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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

This Is Only a Test
Book Review, New York Times, NY, September 26, 2013
Over the past 20 years, a rising tide of voices in the world of public policy has been telling us that public education has fallen into an abyss of mediocrity. Our schools are “broken,” the mantra goes. Principals and teachers — their lack of “rigor” and “low expectations” for their students — are the primary offenders. The problem can be “fixed” only if schools are held to strict accountability. “No excuses” are to be permitted.

U.S. parents have a role in lagging school results
Letter, Washington Post, DC, September 26, 2013
In his review of Amanda Ripley’s book on the education of children in other countries [“Are other countries’ kids really brighter?,” Outlook, Sept. 22], Jay Mathews made the following point: “The most consistent U.S. failing Ripley discovers is our way of selecting and training teachers. If we erected barriers to education careers as high as those for lawyering, we would be better off.”

STATE COVERAGE

CALIFORNIA

Low test scores place Ipakanni Charter School on shaky ground
Mercury-Register, CA, September 26, 2013
The future appears wobbly for Ipakanni Early College Charter School, which showed a drastic decline in student performance in the 2013 achievement tests.
Ipakanni Charter School opened in 2010 and is in its fourth year.

CONNECTICUT

Derby School Realignment Could Ease Widening Achievement Gap
Valley Independent Sentinel, CT, September 27, 2013
In Derby, kids from poorer minority families are clustered in Irving, while non-minority kids from families earning more money attend Bradley, just two miles away.

DELAWARE

Delaware charter school panel begins to delve into selective admissions
Delaware News Journal, DE, September 27, 2013
What impact do charter, vo-tech and magnet schools have on traditional schools in their areas? Are students from low-income families getting the same access to these schools as other kids?

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. education officials defend test-scoring decision
Washington Post, DC, September 26, 2013
District education officials defended their decision to score the city’s 2013 standardized tests in a way that yielded gains in both math and reading, arguing Thursday at a D.C. Council hearing that it was the best way to demonstrate student progress as compared with prior years.

FLORIDA

Lawmaker suggests pause before starting new school tests
Florida Current, FL, September 27, 2013
A teacher turned lawmaker has a solution to what she and others refers to as the “mess” which has become of Florida’s transition to Common Core State Standards. Rep. Karen Castor Dentel, D-Maitland, said Florida should just take a break for a year from standardized testing in public schools.

KENTUCKY

Kentucky’s high schools show biggest gains in statewide test scores
Lexington Herald-Leader, KY, September 26, 2013
Kentucky’s students are making incremental progress in basic subjects such as reading and math, with more students scoring in the highest categories of the state’s testing program, according to results released Friday.

LOUISIANA

Common Core rollout in Louisiana a ‘train wreck,’ state Democrats say
Times-Picayune, LA, September 26, 213
After a notable silence on Louisiana’s implementation of Common Core, the state Democratic Party has come out swinging, calling the rollout “a train wreck” and criticizing the state for not providing educators with the tools they need to be successful under the standards.

MICHIGAN

Michigan House passes Common Core funding
Detroit News, MI, September 26, 2013
The state House approved a concurrent resolution Thursday that would allow state education officials to resume implementation of Michigan’s Common Core Standards.

MINNESOTA

One heretic’s blasphemy: Public education works
Column, Stillwater Gazette, MN,, September 26, 2013
On Sept. 19, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten tweeted out a link to a good review of Ravitch’s latest book, “Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools.” Although Weingarten’s tweet was not directed at him, Rep. Polis responded, and he chose his words poorly.

MISSOURI

Conditions must be met when using public money for private schools
Letter, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, September 27, 2013
According to the St. Louis Beacon, perennial political candidate Bill Haas “urged that money for schools be available for use in public, charter, private or parochial schools, to give students and their families the widest possible range of options.”

NEW MEXICO

PED must defend new plan
Albuquerque Journal, NM, September 26, 2013
A New Mexico district judge on Wednesday gave the state Public Education Department 15 days to respond to claims that its new teacher evaluation system violates the law.

NEW JERSEY

Graduation rates ticking up
Opinion, Herald News, NJ, September 27, 2013
IN OFT-TROUBLED urban public school districts such as Paterson’s, it is all too common to get caught up in generalities and failing numbers, and inmaking damning statements about the district as a whole. Indeed, it is easy enough to find fault in the district, whether it be with long-simmering concerns about test scores or aging building stock.

Trail-blazing deal promises new life for old, dilapidated public school in Newark
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, September 27, 2013
Sale to private charter network of closed former school draws both questions and praise

NEW YORK

City schools have thousands of overcrowded classes, students sitting on floors or standing in doorways: union officials
New York Daily News, NY, September 27, 2013
The teachers union says more than 6,000 classes are over the limit, and that the city is dragging its feet with reducing class sizes. School officials say that the union has the ‘wrong numbers,’ while Mayor Bloomberg said the overcrowding just shows that city schools are popular.

