Daily Headlines for September 17, 2012
In Search of Excellent Teaching
New York Times, NY, September 17, 2012
That teachers’ unions in much of the country now agree that student achievement should count in evaluations at all reflects a major change from the past, when it was often argued that teaching was an “art” that could not be rigorously evaluated or, even more outrageously, that teachers should not be held accountable for student progress.
Fighting Against School Reform: And Putting The President In A Pickle
Las Vegas Review-Journal , NV, September 17, 2012
Education reform is a huge topic nationwide. In some of our nation’s largest school systems – including Chicago’s – today’s average eighth-grader can barely read.
Lessons From The Chicago Teachers Strike
Seattle Times, WA, September 16, 2012
Teachers’ strikes are going to increasingly become less about money and more about divisions between organized labor and education reformers.
Reforming Schools A Hard Bargain
MetroWest Daily News, MA, September 16, 2012
Accountability begins with more effective teacher performance evaluations. For generations, teacher evaluations have been an afterthought in most school districts, if they happened at all. Seniority has determined teaching assignments and teacher pay. And for years, education reformers have called for evaluations that include student performance data and that have consequences.
FROM THE STATES
ARIZONA
Tucson Schools Overhaul a Program to Help Struggling Hispanic Students
New York Times, NY, September 15, 2012
The forecast for the year ahead is dire, so officials in the public school district here, the oldest in the state, summoned parents to an urgent meeting one evening to lay out the options: close schools and increase class sizes or impose across-the-board pay cuts, making it harder for the district to recruit quality teachers.
CALIFORNIA
Charter Schools Balk At California’s New Pre-Kindergarten Law
The Reporter, CA, September 17, 2012
A California law requires public schools to add a grade level this fall designed to give the very youngest students a boost when they enroll in kindergarten, but charter schools say the law does not apply to them, pitting them against the state Department of Education.
Orcutt District Considers Changes To Charter School Lottery
Santa Maria Times, CA, September 17, 2012
So many students and parents are interested in the Orcutt Union school district’s charter program that officials are considering giving enrollment preference to those within district boundaries.
CONNECTICUT
At Charter School, It’s Achievement First And Foremost
Hartford Courant, CT, September 16, 2012
The national debate surrounding charter schools has not come up in classes here. The focus: strict discipline, character, college prep and the expectation of an intense academic workload for all students, Shin said, even if their lives at home are difficult.
FLORIDA
Broward Charter Schools Closures Reveal Larger Issues
CBS Local, FL, September 16, 2012
The unexpected closing of three Broward County charter schools this week has cast a spotlight on a system that sometimes lacks oversight.
GEORGIA
Savannah’s Montessori School Raises Scores, Seeks Charter Extension
Savannah Morning News, GA, September 17, 2012
Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School is working to prove its academic effectiveness so it can keep receiving public school operating funds and remain autonomous from public school bureaucracy.
Charter-School Amendment Not About Charter Schools
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, September 17, 2012
According to its backers, the proposed charter-school amendment on the ballot in November is intended to empower parents. As Gov. Nathan Deal put it back in May, “Georgians all across this state embrace the idea that parents should have more options and that parents should be more involved in the process of the education of their children.”
Charter Schools Ballot Question Takes Center Stage At Legislators Conference
WGCL Atlanta, GA, September 16, 2012
With less than two months before voters head to the polls, the issue of charter schools took center stage at the annual convention of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.
Some Residents Donating Money In Support Of Charter School Referendum In Nov.
Marietta Daily Journal, GA, September 17, 2012
Families for Better Public Schools, a group urging passage of the November referendum to create a new state agency to approve charter schools, has raised nearly half a million dollars, most of it from out-of-state sources
Voters Should Educate Themselves On Charter Schools
Columbia County News-Times, GA, September 16, 2012
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation would like to congratulate the schools of the Columbia County school system for what publisher Barry L. Paschal describes as one of the “communities with the best schools” (column, Sept. 12). It’s commendable that your system’s faculty and staff are committed to providing students with an opportunity for academic excellence.
Lines Drawn In Charter School Debate
Douglas County Sentinel, GA, September 15, 2012
If the Georgia Constitution is amended, reinstating the General Assembly’s authority to approve charter schools along with local school boards, what will it mean for students, parents and teachers in Douglas County ?
IDAHO
Idaho Teacher Merit Pay Delayed
Spokesman Review, WA, September 16, 2012
The release of data telling teachers whether they’ve earned a bonus under Idaho’s new merit pay plan has been delayed again, education officials said Friday.
ILLINOIS
The Union Wins in Chicago
Wall Street Journal, September 17, 2012
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis knew what she was doing by calling a teachers strike on the first week of school two months before Election Day in a city whose mayor is President Obama’s former chief of staff. The union is now debating whether to accept a tentative deal that includes a big pay raise but dodges the most consequential reforms. How much more does it want?
