Daily Headlines: January 23, 2012
NATIONAL
In Race to the Top, the Dirty Work Is Left to Those on the Bottom
New York Times, NY, January 23, 2012
Even if you think the Obama administration’s signature education program, Race to the Top, will not help a single child in America learn more, you have to admire its bureaucratic magnificence.
For America’s Children, Education Outlook Grows Only Dimmer
The Hill, DC, January 23, 2012
Education in America, particularly big-city education, is in crisis. Historians are already describing the decline of public education as a threat to the nation’s economy and military. And when the tragic scale of harm to racial minorities is considered, the education crisis is aptly labeled as the greatest civil rights challenge of the 21st century.
Seeking Freedom to Choose a School
Orange County Register , CA, January 21, 2012
National School Choice Week begins Jan. 22, focusing attention on efforts of parents, activists, legislators, students and grass-roots networks to promote school choice programs.
Are National Charter Schools A Game Changer Or A Fad?
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, January 21, 2012
The two schools, which opened last fall, are the first in Milwaukee that are operated by charter management organizations. CMOs operate schools in multiple locations, in some cases nationwide. To supporters, they mean opportunities to replicate successful schools consistently and in numerous locations, like franchising businesses. To critics, they haven’t proved they can consistently provide high quality and they represent new steps toward undermining public school systems.
STATE COVERAGE
Teacher-Run Charter Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 23, 2012
Re “Whistle-blowers to open a charter,” Jan. 18. Congratulations to the Los Angeles teachers who are opening their own charter school.
State’s Chance To Improve Education
The Day, CT, January 22, 2012
Connecticut may boast about having the highest per-capita income in the land, but it should be ashamed of perpetuating the nation’s worst “achievement gap” between poor students and their more affluent peers.
Teachers Union Starts Ad Campaign
Wall Street Journal, January 23, 2012
The Connecticut Education Association, which represents 43,000 public schoolteachers, said the ad will run for two weeks as part of a larger campaign launched in hopes of shaping the conversation during next month’s state legislative session, which lawmakers have devoted to education policy.
Education Will Rule 2012 Agenda
Denver Post, CO, January 22, 2012
A plethora of educational issues will dominate the Colorado political landscape in 2012. Most of them will produce conflict due to competition for limited resources and, in particular, participants with dramatically different educational philosophies.
Teacher Tenure Rules Before CO Lawmakers
Denver Post, CO, January 23, 2012
New teacher tenure rules proposed for Colorado are getting their first review by state lawmakers who asked for them.
Nathan: Charters Not Entitled To Extra Funds
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 20, 2012
D.C. Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan has rejected arguments from charter school advocates that city funds must be distributed to charters and DCPS on a uniform per-student basis.
Growth Will Stretch Charter School Policy
News Chief, FL, January 23, 2012
Gaining more autonomy may force the charter school system to revamp its policies. Lake Wales Charter Schools Inc., because it became a local area agency last summer, now has authority to apply directly to the Florida Department of Education for federal funds.
Dispute Over Roles Of School Board Member Lead To Accusations
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, January 23, 2012
Stakeholders in a charter school slated to close this year say a Cobb County school board member who voted to kill the school had a conflict of interest stemming from his ties to a potential competitor.
Has Students Come First Hurt Teacher Unions in Idaho?
Idaho Statesman, ID, January 22, 2012
Idaho’s controversial new school reform laws gutted teacher associations’ collective bargaining powers, but local union leaders say they can still work effectively with their district administration to help shape policies.
Lawmakers Set To Push For School Vouchers – Again
Alton Telegraph, IL, January 22, 2012
Riding the wave of a victory in school reform last year, education activists are gearing up for another push this spring, this time for school vouchers.
Lawmakers Consider ‘Parent Trigger’ To Change Schools
Palladium-Item, IN, January 21, 2012
Indiana parents could soon have a direct say in turning public schools into charter schools. A measure being pushed in the Indiana House of Representatives would let them vote to turn public schools over to charter school operators.
Bangert: A Hedge Fund Buck To Be Made On School Reform
Journal and Courier, IN, January 22, 2012
Standing in unrelenting waves of school reform — private vouchers, teacher merit pay, charter schools, letter grades for districts — public school superintendents up to their waists in the roiling water tend to see sharks just below the surface.
