Sign Up For Our Newsletter

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

We Choose Everything – Why Not Our Schools?
Detroit News, MI, January 31, 2013
Being able to choose these goods and services is the essential first step to being an educated consumer, and being an educated consumer is an essential right of the American experience. It is truly awful, then, that many Americans are not permitted to choose the school where their children receive their education — a product more vital than any iPhone or brand of milk, and moreover, a product guaranteed to them by their states.

E-Mails Link Bush Foundation, Corporations And Education Officials
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 30, 2013
A nonprofit group released thousands of e-mails today and said they show how a foundation begun by Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and national education reform leader, is working with public officials in states to write education laws that could benefit some of its corporate funders.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

Give School Systems The Opportunity To Innovate, Be Flexible
Birmingham News, AL, January 30, 2013
Who in the world would argue against giving Alabama public schools more flexibility and an opportunity to be innovative?

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Educators React To Charter School Rally, Legislation
KUAR, AR, January 30, 2013
One day after a rally to push for more public charter schools in Arkansas, various groups of state educators gathered together at the Capitol on Wednesday to say current legislation that would create an independent commission to approve new charter schools would be an overreach into the state’s education system.

CALIFORNIA

Manzanita Backers Show Their Support
Lompoc Record, CA, January 30, 2013
With dozens of bright yellow balloons hovering above, a wide range of speakers took to the podium at Tuesday night’s Lompoc Unified School District board meeting, many of them with a clear and united message: Keep Manzanita Charter School in this community.

COLORADO

Stone Creek Tops State’s Independent Schools
Vail Daily News, CO, January 30, 2013
A local independent charter school earned some of the state’s best marks in independent rankings.

DELAWARE

Families, Children Benefit From School Choice
News Journal, DE, January 31, 2013
School choice is important. It’s important because it can literally change the trajectory of a child’s life. Where one child flourishes, another will fall behind. Each child is different, with unique strengths and needs. How well a child performs in a school depends on how well that child’s learning needs are met by the school.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Can Traditional School Systems Be Replaced By Charters?
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 30, 2013
When activists from the District and across the country gathered Tuesday at the U.S. Education Department to call for an end to school closures, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued a statement in solidarity: “It’s time to fix, not close, our schools,” she said.

FLORIDA

Concerns Mounting Over Teacher Evaluations
Sunshine State News, FL, January 31, 2013
Questions are continuing to mount about the future of Florida’s new teacher evaluation system, with Senate President Don Gaetz becoming the latest state official to wonder if the system needs to be overhauled.

Forsyth Academy Weighs Change From Charter To Program
Gainesville Times, FL, January 30, 2013
New opportunities could be heading to the Forsyth Academy if the local school district decides to convert it from a charter format to a program.

1,100-Student Charter School Proposed In Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Post, FL, January 30, 2013
A charter school that will create about 75 jobs and bring about 1,100 students to a vacant warehouse has been proposed for Hiatt Drive.

Scott Wants $1.2B for K-12
Hernando Today, FL, January 31, 2013
When Gov. Rick Scott announced Wednesday that he will propose an increase of $1.2 billion in the state’s K-12 education budget, or an increase of roughly $400 per student, some in the school district reacted to the news with a similar wave of curiosity that makes a person halt next to one of those plastic “Win a free cruise!” boxes full of business cards.

GEORGIA

Charter-School Commission Holds First Meeting
Rome News-Tribune, GA, January 31, 2013
The commission at the heart of last year’s controversial charter-school constitutional amendment held its organizational meeting Wednesday.

Charter Schools Commission Holds First Meeting Since Its Rebirth
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 30, 2013
It’s back. The State Charter Schools Commission, brought back to life with the passage of the charter schools constitutional amendment in November, held its first meeting Wednesday.

IDAHO

Report: Idaho Lags in Charter School Growth
Magic Valley Times-News, ID, January 31, 2013
Idaho lags behind other states in charter school growth, according to a new report from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.

IOWA

Iowa Senate OKs Basic Aid To Schools, Setting Up Showdown With House
Des Moines Register, IA, January 31, 2013
A showdown is brewing after the Iowa Senate approved a $187 million school aid spending package Wednesday that will be sent to the House, which is being urged by Gov. Terry Branstad to delay action until it develops a plan to reform the state’s education system.

KANSAS

Battle Begins In House Over Public Unions
The Lawrence Journal-World, KS, January 30, 2013
A bill that opponents and supporters agreed would weaken the ability of public employee unions to participate in politics won preliminary approval on Wednesday.

LOUISIANA

Education Laws Topic Of Forum
The Advocate, LA, January 31, 2013
Louisiana legislators need to rework the education accountability and choice laws that siphon resources from public schools, punish teachers based on faulty measuring tools and disproportionately affect at-risk students, a panel of Tangipahoa Parish educators and elected officials said.

MAINE

Democratic Majority On Education Panel Wants Charter School To Share In Cuts
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 30, 2013
The Legislature’s Education Committee voted 8-5 along party lines Wednesday to include charter schools in $12.6 million in cuts to education aid, sparking the latest partisan battle on education reforms.

If Current Charter School Problems Not Solved, Movement Will Fail
Morning Sentinel, ME, January 31, 2013
An advertisement airing on local television, sponsored by the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, gives the impression the charter school movement has no downside.

Charter Schools Are Not Free
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 30, 2013
There is an advertisement airing on local television sponsored by the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools. As with a lot of the political-type advertisements, it gives the impression that there is no downside to the charter school movement. They say it’s free, open to all and implies that parents will be able to work better with teachers in a charter school setting.

MARYLAND

Independently Operated Schools Sound Off On Contract Recommendations
Baltimore Sun, MD, January 31, 2013
In a public forum packed with emotion as well as people, the Baltimore school board heard Wednesday from independently operated schools fighting for contract extensions as some presented narratives describing their strengths and weaknesses.

Heavy Load Puts Teacher Retention At Risk In Prince George’s
Maryland Gazette, MD, January 31, 2013
Considering all the positive outcomes arising from our public schools in recent years, it is somewhat disheartening to see the issue of turnover rearing its ugly head in Prince George’s County once more. All our advances will be for naught if this community fails to entice educators to spend their careers right here.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter School Site Offers Opportunities For City, Schools
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, January 31, 2013
The issue confronting Mick Lafata — who owns what, until a few weeks ago, had been a bustling Gloucester Community Arts Charter School – is purely a business matter.

MICHIGAN

School Choice Has Helped Michigan’s Children
Detroit News, MI, January 31, 2013
A new study by researchers at Stanford University shows superb positive effects for students attending charter schools in Michigan. It is the most rigorous study of charter schools ever done in this state and positions Michigan as one of the nation’s leaders in charter school policy and performance.

MISSISSIPPI

High-Risk Students Key For Charter School
Jackson Magazine, MS, January 30, 2013
The crisis in American and Mississippi education is with our high-risk children, those living in profound poverty or those who have learning disabilities. Though we must do better by all children, in Mississippi, as in the rest of America, we fail most our high-risk students.

MONTANA

Bill Calls For Charter Schools In Montana
Beartooth NBC, MT, January 30, 2013
Today a bill was heard in the house that could bring charter schools to the state of Montana.

NEVADA

Charter Schools, Vouchers On Education Leaders’ Wish List
Las Vegas Sun, NV, January 31, 2013
Nevada’s education leaders called for the expansion of charter schools and vouchers during a panel discussion highlighting School Choice Week.

NEW JERSEY

Most N.J. Charter School Facilities Outdated, Analysis Finds
Star-Ledger, NJ, January 30, 2013
Almost three-quarters of New Jersey’s charter schools that participated in a recent survey were built before 1970, and a third are housed in buildings not originally built as schools, according to an analysis released today.

N.J. Limitations On School Choice Blocks Opportunities For Students
Times of Trenton, NJ, January 31, 2013
If, as a nation, we choose our presidents, then why not our schools? Why, as parents, are we subjected to the dictates and mandates of an American education system gone awry, one that’s been hijacked by interests and decisions not of our choosing?

NEW YORK

Cuomo: State Might Impose Evaluations
Wall Street Journal, January 31, 2013
State officials will impose their own job evaluation system on New York City’s teachers if a deal isn’t reached soon between the union and the city, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

Gov’s Teacher-Eval Ultimatum To Mike
New York Post, NY, January 31, 2013
If Mayor Bloomberg and the city teachers union can’t come up with their own teacher-evaluation plan, Albany will step in and do it for them, Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders warned yesterday.

OHIO

Kasich Rolling Out His Plan For Schools
Columbus Dispatch, OH, January 31, 2013
Gov. John Kasich will unveil his long-promised school-funding plan today, in which he’ll propose creating a $300 million “innovation fund” to support school initiatives to improve teaching and learning, sources said. Kasich also is expected to seek expansion of tax-funded tuition vouchers and an increase in state aid for tutoring and intervention services for struggling readers.

PENNSYLVANIA

Former Official Of Charter School Network Reportedly Will Plead Guilty
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 31, 2013
The former business manager of Dorothy June Brown’s charter school network has signaled that he intends to change his plea and admit that he played a role in Brown’s alleged scheme to defraud the schools of $6.7 million.

Look At The Effective Work By Charter Schools
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 31, 2013
Using a headline to imply that charter schools as “a class” are “sub-par” does a great disservice to the educators, parents and students who support charters as a viable educational option, particularly for traditionally underserved students (“Sub-Par Options: Charter Schools as a Class Don’t Measure Up,” Jan. 27 editorial).

Money, Charter Schools Main Focus Of First York City Schools’ Recovery Plan Meeting
York Daily Record, PA, January 30, 2013
The advisory committee charged with creating a recovery plan for the York City School District heard an overview of the district at its first meeting Wednesday night. The 20 members also shared some of their hopes and concerns for the committee, with concerns about money and charter schools being a main focus.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Choice Leads To Child-Centered Education
Aiken Standard, SC, January 30, 2013
In the S.C. House of Representatives we deal with a lot of issues. None are more important to families than education.

How Should We Measure Teacher Success?
Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, January 30, 2013
Browsing the S.C. Department of Education’s proposed “Educator Evaluation and Support Guidelines,” the model proposed to overhaul the state’s system for measuring teacher success, two conclusions present themselves.

TEXAS

Higher Learning: Ignite Offers Flexible Schedules For Students
Valley Morning Star, TX, January 30, 2013
Located in Raymondville, it is one of six charter schools in the Ignite Public School District. The schools have flexible schedules to accommodate students in different circumstances.

Charter School Network Gets $5 Million Pledge
Dallas Morning News, TX, January 30, 2013
The Harold Simmons Foundation will give $5 million over four years to Uplift Education, North Texas’ largest charter school network.

VIRGINIA

Va. Panel Backs A’s -To-F’s For Schools
Washington Times, DC, January 30, 2013
Virginia public schools will get the same kind of report cards their students take home if legislation endorsed Wednesday by a House of Delegates committee becomes law.

WISCONSIN

Tough Decisions Lie Ahead For Wisconsin’s School Voucher Program
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, January 30, 2013
A gathering sponsored by a national school choice group Wednesday in Milwaukee played to the theme of support for quality educational options for all children. Gov. Scott Walker, Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Thornton and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett – all in attendance – endorsed that sentiment.

Vouchers Hurt Public Schools
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, January 31, 2013
With voucher advocates trumpeting “National School Choice Week,” it is a fitting time to examine the proposed expansion of private school vouchers in Wisconsin. Some politicians are intent on slowly doing away with our public education system in favor of privatized education paid for with taxpayer money.

ONLINE LEARNING

Jeb Bush: Students Should Have The Choice Of Digital Schools
CNN, January 31, 2013
The Fair sisters graduated from Nevada Virtual Academy last spring and enrolled at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. After all the time she spent at the doctor’s office, Kaleigh is pursuing a degree in nursing – through online courses, of course.

Erie-Area Home-School Families Shifting To Online Programs
Erie Times News, PA, January 31, 2013
Harborcreek Township resident Dianne Jackson knew she had to make a change when she saw her daughter struggling in both public and private schools.

Our View: Too Soon To Call Virtual Schools A Failed Idea
Jackson Sun, TN, January 31, 2013
The Tennessee General Assembly approved what have come to be known as “virtual schools” in Tennessee. The state’s first, and only, online virtual school opened in 2011 in Union County.

Franklin School Board Plans For More Virtual Learning
Anderson Mail Independent, SC, January 30, 2013
Franklin County school superintendent Ruth O’Dell this week outlined the school system’s main objectives.

Idaho’s Largest Charter School Escapes Much Of The Criticism Aimed At Corporate Partner
Boise State Public Radio, ID, January 30, 2013
Wyatt’s mom, Jenifer Bell laughs at that. She says she turned to online education when her oldest child, Alexa reached school age. Her daughter was too sick to go to traditional school.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Grade Our Teachers, Help Our Students
CNN, January 30, 2013
Knowing how to identify and measure great teaching is a huge step toward providing better feedback and support for teachers and building a better education system for all our children — but it’s just one step. The challenge now is to use this information to give teachers the tools, resources and support they need to do their best work.

Activists to U.S. Education Department: Stop School Closings Now
Washington Post, DC, January 29, 2013
Activists fighting school closings across the country converged at the U.S. Education Department on Tuesday to demand federal action to stop the shutdowns, which they say disproportionately affect poor and minority students.

Making the Grade
Washington Times, DC, January 29, 2013
More than 200 organizations across the country are staging some 3,600 events to mark School Choice Week. Many grateful parents, however, have reason to celebrate every week.

Offer More Options For Students
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 30, 2013
It is no secret that our education system needs reform, but what direction to take and how to get there present a formidable challenge. Countless studies have shown that our children’s math and science skills are dangerously below average.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

State Positioned To Exit No Child Left Behind Act
Tuscaloosa News, AL, January 30, 2013
It’s a new day for public education in Alabama, Thomas Bice, superintendent of the state Department of Education, said Tuesday in Tuscaloosa.

