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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.

The Irrational Fear of For-Profit Education
Wall Street Journal, December 17, 2012
McGraw-Hill recently announced plans to sell its education publishing division to Apollo Global Management for $2.5 billion. The deal is a reminder that K-12 schooling is a $600 billion-a-year business. In 2008, schools and systems spent $22 billion on transportation, $20 billion on food services and even $1 billion on pencils.

Should Students Evaluate Teachers?
Washington Post Blog, DC, December 18, 2012
First it became something of a national obsession for teachers to be judged by standardized test scores. Now increasingly we hear about students helping to evaluate teachers for purposes that include pay and effectiveness ratings.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Sacramento’s Two Aspire Charter Schools To Stay Open With San Juan Unified’s Blessing
Sacramento Bee, CA, December 18, 2012
Twilight College Preparatory Academy and Aspire Alexander Twilight Secondary Academy will remain open under a charter approved by San Juan Unified last week.

DELAWARE

Odyssey’s School Plans Delayed
News Journal, DE, December 17, 2012
Odyssey Charter School’s plan for three new schools on a historic site near Hockessin has been delayed after New Castle County attorneys said the school can’t automatically build as big of a K-12 campus as school officials would like.

Don’t Favor Local Kids In Charter Admissions, Says Task Force
Greater Greater Washington, DC, December 17, 2012
Charter schools don’t give priority to kids who live nearby, instead choosing all students from a citywide lottery. Some other big cities, like New York, allow or require a neighborhood preference in charter admissions. In a report released Friday, a DC task force set up to consider this idea recommended against DC following the lead of these cities.

FLORIDA

New Chief, Old Education Game Plan
Orlando Sentinel, FL, December 18, 2012
Florida last week tapped its fifth top educator in 18 months: former Indiana school chief, Tony Bennett.

GEORGIA

Schools Ask Legislators For More Flexibility
Times-Georgian, GA, December 18, 2012
The county school board met with state legislators face-to-face Friday for a discussion on flexibility in public schools and what the county system has done in the past year despite severe financial cutbacks.

Dekalb School District In “Conflict And Crisis,” Put On Probation By Accreditation Agency
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, December 17, 2012
Georgia’s third largest school district, DeKalb County, was placed on probation Monday after a six-month-investigation into scores of complaints of mismanagement.

IDAHO

In Idaho Education Reform Talks, Time And Money Are At Issue
Idaho Statesman, ID, December 18, 2012
As Idaho lawmakers prepare to convene in January, questions loom about what comes next for education reform, after voters rejected the state’s Students Come First laws.

INDIANA

Indiana Charter Schools Continue To Show Strong Test Score Gains, Study Shows
Indianapolis Star, IN, December 17, 2012
Charter schools in Indiana are among the nation’s best at raising student test scores when compared with other public schools, a Stanford University study showed.

KANSAS

KNEA Blasts Governor’s Task Force Report
Lawrence Journal World, KS, December 17, 2012
Officials with the Kansas National Education Association are sharply criticizing a governor’s task force recommendation that calls for revising or narrowing state laws that govern collective bargaining rights of teachers.

LOUISIANA

Judge To Rule On Education Law Constitutionality
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, December 18, 2012
A Baton Rouge district judge is set to rule today on the constitutionality of a key Jindal administration education bill approved by the Legislature this year.

Newsweek Hails New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu For Education Stance Despite Scant Role In Schools
Times Picayune, LA, December 17, 2012
Newsweek, the venerable current affairs magazine, has singled out New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu as one of the five most innovative mayors in the country for his work in — education? It’s not just Landrieu’s focus on other issues, like reducing the city’s gun violence or blight, that makes Newsweek’s assertion a surprising one.

MARYLAND

Maryland Releases New Rating System For Schools
Washington Examiner, DC, December 18, 2012
Montgomery County students met new performance goals introduced by the state on Monday, which go beyond No Child Left Behind’s focus on test scores to measure student growth, graduation rates and progress toward closing the achievement gap for minority students.

MASSACHUSETTS

Brockton Charter School Will Be Topic Of Public Hearing
Enterprise News, MA, December 18, 2012
School officials and charter school supporters will state their cases on Tuesday at a public hearing on a plan to open a charter school in Brockton.

Ed Board Owes Charter Families Potential Solutions
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, December 17, 2012
The state’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will be meeting this morning to decide whether the decide the fate of the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School – reportedly whether students will even get to finish the current school year, let alone whether the school will ever get to live out its full five-year charter.

MICHIGAN

Loophole In Gun Bill Means Michigan Schools Can’t Ban Firearms On Premises
Detroit Free Press, MI, December 17, 2012
An apparent loophole in a gun bill passed during the Legislature’s lame duck session means public schools would not be able to stop licensed gun holders with advanced training from carrying guns on school property in Michigan.

MISSISSIPPI

Gov. Bryant Fights For Charter School System
WLOX, MS, December 17, 2012
With his first legislative session as governor behind him, Gov. Phil Bryant is gearing up for round two.
“This year must be the year for transformational change in education,” Bryant said.

NEVADA

Quest Academy Fails To Act On State Recommendations
KTNV, NV, December 17, 2012
The state has called for radical change in who’s running a local charter school following an investigation into alleged collusion, cover-up and misuse of tax dollars.

NEW JERSEY

In Failed Jersey City RTTT Application, a Glimpse of Tensions Between Teachers and Administrators
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, December 18, 2012
The Friday before Sandy hit, Jersey City Educational Association head Ronald Greco was trying to decide whether to sign off on the district’s application for the new Race to the Top (RTTT) grants.

NORTH CAROLINA

UCA Partners With Elon University
Courier Tribune, NC, December 18, 2012
Randolph County’s first charter school, Uwharrie Charter Academy, announced it has partnered with the Environmental Studies Department at Elon University and the Elon University Center for Environmental Studies for ongoing curriculum development.

OHIO

What Happens When Charter Schools Rebel Against White Hat
NPR StateImpact, OH, December 18, 2012
When Ohio’s charter school movement began one company came to symbolize the change – White Hat Management, a for-profit firm based in Akron.

Attendance Probe Holds Up Columbus Teacher Bonuses
Columbus Dispatch, OH, December 18, 2012
Potentially hundreds of Columbus City Schools teachers are waiting on bonuses until after a state audit of the district’s data reporting is complete.

OREGON

Charter School Agrees To Close
The Register-Guard, OR, December 18, 2012
HomeSource Family Charter School has agreed to shut down at the end of the school year in a deal reached last week with the Bethel School District.

Group to Resubmit Charter Idea to GAPS
Albany Democrat Herald, OR, December 1 7, 2012
A volunteer group looking to start a charter school in Albany has decided to retool its proposal and once again approach Greater Albany Public Schools for sponsorship.

TENNESSEE

Charter Schools Will Help Boost Test Scores, Mayor Says
The Tennessean, TN, December 17, 2012
Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said this morning that charter schools are a large part of the solution to increasing student test scores.

Metro School Board Didn’t Know Funds Would Be Withheld, Director Says
The Tennessean, TN, December 18, 2012
The Tennessee Department of Education never warned Metro that state education funds were at stake if it were to reject the controversial charter school proposal of Great Hearts Academies, Director of Schools Jesse Register told members of the Metro Council on Monday.

TEXAS

Austin School Trustees Vote To End IDEA Charter Partnership
Austin American Statesman, TX, December 17, 2012
Austin school board trustees voted late Monday to dissolve a partnership with IDEA Public Schools, reversing a controversial board decision last year for the charter operator to take over an East Austin elementary school.

Irving Charter School Pondering ZIP Code-Weighted Admissions Policy
Dallas Morning News, TX, December 18, 2012
At North Hills Preparatory, admission is a game of chance. More than 3,600 students from throughout the Dallas area applied for just 225 openings in grades K-12 for next school year.

WASHINGTON

School Boards Push For Reforms
Spokesman Review, WA, December 18, 2012
Idaho school boards plan to press for laws that revive controversial school reforms that voters rejected in November.

ONLINE LEARNING

Virtual Charter School Offers Alternative To Bibb County High Schoolers
13WMAZ, GA, December 17, 2012
The Magic Johnson Bridgescape Center is set to open in Macon in mid-January.
It’d be the first charter school with a physical presence in Bibb County.

Online Academy Lures 120
Mail Tribune, OR, December 18, 2012
More than 100 Rogue Valley students are choosing to opt out of traditional brick-and-mortar schools in favor of logging on to an electronic classroom each day.

Greguson to Be Online Education Services Director for Chester
Madison Daily Leader, SD, December 18, 2012
Mark Greguson is stepping down as Chester’s school superintendent and stepping into the role of online education services director for the district.

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.

Teachers Unions Steer Clear of Race to the Top
Washington Times, DC, December 14, 2012
Teachers unions are infamous for pursuing money and power at children’s expense. It’s ironic when they try to turn down taxpayer money on principle but state and local officials won’t let them.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

LAUSD Board Seeks Control Over Grant Applications
Daily Breeze, CA, December 16, 2012
In a move that could stem the flow of tens of millions of dollars to cash-strapped Los Angeles Unified, the school board has empowered itself to endorse — or veto — applications for grants topping $1 million.

District Denies Charter School, Cites Lack Of Support For English Learners
Napa Valley Register, CA, December 17, 2012
A petition to start a new charter school in the Napa Valley Unified School District has been denied by the district’s board of trustees.

