school choice mainstream?
Daily Caller, November 7, 2013
Tuesday night, the voters of Douglas County, Colorado reelected all four incumbents of their school board. While such a news story may seem like just another commonplace occurrence of local politics confined to the front page of the Denver Post, this election was anything but typical.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Test scores point to school reform success in the District
Editorial, Washington Post, DC, November 7, 2013
SCHOOL REFORM in the District is working. That is the unassailable message of test scores released Thursday by federal education officials. Students at every level improved in reading and math, and the improvement exceeded the national average.
GEORGIA
Utopian Academy for the Arts charter school gets state OK in Clayton County
Clayton News-Daily, GA, November 7, 2013
The Clayton County Board of Education split in voting down his petition to start a charter school back in June. But he returned smiling this week to let the board know that the same petition earned state approval.
FLORIDA
A teacher’s take
Column, Florida Today, FL, November 8, 2013
Recently, Gov. Rick Scott gave Florida teachers an opportunity to comment on educational program changes initiated by the state.
ILLINOIS
Who’s ready for college?
Editorial
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 7, 2013
Illinois rolled out its new, information-chocked school report card recently and provided an easy-to-understand figure of how many Illinois high school graduates are ready to go to college.
KANSAS
Legislative hearing on school finance excludes key education voices
Topeka Capital Journal, KS
November 7, 2013
A nuts-and-bolts hearing for House and Senate members on potential reform of the Kansas school finance system Wednesday raised questions about the conspicuous absence of state education department staff members and state school board members from the agenda.
KENTUCKY
Kentucky school districts join together, urge lawmakers to restore funding
Lexington Herald Leader, KY, November 7, 2013
Two decades ago, the Council for Better Education’s efforts led to a landmark court decision to strengthen Kentucky schools and to a reform act from the General Assembly. Now, the council — composed of nearly all school districts in Kentucky — is raising money for a study that could show lawmakers that school funding needs to be restored.
MARYLAND
Baltimore County revokes charter school license
Baltimore Sun Blog, MD, November 6, 2013
After five years of below-average performance, Baltimore County’s only charter school will lose its license to operate in July, but will continue as a regular public school next year.
In grassroots takeover of Northampton School Board, ‘We shook them up’
Delmarva Now, MD, November 7, 2013
Voters in Northampton County’s first-ever school board election sent an electoral rebuke to the status quo, voting in the entire slate of candidates endorsed by the Friends of Northampton County Public Schools.
MASSACHUSETTS
Test score gap persists between white, minority students
Eagle Tribune, MA, November 8, 2013
Massachusetts fourth- and eighth-graders lead the country in reading and math scores, although grade four reading levels have slipped in the state and persistent achievement gaps remain.
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor area principal named best charter school administrator in Michigan
Ann Arbor News, MI, November 7, 2013
East Arbor Charter Academy Principal Shawn Leonard has been named the top charter school administrator in the state.
DPS debt swells $18.7M, looks at cutting costs
Detroit News, MI, November 8, 2013
The cash-strapped Detroit Public Schools racked up an additional $18.7 million in debt from July through September after its plan to boost enrollment failed, and it spent above budgeted amounts on security, transportation and maintenance.
MISSISSIPPI
Low test scores merit action
Editorial, Clarion Ledger, MS, November 8, 2013
The National Center for Education Statistics released its 2013 Nation’s Report Card on Thursday, and the news for Mississippi was mixed, at best.
NEVADA
Break charter school barriers
Editorial, Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, November 8, 2013
Demand for alternatives to neighborhood Clark County public schools continues to exceed the valley’s supply of them. Thousands of students are on wait lists for charter schools and Clark County School District magnet programs.
NEW JERSEY
Big concerns spur big turnout of teachers at annual NJEA convention
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, November 8, 2013
Tougher evaluations, new standards and testing for students – and re-election of nemesis Gov. Chris Christie – among items on agenda.
NORTH CAROLINA
Lower test scores for NC schools show results of tougher standards
News Observer, NC, November 7, 2013
The sobering consequences of more rigorous classroom standards became clear Thursday when the state Board of Education revealed the dramatic drop in performance by students, schools and districts on standardized tests.
OHIO
8 shuttered charters lacked for pupils, not state money
Columbus Dispatch, OH
November 8, 2013
The charter schools told the state they would teach 1,600 students. Skeptical, the state cut that down to 700 students when it estimated how much money to send.
New education standards known as the Common Core start forcing changes in Ohio’s schools and in other states
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 7, 2013
With the state asking schools across Ohio to start using the new standards this year, your children’s teachers are spending hours sorting them out, re-working what they’ll have to cover, re-writing lesson plans and adjusting the way they teach.
PENNSYLVANIA
New website launched for all types of high-school applications
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, November 8, 2013
A COALITION of district, charter and parochial schools introduced a new website yesterday where Philadelphia students can download 2014-15 applications for all three types of high schools.
Only two New Hope parents attend York City information meeting
York Dispatch, PA, November 8, 2013
York City School District Superintendent Eric Holmes delivered a presentation Thursday to an almost empty auditorium.
TEXAS
Top Academics but Little Diversity at Two New Charters
Texas Tribune, TX, November 8, 2012
On an evening in late October, several hundred parents crowded into a Temple Beth-El auditorium near downtown San Antonio to learn about a new school opening next fall.