ARKANSAS

Former Florida Governor Pushes For Charter Schools In Ark.
KUAR, AR, January 29, 2013
As lawmakers consider proposals to expand charter schools in the state, the former Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, spoke at the state Capitol Tuesday as part of rally by a group that advocates for charter schools.

ARIZONA

Arizona Charter-School Safety A Concern
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 30, 2013
As schools examine their safety plans in the wake of the Newtown shooting, many of the Valley’s charter and private schools are not as prepared to defend against internal and external threats as their traditional public-school counterparts, police and school officials say.

CALIFORNIA

Proposed Charter School Plan From Former Mayor Yunits Does Little For Brockton
Enterprise News, CA, January 29, 2013
Regarding “SABIS charter school will help Brockton fulfill promise” commentary by John T. Yunits on Jan. 20:

School Choice Is Expanding Across U.S.
Orange County Register, CA, January 29, 2013
All of us can choose from among dozens of brands of automobiles. But when it comes to something more precious, parents generally have little choice in their children’s public schools. The educational bureaucracy makes the decision.

Private Money And Public Schools
Sacramento Press, CA, January 29, 2013
Last December 3, the California Fair Political Practices Commission recommended fining Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a Democrat, $37,500 for improperly reporting donations to his multiple nonprofit groups.

5 Keys Charter School Helps S.F. Inmates
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, January 29, 2013
Latrice Alexander beamed and cheered as her son walked across the Hall of Justice stage to accept his high school diploma Tuesday.

CONNECTICUT

Advocates For Charter Schools As Answer To Achievement Gap
Danbury News Times, CT, January 29, 2013
Connecticut has an opportunity — despite historic fiscal woes — to accelerate the groundbreaking progress made by Connecticut’s charter schools. The 27 letters of interest, one from Danbury, submitted to the state by educators, officials and clergy leaders, all of whom want to create new, public charters schools, offer proof that a growing corps of leaders are lining up to change the status quo and meet the huge parent demand for great public school choices.

FLORIDA

Education Commissioner Praises Hillsborough School Choice
Tampa Bay Tribune, FL, January 30, 2013
New Education Commissioner Tony Bennett, an ardent supporter of school choice, visited a Tampa showcase and panel discussion on Tuesday to laud the local district for what he called its innovative offerings.

Decision Delayed On St. Petersburg Charter School’s Fate
Tampa Bay Times, FL, January 30, 2013
It’s a question of survival for Imagine St. Petersburg, but one whose answer will have to wait another month.

Lawmakers Work To Clamp Down On Charter Schools
WFTV, FL, January 29, 2013
State lawmakers are working to clamp down on charter schools after the principal of a failed Orange County charter school left her job with a half-million dollar payout.

GEORGIA

‘Trigger’ Bill Would Let Parents, Staff Petition To Change Schools To Charters
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 29, 2013
Hoping to capitalize on the momentum of November’s positive charter school vote, a leader in the Georgia House introduced legislation Tuesday to give parents the right to petition to turn their low-performing public schools into independent charter schools.

Lindsey: Plan Means Parents Would Get Involved In Charters
Reporter Newspaper, GA, January 30, 2013
State Rep. Edward Lindsey, a Buckhead Republican, says his proposal making it easier to convert an existing school into a charter school is about getting parents involved in education.

Details About Charter High School Under Wraps
Cherokee Ledger News, GA, January 30, 2013
Cherokee Charter Academy officials are jubilant about a five-year renewal of their petition, with permission to begin offering a high school, issued earlier this month by the state Department of Education.

We Bought The Charter Hype
Covington News, GA, January 29, 2013
An article in the AJC last week noted that $2.7 million was spent by proponents of the charter school amendment as compared with $262,822 spent by those who opposed the amendment. Among those who contributed to the proponent campaign were K12 Inc. and Charter Schools USA, both for profit companies that manage charter schools.

ILLINOIS

Charter Advocates Rally As School-Closing Critics Pack Meetings
Chicago Tribune, IL, January 30, 2013
As opponents of school closings in Chicago pack community meetings this week to make their voice heard, charter school advocates took part in a rally Tuesday at Union Station to draw attention to their call for greater school choice.

INDIANA

3rd Charter Set To Appeal To Ball State
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 30, 2013
Timothy L. Johnson Academy has joined two other Fort Wayne charter schools that will appeal Ball State University’s decision not to renew their charters.

LOUISIANA

Group Lauds La. Charter Schools
The Advocate, LA, January 30, 2013
Louisiana won high marks Tuesday from a charter school advocacy group, including the state’s lack of any cap on the number of charter schools and the transparency of its application and review process.

MASSACHUSETTS

Framingham’s McAuliffe Charter Gets State’s OK To Expand
MetroWest Daily News, MA, January 30, 2013
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday unanimously granted Christa McAuliffe Charter School’s request to increase its student population nearly 33 percent over the next few years, an expansion that will lead to the hiring of more teachers and a move to a new facility.

Charter’s Landlord Out $1 Million-Plus
Gloucester Times, MA, January 30, 2013
Three weeks after the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School’s early and unexpected closure, the landlord of the former school building in Blackburn Industrial Park estimates he is out more than $1 million in rent as he begins the search for a new tenant.

Group Eyes Charter School With Multi-Age Classes
Cape Cod Times, MA, January 30, 2013
A group of educators and parents are setting a course for a new regional charter school on Cape Cod with multi-age classrooms.

MICHIGAN

Inkster District Could Convert High School Into A Charter School
Detroit Free Press, MI, January 30, 2013
Under a radical plan to deal with a $12-million deficit, Inkster Public Schools would turn its high school over to a charter school management company to run and become a K-8 district.

MISSOURI

Missouri Could Speed Up Its Takeover Of KC School District
Kansas City Star, MO, January 29, 2013
Proposal working its way through the Senate could bring state control before start of the new school year this fall.

NEVADA

Nevada Needs More Education Competition
Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, January 30, 2013
Gov. Brian Sandoval on Sunday joined more than 20 other governors in signing a proclamation recognizing School Choice Week. Twenty-nine events are scheduled around the state this week to celebrate educational choice. That’s great. What would be even better? If Nevada already had more school choice.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Educational Opportunity Is Under Attack On Many Fronts
Union Leader, NH, January 30, 2013
Educational opportunity is something we all want for our children. But it is under threat in New Hampshire. While the wealthy can choose among many options to find the best education for their children, two small programs that increase options for poor people in New Hampshire are under attack.

NEW YORK

Mayor Bloomberg Plans To Slash 1,800 Teaching Positions Through Attrition In Proposed New $70.1 Billion Budget
New York Daily News, NY, January 30, 2013
Mayor Bloomberg gave his final budget address as mayor on Tuesday, proposing a $70.1 billion plan that slashes up to 1,800 teaching positions through attrition.

Mulgrew’s End Game
New York Daily News, NY, January 30, 2013
Under surprisingly aggressive questioning at a legislative budget hearing Tuesday, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew revealed his true heart’s desire for the nation’s largest school system. He wants a patsy to take over.

Tour Aimed At Promoting Charter Schools Coming Here
Buffalo News, NY, January 30, 2013
A cross-country “whistle-stop” train tour aimed at promoting alternative choices for public education – mainly charter schools – will bring its message to Buffalo during a breakfast reception at 8 a.m. Friday in Statler City, 107 Delaware Ave.

OKLAHOMA

State School Superintendent Asks For $2.6 Billion For Oklahoma Education
The Oklahoman, OK, January 30, 2013
State schools superintendent Janet Barresi asked the joint Budget and Appropriations Committee on Tuesday morning to increase the state education budget by nearly $300 million compared to last year.

PENNSYLVANIA

Truth Revealed About Charters
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 30, 2013
The latest numbers on charter school performance in Pennsylvania give new meaning to the term fuzzy math.

Harrisburg Schools Saddled With Debt And Growing Exodus To Charter Schools, Says Veno
Patriot News, PA, January 29, 2013
Two trends threaten Harrisburg School District’s future financial success, said state-appointed chief recovery officer Gene Veno: increasing payments for past debt and a growing exodus of students to charter schools.

Bethlehem Area School District Premieres Video Series ‘Come Join Us’
Leigh Valley Express-Times, PA, January 29, 2013
The message to parents considering private or charter schools was clear: give Bethlehem Area a chance.

Reading Superintendent Against I-lead Middle-school Proposal
Reading Eagle, PA, January 30, 2013
Dr. Carlinda Purcell believes that, when it comes to education, choice can be a good thing.

New Hope Best Choice For Me
York Daily Record, PA, January 29, 2013
If you had a gifted child, wouldn’t you want them to be taking classes that challenged them? This is how my parents felt when making the decision to send me to New Hope Academy Charter School. School choice is important to me because it provides me with the level of education I need and am capable of doing.

TENNESSEE

Voucher Legislation Includes Caps, Private School Restrictions
Nashville Public Radio, TN, January 29, 2013
A proposed voucher program would be restricted to students poor enough to get free or reduced lunch and attending a school in the bottom five percent in the state. School voucher legislation from the Haslam Administration has been filed for consideration by the General Assembly.

UTAH

Tax Transparency
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, January 30, 2013
Many Utahns are still just a bit in the dark about charter schools. These non-traditional public schools are relatively new, but over the past decade the number of charters has risen consistently until now there are 85 in the Beehive State.

VIRGINIA

Defying Obama, Virginia Democrats Kill Charter School Bill
Watchdog blog, January 29, 2013
Snubbing their national party’s position, Virginia Democrats killed a charter-school bill in the state Senate and threaten to quash similar reform measures.

WASHINGTON

Teachers Should End Boycott Of MAP Assessment Test
Seattle Times, WA, January 29, 2013
Seattle Public Schools teachers boycotting the MAP test should stop. There is value in a local assessment.

WEST VIRGINIA

Bureaucracy Keeping Schools From Thriving
Journal-News, WV, January 30, 2013
It’s all about change. The recent firing of the State Superintendent of Schools is all about change. The State Board of Education decided to fire the Superintendent without following proper legal procedures.

ONLINE LEARNING

Cyber Charter School Applications Denied
Delaware County Times, PA, January 29, 2013
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ronald Tomalis denied applications for eight proposed cyber charter schools Monday, including one based in Springfield.

Cybernots – The Schools That Boldly Went Nowhere
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader, PA, January 29, 2013
Call them Cybernots, exploring the new world of Pennsylvania public education.

Virtual Academy Contrite About Poor Math Scores
Nashville Public Radio, TN, January 30, 2013
An online public school enrolling thousands of students across Tennessee once again faced scrutiny from state lawmakers yesterday (Tuesday). The virtual school, based in Union County, uses curriculum developed by a for-profit company called K12 Inc. The school’s standardized test scores have been some of the lowest in the state.

TN Lawmakers Blast Online K12 School
The Tennessean, TN, January 29, 2013
Top officials from Tennessee’s embattled publicly funded online virtual school faced sharp criticism from members of the state House Education Committee Tuesday over its abysmal test results, with lawmakers delivering a clear message: You’re on notice.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

School Choice: Spreading Like A Prairie Fire
Daily Caller, DC, January 28, 2013
The school choice movement is extraordinary because it’s not inspired by any political figure. Instead, it’s an organic, grassroots parent movement inspired by extreme dissatisfaction with the status quo.

FROM THE STATES

ALASKA

Don’t Open The Floodgates: Public Money Belongs In Public Schools
Alaska Dispatch, AK, January 28, 2013
National School Choice Week started Jan. 27 as part of a national campaign to inform the public about the educational choices available to students and families.

ARKANSAS

Bill Adds Poverty To School Choice Debate
Arkansas News, AR, January 28, 2013
A second school choice bill intended to remove race as a factor in student transfers was filed Monday. House Bill 1181 by Rep. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, also takes into account the numbers of students in districts who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches.

ARIZONA

State Funding Error Could Mean Bonus For Teachers
KVOA Tucson New, AZ, January 28, 2013
A huge error in calculating education funding could mean big money for some Arizona school districts. But it could also cost a number of Arizona public and charter schools.

CALIFORNIA

A Multiple-Choice Test For Parents
San Diego Union Tribune, CA, January 28, 2013
Sending a child to school has never required so many decisions. Will it be a Chinese-language program or one that pushes the performing arts? A high-tech charter school or an intimate private institution? What about a campus with stellar test scores across town, or even the familiar school down the street?

Phillips Charter Told To Upgrade Program
Napa Valley Register, CA, January 28, 2013
School district administrators say they can’t recommend a renewal for Phillips Charter School unless the Napa elementary school changes its “game plan.”

Crenshaw High Group Opposes Reform Plan And School Closings
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, January 28, 2013
Parents, students and teachers rallied Monday in front of Crenshaw High School to protest a plan to restructure the low-performing campus and require teachers to reapply for their jobs.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Tough-Love Education Reforms Produce Results
Washington Times, DC, January 28, 2013
Last year didn’t hold great news for District of Columbia public schools. Less than 20 percent of eighth-graders were proficient in either math or reading. Only 61 percent of District high school students made it to graduation.

Keeping The Doors Open At D.C. Charters
Washington Examiner, DC, January 28, 2013
Whether a charter school gets to keep its doors open in the District depends on a combination of its finances and its academic performance.

IDAHO

Idaho Senate To Debate 4 New Teacher Union Bills
Idaho Statesman, ID, January 28, 2013
The Senate Education Committee has agreed to debate a series of bills designed to restrict the power teachers unions have in negotiating multi-year contract agreements and fighting salary cuts, setting the stage for another potentially corrosive battle with public school teachers across the state.

