Daily Headlines for February 10, 2012
Leaving ‘No Child’ Law: Obama Lets 10 States Flee
Associated Press, February 9, 2012
It could be the beginning of the end for No Child Left Behind. The goal was lofty: Get all children up to par in math and reading by 2014. But the nation isn’t getting there, and now some states are getting out.
Kline Releases Final Bill To Replace No Child Left Behind
Washington Times, DC, February 10, 2012
The Republican chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Thursday released the final two pieces of his reform agenda, designed to replace the widely criticized and decade-old No Child Left Behind federal education law.
City-Run School Systems, Charter Schools Hot Topics At Forum In Montgomery
Montgomery Advertiser, AL, February 10, 2012
Charter schools and a city-run school system, both hot topics in the Capital City , took center stage at an education forum Thursday night intended to simply provide information on what those options would look like in Montgomery .
Ventura County Offers Options When It Comes To Schools
Ventura County Star , CA, February 9, 2012
Whether a student is new to Ventura County or has been attending school here for some time, it’s important for families to know their options when choosing a school.
Editorial: A Boost To State’s Education Reform
Denver Post, CO, February 10, 2012
News that Colorado is among the first states to get a waiver from the increasingly unreasonable requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind education law is not only a relief for districts, but a measure of the value of the state’s reform efforts as well.
Conn. Considers New Teacher Evaluation Method
Hartford Courant, CT, February 10, 2012
Connecticut’s state Board of Education is set to vote on endorsing new guidelines in which students’ performance would be a factor in evaluating the skills of teachers and administrators.
Charter Schools Vow To Broaden Their Enrollment
Hartford Courant , CT, February 9, 2012
State charter school advocates who gathered at the Legislative Office Building Thursday to voice their support for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed education package pledged to reach out to and include more students with disabilities and poor academic achievement in charter schools.
D.C. Targets Kids Who Skip Class
Washington Examiner, DC, February 9, 2012
The District began an initiative Thursday to clamp down on the 20 percent of District students who are “chronically truant,” skipping class at least 15 times each year.
Give Parents And Children Choice In Schools
Washington Times, DC, February 9, 2012
In The Washington Times news article “McDonnell urges OK for tax credits for school choice” (Web, Tuesday) Virginia Delegate Kenneth R. Plum, Fairfax Democrat, implies that he is not an implacable foe of private-school choice for needy children.
Federal Waiver For Florida Schools Could Shake Up Tutoring Industry
Tampa Bay Times, FL, February 10, 2012
Thousands of low-income Florida students who have received hundreds of millions of dollars in free, private tutoring may no longer have that option in the fall.
Attempt To Redistrict Dekalb School Board Unearths Tensions
Atlanta Journal-Constitution , GA, February 9, 2012
In a process that revealed racial and geographic tensions, DeKalb County ’s House delegation was unable Thursday to choose new boundaries for seats on the county school board.
Charter School Amendment To Wait For More Debate
Atlanta Journal-Constitution , GA, February 9, 2012
The state House of Representatives will let a proposed charter school constitutional amendment rest until at least next week.
Chicago Teachers Union, Community Members Ask Court To Stop School Closings And Turnarounds
Chicago Tribune, IL, February 10, 2012
With an assist from the Chicago Teachers Union, local school council members from nine city schools are asking a Cook County judge to block Chicago Public Schools from closing or “turning around” 17 underperforming schools this year.
Balancing Interests of School Districts
Journal Gazette, IN, February 10, 2012
Allen County looks to be the test case for a new state requirement for public schools to make vacant buildings available to charter schools for lease or sale for $1. That law deserves a challenge.
House Chair Trims Teacher Rating Measure
Topeka Capital-Journal, KS, February 9, 2012
A Republican committee chairman Thursday said a controversial proposal from Gov. Sam Brownback requiring the posting of individual teacher evaluations to district websites would be stricken from a House bill.
School Choice Is The Wrong Choice
Bangor Daily News, ME, February 9, 2012
Market dynamics work well in so many facets of American life, fostering competition which in turn spurs innovation, adaptation and often, excellence. But public education is not an area where market forces — which by definition create winners and losers — should reign.
Will Teachers Make The Grade?
Delmarva Now, MD, February 10, 2012
With no model from the state or federal government, local school systems are continuing to develop a new system for evaluating teachers’ effectiveness on their own.
Local Educators On Incentives: Bring It On
Battle Creek Enquirer, MI, February 10, 2012
Though they weren’t pleased with the strings Gov. Rick Snyder wants to attach to $190 million in school funding — and said they felt unduly singled out — local educators said they would expect little trouble meeting those requirements.
Plan To Reorganize Schools In New Reform District Protested
Detroit Free Press, MI, February 10, 2012
As about 50 Detroit parents and students protested Thursday outside Wayne County Community College District’s Northwest campus, the board for the state’s new school reform district explained how the system will work.
