Daily Headlines: July 11, 2012
Vouchers Being Held Hostage
Boston Herald, MA, July 11, 2012
In the past 20 years there have been only five First Children in the White House — one Clinton, two Bushes and two Obamas.
Despite Obesity Concerns, Gym Classes Are Cut
New York Times, NY, July 11, 2012
More than a half-century ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower formed the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, and today Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Michelle Obama are among those making childhood obesity a public cause.
School Reform Legacy Dismal
The Intelligencer, WV, July 11, 2012
Obama’s legacy in terms of public education, then, may be pleasing to NEA leaders – but it seems to have little, if any, effect on the quality of public schools. Perhaps that’s why some teachers at the union’s convention see no reason to support the president’s re-election campaign.
Teacher Unions Flawed But Worthy
Centre Daily Times, PA, July 11, 2012
Although I now find professionalism and unionism to be strange bedfellows, I find myself coming down, on balance, in favor of the unions. I do think some reforms are necessary, particularly in the areas of compensation (we need merit pay) and in the seniority system so that we do not lose our best teachers in favor of a few who may be burned out and should have left the profession years ago.
FROM THE STATES
CALIFORNIA
Chalk One Up — A Teachers Union’s Embrace Of Merit Pay Could Show The Way For Others
Press-Telegram, CA, July 10, 2012
The often-frustrating fight to pay teachers based on performance as well as seniority and other factors took a hopeful turn last week when the union at a group of L.A-area charter schools endorsed a form of merit pay.
COLORADO
Montessori School Again Gets Construction Grant, This Time With A Waiver
Post Independent, CO, July 11, 2012
The charter Ross Montessori School, for a second straight year, has been awarded a state grant to buy a piece of land and eventually build a new school campus.
CONNECTICUT
Open Choice: An Open Suburban Door To Opportunity For Urban Students
Westport News, CT, July 10, 2012
Darryle Wiggins and Dorian Phillips’ commute epitomizes the uncommon experience of a small group of Bridgeport students who attend public schools in Westport through a state Department of Education program, Open Choice.
In New Teacher Evaluations, Top Rating May Come And Go
Ridgefield Press, CT, July 11, 2012
The school district this fall will phase in the first part of its new teacher evaluation plan that’s been in the works since 2009.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Bring Fenty Back
American Spectator, July 11, 2012
Fenty won acclaim from fellow centrist Democrats in the school reform movement for his takeover of D.C.’s woeful public school system — long renowned as the Superfund Site of public education (before Detroit took that unenviable position) — and for hiring the sharp-elbowed Michelle Rhee to overhaul it.
FLORIDA
New Charter School Emphasizes Science, Medicine
Tampa Tribune, FL, July 10, 2012
When the doors open on the first day of school, students, faculty and staff at the King’s Kids Academy of Health Sciences will walk the halls in hospital scrubs.
Lake Wales Charter System Cutting Staff to Balance High School’s Budget
The Ledger, FL, July 10, 2012
Lake Wales High School, faced with a $500,000 shortfall for next school year, is cutting eight administrative and support staff jobs, including a guidance counselor, testing coordinator and custodial and secretarial positions.
INDIANA
Charter ISTEP+ Results Among Lowest
Journal Gazette, IN, July 11, 2012
Fort Wayne’s three charter schools had mixed performances on the state’s standardized test this year.
Hammond’s New Charter School Prepares Today’s Students For Their Own & The Region’s Future
Munster Times, IN, July 11, 2012
The result of a public-private partnership between government, business and industry, environmental groups and citizens, the Hammond Academy of Science and Technology held its first classes in a borrowed space.
IOWA
One-year Closure Proposed For Des Moines Charter School
Des Moines Register, IA, July 11, 2012
Des Moines’ only charter school will take a year-long hiatus under a resolution approved Tuesday by the school board.
KANSAS
Cottonwood Students To Have Choice Of Schools
Salina Journal, KS, July 11, 2012
Starting next fall, students at Cottonwood Elementary may have the option of attending Heusner or Meadowlark elementary schools instead, after Cottonwood missed some of its “adequate yearly progress” goals under the federal No Child Left Behind Law.
LOUISIANA
Judge Denies Injunction In School Voucher Lawsuit
Times Picayune, LA, July 10, 2012
The state will be allowed to implement Gov. Bobby Jindal’s school voucher program Aug. 1 while legal challenges to the policy play out in court, a judge ruled Tuesday.
SLAE Joins Fight Against Vouchers
Opelousas Daily World, LA, July 11, 2012
The St. Landry Association of Educators joined a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of private school vouchers Tuesday, on the same day that opponents of vouchers lost a small battle in court.
Annunciation Catholic School Submits Voucher Applications
The Daily News, LA, July 11, 2012
Bogalusa’s Annunciation Catholic School is among the first group of schools participating in the newly implemented statewide voucher program, a part of Gov. Jindal’s education reform package that gives some Louisiana students the option to attend a nonpublic school with the state picking up the tab.
