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The Evil Empire Strikes Back
Wall Street Journal, November 18, 2012
Education reformers had good news at the ballot box this month as voters in Washington and Georgia approved measures to create new charter schools. But as the reform movement gathers momentum, teachers unions are giving no quarter in their massive resistance against states trying to shake up failing public education.

What We Learned About School Reform
Press Democrat, CA, November 18, 2012
Teachers unions remain the Goliath to the school reformers’ David, even in red states. That was the lesson from votes this month in Idaho and Indiana , where unions successfully took on or took out Republican school superintendents.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

Critics: Arizona Lax On Charter Purchasing Practices
Arizona Republic, AZ, November 17, 2012
Education experts and some legislators are critical of Arizona’s lack of oversight when it comes to how charter schools purchase goods and services.

Insiders Benefiting In Charter Deals
Arizona Republic, AZ, November 17, 2012
Board members and administrators from more than a dozen state-funded charter schools are profiting from their affiliations by doing business with schools they oversee.

CALIFORNIA

Charters Are A Strategy, Not A Solution
Press Democrat, CA, November 18, 2012
Almost one of every four K-12 students in Sonoma County attends a charter school. That figure has practically doubled in just two years, and it’s likely to keep growing for a couple of reasons.

COLORADO

Appellate Court To Hear School Voucher Case
Denver Post, CO, November 19, 2012
The Colorado Court of Appeals will hear arguments in the Douglas County School District ‘s voucher program.

CONNECTICUT

Voters Have Spoken: No Corporate School Reform
Stamford Advocate, CT, November 18, 2012
In this age of instantaneous global communication, it is incredible that a simple message sent by voters in Bridgeport has not reached leaders in Hartford, just 50 miles away.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Quality Controls Lacking For D.C. Schools Accepting Federal Vouchers
Washington Post, DC, November 17, 2012
Congress created the nation’s only federally funded school voucher program in the District to give the city’s poorest children a chance at a better education than their neighborhood schools offer.

Henderson Aims To Avoid Mistakes Of Prior D.C. School Closings
Washington Post, DC, November 18, 2012
D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson faces twin challenges as she prepares for the second public hearing Monday on her plan to close 20 of the city’s schools: Persuading skeptical parents and politicians that a smaller school system will be stronger, and that she will avoid mistakes her predecessor made during the most recent round of closures.

What Will Come Of The Buildings On D.C.’S Closed-School List?
Washington Post, DC, November 18, 2012
It prompted hours of D.C. Council testimony, public shouting matches at neighborhood meetings and street demonstrations where protesters called on the mayor to be jailed.

Looking At Charter Schools, Apples To Apples
Washington Examiner, DC, November 18, 2012
Not all charters are created equal. Some of them outperform the schools in Ward 3. Some of them — about 10 of the 57 in town — appear to be completely failing. But one reason the charter system works, and will continue to improve, is that its independent board can (and does) shut down worst laggards each year and replace them with new and better charter schools.

FLORIDA

St. Johns Schools Superintendent Votes Against Charters’ Public Money
Florida Times-Union, FL, November 18, 2012
A state-appointed group of public school and charter school officials and parents deadlocked Friday on a proposal that would have forced public school districts to raise taxes to pay for privately operated charter school construction, or take money out of public school operational funds to build charter schools.

Charter Schools Look To Raise Staff, Teacher Pay
News Chief, FL, November 18, 2012
In the wake of Polk County School District teachers getting a “step” raise this year, Lake Wales Charter Schools officials are looking at ways to compensate their teachers and support staff.

GEORGIA

Georgia Schools Lay Unequal Foundations For College
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 18, 2012
The paths of these top students illustrate the uneven preparation for college provided by Georgia schools.

Charter Evening School Proposed
Madison Journal GA, November 19, 2012
The charter high school would give students at risk of dropping out another classroom alternative, allowing them to work at their own pace to complete school. Likewise, students could maintain a day job while going to school at night.

Charter Schools, Dual Enrollment Concepts On The Rise
Rome News Tribune, GA, November 17, 2012
Local school officials went overtime in discussing the hows and whys of developing a charter school system and completely separate charter college and career academy during day two of the College and Career Academy Summit in Rome on Friday.

IDAHO

How To Help Our Teachers
Coeur d’Alene Press, ID, November 18, 2012
Tom Luna stepped in it again. At least, that’s what some critics claim after Idaho’s superintendent of schools called anew for stronger teacher evaluations and rewards before the dirt on education reform’s grave had properly hardened.

ILLINOIS

Chicago Public Schools: A Tale Of Two Schools Reflects Our Economic Woes
Washington Times, DC, November 18, 2012
Lincoln Elementary and Salazar Elementary schools are located about two miles away from each other on Chicago’s affluent near-north side. Both schools are part of the same district and have access to the same resources, and deal with the same bureaucracy, provided by the district.

IOWA

Iowa Teacher Unions Face New Challenges
KCRG, IA, November 19, 2012
The question reads like one featured on a standardized test: What is the solution to fixing America ’s education system? People on all sides of the debate favor various solutions — increased funding, smaller class sizes, longer school days — but increasingly one group of people is at the center of the debate: teachers.

LOUISIANA

Questions Raised About Nonpublic Schools’ Approval
Monroe News Star, LA, November 19, 2012
Louisiana’s Constitution and a court decision require that for any nonpublic school to receive state funds the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education must certify that it has “curriculum or specialized course of study of quality at least equal to that prescribed for similar public schools.”

Louisiana’s Educators Enter A New World With Evaluations And Their Consequences
Times Picayune, LA, November 17, 2012
Teachers in Louisiana have all but lost the tenure rules that once protected their jobs. Beginning this year, all 50,000 of them will be evaluated and ranked on an annual basis, often with test scores factoring in heavily. Soon, consistently “ineffective” teachers will no longer be welcome in the classroom.

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston Schools Asking Parents For A Leap Of Faith
Boston Globe, MA, November 18, 2012
Central to the agita over remaking Boston’s byzantine school assignment system is a chicken-and-egg conundrum. The city wants more parents to choose schools close to home, believing that will help improve them. But many parents want to see those schools improve before they’ll send their kids to them.

MICHIGAN

Romulus Cheats Kids In Blocking Charter
Detroit News, MI, November 19, 2012
For the past month, a charter school company based in West Michigan has had its sights on a school building for sale in Romulus . PrepNet currently runs three high schools in the state and would like to expand.

Critics Say School Funding Overhaul Is ‘Cart Before Horse’
Detroit News, MI, November 19, 2012
State policymakers and educators will get their first look today at a massive overhaul of Michigan ‘s public education funding system that already is being labeled a vehicle for school vouchers.

MINNESOTA

Minneapolis School Election Has National Implications
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, November 18, 2012
The campaign that put Josh Reimnitz on the Minneapolis school board this fall may go down as the one that brought money from national school-reform advocates to bear on a contest traditionally dominated by DFL endorsements and union money.

NEW JERSEY

Newark Contract Marks High Point of Christie Education Agenda
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, November 19, 2012
Gov. Chris Christie clearly placed education at the top of his priorities from the day he was elected three years ago, making his very first stop a Newark charter school and promising a host of reforms to come.

NEW MEXICO

Charter Objectivity Questioned
Albuquerque Journal, NM, November 19, 2012
School board members squared off Friday after one board member pressed another on whether her position as a charter school administrator creates a conflict of interest on charter issues.

NEW YORK

Private School Goes All In With Tech
Wall Street Journal, November 18, 2012
Educators have experimented with technology for decades, starting with dusty computer carts shoved into corners in the 1970s, but perhaps no school in the nation has integrated digital tools into the classroom on the scale of Avenues, which opened in September.

Charter Proposal Has To Win The Support Of Parents
Buffalo News, NY, November 18, 2012
By and large, we are in favor of any and all strategies that will improve the education that Buffalo school children are constitutionally entitled to receive.

As Deadline Nears, Contract Talks Hold Up Evaluations
Star Gazette, NY, November 18, 2012
Disagreements over school employees’ salary and benefits — not the new state-mandated teacher evaluations — are what’s stalling some New York districts and their union partners from submitting performance assessment plans by a January approval deadline.

Charters Upset Learning Balance
Albany Times Union , NY, November 17, 2012
Chris Bender of the Brighter Choice Foundation insults proponents of public school education in Albany when he writes in his commentary (“Charter accountability paying off,” Nov. 12), “Oh, by the way, the failure of all 15 schools in the City School District of Albany is obvious.”

NORTH CAROLINA

Charter Schools Board Makes Move Toward Careful Expansion
Winston Salem Journal, NC, November 18, 2012
In a little-noticed move, the State Board of Education has reinforced North Carolina’s charter schools expansion. With our political leaders firmly behind charters, the state is clearly headed towards a greater reliance on them. The 100-charters cap that stood for more than a decade is gone and there could be as many as 130 charters operating next year.

News 2 Investigates Whether Charter Schools Are Working In NC
WFMY News 2, NC, November 18, 2012
We’ve all heard criticism about our public schools over test scores, class sizes or staff. As an alternative, the state started dozens of charter schools.But are they working?

Fund, Reform Public Education
The Daily Reflector, NC, November 19, 2012
North Carolina Republicans’ historic success on Nov. 6 gave the party control of both the executive and legislative branches for the first time in more than a century, empowering GOP leaders to advance their agenda without interference. Reform of the state’s public education system has long been among those priorities and lawmakers have already signaled their willingness to tackle that issue when they convene in Raleigh .

OHIO

A School-Rating Revamp?
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 19, 2012
Changes over two years would include going to A-F system, raising academic standards

Charter School Is About ‘Choice,’ Say Staff at Believe to Achieve Academy
Canton Repository, OH, November 18, 2012
The gorgeous marble main floor of what was once the famed Stern & Mann department store now reverberates with the echo of school children.

PENNSLYVANIA

Camden’s Use Of State Funds To Help Charter Debated
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 18, 2012
As part of the $175 million state takeover fund given to Camden in 2002, $7 million was set aside for business lease grants to stimulate business growth throughout the city.

Three Charter Schools Could Open In Erie Area
Erie Times-News, PA, November 19, 2012
Three new charter schools are hoping to open in the Erie area for the 2013-14 school year, including one led by a former Erie School Board member.

New Charter Schools Hoping To Take Wing In City, County
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 19, 2012
As many as four new charter schools could open in Pittsburgh next fall, and others are in the works for elsewhere in Allegheny County.

Ambitious Plan Questioned As Chester Upland Looks To Rebuild School System
Delaware County Times, PA, November 18, 2012
There has not been a lack of proposals to rescue the Chester Upland School District during the last two decades as it has often wallowed in a pool of red ink — both financially and academically.

Failure To Reform Charter Funding Leaves Pa. Pension Bubble On The Table
Mercury News, PA, November 18, 2012
The legislative quagmire that is Pennsylvania’s charter school funding formula once again went unaddressed this legislative session.

TEXAS

School Vouchers No Bargain For Students
San Antonio Express, TX, November 19, 2012
I desperately wanted out of that Southern California high school, which was demanding when it came to safety but undemanding, it seemed to me, when it came to academics.

WASHINGTON

Up Next For Charter Schools: Plans, Panels And Lawyers
The Columbian, WA, November 18, 2012
Now that voters have spoken about charter schools, will the new, independent public schools be an option at the beginning of the next academic year? It seems unlikely.

It’s Time To Make Charter Schools Work For Washington State
Seattle Times, WA, November 17, 2012
Voters have spoken on charter schools. Gov.-elect Jay Inslee and other leaders should get started creating innovative, high-quality charter schools.

WISCONSIN

22% Of Potential MPS Students Now In Charter Schools
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, November 18, 2012
At many traditional public high schools, the last bell of the school day signals the imminent transition to extracurricular activities, from musical rehearsals to sports practices.

State Upgrades Principal Evaluations
Wausau Daily Herald, WI, November 19, 2012
Several Wausau School District principals are participating in a pilot program created to refine and standardize the way school leaders are evaluated.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Manchester Plan Would Put Students In ‘Virtual’ Courses, Could Stem Overcrowding
New Hampshire Union Leader, NH, November 18, 2012
Could technology help solve the problem of crowded classrooms? The district is poised to find out as soon as next semester, when it plans to offer “virtual” classes that students at the three high schools would be able to take without physically being in the same room as a teacher.

PA Cyber CEO’s Consulting Work Questioned
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 17, 2012
In May 2010, one of the top managers at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School wrote to his leadership team about what he called a “new and exciting program.”