DELAWARE

Charter School Draws National Attention
The News Journal, DE, December 16, 2012
Like the rest of the juniors at Charter – recently named one of the country’s 165 most academically selective public high schools in a recent book by school reform expert Chester Finn – Ye and his project teammates, Naman Agrawal and Gary Aggarwal, presented their 11th-grade research project to their peers and a panel of faculty members last week.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

All D.C. Charter Schools Shouldn’t Have To Admit Neighborhood Kids First, Panel Says
Washington Post, DC, December 14, 2012
The District should consider allowing charter schools that move into closed D.C. public school buildings to give admissions preference to children who live nearby, according to a task force convened by the D.C. Council.

Report: DCPS Scores Have Not Improved With Reforms
Washington Examiner, DC, December 17, 2012
Third-graders in DC Public Schools have failed to show any gains in math or reading since aggressive school reforms began in 2007, according to an independent analysis of the city’s standardized test scores.

FLORIDA

Key West Collegiate Academy Offers Choices
Florida Keys Citizen, FL, December 17, 2012
The old adage about big things coming in small packages seems tailor-made to fit the Key West Collegiate Academy. This high school, tucked away in a series of rooms leased from the Florida Keys Community College, counts just 46 pupils among its student body, but they sure seem motivated — and happy to be there.

School Presents Best Practices At Conference
The News Herald, FL, December 16, 2012
The Chautauqua Learn and Serve School is setting the example for charter schools across the nation.

GEORGIA

School Accrediting Agency Set To Release Ruling On Dekalb County
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, December 16, 2012
Judgement day for the DeKalb County School District is Monday, when a regional accrediting agency plans to release the results of its investigation into alleged school board mismanagement.

ILLINOIS

Stop Misguided School Plans
Chicago Tribune, IL, December 16, 2012
Recently, before a Board hearing this week to expand charter schools, Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said that they “had several other [charter] schools that were in the hopper and we’re going to move forward with our commitment there.”

INDIANA

It’s A New Day For Gary School System
Munster Times, IN, December 17, 2012
New Gary school Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt is building partnerships with local universities and businesses. This can only benefit the district and its students.

KANSAS

KC School Enrollment Grows, But Olathe Had Biggest Increase
Kansas City Star, KS, December 17, 2012
Kansas City’s good fortune — aided by charter school closures and the continued rise in Hispanic populations across the area — highlighted the newly official Kansas and Missouri enrollment figures for the 2012-13 school year.

LOUISIANA

Changes in New Orleans Charter School Landscape Beginning To Come Clear
Times-Picayune, LA, December 15, 2012
Changes in New Orleans’ Recovery School District are beginning to shake out for the 2013-14 school year. On Friday, Crocker Arts and Technology announced that New Orleans College Prep will take its reins come fall.

Teacher Raises Now Linked To Student Performance
St. Charles Herald Guide, LA, December 16, 2012
Teachers working for the St. Charles Parish public school system will undergo reconfigured pay raise scales after the School Board passed a rule change last week.

MARYLAND

Uncertainty For Students At City School Choice Fair
Baltimore Sun, MD, December 15, 2012
Terrell Carr and his mother, Niesha Carr, have loved his experience at William C. March Middle School. From the Arabic classes in which he’s excelled to the quality of the instruction, both have nothing but good things to say about the school. And they are disappointed that it might close at the end of the year.

MICHIGAN

Lawmaker, School District Share Views On Education Authority
News Herald, MI, December 17, 2012
That’s how state Rep. Patrick Somerville (R-Huron Twp.) characterized a bill before the state Legislature that would expand the reach of the existing Education Achievement Authority

MISSISSIPPI

A New Wave Of Reform? 30 Years After Historic Effort, State’s Schools Still Lag
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, MS, December 16, 2012
Thirty years ago this week, former Gov. William Winter helped usher the passage of the Education Reform Act, sweeping legislation designed to help a public school system that had lost much public support during a divisive integration battle. Today, however, the state’s education system still ranks at or near the bottom of the country, and state leaders have again vowed to make education issues the focus of the upcoming Legislative session.

NEVADA

Council Puts Finishing Touches On Revamped Teacher Evaluation System
Las Vegas Sun, NV, December 15, 2012
A state-level committee on Friday released its final recommendations for a new way to evaluate the state’s public school teachers.

NEW YORK

Fresh Start On Charter Schools Needed
Buffalo News, NY, December 16, 2012
Is it really possible to transform the city’s 44 low-performing schools into charter schools by September 2013? Simply as a logistical matter – forget the convoluted politics – it seems unlikely. But we know why frustrated parents and community members are reaching for that lever: It’s the one they’ve got.

Charter Schools Need Not Educate All Kids
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY, December 15, 2012
Mark Zupan, dean of the University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business, proposed in a Nov. 25 op-ed that parents of Rochester School District students be given financial credits (vouchers) so that they can enroll in any private school that will accept them.

Only 3 Of 16 Schools In Region Have Approved Teacher, Principal Evaluation Plans As Deadline Looms
Daily Freeman, NY, December 17, 2012
As winter breaks approach, the Kingston, New Paltz, and Catskill school districts are the only three districts out of 16 in the region that have received approval from the state Education Department on controversial new teacher and principal evaluation systems.

NORTH CAROLINA

Compete And Cooperate: New Direction For Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte Observer, NC, December 15, 2012
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and area charter and private schools are gearing up to compete and collaborate at the same time. The new year ushers in the season when families choose where their kids will go to school in August. The competition can be fierce – but leaders of all types of schools have launched talks about working together to benefit students and teachers.

OHIO

Charter Schools Pay Off For CEO’s Family
Dayton Daily News, OH, December 15, 2012
A Dayton Daily News investigation found that a company managing several taxpayer-funded charter schools in the area is a lucrative family business whose husband-and-wife management team makes more than $400,000 a year.

Cleveland Schools CEO Turns To Parents
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, December 16, 2012
Now that Cleveland has passed a 15-mill levy slated to bring in millions for the district, this is no time for Clevelanders to sit on their hands.

OKLAHOMA

Senator Files Bill To Change End-Of-Instruction Testing Requirement
Tulsa World, OK, December 17, 2012
A state senator has filed a bill that would essentially gut a controversial law requiring students to pass four of seven end-of-instruction exams to earn a diploma.

OREGON

Oregon Education Reform Creates Unnecessary Bureaucracy
The Oregonian, OR, December 15, 2012
Since the No Child Left Behind educational reform took effect, one of the main pushes from the states is to hold teachers and school districts accountable for educational improvement.

PENNSYLVANIA

Charter Schools Must Pay The Price
Towanda Daily Review, PA, December 15, 2012
Charter schools are public schools yet state lawmakers continue to allow them to evade the same funding restrictions and accountability standards that apply to conventional public schools.

Real Reason For Closing Schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 17, 2012
THE SCHOOL closing proposal by the new schools chief (“Learning Curve,” editorial, Dec. 14) was predictable and predicted. The continued expansion of charter schools has caused a deliberate shrinkage in regular public-school enrollment. Anyone who does not see this as a gradual absorption of the public school system by private interests is not paying attention.

Closing Schools With Care
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 17, 2012
The School Reform Commission has taken on the unenviable task of closing nearly 40 of the city’s public schools. Bravo to the members for their courage. They are sure to be bombarded by upset parents, fearful students, anxious teachers, and frustrated communities as they grapple with an issue that their predecessors sidestepped for decades.

Hite’s Fortitude In For A Test
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 16, 2012
After announcing plans to close about one out of every six schools in the city, Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. can expect an onslaught of opposition.

Allentown School Directors Question Charter School Applicant’s Ties To Gülen Movement
Morning Call, PA, December 16, 2012
Board members are concerned that engineering academy’s applicants have ties to Gülen Movement. Hearing set for Tuesday.

Three York County School Districts, One Charter Get State Grant Money
York Daily Record, PA, December 15, 2012
Three York County school districts and a charter school are among the 37 recipients of about $480,000 from the state’s Safe Schools Targeted Grant program, according to a news release.

TENNESSEE

Nashville Chamber Pushes Charter Schools
The Tennessean, TN, December 17, 2012
Capping a year in which the growth of charter schools dominated education discourse in Davidson County, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce has made publicly financed, privately led charters its primary focus in its latest annual education report card.

TEXAS

Compromise On IDEA’s Contract With The Austin School District Provides A Temporary Balm
Austin American Statesman, TX, December 15, 2012
If the IDEA Allan charter school that opened in August is going to stay open, it will have to survive long enough to prove its worth. And it must be willing to revise its business model to fit a new political reality that has emerged since November, when four new school trustees were elected to the Austin Independent School Board.

AISD Speaking Slots Go Quickly
KXAN, TX, December 17, 2012
Don’t expect to show up at the Austin Independent School District’s headquarters on Monday morning and sign up for one of the 30 speaking slots available for Monday night’s board meeting.

Some Texas Districts Pursuing School Choice Locally
KUHF News, TX, December 16, 2012
State leaders are preparing to push for legislation to expand the choices available for Texas’ nearly 5 million public school students. Meanwhile, some local districts are already pursuing similar reforms within their own systems.

Schools Vie For Federal Funds
Longview News-Journal, TX, December 17, 2012
Gov. Rick Perry had called it “foolish and irresponsible” for Texas to apply for funds from the Obama administration’s signature education initiative. He feared Race to the Top funding would come with too many federal mandates on how to run classrooms in his state.

Cumberland Academy Plans Middle School Addition
Tyler Morning Telegraph, TX, December 17, 2012
Cumberland Academy, a Tyler charter school, is slated to open a middle school in fall 2013.