OHIO

State report cards show: Charter schools do better than big-city schools in another study
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 26, 2013
Charter schools matched up just fine on state report cards, thank you, to other big-city schools, the Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools reports.

PENNSYLVANIA

Charter school reform bill advances to Senate
Beaver Times, PA, September 27, 2013
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives advanced legislation this week that would enact a wide range of charter school reforms, from increased oversight to decreased funding.

Rein in the charter schools
Editorial, Pocono Record, PA, September 27, 2013
Pennsylvania legislators are holding a welcome debate on school transparency that should shed a brighter light on problematic charter schools.

State test score release delayed
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, September 27, 2013
Pennsylvania’s new school accountability system has hit enough bumps that the state is delaying the public release of the first results.

West Mifflin Area files lawsuit
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, September 27, 2013
West Mifflin Area School District is preparing to file a lawsuit against the state Department of Education for what the school board deems unfair compensation for Duquesne students the district had to take on beginning in 2007 and inequality between the way public and charter schools receive funds.

RHODE ISLAND

Let teachers spend time teaching, not being evaluated
Letter, Providence Journal, RI, September 26, 2013
It is clear that the evaluation procedure requires a significant amount of time, effort and energy on the part of teachers. I can’t help but wonder if that time, effort, and energy might be better spent teaching.

SOUTH CAROLINA

School-choice experts give advice to S.C. lawmakers
The Herald, SC, September 26, 2013
As South Carolina tests its first private-school choice program for special-needs students, national experts give the state credit for some efforts to provide accountability; but they say lawmakers should take steps to ensure that the state saves money and that private schools deliver the quality education promised to the right students.

WASHINGTON

Charter School Application Process Could Get ‘Contentious,’ Says Commission Member
Seattle Weekly, WA, September 26, 2013
Last fall, as the debate over charter school Initiative 1240 was heating up, the Seattle School Board voted to oppose the measure. So when it passed, the district did not go for the status that would allow it to approve charter school applications. And it has no intention of seeking “authorizer” status for next year, says district spokesperson Patti Spencer. Districts that are interested need to alert the state by Oct. 1.

WISCONSIN

Finding Success at School
Peninsula Pulse, WI, September 27, 2013
Southern Door High School’s alternative education program gets students to graduation.

Lawmakers want to compel MPS to sell vacant school buildings
Journal Sentinel, WI, September 26, 2013
The City of Milwaukee would be compelled — again — to sell vacant and underused Milwaukee Public Schools buildings, under a bill proposed by two lawmakers that seeks to strengthen earlier legislation and give non-MPS school operators better access to the public facilities.

Missing the mark on charter schools
Opinion, Journal Sentinel, WI, September 26, 2013
The Sept. 23 Journal Sentinel article on independent charter schools in Milwaukee further confuses the already complicated picture of school performance in Milwaukee.

Schools chief takes on hot topics
Dubuque Telegraph Herald, WI, September 27, 2013
Private schools accepting students receiving taxpayer-subsidized vouchers can offer “no more excuses” for not being a part of accountability reports, Wisconsin Superintendent Tony Evers said Thursday during a speech that didn’t shy away from the hottest education topics in the state.

ONLINE LEARNING

North Middlesex seeks to open virtual school
Lowell Sun, MA, September 26, 2013
The North Middlesex Regional School District has submitted a letter of intent with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to open a virtual school within the district’s geography.

Revisions in Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School contract sought by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Republican, MA, September 26, 2013
Dissatisfied with the contract between the Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School and the K12 corporation, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has sent it back to the parties for revision.

The virtual school experience: Online option growing in popularity in Oregon
Statesman Journal, OR, September 27, 2013
Hundreds of students in the Salem-Keizer area have turned to virtual public charter schools as an alternative to brick-and-mortar schools. Although the percentage of students attending these schools statewide is small, student enrollment has steadily climbed since 2005.

Virtual School Students Meet For First Time
WILX-TV, MI, September 26, 2013
One of Michigan’s virtual schools has more than doubled in size since lawmakers removed the enrollment cap earlier this year.

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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

A Report Card on Education Reform
New York Times Blog, NY, September 25, 2013
I sat down last week in Washington with Arne Duncan, the secretary of education, and Mitch Daniels, the former Indiana governor and current Purdue University president, after they had met with several dozen chief executives of big companies to talk about education.

Test scores flat, raising concerns about students’ readiness
USA Today, September 26, 2013
Average scores on the nation’s most widely used college entrance exams barely budged this year, raising anew concerns that today’s high school graduates will be unprepared to compete in a global marketplace.

The Charter School Difference: Not Quite What We Imagined
Opinion, TC Columbia University, NY, September 25, 2013
Twenty-one years after the first charter schools opened in Minnesota, what do we know about charter school performance in the United States?