Race, Class and Schools
Huffington Post Blog by Kevin P. Chavous
November 14, 2012
We must ensure that integrated schools and integrated classrooms are available to all students no matter their race or their class, and we must also start embracing and learning from our differences.

The Suburban Education Gap
Wall Street Journal, November 15, 2012
Parents nationwide are familiar with the wide academic achievement gaps separating American students of different races, family incomes and ZIP Codes. But a second crucial achievement gap receives far less attention. It is the disparity between children in America ‘s top suburban schools and their peers in the highest-performing school systems elsewhere in the world.

New Measures Demand Attention
Daily Trojan, CA, November 14, 2012
Last week voters across the country approved measures that will change the face of American education.

How Education Could Plunge Off The ‘Fiscal Cliff’
CNN Blog, November 15, 2012
Sequestration: The word strikes fear in the hearts of school boards and administrators nationwide, and with good reason.

STATE COVERAGE

ALABAMA

Charter Schools Unlikely In Alabama’s Future
Sand Mountain Reporter, AL, November 14, 2012
Gov. Robert Bentley said he doesn’t plan to propose the legalization of charter schools again in the 2013 session of the Legislature.

ARIZONA

Arizona Charter-School Enrollment Is On Rise
Arizona Republic, AZ, November 14, 2012
The number of students enrolled in charter schools has increased in Arizona , with many school districts feeling the impact as they lose more students to charters.

CALIFORNIA

Not All Desert Trails Parents Happy With Charter Choice
High Desert Daily Press, CA, November 14, 2012
The decision to convert Desert Trails Elementary School in Adelanto to a charter was decided by a mere 53 votes — a sign many say underscores the controversy surrounding the “parent trigger” movement at the struggling school.

L.A. School Board Rejects Charter Oversight Measure
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 14, 2012
A majority on the Los Angeles Board of Education wanted no part of a resolution that sought to impose more oversight on charter schools.

Twenty-one California School Districts Apply For Controversial Federal Grant
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 14, 2012
Twenty-one California school districts and educational consortiums have applied for a $400 million federal grant program that has been strongly opposed by many teachers unions.

COLORADO

Reviewers: D-11 Charter Applicants Meet Requirements
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, November 14, 2012
Parents, teachers and community members spent about two hours during a public hearing Wednesday praising three charter schools seeking to open in Colorado Springs School District 11.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

After D.C. School-Closure Proposal, A Flurry Of Activity
Washington Post, DC, November 14, 2012
A day after D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced her plan to close 20 schools, parents across the city signaled their intent to protest, labor leaders said they would push to unionize charter schools and charter-school advocates vowed to fight for control of vacated buildings.

D.C. Schools Chief, Watch Your Back
Washington Times, DC, November 14, 2012
While it seems as though Ms. Henderson is trying to clear out schoolhouses to help make way for the two things that matter most — teaching and learning — it’s clear not all stakeholders are on the same school-reform road.

D.C. Teachers Union Wants To Unionize City’s Charter Schools
Washington Post, DC, November 14, 2012
Washington Teachers’ Union President Nathan Saunders said Wednesday that he wants to unionize the city’s charter schools and will push for legislative changes to make it easier to organize their teachers, who educate a growing number of D.C. students.

FLORIDA

Superintendent Address Exodus To Charter Schools
ActionNewsJax, FL, November 14, 2012
Among the topics discussed, Duval County’s fight against the student exodus to Charter Schools.

Education Panel Backs Property-Tax Hike
News-Press, FL, November 14, 2012
A state-appointed education task force is recommending increasing property taxes in an attempt to make funding more equitable between charter and traditional schools.

GEORGIA

Sometimes It’s Not Just A Matter of ‘Perception’
Columbus Ledger Inquirer, GA, November 14, 2012
To state the quantifiably obvious: Georgia voters’ resounding approval of the charter schools amendment was unmistakable evidence of dissatisfaction with the status quo in public education.

ILLINOIS

Charters Not Immune From Closings, CPS Says
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 15, 2012
Chicago Public Schools officials say they plan to get tough with privately run charter schools that are failing academically this year and could shut down those that aren’t making the grade.

Parents Call For More School Options As CPS Mulls Neighborhood Campus Closings
Medill Reports: Chicago, November 14, 2012
As Chicago Public Schools officials consider closing up to 100 schools, a group of parents and community leaders called on the district to offer more alternative educational options like charter campuses.

INDIANA

New Superintendent Glenda Ritz Likely To Face Obstacles From GOP Foes
Journal Courier, IN, November 14, 2012
Glenda Ritz didn’t take it personally when, less than 24 hours after she won the Nov. 6 election, Republican lawmakers felt the need to announce that they wouldn’t try to eliminate the position of elected state superintendent — for now.

IOWA

Board Looks For Ways To Bolster Teacher Preparation Programs
Des Moines Register, IA, November 15, 2012
A tiered accreditation program and more rigorous student teaching requirements are two reforms being considered by the state Board of Education as it searches for ways to strengthen Iowa ’s teacher preparation programs.

LOUISIANA

Voucher Funding Provisions Challenged
The Advocate, LA, November 15, 2012
The state Department of Education’s attempt to avoid a Nov. 26 hearing in federal court ignores a century of U.S. Supreme Court rulings confirming that a federal court can take action to ensure state officials comply with federal law, Tangipahoa Parish School Board attorneys say.

BESE Gives Preliminary OK To Expanding Unified Enrollment System In New Orleans
Times Picayune, LA, November 14, 2012
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, meeting in New Orleans on Wednesday evening, gave preliminary approval to policy changes touching on two of the more pressing issues facing the state-run Recovery School District: the push for a unified enrollment system that encompasses all of the city’s public schools, and the possibility that some of the district’s schools may return to the local School Board for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.

MARYLAND

College Park Academy Opening Date In Flux Despite Location Choice
Maryland Gazette, MD, November 15, 2012
A new charter school in College Park initially planned to have classrooms filled by next school year may not be ready until 2014, officials said.

MICHIGAN

State Lays Out Plans For New EM Law
Detroit News, MI, November 15, 2012
The race to find a workable replacement for the controversial emergency manager law is bearing down on a six-letter word — choice.

Teachers Union Sues DPS Over Layoffs
Detroit News, MI, November 15, 2012
The union representing Detroit Public Schools teachers sued the district Wednesday over what it calls improper layoffs based on performance evaluations.

Can Detroit’s Schools Be Fixed?
Detroit News, MI, November 15, 2012
The Detroit News’ Nov. 14 report, “Detroit Public Schools board votes to cut ties to educational authority”: As far as I’m concerned it’s now time for them to break the ties with all the things that cloak their incompetence and stupidity.

Bashing Of Current Schools By Backers Of Proposed Charter School Hurts Community As A Whole, Jackson County Superintendents Say
Jackson Citizen Patriot, MI, November 14, 2012
The bashing of current K-12 school districts by proponents of a new charter school is disappointing and unnecessary, Jackson County school superintendents say.

Focus On Achievement Gap Hurts Students
Eastern Echo, MI, November 14, 2012
While it is certainly undesirable that black and Latino students consistently score significantly lower than their white classmates on standardized tests, the hyper-focus on closing this gap is a waste of time and is causing far more harm than good.

MISSISSIPPI

Lawmakers Renew Charter School Fight
Desoto Times Tribune, MS, November 15, 2012
Last Legislative session, the House Education Committee, with votes as narrow as 16-15 at times, killed a bill to expand charter schools, led in part by three DeSoto County lawmakers who serve on the House Education Committee, State Rep. Wanda Jennings, R-Southaven, Rep. Pat Nelson, R-Southaven and Rep. Forrest Hamilton, R-Olive Branch.

MISSOURI

Charter Schools Thrive In St. Louis
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, November 15, 2012
St. Louis was one of the top five districts in the nation for highest percentage charter school enrollment in the 2011-12 school year, according to a new report.

NEBRASKA

Explain Grading System Clearly
Omaha World-Herald, NE. November 15, 2012
More school systems are moving to adopt standards-based grading. The Westside and Council Bluffs school districts have it in place. So does Omaha Public Schools, which is adjusting it this year.

NEVADA

Report: Clark County’s Charter Schools Fastest-Growing In Country
Las Vegas Sun, NV, November 15, 2012
The number of Clark County students enrolled in public charter schools grew by 64 percent from the 2010-11 to 2011-12 school years, according to a national report released Wednesday.

NEW JERSEY

Teachers Clear Newark Pact
Wall Street Journal, November 15, 2012
The Newark Teachers Union approved a groundbreaking contract Wednesday that introduces a form of merit pay and gives teachers input into each others’ annual performance evaluations.

Newark Teachers Vote ‘Yes’ on Precedent-Setting Contract
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, November 15, 2012
After a year of negotiations and three weeks of sometimes-brutal internal debate, Newark public school teachers and other staff ratified a historic labor agreement yesterday that will reshape pay and many rules for New Jersey’s largest school district.

OHIO

Quarter of Youngstown’s Students Attend Charter School
Youngstown Vindicator, OH, November 15, 2012
A quarter of the students living within the city school district attend public charter schools.

Nine Schools Held Up For Praise
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 15, 2012
Eastmoor was one of nine Ohio schools highlighted in a report released yesterday that examined the attributes and practices of high-performing schools serving large populations of poor students.

Local Charter School Wins Six-Figure Counseling Grant
Springfield News Sun, OH, November 14, 2012
The K-6 charter school this fall won a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Education for $504,713 to dramatically expand its limited school counseling program.

PENNSYLVANIA

CU Road To Recovery Is Going To Be Rocky
Delaware County Times, PA, November 14, 2012
Call it Rocky Road. The Chester Upland School District did not get into its current dismal state — annually among the worst-performing school districts in Pennsylvania — overnight. It will not dig out of this morass anytime soon.

SOUTH CAROLINA

S.C. Education Board: Teacher Letter Grades Won’t Happen
The Herald, SC, November 14, 2012
State education board members assured teachers Wednesday that the Education Department’s proposal to give teachers letter grades will not be part of South Carolina’s performance-based evaluation system, which is set to start statewide in 2014-15.

New Charter School Has Environmental Approach To Learning
Georgetown Times, SC, November 14, 2012
For students at the new Cape Romain Environmental Education Charter School, the Lowcountry’s newest charter school, the earth is the biggest classroom.

TENNESSEE

Great Hearts Charter Won’t Reapply With Metro Nashville Schools
The Tennessean, TN, November 15, 2012
Great Hearts Academies will not reapply to operate a charter school in Nashville until Tennessee has a statewide charter school authorizer, a company official said Wednesday.

Memphis Charter School Growth Ranks Nationally
Memphis Daily News, TN, November 14, 2012
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranks Memphis City Schools as having the ninth-highest growth rate for charter school enrollment in the country.

Vouching for Education
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 15, 2012
No doubt there will be hand-wringing in some quarters over the idea of offering vouchers to low-income families in Memphis so their kids can go to high quality private schools.

UTAH

Lawmaker Looking At Ways To Bring New Charter Schools To State
Deseret News, UT, November 14, 2012
With the number of students in Utah’s charter schools growing steadily, a Utah legislator is considering a law that would allow educators to pursue new types of charter schools, rather than wait for them to be proposed.

School Finance Transparency Proposal Gets Mixed Reaction
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, November 14, 2012
Lawmakers should take action to ensure parents and taxpayers are able to see exactly how much their schools are spending, Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City , told fellow Education Interim Committee members Wednesday.

I-1240’s Excruciatingly Close Vote: Money Can’t Buy You a Landslide
Seattle Weekly Blog, WA, November 14, 2012
While charter school Initiative 1240 supporters declared victory over the weekend, opponents have refused to concede. “Not until every vote is counted,” Marianne Bischel, People for Our Public Schools spokesperson tells Seattle Weekly.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Georgia Cyber Academy: Is Virtual Charter Ignoring Real Problems With Special Ed Services?
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, November 14, 2012
The last time we discussed Georgia Cyber Academy was in response to parent comments about their significant roles as academic coaches under the online school’s instructional model.

State Education Board Criticizes Online School
WTVC, GA, November 14, 2012
State education officials are criticizing the Georgia Cyber Academy , saying the online school is failing to meet the needs of its special education students.

Schools Look To Add Virtual Course Options
Gainesville Times, FL, November 14, 2012
With more students, fewer teachers and less money, school systems are searching for ways to stay competitive with what they offer students.

Students Take Lesson Home, Do Work In Class
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, November 15, 2012
Zoller is one of a small but growing cadre of teachers nationwide who are “flipping” classroom lessons to better engage students and deepen their learning.