VIRGINIA

Charter School Proposal In Loudoun Ignites Opposition
Washington Post, DC, December 16, 2012
Lots of people in Loudoun County would love to see an innovative new school focusing on math and information technology, preparing teenagers for careers in high-demand, high-salary fields.

WASHINGTON

Teachers, Others Head To Tacoma To Learn About Charter Schools
Bellingham Herald, WA, December 15, 2012
If turnout at a charter school conference held Saturday in Tacoma is any measure, there’s definitely some interest in the independently managed, publicly financed schools that were approved by voters in November.

WEST VIRGINIA

Requirements For Schools Superintendent In Bull’s-Eye
Charleston Gazette, WV, December 15, 2012
Twenty years ago, the state’s teachers unions were outraged when the West Virginia Board of Education voted to lower the education experience requirements for county superintendents, fearing it would lead to “good old boys” hiring practices and a surge of superintendents with no background in public schools.

WISCONSIN

Walker Outlines Education Priorities For Next Year
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, December 15, 2012
Wisconsin’s education landscape shifted dramatically about two years ago, after a biennial state budget cut millions in school spending and limited collective bargaining, paving the way for changes affecting the size of teachers’ take-home pay to the scope of their performance evaluations.

ONLINE LEARNING

Is The State’s Only Online Virtual School Working?
Telegram & Gazette, MA, December 16, 2012
Students at a privately operated online school that is costing Massachusetts taxpayers almost $2.5 million a year are falling far behind other students in the state based on their assessment test scores, and half of them are quitting during the academic year or failing to return the next year.

Massachusetts Virtual Academy Sparks Disagreement in Greenfield
The Republican, MA, December 16, 2012
The School Department’s affiliation with the Massachusetts Virtual Academy has created a heated rift, with School Committee member Maryelen Calderwood among the program’s chief critics. Calderwood voted against contracting with K12, the company that runs the virtual academy, and she has been opposed to the venture ever since.

Easton Launching Cyber School Without District Teachers
The Morning Call, PA, December 17, 2012
Easton Area School District will launch a cyber school next month, but its classes won’t be taught by district teachers.

Online Public School Expands To Includes Grades 7-12
Times Republican, IA, December 15, 2012
First-grader Aiden Brezina doesn’t have to bother with crowded school buses. He doesn’t have to worry about forgetting his lunch box or being picked on in the classroom.

Education Superintendent Outlines Goals
Helena Independent Record, MT, December 16, 2012
Office of Public Instruction Superintendent Denise Juneau wants to raise the dropout age in Montana from 16 to 18 and increase funding for Montana Digital Academy so that more students can access online courses without having to pay.

Supporters, Critics Debate Merits Of Proposed Argosy Charter School
Fall River Herald News, MA, December 13, 2012
Advocates of the proposed Argosy Collegiate Charter School told members of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education that the city’s school district is not preparing students for success after graduation, which is creating the need for educational alternatives.

Weighing Options for Expanding School Choice
New York Times, NY, December 14, 2012
In debates over school choice, like the one brewing as the 83rd legislative session draws closer, traditional public school districts are often cast as stubborn defenders of the status quo.

Looking at Charter Schools
WNYC, NY, December 13, 2012
Beth Fertig, WNYC’s education reporter and contributor to SchoolBook, talks about her series on the issues surrounding charter schools, including attrition rates and locations.

‘School-To-Prison Pipeline’ Hearing Puts Spotlight On Student Discipline
Washington Post, DC, December 13, 2012
It was a defining moment for the issue, which advocates call the school-to-prison-pipeline. It refers to get-tough disciplinary practices that steer students out of schools — through suspension, expulsion or police involvement — and into the criminal justice system.

Right-To-Work: Does It Improve Teacher Quality?
Forbes, December 13, 2012
Based on results from the 2011 NAEP (the “nation’s report card”), 7% of Detroit public-school 8th-graders are proficient in reading. Even more staggering, 4% of Detroit public-school 8th graders are proficient in math.

U.S. Standard For Certifying Teachers Worth Pursuing
Everett Daily Herald, WA, December 14, 2012
You can just hear the sighs in public schools across the land. Ugh … another test … just what we needed.

FROM THE STATES

ARKANSAS

Study: Charter School Students Are Vaccinated Less
KTAR, AR, December 13, 2012
Arizona charter school kindergartners are being vaccinated at lower rates than those in public schools, a University of Arizona study said.

CALIFORNIA

Division Among Parent Trigger Group
Victorville Daily Press, CA, December 13, 2012
Two of the original five filers of the “Parent Trigger” lawsuit against Adelanto School District were voted out of the Desert Trails Parent Union’s steering committee, according to the group’s lead organizer, Joe Morales.

A Good Step Forward
Livermore Independent, CA, December 14, 2012
The Livermore School District and Livermore Valley Charter School efforts to reconcile their differences represents a good sign for education in Livermore.

Fears Arise Over More Possible Horizon Charter School Locations Shutting Down
CBS13, CA, December 13, 2012
A chain of charter schools is in turmoil, and now parents fear their kids may be left with no place to learn.

COLORADO

Re-1 Board: Timing Is Off For TRES Charter
Post Independent, CO, December 14, 2012
The Roaring Fork District Re-1 school board voted 4-1 Wednesday to deny a charter application for the Two Rivers Expeditionary School (TRES), saying more work needs to be done to refine the proposal.

Quality Teaching Vs. Tenure Rights
Denver Post, CO, December 14, 2012
For years, tenured teachers who lost their positions within Denver Public Schools and could not find another were forcibly assigned to what inevitably were the poorest schools and most challenging situations.

FLORIDA

Holding Voucher Schools To Account Is Overdue
Tampa Bay Tribune, FL, December 14, 2012
Gov. Rick Scott campaigned two years ago as an outsider who would bring a fresh perspective to Tallahassee. He did that this week when it came to private school vouchers, acknowledging the need for Florida to shed its hypocrisy on education accountability.

IDAHO

Prop 1, 2, 3 Opponents Worry Idaho Legislature Will Revive Repealed Education Laws
Boise State Public Radio, ID, December 14, 2012
The leaders of the campaign that defeated Idaho’s Propositions 1, 2 and 3 in last month’s election are concerned that the laws could come back. They’re speaking out against efforts to resurrect the education overhaul rejected by voters.

Some High-ranking Idaho Schools Don’t Get Merit Pay
Magic Valley Times-News, ID, December 14, 2012
Some south-central Idaho schools received high marks under the state’s new five-star ranking system, but didn’t qualify for merit pay. Melissa McGrath, spokeswoman for the Idaho State Department of Education, said there are some cases statewide, but it’s not a widespread occurrence.

ILLINOIS

CPS Pushes Ahead With Plans For More Charter Schools
Chicago Tribune, IL, December 14, 2012
Chicago Public Schools officials moved ahead Thursday with plans to open more charter schools next year, a sore point for critics who are fighting the Emanuel administration’s plans to close scores of neighborhood schools in 2013.

Lack Of Detail On School Closings Frustrates Some Parents
Chicago Tribune, IL, December 14, 2012
When Mayor Rahm Emanuel won a delay last month in announcing planned school closings, he promised to use the time to let concerned Chicagoans attend hearings and be involved in the conversation about any changes to the district.

INDIANA

Deputy Mayor of Education Speaks on Charter School Expansion
WIBC, IN, December 14, 2012
Jason Kloth says the Ballard administration strongly believes every child and every family should have access to high quality education options. He says the administration is committed to providing that not only through the mayor’s office but also through private and traditional public schools.

IOWA

Sioux City Officials Closely Following Charter School Talks
Sioux City Journal, IA, December 14, 2012
Sioux City school district officials are asking lawmakers for the same ability to develop new education programs as charter schools.

KENTUCKY

Breathitt Schools Cheating Our Children
Lexington Herald-Leader, KY, December 14, 2012
Corruption. Cronyism. Mismanagement. Strong words, but mild for the abuse of trust perpetrated on the young people of Breathitt County by the adults who were responsible for educating them.

LOUISIANA

School Board Pays Into Voucher Suit Kitty
The Advocate, LA, December 14, 2012
The Livingston Parish School Board on Thursday approved a payment into a legal defense fund for costs associated with the state court challenge to the constitutionality of the funding mechanism supporting the state’s voucher program.

MAINE

Standards Take Shape For Grading Maine Teachers
Press Herald, ME, December 14, 2012
Maine is taking its first concrete steps to establishing statewide standards for evaluating teachers’ performance, something that has historically been left to local districts.

MASSACHUSETTS

Reville A Hard Act To Follow In School Post
Boston Globe, MA, December 14, 2012
STATE EDUCATION secretary Paul Reville, who is stepping down from his cabinet post in the Patrick administration, deftly managed to enlist the state’s largest teachers’ union in pursuit of aggressive education reform, with special attention on upgrading urban schools.

MICHIGAN

DPS Board, Roberts Ordered Back To Court
Detroit News, MI, December 14, 2012
The Detroit school board and Emergency Financial Manager Roy Roberts have been ordered to return to court next week with a list of issues to be settled in the battle for control of day-to-day academics and finances at Detroit Public Schools.

Lansing OKs EM, Detroit Lighting Bills
Detroit News, MI, December 14, 2012
The Republican-controlled Legislature sent to the governor Thursday two contentious bills aimed at fixing some of Detroit’s most vexing problems.

