Daily Headlines for June 29, 2012
The Right Place For America’s Charter Schools
News & Observer, NC, June 29, 2012
This year has been the worst year I have ever witnessed for attacks on public schools. Politicians and reformers who believe they are helping children by providing vouchers, tax credits, closing public schools or lifting caps on charter schools are missing the big picture.
5 More States Granted NCLB Waivers
Associated Press, June 29, 2012
Five more states have been granted relief from key requirements of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law, bringing the total to 24 states given waivers, an Obama administration official said Friday.
FROM THE STATES
CALIFORNIA
Van de Kamps Kabuki and the Art of Distraction
City Watch, CA, June 29, 2012
The Van de Kamps Coalition has learned that the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board may be engaging in an elaborate scheme to publicly appear to be considering a range of alternatives for use of the Van de Kamps site’s New Education Building, all the while it is negotiating behind-the-scenes with the Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools to continue that charter school’s unlawful seizure of the Van de Kamps site.
Bill To Expedite Firing Teachers Is Rejected
Los Angeles Times, CA, June 29, 2012
An Assembly panel votes down the measure to give school boards final authority to dismiss teachers accused of ‘serious and egregious’ conduct involving sex abuse, drugs or violence toward children.
Parents Pitch K-8 Charter School for Redwood City
Mecury News, CA, June 29, 2012
Several dozen parents and other supporters of a proposed K-8 charter school that would focus on students’ social and emotional development urged the Redwood City School Board this week to let it open.
CONNECTICUT
State Decides On Teacher Evaluation Plan
The Hour, CT, June 28, 2012
The state Board of Education has settled on the teacher evaluation plan coming to Norwalk next year and to be implemented statewide by 2013.
FLORIDA
Miami-Dade Schools Bracing For New Letter Grades
Miami Herald, FL, June 28, 2012
Florida will include FCAT scores from many students who are still learning English in school grades. The new rule is expected to drag down many school grades in Miami-Dade, with its high immigrant population.
GEORGIA
Fulton Switches To Charter School System
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, June 28, 2012
Two years, three months and a few hurdles later, Fulton County Schools on Sunday officially becomes the state’s largest charter school district.
Fulton Science Academy Disputes Findings Of School System Audit
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, June 28, 2012
Fulton Science Academy Middle School released a 54-page rebuttal to a critical school system audit Thursday, saying the county report was “incomplete,” “inaccurate” and based on “flawed assumptions.”
CCSB Turns Down Petition For Charter
Marietta Daily Journal, GA, June 29, 2012
Even after 14 people spoke in favor of Smyrna Academy of Excellence and board members talked with two representatives from the school for about 45 minutes, the Cobb County School Board denied the school’s start-up charter petition Thursday night.
Summit Tackles Teacher Training
GPB News, GA, June 28, 2012
The Southern Regional Education Board this week gave Georgia high marks for improving education over the past decade. But as at an education summit in Atlanta on Thursday experts said Georgia needs to improve teacher training.
ILLINOIS
Chicago Public Schools Losing Top Executives
Chicago Tribune, IL, June 28, 2012
Chicago Public Schools is losing both its top legal officer and its top labor executive to retirement in the midst of tough contract negotiations with its teacher’s union.
INDIANA
Reward Top-Performing School Districts
Muncie Northwest Times, IN, June 29, 2012
Education reform has been moving swiftly in Indiana. Now it’s time for the next step in the logical progression of reform — rewarding school districts that perform well.
LOUISIANA
Panel Debates Education Reform Focus
The Advocate, LA, June 29, 2012
Whether Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education reforms approved in the spring are good or bad for education in Louisiana was the subject of debate Thursday by a five-person panel of education advocates.
Linwood Touts Test Results, Eyes Student Increase
Shreveport Times, LA, June 29, 2012
Linwood Public Charter School has announced it will open its doors to at least 60 more students this year, raising its fall enrollment target from the current 460 students to 520, officials said Thursday.
Algiers Charter Schools Back Down On Principal Changes After Clamorous Protest
Times Picayune, LA, June 28, 2012
A crowd of hundreds dominated the Algiers Charter Schools Association board meeting on Thursday, raising a clamorous protest against staff upheaval in the charter school cluster and prompting the board to put a hold on those moves.
The School-Health Care Connection
The Advertiser, LA, June 29, 2012
Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act either left you either sighing with relief or fuming with rage. Regardless of the rationales provided for pro or con stances, I believe we cannot overlook the intrinsic influence health care wields on students’ education outcomes.
Consultant Reforming Algiers Charter Schools Raised Idea Of Displaying D Grade On Signs, Memos And Shirts
Times Picayune, LA, June 28, 2012
The controversial consultant pushing to overhaul the Algiers Charter Schools Association issued a recommendation at Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy of Global Studies to display the school’s state-assigned letter grade of D on shirts worn by employees, memos and signs, according to a document obtained by The Times-Picayune. Critics of consultant Aamir Raza have cited reports of such tactics as evidence that Raza is taking a demoralizing approach to revamping the schools.
School Boards File Lawsuit Challenging Vouchers
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, June 29, 2012
The Louisiana School Boards Association and 34 school boards have joined the legal battle to undo Gov. Bobby Jindal’s voucher program.
MAINE
Charter Schools Could Be A Great Way To Promote Math And Science
Portland Press Herald, ME, June 29, 2012
But, the writer says, political opposition shouldn’t get in the way of setting up charter schools.