STATE COVERAGE

COLORADO

Douglas County school board leads the way
Opinion, Denver Post, CO, September 25, 2013
The way the political game is played in most urban and suburban school districts, teachers unions recruit, endorse and bankroll candidates who will reliably support the union and its liberal agenda.

DELAWARE

Capital school district balks at Delaware teacher-evaluation system
News Journal, DE, September 26, 2013
The Capital School Board is pushing back against the state’s teacher evaluation system, marking another protest among local school boards against tying teacher ratings to student test scores.

Moyer Academy clears one hurdle with purchase of Wilmington building
News Journal, DE, September 26, 2013
The New Moyer Academy charter school has inked a deal to buy its building, a move school leaders hope will put to rest concerns among some state officials that the school’s finances are not in order.

FLORIDA

Charter school drops bid following School Board criticism
Herald Tribune, FL, September 25, 2013
The list of potential charter schools has been whittled down following a virtual roast of the applications recently by the Sarasota County School Board.

INDIANA

20,047 students apply for school vouchers
Indianapolis Recorder, IN, September 25, 2013
A total of 20,047 students applied for school vouchers for the 2013-2014 school year as of the Sept. 1 deadline, according to data released by the Indiana Department of Education.

LOUISIANA

Common Core a conservative win for La.
Opinion, Shreveport Times, LA, September 25, 2013
Over the past few years, Louisiana has been a leader in education reform. Policies related to the expansion of school choice, higher standards, and workforce development will undoubtedly make a difference for children in the Bayou State.

Hypocrisy runs amok in Louisiana
Letter, Houma Today, LA, September 25, 2013
Governor Bobby Jindal and Superintendent John White, along with U.S. Republican leaders, have sold us a false bill of goods.

Jindal surprises educators with hesitation over Common Core
Monroe News Star, LA, September 25, 2013
Former Board of Elementary and Secondary Education members and current district superintendents say Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recent move regarding the implementation of Common Core are “surprising” in light of his past support.

MASSACHUSETTS

Somerville’s trial and error over teacher evaluations
Editorial, Boston Globe, MA, September 26, 2013
Boston SCHOOL DISTRICTS across the country have been coming under increased political pressure to ratchet up the intensity of their teacher-evaluation process. But as a recent episode in Somerville showed, an overly critical rating process can be as ineffective as a lax one.

MICHIGAN

A middle ground on teacher evaluations
Opinion, Detroit News, MI, September 26, 2013
When I first taught in a high school outside of Flint, I didn’t know I was getting a small taste of what it was like to be the linchpin of American public education.

House education panel delays hearing, vote on Common Core funding
Detroit News, MI, September 25, 2013
A House education committee hearing on resuming funding for Michigan’s Common Core State Standards was canceled Wednesday, after a second resolution was introduced.

MISSISSIPPI

First woman chosen as Mississippi’s permanent education chief
Clarion Ledger, MS, September 26, 2013
The first woman chosen as Mississippi’s permanent state superintendent of education in March left an urban district sullied by an investigation that revealed some teachers cheated to raise students’ test scores.

MISSOURI

Springfield public schools’ innovative programs, higher graduation rate earn praise
Springfield News Leader, MO, September 26, 2013
Following a lesson on how a dam changes the ecosystem of a river, Springfield fifth-graders spent the morning Wednesday at Lake Springfield. They learned about water safety and how to paddle a canoe, a kayak and a paddle board — because that’s how scientists have to sometimes travel to study animals or nature.

NEW JERSEY

Buono, Christie far apart on education
The Record, NJ, September 25, 2013
Governor Christie joined Newark Mayor Cory Booker — the Democrat running for U.S. Senate and the biggest name backing the governor’s opponent for re­elec­tion — to celebrate the building of a mixed development of charter schools, retail and housing.

NEW MEXICO

Groups work to keep kids in school
Albuquerque Journal, NM
September 25, 2013
In a room full of well-educated community leaders at the Zona del Sol youth and family center on Wednesday, it was a 19-year-old high school dropout who stole the show.

NEW YORK

Failed promises at 2 schools
Albany Times Union, NY, September 26, 2013
A few years since they were founded, the city’s two charter high schools have mixed results that ultimately are not better than Albany High School.

The charter school showdown ahead
Opinion, New York Daily News, NY, September 26, 2013
The high stakes in the race for mayor will rise further when an estimated 10,000 charter school parents, teachers and kids march across the Brooklyn Bridge in early October. Their message to the next mayor: Stop bashing charters, many of which are delivering high-quality education to 70,000 kids who might otherwise end up in low-performing schools.

OHIO

Ohio schools need to focus on chronic absenteeism: editorial
Editorial, Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 25, 2013
If Ohio schools want to raise high school graduation rates, they have to work with families to reduce students’ absenteeism rate, according to a study by Attendance Works, found, not surprisingly, that kids who miss school often have trouble reading and graduating from high school.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pa. lawmaker proposes to create website to increase transparency of school spending
Patriot News, PA, September 25, 2013
Citing the charges filed against officials associated with the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools as a call for action, Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, wants public schools to put be more transparent about how they handle taxpayer dollars.