MINNESOTA

Teacher Evaluation System To Be Tested In Some Minnesota Schools
Minnesota Public Radio, MN, December 13, 2012
A new proposed teacher evaluation system is headed to a testing phase in some Minnesota schools.

MISSISSIPPI

Reform Nonsense: More Style Than Substance
Clarion Ledger, MS, December 13, 2012
In a few weeks, our elected statewide political representatives will be engaged in protracted debates and lively discussions about reforming education in Mississippi.

MONTANA

Conrad Senator Outlines Sweeping Education Reform, Funding Bill He’ll Present In 2013
Billings Gazette, MT, December 14, 2012
A Republican state senator on Thursday outlined a sweeping proposal to reform Montana’s public schools and their funding, including an overhaul of academic standards and a $50 million a year cut in local school property taxes.

NEW JERSEY

Grant to N.J. Ed Dept. Contingent on Gov. Christie’s Tenure
Washington Post Blog, DC, December 14, 2012
The private Broad Foundation gave a grant of up to to $430,000 to the New Jersey Department of Education that includes this contingency: It can be withdrawn if Chris Christie (R) is no longer governor of the state.

NEW MEXICO

Why Education Reform Must Continue Forward
Albuquerque Journal, NM, December 14, 2012
Less than half of fourth-graders nationwide know what the words “flourish” and “prestigious” mean, according to the latest results from the country’s only national standardized test.

NEW YORK

City Plans To Move New Charter School Run By Eva Moskowitz Into Crown Heights Building That Officials Said Has No Room
New York Daily News, NY, December 13, 2012
A Crown Heights public school could be forced to make room for a charter school two years after city officials said there wasn’t enough room in the building.

OKLAHOMA

Teachers Union Leader: Poor Leadership Crippling OKC School District
The Oklahoman, OK, December 14, 2012
Working for or with Oklahoma City Public Schools can be an unbelievable experience. Unbelievable as in “beyond belief.” Substantial problems face our district and the least-discussed problem is poor leadership — leadership that is beyond belief.

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia Superintendent Identifies Schools He Intends To Close
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 14, 2012
Proposing the largest contraction in the history of the Philadelphia School District, Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. said that come June, he wants to shut one out of six city schools and relocate, close programs, or reshuffle grades at many more.

Group Presents School For Immigrant Students
Erie Times News, PA, December 14, 2012
Horton and a group of supporters presented plans to the Erie School Board on Thursday night for the Erie New Americans Friendship Academy Charter School. The proposed school would focus on providing language skills and comprehension for English as a second language students.

Judge Approves State Receivership For Chester-Upland Schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 14, 2012
The troubled Chester Upland School District now is in the hands of a state-appointed receiver.

Pennsylvania Charter Appeals Board Fails
York Dispatch, PA, December 14, 2012
The merits of York City-based New Hope Charter School have yet to be debated. But the grade is in on Pennsylvania’s charter school law: It flunks.

TENNESSEE

Choice Breeds Success
Commercial Appeal, TN, December 14, 2012
Municipal school systems are only attractive in comparison to Memphis city schools of the past. The children of parents who live in the municipalities deserve better. They deserve school choice options that Republicans have used to transform education in the city, but with expanded and enhanced parental choice including stricter requirements for local control.

UTAH

State Board Demands Better Enrollment Accountability From Charter Schools
The Salt Lake Tribune, UT, December 14, 2012
City Academy was one of the state’s first public charter schools to start operating in 2000. But more than a decade later, the Salt Lake City school, which serves students in grades seven through 12, has yet to meet its projected enrollment.

VIRGINIA

McDonnell Proposes 2 Percent Raise For Teachers
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, December 14, 2012
Virginia’s public school teachers would see a 2 percent pay raise under Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposed budget amendments, but any boost is contingent on lawmakers approving several changes, including extending probation periods for new teachers.

Teachers’ Raises Tied To Policy For Culling Those Who Under Perform
Roanoke Times, VA, December 14, 2012
Gov. Bob McDonnell will ask state lawmakers to fund a 2percent salary increase for public school teachers next year, but the raises would be paid only if the General Assembly also passes legislation that sets terms for terminating under-performing teachers.

WEST VIRGINIA

Long On Pensions, Short On Teacher Pay
Charleston Daily Mail, WV, December 14, 2012
In 1994, West Virginia’s Teachers Retirement System had enough assets to cover only about 11 percent of its long-term obligations. It had an unfunded liability of $3.3 billion.

ONLINE LEARNING

Hit The Delete Button On Cyber Charter Funding
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 14, 2012
If Auditor General Jack Wagner’s plea for reform in how Pennsylvania allows cyber charter schools to operate sounds familiar, it should.

Virtual School Students To See History Come Alive At Albany’s Historic Carousel And Museum
Albany Tribune, OR, December 13, 2012
Students from Oregon Connections Academy and their families will see history come alive when they attend a special field trip to the Historic Carousel and Museum in Albany on Thursday, Dec. 20. The event starts at 10 a.m. at the Carousel and Museum located at 503 1st Avenue West in Albany.

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States Faulted Over Teacher Pension Shortfall
Wall Street Journal, December 13, 2012
U.S. states carry a total of about $325 billion in unfunded teacher pension liabilities, according to a report that says efforts by lawmakers to tinker with vesting periods or shave benefits are falling far short of the overhaul that is needed.

Should Potential Teachers Be Tested as Lawyers Are?
Wall Street Journal, December 12, 2012
I wholeheartedly agree with Randi Weingarten’s “How About a Bar Exam for Teachers?” (op-ed, Dec. 10), with one caveat: that with the additional instruction, educational reviews and qualifications also come better teacher salaries.

Stephanie Lowden: Don’t Blame Teachers For Achievement Gap
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, December 13, 2012
With all due respect to John Legend and Geoff Canada, firing teachers is not the solution to the achievement gap in Madison schools. The two spoke in Madison last week, prompting Friday’s article “Reformers: City schools need institutional change.”

A Lesson In Teacher Quality From My Twin Girls
New York Daily News, NY, December 13, 2012
Yet under the system we have for evaluating teachers, the two get treated the same. They’re paid the same, based only on the number of years they’ve worked and the number of advanced degrees they have. The quality of the work they do every day is irrelevant.

FROM THE STATES

FLORIDA

State Board Selects Bush Policies Backer As Florida Education Commissioner
Florida Times-Union, FL, December 12, 2012
State Board of Education members voted unanimously Wednesday to select Indiana’s recently ousted school superintendent as Florida’s new education commissioner.

New Education Chief Needs To Listen, Learn
Tampa Bay Times, FL, December 13, 2012
First the Florida Board of Education complained that the backlash against high-stakes testing and a new teacher evaluation system is the result of poor communication rather than flawed public policy.

Florida’s New Formula For Rating Teachers Makes Einstein Look Simple
Sun Sentinel, FL, December 12, 2012
How can teacher greatness be measured? In Florida, by a formula that makes Einstein’s Theory of Relativity look like child’s play.

Gov. Rick Scott: All Schools Should Face the Same Standards
Sunshine State News, FL, December 13, 2012
Gov. Rick Scott signaled that he supports holding all schools that receive taxpayer funding to similar standards — a stance that could open the door to administering state tests to some private school students.

GEORGIA

Schools To Get Flexibility Based On Grades
Newnan Times-Herald, GA, December 13, 2012
Educators will get the freedom from state rules they’ve long desired if their schools earn top grades, the chairman of the House Education Committee told Georgia legislators Tuesday.

ILLINOIS

Rein in Charter Schools
Chicago Sun Times, IL, December 12, 2012
At the same time the Chicago Public Schools is moving forward with plans to close schools in a district that has 100,000 extra seats, it wants to open 13 new public charter schools.

INDIANA

City-County Council Committee Signs Off On 3 New Charter Schools
Indianapolis Star, IN, December 12, 2012
A City-County Council committee approved a charter school operator’s proposal for three new schools Wednesday night while delaying action on proposals for four other charters sponsored by Mayor Greg Ballard.

MARYLAND

Virginia’s Soft Bigotry
Free Lance Star, MD, December 13, 2012
VIRGINIA’s new educational standards vary according to students’ race. You heard that right. Is this a shocking example of latter-day bigotry? A necessary accommodation? Or what? Let’s consider.

MASSACHUSETTS

Brockton School Leaders Debate Pros And Cons Of Charter School’s Effect On Funding
Brockton Enterprise, MA, December 13, 2012
Local educators disagree with charter school supporters on the impact a proposed charter school in Brockton would have on public school students.

Charter Should Show City School Leaders The Need For Change
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, December 12, 2012
The word that state Commissioner of Education Mitchell D. Chester will call for revoking Gloucester Community Arts Charter School’s charter at a state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting next week may signal the end for the public, independent school — a school that just completed its K-8 grade profile with the start of its third year in September.

MICHIGAN

Bill To Expand State’s Reform School District Is Up Against The Clock
Detroit Free Press, MI, December 13, 2012
Lawmakers and interest groups were still revising a bill Wednesday to formalize and expand the Education Achievement Authority for poorly performing schools as the Legislature approached the end of its lame duck session.

Don’t Bully the EAA
Detroit News, MI, December 13, 2012
We get it. Members of the Michigan public school establishment are up in arms over various education reforms rolling through the Legislature. But that’s no excuse for the petty politics they are playing with the state’s newest reform school district.