INDIANA

Broadway Imagine Cites Higher Test Scores
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 29, 2013
Imagine Schools on Broadway Principal Ra’Chelle Spearman said the school is more motivated than ever to finish out this year strong.

House Approves Plan Speeding Sales Of Vacant School Buildings
Northwest Times, IN, January 28, 2013
School corporations could dispose of their vacant buildings quicker under legislation approved 98-0 by the Indiana House on Monday.

IOWA

Education Reform Plan Details Queried
Des Moines Register, IA, January 29, 2013
Iowa lawmakers took their closest look yet under the hood of Gov. Terry Branstad’s top priority education reform proposal on Monday.

High Pay Gives Districts Flexibility
Des Moines Register, IA, January 29, 2013
Iowa school districts that have previously boosted teacher pay would be better positioned to hire additional staff under a legislative proposal that calls for more veteran educators to take on duties outside the classroom, data released Monday shows.

LOUISIANA

John White Counters Claim That Teacher Evaluation Is Spiking Retirement Rate
Times-Picayune, LA, January 28, 2013
State Education Superintendent John White rebutted charges that new teacher evaluation rules are causing Louisiana teachers to retire at higher rates. He said the data don’t support the claim and that on the whole, it’s the better teachers who are sticking around.

MAINE

Maine Teachers Don’t Want Student Achievement To Play Big Part In Their Evaluations
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 28, 2013
Representatives of public school teachers and administrators told the Maine Department of Education on Monday that they don’t want standardized tests to play too great a role in determining whether they’re doing a good job.

MASSACHUSETTS

School Plans Tweak Status Quo, But Bold Change Is Needed
Boston Globe, MA, January 29, 2013
WHAT BEGAN last January with Mayor Menino’s dramatic call for Boston students to be given seats in schools close to their homes, with meaningful alternatives for those in areas with underperforming schools, has morphed into something more like an effort to improve the current system of wide geographic zones, multiple choices, and luck of the draw.

Foxborough Regional Charter School Earns Charter Renewal
Bellingham County Gazette, MA, January 28, 2013
Dr. Mark Logan, executive director of the Foxborough Regional Charter School, recently announced the school has earned an unconditional renewal of its charge from the state for another five-year term.

MICHIGAN

Charter School Leaders: Stanford Study Shows Michigan Charter Students Closing Achievement Gaps
Grand Rapids Press, MI, January 29, 2013
Michigan’s charter public school students are making larger learning gains than their peers in traditional public schools, according to a new study.

MONTANA

Education Reform – School Choice Would Benefit All Montanans
Helena Independent Record, MT, January 29, 2013
Given the fact that Montana continuously ranks near dead last in the country in average wages and our “low-income neighborhoods” arguably encompass our whole state, it should not go un-noticed that Montana also ranks dead last nationally in educational choice reforms as well.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Public Schools: Vs. Public Education
Union Leader, NH, January 29, 2013
One of the reasons New Hampshire has to continue debating school choice year after year is that self-proclaimed supporters of public education do not support public education. They support public schools.

NEW JERSEY

Schools Call For More Parent Involvement
Asbury Park Press, NJ, January 29, 2013
Ask Ocean Township social worker Debbie Schisler and she’ll tell you bluntly enough: a child’s education begins at home.

Let’s Offer Families School Choice: Opinion
Star-Ledger, NJ, January 29, 2013
As parents, we would do anything for our children in their time of need, no matter what illness, injury, trouble or danger they face.

NEW YORK

Mayor Warns of School Cuts
Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2013
Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday called on state lawmakers to restore nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars wiped out by New York City’s failure to launch a new teacher-evaluation system, saying 2,500 teachers would be lost and predicting a host of “calamitous” cuts.

Mike Bares UFT’s $1B Blow To City
New York Post, NY, January 29, 2013
A sham teacher-evaluation process that rewarded union foot-dragging will cost the city more than a billion dollars in school aid and 2,500 teachers, Mayor Bloomberg charged in explosive testimony to state lawmakers yesterday.

School Closures Challenged
Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2013
The U.S. Department of Education will investigate a claim that the Bloomberg administration’s plan to close 26 low-performing public schools this year discriminates against minority and special-education students.

OKLAHOMA

Education Experiment In Wisconsin Worth Watching Here In Oklahoma
Oklahoman, OK, January 29, 2013
WHAT has historically been thought of as education is changing every passing day. Many facets of the classroom haven’t changed much over the years, but the questions of what comprises an education and whether a classroom must be part of that education have never been so present.

PENNSYLVANIA

Nutter To Name Parent Advocate To School Reform Commission
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 29, 2013
In a shake-up, Mayor Nutter is appointing a parent advocate and former Philadelphia School District bus aide to the School Reform Commission.

Charters Need Time To Correct Traditional Schools’ Failed Approaches
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 29, 2013
I am writing in response to the Jan. 27 editorial “Sub-Par Options: Charter Schools as a Class Don’t Measure Up.” Parents don’t select charter schools because their children are doing great at their public school district. They send them to charter schools because of special needs or, even more important, because the district is failing them.

City School Closings Target Vulnerable Students, Critics Say
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 29, 2013
Ramping up their fight against 37 planned public school closings, a coalition including the city teachers’ union, politicians, a pastor, and the head of the local NAACP chapter said Monday that the Philadelphia School District was targeting the city’s most vulnerable students.

TENNESSEE

Gov. Haslam Touts Limited School Vouchers
Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN, January 29, 2013
Republican Gov. Bill Haslam used his annual State of the State address Monday night to defend his plan to implement a limited school voucher program next fall that would allow impoverished children in 83 low-performing public schools to use tax dollars to attend private institutions.

Giving Parents A Say
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 29, 2013
State Rep. John DeBerry’s proposal to adjust Tennessee’s so-called “parent trigger,” making it easier for parents to force education reforms at their children’s schools, appears to be in step with giving parents a greater voice in their children’s education.

TEXAS

Charter School Denies They Are Cherry Picking Students
Valley Morning Star, TX, January 28, 2013
IDEA Public Schools’ founder on Monday refuted a charge that the charter school recruits the best students from public school districts that lose state funding for each student who transfers.

Charter Schools Say Their Smaller Share Of State Aid Is Unconstitutional
Austin American Statesman, TX, January 28, 2013
For the first time in Texas’ protracted legal wrangling over how to fund public education, charter schools Monday added their voices to the fray.

UTAH

Legislative Bill Proposed To Add Transparency To Charter School Funding
KSL, UT, January 28, 2013
The first day of the Legislative Session on Utah’s Capitol Hill began Monday. One of the bills being introduced would add taxes to support local charter schools.

VIRGINIA

Republican’s Legislation Would Allow State To Place Charter Schools
Richmond Times Dispatch, VA, January 28, 2013
A House subcommittee today backed a proposal by Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William, that would amend the Virginia Constitution to allow the state Board of Education to establish charter schools in local school divisions.

Virginia Senate Kills Right-To-Work, Charter School Amendments
Washington Examiner, DC, January 28, 2013
The Virginia Senate narrowly killed a pair of constitutional amendments dealing with two perennial Republican favorites: right-to-work and charter schools.

WASHINGTON

Students Come First Back On Agenda
Spokesman-Review, WA, January 29, 2013
Idaho lawmakers on Monday took steps to reinstate parts of the controversial Students Come First school reform laws less than three months after voters overwhelmingly repealed them.

Seattle’s Boycotting Teachers Start Crusade Against Standardized Tests
Washington Times, DC, January 28, 2013
By refusing to administer a district-mandated test to their students, teachers at a Seattle high school have sparked an “anti-testing movement” that is picking up steam by the day.

WISCONSIN

Giving Students Choices: A Look At Charter Schools
WEAU, WI, January 28, 2013
As part of National School Choice week more than 3,000 events will be held this across the country to encourage states to offer more education choices to students.

Achievement Gap Factors Transcend Boundaries
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, January 29, 2013
State Journal columnist Chris Rickert’s Sunday piece was titled “Achievement gap owned by Madison.” The gap refers to the difference in average measured scores of achievement of two groups, A and B for simplicity.

ONLINE LEARNING

Maine Democrats Take Aim At Virtual Charter Schools
Morning Sentinel, ME, January 29, 2013
The push represents a significant challenge to the taxpayer-financed institutions, which Gov. LePage has championed vehemently.

Pennsylvania Withholds OK For 8 Cyber Charter Schools
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 29, 2013
All eight statewide cyber charter school applications have been rejected, a decision that comes as legislators debate charter school funding and existing cyber schools have taken a hit for missing state academic goals.

A Growth Industry Funded By Taxpayers…
Towanda Daily Review, PA, January 29, 2013
Charter schools in Pennsylvania are a growth industry funded by taxpayers. More than 105,000 students attend 157 charter schools at physical locations, and 16 “cyber” charter schools that operate over the Internet.

Bills Chart Fairer Funding
Scranton Times-Tribune, PA, January 29, 2013
Charter schools in Pennsylvania are a growth industry funded by taxpayers. More than 105,000 students attend 157 charter schools at physical locations and 16 “cyber” charter schools that operate over the Internet.

Schools Moving Toward Digital Learning
Central Florida News 13, FL, January 28, 2013
Central Florida education is going high-tech, and bulky backpacks will soon be a thing of the past. We spoke with Pearson, a learning sponsor of a forum held in Orlando on Monday.

Events Celebrate School Options
Monroe News Star, LA, January 29, 2013
This is National School Choice Week, which attempts to shine a spotlight on all the public school options now available to students and their families. Immediately following that week is Digital Learning Day on Feb. 6.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Transforming Culture, Education Key To A New Birth Of Freedom
Human Events, January 28, 2013
American history is filled with examples of political parties rising and falling, reaching the pinnacles of success just years before ultimate extinction and rising reborn from the ashes of political movements and principles of the past.

With Parents Making Choices, Bad Schools Left Behind
Washington Times, DC, January 27, 2013
Now is the time for all good education advocates to come to the aid of school choice. It’s National School Choice Week, so pay attention if you truly want a way forward.

State-Level Education Reform Key To Kids’ Future
Washington Times, DC, January 27, 2013
Our children represent our hopes and dreams for tomorrow, and in the eyes of a parent, there’s nothing more important. Unfortunately, today the troubles in our education system hang like a dark cloud over our children’s bright future.

FROM THE STATES

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Republican House Caucus Pushes for Charter Schools
KARK, AR, January 27, 2013
A battle shaping up in the legislature over your child’s education.
The Arkansas Republican house caucus is pushing for the creation of a charter school commission.

ARIZONA

Error Shorts Ariz. Schools $38 Million
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 28, 2013
An error in calculating classroom funding since 2006 has shortchanged hundreds of Arizona public and charter schools while causing others to be overpaid.

Traditional Public School Is A Legitimate Choice, Too
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 27, 2013
However, what may get lost in the celebration this week is that after nearly two decades of expanding choice options in our state, traditional public schools continue to be the choice for nearly nine out of 10 Arizona students. Like my family, hundreds of thousands of Arizona families make the informed and conscious choice to send our children to our traditional public schools.

Range Of School Options Allows Children To Thrive
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 27, 2013
It was 1993 and my first year in the Arizona Senate. I was one of a handful of legislators who were enthusiastically committed to reforming education in Arizona.

CALIFORNIA

Rating Districts On School Choice
Victorville Daily Press, CA, January 28, 2013
As our nation marks National School Choice Week, through Feb. 2., it is intriguing for Californians to reflect on exactly what is meant by “choice” in public education, and how well California schools fare in offering choice options and policies to parents.

Bill Aims To Limit Schools’ Use Of Expensive Bonds
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 28, 2013
To build classrooms and sports facilities, many districts have been relying on bonds that can require as much as $20 in payments for every $1 borrowed.

CONNECTICUT

Revisiting Charter School ‘Successes’
Stamford Advocate, CT, January 25, 2013
Every legislative session, charter school lobbyists proclaim how successful privately run charter schools are compared to “failing” public schools, and that charters should get a share of public money disproportionate to the 1 percent of public school children they serve. In order to illustrate the murky world of charter school statistics, here is a follow-up to two of my columns on Connecticut charters.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Council Member David Catania Takes Charge Of New Education Committee
Washington Post, DC, January 27, 2013
Two weeks after taking the helm of the D.C. Council’s new Education Committee, David A. Catania walked through the front door of Burrville Elementary School and started asking questions.

FLORIDA

Palm Coast Charter School Battling Back From ‘F’
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, January 27, 2013
As many young schoolchildren pack up each day, Palm Harbor Academy students gear up for an extra hour of reading. While their peers are boarding buses, the charter school students are breaking into small groups for individual instruction.

Pines Charters Want Share Of Broward Dollars
Miami Herald, FL, January 26, 2013
The Pembroke Pines Charter school system has a stellar reputation, top-notch students and well-maintained buildings. But it needs more money to keep going, school officials say.

Legislators On the Spot With Rick Scott’s Teacher Pay-Hike Proposal
Sunshine State News, FL, January 28, 2013
The past two years, Gov. Rick Scott and the majority in the state Legislature have been mostly on the same conservative, pro-business page regarding education, reforming insurance, slashing the budget and repealing government regulations.

Gov. Scott’s Teacher Pay Raise Plan Met With Skepticism
Tampa Bay Tribune, FL, January 28, 2013
The governor wants teachers to have $2,500 raises next school year.Teachers say the raises are long overdue. It sounds like a great idea, but whether it comes to fruition might be another thing.

GEORGIA

Education Group Claims Tax Credit Program Is Widely Abused
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 27, 2013
A 2008 law that allows Georgians to claim a tax credit after making a charitable contribution to a student scholarship organization has been widely abused, an education policy group alleges in a complaint that will be filed Monday with the state Department of Revenue.