Enrollment in Charter Schools Is Increasing
New York Times, NY, November 14, 2012
Although charter schools engender fierce debate — most recently over ballot measures in Georgia and Washington State — their ranks are growing rapidly, according to a new report. Between 2010-11 and 2011-12, the number of students in charter schools increased close to 13 percent, to just over two million.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

Ala. Governor Won’t Try Charter Schools Again
Times-Journal, AL, November 13, 2012
Gov. Robert Bentley says he doesn’t plan to propose the legalization of charter schools again in the 2013 session of the Legislature.

ARIZONA

Charter Schools Transforming Arizona’s Education Landscape
East Valley Tribune, AZ, November 13, 2012
When the Goldwater Institute recently recruited attorney candidates from out of state, I was able to use a lure I never would have thought possible: Arizona has the best public schools in the country.

CALIFORNIA

LAUSD Rejects Voluntary Moratorium On New Charter Schools
Contra Costa Times, CA, November 13, 2012
Following a flood of protests from parents and charter supporters, the Los Angeles Unified board on Tuesday soundly rejected a resolution seeking a voluntary moratorium on new charter applications while a strategic plan is developed to better govern their explosive growth.

LAUSD Restores Full Academic Year And Full Pay
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 14, 2012
The actions were made possible by passage of Proposition 30. Members also approve a resolution to charge fees when charters claim more space on traditional campuses than they need.

Parents, Administrators Rally In Support Of Charter Schools
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 13, 2012
About 1,000 parents and administrators from charter schools flooded Beaudry Avenue in front of Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters on Tuesday in opposition to a motion the school board was to consider at its meeting inside.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Henderson Announces Plan To Close 20 D.C. Schools
Washington Times, DC, November 13, 2012
D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson on Tuesday announced 20 schools that could be closed next year, among them the alma mater of four former NBA players, the District’s first junior high school and an educational center built in 1927.

D.C. Teacher Turnover Is Astronomical
Letter Washington Post, DC, November 13, 2012
The Nov. 10 editorial “Passing a test,” about a study of the effect of D.C. school reforms, neglected to point out that the New Teacher Project, author of the study, was founded by former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee and is under contract with the D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) to provide teacher recruits. It is hardly a disinterested party.

FLORIDA

For Pinellas Teachers Upset About Evaluations, Superintendent Writes Letter Of Explanation
Tampa Bay Times, FL, November 14, 2012
For the many Pinellas schoolteachers who got less-than-perfect evaluations this year, superintendent Mike Grego plans to write a letter admitting the evaluation system itself was, well, less than perfect.

Charter School Fund Drive Nears $2 Million
News Chief, FL, November 14, 2012
Just four months into a fundraising campaign, Lake Wales Charter Schools has raised nearly $2 million.

GEORGIA

Greenville Ga. Superintendent Barge Launches Branding Campaign
Jackson Progress Argus, GA, November 14, 2012
Georgians often bemoan the quality of their public schools. But state Superintendent John Barge, fresh off a defeat in a debate over expanding charter schools, wants to change public perception.

All In For Openness, Accountability
Cherokee Ledger News, GA, November 14, 2012
As we closed out the election last week, Cherokee County and state voters spoke, and Amendment 1 passed, allowing a third entity that can approve charter schools.

Voters Deliver Blow To Charter Opposition
Newton Citizen, GA, November 13, 2012
In the crossfire of vitriol igniting the charter school debate allies and foes faced off, education officials and legislators parted ideological ways, and school boards approved and published anti-charter resolutions only to have removal forced upon them by the state attorney general.

IDAHO

Teachers to Get Merit Pay by Dec. 15
Twin Falls Times-New, ID, November 14, 2012
Even though voters overturned the Students Come First laws, teachers who earned merit pay during the last school year can expect a payment by Dec. 15.

Charter School Proposed For Blaine County
Idaho Mountain Express, ID, November 13, 2012
A group of parents and supporters of the private Mountain School near Bellevue, which minimizes technology in the classroom and focuses on academic rigor and sustainable living, is seeking to establish a public charter school in Blaine County.

ILLINOIS

‘I Want To Go To School’
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 14, 2012
Tribune reporters Gary Marx, David Jackson and Alex Richards found that nearly 32,000 Chicago students in public elementary schools — roughly 1 in 8 students — missed four weeks or more of class during the 2010-11 year.

MICHIGAN

Strengthen Reform Program For Schools
Detroit News, MI, November 14, 2012
A year and a half ago, Gov. Rick Snyder announced the creation of the Education Achievement Authority. He envisioned it as a new school district that would bring the worst-performing schools in the state into its fold. The authority began as an inter-local agreement between Eastern Michigan University and Detroit Public Schools , but now it’s time to place the reform district into law.

Detroit Public Schools Board Votes To Cut Ties To Educational Authority
Detroit News, MI, November 14, 2012
A week after voters overturned Public Act 4, the Detroit Board of Education voted Tuesday night to break the district’s contract with Eastern Michigan University and withdraw from the Education Achievement Authority.

Michigan Attorney General’s Office Seeks To Remove 7 DPS Board Members
Detroit News, MI, November 14, 2012
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office is seeking the removal of seven members of the Detroit Board of Education, accusing the members of illegally holding office because they were elected by district.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Exeter Charter School’s Goal Is To Make Everyone A Grad
Union Leader, NH, November 13, 2012
Seven years ago, the Great Bay Charter School was founded to address the growing need to provide alternatives for students who were not succeeding in a traditional high school setting.

NEW JERSEY

Department of Education Cheating Investigation Implicates Two More Schools
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, November 14, 2012
Report claims that improvements in test scores at Robert Treat Academy, a high-profile charter, defy all odds

NEW MEXICO

Funding Suggestions Try To Address Students’ Achievement Gap
Albuquerque Journal, NM, November 14, 2012
A task force looking to improve the way New Mexico distributes education funding is recommending more money for low-income students, changes to charter school funding, and district funding that is linked to the three-tier teacher licensure system.

NEW YORK

Few Parents Attend Meeting On Charter School Plan
Buffalo News, NY, November 14, 2012
A few parents from Waterfront Elementary School were among the dozen or so people who attended an informational session Tuesday evening about a proposal to turn Waterfront and East High into charter schools.

NORTH CAROLINA

New Wake Assignment Plan Draws Board Praise
News & Observer, NC, November 14, 2012
After years of bitter debate over where children will go to school in Wake County, school board members welcomed a new plan Tuesday that will move fewer than 1,500 students to different schools next year.

OHIO

Good Adviser
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 14, 2012
The search for a new superintendent for Columbus City Schools should benefit substantially from the steady hand and sincere concern of Mayor Michael B. Coleman, who is joining the effort as part of his recent outreach to the school district.

Volunteer Group’s Support Of Parents At Warner Girls Leadership Academy Is Model For School
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 13, 2012
Three years ago, every Cleveland school had a paid staffer who worked to build parent and community involvement. But those positions were among the first to be axed when the school district slashed its budget during the early recession years.

PENNSYLVANIA

School Revamp Plan Is Detailed
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 14, 2012
After years of decline, Chester Upland would close buildings and shed staff under Pa. proposal.

West Easton Fine-Tunes Zoning For Charter School
The Morning Call, PA, November 13, 2012
West Easton Borough Council fine-tuned a new zoning law Monday when it approved several additional conditions to the measure that will allow a charter school to open in what will be a renovated warehouse.

Tough Fiscal Choices Ahead For Pittsburgh Public Schools
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 14, 2012
About 10 years ago, Pittsburgh Public Schools had a fund balance approaching $100 million.
Now — despite closing more than 30 schools, eliminating hundreds of jobs and increasing class sizes — officials have forecast the district will be broke in 2015 unless it finds a way to further cut costs or increase revenues.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Legacy Charter Leading The Way In Changing Role Of Physical Education In Schools
Greenville News, SC, November 14, 2012
There are no vending machines at Legacy Charter School. The cafeteria doesn’t serve fried foods, and the new fitness center has a collegiate feel with its rows of bikes, treadmills and weight machines. There’s even a room for Zumba off to the side, where parents and faculty can sign up for free classes.

TENNESSEE

School Vouchers Task Force Unspecific on Cost, Scope
Nashville Public Radio, TN, November 13, 2012
The governor’s task force on school vouchers says they should focus on students from poor families. But a draft report from the group stops short of pinning down some tough details. Next year lawmakers will likely take up vouchers, which would divert money out of public schools, so parents could instead pay private school tuition.

Smithson-Craighead Middle School Will Close; Great Hearts Charter Gets Another Look
The Tennessean, TN, November 14, 2012
The Metro Nashville school board on Tuesday decided to close one charter school and offered an olive branch to another, Great Hearts Academies, which was denied a charter in West Nashville three times earlier this year.

School Vouchers Raise Big Issues, Need Close Study; Harwell Says
Marshall County Tribune, TN, November 14, 2012
School vouchers raise tough constitutional questions, Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell says, acknowledging America ‘s standard of equal treatment under the law.

TEXAS

Simpson Tells Longview ISD Trustees That He Doesn’t Support School Vouchers
Longview News-Journal, TX, November 14, 2012
Longview’s state lawmaker said Tuesday that he is not in favor of a voucher system for public schools.

VIRGINIA

Virginia’s Race-Based Education
Washington Times, DC, November 13, 2012
Nearly five decades after the end of the Jim Crow era, school boards just can’t let go of the race issue. Last month, the Virginia State Board of Education unanimously adopted what it called “annual measurable objectives” that assumed the graduation rate for Asian children would be 14-37 percent higher than whites, Hispanics and blacks. The bureaucracy’s obsession with skin color distracts teachers from doing their job.

VERMONT

A Tough Choice In North Bennington
Bennington Banner, VT, November 14, 2012
The closeness of the recent vote in favor of closing North Bennington Graded School and creating an independent school, and now a pending third vote forced by submission of a citizen petition — along with other factors surrounding this divisive issue — have darkly clouded what seemed a sure thing just a few short months ago.

WASHINGTON

Ill-Fated Teacher Bonuses Patchy
Spokesman Review, WA, November 14, 2012
Idaho on Tuesday revealed which schools made the cut under a pay-for-performance system rejected by voters a week earlier.

Charter Schools Coming To State, Probably Not To Cowlitz County
Longview Daily News, WA, November 13, 2012
Initiative 1240 sustained its narrow lead Tuesday afternoon, making Washington the 42nd state to approve charter schools — although it’s unlikely any will come to Cowlitz County .

The Charter-School Poison Pill
Seattle Weekly, WA, November 13, 2012
If the charter-school initiative, I-1240, passes—which is all but a sure thing now, though opponents hadn’t conceded by press time—schools activist and blogger Melissa Westbrook worries about what she calls the measure’s “poison pill.” That’s the clause that allows for an existing public school to convert to a charter.

State Schools Chief May File Suit Against Creation Of Charter Schools
Q13 Fox News, WA, November 13, 2012
A day after the charter schools initiative was declared a winner by a small margin, Washington’s superintendent of public instruction went on the offensive.

Onward With Charter Schools
The Columbian, WA, November 13, 2012
The most closely contested of Washington’s four ballot measures has been decided. Fortunately for students, parents, teachers and taxpayers, the state will join 41 other states that offer public charter schools. Initiative 1240 was passed with 50.8 percent approval on Monday afternoon.

WYOMING

Wyoming Education Reform May Take Longer
Laramie Boomerang, WY, November 14, 2012
Wyoming’s effort to make its public school students better prepared for college and careers may take up to two years longer to fully implement, members of the Wyoming Board of Education said.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

CYBER-CHARTERS: How Districts Are Luring Cyber Students Back
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 13, 2012
Trouble with other students led Jonathan Kennedy to leave middle school and enroll in a cyber-charter program.

CYBER-CHARTERS: Legislature Fails To Bring Cyber-Charters Into Line
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 14, 2012
Two students from Lancaster County school districts attend the same cyber-charter school. The teachers, textbooks, curriculum and computers are the same. Only the tuition is different: One student’s bill is more than $2,000 higher.

Georgia Cyber Academy Assailed For Missing Special Ed Requirements
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 13, 2012
State Board of Education members blasted Georgia Cyber Academy officials Tuesday, saying the online school is failing to meet the needs of its special education students.

Georgia Connections Academy 1st Virtual School To Participate In Georgia’s Apply To College Day
WJBF, GA, November 13, 2012
On November 15th, Georgia Connections Academy , a k-12 public virtual charter school, will become the state’s first online school to participate in Georgia ’s Apply to College Day.

St. Martin Virtual School
KLFY, LA, November 13, 2012
More and more students are enrolled in Saint Martin Parish’s Virtual Learning program. The program was launched this summer with just 15 students enrolled. But now, it has over 140 students.