RHODE ISLAND

The Highest + Lowest Performing Charter Schools in RI
Go Local Prov, RI, September 26, 2013
Charter schools vary widely in the performance of their students, with some soaring far above the statewide average while others lag behind their peers and even other public schools, data from a local education advocate shows.

TENNESSEE

Charter schools a challenge
Column, The Tennessean, TN, September 26, 2013
The Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Board has begun discussions of potential cost-saving measures for next year, including the possibility of closing or combining underutilized schools, cutting staff or increasing class sizes. Looming in the background of these discussions are increased expenses for expanding and adding new charter schools.

Director Jesse Register can’t quell parents’ fears of broken promises over MLK Magnet
The Tennessean, TN, September 26, 2013
Nashville’s top school administrator took the microphone for Wednesday’s public hearing on slicing two grades from popular Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet, but his facts and projections did little to soothe parents, teachers and former students angry with the plan.

MNPS board member Elissa Kim on why she’s not the charter-school zealot people expected
Nashville Scene, TN, September 26, 2013
At this time last year, Elissa Kim was a freshly elected member of the Metro Nashville school board representing East Nashville, seated amid turmoil surrounding the high-profile denial of an out-of-state charter school.

TEXAS

5 Texas charter school proposals contain striking similarities
Dallas Morning News, TX, September 25, 2013
Texas’ charter schools are supposed to be innovative. But once again, some nonprofit groups seeking to open new schools have submitted proposals with striking similarities.

WASHINGTON

State charter school chief to step into education spotlight
Column, Everett Daily Herald, WA, September 26, 2013
Joshua Halsey is about to become one of the most important people in public education in Washington.

ONLINE LEARNING

Batavia School District 101 joining online consortium
Kane County Chronicle, IL, September 26, 2013
Batavia School District 101 is joining with other districts in exploring how to expand online learning opportunities for students.

Cyber schools flunk, but tax money keeps flowing
Politico, September 25, 2013
Taxpayers send nearly $2 billion a year to cyber schools that let students from kindergarten through 12th grade receive a free public education entirely online.

Middle Schools Pilot Virtual Math Class
Diamondbar-Walnut Patch, CA, September 25, 2013
The virtual honors algebra II class is for advanced students who have already taken algebra I and geometry.

Moyer Academy clears one hurdle with purchase of Wilmington building
News Journal, DE, September 26, 2013
The New Moyer Academy charter school has inked a deal to buy its building, a move school leaders hope will put to rest concerns among some state officials that the school’s finances are not in order.

Who pays if L.A. Unified students lose or break iPads
Los Angeles Times, CA, September 25, 2013
L.A. Unified board grapples with the question of whether to force parents to pay for damaged or lost iPads. It’s uncertain whether responsibility was made clear to all parents.

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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Charter school figures down in Kansas
The Hutchinson News, KS, September 23, 2013
Since 2010, the number of charter schools in Kansas has declined by two-thirds, according to new figures from the state Department of Education.

Feds, Louisiana remain at odds over vouchers
Associated Press, September 24, 2013
The Justice Department touted what it called a “breakthrough” Tuesday in a dispute with Louisiana over its private school tuition voucher program, but Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal said no resolution has been reached, calling the department’s announcement a “PR stunt.”

STATE COVERAGE

CALIFORNIA

MPUSD doubts seriousness of petition for new charter school
The Herald, CA, September 24, 2013
Another charter petition bites the dust. Monterey Peninsula Unified School District trustees have denied a request to approve the California Classical Language Academy Charter School, one of three charter petitions the district is scheduled to consider this year.

CONNECTICUT

Closing the achievement gap
Opinion, Journal Inquirer, CT, September 24, 2013
The Connecticut Council for Education Reform recently released its 2013 Policy Progress Report, which introduces a new rubric to measure Connecticut’s progress in passing and implementing education reforms at the state level. These reforms are designed to close Connecticut’s widest-in-the-nation achievement gap.

COLORADO

The real debate in Denver Public Schools election
Editorial, Denver Post, CO, September 24, 2013
Barbara O’Brien has spent many years working on behalf of Colorado children, so it’s a bit jarring to hear someone claim that she is “too extreme” to serve on the Denver Public Schools board.

FLORIDA

Common chaos
Editorial, News-Herald, FL, September 25, 2013
The one certainty about Florida public education is the ongoing uncertainty about its accountability standards.

Edgewater charter school rejected
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, September 24, 2013
Last minute changes to plans for an Edgewater charter school weren’t enough to keep the Volusia County School Board from rejecting the proposal Tuesday.