INDIANA

Charters’ Test Scores Miss Mark
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 27, 2013
At a recent parent meeting for Imagine MASTer Academy, one big question that school officials said was difficult to answer was, “Why?”

More School Choice Options Touted, Extending Vouchers To Kindergarteners
Northwest Times, IN, January 27, 2013
As the nation celebrates National School Choice Week today through Friday local and state school choice supporters said they’d like to see changes in the law to give parents even more options.

IOWA

This Must Be The Year For Education Reform
Sioux City Journal, IA, January 27, 2013
From the beginning, we have applauded and supported the administration of Gov. Terry Branstad for its pursuit of education reform.

LOUISIANA

More Boards Follow Rules
The Advocate, LA, January 28, 2013
Twenty-five of New Orleans’ 43 charter school boards have complied with a state law that requires them to publicize and gather public input on their school budgets before they’re finalized, according to a Lens survey.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter Schools’ Building Costs Cited
Boston Globe, MA, January 28, 2013
As charter schools lobby the State House for increased funding for building improvements, they have a new tool to help them make their case: A report expected to be released Monday outlines the financial challenges faced by Massachusetts charter schools that lease or purchase their own facilities.

City on a Hill Offers Choice Where None Exists
South Coast Today, MA, January 28, 2013
The families and children of New Bedford cannot afford to wait for the New Bedford Public Schools to fulfill their promises of a better education.

MICHIGAN

Spend Early Education Dollars Wisely
Detroit News, MI, January 27, 2013
As they consider increasing preschool funds, lawmakers ought only to support effective programs

MINNESOTA

Minnesota Falls Behind On School Choice
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, January 27, 2013
Back in 1991, my home state of Minnesota was a national leader in promoting the progressive reform of parental school choice. The Star of the North had begun allowing parents to claim a state income tax deduction for school expenses, including tuition at private schools, in 1955. In the 1980s, it pioneered the concept of public-school choice through open enrollment. In 1991, St. Paul became home to the nation’s first public charter school.

MISSISSIPPI

A Model That Benefits All Children
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, MS, January 27, 2013
No one would argue that our schools are in need of smart and sustaining reform. Every child in our state deserves a quality education that will one day prepare them to compete globally in the workplace. Simply put, our children are not keeping up with children in top-performing countries. Regrettably, some children in our state have been denied the chance to be taught in consistently good schools by good teachers.

MISSOURI

Charter Schools Bring Competition To Education
Kansas City Star, MO, January 27, 2013
For those intent on deriding the Kansas City School District at every turn, the idea of charter schools is often an appealing alternative. A more realistic view would see the schools as an education option for families, but not a silver bullet for everything ailing public schools.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Charter School Funding Bill Moving Forward in Statehouse
Nashua Telegraph, NH, January 28, 2013
A bill to revert charter school spending practices back to those in place before 2010 is officially moving forward, but it likely won’t mean an earlier end to the moratorium on new charter schools.

NEW YORK

Catholic Competition
New York Post, NY, January 27, 2013
Today marks the start of Catholic Schools Week. There should be nothing parochial about the local celebrations.

Still on Strike, a Bus Union Sees a Threat to Its Culture
New York Times, NY, January 28, 2013
The strike, which has shut down roughly 5,000 of the city’s 7,700 school bus routes, is expected to continue this week, though the drivers’ union and the school bus companies had agreed to sit down at Gracie Mansion with a mediator on Monday.

Albany Charter School Group Becomes Hotbed Of Fraud, Embezzlement
NYaltnews, NY, January 27, 2013
The Brighter Choice Foundation, which was created by a Republican political operative, Thomas Carroll, is reeling as its chief financial officer has been charged with embezzling more than $200,000 from the organization.

Assembly Democrats Are Opposed To Gov. Cuomo’s New, $224 Million Line In The Sand In The City’s Teacher Evaluation Fight
New York Daily News, NY, January 28, 2013
Assembly Democrats are strongly opposed to Gov. Cuomo’s decision to impose a second strings-attached deadline on the city to approve a teacher evaluation plan.

NORTH CAROLINA

Lambeth’s Proposal For A Charter-School District Needs Much More Study
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, January 28, 2013
We have long supported charter schools in North Carolina. We favored lifting the state’s 100-school cap in 2011 because we think charter schools encourage innovation, give parents a choice, and put needed competitive pressure on the public schools to do a better job.

Davidson Elementary Enrollment Falls
Charlotte Observer, NC, January 27, 2013
While private and charter schools proliferate in the Lake Norman area, Davidson Elementary School’s enrollment has decreased by more than 20 percent over the last seven years.

Charter Schools May Double By 2014
News & Observer, NC, January 26, 2013
The events sponsored by the N.C. Public Charter Schools Association will draw parents looking for schools for their children. Over 1,000 people are expected to attend the charter fairs, where they can get information on the state’s 107 existing charter schools, the 25 new ones set to open in August and the more than 150 that have submitted letters to the state indicating they want to open in 2014.

Popularity High For Two Charter Schools In Vance County
Daily Dispatch, NC, January 26, 2013
Equal access to high quality educational opportunities is becoming more attainable in the state of North Carolina since the enactment of a bill signed into law by former Gov. Bev Perdue in 2011, lifting the 100-school cap on charter schools.

OHIO

Kasich Set To Unveil School Funding Plan
Toledo Blade, OH, January 28, 2013
It’s been a decade since the Ohio Supreme Court issued its fourth and final ruling declaring the state’s funding of schools unconstitutional because it placed students in poorer districts at a competitive disadvantage with their wealthier counterparts.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pa. Gets Good Grades In Education Reform Ranking
Philadelphia Tribune, PA, January 26, 2013
The Center for Education Reform, a national non-profit tasked with improving public education, has released an encompassing report that grades parental empowerment, solid educational choices, teacher quality and access to digital learning, among other factors. That Pennsylvania ranks in the top ten of all states can be viewed as proof educational reforms in the commonwealth are beginning to take hold.

Sub-Par Options: Charter Schools As A Class Don’t Measure Up
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 27, 2013
Now that the test scores for Pennsylvania charter schools have been recalculated, parents and taxpayers will be able to make more of an apples-to-apples comparison with the performance of traditional public schools.

Pittsburgh-Area Catholic Schools Launch An Outreach Association
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 27, 2013
At a time when school choice is hot, one choice that has been around for more than a century has boosted its marketing efforts to get the word out.

It’s A Shame Pa. Chose To Become A Wild West Of Charter Schools
Newsworks Blog, January 27, 2013
The state of Pennsylvania just got caught cooking the books. Which books? Well, this little scam didn’t have to do with dollars or deficits. It had to do with test scores. The scores emerging from the state’s charter schools, to be precise. As reported by Martha Woodallin The Inquirer, the Corbett administration – a big charter backer – fiddled with how it evaluated charters to make the picture look rosier.

Activists Gear Up Against Planned Philadelphia School Closings
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 27, 2013
As the clock ticks down to a School Reform Commission decision on shutting one in six Philadelphia public schools, opponents of the plan are ramping up their push against it.

Bills Would Alter Funding For Charter Schools In Pa.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 26, 2013
Republicans in the House are proposing changes in how charter schools are funded, after a late decision last year not to call a House vote made charter-school legislation a major piece of unfinished business.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Local Charter Schools To Conduct Enrollment Lotteries
Beaufort Gazette, SC, January 27, 2013
Three area charter schools plan enrollment lotteries soon because they have more applicants than spots available. Here is information about Bridges Preparatory, Riverview and Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts & Sciences.

TENNESSEE

School Board May Have Learned Why Charters Succeed
The Tennessean, TN, January 28, 2013
Metro school board members nailed it last week with a direct question: If the district’s most successful middle school test scores are coming out of six charter schools, how can regular schools emulate that success?

Governor To Outline School Voucher Program
NewsChannel5, TN, January 27, 2013
Governor Bill Haslam is preparing for Monday night when he will deliver his annual address. During his State of the State speech, he is expected to cover the hot-button issue of education reform in Tennessee.

Haslam To Introduce Public-Money-To-Private-Entities Transfer Program
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, January 27, 2013
Gov. Bill Haslam confirmed that, in his annual State of the State address tomorrow, he will introduce his own proposal to create a program in Tennessee to transfer more public money to private hands, beginning with a school voucher system. He declined to elaborate about which private concerns he would make eligible for taxpayer dollars.

Proposed Change In ‘Parent Trigger’ Law Would Give Tennessee Final Say
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 28, 2013
A state representative from Memphis is proposing a change in the so-called parent trigger education law that would give the state final approval.

Bill In Works To ‘Tweak’ Teacher Evaluations In Tennessee
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 26, 2013
Teachers across the state, including thousands in Shelby County, could have a job evaluation that better reflects their work, if a bill now in the draft stages passes this legislative session.

TEXAS

Waco-Area Schools Speak Out Against ‘Unfair’ Vouchers
Waco Tribune, TX, January 27, 2013
Waco, Midway and China Spring school boards approved the same resolution last week stating their opposition to vouchers, taxpayer savings grants, franchise tax credits or any other provision that diverts public money from public schools to private schools.

UTAH

The Winners And The Losers
Desert News, UT, January 26, 2013
The idea of charter schools took awhile to catch on in Utah, and it still isn’t popular among some public-school advocates.

Lawmaker Wants To Add Charter School Costs To Property Tax Notices
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, January 27, 2013
A Republican lawmaker wants to show Utahns how much of their property taxes goes toward charter schools, by adding a line to their local property tax notices.

‘Yes’ On Seattle Public Schools Levies — With Reservations
Seattle Times, WA, January 27, 2013
Vote yes for two Seattle Public School levies, but the district’s academic challenges and management problems remain cause for concern.

ONLINE LEARNING

Teachers Flip For ‘Flipped Learning’ Class Model
Associated Press, January 27, 2013
When Timmy Nguyen comes to his pre-calculus class, he’s already learned the day’s lesson — he watched it on a short online video prepared by his teacher for homework.

Superintendent Questions Cyber School Funding
The Sentinel, PA, January 27, 2013
The funding of cyber education programs is something that Mark Leidy, superintendent of Mechanicsburg Area School District, has seen as problematic.

Georgia’s Virtual Schools See Enrollment Increasing
Augusta Chronicle, GA, January 26, 2013
Interest in virtual education is rising across Georgia for families who want an alternative to traditional public schools, causing a significant increase in enrollment at the major online providers this academic year.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL

Moving to Opportunity Results Show Need to Expand Choice and End Zip Code Education
Dropout Nation, January 24, 2013
An article of faith among many traditionalists that moving poor children and their families out of downtrodden neighborhoods into more-affluent ones will somehow improve their achievement.

White House: Schools Must Open Sports To Disabled
USA Today, January 25, 2013
The Obama administration for the first time is telling school districts across the USA that they must give disabled students equal access to extracurricular sports, a move that advocates say has been years in the making.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Berkeley Charter School Fosters Creativity And Innovation
San Jose Mercury News, CA, January 24, 2013
Realm Charter School, the city’s only public charter school, opened its doors in fall 2011 to provide students in grades 6 through 12 with a program centered on project-based learning, with an emphasis on technology, research and action.

Do We Really Need A Charter School?
Burbank Leader, CA, January 25, 2013
On Sunday, Jan. 6, The Herald-Mail reported a request by several citizens to the Board of Education to consider the approval of what would be our first charter school.

Take Closer Look At Education Grade
Times-Standard, CA, January 25, 2013
Public education is frequently under the microscope, with good reason. Public education affects our entire population, as it is charged with preparing children and young adults with the academic, physical, and social tools necessary to succeed as adults.

Charter School Rift
North Coast Journal, CA, January 24, 2013
The prospect of sharing campus space has a community fretting about inequality

It’s Reform Vs. The Union In LAUSD Race
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, January 24, 2013
The future of Los Angeles’ public-education reform is at stake on March 5. That’s not hyperbole; that’s the truth about what could happen next election day.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Rocketship Charter Schools Revamping Signature ‘Learning Lab’
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 25, 2013
The Rocketship network of charter schools has made a name for itself in the world of school choice — and attracted $2 million from the Obama administration to help it grow — with its “blended learning” model that incorporates traditional classroom settings with a computer “Learning Lab” for students.

D.C. School Leaders Concerned About Proposed Graduation Requirements
Washington Examiner, DC, January 24, 2013
D.C. students would have to complete more art, music and physical education before they can graduate under a proposal by the DC State Board of Education. But school leaders warn that the new requirements would hurt both students who excel and those who lag behind.

FLORIDA

Charter Schools Poised to Get Florida’s Capital Outlay Funding for Third Straight Year
Bradenton Times, FL, January 25, 2013
In 2012, charter schools were narrowly unsuccessful in getting a state bill passed to require public school districts to give charter schools some of their local property tax revenue, though they received about $55 million for school construction through Governor Scott’s controversial decision to give them all of the state’s available capital outlay funding. If a recently proposed FLDOE budget is adopted, they’ll get even more next year, while school districts again go without.

Teacher Pay Proposal Smacks Of Political Bribe
Orlando Sentinel, FL, January 25, 2013
Our translation: Desperate to perk up a 36 percent approval rating ahead of his 2014 re-election bid, Scott hopes this “investment” pays dividends at the polls. We’re surprised he didn’t throw in a promise of dark chocolate, red wine and foot massages.

Study Shows Students’ Race, Poverty Not Factors in Teacher Ratings
News Chief, FL, January 24, 2013
Studies show students’ race and socio-economic status have virtually no correlation with their teachers’ performance evaluation scores, a top Florida education official told a legislative panel Thursday.

A Boost For Teachers — Maybe
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL, January 25, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed, $2,500 pay hike for Florida teachers is the first positive news that these underappreciated professionals have seen in a long time.