MISSISSIPPI

Gov. Bryant Tackles Charter Schools
Desoto Times Tribune, MS, December 13, 2012
Gov. Phil Bryant tackled the thorny charter school issue in the very county that led opposition to last year’s charter school effort due to concerns charter schools in high-performing counties like DeSoto might siphon away funds from public schools.

Mississippi Lawmakers Brush Up On Education Proposals
Sun Herald, MS, December 12, 2012
Mississippi lawmakers were doing homework Wednesday before the 2013 session.
The House and Senate education committees met together at the Capitol to discuss elementary-school reading skills, teacher evaluations and charter schools.

NEVADA

Zappos Charter School Planning Builds ‘Excitement Around Education’
Las Vegas Sun, NV, December 13, 2012
This is how you make a school. At least, it’s how you make a school when Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh and the Downtown Project are involved.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Charter Administrator Joins School Board
New Haven Independent, NH, December 13, 2012
Mayor John DeStefano has tapped Che Dawson, a longtime youth worker now serving as an assistant principal at Amistad Academy Elementary School, to fill the latest vacancy on the city’s Board of Education.

NEW JERSEY

Report: Nearly All Of Newark’s Most Disadvantaged Students Attend Failing Schools
Star-Ledger, NJ, December 12, 2012
Nearly all of Newark’s most disadvantaged elementary and middle school students attend failing district and charter schools, a report released today has found.

NEW MEXICO

Computer Outlays Must Have Students at Core
Albuquerque Journal, NM, December 13, 2012
Who knew that adopting Common Core academic standards for public schools would, at the core, cost so darn much?

NEW YORK

Buffalo’s Plan For Eight Low-Performing Schools Calls For Transfers
Buffalo News, NY, December 12, 2012
At least four principals will have to be moved out of low-performing schools next year as a result of the school reform model the School Board approved Wednesday night for several schools.

NORTH CAROLINA

Local Leaders Contribute To Talk Of Statewide Education Reform
Stanford Herald, NC, December 13, 2012
While the battle over education reform is set to start up once more in Raleigh next month, several Lee County leaders have been engaging in behind-the-scenes talk with legislative leaders.

OHIO

State Officials Auditing Troubled Charter School
Columbus Dispatch, OH, December 13, 2012
A Columbus charter school already strained because of poor fiscal management now is under state scrutiny for its work with special-needs children.

Newfound Urgency
Columbus Dispatch, OH, December 13, 2012
Ohio’s new “third-grade reading guarantee” is causing big headaches, especially in big-city school districts. While they aren’t anything to celebrate, those headaches are necessary and overdue.

High-Performing Charter Schools Get Wooed Hardcore
NPR StateImpact, OH, December 12, 2012
Like the prettiest girl in a room full of ugly ducklings, charter schools that get a reputation for being high-performing get wooed hardcore. Districts and states looking for schools that have solved the puzzle of educating low-income, non-white students want these high-performing charter schools bad.

Ohio Senate OKs New School Evaluation System
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, December 12, 2012
The Ohio Senate on Wednesday passed a Republican-backed education bill that calls for a more demanding evaluation system for schools, along with other significant changes.

PENNSYLVANIA

Hite To Announce Plans To Close 37 School Buildings
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 13, 2012
On Thursday, Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. will announce the proposed closures of 37 school buildings, plus multiple other changes coming to the cash-poor Philadelphia School District.

TEXAS

Community-Backed Charter in Travis Heights Goes to the Board
Austin Chronicle, TX, December 13, 2012
As the Austin Independent School Dis¬trict considers showing one Eastside in-district charter school the door, trustees are considering opening a new charter in South Austin. But unlike IDEA Allan, which many feel was forced on the Allan neighborhood, the plan for a new charter at Travis Heights Elementary has been formulated and presented by the local community.

Schools Spell Out Money Plans
San Antonio Express-News, TX, December 12, 2012
Two Texas charter school networks with campuses in San Antonio outlined their plans Wednesday for spending nearly $60 million in federal grant funds.

WASHINGTON

School Officials Discuss Student Transfer Policy
Spokesman Review, WA, December 13, 2012
Spokane Public Schools’ administration and board members have spent weeks trying to make changes to its intradistrict transfer policy to make sure neighborhood kids can go to their neighborhood school and students transferring into a school outside their neighborhood won’t have to leave.

Race To The Top Grant In King County Is A Win For Innovation In Education
Seattle Times, WA, December 12, 2012
Seven South King County school districts garnered a whopping $40 million federal grant with a holistic educational approach: “Start Strong,” be “STEM Strong” and “Stay Strong.”

WISCONSIN

Achievement Gap In Madison School District Under Scrutiny
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, December 13, 2012
Closing the achievement gap in the Madison School District will require a strong core curriculum in school and more support from outside of school, leaders of the district, city and county said Wednesday.

WYOMING

Panel Recommends Stripping Ed Dept. Of Some Duties
Laramie Boomerang, WY, December 13, 2012
State public schools Superintendent Cindy Hill said her agency has done its job and is fully behind education reform efforts, but members of a legislative committee weren’t convinced as they recommended stripping the Wyoming Department of Education of a host of education accountability duties on Wednesday.

ONLINE LEARNING

‘The School Of Tomorrow’ Arrives In Henderson County
Times-News, NC, December 13, 2012
Since the Henderson County school district went wireless this year, teachers and students are settling into using the newfound technology.

Jail Graduates Detention Officers Through Online Academy
Eastern Arizona Courier, AZ, December 12, 2012
After three weeks of online instruction and three weeks of classroom and practical instruction, 11 new detention officers from the Arizona Detention Association Basic Detention Class 85 were sworn in at the General Services Building on Friday.

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Schools In 11 States Win Nearly $400M In Grants
Associated Press, December 11, 2012
Schools from 55 districts in 11 states plus the District of Columbia have won nearly $400 million in federal grants to promote school reform.

Virginia Teachers: Cuts Would Hurt Poor, Disabled
Washington Times, DC, December 12, 2012
Virginia teachers are joining a chorus of national educators who are imploring Congress to address the looming “fiscal cliff” and are warning that state school systems stand to lose big if nothing is done.

Jindal: Teachers Unions Have Mounted ‘Herculean’ Effort To Stop School Reform
Washington Times, DC, December 11, 2012
As a central piece of his controversial education-reform agenda heads to the state Supreme Court for review, rising Republican star and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Tuesday unloaded on teachers unions and cast them as the biggest reason American schools continue to wallow in mediocrity.

Rethink School Choice
Huffington Post, December 11, 2012
But in truth, favoring school choice means about the same thing as favoring computers — the statement means very little unless and until the ideas take on a specific form. After all, a choice plan intended to mitigate neighborhood segregation would be designed with very different rules than a choice plan envisioned as a way to increase competition.

My View: I Would Trade Tenure For Better Teaching
CNN Blog, December 12, 2012
I’ve been in the classroom for 11 years – that makes me a minority in the teaching profession, as more than half of all teachers have taught for a decade or less. But I’m still striving to be a better teacher.

FROM THE STATES

ARKANSAS

Partial Credit
Arkansas Times, AR, December 12, 2012
The thrust of the education-reform movement in Arkansas over the last decade has been to equalize opportunity for all students.

CALIFORNIA

Novato School District Staffers Criticize Charter Proposal
Marin Independent Journal, CA, December 11, 2012
A proposal for a new charter school in Novato is flawed in numerous areas including curriculum, budgeting and the likely makeup of the student body, school district staffers said Tuesday.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

KIPP DC Wins $10 Million In Race To The Top Education-Grant Competition
Washington Post, DC, December 11, 2012
Charter school operator KIPP DC is among 16 winners of the federal government’s Race to the Top District grant competition, U.S. Department of Education officials announced Tuesday.

FLORIDA

Pinellas School Board Plans To Shut Imagine Charter School In St. Petersburg
Tampa Bay Times, FL, December 12, 2012
In a unanimous vote, the Pinellas School Board on Tuesday said it intends to shut Imagine Charter School, a once-promising school in downtown St. Petersburg that has faltered academically since it opened.

Opening of Step Up Academy Charter Schools May Be Delayed
The Ledger, FL, December 11, 2012
Although school district staff says all is in order for a January opening of Step Up Academy charter schools for at-risk students on six high school campuses, some school board members and John Stewart, the new interim superintendent, aren’t ready to proceed.

Teachers Take Issue With Evaluation System At Lawmakers Forum
News Herald, FL, December 11, 2012
A few centuries earlier Bay County teachers would have grabbed their torches and pitchforks.

Finalists Interviewed, New Education Commissioner Likely Picked Today
Tallahassee Democrat, FL, December 12, 2012
Three finalists for the top position in Florida’s state education system faced questions about how they would sway critics and defend the credibility of state education polices in public job interviews held Tuesday.

Evaluations Earn An ‘F’
News Herald, FL, December 12, 2012
The children of fictional Lake Wobegon from Garrison Keillor’s “Prairie Home Companion” were said to be “above average.” The same can be said of Florida’s public school teachers — if the state’s new evaluation system is to be believed.

Gov. Scott Wants State Standardized Testing for Students Who Get Vouchers
News Chief, FL, December 11, 2012
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, parting ways with his fellow Republicans, asserted Tuesday that students who get financial help from the state to attend private schools should take the same standardized tests as public school students.

GEORGIA

City School Board Approves Joining Charter Foundation
Marietta Daily Journal, GA, December 12, 2012
The Marietta City School Board only approved a few things during their work session Tuesday night, including a recommendation from Marietta Superintendent Emily Lembeck to join the soon-to-be-formed Charter System Foundation.