Proposed Polk Maritime Charter School Gets Panel’s OK
The Ledger, FL, September 24, 2013
The proposed Polk Maritime Academy was the only one of four charter applicants received favorably by the Polk County School District’s Charter Review Committee, School Board members were told Tuesday.

Standard contract for charter schools on schedule
Florida Current, FL, September 24, 2013
Leaders of a Florida House education committee said Tuesday they expect to finalize a standard contract for school districts and charter schools during the 2014 legislative session. This spring, lawmakers passed HB 7009, which among other things required the Department of Education to proposed guidelines and language for such contracts by Nov. 1.

GEORGIA

Charter School Approvals On The Rise in GA.
GPB News, GA, September 24, 2013
Local boards of education across Georgia have approved about 30 percent of the charter school applications they’ve received so far this school year. That’s about 5 percent higher than last year.

IDAHO

Ohio ed reform advocate new charter network head
Idaho Press-Tribune, ID, September 25, 2013
Terry Ryan owns clear opinions on education and he’s not afraid to share them. He regularly wrote guest opinions and was frequently quoted in national newspapers, and in papers in his former home state of Ohio.

ILLINOIS

CPS figures show enrollment down
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 25, 2013
Enrollment figures released by Chicago Public Schools on Tuesday show an overall decline from last year despite growth in the number of students at charter schools.

IOWA

Many Iowa schools not meeting federal standards
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, IA, September 24, 2013
More than half of Iowa’s schools did not meet educational targets set by the No Child Left Behind Law during the latest academic year, according to a report released Tuesday.

LOUISIANA

Meeting on future of failing schools draws lackluster crowd
Shreveport Times, LA, September 25, 2013
Even amid the threat of school closures, consolidations or even a possible state takeover, a community meeting designed to let residents have a say in what happens to five Caddo schools drew a disappointing crowd of less than 100.

MARYLAND

State school board won’t back off MSAs
Baltimore Sun Blog, MD, September 24, 2013
Maryland’s state Board of Education said Tuesday that state testing will go forward as planned, despite calls from school district superintendents and the teachers union for a one-year moratorium.

Success of Obama’s education initiative in Maryland unclear
Maryland Independent, MD, September 25, 2013
The verdict on whether or not the federal government’s unprecedented $250 million grant to Maryland for education reform is working depends on whom you ask.

MICHIGAN

Michigan Democrats’ school reform proposal draws strong response from Republican spokesmen
Lansing Journal, MI, September 24, 2013
proposal that Democrats in the Michigan House say would improve transparency in charter and virtual school operations, determine the exact cost of public education and create new “action teams” to address issues in struggling schools has drawn a pointed response from spokesmen for Republican leaders.

MISSOURI

Student transfers brought new focus on quality in schools, Nicastro says
St. Louis Beacon, MO, September 24, 2013
The transfer of students from Normandy and Riverview Gardens to accredited school districts has forced a lot of dislocation and financial stress, but panelists at an education forum said Tuesday it has also prompted people to look at students in a new way.

NEVADA

Despite facility needs, teachers get $27.4 million in raises
Editorial, Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, September 25, 2013
Labor peace won’t come cheap for the Clark County School District. On Thursday, the School Board will vote on a one-year contract for teachers that provides a variety of pay raises at a net cost to the public of $27.4 million for the 2013-14 school year.

NEW YORK

De Blasio vs. the 99 Percent
Editorial, New York Post, NY, September 24, 2013
In just a few days, the “other” New York that Bill de Blasio says he represents — the poor and powerless — will march across the Brooklyn Bridge to raise their voices for a better future for their children. When they do, they will find de Blasio standing among the powers working against them.

OHIO

State report cards show: Charter schools received many more Ds and Fs than good grades
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 24, 2013
Charter schools in Ohio performed far worse than traditional districts on the most recent state report cards.

Teachers union can’t back Columbus school-board incumbents without pact
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 25, 2013
The Columbus teachers union has put its stamp of approval on two school-board candidates in a three-seat race. Neither one is an incumbent.

PENNSYLVANIA

Corbett budget czar’s hint that SRC could tax
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 25, 2013
Charles Zogby said what?! Zogby, Gov. Corbett’s budget secretary, said he wasn’t really expecting to make news when he told a reporter this week that there was talk in Harrisburg of giving taxing authority to the unelected members of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission.

Education Failure in Philadelphia
Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal, September 25, 2013
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has extended a lifeline to Philadelphia’s hemorrhaging schools attached to a requirement for modest education and fiscal reforms. No thanks, says the teachers union. Herewith a parable of education decline.

New Hope, York City make arguments
York Daily Record, PA, September 24, 2013
Attorneys for the York City School District and New Hope Academy Charter School argued their cases for and against the charter school’s renewal Tuesday before the state charter appeal board.

