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OPPORTUNITY TO AZ’s UNDERSERVED.  2,500 miles away from D.C., Arizona could once again be the latest frontier for choice to serve a student population stuck in underperforming schools.  Arizona congressman Andy Biggs introduced a bill that offers vouchers to Native American students to diversify their educational options. Just like Congress has special oversight over DC’s education affairs, the lawmakers have oversight over Bureau of Indian Education schools, most of which have not served most Native American students well.  If enacted, the new program would provide an $8,000 deposit per year per student into an educational savings account to be used for cost of attendance at private schools, private online programs, tutoring, transportation and other educational services. These choices could be life saving… perhaps they need a screening of Miss Virginia to help them along!

TWENTY-FIVE PIONEERING YEARS. Happy Anniversary to Arizona’s charter schools, born June 17, 1994, thanks to a whole host of people, most notably then State Rep. Lisa Graham Keegan and State Senator Tom Patterson.  A diverse coalition of civic leaders, parents and educators stormed the Capitol to support the development of educational choices that would be tailored to the needs of students. The result? After only a quarter century, students in Arizona, particularly from low income and minority backgrounds are doing better than all other student groups.  “Students in Arizona charter schools score higher on state achievement tests than district students. In fact, they score better in pretty much all grade levels and every demographic and programmatic category for which scores are published and have done so for several years.”  No surprise that “The two highest growth schools in Arizona— Reyes Maria Ruiz Leadership Academy and Mexicayotl Charter School—are both high poverty public charter schools.” The critics will keep on coming though, as we see right in our backyard in DC. No matter how great your results are, there’s always someone who believes that the status quo is just fine and is willing to fight you to stay in place.  That’s why we can’t join the celebration this week, but wish you the best for another 25 years of exponential impact!

BEANTOWN BEACON OF HOPE.  From Tufts University comes a new study showing that Boston-based charters result in “huge learning gains for the city’s special education students and English language learners.”  Can we see the hands of anyone surprised by this news? Nobody? Excellent – you are readers of great perspicacity.

“OYEZ! OYEZ! All persons having business before the Honorable, the  Supreme Court of the United States, are admonished to draw near and give their attention, for the Court is now sitting. God save the United States and this Honorable Court.”

Those words were pronounced yesterday as it was the first Monday in October, the start each year of the Supreme Court’s session. We believe (but we’re biased) that the most important case to be heard will be  “Espinoza v. The Montana Department of Revenue,” dealing with the legacy of one James G. Blaine, who in 1884 was dubbed the “continental liar from the state of Maine.” That’s when the illustrious New York Times broke its unblemished record of supporting Republicans for President,  ridiculing Blaine as “a prostitutor of public trusts, a scheming jobber and a reckless falsifier.” To lapse into legalese, the Blaine amendments are the epitome of fruit of the poisonous tree.

As always, please drop us a line, with any input and suggestions.