Charter School’s Shutdown Shows Need For Review
Des Moines Register, IA, January 21, 2012
The problems in Sigourney shine a light on the need for better monitoring of Iowa ’s charter schools. State officials want to expand the special schools but acknowledge they need stricter oversight to ensure they are on track to meet the goals of their charters.
Cherry Picking and Charter Schools
Richmond Register, KY, January 21, 2012
Charter school: An autonomous public school free of many of the regulations that hinder traditional public schools from offering a superior education.
Reform Plan Hits On Sensitive Problems
Opelousas Daily World, LA, January 21, 2012
Gov. Bobby Jindal says he’s not surprised that his extensive agenda for revising education in Louisiana already is drawing opposition from those who would be affected by the proposed changes.
Louisiana Must Change For The Sake of Students
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, January 22, 2012
It sounds right, this idea of letting parents decide whether they want to send the children to the public school down the street or perhaps somewhere else.
Can Jindal Take School Vouchers Statewide?
Times Picayune, LA, January 21, 2012
Backers of charter schools and voucher tuition plans are kicking off a week of special events around the nation to drum up support for their cause.
Teachers Union Taking Ballot Question To Court
Boston Globe, MA, January 23, 2012
The state’s largest teachers union plans to file a lawsuit against the state today for allowing a ballot initiative that would radically alter job protection for teachers in Massachusetts public schools to move forward.
School Choice, State of The State Mark Busy Week For Lepage
Lewiston Sun Journal, ME, January 23, 2012
The LePage administration is often tight-lipped about its unreleased policy initiatives. However, there have been some clues about what the governor will talk about on Monday, when he announces a new education proposal, and during his State of the State address to the Legislature Tuesday night.
Michael Van Beek: Charter Schools Face Discrimination in Michigan
Lansing State Journal, MI, January 21, 2012
Late last year, the Legislature eliminated an arbitrary cap on the number of charter public schools in Michigan. As a result, over the next few years, dozens and maybe hundreds of new charters will help families find schools better suited to their children’s needs. To realize the full potential of this reform, however, a few more steps are necessary.
Lots of Plans, Little Progress, On Achievement Gap
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, January 22, 2012
Learning disparities — also famously known as achievement gaps — between kids of color and white kids are among the most important issues in K-12 education today.
School Reform Proposals Are in Limbo in Missouri General Assembly
Kansas City Star, MO, January 21, 2012
Missouri lawmakers are facing increasing pressure to deal with a potential flood of student transfers stemming from the loss of accreditation in urban school districts like Kansas City’s.
School Choice Limited But Expanding In Nevada As National Event Highlights Need For More Options
Nevada News Bureau, NV, January 22, 2012
As National School Choice Week gets under way today state officials say Nevada school children have more opportunities than ever before to choose a school that works best for them.
N.H. To Weigh School Choice Legislation
Eagle Tribune, NH, January 23, 2012
Some say the legislation will improve New Hampshire’s schools. Others call it an attack on public education.
Some On Board Not Sold On Charter Plan
Nashua Telegraph, NH, January 23, 2012
Several Board of Education members are still not convinced there is a need for a district-sponsored charter school, which could put the proposal in jeopardy.
Charter Schools Lose Their Magic
Gloucester County Times , NJ, January 22, 2012
I attempted to view charter schools as a valued educational initiative, as I wanted to believe that these folks knew what they are doing as they appeared to have a solid track record of accomplishment. But then two things happened. The first was that I began to do some research on charter schools in New Jersey , and secondly, good common sense kicked in.
Allen: School Choice For Teachers, Too
Herald News, NJ, January 22, 2012
School choice in New Jersey is often discussed in terms of policies that provide students with educational options. Sometimes overlooked is the benefit school choice also brings to teachers. The fact is, every educational setting is a choice. Public schools, public charter schools, private and parochial schools — all these represent school choice in action.
Charter Schools: Where’s The Beef?
Asbury Park Press, NJ, January 21, 2012
Just how badly does the public education system in New Jersey need to be fixed? And what is the best way to go about fixing what is broken?
State Approves Application For Jersey City Charter School
The Jersey Journal, NJ, January 21, 2012
The Department of Education announced eight charter schools that will be opening in September in some of the state’s failing public school districts, including Jersey City .
