Daily Headlines for March 27, 2013
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NATIONAL
Indiana Court Backs School-Voucher Law
Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2013
Indiana’s Supreme Court upheld a law that lets taxpayer funds pay for private schools, boosting an effort to expand what is already the broadest such voucher program in the U.S. and rebuffing critics who say it undermines public education.
School Vouchers Survive Their Test
Journal and Courier, IN, March 26, 2013
Indiana’s private school voucher system, touted as the broadest in the nation, is here to stay.
Will Obama’s Budget Recognize Charter Schools?
Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2013
President Obama will soon release his federal budget for 2014, and a top priority is likely to be early-childhood education, particularly for the poor. But will the proposal seek much funding for the growth of charter schools—at least more than the paltry 0.4% of federal education spending that currently supports these exciting and demonstrably successful schools?
FROM THE STATES
CALIFORNIA
Taking A Crack At California’s Education System
Los Angeles Times, CA, March 27, 2013
Michelle Rhee came to prominence as the tough-minded chancellor of Washington, D.C., schools. Now she’s in Sacramento, taking on this state’s system — and its teachers unions.
Temecula Valley Charter Changes Likely Mean New Teachers
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, March 26, 2013
With the revision calling for the charter school to hire non-district teachers, all 19 of the school’s instructors are expected to leave the 500-student school in Winchester, school officials said.
CONNECTICUT
Teachers Union Opposes Nomination Of Charter School Executive To State Board Of Education
Hartford Courant, CT, March 26, 2013
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s nomination of a charter school executive to the state Board of Education has met with a brushfire of opposition from a teachers union.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. Charter School Board To Start Investigating Special Education Practices
Washington Examiner, DC, March 26, 2013
D.C. charter schools’ special education programs will be investigated if the schools appear to discriminate against students with disabilities, under a new policy announced Tuesday.
FLORIDA
Pinellas Officials Fighting Charter School Legislation
Tampa Tribune, FL, March 27, 2013
New proposals from Florida legislators could bring more charter schools to Pinellas County, but not if Pinellas County School Board members have their say.
Charter School ‘Trigger’ Bill Backers Hopeful
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL, March 26, 2013
Advocates for a bill that would give parents the ability to turn over failing schools to charter companies insisted Tuesday that the legislation will improve public education, not undermine it.
GEORGIA
Six Charter School Efforts Under Way In Bibb County
Macon Telegraph, GA, March 26, 2013
At least six efforts are in the works to start charter schools in Bibb County in 2014, the most recent coming this month from two former Westside High School educators.
Druid Hills Parents May Use Charter Law To Gain Control Over School Cluster
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, March 26, 2013
Parents from Druid Hills High School and the middle and five elementary schools that feed it are moving to activate a state law that allows a buffer between school “clusters” and district leadership.
HAWAII
Teachers Grade Teacher Evaluations
Hawaii News Now, HI, March 26, 2013
The new contract public school teachers will vote on April 17 says teacher evaluations will be based on observations of instructors, student surveys and student growth.
IDAHO
Idaho Lawmakers Dump Private School Tax Credits
Idaho State Journal, ID, March 26, 2013
A Senate panel ended hopes of private and religious schools that were pushing for Idaho to extend a tax break to people who donate to scholarships meant to defray the cost of tuition.
ILLINOIS
1,500 Kids
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 27, 2013
Last year Concept Schools came to Chicago public schools officials with a terrific idea. The Des Plaines-based charter operator wanted to open two new K-12 schools focused on math and science. Concept, which runs the prestigious Chicago Math and Science Academy, wanted to give 1,500 children a chance at a superior education.
IOWA
Senate Democrats Tout “Flexibility” In Education Reform Plan
Iowa Radio, IA, March 26, 2013
Senate Democrats have formally endorsed their own education reform package, giving schools flexibility to choose from a variety of teacher improvement plans.
KENTUCKY
Kentucky To JCPS: Make Fixes At Low-Performing Schools Or Face Takeover
Louisville Courier Journal, KY, March 27, 2013
Jefferson County Public Schools must better train its principals and remove union obstructions at its lowest-performing schools — part of a host of changes the district has to make to avoid a state takeover of those schools’ turnaround efforts.
MARYLAND
Prince George’s Council: ‘No Checks And Balances’ In Rushern Baker’s School Takeover
Washington Examiner, DC, March 26, 2013
Prince George’s County Council members are lamenting their lack of power under County Executive Rushern Baker’s proposal to take over the county school system.