GEORGIA

Final Fundraising Data Shows 10-1 Advantage For Charter Backers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 24, 2013
Backers of a constitutional amendment supporting charter schools outspent opponents more than 10 to 1 last fall, with most of the money coming from out-of-state advocates and businesses that make money off of such schools, year-end records show.

IDAHO

Luna Calls For 3% Budget Boost For Idaho Schools
Spokesman Review, WA, January 24, 2013
A humbled Idaho schools Superintendent Tom Luna told state lawmakers Thursday that regardless of how it’s done, he wants Idaho to keep investing in teacher pay and classroom technology.

INDIANA

School, Parents Push Toward Charter Appeal
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 25, 2013
Nearly 200 parents, current and former students and teachers came out in support of the school during a meeting Thursday where parents shared stories and learned more about Ball State University’s decision and what they can do to get involved.

KANSAS

House Committee Approves Bill That Would Prohibit Teachers Union From Using Voluntary Paycheck Donations For Political Advocacy
Lawrence Journal World, KS, January 24, 2013
A House committee on Thursday approved a bill that would prohibit the Kansas National Education Association from taking voluntary paycheck donations from teachers and using those funds for political advocacy.

LOUISIANA

Neville Charter Group To File Complaint
Monroe News Star, LA, January 25, 2013
Neville Charter school spokesman Ronnie Shelby said Thursday the group believes the “acting superintendents” of Monroe City Schools interfered with the vote process for the Neville charter and they plan to file a complaint with the Department of Education and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

MISSISSIPPI

Teacher Prep Efforts Criticized
Clarion-Ledger, MS, January 25, 2013
In Mississippi, 94 percent of college- and university-based teacher preparation programs “are insufficiently selective,” according to a report released today by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Desoto Lawmakers: Tweak Charter Bill
DeSoto Times, MS, January 25, 2013
DeSoto County lawmakers say the charter school bill which eventually emerges from joint Senate and House conferees will likely be a vast improvement from last session when lawmakers were confronted with a “bad bill,” State Rep. Pat Nelson, R-Southaven, said Thursday.

GOP Split On Charter Bills
Clarion Ledger, MS, January 24, 2013
New battle lines have been drawn on charter schools expansion in the Legislature, and they’re no longer between Republicans and Democrats. They’re between Republicans and appear to be pitting the speaker and governor against the lieutenant governor.

Charter Schools: Runaway Train?
Jackson Free Press, MS, January 24, 2013
A few times during last night’s debate over the Mississippi House of Representatives’ charter-school law, HB 369, Democrats were resigned that charter schools were a runaway train they couldn’t stop.

NEW JERSEY

Schools Fail To File Work For Tax-Exempt Status
Courier Post, NJ, January 25, 2013
Two local charter schools, including the city’s oldest, have lost tax-exempt status after failing to file required forms with the IRS for a three-year period.

NEW MEXICO

H.S. Graduation Rate Soars
Albuquerque Journal, NM, January 25, 2013
New Mexico’s high school graduation rate jumped to 70 percent last year, a significant increase from 2011′s 63 percent.

NEW YORK

Oswego Charter School Plan Moving Forward Again
Oswego County Times, NY, January 25, 2013
Organizers of the Renaissance Charter School of Oswego took a step backward last summer so they can leap ahead now.

Mr. Mulgrew’s Pupils
New York Daily News, NY, January 25, 2013
There will be a power behind the throne in the schools chancellor’s office if John Liu, Bill de Blasio or Bill Thompson wins the 2013 mayoral election. His name will be Michael Mulgrew.

Closing Schools To Serve Kids Better
New York Daily News, NY, January 25, 2013
The closing of Catholic schools in the archdiocese of New York has garnered a lot of headlines recently, and for good reason. No one ever likes to see a school close. Shuttering a school is very painful for me, and I know that the difficulty it causes for our students, their families and our parishes is even greater.

OKLAHOMA

Barresi To Seek $37.7 Million In Supplemental School Funding
Tulsa World, OK, January 25, 2013
State Superintendent Janet Barresi announced Thursday that she will be seeking $37.7 million in supplemental appropriations from the Legislature.

OREGON

Oregon Schools Begin To Tie Teacher Pay To Student Test Scores
The Oregonian, OR, January 24, 2013
In the past few months, six Oregon school districts have quietly paid $2.75 million in bonuses to teachers and principals who excelled on the job and boosted student test scores, a controversial practice that is increasingly being tried around the country.

PENNSYLVANIA

With New Rules, Pa. Charter School Performance Plummets
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 25, 2013
The percentage of Pennsylvania charter schools that met academic benchmarks plummeted after the state Department of Education was forced to recalculate the performance rates.

Charter Schools Not Private
Pittsburgh Tribune Review, PA, January 24, 2013The Jan. 20 article “Many Alle-Kiski school districts challenge private charter, cyber schools” perpetuates the gross inaccuracy that charter schools are private. There is no such thing as a “private charter school.“

Education Reform Should Not Be Reduced To Parody
Allentown Morning Call, PA, January 24, 2013
It is shameful that The Morning Call chose to publish Bill White’s column (“Charter schools delivering what they promise?”) that reduces education reform in Pennsylvania to a parody. Mr. White’s senseless dialogue about a fictitious school is neither forthcoming in its context nor based in reality.

SOUTH CAROLINA

School Choice Bill Introduced In SC Senate Again
The State, SC, January 25, 2013
A bill to help S.C. parents pay the cost of private school was introduced again in the state Senate Wednesday.

TENNESSEE

‘Parent Trigger’ Idea On TN Schools Takeover Evolves
The Tennessean, TN, January 25, 2013
A much-anticipated parent trigger bill that would allow a majority of parents or teachers to force a school takeover is ready to wind its way through the Tennessee House.

TEXAS

Sen. Patrick Touts Support Of New Group For School Reform
Dallas Morning News Blog, TX, January 24, 2013
Senate Education Committee Chairman Dan Patrick said Thursday he will work with a new organization, Texans Deserve Great Schools, to help craft legislation that improves public schools through such means as expanded online learning, better teacher preparation, classroom innovations and tougher rules for failing schools.

LISD Trustees OK Anti-Voucher Resolution
Avalanche-Journal, TX, January 24, 2013
Trustees of the Lubbock Independent School District on Thursday approved a resolution opposing the state adoption of any voucher-type plan, even as they commended the district’s new publicity drive, launched to answer campaigns by area school districts.

Texas Teachers, Foundations Converge On Capitol
Houston Chronicle, TX, January 24, 2013
Hundreds of teachers gathered at the state Capitol on Thursday to urge Texas lawmakers to roll back $5.4 billion in public education cuts imposed two years ago, while nearby a coalition of foundations pushed for reforms without necessarily spending more money.

VIRGINIA

Obenshain Comments on Bringing Charter Schools to Virginia
Luray Page Free Press, VA, January 24, 2013
Theoretically, Virginia is a charter school state. Theoretically. Unfortunately, our charter laws are such that it’s nearly impossible to obtain a charter, and there are only four charter schools in the entire Commonwealth.

Va. House, Senate Panels Back Bill To Overhaul Teacher Evaluation, Grievance Processes
Washington Post, DC, January 24, 2013
The House of Delegates passed a major component of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s education reform package Thursday, hours after a Senate committee endorsed the measure.

WISCONSIN

Rosendale-Brandon Set To Start New Charter School
Fond du Lac Reporter, WI, January 25, 2013
The Rosendale-Brandon School District is moving ahead with plans for a project-based charter school.

ONLINE LEARNING

Expert: Schools Need To Get Online
Columbus Dispatch, OH, January 25, 2013
More online learning could be coming to a school near you, based on a meeting yesterday of Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s Education Commission, which is examining how to improve education in the city.

District Recommends Denial Of Online School
Our Colorado News, CO, January 24, 2013
Representatives from the Colorado Virtual Academy had one last chance to convince the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education to renew its charter application during its Jan. 16 meeting.

NEW NEWSWIRE TODAY! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

The Feds’ Education Power Grab
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 24, 2013
It’s time to have a conversation about the issue before we find that the executive branch, or even the entire federal government, has become our national school board.

School Choice: 49 Million Students Still Without Options
The Hill, DC, January 23, 2013
Heidi and Frank Green used to worry about their daughters while they were at school. The Clarksville, Indiana couple was concerned about bullying, cursing, large class sizes, a revolving teaching staff, and a general lack of attention for students.

National School Choice Week starts Jan.27
Havasu News, AZ, January 24, 2013
National School Choice Week starts Jan. 27 as part of a national campaign to let communities know there are choices when it comes to a child’s education.

Julia Steiny: Michelle Rhee Throws Gas on Ed Reform Hostilities
Go Local Prov, RI, January 24, 2013
The ever-controversial Michelle Rhee and her organization Students First have issued a State Policy Report Card, grading states’ reform policies. Almost all the states got either a “D” or an “F.” Dummies.

Parent Power Index Rates Each State on Education Options
The Epoch Times, January 23, 2013
It is well-known that if parents are engaged in their children’s education, then their children will likely be more successful in school, and now for the first time, parents are provided with a Web gateway that indexes and details how much power each state gives to parents regarding their children’s education.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

School Flexibility Act Pre-Filed in Alabama House of Representatives
Montgomery Adviser, AL, January 24, 2013
House lawmakers have prefiled a bill that would allow school districts to request waivers from some state laws if they believe the waivers could lead to better results in the classroom.

CALIFORNIA

Bullis Willing To Accept Split-Campus Offer
Marin Independent Journal, CA, January 23, 2013
Bullis Charter School announced Wednesday it will accept Los Altos School District’s likely proposal to split it between two campuses next year, provided certain modifications are made.

Cheers Erupt When Blue Oak Awarded Charter Renewal
Whittier Daily News, CA, January 24, 2013
Cheers and applause aren’t sounds usually heard by a school board but celebration erupted in the Chico Unified School District trustees meeting when the panel approved the charter renewal for Blue Oak School.

Viva Cell Towers, School Choice
San Diego Union Tribune, CA, January 23, 2013
We won’t take sides in the endless cell tower debates, other than to point out that we need towers if we want smartphones, and that many careful, reputable studies have failed to find health problems from exposures to microwave radiation at levels approved by the Federal Communications Commission. Yet we won’t hesitate to side with school choice, and the rights of parents to become deeply involved in the operation of publicly funded schools.

A Simpler, Fairer Way To Fund California’s Schools
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 24, 2013
Driving along Pacific Coast Highway, you can see the successive layers of earth and rock that have piled up over millions of years to create California’s coastal landscape. You can see a similar but less attractive phenomenon if you look at the way California funds its public K-12 schools.

COLORADO

District Renews Charter Of Brighton School Stripped Of Federal Grants
Denver Post, CO, January 23, 2013
The board of education for School District 27J in Brighton on Tuesday approved a charter renewal for Eagle Ridge Academy, which was stripped of federal education grant funds and is under criminal investigation.

CONNECTICUT

Committee Hears Options For Rebuilding Charter Oak Academy
Hartford Courant, CT, January 23, 2013
It will cost between $47 million and $49 million to renovate or rebuild Charter Oak International Academy, an architect for the project told committee members and town officials Wednesday night.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Mendelson Puts School Truancy On D.C.’S Front Burner
Washington Times, DC, January 23, 2013
Phil Mendelson is of a mind that his city’s government is obligated to curb the school truancy problem. To that end, the chairman of the D.C. Council is in line with his colleague, David A. Catania, who is legislatively poking at the issue by proposing that parents of chronically truant children be punished.

D.C. Council Members Fear Schools Near Tipping Point As Students Flee System
Washington Post, DC, January 23, 2013
The District’s traditional public school system is in danger of shrinking significantly unless officials make changes that persuade parents to stop fleeing to public charter schools, D.C. Council members said Wednesday.

FLORIDA

No Easy ‘A’ for Rick Scott’s Teacher Pay Hike
Sunshine State News, FL, January 24, 2013
A lot of details need to be worked out to make Gov. Rick Scott’s $2,500 across-the-board salary increase for real for Florida’s teachers.

Local Educators Skeptical of Gov. Scott’s Pay Proposal for Teachers
The Ledger, FL, January 24, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal to give every Florida teacher a $2,500 pay raise in the 2013-14 budget is receiving skeptical responses from local educators.

GEORGIA

Charter Expansion Details In Progress
Cherokee Tribune, GA, January 24, 2013
Regarding Cherokee Charter Academy’s high school expansion, recently approved by the Georgia Department of Education, the school’s Local Governing Council continued to keep mum on plans at its meeting Wednesday.

Center for Ed Reform: Georgia Ranks 16th for Strong Charter Laws
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, January 23, 2013
Georgia ranks 16th in the nation for strong charter laws, according to the Center for Education Reform’s annual scoreboard.

ILLINOIS

State Survey Aims To Offer Detailed Look At Schools
Chicago Tribune, IL, January 24, 2013
Calling it an “X-ray” of public schools, Illinois is launching an unprecedented attempt to gather candid information on how teachers are teaching, students are learning and principals are leading.

INDIANA

Cautionary Tale Comes From Ohio
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, January 23, 2013
Will the seven schools whose charters have been revoked actually close? Ohio’s experience suggests otherwise.

Welcome Charter Ruling
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, January 23, 2013
When union leader Albert Shanker championed charter schools as teacher-directed laboratories of reform in a 1988 address, the president of the American Federation of Teachers probably didn’t envision the disappointing form some of those schools would take 25 years later.

School Appeals Charter Decision
Palladium-Item, IN, January 24, 2013
The board of Kenneth A. Christmon STEMM Academy in Richmond voted Wednesday night to appeal Ball State University’s decision to not renew its charter school contract.

Parents Rally Behind Gary School To Save Charter
Post Tribune, IN, January 23, 2013
Parents and supporters of the Charter School of the Dunes are starting a calling campaign appealing to Ball State University not to yank its charter.