Making Teachers Accountable
Washington Post, DC, January 22, 2012
IN CREATING the Race to the Top program, which directed new federal dollars to education, federal officials vowed that they would yank money from any state that didn’t live up to its promises of school reform. There was a lot of skepticism about whether the threat would be taken seriously, let alone ever be carried out. But a new effort by New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) to force an overhaul of how teachers are evaluated should dispel some of those doubts.
N.Y. Teacher-Evaluation System Faces Test of Whether It’ll Work
The Journal News, NY, January 22, 2012
Beneath all the debate, negotiations and legal wrangling about New York ’s new teacher-evaluation system is the question of whether teachers and students will be better off.
Is Public, Private, Charter or Home School Best For Your Student?
Salisbury Evening Post, NC, January 22, 2012
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”— William Butler Yeats. That’s the quote that sparked Bevin and Troy Fink’s interest in home schooling their four children.
Parents Shop For School Options
Akron Beacon Journal, OH, January 23, 2012
North Hill parent Gina Lang shopped for schools for her three children Sunday at an informational fair at the Akron-Summit County Public Library that brought area school districts, charter schools and private schools under one roof.
Oklahoma Schools Superintendent Committed To Changing Culture
The Oklahoman, OK, January 22, 2012
THE state Department of Education expects to get good news from Washington later this month that the state’s waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act has been approved.
Area Parents Explore Alternate Options In Wake of Catholic School Closings
Times Herald, PA, January 22, 2012
Parents of pupils enrolled at Catholic schools in the area are contemplating switching out from parochial altogether, in the wake of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s school closing announcement last week.
In West Philadelphia, A Public School So Good Parents Line Up To Get Their Kids In
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 23, 2012
Friday night, her husband parked their car outside the Penn Alexander School in West Philadelphia . She kept checking to see whether anyone had lined up to grab one of the coveted kindergarten spots at the public school.
Haslam Plan To Rework Teacher Pay Troubling
The Daily News Journal, TN, January 22, 2012
If you’re one of the thousands of public school teachers across the state of Tennessee , you have to be wondering when the bull’s-eye will disappear from your back and you can focus solely on the important work of educating our children.
Charter School Foes Gather To Hear Mcallen Family’s Experience
Austin American Statesman, TX, January 21, 2012
Opponents of the Austin school district’s plans to partner with IDEA Public Schools in the fall held a rally Saturday featuring a family who had soured on the charter operator.
Teacher Tenure In Virginia Is A Myth
Washington Post, DC, January 22, 2012
Regarding the Jan. 16 editorial “Mr. McDonnell’s education plan”: We support a due-process procedure that results in high-quality instruction for students and is fair to teachers.
Improved Teacher Evaluations Are Key To Better Education
The Olympian, WA, January 23, 2012
Unfortunately, there are also teachers who seem to have lost their passion, lost their drive and simply go through the motions to collect their next paycheck. They are failing their students, but often get a passing grade on their evaluation.
Lively Debate In WA House Panel On Charter Schools
Seattle Times, WA, January 20, 2012
Despite the snow and ice, dozens of people managed to bring a variety of perspectives on charter schools to the state Legislature this week.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Sharing a Screen, if Not a Classroom
New York Times, NY, January 23, 2012
Now, newly designed software for the tutoring of beginning readers has bridged the gap, allowing volunteers to meet students online from a distance. P.S. 55 is testing the program with students in its four first-grade classes.
Early Graduation: Real Learning In Virtual School
Greensboro News Record, NC, January 22, 2012
Former Western Guilford football players Brock and Clayton Stadnik, who graduated from high school early and have enrolled at South Carolina , are just two in an army of students who have or will take online classes this school year through the N.C. Virtual Public School .
MCS Virtual Tech Class Offering 2 Key Languages
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 23, 2012
Chinese and Japanese will be required in the virtual science and engineering program Memphis City Schools is launching next month.
Spending $2,159 Less Per Student, Online School Outscores Florida Campuses on AP Exams
Sunshine State News, FL, January 23, 2012
Online students at Florida Virtual School outperformed their traditional-school peers on Advanced Placement tests in 2011, and at less cost, new studies show.
Charter, Virtual School Expansion A Possibility
Topeka Capital Journal, KS, January 22, 2012
About 200 virtual school students from across the state will descend Tuesday on the Capitol to earn face time with Kansas government.