Chicago Teachers Strike Continues, Emanuel Says He Will Sue To Force End
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 16, 2012
What was thought to be a done deal unraveled Sunday as Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis was unable to sell union delegates on ending the teachers strike, likely leaving more than 350,000 Chicago Public Schools students locked out of the classroom at least two more days.
If The Teachers Say No …
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 17, 2012
On Friday, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis sounded ebullient when she announced that the union had reached a tentative deal with Chicago Public Schools officials. The union leader, hailed by some as a national labor hero, said she was “very comfortable” with the terms. “We think it’s a framework that will get us to an agreement.”
A Watershed for Democrats and Unions
Wall Street Journal, September 17, 2012
The Chicago teachers strike moved toward settlement over the weekend, but fell short. A question hanging over the negotiations: What has the strike really been about? From the press coverage, it seemed that if you asked 30 teachers why they were picketing, you’d get 30 different reasons. The economic differences and the noneconomic issues (regarding teacher evaluation and job security) were of a type that has been resolved elsewhere without a strike.
INDIANA
More Charter Schools Planned For Muncie
Muncie Star Press, IN, September 15, 2012
Today, Hoosier Academy is the only charter school in Delaware County. But that could be changing soon.
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Has Made A Smart School Choice
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, September 16, 2012
The fourth-grader was one of 4,944 Louisiana children fortunate enough to win a scholarship to a private school under Gov. Bobby Jindal’s expanded school voucher program.
Now, A Rush For New Rules
The Advocate, LA, September 16, 2012
When you take the king’s shilling, you obey the king — and that old saying is now becoming a lesson for private and parochial schools, hitherto independent of much oversight by public authorities.
Blurring The Line Between Public And Private Schools
The Advertiser, LA, September 16, 2012
It looks like the other shoe may be starting its slow descent to the floor. Nonpublic schools may soon have to show more proof that they will offer a high-quality education before they are accepted into the state’s school voucher program.
MASSACHUSETTS
Opportunity in Charters
Boston Herald, MA, September 17, 2012
It was perhaps unreasonable to believe that the most recent round of contract negotiations with the Boston Teachers Union could deliver the most meaningful student-centered reforms that the city needs to best serve Hub families. The agreement reached last week does set up a better teacher evaluation system and gives school leaders more flexibility in hiring teachers.
Undocumented Claims Can’t Be Allowed To Cloud Charter
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, September 17, 2012
Given the size of the school’s enrollment shortfall over the first two weeks of the new school year, it remains to be seen whether Gloucester Community Arts Charter School Director Tony Blackman will be able to hold to his commitment of avoiding any more staff cuts in the face of a likely $500,000-plus budget deficit.
MICHIGAN
Ballot Proposal Would Unravel Ed
Detroit News, MI, September 17, 2012
When Michigan residents head to voting booths in November, they will have a host of important decisions to make. One of a half-dozen ballot measures with far-reaching consequences is Proposal 2, the so-called Protect Our Jobs proposal. If it passes, it would have a particularly devastating effect on some of Michigan’s latest education reforms.
MISSOURI
State Should Honor St. Louis Accreditation Request
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, September 16, 2012
When discussing the process by which the state accredits, or unaccredits, public schools in Missouri , Chad Beffa uses a war analogy.
NEW JERSEY
Newark Eyes Merit Pay for Teachers
Wall Street Journal, September 17, 2012
New Jersey and the Newark Teachers Union are negotiating a form of merit pay in the state-run district that would block poorly rated teachers from receiving automatic annual salary bumps that are now based solely on years of experience, union officials said.
NEW YORK
Teacher Evaluations: Of 54 Local Districts, Only 9 Have State OK On New Systems
The Journal News, NY, September 17, 2012
With the school year hardly under way, many school districts are already scrambling to keep up with the requirements of the state’s new teacher evaluation system, which requires all teachers to get a score and rating come next summer.
NYC At A Lo$$ Over Teach Evals
New York Post, NY, September 17, 2012
The failure to implement a more rigorous teacher-evaluation system is about to cost the city school system a bundle.
NORTH CAROLINA
Schools Choice Plan Compromise Edges To Completion
News & Observer, NC, September 16, 2012
A renewal of Wake County ’s longtime controversy over “neighborhood schools” appears likely on Tuesday, when school board members will receive a proposal for the system’s third assignment plan in as many years.
OHIO
Under a Cloud
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 17, 2012
Debate over how much, if any, school-performance data the Ohio Department of Education should release this year is understandable. There are valid reasons to put out some numbers, as well as to hold everything back until a data-reporting scandal is resolved.
Are Charter Schools Really Making The Grade?
Dayton Daily News, OH, September 16, 2012
Some are calling for greater oversight. As number of charters grows in Miami Valley , so do quality concerns.
PENNSYLVANIA
Penna. Voters Give State Schools A ‘C’
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 17, 2012
Pennsylvania voters give the state’s public schools a low “C” grade and rate their local schools slightly higher, according to the Inquirer Pennsylvania Poll.