Voucher Bill Delayed Again
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 24, 2013
A move to expand the state’s voucher program was postponed for the second consecutive week Wednesday.

IOWA

Branstad: Education Reform Can Be Passed, But Don’t Get Too Bogged Down In How Dollars Are Divvied Up For Districts
Muscatine Journal, IA, January 23, 2013
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad insisted on Wednesday the state Legislature can pass a comprehensive education reform plan early in the session, arguing that getting bogged down in an argument over how much basic state aid should go to local school districts could imperil the proposal.

LOUISIANA

Program To Help School Dropouts
The Advocate, LA, January 24, 2013
At least 2,000 Lafayette Parish School System high school dropouts between the ages of 15 and 21 now have a chance to earn their diploma on their own time with the support of tutors and an advocate, school officials said Wednesday.

MARYLAND

Achievement Gap For Montgomery Students To Be Re-examined In February
Maryland Gazette, MD, January 23, 2013
The achievement gap between students of different races and backgrounds in Montgomery County Public Schools will be examined again in detail next month.

MASSACHUSETTS

City Considers School Assignment Plans
Boston Globe, MA, January 24, 2013
No favorite emerged Wednesday night after school officials presented three proposals to an advisory committee weighing changes in the way the city assigns students to schools.

New Leadership Closure Triggers Anger And Panic Among Parents, Students In Springfield
The Republican, MA, January 23, 2013
The pending closure of New Leadership, a well-established charter school with 500 students, has triggered a firestorm among the students, parents and faculty and could drive up the city’s middle through high school population by as much as 4 percent.

MICHIGAN

Focus On Teaching Our Teachers
Detroit News, MI, January 24, 2013
Giving teachers more support, better training is an effective way to improve education in Michigan

Detroit Public Schools Face Drastic Cuts To Balance Budget
Detroit News, MI, January 24, 2013
The financial slide inside the state’s largest school district will continue through 2016, leaving Detroit Public Schools with 28 fewer schools, 1,688 lost positions and 13,000 fewer students, according to a deficit elimination plan obtained by The Detroit News.

Huffington Post Blames Charter Schools for Serving Poor Kids
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, MI, January 24, 2013
A recent article in the Huffington Post badly distorts the findings of new study of Michigan’s charter public schools by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes, and in the process blames charter public schools for serving too many poor kids.

MINNESOTA

Minnesota Schools Would Have More Money, Control Under Plan
West Central Tribune, MN, January 23, 2013
School districts and school boards would have more control over how to use state funding under a budget proposed by Gov. Mark Dayton, officials told legislators Wednesday.

MISSISSIPPI

Big Questions About Charters
Jackson Free Press, MS, January 23, 2013
The atmosphere at the Mississippi Capitol got tense for a few moments Thursday when Sen. Kenneth Wayne Jones, D-Canton, leader of the Legislative Black Caucus, questioned the legitimacy of Gov. Phil Bryant’s education policy recommendations.

Mississippi House Approves Charter Schools
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, MS, January 24, 2013
The Mississippi House stayed into session until early Thursday to pass charter school legislation 64-55.

School Officials React To Charter Bill
DeSoto Times, MS, January 24, 2013
DeSoto County will be impacted by the new charter school bill if it passes the Legislature this session.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Law to Fund Private Schools Unconstitutional
Seacoast Online, MA, January 24, 2013
On June 27, 2012, the New Hampshire House and Senate overrode a veto by former Gov. John Lynch and passed a law that diverts public tax dollars for use in private secular and parochial schools.

Manchester Parents Add To Charter Wish List, Say School Budget Is Left Until Too Late
New Hampshire Union Leader, NH, January 23, 2013
Several dozen residents turned out on a frigid Wednesday evening to urge the Charter Commission to consider changes to the city’s basic governing document they said would benefit the public school system.

NEW YORK

The Union Wants An Evaluation Deal
New York Daily News, NY, January 24, 2013
Does Mayor Bloomberg really want a new teacher evaluation system? Is it going to be possible to put such a system in place before Gov. Cuomo’s deadline of Sept. 1?

WNY Maritime Charter Teaches Hamburg Students Leadership Skills
The Sun News, NY, January 24, 2013
High school senior and Hamburg resident Brandon Cruz knew he wanted to join the military after high school. After spending two years at St. Francis High School, he met a few cadets at a camp he attended from the Western New York Maritime Charter School, and decided that the school might be for him.

NORTH CAROLINA

Wake School Changes Have State GOP Support
News & Observer, NC, January 23, 2013
A top Republican state lawmaker says he supports both changing the way the Wake County school board is elected and taking away the body’s power to buy land and own schools.

Schools Chief: Forsyth Not Likely To Be ‘charter-school District’ Soon
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, January 23, 2013
Superintendent Don Martin assured principals in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools this week that the system will not become a charter-school district anytime soon, but state Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, said he will push for a bill to make that possible in the upcoming legislative session.

OREGON

Oregon Scores D- In Teacher Preparation
Statesman Journal, OR, January 24, 2013
Oregon received a D- for its policies on teacher preparation, according to a report from the National Council on Teacher Quality, an education reform advocacy group.

PENNSYLVANIA

Two Camden Charters Lose Tax-Exempt Status
Philadelphia Enquirer, PA, January 24, 2013
After more than three years of failing to file required IRS forms, two Camden charter schools have lost their tax-exempt status, a requirement to be granted a New Jersey charter.

Pennsylvania Charter School Test Results Sag
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 24, 2013
Recalculated figures for attaining Adequate Yearly Progress on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams for 2012 show that 28 percent of charter schools met the standard compared with 49 percent based on calculations made previously.

Pittsburgh Public Schools Rejects Hazelwood K-8 Charter School
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 23, 2013
The board of Pittsburgh Public Schools has rejected a request from Propel Schools to open a K-8 charter school in Hazelwood.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Proposals Would Restrict Private Schools From Championships
Greenville News, SC, January 24, 2013
Greenville County’s private and charter schools would be prohibited from competing for athletic championships against public schools if new proposals are approved by the South Carolina High School League.

TENNESSEE

Annual Report On Charter Schools Released
NewsChannel 5, TN, January 23, 2013
A annual report on Metro Charter schools was released Wednesday night during a special meeting and reception.

TEXAS

Good Reasons for Corpus Christi ISD to Oppose Tuition Vouchers
Corpus Christi Caller Times, TX, January 24, 2013
The Corpus Christi Independent School District’s resolution against vouchers for private school tuition comes as no surprise. Vouchers would be contrary to CCISD’s best interests.

School Leaders Vow To Expand Quality Choices
Houston Chronicle, TX, January 23, 2013
Houston’s urban school leaders vowed Wednesday to continue efforts to expand quality school choices, despite financial and regulatory challenges.

UTAH

Report: Utah Ranks 11th In U.S. For Charter School Policy
Desert News, UT, January 23, 2013
Utah charter school policy ranks 11th in the nation, scoring a B grade, according to the Center for Education Reform.

VIRGINIA

Report: Va. Isn’t Picky Enough About Training Teachers
The Virginian-Pilot, VA, January 24, 2013
The state’s undergraduate teacher-preparation programs are “not sufficiently selective,” according to the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Virginians Support Nontraditional Educational Options
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, January 24, 2013
A majority of Virginians favor three education concepts that have gained little traction among state leaders, according to the latest Commonwealth Education Poll from Virginia Commonwealth University.

WASHINGTON

MAP is the Anti-Standardized Test
Seattle Times, WA, January 23, 2013
The Measures of Academic Progress test that Garfield High School teachers are boycotting provides important insight about students’ academic needs, writes guest columnist Matt Chapman.

WISCONSIN

Advocates In The Home Of Voucher Schools Push For More Freedom To Choose
Wisconsin Reporter, WI, January 23, 2013
School choice in Wisconsin has come a long way since the late 1980s, when Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson and Milwaukee led the national school voucher revolution.

WYOMING

Senate Kills Two Education Reform Bills
Wyoming Tribune Eagle, WY, January 23, 2013
The bills would have raised the dropout age to 18 and made students take four years of math in high school.

ONLINE LEARNING

YWCA Sponsors New Leadership Academy
Valley Breeze, RI, January 23, 2013
YWCA Rhode Island has received the go-ahead from the Rhode Island Department of Education for a groundbreaking online charter school designed for at-risk high school students.

No Cyber Charter School In Pennsylvania Made Adequate Yearly Progress
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 23, 2013
Recalculated figures for attaining Adequate Yearly Progress on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams for 2012 released by the state Department of Education show that the number of charter schools hitting the targets for AYP dropped from 77 to 43.

Hermiston School District Adds Online Classes
Oregon Public Broadcasting, OR, January 23, 2013
Cayla Ontiveros spends her mornings online, perhaps spending time with friends or searching for a job.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

High School Graduation Rate Tops 78 Percent – Highest Since 1976
Christian Science Monitor, MA, January 22, 2013
Some 78.2 percent finished in four years, graduating in spring 2010, a new report found Tuesday. Grim economic conditions and the need to be competitive in a crowded job market played a role.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

Lesson In Legislating
Anniston Star, AL, January 22, 2013
A year ago, Gov. Robert Bentley and many Republican leaders in the state Legislature were promoting passage of a bill to create charter schools.

CALIFORNIA

Triggering Reform
Victorville Daily Press, CA, January 22, 2013
The reasons for the fierce teachers union opposition to successful completion of California’s Parent Trigger law by parents of Desert Trails students were obvious, particularly to the unions themselves. They knew that if the Adelanto school was converted to charter status, unhappy parents all over the state would be encouraged to follow suit.

DELAWARE

State On Right Road To Beat Its Dropout Record
Delaware News Journal, DE, January 23, 2013
Not since 1974 has the U.S. experienced the level of high schools students graduating on time as it is witnessing now.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Will The Mayor Step Up For Charter School Children?
Washington Examiner, DC, January 22, 2013
Mayor Vincent Gray’s budget office is preparing the administration’s proposed fiscal year 2014 budget, which the mayor will send to the District of Columbia Council in late March. The budget will fund both the traditional public school system and public charter schools, which are run independently of the school system and educate 43 percent of District students enrolled in public schools.

FLORIDA

Florida Governor To Call For Teacher Pay Raises
Brevard Times, FL, January 23, 2013
January Florida Governor Rick Scott on Wednesday will unveil a proposal for an across-the-board teacher pay increase, a spokeswoman for the governor confirmed Tuesday.

Teacher Evaluation Report Needs To Be Meaningful
TC Palm, FL, January 23, 2013
Most Treasure Coast teachers rated “effective” or “highly effective” in their classrooms for the 2011-12 school year, according to data released recently by the Florida Department of Education.

ILLINOIS

Far Fewer Schools May Close This Year
Chicago Tribune, IL, January 23, 2013
The commission on school closings has told Chicago Public Schools officials that shutting a large number of schools would create too much upheaval, and that it is leaning toward a recommendation for closing far fewer schools than many have feared — possibly as few as 15, sources said.

Chicago Catholic Schools See Enrollment Increase
WNCT, IL, January 23, 2013
Enrollment in Chicago’s Catholic schools has grown over the past three years. The Archdiocese of Chicago announced Tuesday the school system has seen an increase of 675 students during that period.

Parents Raise Questions About UNO Charter Schools’ Use Of Millions From State Grant
Chicago Tribune, IL, January 22, 2013
Construction on a new charter high school in Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood reached a milestone Tuesday even as the school’s operators fended off criticism from one parents group about its finances.

INDIANA

BSU Revokes School Charters
Muncie Star Press, IN, January 23, 2013
Choice in public school education in Indiana took a blow Tuesday with the announcement that Ball State University is revoking seven charter schools in Gary, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Richmond.

Imagine Life Science Academy East’s Charter Won’t Be Renewed By Ball State
Indianapolis Star, IN, January 22, 2013
An Indianapolis charter school — the Imagine Life Science Academy East — could face closure after Ball State University made good on a promise to enforce higher standards at the charter schools it sponsors.

Gov. Pence Lobbies For Tax Cut, School Vouchers
Palladium-Item, IN, January 22, 2013
Gov. Mike Pence used his first State of the State address Tuesday night to lobby for a personal income tax cut, an expansion of Indiana’s school voucher system and improved vocational training.

IOWA

Iowa House Panel Begins Review Of Branstad’s School Reform Proposals
Des Moines Register, IA, January 23, 2013
Gov. Terry Branstad’s top-priority education reform package received its first official airing in the Iowa Legislature on Tuesday night, in a lengthy hearing before a panel of seven House members.

LOUISIANA

School Audits Uncover Issues At Lusher, Lagniappe, Miller-McCoy
Times-Picayune, LA, January 22, 2013
Audits released Monday by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office point to problems in 2011-12 at several New Orleans charter schools. A Lusher employee embezzled $25,000, Miller-McCoy has two potential ethics violations and Lagniappe Academies failed to conduct criminal background checks on some employees.

MAINE

Fifth High School Year A Solid Education Reform
Portland Press Herald, ME, January 23, 2013
A low-cost, smooth transition to college would help both students and the Maine economy.

MASSACHUSETTS

Let’s Talk ‘Legacy’
Boston Herald, MA, January 23, 2013
Gov. Deval Patrick last week said he wants to pour hundreds of millions of new dollars into the state’s education system via a massive tax increase, in part to narrow the achievement gap in the state’s needier communities. But there is a piece of legislation on Beacon Hill that wouldn’t cost taxpayers a dime and, if enacted, could have darn near the same impact.

MICHIGAN

Michigan Public Schools Fare Poorly In Statewide Study
Detroit News, MI, January 22, 2013
Michiganians gave the state’s public school system mediocre grades in an extensive study released Tuesday by The Center for Michigan that also found residents are skeptical of proposed reforms to expand online learning, lengthen the school year and allow universal open enrollment.