Online Students Lag State Averages
Education News Colorado, CO, November 13, 2012
Two new studies point to a contradiction about full-time online schools – student academic performance is lower than that of students statewide but parents and students are positive about the online experience.

Charter School Credit To Be Limited
Albuquerque Journal, NM, November 14, 2012
Albuquerque Public Schools students seeking to take online classes from a charter school or other organization will soon find it harder to do so.

School Choice Victories
Wall Street Journal, November 12, 2012
Election Day was a bad one for Mitt Romney but a good one for education reformers in Washington state and Georgia and for anyone who believes in the primacy of school choice.

FROM THE STATES

COLORADO

Proposed Charter Schools Detail Offerings For D-11
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, November 12, 2012
Organizers of three proposed charter schools are seeking to join Colorado Springs School District 11’s family of seven charter schools.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

A Much-Needed Pruning Of D.C.’s Overbuilt School System
Washington Post, DC, November 12, 2012
EVEN BEFORE DETAILS are released, critics are circling to attack the school-closing proposal that D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson will release Tuesday. The shuttering of a beloved school can be one of the hardest blows to a neighborhood. But some schools have to close, and facts ought to trump emotion or nostalgia in the process.

FLORIDA

Teachers’ Union Questions VAM Data
Highlands Today, FL, November 13, 2012
The state teachers union claims the data used to evaluate teachers is insufficient and possibly inaccurate and wants Gov. Rick Scott to put the new evaluation system on hold this year.

GEORGIA

How Tybee Island Got Its School Back
Savannah Morning News, GA, November 13, 2012
Tybee Maritime Academy Charter School is scheduled to open next year. The sleepy island community hasn’t had a school since tiny St. Michael’s closed three years ago. The determined residents who spent two years planning, petitioning and raising money for a charter school are working to make sure the facility is ready to welcome children back.

IDAHO

Luna Calls Election Defeat ‘Bump In The Road’
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 12, 2012
Teachers throughout Idaho will get bonuses to recognize last year’s work despite the defeat of Idaho’s merit pay law in the Nov. 6 election, Idaho schools Superintendent Tom Luna said Monday, but about $50 million set aside for other Students Come First programs this fiscal year could fall by the wayside.

ILLLINOIS

Quest Charter School Wants To Change Fees
Peoria Journal Star, IL, November 12, 2012
District 150 pays the charter school 85 percent of standard tuition costs to operate the school, according to Barton. “Now that’s got to be modified to reflect our occupancy costs.”

Teachers Union Marches Against School Closings
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 13, 2012
As it girds for a battle over school closings, the Chicago Teachers Union is adhering to the strategy it employed during the September strike by framing the fight as one pitting regular Joes from the neighborhood against elitist big-money interests.

A Challenge Unmet
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 12, 2012
Students with emotional or learning disabilities are entitled to an education. But in Chicago, they often miss weeks of school, more than other children

INDIANA

More Accountability For Charter Schools
The Journal Gazette, IN, November 13, 2012
Ball State University is on the right track in expanding the scope of its charter school reviews. In weighing renewal of its three Fort Wayne schools this year, the university shouldn’t hesitate to hold the schools to the promise on which the state’s charter law was built: Outperform traditional public schools or close.

Marshall Academy Chief Quits
The Journal Gazette, IN, November 13, 2012
After less than six months on the job, Thurgood Marshall Leadership Academy’s principal has resigned to take a job in Fort Wayne Community Schools.

LOUISIANA

Taylor Offers Choice
The Advocate, LA, November 13, 2012
East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Bernard Taylor is suggesting creating two new magnet programs and expanding a third in the north Baton Rouge neighborhoods near Capitol High School.

Data Shows Louisiana Schools’ Hiring and Benefits – Not Vouchers – the Cause of Budget Woes
Pelican Post, LA, November 12, 2012
Scholarship critics ignoring the real culprits: more staff for fewer students and skyrocketing benefits

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter School Purchase In Works
Newburyport Daily News, MA, November 13, 2012
After looking around to purchase a permanent school site for several years, the River Valley Charter School Board of Trustees has decided there’s no place like home.

MICHIGAN

Judge: Charter Violated Rules
Detroit News, MI, November 13, 2012
A judge has ruled that the Highland Park charter schools system is in violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act for failing to notify a district board member about meetings and not releasing other information.

Jackson Community College Will Explore Authorization of ‘Early College’ Charter School At Urging of Parents
Jackson Citizen Patriot, MI, November 12, 2012
Jackson Community College officials are investigating the possibility of authorizing and overseeing an “early college” charter school that could possibly open as early as this fall.

MISSISSIPPI

House Panel Member’s Removal Could Sway Charter School Vote
Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, November 12, 2012
State House Speaker Philip Gunn has removed Rep. Linda Whittington from the Education Committee, a move that could sway the committee’s vote next session to pass a charter schools expansion bill.

A Second Chance For Mississippi Charter Schools
The Hechinger Report Blog, November 12, 2012
Republicans in Mississippi intend to fight for charter schools during the 2013 legislative session, renewing a contentious battle from last year’s session.

NEW YORK

Charter Plans: Needed Rescue Or Hostile Takeover?
Buffalo News, NY, November 13, 2012
It’s either a much-needed rescue or a hostile takeover, depending on whom you talk to. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground on the proposal to close East High School and Waterfront Elementary as district schools and reopen them as charter schools.

NY Group Pushes For Open Enrollment, School Choice
Elmira Star Gazette, NY, November 12, 2012
An Albany-area research group is calling for a statewide open enrollment program that gives parents a choice of public schools for their children.

OHIO

Groups Get Ready To Fight For Schools
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 13, 2012
There’s another big fight coming over school funding. More than 15 years after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the way the state funds public education is unconstitutional, state leaders continue to tinker with the school funding.

OREGON

Why Albany Is In Need Of A Charter School
Albany Democrat Herald, OR, November 12, 2012
As the paper recently stated, the Albany School Board is considering a proposal for a charter school in Albany . I hope the following comments, which I have shared with the school board members, will help readers understand the opportunity this charter school offers to all in our community.

PENNSYLVANIA

Philly Catholic Schools Start A Marketing Campaign
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 13, 2012
Choose My Future, a new archdiocesan marketing campaign, aims to boost enrollment in the 17 Catholic high schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia through online and radio advertisements. A newly retooled website also informs potential students.

Chester Upland School District Recovery Plan Hints At Returning Art And Music Classes
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 13, 2012
Children in the struggling Chester Upland School District could see art and music classes restored as soon as this school year, according to a financial and academic recovery plan that will be released Tuesday.

A+ Report Gives Pittsburgh Public Schools Mostly Bad Grades
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 13, 2012
Pittsburgh Public Schools superintendent Linda Lane knew she would get bad news in the annual report of A+ Schools, which Monday outlined declines in achievement, the graduation rate, number of students qualifying for Pittsburgh Promise scholarships and reduction in college readiness in her district.

Future Uncertain For Alternative High School In Suburbs East Of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 13, 2012
Then she heard from a friend about the Boyce Campus Middle College High School , an alternative school with a smaller enrollment and the opportunity to take college classes while still in high school, and she jumped at the chance to attend.

Area School Boards Move To Denounce State Education Chief
The Morning Call, PA, November 12, 2012
Bethlehem Area and Salisbury Township districts say Ron Tomalis’ policies favor charters at the expense of traditional public schools.

TENNESSEE

Great Hearts Still May Have Future In Nashville
The Tennessean, TN, November 13, 2012
The Metro Nashville school board is expected to vote tonight on whether to offer an olive branch to Great Hearts Academies, the controversial charter school it has denied three times.

Three Memphis Charter Schools In Jeopardy For Poor Grades
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2012
Three Memphis charter schools could be closed based on poor test scores, including Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering, once a flagship performer.

Bipartisan Work Helps Schools Improve
The Tennessean, TN, November 13, 2012
The 2012 election season has painted a picture of a deeply divided America , but as President Obama reminded us, “we are not as divided as our politics suggests.” And one effort where both sides of the political aisle have been increasingly aligned is the quest to transform our public schools.

VIRGINIA

Criticism Mounts Over Va. Plan To Close Achievement Gap
WVEC, VA, November 12, 2012
New math testing rates set by Virginia education officials are under fire by members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and the president of the Norfolk Federation of Teachers, Thomas Calhoun.

Charter School Law Precludes Innovation
Free Lance-Star, VA, November 12, 2012
Today, there are more than 5,600 public charter schools in the U.S. , serving 2 million schoolchildren. In Virginia , there are exactly four, with a combined enrollment of 423 students.

WASHINGTON

Charter Schools Narrowly Win Approval In Washington
Seattle Times, WA, November 12, 2012
Initiative 1240, the measure that will allow 40 charter schools to open in Washington state, has passed.

Legal Challenges Ahead For Charter Schools?
KPLU, WA, November 12, 2012
Now that charter school backers have declared victory, opponents are readying possible legal challenges to the new law established by Initiative 1240.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Virtual School Driving Enrollment Growth In Lawrence
Lawrence Journal World, KS, November 12, 2012
Enrollment in the Lawrence school district grew slightly more than budget officials had projected earlier this summer, which means they’ll have about $57,000 more to spend in the current school year than they had budgeted in August.

Hall County Board Of Education Looking Into Virtual Classes
Gainesville Times, GA, November 12, 2012
More Hall County students could take classes completely online — on their schedule and from anywhere — as early as next semester.

Is There a Need for Parent Trigger Laws?
US News & World Report, November 11, 2012
November Seven U.S. states have passed “parent trigger” laws, which give parents the ability to petition for changes at their children’s low-performing public schools. If more than half of the parents at a school sign the petition, the school district must comply with the changes. These can include hiring a new staff, hiring a public charter school operator to take over reforms, or closing the school altogether and sending students to better performing neighboring schools.

Comparing the Success of Nations in Schooling
New York Times, NY, November 12, 2012
In the world of international education, what Andreas Schleicher thinks matters.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Lawsuit Against Teacher Tenure Laws, Seniority Rights Advances
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 9, 2012
Supporters of a lawsuit to make it easier to remove ineffective teachers hailed a court ruling Friday that will allow them to proceed with efforts to overturn teacher tenure laws and seniority rights.

COLORADO

One Denver Charter To Close, Another Decides Not To Open
Denver Post, CO, November 10, 2012
Denver’s list of charter- school options is shrinking by two.
Northeast Academy has notified Denver Public Schools that it will close its doors in May and surrender its charter.

CONNECTICUT

Efforts To Reform Bridgeport Schools Won’t Stop
Connecticut Post, CT, November 10, 2012
A failed attempt this week to give control of the city school board to the mayor won’t scare off Paul Vallas or his sweeping education reform efforts.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. School Study Vindicates Michelle Rhee’s Reforms
Washington Post, DC, November 10, 2012
REMEMBER THE predictions that former D.C. Public Schools chancellor Michelle A. Rhee’s overhaul of teacher evaluation and compensation would lead to damaging upheaval? That there would be an exodus of good teachers? Those claims — like much of the criticism of D.C. school reform — have been proven baseless: Three years of dramatic change in personnel policy has made the District a model for smart teacher retention.

FLORIDA

Gov. Scott’s Mixed Bag On Schools
Tampa Bay Times, FL, November 12, 2012
The best news about Gov. Rick Scott’s newfound embrace of public education: He’s not asking lawmakers to change much this coming year.

GEORGIA

Attention Shifts To New Charter School Commission
Savannah Morning News, GA, November 11, 2012
Now that Georgia voters have approved a constitutional amendment affirming the state’s authority to create special public schools, attention has shifted to putting the new policy in action.

Charter School Amendment To Have Little Effect Here
Gainesville Times, GA, November 11, 2012
Members of both the Gainesville City Schools and Hall County Schools boards of education have publicly opposed the amendment, saying the current status of the state’s education budget is not conducive for added stress.

Georgia Legislative Caucus To Join Lawsuit Against Gov. Nathan Deal Over Charter School Amendment
Augusta Chronicle, GA, November 11, 2012
Georgia voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment that will allow a state committee to authorize charter schools, but some legislators and educators are not dropping their fight to stop it.

Passage Of Charter Schools Amendment Heartens Some, Worries Others
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 11, 2012
With the bruising battle over the charter schools amendment in the state’s rear-view mirror, educators and politicians are focusing on what they believe comes next.

A Victory For Choice
Augusta Chronicle, GA, November 10, 2012
Sometimes voters send mixed messages. On Tuesday, for instance, they told pollsters the country was on the wrong track – and then voted to stay the course.