Ga. Schools To Get Flexibility Based On Grades
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, December 12, 2012
Educators will get the freedom from state rules they’ve long desired if their schools earn top grades, the chairman of the House Education Committee told Georgia lawmakers Tuesday.

HAWAII

Hawaii Teacher Evaluation Concerns Keep State, Union From Agreement
Honolulu Civil Beat, HI, December 12, 2012
A new performance-based teacher evaluation system and reduced sick leave are the key issues preventing the Hawaii State Teachers Association from agreeing to a new contract with the state, union leaders and educators said.

IDAHO

Idaho Ed Campaign Tops Previous Record
Idaho Statesman, ID, December 12, 2012
Opponents of Propositions 1, 2 and 3 raised $3.6 million in their successful effort to repeal education reforms in the Nov. 6 election. Opponents raised $2.8 million. The great bulk of the money was spent on advertising.

KANSAS

Teacher Success
Lawrence Journal World, KS, December 12, 2012
Lawrence school officials seem to be taking a creative and productive approach to revamping the district’s teacher evaluation system.

LOUISIANA

Jindal Touts Vouchers As RSD Schools Get High Marks
The Advocate, LA, December 12, 2012
Gov. Bobby Jindal touted his embattled school voucher program Tuesday with a Washington, D.C.-based, pro-school choice think tank that had named the Louisiana Recovery School District as the nation’s best for educational “choice and competition.”

MASSACHUSETTS

Consider What Argosy Charter School Could Accomplish
Fall River Herald News, MA, December 11, 2012
Hundreds of families seeking a better education each year try to leave the Fall River district school system, but are denied their only option because of a state-mandated limit on public charter schools, including the popular Atlantis Charter School.

Making The Case For Another Charter School
Salem News, MA, December 12, 2012
Editor’s note: Pioneer Charter School of Science has requested state permission to open another charter school in Saugus that would accept students from Salem, Peabody, Danvers, Lynn and Saugus. If approved, the school would open in September 2013.

MICHIGAN

All DPS Employees To Get One-Time Bonus Thanks To Budget Surplus
Detroit News, MI, December 12, 2012
Employees of Detroit Public Schools will receive a bonus in their paycheck on Dec. 21 as part of the district’s budget surplus from last year.

Teacher Shortages Close 3 Districts
The Detroit News, MI, December 12, 2012
At least three school districts in Metro Detroit closed Tuesday after hundreds of teachers called in sick to join union rallies in Lansing against right-to-work legislation passed by lawmakers.

NEW YORK

Teachers Trump Kids
New York Daily News, NY, December 12, 2012
The grades are in, and they are being kept secret: 10,500 city teachers have found out how well they raised student achievement as measured by state math and English tests, but parents have no right to the information.

NY Approves Charter School For Newburgh
Times-Herald Record, NY, December 12, 2012
As expected, the Newburgh Preparatory Charter High School sailed through the process, since it won the approval of the State Education Department’s Charter School Office as well as Commissioner John King weeks earlier.

DOE Flubs In Race For Feds’ $40M
New York Post, NY, December 12, 2012
The city should have showed them the money. The Department of Education lost points on its application for $40 million in federal funds by refusing to make school-worker salaries public — and wound up with zilch.

NORTH CAROLINA

Wake School Board Approves 2013-14 Assignment Plan
Charlotte Observer, NC, December 12, 2012
CARY Wake County’s choice-based student assignment plan effectively died Tuesday with the school board’s 5-4 vote to adopt an approach that again ties each address to a specific school.

OHIO

Mayor Frank Jackson Names Members Of Schools’ Advice Panel, A 1st Step In Districtwide Overhaul
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, December 11, 2012
The new Cleveland schools’ Transformation Alliance will review charter school applications and make recommendations to the Ohio Department of Education about which sponsors should be able to open new schools in the city.

School-Grading System Incomplete
Columbus Dispatch, OH, December 12, 2012
Ohio lawmakers are expected to approve a new grading system today for determining how well schools and school districts are performing.

PENNSYLVANIA

York City School Board Loses In Bid To Block New Hope Charter Appeal
The York Dispatch, PA, December 12, 2012
The York City School District Tuesday lost its attempt to quash a charter appeal hearing for New Hope Charter School.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Local Educators Oppose State Superintendent’s Teacher Evaluation Plan
Anderson Independent Mail, SC, December 11, 2012
State Superintendent Mick Zais is having a hard sell on his proposal to change teacher evaluations.

TENNESSEE

Nashville School Board Backs Off Suing State Over Lost Funds
The Tennessean, TN, December 12, 2012
Despite one board member’s push to dig in and fight, the Metro school board on Tuesday backed off its threat to sue the state for withholding $3.4 million in funds to punish the district for rejecting a charter school application.

Franklin Special School District Opposes Vouchers
The Tennessean, TN, December 11, 2012
There seems to be more questions than answers when it comes to the use of vouchers and the authorization of charter schools in the Franklin Special School District.

Is Teacher Merit Pay On The Way In Tennessee?
The Chattanoogan, TN, December 11, 2012
In the immediate future, teacher compensation systems will likely be redirected from an input-driven system to an outcome-based system. Unlike the general labor force, where output is a key salary determinant, the field of education rewards experience and advanced degrees. That is not always bad.

TEXAS

Two Texas Charter Schools Named Race To The Top Winners
San Antonio Express, TX, December 12, 2012
A pair of Texas charter school networks with San Antonio campuses will get nearly $30 million apiece in federal Race to the Top grants, the U.S Department of Education announced Tuesday.

School Board Could Halt IDEA Allan Plan
KXAN, TX, December 11, 2012
The Austin school board could put the brakes on expansion plans for the first in-district charter school that opened this year in East Austin.

VIRGINIA

Proposed Loudoun Charter School Loses Supervisor’s Support
Washington Post Blog, DC, December 12, 2012
A member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has withdrawn his support from a proposed charter school — which would be the first in Loudoun if allowed to open — because of “controversy” and concerns over a number of key operational issues.

WASHINGTON

How To Get Washington’s Charter Schools Right
Seattle Times, WA, December 11, 2012
Two education professors who oppose charter-school Initiative 1240 make some suggestions for how to get Washington’s charter schools right.

Seattle, South End Schools Win Race For $40 Million
Seattle Times, WA, December 11, 2012
Seven school districts in King County, which banded together three years ago to raise the number of students who graduate from college, have won a four-year, $40 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help them achieve that goal.

Remove Education Duty From State Constitution
The Olympian, WA, December 12, 2012
While debating education funding after the Supreme Court ruled the state isn’t fulfilling it’s obligation, no politician has proposed the obvious: amend the constitution to eliminate the “paramount duty” language.

ONLINE LEARNING

Easton Area School District Cyber School to Launch in January
Lehigh Express Times, PA, December 12, 2012
Easton Area School District will join neighboring school districts by allowing students to take online courses next year.

Virtual School Enrollment Up
Fox News 4, FL, December 11, 2012
The Lee County School District is taking new steps to take its classrooms virtual.
The district says enrollment for its virtual school is reaching its highest level ever. Virtual school is used a lot by students who travel frequently for sports or other extracurricular activities.

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U.S. Students Still Lag Globally in Math and Science, Tests Show
New York Times, NY, December 11, 2012
Fourth- and eighth-grade students in the United States continue to lag behind students in several East Asian countries and some European nations in math and science, although American fourth graders are closer to the top performers in reading, according to test results released on Tuesday.

The American Way of Learning
New York Times, NY, December 10, 2012
The Common Core State Standards, adopted by 48 states and supported by the Obama administration, have worried liberals who question their quality and conservatives who fear they erode states’ traditional responsibility for education.

Universal Pre-K Will Help Close The Gap
Albany Times Union, NY, December 11, 2012
This December, after four months and 11 public hearings, the Education Reform Commission — some of New York’s smartest education policy experts — will submit preliminary recommendations to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on how to improve student success. Those recommendations must include strategies for closing the “achievement gap.”

Most Important Goals For Teacher Unions
The Norman Transcript, OK, December 11, 2012
Why do 4,900 children in Louisiana matter to everyone in the U.S.? Because their fate reveals a universal truth about American public schools: They are rigged for the adults working at them.

FROM THE STATES

ALASKA

Union, District React To Recently Approved Teacher Evaluation Plan
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK, December 10, 2012
A move to factor student test scores into future teacher evaluations is getting a failing grade from the head of the Fairbanks teachers’ union

CALIFORNIA

Good Schools And Charters
Santa Maria Times, CA, December 11, 2012
If you look at Santa Maria and Orcutt’s population compared to Visalia, you will notice similar numbers, but the number of schools is different.

Charter Schools Continue To Grow
North County Times, CA, December 11, 2012
There is one tucked into a bustling Mission Valley mall, across from the food court. Another occupies portions of an old Navy boot camp. Many others operate in traditional neighborhood schools.

COLORADO

DPS Plans Triple Use Of New Building
EdNews Colorado, CO, December 10, 2012
A complicated real estate deal will allow Emily Griffith Technical College and its companion high school, a new elementary charter school and the district’s central offices to move into a refurbished building downtown.

CONNECTICUT

Small School Districts Like Brooklyn Struggle With New State Law
Norwich Bulletin, CT, December 10, 2012
The state’s effort to improve teacher evaluations may be debilitating for Brooklyn and other small school districts.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Brookings Ranks The District No. 3 In Nation For School Choice
Washington Post, DC, December 11, 2012
The District’s mix of schools — including traditional public, public charter and private — offers parents one of the widest varieties of educational choice in the country, according to rankings a Washington think tank plans to release Tuesday.