Souderton Charter School Collaborative named a 2013 Blue Ribbon School
Lansdale Reporter, PA, September 24, 2013
Souderton Charter School Collaborative, a public school established in 2000 as part of the Souderton Area School District, has been named a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in recognition of academic excellence.

State upholds revoking charter of Career Connections Charter High School
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, September 25, 2013
State education officials on Tuesday voted to uphold a decision by the Pittsburgh school board to revoke the charter for the Career Connections Charter High School in Lawrenceville.

RHODE ISLAND

Cumberland schools ‘vastly better’ than before
Opinion, Valley Breeze, RI, September 24, 2013
In his weekly editorial in The Valley Breeze (“Charter schools’ successes bolstered by caring parents,” 9/17/13) Tom Ward guessed that he might anger some people in our community by suggesting that the “better parents” in town would exclusively send their children to Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy (BVP) at some point in the near future.

WASHINGTON

North End school plan draws a crowd
Seattle Times, WA, September 24, 2013
More than 100 parents and community members packed the commons area of Nathan Hale High School Tuesday evening to share concerns about the Seattle school district’s proposal to ease overcrowding north of the Ship Cana.

Rigorous process ahead for charter schools
Editorial, Seattle Times, WA, September 25, 2013
Washington’s Charter School Commission is taking applications to open charter schools statewide. Applicants should be prepared for a rigorous process.

WEST VIRGINIA

Teachers union launches “competitive pay” campaign
Martinsburg Journal, WV, September 25, 2013
A Martinsburg native and first-year teacher, Dutko knows she could earn more teaching in a neighboring state but isn’t willing to do that – at least not yet.

Teacher union officials need to do the math
Editorial, Charleston Daily Mail, WV, September 25, 2012
OFFICIALS at the West Virginia Education Association, one of two competing teacher unions in the state, launched their annual drive for pay raises.

ONLINE LEARNING

Lakewood launches virtual school
Sentinel Standard, MI, September 24, 2013
2013-2014 school year is the inaugural year for the Lakewood Virtual High School, which is run through Lakewood Public Schools using provided content through Apex Learning.

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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Cantor turns up heat in debate for school choice
Column, Washington Times, DC, September 23, 2013
If you want to know where school choice stands today, the No. 2 leader in the U.S. House of Representations gave a pretty clear indication Monday by opening a new battlefront and throwing an obvious lifeline to Republicans, moderates and conservatives.

House Majority Leader slams federal school policy in Philly visit
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, September 24, 2013
U.S. REP. Eric Cantor, the House majority leader, popped in on a 10th-grade geography lesson at Freire Charter School in Center City yesterday before delivering a speech that jumped all over the political map.

Justice Department vs. Louisiana Voucher Kids
Opinion, Wall Street Journal, September 24, 2013
School-choice programs have faced no shortage of legal challenges en route to their adoption in 18 states and the District of Columbia. But none of the challenges is so perverse or perplexing as the Justice Department’s motion last month to wield desegregation decrees to halt Louisiana’s voucher program.
STATE COVERAGE

COLORADO

Poll shows more opposition to Colorado school finance tax measure
Denver Post, CO, September 23, 2013
Colorado voters so far remain relatively uninformed about Amendment 66, the measure that would raise $950 million in taxes for schools, but would likely vote it down if the election were held today, according to a Republican-leaning pollster.

FLORIDA

Gov. Rick Scott: Reverse course on Common Core tests
Miami Herald, FL, September 23, 2013
TALLAHASSEE After a summer of polarizing public debate, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday ordered the state education department to withdraw from a national consortium creating tests around the new Common Core State Standards.

Plan aims to bridge achievement gap for Pinellas’ black students
Tampa Tribune, FL, September 23, 2013
The achievement gap between black and white students in Pinellas County schools has long been a thorn in administrators sides, but first year Superintendent Michael Grego is hoping a new initiative will end the discussion once and for all.

GEORGIA

City schools host charter petition forum
Times-Georgian, GA, September 24, 2013
Amid public confusion on the meaning and intent of its charter system petition, Carrollton City Schools hosted a community forum Monday night aimed at answering some of those questions and gathering input for its overall strategic plan.

Georgia Supreme Court upholds charter school pension case ruling
Marietta Daily Journal, GA, September 24, 2013
Georgia’s highest court has upheld a Fulton County court ruling that bars Atlanta Public Schools from using tax dollars to pay for its pension obligations before distributing a share of the money to local charter schools.

LOUISIANA

Solutions to overcrowded classrooms
KLFY, LA, September 23, 2013
With the southern part of Lafayette Parish expected to double in population over the next 10 years, Broussard Mayor Charles Langlinais is hoping to find an answer to the overcrowded schools.

Jindal has concerns about ‘Common Core’ standards for schools
The Advocate, LA, September 24, 2013
Wading into a national debate, Gov. Bobby Jindal said Monday that he is concerned Louisiana public school classrooms would be saddled with a “federalized curriculum” sparked by a series of tougher standards called Common Core.