IDAHO

Otter Should Take Lead On Education
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 12, 2012
The path to true education reform — worthy of the name, and worthy of our kids — is through collaboration, sorely lacking in the drafting of and politicking for Propositions 1, 2 and 3.

Students Come First Opponent: ‘Ultimately, Voters Do Get The Final Say’
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 11, 2012
Mike Lanza, leader of Vote No on 1, 2, 3, reflects on the campaign that repealed school laws backed by Idaho ’s most powerful politicians

ILLINOIS

Groups To Protest CPS Closings Monday
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 11, 2012
A list of Chicago schools targeted for closing may be months away, but the fight by community groups and the teachers union to thwart the district’s plan is under way and continues with a scheduled downtown demonstration Monday.

Should This School Be Saved? The Fight Over Chicago’s Dyett High
Reuters, November 11, 2012
By just about any definition, Walter H. Dyett High School has failed. Just 10 percent can pass the state math exam; barely one in six is proficient in reading. The technology lab is so ancient, some of the computers still take 3-inch floppy disks. More teens drop out than graduate.

INDIANA

Many Seek To Understand How Tony Bennett’s Heavily Funded Campaign Failed
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 11, 2012
State Superintendent Tony Bennett’s stunning defeat last week to Glenda Ritz sent shockwaves well beyond Indiana .

Ball State Examines Local Charter Schools
The Journal Gazette, IN, November 11, 2012
The fate of three local charter schools is on the line during ongoing reviews by Ball State University .

Bennett’s Reforms Cost Him His Job
Post-Tribune, IN, November 11, 2012
Indiana’s aggressive education reforms engineered by Tony Bennett galvanized his opposition and likely cost the state’s education chief his job.

New State Superintendent May Face Limit On Power
News and Tribune, IN, November 11, 2012
Democrat Glenda Ritz won the race for the state’s schools superintendent by challenging the education overhaul implemented by the Republican incumbent Tony Bennett, but her power to stop the sweeping changes in Indiana schools may be limited.

LOUISIANA

Education Groups Deploy For Teacher Training
The Advocate, LA, November 12, 2012
Officials of two education groups plan to train 50 teachers to instruct their colleagues on Louisiana’s new educator evaluations and changing curriculum.

MICHIGAN

Teach For America Works To Help Detroit Schools
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 12, 2012
Ramachandran is a second-year teacher, recruited by Teach for America , a national program that trains recent college graduates to teach in struggling and high-poverty schools nationwide. This year, Detroit has the sixth-largest Teach for America corps in the nation — 225 teachers in all.

MONTANA

When It Comes To School Choice, Pupils Before Profit
Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT, November 12, 2012
Back in September, we heard from Greg Gianforte regarding school choice. On behalf of the students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers across the state, I would like to interject some truth into this conversation.

NEVADA

Dream Turns Into Reality
Nevada Appeal, NV, November 10, 2012
As I have mentioned before, I and a group of parents and teachers have been working to develop a new charter high school/middle school with a strong focus on the arts. After two years of hard work, the Public Charter School Board Authority approved our ap¬plication on Oct. 19.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

TEAMS Charter School Enrollment Grows, Leaders Hope For More Students
Concord Monitor, NH, November 12, 2012
After facing the prospect in August of starting the year with zero students, the TEAMS charter school in Penacook found three students just in time and now has seven students enrolled. It’s Director George Roger’s hope that the growth will continue.

NEW JERSEY

More New Jersey Students From Low Income Families Receiving Healthy Breakfast At Their Schools
Courier News, NJ, November 11, 2012
More students in New Jersey from low-income families are receiving a healthy breakfast at the start of their school day, a recent report shows.

NEW MEXICO

Academy Adds Many APS Pupils
Rio Rancho Journal, NM, November 10, 2012
A few years ago, a group of Rio Rancho High School teachers got together and decided to open the city’s first charter school, with the goal of targeting not only the city, but Albuquerque students as well.

NEW YORK

The Elite Eight, on the Federal Radar
New York Times, NY, November 12, 2012
The civil rights office of the federal Department of Education has rightly decided to investigate a complaint filed in September by civil rights groups over the admissions policies of eight highly competitive “specialized” high schools in New York City, among which are Stuyvesant, the Bronx High School of Science and Brooklyn Technical High School.

Districts Wonder if Race to Top Is Worth Cost
Times Herald-Record, NY, November 12, 2012
The federal Race to the Top competition is making school districts dole out far more money than they’re receiving from the program, according to school officials and experts.

Charter School Team Didn’t Do All The Math
Times Herald Record, NY, November 12, 2012
I’ve got a bone to pick with the charter school approval process — because things literally don’t add up. It now looks as though the first charter school for the mid-Hudson is almost a done deal. The questions now focus on costs.

Charter Accountability Paying Off
Albany Times Union, NY, November 11, 2012
The State Education Department’s list of new failing and high performing schools in New York state painted a clear picture of the reality of school performance in Albany.

NORTH CAROLINA

Private School Debate Awaits New Governor
News & Observer , NC, November 10, 2012
Gov.-elect Pat McCrory received a welcoming message from a group that wants more charters and public money to support private school education.

OHIO

Parental Involvement In Education Leads To Successful Students, Stronger Schools
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 11, 2012
Khalilah Jones joined a crowd arriving for the first parent meeting of the year at Citizens Academy and overheard a mother telling her kids, “Hurry, we’re late.”

Tecumseh Tries To Avoid State Takeover
Springfield News Sun, OH, November 11, 2012
Tecumseh Local School District faces state financial takeover if it does not balance projected budget shortfalls before November 2013.

OKLAHOMA

Education Dept. Lifts Rule On Transfers
Tulsa World, OK, November 11, 2012
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has notified school districts across the state that they don’t have to offer school choice to as many schools as originally intended.

A-F Grading System Already Having An Effect In Some
The Oklahoman, OK, November 11, 2012
A little over two weeks after the release of report cards for each of Oklahoma’s 1,744 school sites, the A-F grading system is already having more impact than the prior Academic Performance Index system of school evaluation.

PENNSYLVANIA

Easton Area School District To Bill Cyber And Charter Schools For Students Who Play Sports
Lehigh Valley Express-News, PA, November 12, 2012
Former Easton Area School District students who transferred to cyber and charter schools can still play for Easton’s home teams, but their new schools will have to pay.

TENNESSEE

Local Control At Risk In Charter Schools Fight
The Tennessean, TN, November 12, 2012
“Move on” is the sound bite of the moment. It’s a targeted message, and it’s appealing. We are all suffering from Great Hearts fatigue. I wholeheartedly agree with my colleagues on the Metro Board of Education that this controversy has been an immense distraction from important work we must undertake, and I guarantee that no one wants to “move on” more than I.

Memphis Parents Sound Off Against Achievement School Process
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2012
More than 60 parents and community members like Barbara Swearengen-Ware, former Memphis City Council member, listened to the reasons the state needs to take over failing public schools, at a recent meeting, then let loose with their worries.

A Magic Wand?
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2012
I don’t understand how the state can come into a city school, take it over and — voila! — the school is automatically predicted to “make enough improvement to be in the top 25 percent of schools statewide” in five years (Nov. 8 article, “State taking over 10 more city schools”).

Compare All Metro Schools Online
The Tennessean, TN, November 10, 2012
Officials at the Tennessee Charter School Incubator and Metro Nashville schools are launching a joint online portal that allows side-by-side comparisons of test scores for charter and traditional public schools.

VIRGINIA

Parents Hope To Save Middleburg By Turning It Into A Charter School
Washington Post, DC, November 10, 2012
Loudoun County public school enrollment has essentially doubled in the past decade, with the district taking in thousands of new students every year and racing to build new, look-alike buildings to relieve some of the pressure on crowded schools.

Charter Schools, the Cliffhanger Issue of the 2012 Election
The Atlantic, November 10, 2012
The presidential election, gay marriage, and marijuana legalization all had clear outcomes. So why is the Washington state charter school vote still too close to call?

WASHINGTON

Anxiety, Resignation As School Boards Mull Charter Schools
Kitsap Sun, WA, November 11, 2012
School officials in Kitsap and North Mason counties are sketching out strategies to accommodate charter schools, should Initiative 1240 pass.

Opponents Not Conceding Charter-Schools Ballot Victory
Seattle Times, WA, November 10, 2012
Charter-school supporters claimed victory Saturday, but opponents refused to concede in the face of a vote tally that remains too close to call.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Prospects For Pupils Following Graduation
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
How do cyber-charter students fare after graduation?
Commonwealth Connections Academy’s website lists nearly 500 colleges and universities that have accepted its graduates, including Harvard University and Amherst College .

Cyber-Charter Pupils Not Connecting Well On Pa. Tests
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
SusQ-Cyber Charter School promises “the best education possible.” PA Distance Learning Charter School claims it “fosters academic excellence.” But neither school has made “adequate yearly progress” for at least three years. PA Distance’s graduation rate is 51 percent. SusQ’s is 32 percent.

CYBER-CHARTERS: Critics: More Oversight Needed
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Taxpayers can get an inside look at local school districts by visiting their child’s classroom or attending a school board meeting.
Brick-and-mortar charter schools are authorized and overseen by the school district in which they’re located, giving nearby residents some degree of input.

Districts Floored By Payments To Charter-Cyber Schools
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Lancaster County school districts’ annual cyber-charter costs are soaring. According to a Lancaster Newspapers analysis, county districts paid almost $14 million in cyber-charter tuition in 2011-12.

Who Is Taking The Attendance At Cyber-Charter Schools?
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Cyber-charter leaders say many checks and balances are in place to make sure students log on and do their work. But critics say tracking attendance relies too heavily on the honesty of the student and the dedication of the student’s family.

Several Mid-Michigan Schools Begin Offering Virtual Learning Centers
Morning Sun, MI, November 11, 2012
With time comes change and with change comes growth. Through the years education and technology have been changing and schools have been growing to encompass these new changes. With locations in Ashley High School , St. Louis , Fulton and St. Johns , several mid-Michigan schools provide new virtual learning centers.

Online School Is Adding K-5 Classes
Star Tribune, MN, November 10, 2012
An online public school affiliated with the Fergus Falls School District is expanding its program to include elementary students.

Big Labor’s Losses
Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2012
Unions can boast about helping President Obama win re-election and raising taxes through the roof in California, but when their own causes were directly at issue on Tuesday, unions didn’t fare so well.

Election Day Brings Victories And Setbacks For Teachers Unions
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
Teachers unions scored political victories in several states Tuesday, beating back proposals that ranged from merit pay to school vouchers and unseating a Republican school superintendent with a national reputation for aggressively changing the way teachers are evaluated and compensated.

FROM THE STATES

ALASKA

Student Achievement Could Be Part Of Teacher Evaluations
Anchorage Daily News, AK, November 8, 2012
A new rule proposed by the Alaska Department of Education would add student achievement — in the form of test scores or other data — to the criteria on which teachers are evaluated each year.

CALIFORNIA

Novato Charter Supporters, Opponents Square Off
Marin Independent Journal, CA, November 8, 2012
More than 250 people packed the Novato Unified School District ‘s headquarters Thursday night to debate a controversial proposal for a new charter school.

School Board Rejects Woodland Poly Charter
Daily Democrat, CA, November 8, 2012
The Woodland school board rejected a proposal for a K-8 charter school Thursday night, with most trustees saying petitioners were simply not ready to start a new school yet.

Lawsuit Against Teacher Tenure Poised To Move Forward
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 8, 2012
A lawsuit to overturn teacher tenure laws and seniority rights remained on track Thursday when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a tentative ruling allowing the litigation to move forward. Judge Rolf M. Treu did not rule on the merits of the case.

Teachers Union Says SF Students Shorted
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, November 8, 2012
San Francisco teachers union officials have refused to name names, but said Thursday they stand behind their allegations that some district schools are violating state law by depriving students of science, history, art, physical education and other required subjects to focus solely on boosting math and English scores.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C.’s Education Emergency
Washington Examiner, DC, November 8, 2012
The District continues to have a public education emergency. Many charters could be considered mediocre. A significant number of traditional schools have been labeled low performers; some of those, undoubtedly, are on Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s and DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson’s facilities closure list, expected to be released within days.

DCPS Graduation Rate Up Slightly; But Well Short of Goals
Washington Examiner, DC, November 8, 2012
The number of students who graduated from D.C. Public Schools in four years increased by three percentage points to 56 percent last year, but the system’s chief said DCPS would have to pick up the pace and make stronger gains to meet its goals.