WASHINGTON
Truancy program keeps kids in school, out of court
Commentary, Renton Reporter, WA, November 8, 2013
Many people are surprised when I tell them that we have a Truancy Dropout Prevention Unit in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. “Shouldn’t you be going after the serious criminals, instead of kids who skip school?” they ask.
WISCONSIN
GOP Amendment Makes It Easier To Create Charter School Districts
Wisconsin Public Radio News, WI, November 7, 2013
Republicans have introduced an amendment that would let school boards more easily convert all public schools in their district to charter schools.
State Officials Hope to Solve Achievement Gap Problem
WUWM, WI, November 8, 2013
Wisconsin’s numbers have been consistently low compared to the national average. The achievement gap hasn’t narrowed in 20 years. Other states at the bottom for reading scores among black eighth graders are Mississippi and Alabama.
Why some parents are choosing voucher schools
Journal Times, WI, November 7, 2013
Parents who remove their children from Racine Unified — or who bypass the district altogether — using school choice vouchers largely do so because of concerns about big class sizes, behavioral issues like bullying and poor academic performance, they said.
ONLINE LEARNING
Arkansas Virtual School fails to meet standards—ranks as needing improvement
Opinion, Examiner, November 7, 2013
ARVA is a popular choice for parents who want the ability to have their children learn at home but do not have the confidence, finances or desire to go a traditional homeschool route.
Florida Virtual School fighting legal battle with company of similar name
WFTV-TV, FL, November 7, 2013
Tax dollars are funding a major court battle that school leaders say, is over the quality of education for children. Parents got Florida Virtual School and Florida Virtual Academy confused, so leaders took the issue to the Supreme Court.
LP’s Virtual Learning Academy gets national award
Herald Argus, IN, November 7, 2013
Some are missing high school credits, others can’t attend a traditional classroom environment, and still others want to enrich themselves with courses not offered locally.
Metro Schools touts success, flexibility of virtual school
WSMV-TV, TN, November 7, 2013
Just weeks after a study showed that students enrolled in Tennessee Virtual Academy are learning less than their peers, Metro Nashville Public Schools is touting the success of its virtual school.
Students dip feet into online learning … now required
The Virginian-Pilot, VA, November 8, 2013
The Nansemond River High School sophomore has joined hundreds of Hampton Roads students taking online courses, a growing option in secondary education. And now a required one.
CER STATEMENT ON THE 2013 NATION’S REPORT CARD
November 7, 2013 By
CER Press Release
Washington, DC
November 7, 2013
Kara Kerwin, president of The Center for Education Reform (CER), released the following statement upon the release of the 2013 Nation’s Report Card:
“It’s a disgrace and truly incomprehensible that after decades of mediocrity, we celebrate today the fact that only 36 percent of our nation’s 8th graders can read at grade level and only 35 percent are proficient in math.”
“Americans want power and access to data and options. It’s rare to find a policy issue that 86 percent of the country agrees with, but in education, accountability does just that. Today’s release of the 2013 NAEP results proves our lawmakers are just not listening. In fact, two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) rate their elected officials as ‘fair’ or ‘poor’ when it comes to education.
“All students can learn and be proficient if we create policies that are centered on them, proven and transformational. Scholarship programs, charters, blended learning or whatever parents and educators choose — innovations in how education is delivered must be embraced.
“It is time to change the power of who drives these decisions and how it is led. Our nation must accelerate the pace of reform in order to become competitive in the global market once again. The stagnant results of NAEP should make us all much more uncomfortable perpetuating excuses.”
What NAEP Results Tell Us About Parent Power
The release of the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Math and Reading scores yesterday showed little to no progress for students in 4th and 8th grade. When diving into the online resources, some subgroups did have gains, while others fared worse. Hispanic students in both grades made two point gains since 2011. Eighth-grade Asian/Pacific Islander students and American Indian/Alaska Native students made four point gains. African-American students had the lowest percentage of students achieving proficiency in math, not even reaching 20 percent. Since 2007, 8th grade reading scores have only increased by five points. To save you the time of digging through all of the tables, charts and maps, we’ve summarized these key Math and Reading findings.
When examining student progress for both grade levels in math and reading since 2011, we see that the Top Ten States on the Parent Power Index posted achievement gains, remained higher than the national average, or are on par with their 2011 scores. So what does this mean for parents and policymakers?
Let’s look at the District of Columbia as a case study. While DC had overall scores lower than the national average, students saw the largest improvements because meaningful reforms in the nation’s capital are helping all schools improve.
The correlation between the positive ripple effect of charter schools and overall achievement was most pronounced in the District of Columbia, where DC fourth graders improved seven points in math and five points in reading. Eighth graders similarly improved, showing five and six point gains in math and reading, respectively.
These scores are also confirmation that the improvements seen in the DC-CAS scores in both public traditional and charter schools were no fluke, and these gains are here to stay as long as District leaders stay on this current course of reform.
Nearly 45% of DC’s public school students are in charter schools, about 2,000 students participate in a small but very popular voucher program, and modest reforms addressing tenure and tying teacher evaluations to performance pay are paying off. There’s still a tremendous amount of progress to be made in DC and across the country, but a closer look at NAEP shows progress is possible when parents have access to options and data, and when schools are held accountable for student achievement.
Alison Consoletti Zgainer is Executive Vice President of The Center for Education Reform