MARYLAND

Baltimore school system sued over homeless students
Baltimore Sun, MD, September 24, 2013
Homeless families in Baltimore have filed a federal lawsuit against the city school system, contending that their children have been denied transportation to school and been stigmatized because they couldn’t afford field trips and uniforms.

MASSACHUSETTS

Maybe it’s time for a state takeover of schools
Letter, Seacoast Today, MA, September 24, 2013
Recent data released by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education show that 60 percent of New Bedford’s public schools are categorized at the worst levels of performance and least improvement, 3 and 4.

MICHIGAN

House Dems unveil school reform plan, faces GOP opposition
Detroit Free Press, MI, September 23, 2013
Democrats in the Michigan House proposed several reforms Monday to improve the state’s K-12 schools, but without support from the Republican majority their ideas aren’t likely to go anywhere.

Students making gains under first-of-a-kind charter; school leaders set bigger goals
Michigan Public Radio, MI, September 24, 2013
On average, students under the state’s first fully privatized public school district are learning at a faster rate than under the old system. That’s according to data released Monday night by the charter company running the Muskegon Heights district.

NEW JERSEY

Newark school district, teachers union take stock after pact’s first year
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, September 24, 2013
Bonuses awarded to those who did stellar work but questions remain about how to deal with those rated as less effective

NEW YORK

Parents to rally against de Blasio’s charter school attacks
New York Post, NY, September 24, 2013
Charter-school parents and students are planning a massive rally next month targeted at Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, The Post has learned.

State raises bar for future educators
Albany Times Union, NY, September 24, 2013
The state will tighten the admissions process for its teacher education programs at the State University of New York.

With the threat of an unsupportive mayor on the horizon, charter schools shamelessly send students to protest de Blasio’s plan
New York Daily News, NY, September 23, 2013
Democrat Bill de Blasio could potentially win the mayoral race, which could spell the end of rent-free space for charter schools located within public school buildings. Twenty-two schools are canceling classes on the morning of Oct. 8 so kids can attend a Brooklyn Bridge rally against the plan.

NORTH CAROLINA

DPS, PEFNC talk charters, school choice
Herald Sun, NC, September 23, 2 013
Two forums last week focused on the challenges charter schools and public schools have and what advocates for each type of school believe their option has to offer.

OHIO

Cleveland’s Investment Schools: Family and student needs will be focus of a lead social service agency at each school
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 23, 2013
he Cleveland school district wants to add social support services to all 13 of its “Investment Schools” this year, not just the academic and atmosphere changes that last year’s school levy is already paying for.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charter schools need to do more homework
Opinion, Hilton Head Island Packet, SC, September 23, 2013
If Beaufort County charter schools are any indication, the state needs to do a better job of preparing leaders for the first year of school. The dividing line seems to be the day the school doors open.

TENNESSEE

Nashville schools’ First Choice Festival helps parents navigate many options
The Tennessean, TN, September 24, 2013
As their deep-seated rift with charter schools rages on, Metro Nashville Public Schools sought to set aside differences Monday and showcase the very schools they claim are handcuffing the district financially.

TEXAS

Minority families and leaders are critical to school reforms
Column, Dallas Morning News, TX, September 23, 2013
Until the mid-1980s, the national conversation about education largely revolved around what goes into schools: money, teachers, facilities and principals being among the “inputs” that drew our attention. But the school reform movement took off three decades ago to broaden the conversation.

VIRGINIA

Officials split on state takeover of schools denied accreditation
News & Advance, VA, September 24, 2013
Opinions vary among state and local officials and candidates when it comes to a new law giving the state the power to take over schools that don’t live up to state standards.

WASHINGTON

Panel invites charter school applications
Spokesman Review, WA, September 24, 2013
Washington state’s new Charter School Commission opened the statewide application process for charter schools on Monday.

WEST VIRGINIA

W.Va. teacher union makes push for higher salaries
Charleston Daily Mail, WV, September 23, 2013
Nearly 60 percent of the public and 97 percent of education employees believe that education employees should have a salary increase.

ONLINE LEARNING

Home-grown virtual schools
Beacon News, IL, September 23, 2013
Five school districts in and around the Fox Valley are partnering to bring online education to students who want it.

State rejects draft contract with K12; to be resent next month
The Recorder, MA, September 23, 2013
The state has rejected a draft contract between the Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School and curriculum provider K12 and asked the school to send in a new version by the middle of October.

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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

No Child Left Behind Act ignored for too long
Editorial, Poughkeepsie Journal, NY, September 21, 2013
But, when it comes to critical aspects of education reform, President Barack Obama and Congress simply can’t be counted on to do the same. Just take a look at the No Child Left Behind Act.

Voucher battle will be fought in courtrooms
Monroe News Star, LA, September 22, 2013
Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared war against President Barack Obama’s U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and has brought in what was declared some big guns to help him fight it.