School And City Officials Address Truancy Rates In District
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson said Thursday that the school system’s high truancy rates amount to an educational “crisis,” as D.C. officials disclosed that more than 40 percent of the students at Ballou, Anacostia, Spingarn and Roosevelt high schools missed at least a month of school last year because of unexcused absences.

FLORIDA

Florida’s Race-based Standards Are A Solution With Problems
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 9, 2012
Race is never far below the surface when talking about public education. Except right now. Thanks to a recent decision of the State Board of Education, it’s not below the surface at all, stirring all sorts of emotions.

Former YMCA Complex to Become New Charter School
WCJB, FL, November 9, 2012
As the YMCA of north central Florida deals with its financial hardships, one of their old facilities is getting a new ‘lease’ on life.

City Waives Fees for Charter School
WCJB, FL, November 8, 2012
The school was being charged about $18,000 for phase one and about $62,000 for phase two.
City council member Daniel Owen said he was in favor of waiving the fees because there are quality students graduating from the charter school.

GEORGIA

Lawmaker Wants To Let Parents Decide On Charter Schools
My Fox Atlanta, GA, November 8, 2012
A leading Georgia lawmaker wants to make it easier for parents to convert traditional public schools into charter schools. State Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta) plans to introduce legislation to do that in the next General Assembly session.

IDAHO

No Timeline for AG Opinion on Merit Pay
Magic Valley Times, ID, November 9, 2012
School districts and public charter schools will receive pay-for-performance money later this month, but that doesn’t mean it will make it into teachers’ hands.

Unfinished Students Come First Business
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 9, 2012
When it came to passing Students Come First, state Superintendent Tom Luna’s far-reaching and hastily assembled K-12 overhaul, Idaho’s powers that be certainly figured out how to move quickly.

ILLINOIS

As CPS Shows, Time Is Now For Real School Choice
Chicago Sun Times, IL, November 9, 2012
In fact, we are pleased enough with the education our children are receiving that we pay their tuition on top of the hefty taxes we pay to support public schools. But many families can’t afford to this, which raises the question: How can we best ensure greater choice for children of all means and backgrounds? One idea is for tax dollars to flow to students rather than to schools.

INDIANA

New State Superintendent May Face Limit On Power
Pharos Tribune, IN, November 9, 2012
Democrat Glenda Ritz won the race for the state’s schools superintendent by challenging the education overhaul implemented by the Republican incumbent Tony Bennett, but her power to stop the sweeping changes in Indiana schools may be limited.

Reformers Shake Up IPS Board
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 8, 2012
The effort to raise standards, improve performance and enforce accountability in Indiana ‘s schools suffered a heavy loss Tuesday with the defeat of incumbent state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett. The education reform movement is likely to face significant obstacles now that Democrat Glenda Ritz, a vocal opponent of most reform measures, will now run the state Department of Education.

LOUISIANA

EBR Superintendent Taylor Wants Four School Regions
The Advocate, LA, November 9, 2012
East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Bernard Taylor on Thursday suggested dividing 36 public schools in Baton Rouge into four attendance regions where students could choose to attend any school in the region.

MARYLAND

Progress for City Schools
Baltimore Sun, MD, November 8, 2012
The most recent data on high school graduation and dropout rates from the Maryland State Department of Education suggest that while Baltimore City still lags behind other jurisdictions, it is making solid progress in its school reform effort.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charting Progress
Boston Herald, MA, November 9, 2012
I read with interest the letter that stated charter schools do not enroll a student and then keep them through to their graduation and urging that “taxpayers focus on the high dropout rate of charter schools” (“More to the story” Oct. 23).

Marshall Elementary Moves A Step Closer To Becoming In-District Charter School
Boston Globe, MA, November 8, 2012
Plans to convert Dorchester’s Marshall Elementary School into an in-district charter school are closer to fruition.

MICHIGAN

With State Takeover Rejected, Detroit Schools Can Refocus Mission To Serve Students
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 9, 2012
Detroit Public Schools has been both numerically and academically decimated during the past decade.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

$4.45 Million For NH Charter Schools
Union Leader, NH, November 8, 2012
The Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee Thursday approved the necessary money to meet the state’s obligation to the 17 charter schools operating today.

Committee Approves $4.5M For Charter Schools, But Officials Say More Needed To Lift Moratorium
Nashua Telegraph, NH, November 9, 2012
The state’s Joint Fiscal Committee approved an additional $4.45 million to help cover the costs of the state’s charter schools, but the move will not reverse the current moratorium on approving new charter schools.

OHIO

Local Schools Feel The Pinch From Loss Of State Funding
Youngstown Vindicator, OH, November 9, 2012
Cuts in state funding for public schools and the diversion of funds from public school districts to charter schools and voucher programs have been a fact of life in Ohio for years.

Northeast Ohio Students Move Frequently In Some School Districts, Study Says
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 8, 2012
A new statewide study attaches numbers to a situation faced by many Ohio teachers every year: The names on their student roster on opening day aren’t going to be same ones they check off on the last day of school.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Passion, Questions Abound on Choices for FSD1
Morning News, SC, November 8, 2012
Choices Charter School is safe through the end of the school year despite a lapsed charter, according to a report the Florence School District 1 board heard Thursday night, though the district has more questions than answers on how to keep the school open after that.

TEXAS

Texas School Finance Trial Presses On
Texas Tribune, TX, November 9, 2012
The massive trial involving more than two-thirds of the state’s school districts and most of its charter schools has been under way for two weeks now — and while the evidence will continue to pour in until January, the arguments of all seven parties, including the state, have taken shape.

WASHINGTON

Spokane Will Seek Charter School
Spokesman Review, WA, November 9, 2012
Although votes are still being counted on Washington ’s charter school initiative, Spokane Public Schools officials have already decided the district will apply to have one if it passes.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Charter School Holds Online Classes During Power Outage
The Advertiser News, NY, November 8, 2012
A power outage didn’t stop one local school from holding classes. The Sussex County Charter School for Technology, which is located in Sparta , was closed and without power since the initial winds and rain from Hurricane Sandy affected the area last Monday until this Tuesday when its lights initially came back on.

Learning Before Dollars
Pittsburgh Tribune Review, PA, November 8, 2012
While I agree that cyber education provides a valuable service, the news story “Districts hit Web to lure students, save money” (Oct. 29 and TribLIVE.com) made some inaccurate and misleading claims.

Warwick Board Reviews Progress Of ‘Virtual Academy’
Lancaster New Era, PA, November 8, 2012
Warwick school board members on Tuesday received a good news about the performance of the district’s new cyber school.

Lake County School Board Raises Eyebrows By Tapping Umatilla High School Principal For Virtual School
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 9, 2012
School Board members last week — without a word of discussion — reassigned a veteran principal to oversee Lake’s virtual school while keeping his salary of $102,610 a year.

Some Online Schools A Waste Of Money?
Fox 23, OK, November 8, 2012
Taylor is one of 240 students who learns online through Tulsa Public Schools’ own program – Tulsa Learning Academy – while Chelsea signed up online with another program, Oklahoma Virtual High School through a charter school called Epic One-on-One.

Election Shows Voters Divided Over Education
Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2012
Voters delivered mixed verdicts on a raft of education-related ballot questions, highlighting the deep divide across the country over how to run public schools.

A Call For President Obama To Change Course On Education
Washington Post, DC, November 7, 2012
With the election behind us, it is time for the Obama administration to step back from its education policy and access whether its foundation is sound and supported by evidence. It is a moment to summon the courage to change course.

Teachers Unions Notch Big Wins On State Education Votes
Reuters, November 7, 2012
Teachers unions won several big victories in both red and blue states Tuesday, overturning laws that would have eliminated tenure in Idaho and South Dakota, defeating a threat to union political work in California, and ousting a state schools chief in Indiana who sought to fundamentally remake public education.

Evaluating Teachers Based on Student Test Scores Hurts Children the Most
Washington Times, DC, November 8, 2012
My daughter Caroline is a bright, sweet, inquisitive thirteen year-old. She also has autism. Over the past seven years of school, Caroline has made amazing progress because she always been included in the general education classroom with the help of a 1:1 aide.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Passage of Prop. 30 Hailed By Educators
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 8, 2012
College students will be spared tuition increases, thousands of classes will be restored, and younger students will avoid a shorter school year, they say.

COLORADO

Board Grants Extension To Local Charter School
Pueblo Chieftain, CO, November 8, 2012
The Connect School has been granted another five-year extension of its charter with Pueblo County District 70.
The school board Wednesday night unanimously agreed to the charter renewal that now will run through 2018.

D-11 Board Hears About Three Proposed Charter Schools
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, November 7, 2012
Colorado Springs School District 11 board members have one less charter school application to consider this month.

CONNECTICUT

Impact Of Charter Vote On Finch’s Influence Unclear
CT Post, CT, November 7, 2012
A bid to seize control of the city school board was a gamble Mayor Bill Finch took and lost. Yet few are ready to say he or the Democratic machine are too bruised as a result.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Charter Board Releases School Ratings
Washington Post, DC, November 7, 2012
The D.C. Public Charter School Board released charter-school ratings Wednesday that aim to provide a way to assess and compare education choices across the city.

Study Chides D.C. Teacher Turnover
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
The District has higher-than-desirable teacher turnover, but a report released Thursday finds that the public school system is succeeding in holding onto its best teachers at nearly twice the rate as its lowest performers.

Heated Debates Expected over School Closures
Washington Informer, DC, November 7, 2012
A maelstrom of controversy is erupting over a list of District of Columbia Public School [DCPS] closings that made its way onto the Internet last week. As a result, pressure has been put on D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson to come clean about which schools are marked for closure or consolidation.

Moving The Best Teachers To The Worst Schools
Washington Post Blog, DC, November 7, 2012
Here are two tough questions for D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson. They are suggested by a study from TNTP, a nonprofit teacher improvement organization for which Henderson once served as a vice president:

FLORIDA

New Charter School Targets iGeneration
The Palm Beach Post, FL, November 8, 2012
The iGeneration Empowerment Academy is tucked into a corner office complex directly behind Stayin Alive Fitness Center in Palm Beach Gardens.

Merit-Pay System Flawed
Florida Today, FL, November 8, 2012
I want to call your attention to a destructive policy that will have dire consequences for your children. Florida’s ill-conceived merit pay evaluation system may result in your children being subjected to inferior teaching.

GEORGIA

New Charter Schools Commission Could Crank Up In February
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, November 7, 2012
The new Georgia Charter Schools Commission voters approved Tuesday could start meeting as soon as February.

Charter Schools Win Support in Georgia Vote
New York Times, NY, November 8, 2012
Two ballot measures concerning charter schools, which are publicly financed but privately operated, spawned fierce battles in Georgia and Washington State .

IDAHO

Otter To Seek ‘Path Forward’ On Education
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 8, 2012
Though his name wasn’t on the ballot, Gov. Butch Otter said he got the message from voters who soundly rejected education reforms he championed with state Superintendent Tom Luna.

What Next For Ed Reform?
The Coeur d’ Alene Press, ID, November 8, 2012
Now that Idaho voters have given Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna’s education reform initiatives the boot, what’s next? Top administrators from Kootenai County’s three largest school districts say it’s unclear, while teachers say they’re eager to move forward toward finding reform solutions that will increase teacher effectiveness and improve student outcomes.

INDIANA

What Does Tony Bennett’s Defeat Mean For Future Of Education Reform In Indiana?
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 7, 2012
Under four years of Tony Bennett, Indiana embraced education reform at an unprecedented level — so swift, so sweeping that Indiana and its school superintendent have emerged as among the nation’s leaders in the education reform movement.

The Takedown of Tony Bennett
Journal Courier, IN, November 7, 2012
What do they say about Washington, D.C. ? Congress is broken, but my representative … well, he’s OK. Twist that a bit and apply it to Indiana schools, and you get a sense of how Tony Bennett, the state’s run-and-gun school reformer, went down so spectacularly and unexpectedly in Tuesday’s elections.

GOP Firm Despite Education Coup
The Journal Gazette, IN, November 8, 2012
Top Republican officials, including the current and future governor, argued vehemently Wednesday that their education reform mandate is intact despite the defeat of Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett.

ANDREA NEAL: Education Reform Could Be Daniels’ Enduring Legacy
Evansville Courier & Press, IN, November 8, 2012
Mitch Daniels used his first term to get Indiana’s fiscal house in order. His second term sealed his reputation as the education reform governor.

LOUISIANA

Jefferson Parish School Board Approves Young Audiences Charter
Times-Picayune, LA, November 7, 2012
The Jefferson Parish School Board, in an 8-1 vote Wednesday, approved a new charter school that will focus on the arts and theater. Young Audiences is set to open in the 2013-14 school year with a location yet to be determined. It will accept applications from students across the parish.