MINNESOTA

North Mpls. Science Charter School Raising The Bar
CBS Minnesota, MN, January 22, 2013
In just its second year, the Minnesota School of Science charter school in north Minneapolis is raising the bar. With an air of confidence, science student Jailynn Gainous doesn’t skip a beat when asked to explain her experiment.

Lakes Area Charter School Celebrates Class Of 2013
Osaki Review, MN, January 23, 2013
Nine young people recently wrapped up their high school career and are now beginning the next chapter of their lives.

MISSISSIPPI

Charter Schools Bill Clears House Panel, But Questions Remain
Clarion Ledger, MS, January 23, 2013
Concerns about school funding, administrator qualifications and allowing for-profit companies to manage charter schools in Mississippi will likely dominate debate on a related House Education Bill this week.

Opposition to Charter Schools is Growing in Oxford School District
Mississippi Public Broadcasting, MS, January 22, 2013
The state Senate may vote this week on whether to allow charter schools in Mississippi — after the House already passed the bill. But, as MPB’s Sandra Knispel reports, resistance is growing in some school districts, among them Oxford.

Senate-Like Charter Bill Best Option
Clarion Ledger, MS, January 23, 2013
My views on charter schools have evolved over the past two years, and the tipping point for me was moderating a roundtable discussion on the issue and listening to two parents who are desperate for better opportunities for their children.

MISSOURI

South City Parish Schools Look For New Idea
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, January 23, 2013
Faced with declining enrollment and rising costs, pastors and principals at 10 south St. Louis parish schools are discussing changes to the landscape of Catholic education in that part of the city.

NEVADA

Quest Academy Audit Sparks Emergency Action
KTNV Las Vegas, NV, January 22, 2013
Charter schools get a treasure trove of tax dollars to provide alternatives for Nevada students. But the administration of one school has been acting like pirates… raiding the school’s stash of money for personal gain.

NEW JERSEY

Christie Gets Tougher With Charter School Teachers
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, January 23, 2013
According to the administration, making it more difficult for charter teachers to earn tenure gives the schools themselves “more flexibility”

NEW YORK

24 Catholic Schools to Close
Wall Street Journal, January 23, 2013
Two dozen Roman Catholic schools in New York learned Tuesday they would permanently shut their doors at the end of the school year, in what the church said it hopes is the last round of closings for the foreseeable future.

Two Dozen Catholic Schools In The New York Metropolitan Area Will Get The Axe, Including Two High Schools
New York Daily News, NY, January 23, 2013
The St. Agnes Boy High School in Manhattan and Blessed Sacrament/St. Gabriel High School in New Rochelle and 22 elementary schools are slated for closure, according to the New York Archdiocese.

The School Bus Mess
New York Times, NY, January 23, 2013
New York City mayors have long tolerated one of the most inefficient school transportation systems in the country — made so by a labor agreement that undermines competitive bidding and poorly designed bus routes.

Elmira Charter School Will Be Co-Ed, Offer Grades K-2 Initially
Elmira Star Gazette, NY, January 22, 2013
The group proposing to open a charter school in Elmira has decided to make it co-ed, initially offer kindergarten to second grade and name it Finn Academy — An Elmira Charter School.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg Slams UFT For Presenting Teacher Evaluations That Are A ‘Fraud And Hoax’ To Public
New York Daily News, NY, January 22, 2013
The city lost out on nearly half a billion dollars after failing to meet Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s deadline to create an effective system that would grade the performance of educators. UFT President Michael Mulgrew fired back that the mayor only wants it his way.

An Absentee Mayor
New York Post, NY, January 23, 2013
Transforming the city’s public-school system into a national model for quality and effectiveness was once right at the top of Mayor Mike’s personal legacy list.

NORTH CAROLINA

A School As Transformative Force
Herald, Sun, NC, January 22, 2013
It is a work in progress, but it is a work whose progress is heartening on many levels.
Maureen Joy Charter School is moving ahead on schedule with renovations that will put it into much larger quarters this fall, and quarters that will be more convenient for many of its students and their families.

Wake Commissioners Back County Funding For Charter Construction
News & Observer, NC, January 22, 2013
Wake commissioners agreed to seek deep changes to the county school system Tuesday, voting to ask the General Assembly to sign off on a wish list that could change who owns schools, how they get built and how the school board gets elected.

PENNSYLVANIA

More Charges Against Charter-School Officials
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 23, 2013
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced five additional charges Tuesday against charter school founder Dorothy June Brown and three former administrators for defrauding the schools.

Pa. Charter School Ratings Plummet Under New Calculations
Allentown Morning Call, PA, January 22, 2013
The number of charter schools hitting testing benchmarks plummeted after the federal government said the state Education Department graded them too leniently.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Racial Tensions Fuel The Fiery Debate Over A North Charleston Montessori Program
Charleston City Paper, SC, January 23, 2013
To hear the way parents raised their voices in a meeting last Tuesday night about the Montessori programs at Malcolm C. Hursey Elementary School, you might think that their neighborhood, their way of life, and their children’s futures were on the line. And maybe they were.

TENNESSEE

Charter Incubator Reports On Successes Of Two Nashville Schools
The Tennessean, TN, January 23, 2013
The two Nashville schools shepherded into business by the Tennessee Charter School Incubator are proving to be worth the investment of time and money, according to a report created by the organization and released today.

‘Nashville Commits’ Initiative Wants More Metro Kids College-Ready
The Tennessean, TN, January 23, 2013
A Nashville charter school founder has assembled more than 70 notable Nashvillians, including Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell, to tackle the ambitious goal of tripling the city’s number of low-income college-ready graduates by 2020.

Board Members Weigh Charter Schools And Wonder: What’s Their Secret?
The Tennessean, TN, January 23, 2013
After being told the six highest performing middle schools in Metro Nashville are charter schools, officials asked what charters have that district schools don’t.

Board To Make It Official: No More Memphis City Schools System
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 22, 2013
The unified Memphis and Shelby County school board gave tentative approval Tuesday to a proposed resolution that will put the Memphis City Schools district officially out of business as of July 1.

Voucher Debate: Harris Outnumbered In Knox School Board Discussion
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, January 23, 2013
A majority of Knox County school board members are against school vouchers, but on Tuesday one member tried to sway his colleagues to be open to them.

TEXAS

New Longview Charter School Takes ‘Student-Centered’ Focus
Longview News-Journal, TX, January 23, 2013
A new education option in Longview offers students in third through sixth grades the opportunity to experience project-based learning in a small school setting.

Vouchers Pushed During School Finance Hearing
San Antonio Express, TX, January 23, 2013
Introducing more school choice to parents could save Texas billions of dollars and result in higher pay for public school teachers, witness Joseph Bast testified Tuesday morning in the lawsuit trial of the state’s school finance system.

WASHINGTON

An Opportunity To Shape State’s Charter Schools
Yakima Herald-Republic, WA, January 23, 2013
Washington’s experiment in charter schools is moving forward as the state Board of Education takes public comment on rules that will govern what is essentially a pilot project. Washington voters started this process in November when they narrowly approved Initiative 1240, which allows the state to join most of the rest of the country in the charter school movement.

WEST VIRGINIA

RESA Important Part Of Public School Reform
Martinsburg Journal, WV, January 23, 2013
One of the key recommendations a consultant made for public school reform in West Virginia was to reduce the size of the bloated state Department of Education. In addition to the DOE’s cost, the current system is too centralized to perform effectively, the consultant wrote in an “audit” report.

WISCONSIN

Fitzgerald, Other Ex-Speakers Lobby For Vouchers
Appleton Post Crescent, WI, January 23, 2013
Advocates for expanding school vouchers in Wisconsin have hired three former Republican speakers of the state Assembly to help make their case, a sign of political firepower on a contentious issue that has renewed calls to ban the increasingly common practice of moving directly from the Legislature to lobbying.

ONLINE LEARNING

Virtual School Blames Poor Performance on Students
Nashville Public Radio, TN, January 22, 2013
Tennessee’s largest K-through-12 online school had to defend poor standardized test results to state lawmakers Tuesday. Tennessee Virtual Academy posted scores labeled “unacceptable” by the state.

Lancaster Schools Knock Down Digital Academy Contract
Lancaster Eagle Gazette, OH, January 22, 2013
The Lancaster Board of Education voted 5-0 to not renew the district’s sponsorship of the Lancaster Digital Academy on Tuesday.

Virtual Academy Leases Second Downtown Bldg.
Clarkston News, MI, January 23, 2013
The Oxford Virtual Academy (OVA) is expanding, not just in the number of students it serves, but in the actual physical space it occupies. OVA is in the process of moving some of its operations into 5 S. Washington St., which formerly housed the ArtCapsule.

Online Ed Expansion, School Choice Plan Murky In 2013
Michigan Live, MI, January 22, 2013
A proposal to revise the state’s School Aid Act to allow state funding to follow students to where they take individual classes will not be part of Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget proposal next month, but could make its way into legislative discussions over that budget.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

High-School Graduation Rate Inches Up
Wall Street Journal, January 22, 2013
Percentage of Students in Public Institutions Getting Diplomas Reached 35-Year High in 2010, But Country Still Lags Peers

National Public High School Graduation Rate At A Four-Decade High
Washington Post, DC, January 22, 2013
The percentage of students at public high schools who graduate on time has reached its highest level in nearly 40 years, according to the most recent federal government estimates released Tuesday.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

2 Tucson Charter Schools Approved
Arizona Daily Star, AZ, January 22, 2013
Two new charter schools are slated to open in Tucson this fall. The Arizona State Board of Charter Schools approved the applications on Jan. 14 for Model Community Learning Center and The Rising School, according to board documents.

CALIFORNIA

Chico School Board Faces Hefty Agenda, Including Ruling On Blue Oak’s Fate
Chino Enterprise-Record, CA, January 22, 2013
In their first meeting of the new year, the Chico Unified School District board of trustees will face a hefty agenda that includes the fate of a charter school, consideration of a pair of maintenance projects that have become “serious” health and safety issues, and a report on a community-based group laboring to help the schools.

Parents Plead For Charter Students To Play On Same Team
Tehachapi News, CA, January 22, 2013
Despite the recent explosion of charter school expansion and their accompanying success, there remains one component of charter schooling that falls short. The limitations on charter school student’s access to sports.

CONNECTICUT

Charter Editorial Was Too Vitriolic
Stamford Advocate, CT, January 22, 2013
Your editorial, “Charter school push fails math test” (Jan. 15), exemplifies a major problem with the education reform debate, which is the vitriol that ruins the opportunity for any reasoned conversation about how to better educate children, particularly ones who are underserved by the existing options.

Charter Schools The Right Investment
Connecticut Post, CT, January 21, 2013
As the pastor at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit — and as a member of the Bridgeport Board of Education — I found the Connecticut Post’s recent editorial “Wrong way to spend education dollars,” Jan. 14) to be misleading and insulting to those of us attempting to better the lives of children in our community.

FLORIDA

State Plan To Help Charter Schools Irks Palm Beach County School Board
Palm Beach Post, FL, January 21, 2013
Some Palm Beach County School District officials are incensed at a state proposal to offer once again millions of dollars next year for capital improvements at charter schools — and none at traditional public schools.

Downtown Miami Charter School Helps Students Succeed
Local 10, FL, January 21, 2013
Florida Trend Magazine named Charter Schools USA CEO John Hage its ‘Floridian of the Year’

GEORGIA

Members Selected For Georgia Charter School Panel
Augusta Chronicle, GA, January 21, 2013
The Georgia Department of Education last week approved the new State Charter Schools Com¬mission, a seven-member body that has the power to authorize charter schools even over the objection of local school boards.

INDIANA

Signature School Lottery Produces Stressful, Edge-Of-Seat Clutching Afternoon
Evansville Courier & Press, IN, January 21, 2013
It was a stressful, clutching-the-edge-of-your seat afternoon for the Schmidt family when Evansville’s Signature School held its lottery Jan. 15 for next fall’s incoming freshman class.

IOWA

New Paths To Teaching, Administrating
Spencer Daily Reporter, IA, January 22, 2013
Only one week into the 2013 legislative session, Gov. Branstad’s proposed bill to reform Iowa’s education system is already generating discussion. In the 157-page bill, Branstad focuses on changing four key areas of the education system: teacher compensation and career development, recruitment of educated professionals to become teachers, the “career or college ready” seal and online learning opportunities for students.

LOUISIANA

City School Board To Discuss Property Use
Monroe News Star, LA, January 22, 2013
Less than five hours after the Monroe City School Board added an agenda item that could have impacted charter schools the district has approved to open, the item was reworded and changed from an action item to only discussion.

Closing Of Achievement Gap For New Orleans Schools ‘Premature’
WWLTV, LA, January 21, 2013
In her commentary for WWLTV.com, Leslie Jacobs informs the public, “in case they missed it,” that “we have closed the performance gap” in New Orleans’ schools. Not only is this “gap” closed; it happened two years ago, in 2010-11. Somehow we missed it for two years.

MAINE

Proposed Harpswell Charter School Draws Heavy Support From Community
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 21, 2013
When the nearly 60 people who attended a public hearing Friday were asked if they support a proposed charter school in town, almost every hand went up.

MASSACHUSETTS

Incomplete Assignment: 20 Years Of School Reform In Bay State
Enterprise News, MA, January 22, 2013
Two decades after a sweeping law ushered in MCAS exams, charter schools and other major changes in the classroom, state leaders and experts say Massachusetts still has more homework to do on education reform.

Education Secretary Reville Closes Chapter On Public Service
Lowell Sun, MA, January 22, 2013
Education Secretary Paul Reville is leaving the governor’s cabinet this month after guiding the state through a series of major education reforms that are still being debated today.