CPSB Refuses To Provide Transportation For Charter Schools
KPLC-TV, LA, July 10, 2012
The Lake Charles Charter Academy Foundation Board wants the Calcasieu Parish School Board to provide school buses for the charter school students. But at the CPSB meeting Tuesday, July 10, many of the school board members rejected the Charter Foundation’s request.
MASSACHUSSETTS
Legislation Aims To Improve Early Education
Milford Daily News, MA, July 11, 2012
Proponents of a measure on Beacon Hill to foster more guidance for early childhood teaching practices hope the measure will pass the House as soon as today.
MICHIGAN
Charter Firm Mosaica Will Run Schools
Detroit Free Press, MI, July 11, 2012
The emergency manager for Muskegon Heights Public Schools has selected Mosaica Education to operate district schools. It’s part of a plan in the financially challenged district to turn over the operation of schools to a charter school provider.
Can Muskegon Heights ‘ New Charter School System Improve Academics? Readers Debate
The Muskegon Chronicle, MI, July 10, 2012
Commenters are debating the future of education in Muskegon Heights sparked by Monday’s MLive story about the Mosaica Education being approved as the management company to operate the new charter school system.
MISSOURI
State Teachers To Be Evaluated On 5 Levels
Springfield News-Leader, MO, July 11, 2012
Last week I discussed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver granted by the United States Department of Education to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, DESE. Schools throughout our state can now concentrate on meeting accountability measures detailed in the Missouri School Improvement Program.
NEW JERSEY
Christie Touts Bipartisan Tenure Reform Bill, But Still Hasn’t Signed
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, July 11, 2012
Gov. Chris Christie is sounding more and more like a man who will sign New Jersey ’s tenure reform bill. A week after it landed on his desk, however, the questions remain when and with what adds he may have.
Cami Anderson Opens Door For Newark Charter Schools
Star-Ledger, NJ, July 10, 2012
The school board in Newark has only advisory powers, which came as a relief last week when it voted to block five charter schools from using empty space in district buildings.
NEW MEXICO
APS Board Critical of Grading System
Albuquerque Journal, NM, July 11, 2012
With the first batch of official school grades now released, and a teacher evaluation proposal open to public comment, the Albuquerque Public Schools board met Tuesday to discuss both initiatives.
When Not Improving Means Falling Behind
Albuquerque Journal, NM, July 11, 2012
New Mexico students, parents, educators and taxpayers who want real education reform should. Because for two years the Gov. Susana Martinez administration has tried to push public schools into an era of performance and accountability. To say there are stiff headwinds is an understatement.
NEW YORK
Bloomberg Getting A Fresh ‘Ed’ache
New York Post, NY, July 11, 2012
A judge yesterday dealt another blow to Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to fix 24 failing public schools by closing them, replacing half their staffs and reopening them with new staffs.
A New Path For Education
Albany Times Union, NY, July 10, 2012
Costly mandates, school aid cuts and inflexible adults are some of the problems that a new education reform commission must tackle.
Former Owner Of Racy Harlem Singles Club Makes Push To Raise Funds For Politicians Who Support Charter Schools
New York Daily News, NY, July 10, 2012
The man behind a major push to raise funds for politicians who support charter schools has a curious background as the former owner of a racy singles club that even he admits was sexist.
NORTH CAROLINA
Ed Chief: NC Sets Tone For Improving Schools
WRAL, NC, July 10, 2012
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says North Carolina is taking classroom performance to a new level through its early childhood education programs, efforts to improve graduation rates and K-12 reforms.
PENNSYLVANIA
Hearing Begins On Truebright’s Imperiled Charter
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, July 11, 2012
The Philadelphia School District began outlining reasons Tuesday that a North Philadelphia charter school should be closed for poor performance, while the charter’s attorney challenged district data and tried to rebut allegations.
Organizers Raise Funds To Offer Free Summer School
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, July 11, 2012
Mother Bethel and the Queen Village Neighborhood Association raised $6,000 to fund the half-day summer school, which employs two Philadelphia School District teachers and enrolls students from Meredith, McCall, and Nebinger .
SOUTH CAROLINA
Charter School Deserves Support
Greenville Daily Reflector, SC, July 11, 2012
Now the board has a chance to support such a school again in the Bear Grass Charter School. Why not get behind it and show the state and the rest of the world how to have schools of academic excellence?
TENNESSEE
Charter Schools PAC Gives Maximum Donation To 3 Candidates
The Tennessean, TN, July 10, 2012
A pro-charter schools political action committee donated the maximum $7,100 to each of the three Nashville school board candidates it is supporting.
WASHINGTON
Knapp Charts Era Of Collaboration For Seattle Teachers Union
Seattle Times, WA, July 10, 2012
Statewide opinion on public education can rise and fall over what happens in the Seattle Public Schools. All the more reason to cheer the Seattle teachers union’s new conciliatory tone.
ONLINE SCHOOLS
Gillingham Board Talks Gym Classes, Cutting Cyber School
Republican Herald, MA, July 11, 2012
The Gillingham Charter School is looking toward the 2012-13 school year. At a work session Tuesday morning, the board discussed a place to hold gym classes and whether to continue to have cyber students.
Online Charter School Rejected
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, July 10, 2012
A proposed online academy failed to get charter approval from the DeKalb County School District .