James Meza Wins Extension As Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent Into 2014
Times-Picayune, LA, November 7, 2012
The Jefferson Parish School Board on Wednesday unanimously agreed to extend Acting Superintendent James Meza’s contract through June 2014 and name him permanent superintendent.

Neville Board: Monroe System Still An Option
Monroe News Star, LA, November 8, 2012
Neville Charter School Board members say they are willing to consider negotiating with the Monroe City School District for a shared services contract, but they’re not discontinuing their efforts to charter through the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

MASSACHUSETTS

Parents Listen In To Potential Changes Coming To The Marshall Elementary School
Boston Globe, MA, November 7, 2012
On Monday night parents and staff from the Marshall Elementary School in Dorchester listened nervously to what Superintendent of Boston Public Schools Carol R. Johnson had to say about the possibility of the school being turned into an in-district charter school.

MICHIGAN

Emergency Manager Law Rejection Doesn’t Change Much In Muskegon Heights
The Muskegon Chronicle, MI, November 7, 2012
Voters’ repeal of the state’s emergency manager law doesn’t affect the changes made in the Muskegon Heights school district, but does offer the elected school board a little more say in the education children receive.

MISSISSIPPI

State GOP Renewing Charter Schools Push
Madison County Journal, MS, November 7, 2012
Gov. Phil Bryant and fellow Republicans who lead the Mississippi House and Senate say they have big plans to overhaul public education during the 2013 session.

NEVADA

It Is Time To Get Engaged In Incline Education
North Lake Tahoe Bonanza , NV, November 7, 2012
As the front page story indicated in last week’s Bonanza (Nov. 1), a proposal for a NV-sponsored K-12 public charter school to be located in Incline Village was denied approval on Oct. 21. This proposal was first discussed in public at the Oct. 19 WCSD School Board candidates forum (though no members of the charter development team were present).

NEW YORK

A School Distanced From Technology Faces Its Intrusion
New York Times, NY, November 8, 2012
That presents a challenge for the Mountain School: how to regulate the use of smartphones and other devices that serve as a constant distraction for 21st-century teenagers, who are here to engage with the rural setting and with one another.

Charter Conversion Pitch Falls Flat With Teachers, Buffalo School Board
Buffalo News, NY, November 7, 2012
A heated two-hour public hearing Wednesday night sparked plenty of hostile exchanges, along with allegations of racism and questions about a profit motive, regarding a proposal to close East High School and Waterfront Elementary and reopen them as charter schools.

OHIO

Test Scores Suffer When Kids Move
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 8, 2012
The students aren’t staying put. Not in Columbus, a district that has long struggled with a student population that often changes schools. Not in many suburban central Ohio schools either. And not among charter schools, where just a few in this area have stable populations, according to a first-of-its kind look at kindergarten-through-12th-grade student mobility in Ohio.

Cleveland School Board Votes To Restore Full School Day, Along With Cut Programs, After Levy Wins
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 7, 2012
Cleveland schoolchildren will have 50 minutes returned to their school day in January, after East Side voters overwhelmed West Side opposition to give the district more money Tuesday.

OREGON

It’s Official: Evans Valley Elementary School Site Goes To Homeschool Group
Mail Tribune & Daily Tidings, OR, November 8, 2012
The Rogue River School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to transfer the deed for the former Evans Valley Elementary School site to a nonprofit group supporting homeschool students.

Equity In Education Benefits All Of Us
Portland Tribune, OR, November 8, 2012
Make no mistake, at Portland Public Schools, our goal is to increase student learning for every student — whether they are white, black, Latino, native, Asian or multiracial.

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia’s School Commission Borrows $300 Million To Pay Its Bills
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 8, 2012
The Philadelphia School Reform Commission moved Wednesday to borrow $300 million – money it needs just to pay teachers, heat buildings, and buy books for the rest of the school year.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Shealy Says She Will Vote To Loosen Gun Laws, Give Tax Credits For Private Schools
The State, SC, November 8, 2012
Newly elected state Sen.-elect Katrina Shealy said Wednesday that she will work to make concealed weapons permits optional and pass a school-choice bill – two issues soon-to-be-former state Sen. Jake Knotts opposed.

TENNESSEE

As The Metro School Board Decides Whether To Sue The State, Two New Members Undergo A Baptism By Fire
Nashville Scene, TN, November 8, 2012
For the better part of this year, if you engaged local politicos, journalists or civilian junkies in a political discussion, you’d be likely to hear the same observation: “The school board is where all the action is.”

Education PACs Show Muscle In Tennessee Races
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 7, 2012
Two groups promoting charter schools and vouchers poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into state and local political races this year and wrote some of their biggest checks last month as they pushed to fill state House and Senate chambers with supporters.

Achievement School District Prepares to Take Over 10 More Schools
WREG, TN, November 7, 2012
The state-run Achievement School District is preparing to take over another 10 schools in Memphis for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year.

TEXAS

School Choice Works … If You’re Choosy.
Houston Chronicle, TX, November 7, 2012
Attention parents: It’s time to start shopping for schools, picking the best for your kid to attend next year. The good news is that the Houston area offers parents one of the nation’s broadest selections of public-school (free!) options, not to mention many good private and religious schools. The bad news is that navigating all those options takes time, effort and savvy.

WASHINGTON

Charter Schools Measure Leads By A Slim Margin
Everett Herald, WA, November 7, 2012
More ballots have been counted, but the results are still unclear for Washington’s charter schools initiative.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

6News Explores Cyber Charter Schools In Pennsylvania
WJAC Johnstown, PA, November 7, 2012
Is tax money well spent on a cyber charter education? It’s a hot topic for some school administrators and parents. As 6News found out, the answer to the question depends on who you ask.

Wauwatosa District Studies Creating Virtual Charter School
Wauwatosa Now, WI, November 7, 2012
The Wauwatosa School District could add a virtual charter school to its options under a presentation made to the School Board on Monday night.

Moving Beyond the Politics of Education
Huffington Post Blog by Kevin P. Chavous, November 6, 2012
On the heels of the most expensive, hype-driven presidential campaign in U.S. history, it is probably blasphemy to suggest that we depoliticize education.

The President Wins. Does Education Win, Too?
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, November 7, 2012
One of the least discussed issues in this presidential campaign was education.
Beyond sharing their respect for teachers, the two candidates gave few details about their education vision or plans. Education was never discussed with much depth at any of the debates.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

Prop. 204: Bid To Retain 1-Cent Tax Fails After Flood Of Last-Minute Ads
Arizona Daily Star, AZ, November 7, 2012
After seeing a barrage of last-minute advertising, Arizona voters rejected a proposal to create a permanent 1-cent sales tax surcharge to fund education and other issues.

CALIFORNIA

Merced Teachers Union Backs Controversial Federal Grant Proposal
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 6, 2012
A Merced teachers union has voted to back a controversial federal grant program, but only after extracting district guarantees that student test scores would not be used to evaluate individual instructors.

Proposition 30 Appears Poised To Pull Off Surprise Victory
Peninsula Press, CA, November 7, 2012
Proposition 30, an initiative backed by Gov. Jerry Brown to raise income taxes on wealthy Californians to support public education, appeared poised to to a surprise victory despite trailing in the week leading up to the election.

In California, a Tight Battle Over a Tax Initiative to Help Schools
New York Times, NY, November 7, 2012
California voters weighed in on a ballot measure Tuesday that would raise taxes by $6 billion annually over seven years, bringing an end to an acrimonious, $123 million battle between Gov. Jerry Brown, who said the money was necessary to save the state’s public schools, and conservative opponents in and outside the state.

CONNECTICUT

Bridgeport Keeps Right To Vote For School Board
Connecticut Post, CT, November 6, 2012
City voters on Tuesday soundly rejected a well-financed plan backed by Mayor Bill Finch that would have empowered him and future mayors to appoint members of the Board of Education — taking the choice away from registered Bridgeport voters.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Mary Lord Wins At-Large Seat On D.C. Education Board
Washington Post Blog, DC, November 7, 2012
Mary Lord appears to have easily won the at-large seat on the District’s State Board of Education, defeating parent activist Marvin Tucker.

FLORIDA

Board Oks Charter School With Alternate Calendar
Gainesville Sun, FL, November 6, 2012
A nearly year-round charter school will open in July 2013 in Gainesville after the Alachua County School Board voted Tuesday to approve its contract.

Dixon School of the Arts Won’t Close This Year
Pensacola News Journal, FL, November 6, 2012
Dixon School of the Arts will not face closure this year. The state Board of Education unanimously approved a waiver request Tuesday for the charter school to stay open.

Funding Levels A Key Issue For School Districts — And Students
Fort Meyers Beach Observer, FL, November 7, 2012
At The News-Press Second Annual Education Summit, Governor Rick Scott laid out his education platform for the 2013 Legislative Session. The Governor touched on a few areas, but I wanted to focus in on two of the larger issues.

Florida Voters Reject Most Constitutional Amendments, Including “Religious Freedom” Proposal
Tampa Bay Times, FL, November 7, 2012
The Florida Legislature loaded up this year’s historically long ballot with 11 lengthy and confusing constitutional amendments — only to see voters reject almost all of them.

GEORGIA

NMHS Could Become A Magnet School
Douglas County Sentinel, GA, November 6, 2012
New Manchester High School’s principal and band director spoke to the Douglas County Board of Education (BOE) Monday night, outlining a plan to become a magnet high school.

State’s Voters Approve Charter Amendment
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 6, 2012
There were lobbying and lawsuits, points and counterpoints and a Brinks truckload of out-of-state campaign cash.

Charter Schools Get Voter Nod
GPB, GA, November 7, 2012
Georgia’s Constitutional Amendment 1 passed by a comfortable margin Tuesday. It will re-establish a state commission that can approve and fund charter schools over the objections of local school boards.

Charter School Measure Wins, But The Fight Has Just Begun
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Blog, GA, November 7, 2012
Perhaps you thought that trip to the polls would settle the struggle for control over your kid’s education – the one waged between the public school establishment and the ladies and gentlemen who inhabit the state Capitol.

IDAHO

Idaho Education Reform Laws Headed For Defeat
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 7, 2012
Voters show their resistance to Luna’s overhaul, sending down Propositions 1, 2, and 3.

ILLNOIS

No More Illusions
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 7, 2012
Illinois education officials reported last week that more than eight in 10 elementary school students met or exceeded standards in math and reading in the latest round of state achievement tests. That’s up from about six in 10 a decade ago.

INDIANA

Tony Bennett Loses Re-Election Bid As School Superintendent To Challenger Glenda Ritz
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 7, 2012
Incumbent Republican Tony Bennett and Democratic challenger Glenda Ritz were locked in a tight race for superintendent of public instruction on Tuesday night.

A Mandate for Ritz
Journal Gazette, IN, November 7, 2012
Gov.-elect Mike Pence might want to reconsider his plan to push for more school choice. The message Indiana voters sent in electing the first Democratic state superintendent in 42 years is a clear sign they’ve had enough.

Reform-minded Candidates Secure IPS Board Seats
Indianapolis Business Journal, IN, November 6, 2012
The Indianapolis Public Schools board will have a new look in the new year. Reform-minded candidates Caitlin Hannon, Gayle Cosby and Sam Odle were elected Tuesday to the seven-member board, which governs the troubled urban school district. Incumbent Diane Arnold had no opposition.

LOUISIANA

Term Limits Seeing Wide Approval
The Advocate, LA, November 7, 2012
A bid to enact term limits for local school board members was winning approval by wide margins in the Baton Rouge area, according to incomplete election results on Tuesday night.

Cenla Parishes OK Term Limits For School Boards
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, November 7, 2012
Rapides Parish voters decided Tuesday to limit school board members to three terms.

MICHIGAN

Michigan Voters Kill Emergency Manager Law, Reject All Proposals
Detroit News, MI, November 6, 2012
Financially troubled cities and school districts in Michigan were dealt a blow of uncertainty when voters struck down the state’s Emergency Manager law.

MINNESOTA

Osakis Charter School To Close Its Doors
Osakis Review, MN, November 7, 2012
“An orderly winding down” of the Osakis Lakes Area Charter School (LACS) was approved on a 4-0 vote at a special meeting of the LACS School Board on Tuesday, October 30, according to Phil Grant, LACS director.