Secretive Islamist Roots Of American Schools
Washington Times, DC, December 10, 2012
It is a commonplace saying, but one that most of us ignore: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This applies in spades to a proposal under active consideration by the school board in Virginia’s Loudoun County.

FLORIDA

Board of Education to Interview Commissioner Candidates
Sunshine State News, FL, December 11, 2012
The State Board of Education is likely to vote this week on a new education commissioner, hoping to bring some stability to an agency that has been roiled by missteps and controversy.

Charter Schools Provide One More Choice For Public Education
Florida Times Union, FL, December 10, 2012
Is there a need and a place for charter schools in our public school system? Of course there is.

Con: Charter Schools Mean Well, But Good Intentions Haven’t Worked
Florida Times Union, FL, December 10, 2012
I need more words than can fit into this space to describe how several lawmakers who support charters have profited from them.

Pinellas School Board To Consider Closing Troubled Imagine Charter School
Tampa Bay Times, FL, December 10, 2012
The Pinellas School Board is scheduled to vote on Tuesday about whether to shut down the troubled Imagine Charter School by the end of the year.

GEORGIA

Classical Academy Charter School Seeks To Bolser Inner-City Savannah Academics
Savannah Morning News, GA, December 10, 2012
Barbara Grimm believes education can transform lives in Savannah. But there are some things about local education that just don’t sit right with her.

KENTUCKY

Charter School Group Rallies For Improved Minority Achievement
WFPL, KY, December 10, 2012
A coalition supporting charter school legislation rallied before the Jefferson County Board of Education meeting Monday night and released a second report focusing on achievement gaps in the district.

ILLINOIS

Frustrated Parents Shop for New Schools
DNAInfo, IL, December 10, 2012
For Sarah Preston, the decision to explore moving her children to a charter school came down to the violence at some of the neighborhood high schools in Roseland where they live.

The Proportion Of Privately Run Chicago Public Schools To Increase
WBEZ, IL, December 11, 2012
At the same time Chicago Public Schools says it needs to close down schools, maybe as many as 100, it’s planning to open brand new ones.

MASSACHUSETTS

Death Knell for Charter?
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, December 10, 2012
Mitchell D. Chester, the state commissioner of education, has recommended that the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education revoke the charter of the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School and close the school at the end of the spring term in June.

MICHIGAN

Some Schools Closing Today As Teachers Take A Stand In Lansing
Detroit Free Press, MI, December 11, 2012
Hundreds of teachers are expected to join the protest against right-to-work legislation in Lansing today, leading school districts to close some schools.

MISSISSIPPI

Give Charters A Chance In Mississippi
Commercial Appeal, TN, December 11, 2012
The battle over new legislation to make it easier to create charter schools in Mississippi may be rejoined when the Legislature reconvenes next year.

NEW JERSEY

New Tenure Reform Law Delivers First Verdict
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, December 11, 2012
TEACHNJ speeds and clarifies process for removing substandard teachers, starting with one charged with disorderly conduct

NEW YORK

Be Good Or Be Gone
New York Post, NY, December 11, 2012
A Harlem charter school shredded a boatload of taxpayer money this year by booting 33 substandard staffers and handing them substantial severance packages.

Group Drops Bid To Close, Turn 2 Buffalo Schools Into Charters
Buffalo News, NY, December 10, 2012
Plans to turn East High and Waterfront Elementary into charter schools have been withdrawn, authors of the plans said Monday.

OHIO

CPS Sponsors Charter School
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, December 10, 2012
Cincinnati Public Schools’ board of education gave the green light Monday night for the district to sponsor a high-performing charter school called Carpe Diem.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City School Board Hears From Two Would-Be Charter Schools
The Oklahoman, OK, December 11, 2012
The Oklahoma City School Board heard Monday night from two local applicants wishing to start charter schools in the district that would receive public funding, teach Oklahoma City students but be run privately.

Oklahoma Schools Superintentendent Fears Douglass Seniors Will Drop Out
The Oklahoman, OK, December 11, 2012
About three of four seniors at the troubled Oklahoma City school will have to take extra measures to graduate on time.

OREGON

Madrone Trail Parents Want New Board
Mail Tribune, OR, December 11, 2012
Madrone Trail Charter School parents are pleading with the Medford School Board for help in changing the governance of the Waldorf-inspired charter school.

PENNSYLVANIA

District’s Voluntary Transfer Process Leaves Parents Skeptical
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 11, 2012
Jennifer Blaine treasured her diverse, excellent urban public school education, and very much wanted the same sort of experience for her daughter.

Audit Lesson: Fix Charters
Scranton Times-Tribune, PA, December 11, 2012
Charter schools are public schools, yet state lawmakers and the Corbett administration continue to allow them to evade the same funding restrictions and accountability standards that apply to conventional public schools.

City School Board Hears New Application For Fitness-Themed Charter School
York Dispatch, PA, December 11, 2012
York City students need a chance to be healthy mentally and physically. That’s the rationale behind the proposed Championship Academy of Distinction, whose team gave a presentation to the York City School Board on Monday.

Erie Charter School Hearings Set For This Week
Erie Times-News, PA, December 11, 2012
Erie School Board members will weigh the fate of two schools that hope to open in 2013 this week.

Bethlehem School Board Accepts Vitalistic’s Voluntary Charter Surrender
Lehigh Valley Express Times, PA, December 10, 2012
Bethlehem Area School Board tonight accepted the voluntary surrender of the charter of a city-based charter school that the board spent months trying to shut down.

SOUTH CAROLINA

SC Education Officials Present Evaluation Plans
Sumter Item, SC, December 10, 2012
Education officials tried to reassure teachers and principals Monday that a statewide system evaluating their performance is still years away and will involve much more than test scores.

WASHINGTON

Are Expelled Students More Likely To Drop Out?
Seattle Times, WA, December 10, 2012
After two years of research, two Washington social-justice groups failed to determine just how many students are expelled from school or suspended for more than 10 days. The lack of data, however, underscored their concern that there are tens of thousands of students who end up in educational limbo, with no clear path to finish their schooling.

Get The Jump On Charter Schools In The Tri-Cities
Bellingham Herald, WA, December 10, 2012
Washington voters have approved charter schools. There are rumblings of a constitutional challenge, but in the meantime, the light is green. Green means go.

ONLINE LEARNING

What Is The Flipped Classroom Model And Why Is It Amazing?
Forbes Blog, December 10, 2012
Via Benoit Anger and Thomas Roulet, comes this pretty useful infographic on the increasingly-famous “flipped classroom” model promoted by, among others, Khan Academy’s Sal Khan:

A New Law Expanding Virtual Schools?
Boston Globe Blog, MA, December 10, 2012
Back in January 2010, there was a lot of hope that the charter school expansions associated with the new law would work out well. The data on that is largely tremendous. The new charters are faring very well, thank you.

New Jersey School Administrators (Njasa) Favor Online Learning
New Jersey Newsroom, NJ, December 10, 2012
In an effort to ensure a superior statewide system of education, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) is advocating for online and blended learning and the infrastructure to make it possible, according to testimony by Dr. Richard Bozza, Executive Director, NJASA, before the Joint Committee on the Public Schools in Trenton last week.

Lesson Learned
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 11, 2012
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is considering eight new cyber charter school applications, including four that would target Philadelphia-area students. It should not approve a single one.

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.

How About a Bar Exam for Teachers?
Wall Street Journal, December 9, 2012
We must do away with the common rite of passage whereby new teachers are thrown into classrooms, expected to figure things out, and left to see if they (and their students) sink or swim.

School Choice And The Advancement Of Society
Forbes, December 9, 2012
As a society advances, the ability to provide a “safety net” for those who have suffered some type of misfortune increases. But, perhaps paradoxically, that very advancement should also reduce the perceived need for such a safety net.

School Choice And Competition For Students
Press Democrat, CA, December 7, 2012
The flaws of the No Child Left Behind law are well known, most notably the unrealistic expectation that every student in every school will be proficient in math and English by 2014.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

Ariz. Lawmakers Support $60M Private School Tax Credit Program
East Valley Tribune, AZ, December 8, 2012
A legislative panel voted this week to continue giving generous tax credits to those who help students attend private and parochial schools.

ARKANSAS

Ark. Lawmakers Face Crowded Education Agenda
KTBS, AR, December 9, 2012
Public education issues are expected to be at the top of the agenda for Arkansas lawmakers during next year’s legislative session.

CALIFORNIA

The Role Of Merit Pay And Charter School In Improving Public Education
Orange County Breeze, CA, December 9, 2012
The Orange County Breeze Country is blessed by three excellent public school districts: Los Alamitos Unified; Cypress; and Anaheim Union High School District.

Los Angeles Teachers’ Evaluation Victory Bucks A Trend
Los Angeles Times, CA, December 9, 2012
Los Angeles teacher appraisals won’t be based on ‘value added,’ increasingly being used across the country. Now a key question is how test scores will figure in.

FLORIDA

Repair Defective Teacher Evaluation System
Bradenton Herald, FL, December 9, 2012
Florida’s new teacher evaluation system got off to a rocky start last week with the release of educator ratings. While those initial numbers appear remarkable, the deeper story looks dimmer — with trouble ahead unless modifications are adopted.