Baden Academy Leaves First Footprint In County
Beaver County Times, PA, September 16, 2012
Baden Academy Charter School ’s first footprint in Beaver County carries the following dimensions: an enrollment of 204 students, representing 11 school districts and approximately $1.78 million in tuition from area districts.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Supe’s On
Brandon Valley Challenger, SD, September 17. 2012
During the 2012 Legislative Session the legislature considered and passed HB 1234 that was a sweeping education reform measure submitted by Governor Daugaard. The proposal went through many revisions during the legislative process and has a number of delayed implementation dates that begin in 2012-14 and go through the 2016-17 year.
TENNESSEE
Memphis Arts Teachers Pilot Method To Measure Student Progress
Commercial Appeal, TN, September 17, 2012
First-graders at Idlewild Elementary routinely floss their brains with imaginary thread to clear the gunk before art class starts.
Cash’s Chapter At MCS Is Closing
Commercial Appeal, TN, September 16, 2012
Memphis City Schools Supt. Kriner Cash has come to a realization. He told Commercial Appeal education reporter Jane Roberts Wednesday that his heart and mind tell him it is time to “close this chapter. I can’t keep leaving it open for a whole host of reasons.”
School Board Got What It Wanted, But At What Price?
The Tennessean, TN, September 16, 2012
The rationale of rejection sounds empty to me, smacking more of racial politics than sound educational policy-making. And I wonder why, at a time when innovative solutions should be welcomed warmly, we send the signal, “don’t bother bringing your ideas here — we like the way our schools are performing.”
Nashville Schools To Create Diversity Plan
The Tennessean, TN, September 15, 2012
In the aftermath of a months-long charter school battle centered on whether the student body would be diverse, the Metro Nashville school board decided Friday to create a diversity plan that will focus on more than just race.
TEXAS
Charter Schools Don’t Skim Top Students
San Antonio Express, TX, September 17, 2012
In the article “Charter-School Advantage? Study Says Higher-Performing Kids Enroll” (Metro, August 22), Ed Fuller speculated that high-performing charter schools may owe their spectacular results to “skimming” the best students from the traditional public schools. He neglected to mention the high quality research that tests, and refutes, the skimming argument.
Texas Piloting Two New Teacher Evaluation Systems
Dallas Morning News, TX, September 16, 2012
The teacher strike that has given Chicago kids an unwelcome vacation is partly about money but largely about teacher evaluations.
School Voucher Proposals Raise Concerns
San Antonio Express, TX, September 17, 2012
With the next legislative session less than five months away, talk about a school voucher program once again is starting to reach a fevered pitch.
NCLB ‘Law Is Just Untenable’: Educators, Officials React To Texas ‘ Intent To Seek Federal Waiver
Amarillo Globe News, TX, September 16, 2012
The leader of the Texas Panhandle’s largest school district said he’s pleased with the state’s intent to apply for a waiver that could loosen federal requirements on schools because the current law desperately needs to be rewritten.
VIRGINIA
Faith-Based School Lifts Hopes For Students With Limited Resources
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, September 16, 2012
This is Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School, a small, independent, tuition-free, faith-based middle school for students of limited resources located on 29th Street in Richmond’s East End .
WASHINGTON
19th Legislative District Candidates: 3 Races, 3 Questions
Longview Daily News, WA, September 17, 2012
Three incumbent Democrats characterized themselves as moderates, eager to work with the opposition during a forum hosted by the League of Women voters Sunday afternoon.
WISCONSIN
MPS Wisely Embracing Charter Schools
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, September 15, 2012
Say an enterprising kid in your neighborhood offers to mow your lawn for $50. Say he turns around and pays another kid $35 to mow your lawn. The lawn gets mowed, the kid who actually mows the lawn makes $35 and the enterprising kid makes $15.
ONLINE SCHOOLS
Rhode Island Considers Virtual Charter Schools
WTNH, NH, September 17, 2012
Rhode Island’s Education Department is considering applications for two virtual charter schools, which would operate out of Providence and Central Falls .
Audubon Students Embrace Virtual Learning
Courier-Post, NJ, September 17, 2012
On September 6, when the academic year officially began, 15 Audubon High School students entered a new classroom — a virtual one that has created a buzz in the hallways of the junior and senior high serving grades 7 through 12.
In K12 Courses, 275 Students to a Single Teacher
StateImpact NPR, FL, September 1 6, 2012
Student-teacher ratios at K12, the nation’s largest online educator, are nearly twice as high as Florida ’s state-run virtual school, according to internal company documents obtained by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting and StateImpact Florida .
Hoosier Academy: A Virtual Education
Indiana’s NewsCenter, IN, September 17, 2012
Who says a child has to learn inside the four walls of a traditional school building? For Jenni Walters and her son, Blake, a computer screen works just as well.