MASSACHUSETTS
Performance-Based Teacher Evals a Step Closer
abc40, MA, June 28, 2012
A teacher evaluation system emphasizing performance over seniority is one step closer to reality in the state. The Massachusetts house followed the senate Wednesday by passing the groundbreaking bill.
MICHIGAN
Racial Gaps In Michigan Exam Results A Concern
Detroit Free Press, MI, June 29, 2012
Michigan educators have spent years trying to address the persistent gap in achievement between white and minority students, but Michigan Merit Exam results released Thursday provided troubling news: The gap keeps widening.
MISSISSIPPI
Auburn ‘s Schools Chief: Put Kids Before Seniority
Daily Voice, MS, June 29, 2012
Auburn Superintendent of Schools Maryellen Brunelle said she supports putting the best teacher in front of students after the Massachusetts House and Senate passed legislation this week that gives teacher performance and evaluations greater weight in public school personnel decisions.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
$140,000 More To Hire City Teachers
Union Leader, NH, June 29, 2012
In cutting the money for busing students to charter schools, the school board put the district on a potential collision course with the state.
NEW JERSEY
Newark School Reform: About That $100 Million …
Businessweek, June 28, 2012
His greatest power may be his ability to get wealthy people to write him checks. Booker has elicited donations from Steven Spielberg, Chris Rock, Oprah Winfrey, and numerous hedge fund managers and investment bankers by pitching Newark as a kind of petri dish for urban policy experimentation.
NEW YORK
Students’ Lobbyist?
New York Post, NY, June 29, 2012
The state Legislature’s session drew to a largely uneventful close last week. But the lack of the typical rancor and wrangling was made easier by avoiding one of the most contentious issues: real, meaningful education reform.
San Antonio’s Mayor Wants 1/8¢ Tax to Finance Pre-K
New York Times, NY, June 29, 2012
Since Texas lawmakers cut over $200 million in grants that supported full-day public prekindergarten in 2011, school districts have worked to fill in where the state left off.
Charter School Spared Ax
New York Post, NY, June 29, 2012
A Brooklyn judge yesterday granted an 11th-hour reprieve to a beleaguered charter school after finding that the city’s process for ordering it shut had been unfair.
NORTH CAROLINA
Proposal For Private School Scholarships Fails
Citizen-Times, NC, June 29, 2012
A proposal that would give corporations tax credits for private school scholarships has failed, at least for now, but supporters say they will continue to push state lawmakers for the legislation.
Success Stories Lost In The Debate Over How To ‘Fix’ Public Schools
Star News, NC, June 28, 2012
If the focus of politicians and advocates of taxpayer subsidies for private schools is on what’s wrong with public education in North Carolina , a group of young people who graduated from our local school systems earlier this month are shining examples of what is right about our public schools.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pa. House Oks Bill To Assess Teachers Based On Student Achievement
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, June 29, 2012
Pennsylvania appears to be headed toward a teacher evaluation system that for the first time would be based in part on student test scores.
Chester Upland School Board Passes Bare-Bones Budget
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, June 28, 2012
Aided by an infusion of $10.7 million in state money that was agreed to this week as part of the state budget deal in Harrisburg, the Chester Upland School District board passed a bare-bones $101 million budget Thursday night.
Educational Excellence And Equity
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, June 29, 2012
AS THE SENIOR pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church , I represent a constituency that has expressed grave concerns about the status of education in the School District of Philadelphia. With its congregation composed of students attending district-run, charter, private or parochial schools and their families, Enon Tabernacle is deeply committed to expanding educational opportunities for all children in the city of Philadelphia.
TENNESSEE
A Failure of Transparency
Commercial Appeal, TN, June 29, 2012
Shelby County commissioners should have had a public discussion over whether to file a petition in federal court to block the Aug. 2 elections that could create six new suburban school districts.
Sun Shines on TCAP
Commercial Appeal, TN, June 29, 2012
Gov.Bill Haslam, state education Commissioner Kevin Huffman and all those who have been deeply involved in education reform across Tennessee were understandably happy with the news that students in grades 3-8 statewide achieved higher levels of proficiency in 23 of 24 TCAP tests this year over last.
VIRGINIA
Va. Granted Waiver From No Child Left Behind Law
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, June 29, 2012
Virginia and four more states are being granted waivers from the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law.
WASHINGTON
A ‘Yes’ On I-1240 Would Harm Public Schools
Kitsap Sun, WA, June 28, 2012
Public schools are failing, however charter schools offer no solution to restore the academic foundations, but rather lock in the failures. This is done by removing the elected school boards and replacing them with appointees. Our Washington State Constitution provides for a recall of elected school officials — but not appointees.
WISCONSIN
Schools Look To Expand Andrews Academy
Beloit Daily News, WI, June 28, 2012
The Roy Chapman Andrews Academy started five years ago in 2007-2008, and the school district is working to expand the program to make it more cost effective. The district is enlisting middle schoolers and are educating teachers more in project-based education.
ONLINE SCHOOLS
NC Judge To Rule In Virtual Charter School Case
Charlotte Observer, NC, June 29, 2012
A North Carolina judge is expected to decide whether a for-profit company should get taxpayer money to operate a virtual charter school that offers online-only classes to students as young as kindergarten.