MISSISSIPPI

Group Seeks Education Reform
Hattiesburg American, MS, November 6, 2012
The 62,000-member Parents’ Campaign, a private-sector, non-profit advocacy organization for public education progress in Mississippi, makes a non-legislative priority one of its most important 2013 policy goals, and it can be achieved by reforming and strengthening the curriculum in Mississippi’s public university schools of education.

NEW YORK

Making The Case For Teachers’ Merit Pay
Syracuse Post Standard, NY, November 7, 2012
I would like to endorse merit pay for teachers, which was explored in a recent Post-Standard article.

NORTH CAROLINA

N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction: Atkinson Defeats Tedesco
News & Observer, NC, November 7, 2012
Incumbent Democrat June Atkinson held a commanding lead over GOP challenger John Tedesco in the race for superintendent of public instruction late Tuesday night.

OHIO

Cleveland School Levy Sails To Apparent Victory
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 6, 2012
The Cleveland school levy was passing Tuesday night, winning support from about 55 percent of voters with almost all of the ballots counted.

Collins Wins Re-Election to Ohio Board of Education
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 6, 2012
The new board has some heavy lifting in the coming year, starting with the hiring of a new state superintendent. The post has been vacant since early August when Stan Heffner resigned following the release of a politically charged ethics probe.

OKLAHOMA

Paranoia Strikes Deep Among Some Oklahoma School Administrators
The Oklahoman, OK, November 7, 2012
Instead of concocting alternative-reality theories to explain away deficiencies, school officials must rise to the challenge and ensure all Oklahoma children get a quality education. Oklahoma schools should develop students’ critical thinking skills, not foment “paranoid style” delusions.

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota Voters Reject Teacher Merit-Pay Plan
Rapid City Journal, SD, November 7, 2012
South Dakota voters have rejected Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s plan to give bonuses to top teachers, phase out tenure and recruit candidates for critical teaching jobs.

Election: Education Reform Law Turned Back
Argus Leader, SD, November 7, 2012
Voters overwhelmingly rejected Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s education reform law, which sought to overhaul the way South Dakota public schools evaluate and reward their teachers.

TENNESSEE

TN Lawmakers Vying Over Funding For Charter Schools, Vouchers
The Tennessean, TN, November 7, 2012
Tennessee lawmakers are preparing for a pitched battle over education in the upcoming session — specifically, who’s best at providing it and whether it’s right to put public education into private hands.

UTAH

Utah State School Board Incumbents Win
The Salt Lake Tribune, UT, November 7, 2012
Incumbents appeared to win big Tuesday in a state school board election that grabbed little limelight but could have a sizable impact on Utah classrooms.

VIRGINIA

Fairfax Teachers Struggle With New Evaluations
Washington Examiner, DC, November 6, 2012
Some Fairfax County teachers said they plan to resort to “cheating” to perform well on new evaluations introduced this fall that link their ratings to student achievement, according to a survey by the teachers union.

WASHINGTON

Charter-School Initiative Has Slim Lead
Seattle Times, WA, November 6, 2012
Initiative 1240, the charter-school initiative, held a slight statewide lead in Tuesday’s initial vote count.

WISCONSIN

Educators’ Association Grows As Unions Shrink
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, November 7, 2012
As a public school teacher, I was forced to be a part of the union. For 15 years money was deducted from my paychecks. The last year union dues were taken, the amount exceeded $800, used to support policies and politicians I did not believe in.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Schools Hoping To Attract More Home Schoolers With Online Program
Gateway News, OH, November 7, 2012
When the Streetsboro City School District signed up with a digital academy that offers online courses, officials hoped it would attract more home schoolers and students who transferred to other districts back to Streetsboro.

All Eyes On Georgia, Washington As Voters Consider Charter School Initiatives
CNN Blog, November 6, 2012
(CNN) On Tuesday, voters in two states – Washington and Georgia – will be weighing in on charter schools.

Georgia’s Voters Will Decide on Future of Charter Schools
New York Times, NY, November 6, 2012
Staff members in the charter school division of the Georgia Department of Education keep notepads in their offices inscribed with a mantra: “Is it best for students? Then do it.”

The Tangled Webs Of Private Influence On Public School Reform
Washington Post Blog, DC, November 6, 2012
Last February, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization called In the Public Interest, submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for private emails and other files from Indiana school superintendent Tony Bennett and the Indiana Department of Education in an effort to track the extent of private influence on public education policy.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Woodland School Officials Oppose New Charter School
Daily Democrat, CA, November 6, 2012
Too few signatures, a poor track record and an “unsound educational program” are the main reasons Woodland school district administrators gave for not endorsing a new charter school petition by Woodland Poly’s founders.

Wildlife Group To Outline Charter School At OUHSD Board Meeting
Mercury-Register, CA, November 5, 2012
A proposed new charter school for high school students (and eventually junior high) will be the subject of a public hearing and presentation Wednesday night at an Oroville Union High School District board of trustees meeting.

Charter schools surge in Petaluma, Sonoma County
Press Democrat, CA, November 5, 2012
Sonoma County is at the forefront of the charter school movement in California with 11 new schools opening this year, second only to massive Los Angeles County Unified with its nearly 660,000 students.

Oxford Prep Officials: Test Score Success Came From Working Smarter, Harder – Not Cheating
Contra Costa Times, CA, November 5, 2012
The key to a Chino charter school’s chart-topping statewide testing scores isn’t cheating, officials at the school say – it’s working smarter and harder.

YUSD Board Considers New Charter School
Ridgecrest Daily Independent, CA, November 5, 2012
The Yreka Union School District (YUSD) Board of Trustees met for a special meeting on Oct. 30 for a public hearing in consideration of a new charter school in Yreka that would cater to Kindergarten through eighth grade home schooled students.

COLORADO

Group Proposes Charter School In Englewood
Our Colorado News, CO, November 5, 2012
Two meetings are scheduled for proponents to talk about their proposal to start a charter school in Englewood.

Aspen’s School Board Rethinking Acceptance Policy For Some Students
Aspen Daily News, CO, November 6, 2012
The Aspen School District’s Board of Education is rethinking a long-held agreement with the Aspen Community School that ensures their graduates a spot at the high school in an effort to reduce enrollment numbers.

FLORIDA

Duval School Board OKs $1M For Two-Year Bonuses
Florida Times Union, FL, November 5, 2012
The Duval County School Board voted Monday to approve more than $1 million in bonuses spread over two years for school-based and district administrators and non-union employees.

Scott Links His Education Plan To Jobs
Tampa Bay Tribune, FL, November 6, 2012
Gov. Rick Scott continued his push Monday for changes to how schools operate, saying education is the key to a robust economy.

GEORGIA

Smaller Georgia School Districts May Lose Out If Charter School Amendment Passes
WJBF, GA, November 5, 2012
The charter amendment is slated to bring more educational options to students of Georgia. But it has brought a lot of division among voters.

IDAHO

Idaho Teacher Pay For Performance: Research Vs. Experience
Boise State Public Radio, ID, November 5, 2012
Tuesday Idahoan’s will vote on propositions 1, 2, and 3. Those ask if the state should keep the controversial education laws known as Students Come First.

AJ Balukoff: Propositions 1, 2 And 3 Are Disjointed And ‘Patched Together’
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 5, 2012
The Boise School Board evaluates every program, policy and initiative with the question, “What difference does this make for students?” This is the lens that we use in the Boise district. It was not used to develop the Students Come First laws.

ILLINOIS

CPS, Level With Parents Now
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 6, 2012
Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett says the school system needs to delay a state-imposed Dec. 1 deadline to deliver a list of proposed school closings. She’s asking the Illinois Legislature to approve an extension to March 31.

Performance Appraisal System Draws Ire From Teachers, Union Officials
The Daily Northwestern, IL, November 5, 2012
Evanston-Skokie School District 65’s revised performance appraisal system drew much questioning Monday from teachers, union officials and school board members.

INDIANA

Andrea Neal: The Daniels Record: Successful Innovations
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 6, 2012
Mitch Daniels used his first term to get Indiana’s fiscal house in order. His second term sealed his reputation as the education reform governor.

LOUISIANA

Amendments, School Board Term Limits
The Advocate, LA, November 6, 2012
Term limits for school board members — No.
Voters in many communities across the state, including Baton Rouge , will vote on Nov. 6 about whether to impose term limits on members of their local school board.

Jefferson Parish School Board To Review Two More Charters
Times-Picayune, LA, November 5, 2012
The Jefferson Parish School Board will vote on the applications of two charter schools at its upcoming meeting Wednesday. The charters hoping to win approval to open in the district in the 2013-14 school year are the Young Audiences Charter Association and the Pathways in Education charter.

MAINE

In Video, LePage Slams Education Policy Attacks
Morning Sentinel, ME, November 5, 2012
Supporters of public schools have run election ads critical of the governor’s policies supporting virtual charter schools and for-profit education.

MISSISSIPPI

State Republicans Renewing Charter School Push
Clarion Ledger, MS, November 5, 2012
Gov. Phil Bryant and fellow Republicans who lead the Mississippi House and Senate say they have big plans to overhaul public education during the 2013 session.

NEW JERSEY

School Board Expected To Reconsider Proposal Backed By Norcross
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, November 6, 2012
The proposal that even a hurricane couldn’t kill is going back before the school board. At a meeting Wednesday, Camden’s Board of Education is expected to again consider a proposal for a Hope Act school to be operated by an alliance of two local foundations and a national charter-school chain.

NEW YORK

Slow Reboot for Schools
Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2012
The first day back to school for about a million New York City students after Sandy’s wrath canceled classes for a week was a slow reboot.

State Delays Release Of Teacher Ratings
Newsday, NY, November 5, 2012
The state’s chief education executive said Monday he would have to postpone the promised release of figures showing how teachers in every school district rate on a scale of “highly effective” to “ineffective,” due to technical difficulties in ensuring teachers’ privacy.

Thousands of Buffalo Classrooms Underenrolled, Consultant Says
Buffalo News, NY, November 5, 2012
One out of three middle school and high school classes in the Buffalo Public Schools have 16 or fewer students enrolled – a situation that is costing the district $7 million each year without yielding any clear academic benefits, consultants found in reports released Monday.

OHIO

Finding New Head Of Schools A Challenge
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 6, 2012
For the third time in less than five years, Ohio has a job opening for state superintendent of public instruction.

OREGON

Portland Public Schools Issues Preliminary Recommendation Against READY Public Charter School’s Approval
The Oregonian, OR, November 5, 2012
Portland Public Schools staff on Monday issued a preliminary recommendation against approving a new charter school with a career and technical focus.

Bethel Denies School’s Appeal
Register-Guard, OR, November 6, 2012
HomeSource Family Charter School made another case for its continued existence before the Bethel School Board at a public hearing Monday.

PENNSYLVANIA

Phila. District Seeking Millions In Federal Grants
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 6, 2012
Philadelphia School District officials have their eye on millions in federal funds they hope to reap through grants to be awarded in December.

Most Pupils’ Parents Approve Pittsburgh Schools
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, November 6, 2012
About two-thirds of Pittsburgh Public Schools parents surveyed would recommend their child’s school, according to the district’s 2012 parent survey.

TENNESSEE

Parents Can Log On, Pick Nashville School Of Choice
The Tennessean, TN, November 6, 2012
Submitting a school choice application to Metro schools is becoming a little easier this month with the launch of an online process designed to get more children enrolled in the school they want, an education official said.

UTAH

Weber State The First Utah University, College To Start Charter School
Standard Examiner, UT, November 5, 2012
Weber State University is branching out into the charter school business. On Friday, the Utah State Board of Education approved WSU’s application to add a charter school, which will begin with kindergartners only. A Utah legislative decision in 2010 opened the door for institutions of higher learning to start charter schools after meeting state requirements.

WASHINGTON

South King County Schools Map A Course To The Top
Seattle Times, WA, November 5, 2012
The Road Map District Consortium, including South King County schools and communities, is proposing a compelling plan to win a Race to The Top grant.

I-1240: Charter Schools In Washington State
Seattle Times, WA, November 5, 2012
I am against charter schools because I believe that not everyone has an opportunity to get into a charter school. They have to apply to more than one, taking up a lot of their time, then pray and hope to get into it through a lottery. If you don’t, you end up on a waiting list.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Tennessee Voices: Give Virtual Education A Chance In TN
The Tennessean, TN, November 6, 2012
Recently, I have encountered misinformation in regard to virtual education opportunities and the new Tennessee Virtual Academy (TNVA) here in Tennessee. I can only assume it is coming from individuals who may not understand the real virtual parent power in our state.

Local Online School Possible
Marietta Times, OH, November 6, 2012
In the years to come, Washington County residents could see more locally affiliated options for enrolling their children in online schools.