MICHIGAN

Don’t Miss The Chance To Give Kids A Brighter Future
Detroit News, MI, January 22, 2013
They’re grown up before you know it. Moms everywhere understand how it can feel like just yesterday that we brought our kids home from the hospital; then before we realize it, they’re going off to school, taking driver’s training and looking at colleges. As a mother myself, I marvel with each New Year at how quickly the time flies as our children age, learn, mature and grow into exceptional people.

Charter School Firm Buys Vacant Warren Target Building
Detroit News, MI, January 22, 2013
A charter school may soon set up shop in a vacant Target store on Dequindre between 11 Mile and 12 Mile in Warren.

MISSISSIPPI

Miss. House Looks at Charter School Proposal
Local 15tv, MS, January 22, 2013
State House members are poised to take up their own version of charter school legislation.

Allow Charter Schools In Mississippi
Clarion Ledger, MS, January 22, 2013
For decades, Mississippi has shuffled and reshuffled its children through a public education system that lacks accountability, choice and innovation. As a result, many of Mississippi’s children are stuck with an education that fails to prepare them for life.

Comparing The House And Senate Charter School Bills
Clarion Ledger Blog, MS, January 21, 2013
Getting information out of the House leadership about their charter school bill is tough sledding today, but I’ve had a chance to read the entire House bill (pdf version) and compare it to the Senate version (pdf version). Here’s a quick-and-dirty analysis.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Teacher Evaluation Changes In Nashua Up For Discussion
The Nashua Telegraph, NH, January 22, 2013
The Board of Education’s Human Resources Committee is meeting Tuesday night to discuss a proposed revision to the teacher evaluation process in the city.

NEW MEXICO

Charter Authorizers Play Crucial Roles
Albuquerque Journal, NM, January 22, 2013
Recently I was asked, “Who approves or oversees charter schools and to whom are they accountable?” That is a great question! Like traditional public schools, charters are accountable to their students, parents, communities, the Public Education Department, the Legislature and to the taxpayers of New Mexico.

NORTH CAROLINA

Phoenix Academy to Expand
High Point Enterprise, NC, January 21, 2013
An expanding Phoenix Academy will start serving middle school students this fall as leaders begin construction planning.

A New N.C. Push For Teacher Tenure Reform
Charlotte Observer, NC, January 22, 2013
N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger didn’t spend much time on education last week in his preview of the upcoming legislative session, but the Eden Republican provided a new clue about how his party will pursue the delicate issue of how we reward and dismiss our teachers.

OKLAHOMA

Editorial Oklahoma Policymakers Shouldn’t Retreat From A-F Grading System
The Oklahoman, OK, January 22, 2013
FOR months, some administrators have loudly objected to the state’s new A-F grading system for schools. Now, the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administrators and the Oklahoma State School Boards Association have released a study declaring the grades “have statistical limitations that jeopardize their validity, reliability and usefulness.”

TENNESSEE

Tuition Vouchers Boost Competition In Education
Commercial Appeal, TN. January 22, 2013
Let’s shift the intensity of competition from “school systems” to schools and principals and teachers. Competition helps everyone — except those who give up. Competition helps us all become better, as individual people, as companies that produce products and services, and as entire nations and civilizations.

WASHINGTON

Teachers’ Test Boycott Draws Growing Support
Seattle Times, WA, January 21, 2013
Support is growing for Garfield High teachers in their boycott of a district-required test. Seattle Public Schools officials, while saying the test has value, also are acknowledging that some of the teachers’ concerns have merit.

Teachers Union Shouldn’t Go Against Voters
Bellingham Herald, WA, January 22, 2013
Washington voters approved a citizen’s initiative to experiment with charter schools by the narrowest of margins – 50.6 percent statewide, 50.19 percent in Thurston County – but that’s no justification for the teachers union to launch a lawsuit.

WISCONSIN

New Network of Charter Schools Coming
Urban Milwaukee, WI, January 21, 2013
A plan to open a network of charter schools has been delayed at least a year until funding can be secured by organizers, who continue to say their educational model will ultimately help close the city’s achievement gap.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Time To Put Education Spotlight On Parents
San Angelo Times, TX, January 21, 2013
Turnabout is fair play, and in no arena as much as that of student academic achievement.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Teachers OK LAUSD Evaluation Standards
Daily Breeze, CA, January 19, 2013
After months of negotiations, the Los Angeles Unified School District and its teachers union have reached a compromise that will now use a controversial multifactor system to evaluate teacher performance.

COLORADO

Truancy Court As A Last Resort
Denver Post, CO, January 20, 2013
Commerce City should consider a system of community and school interventions before sending truant children to court.

GEORGIA

New Evaluations Might Be An Improvement, Teacher Says
Dalton Daily Citizen, GA, January 21, 2013
Sometimes, 20 minutes is all an employee has to impress a boss. That can be especially true for public school teachers.

Teacher Evaluations: Is There Really Enough Time For Reliable Classroom Observations?
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, January 19, 2013
A middle school teacher I admired for her innovation pulled me aside once to tell me she was leaving the district. Her tendency to stray from the script put her at odds with the new principal.

Legislation May Prompt Charter For Cobb School District
Marietta Daily Journal, GA, January 21, 2013
Cobb’s school board is eyeing a state bill that would require school districts to apply for charter system status or be deemed one of two performance-based systems.

Backed by State Money, Georgia Scholarships Go to Schools Barring Gays
New York Times, NY, January 21, 2013
As the nation works its way through the debate over vouchers and other alternatives to traditional public education funding, a quieter battle over homosexuality, religious education and school tax money is under way in Georgia.

HAWAII

Charities Help Guide Charters On Better School Leadership
Star Advertiser, HI, January 20, 2013
As Hawaii’s charter schools adjust to a new law demanding more accountability, they are getting a helping hand from a coalition of charities led by the Chamberlin Family Foundation, which was created by two Roosevelt High School alumni.

ILLINOIS

A Victory For Charter Freedom
Chicago Tribune, IL, January 21, 2013
In 2011 we told you about the high-profile legal fuss kicked up when some teachers at the Chicago Math and Science Academy, a North Side charter school, said they wanted to join a union.

INDIANA

Do Indiana Charter Schools Measure Up, Outperform?
South Bend Tribune, IN, January 21, 2013
Elijah Magruder attended three schools before he found one where he finally feels at home.

Branstad: Education Reform Must Precede More State Aid
Indianapolis Star, IN, January 19, 2013
Gov. Terry Branstad said Friday he’s willing to consider additional state aid for schools on top of what he has proposed for education reform. He’s still insisting, however, that legislators make decisions on reform first.

LOUISIANA

Teachers’ Groups Disagree On Changes
The Advocate, LA, January 21, 2013
While two unions are vehemently opposed to the new teacher evaluations, a third teachers’ group is embracing the overhaul and instructing educators on how it works.

MASSACHUSETTS

Gloucester Schools Welcome 98 Charter Students After GCACS Closes
Cape Ann Beacon, MA, January 20, 2013
While it’s not uncommon for a student or two to transfer to a new school during the middle of the school year, the closing of the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School on Jan. 9 required the handling of this transition on a whole different level.

MARYLAND

No Single Way To Advance Student Achievement
Capital Gazette, MD, January 21, 2013
Recently released data that tracks student academic success at every school across the state has generated a considerable amount of discussion about the value of standardized testing and the methodology by which schools are held accountable.

MICHIGAN

Beating The Odds: Three Oaks Charter School Thriving After Closure Threat
Muskegon Chronicle, MI, January 20, 2013
On the verge of closure nearly three years ago, Three Oaks Public School Academy has turned itself around, winning a new eight-year charter school contract as well as special recognition from the state for its improved test scores.

Jackson Community College Board Should Say No To Proposed Charter School
Jackson Citizen Patriot, MI, January 20, 2013
The Jackson Preparatory and Early College charter school sounds like an excellent idea. But not now. Not in Jackson County.

Michigan’s Charters Make The Grade
Detroit News, MI, January 20, 2013
A study showcasing student growth at Michigan charter schools indicates state is on the right track

Group Gives Michigan ‘A’ For Support Of Charter Schools
Detroit News, MI, January 18, 2013
Michigan earned an “A” for its charter school laws, according to a report card issued this week by the Center for Education Reform.

MISSISSIPPI

If State Can’t Fund MAEP, How Will It Fund Charter Schools?
Hattiesburg American, MS, January 19, 2013
As a school board member in the Lumberton School District, I feel compelled to ask a question regarding charter schools.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Charter Schools Snared In N.H. Budget Process
Exeter News-Letter, NH, January 20, 2013
A proposed Exeter area regional charter school that aspired to open in September continues to find itself at mercy of the state.

NEW JERSEY

Some Newark Schools Succeed With Most Troubled Students, Data Shows
Star Ledger, NJ, January 20, 2013
Many of the children who attend Miller Street School in Newark’s South Ward walk to school through scarred and troubled neighborhoods. They pass rusted auto-body shops, people dealing drugs and transactions for sex before their school day even begins.

NEW MEXICO

End To Golden Parachutes One Of Many School Reform Bills This Year
Las Cruces Sun-News, NM, January 19, 2013
Golden parachutes are draining money from New Mexico’s classrooms, says a state legislator who wants to limit school superintendents to one-year contracts.

NEW YORK

Better Learning Costs Money
Albany Times Union, NY, January 21, 2013
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has endorsed a number of initiatives proposed by his education reform commission, on which I serve — including full-day prekindergarten, extended learning time, community schools for high-needs districts and more effective teacher recruitment.

Department Of Education Chancellor Dennis Walcott: I Blame UFT Boss For Teachers Evaluations Disaster
New York Daily News, NY, January 19, 2013
Teachers union and the department of Education have failed to reach an agreement of evaluations. The impasse cost the city at least $450 million in government funding.

King Flunks On Teacher Evaluations
New York Daily News, NY, January 20, 2013
New York City’s schoolchildren face dire consequences after Mayor Bloomberg and teachers union President Michael Mulgrew missed the deadline for negotiating a teacher evaluation system.

NORTH CAROLINA

Triangle Faces Wave Of New Charter Schools
News & Observer, NC, January 20, 2013
Nearly 30 new charter schools could open in the Triangle in 2014, shaking up the region’s public-education landscape and providing additional competition for local school districts.

Bill Would Make Forsyth County Schools State’s First ‘Charter School District’
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, January 19, 2013
State Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, said he plans to co-sponsor a bill in the N.C. House that would convert the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools to the state’s first charter-school district, aiming to reduce state regulatory control and allow more innovation by administrators and teachers.

OHIO

Cleveland Schools Go Back To Full Days With Extra Reading And Math Classes For Struggling Schools
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, January 20, 2013
Cleveland students will go back to full school days Tuesday, with most of the music, art, gym and library classes brought back after voters passed a new school tax in November.

School Rules Guide Whistle-Blowers
Columbus Dispatch, OH, January 21, 2013
Amid a statewide investigation into data manipulation in schools, districts are creating rules to guide employees if they want to report workers who violate laws or ethics.

PENNSYLVANIA

Parents Who Waited For Penn Alexander Kindergarten Spots Vow To Fight On
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 21, 2013
Parents who had prepared to camp out for four days to register their children for kindergarten in one of the city’s best neighborhood schools have packed up their tents and gone home.

Souderton Charter School Growing
The Intelligencer, PA, January 20, 2013
As the Souderton Area School District goes through the controversial process of shuttering one of its seven elementary schools due to a downward trend in enrollment, one small charter school in its borders is making plans to grow.

TENNESSEE

Haslam Addresses School Vouchers Issues
The Memphis Daily News, TN, January 21, 2013
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says the third year of significant education reform legislation in the Tennessee General Assembly will include vouchers but added that “ultimately our efforts in Tennessee are going to be around the vast majority of kids that are in public schools.”

UTAH

Utah Praised For Abundance Of Charter School Options
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, January 18, 2013
Utah ranks 11th in the nation when it comes to charter school programs, according to a new national study.

WISCONSIN

Three Ex-GOP Speakers Now Lobby For School Choice
Janesville Gazette, WI, January 21, 2013
Several former Assembly speakers looked on Jan. 7 as the 75th speaker, Republican Rep. Robin Vos, was elected to lead that half of the Legislature.

Democracy In The Way of Vouchers
The Oshkosh Northwestern, WI, January 20, 2013
Leave it to Sen. Mike Ellis to hit the nail on the head: The expansion of school vouchers is a non-starter in northeast Wisconsin. In our view, such is the case across Wisconsin. The Senate president, in typically blunt language, called last week for local referendum votes on any expansion of the state’s school voucher program outside of Milwaukee and Racine.

Deciding Voucher Issues Is Job of Legislators
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, January 20, 2013
When it comes to whether this or any other state should provide students with taxpayer-funded vouchers to attend private school, there is no shortage of opinion, study, vested interest, ideology and passion to help guide our elected officials.

ONLINE LEARNING

Views Differ On Virtual Education
Boston Globe, MA, January 19, 2013
A new state law opening the way for more virtual schools in Massachusetts is drawing mixed reactions from area school officials, with some welcoming it and others voicing concern.

Many Alle-Kiski School Districts Challenge Private Charter, Cyber Schools
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, January 20, 2013
Many Alle-Kiski school districts are tired of footing the bill for students who decide to go to private charter and cyber schools, so they‘re fighting back.

State Trend Of Cyberschools Opening Learning Centers Comes To Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley Express-Times, PA, January 19, 2013
Achievement House Cyber Charter School has opened a learning center in South Bethlehem that the school says is the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley.

New Trend In Classroom Instruction
Northwest Arkansas News, AR, January 19, 2013
Some teachers in Fayetteville and other districts are using a new model called flipped instruction. They said it helps students keep up with classroom work and provides more time for concentrated work exercises in the classroom.