MISSISSIPPI
House Deals Blow To Gov. Bryant’s Education Reform Bill
Clarion Ledger, MS, March 26, 2013
The House may have killed Gov. Phil Bryant’s overall education reform bill known as Mississippi Education Works, which allows charter schools, prevents third grade students from passing to the fourth grade if their reading level isn’t up to standards, sets standards for future teachers, among other things.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Education Plans Scaled Back
Sea Coast Online, NH, March 27, 2013
With no gambling revenues for New Hampshire to count on, House budget writers voted Tuesday to scale back on education proposals, recommending less money for the state’s university system and moratoriums on new charter schools and school building projects.
NEW JERSEY
Teeny-Weeny Education Reform, Small Steps to Success in New Jersey
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, March 26, 2013
In 1994, Gov. Christie Whitman announced a plan, never endorsed by the Legislature, to offer publicly funded vouchers to private and parochial schools for children in Jersey City. Over the past 20 years, Whitman’s modest proposal has evolved into the Opportunity Scholarship Act (OSA).
State Takeover Of Camden Schools Is A Necessity
Star-Ledger, NJ, March 27, 2013
The Camden school district spends more than $22,000 per student, and more than half of them drop out.
Results of New Jersey School Takeovers Mixed
USA Today, March 26, 2013
Now that the state of New Jersey has taken over the troubled Camden city school district, the public should expect mixed academic results at best and a major state role that could last into the 2030s, experts say.
OKLAHOMA
KIPP Provides An Educational Model Worth Emulating
The Oklahoman, OK, March 27, 2013
FOR years, KIPP Reach College Preparatory in Oklahoma City has been one of Oklahoma’s best schools while serving low-income students from the urban core. A new study of Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) schools nationwide shows KIPP Reach is not an anomaly.
PENNSYLVANIA
Harrisburg’s CASA Faces Many Changes As It Transitions Into Charter School
Patriot News, PA, March 26, 2013
Assuming they do well both onstage and in the classroom during the coming school year, Livingston and Weinstock will be members of the first graduating class of the Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Charter Schools Bring Change
Charleston Post Courier, SC, March 27, 2013
It’s still difficult for some educators to say “charter schools” without sneering. But in Charleston County, charter schools are delivering on promises.
TENNESSEE
Nashville School Evaluation Plan Has Different Focus Than State’s
The Tennessean, TN, March 27, 2013
Metro Nashville school board members got their first look at a new school performance measurement system that gives little weight to closing the achievement gap between different groups of students, a point of emphasis with the state.
Welfare Bill Now Pushes Parents’ Role In Schools
The Tennessean, TN, March 27, 2013
A state Senate committee passed an amended version of a bill reducing federal welfare benefits for families with students who fail a grade in school.
TEXAS
Amended Charter School Bill Advances
San Antonio Express, TX, March 26, 2013
A revised version of a bill to change the Texas charter school system advanced out of the state’s Senate Education Committee on Tuesday.
Senate Education Panel Considers “Parent Trigger” Bill
Texas Tribune, TX, March 26, 2013
A contentious Senate committee hearing on Tuesday pitted advocates of education reform against those who worry changes will weaken public education in the state as they discussed a measure that would make it easier for Texas parents to ask school boards to take action against failing schools.
WEST VIRGINIA
Senate Bill Makes Administrators Substitute Teach
Logan Banner, WV, March 26, 2013
The West Virginia Senate will vote on a bill Wednesday that would require certain school administrators to serve as substitute teachers for three days each year.
Local Officials See Education Reform Bill As A Start
Charleston Daily Mail, WV, March 27, 2013
When Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signs his education reform package into law, West Virginia’s 55 local school boards will gain a certain amount of power.
ONLINE LEARNING
Support Charter School Reform To Save Money
Delaware County Times, PA, March 27, 2013
The General Assembly can produce these savings by passing my bipartisan charter and cyber charter school reform bill, which will soon be introduced as H.B. 934.
MASD Advertises Resolution On Cyber Charter School Funding
The Sentinel, PA, March 26, 2013
The Mechanicsburg Area School District moved a resolution forward regarding the district’s stance on cyber charter school funding.
As Expansion Looms, Gov. Rick Snyder Gives Cyber School Technology A Whirl
Grand Rapids Press, MI, March 26, 2013
Gov. Rick Snyder got some hands-on experience Tuesday with the type of cyber charter school program that will be expanding next fall under a new Michigan law.
D203 Candidates Question Virtual Charter School Proposal
Chicago Tribune, IL, March 26, 2013
A proposal for an online charter school in the western suburbs did not make a good first impression on many of the candidates running for the Naperville Unit District 203 school board.