GEORGIA

Charters, but Under Local Control
Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2012
Georgia cannot afford to continue to withhold necessary funding from our public schools, while passing laws to increase funding to charter schools. I will continue to use every resource at my disposal to ensure our public-school system remains intact and ready to educate all our children for generations to come.

ILLINOIS

CPS Plans 4 More Charters
Chicago Tribune, IL, December 7, 2012
Chicago Public Schools said Friday it plans to add four more charter schools to the nine charters previously approved for the coming year, which quickly became fuel for critics of the district’s plans to close many neighborhood schools.

Charter Schools With Failing Grades Still Featured At Quality Schools Fair
WBEZ, IL, December 7, 2012
A high-profile Chicago schools fair today is supposed to show off quality new schools, many of them charters.

INDIANA

Superintendent Maps Future of Gary Schools
Munster Times, IN, December 9, 2012
Pruitt, whose district’s enrollment dwindles each year and has faced massive cuts at the state level, said she wants to give students as many choices as possible. She believes alternatives such as a laboratory school and a partnership with Apple to create a technical school will put students on the success track.

Chicago Teachers Victory On Incorporating Test Scores Into Evaluation May Help Students
Munster Times, IN, December 10, 2012
While the nation watched the Chicago Teachers Union, Chicago Public Schools and Mayor Rahm Emanuel clash over new teacher contracts this year, many teachers in Houston watched in awe.

IOWA

Iowa Schools Face Reform Hurdles
Quad City Times, IA, December 10, 2012
Gov. Terry Branstad’s call to replace the current method of setting per-pupil funding increases for school districts has upped the uncertainty for administrators and school boards already trying to keep tabs on expected sweeping reform proposals.

LOUISIANA

School Voucher Ruling Cuts 2 Ways, Leaving Louisiana Governor Room To Maneuver
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, December 10, 2012
A district judge’s ruling against Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s statewide school voucher program contained a critical caveat that, if the ruling is upheld, gave the governor a roadmap for maintaining one of his signature education achievements.

It’s Time To Let The Courts Decide About Vouchers
American Press, LA, December 8, 2012
Usually, the best leaders choose silence over provocative speech. John White, state superintendent of Louisiana’s schools, would have done better to say nothing at all rather than accuse the state’s two teacher unions of getting “in the way of student achievement.” That was insulting to the teachers that those unions represent.

Two RSD Schools Say They Want To Return To Local Control
Times-Picayune, LA, December 7, 2012
In what could be the first New Orleans schools to return to local control since a massive state takeover after Hurricane Katrina, two West Bank charters this week said they are in favor of moving from the state-run Recovery School District to the Orleans Parish School Board. Representatives of Martin Behrman Elementary and O. Perry Walker High told the Algiers Charter Schools Association that their faculty and staff had voted unanimously in favor of the change.

MASSACHUSETTS

Horace Mann’ Plan Is No Alternative To Current Charter
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, December 9, 2012
The idea of creating a Horace Mann Charter School may be a good fit within the Gloucester Public School District — someday.

Charter School Facing Bumpy Ride
The Lowell Sun, MA, December 10, 2012
THE BACKERS of the Lowell Collegiate Charter School are thrilled they found a potential home for the school in the Bradford Industries warehouse on Middlesex Street. But they found out at Monday night’s Planning Board meeting they have some roadblocks in their bid for site-plan approval.

Division Over Charter School
Boston Globe, MA, December 8, 2012
Opposition to a charter school proposed for this city of 94,000 is heating up as the date to gather public comment nears.

State Should Lift Cap On New Charter Schools
The Republican, MA, December 8, 2012
Once viewed as an experiment, the charter-school movement has demonstrated its success as an education model that, in most cases, works extremely well – especially in urban communities where many public schools are classified as “underperforming.”

MICHIGAN

Keep Education Reform Moving
Detroit News, MI, December 10, 2012
Reflecting on recent successful efforts by the Michigan Legislature and governor to provide students and parents more choice in education, I feel good about the progress but hope we can do more.

Education Authority Legislation Spells Trouble For School Districts
Detroit Free Press, MI, December 9, 2012
In Detroit, there has been much discussion about the Education Achievement Authority, which was created to operate 15 Detroit public schools that are among the lowest 5% achieving schools in Michigan.

MINNESOTA

Suburban Schools Take On Minority Students’ Achievement Gap
Journal Sentinel, MN, December 8, 2012
As Demond Means came to the end of a 45-minute presentation, he projected a generic photo of an attractive African-American family on the screen behind him: mom, dad, two school-age kids.

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi Charter School Advocates Continue Push For Approval
Commercial Appeal, TN, December 8, 2012
Despite support from some people in high places, Mississippi’s charter school advocates likely face a tough sell before making the brand of education they saw last week in Helena, Ark., a reality back home.

NEVADA

Schools Push To Change Rules On Charter Schools, Online Classes
Las Vegas Review Journal, NV, December 7, 2012
Clark County school officials want to change several rules regarding charter schools and online classes, according to a pair of bill draft requests the district is backing for the Nevada Legislature’s 2013 session.

State May Revoke School Charter Over Financial, Other Irregularities
Las Vegas Review Journal, NV, December 7, 2012
Everything seems tranquil on the surface of Quest Academy, where a shielded crest hangs over the front door and children scurry around in matching khaki shorts, skirts and polo shirts.

NEW JERSEY

Camden Schools’ Graduation Rate Declines
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, December 10, 2012
Camden’s school district was the outlier during three presentations to the state board of education last week.

NEW MEXICO

Keep Teacher Evaluation Reform on Smart Track
Albuquerque Journal, NM, December 10, 2012
News last week that New Mexico has one of the worst four-year high school graduation rates in the nation likely bolstered the argument for many — including state education chief Hanna Skandera — that education reform measures need to get out of the station faster.

NEW YORK

Test Personalized Math Program
Wall Street Journal, December 9, 2012
In elementary school, John Perez was left in the dust if he hadn’t mastered a concept by the teacher’s second or third explanation. The whole class would move onto something else.

Poor Schools Struggling to Meet State Standards, Years After Critical Ruling
New York Times, NY, December 10, 2012
Six years after a landmark court ruling required New York State to increase spending on public education, many schools in poor districts lack basic resources, and some do not even meet minimum state standards in certain areas, according to a report to be released on Monday by researchers affiliated with Teachers College at Columbia University.

That Evaluation Deadline
New York Post, NY, December 10, 2012
Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott stepped up pressure last week for a deal on a new teacher-rating system by setting a Dec. 21 deadline — weeks ahead of Gov. Cuomo’s Jan. 17 cutoff for extra state aid.

Lease ‘Fleece’
New York Post, NY, December 8, 2012
A for-profit management firm is charging a publicly funded Brooklyn charter school nearly $4 million above market rate for its current 5-year lease, a state audit found.

Charter’s Teachers $Core After Ax
New York Post, NY, December 10, 2012
A publicly funded Harlem charter school paid out thousands of dollars in severance pay to more than 30 staffers — despite letting them go for poor performance.

Cooperation With Utica District A Big Part Of Charter Goal
Utica Observer-Dispatch, NY, December 9, 2012
I wish to clarify some confusion that may exist among readers following a Nov. 27 article in the Observer-Dispatch, which suggested that the establishment of the Utica Academy of Science Charter School will mean a substantial loss of state aid for the education of children who reside within the Utica City School District.

OHIO

Making the Grade
Toledo Blade, OH, December 8, 2012
Charter schools promise to push traditional public schools to do better. They are designed to give parents a high-quality alternative to schools that are failing, or cannot provide needed classes or accommodate students with special needs or different learning styles.

Schools Ease Into New System
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, December 10, 2012
Junior-high math teacher Ken DeMann started doing something new this year for students at Roberts Paideia Academy. He sends home a folder each week updating parents on how well each student did on homework, behavior and participation that week.

PENNSYLVANIA

Chester-Upland School District Asks Judge To Reject State Takeover Plan
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, December 8, 2012
Saying the state’s recovery plan would be a setback for the troubled Chester Upland School District, the attorney for the district asked a judge Friday to reject a petition to put the schools in the hands of a state-appointed receiver.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Cape Romain Environmental Education Charter
WCBD, SC, December 10, 2012
They’re called CREECS, pronounced Creeks, Cape Romain Environmental Education Charter School. It’s a unique school in Mcclellanville in Charleston county. We’re in Charleston county for our Cool School of the week.

TENNESSEE

Haslam Mulls School Vouchers for State
Memphis Daily News, TN, November 10, 2012
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam may or may not push directly for some kind of move to school vouchers next year on Capital Hill.

Nashville’s Charter School Fair Lifts Veil From Bevy Of Choices
The Tennessean, TN, December 9, 2012
When Camiqueka Fuller’s oldest daughter was ready for fifth grade, she had two choices: Attend a failing middle school or try out a charter school.

Report: Teacher Training Is Impossible To Judge
The Tennessean, TN, December 9, 2012
Researchers say a lack of data makes it impossible to know whether teacher training programs in Tennessee are having an impact on student learning.

WASHINGTON

Leaders Come Together To Discuss Charter Schools
Bellingham Herald, WA, December 10, 2012
Charter school leaders from five states will gather in Tacoma on Saturday to talk about their experiences launching the independent schools – experience that may be relevant in Washington with voters’ recent approval of a charter school law.

ONLINE LEARNING

Strapped District Plans to Add Online Classes
New York Times, NY, December 8 2012
Budget cuts have eliminated about 95 full-time teachers from the school district here over the past year, swelling class sizes and prompting parents to cry foul.