An Early-State Problem; And Teachers Union Doesn’t Relent
Las Vegas Sun, NV, February 10, 2012
Democrats are unlikely to follow in Republican footsteps on early-state status, and the teachers union doubles down on Democrats who opposed them — here’s your Friday Flash:
More Funding Goes To Public Over Charter Schools
WTNH, NH, February 9, 2012
Despite Governor Dannel Malloy’s big plans for education reform some of the state’s best performing schools would still get less state funding than other public schools. The state’s charter schools are public schools, yet they get less funding from the state than all the others.
Scholarships Will Give A Chance To Special Needs’ And Low-Income Students
Cibola Beacon, NM, February 10, 2012
New Mexico faces two very serious problems when it comes to our schools: one, dropout rates are on the rise, with as much as 40 percent of students failing to finish high school; and two, students with special needs are not getting the attention and care they need to succeed. Though chronic and, yes, intractable in nature, our state has done little in recent years to address these important issues.
Council Votes To Oppose Rtp Charter School
Durham Herald Sun, NC, February 9, 2012
City Council members have joined Durham ’s school board in opposing plans for a new charter school that’s shooting to open in Research Triangle Park this fall.
White Hat Must Give Records To Charters
Columbus Dispatch, OH, February 10, 2012
A Franklin County judge has ordered the state’s largest for-profit manager of charter schools to turn over detailed financial records, including tax returns, building leases and transactions with its subsidiaries, to show how it spent millions in tax dollars received each year.
House Moves Bill To Revamp Teacher Evaluations
Marietta Times, OH, February 9, 2012
West Virginia is considering expanding a teacher evaluation pilot program in order to seek a waiver from the constraints of a federal education law.
Oklahoma Schools Chief Tries To Quell Fears Of State Takeover
The Oklahoman, OK, February 9, 2012
Part of Oklahoma ‘s waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act outlines a process for the state to hire a private company to run poor performing schools.
Solution Needed To Aid Oklahoma ‘S Nationally Certified Teachers
The Oklahoman, OK, February 10, 2012
EARNING national board certification is a difficult process for teachers, taking up to 18 months and costing more than $2,500. Some Oklahoma teachers say that it’s more demanding than getting a master’s degree.
Committee Takes Testimony On Teacher Evaluations
Oregon Capital News, OR, February 9, 2012
Members of the House Education Committee heard testimony regarding teacher and administrator evaluations during its Thursday meeting.
This District Had It Coming
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, February 10, 2012
The district made excuses and promises, but no real, sustained efforts to copy the competition. If schools exist for kids, instead of the other way around, then such efforts should be a big part of the Chester Upland story.
Charter School Fires Back At AG’s Claims
WFMZ, PA, February 9, 2012
A charter school in Monroe County is firing back after the state auditor general questioned its finances.
It’s Your Money: Some Charter Schools Get Failing Grades
WTAE, PA, February 9, 2012
Students at almost half of all charter schools in Pennsylvania made significantly lower learning gains in math and reading than their traditional public school counterparts, according to a recent Stanford study.
NBC News, Chelsea Clinton Spotlight Central Falls Public/Charter School Collaboration
Providence Journal, RI, February 9, 2012
A unique partnership between the city’s school district and The Learning Community Charter School will receive national attention next week when the collaboration is highlighted by NBC News.
Memphis School Leaders File Documents Opposing Charters
The Tennessean, TN, February 10, 2012
Memphis school leaders say public schools in both the city and county would suffer if 17 new charter schools were allowed to open.
Plan For Unified Memphis-Shelby County School System Offers Some Autonomy
Commercial Appeal, TN, February 10, 2012
A key committee of the commission planning the merger of Memphis and Shelby County schools took a close look Thursday at some potential organizational structures for the new district.
Charter School In Deep Ellum An Innovative Idea
Dallas Morning News, TX, February 9, 2012
Not often would someone advocate opening a school within a football field of bars, restaurants and vacant storefronts. But sometimes, it is worth thinking about old issues in new ways.
Private Schools Grapple With Declining Enrollment
The Northwestern, WI, February 10, 2012
The number of students attending Oshkosh private schools has plummeted 29 percent over the past 15 years, prompting leaders from those schools to reexamine their strategic plans, academics and marketing.
State Superintendent Evers Criticizes Education Reform Bill
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, February 10, 2012
An education reform bill circulating this week would require kindergarten screening exams and teacher evaluations based partly on test scores, but doesn’t update the state’s system for holding schools accountable for student performance.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Local Charter Schools Make the Grade
KTVN, NV, February 9, 2012
No classrooms at Nevada Connections Academy …not in the traditional sense. We watched as english teacher Jaclyn Campbell went on-phone and online with her students, checking in with “Kimber” for a daily lesson.
Full-Time Virtual School Comes to Iowa
WOI, IA, February 9, 2012
Computers are vital to a new type of school in Iowa : a full-time virtual school. When you think of a school classroom, you most likely envision a teacher surrounded by kids, chalkboards, textbooks.