STATE COVERAGE

ARKANSAS

School reformers want democracy, just not for charter schools
Arkansas Times Blog, AR, September 21, 2013
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editorial page today lamented again the low turnout in school board elections. This fits hand-in-glove with the campaign by Gary Newton, a Walton-paid head of at least two pro-charter school lobby groups,

CALIFORNIA

Fix the ‘parent trigger’
Editorial, Los Angeles Times, CA, September 23, 2013
Local tinkering isn’t enough. The Legislature and State Board of Education need to amend the law.

CONNECTICUT

Bridgeport Schools Chief Faces Dual Threats
Wall Street Journal, September 21, 2013
Two challenges to the tenure of embattled Bridgeport schools chief Paul Vallas, who was recruited with great fanfare less than two years ago, are coming to a head.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Adding more desks to D.C.’s charter schools
Editorial, Washington Post, DC, September 20, 2013
OR FIVE years, the former Charles E. Young Elementary School has sat empty, its facilities slowly rotting and fast becoming a neighborhood nuisance. Elsewhere in Northeast Washington, Two Rivers Public Charter School has been bursting at the seams and turning away students attracted by its high standards.

School superintendents speak out on key education issues
Washington Post, DC, September 22, 2013
Have Washington area school systems been hurt by federal budget cuts? Are students being bombarded with too many standardized tests? How are schools handling the implementation of the Common Core State Standards?

FLORIDA

Edgewater charter school’s fate up for vote
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, September 22, 2013
The fate of a proposed arts-focused charter school in Edgewater will be decided Tuesday by the Volusia County School Board, with school district staff recommending its application be rejected.

Issues with buildings often trip new charter schools in Palm Beach County
Palm Beach Post, FL, September 22, 2013
The Palm Beach County School District has been inundated in recent years with applications from prospective charter schools wanting to share their vision of education and carve out a stake in their growing industry.

GEORGIA

Bibb County schools take a big step by approving two charter schools
Opinion, Macon Telegraph, GA
September 22, 2013
Those words were uttered right after a presentation that sought to deny approval of the Bibb system’s first public charter school. That effort failed — not because the board voted the effort down — but the proponents of the school couldn’t get its act together.

ILLINOIS

Why $17 million went to Payton Prep
Editorial, Chicago Tribune, IL
September 23, 2013
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s announcement last week of a $17 million addition at Walter Payton College Prep High School stirred some resentment from parents and teachers, coming so soon after Chicago closed dozens of schools and reduced spending at scores more of them.

KANSAS

Charter school movement flounders in Kansas
Lawrence Journal-World, KS, September 22, 2013
Kansas has never been known as a hotbed of charter schools. But new figures from the Kansas State Department of Education show that the number of charter schools — quasi-independent schools that receive public funding but are usually managed by outside boards or private companies — is rapidly declining in Kansas, with only 11 still operating this year.

LOUISIANA

Charter schools’ growth could jeopardize East Baton Rouge schools’ finances, panelists say
Times Picayune, LA, September 19, 2013
As more charter schools open in East Baton Rouge Parish, less money will likely be available to educate students who stay in what remains of the traditional public school system.

MASSACHUSETTS

School, state officials keep on sparring
Boston Globe, MA, September 22, 2013
The new school year has brought many changes to Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden, but the change many parents had been anticipating — expansion of the school’s board of trustees — hasn’t happened, despite a July 31 deadline set by the state Department of Education.

New Boston charter schools yield high MCAS scores
Boston Globe, MA, September 22, 2013
Many Boston charter schools that have opened additional campuses frequently scored higher than state averages on last spring’s MCAS, a sign that high performance can be sustained as more students enroll, according to a Globe review of data released Friday.

MICHIGAN

See which charter schools are attracting Ann Arbor students
The Ann Arbor News, MI, September 20, 2013
Within the past five years, charter schools in Washtenaw County and beyond have drawn students from Ann Arbor Public Schools in growing numbers.

MISSOURI

Time for teacher tenure reform?
Column, Southeast Missourian, MO, September 23, 2013
We may not have rubber rooms, but Missouri superintendents recognize that teacher tenure is an issue that should be addressed.

NEW YORK

City plans to end guarantee for local high school slots
New York Daily News, NY, September 23, 2013
In a push that is alarming parents, the Bloomberg administration plans to stop guaranteeing eighth-graders a spot in the city’s remaining neighborhood high schools.

OHIO

Akron to add transportation for kids in charter schools after cuts to its own students
Akron Beacon Journal, OH, September 21, 2012
The Akron school board in its meeting Monday will consider spending an additional $300,000 to transport children not in its schools — charter school students that the state says it must bus.

Wide racial gap persists in education testing
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 22, 2013
Even if they come from affluent families or attend highly rated schools, black students in Ohio continue to lag far behind their white peers in school, according to a Dispatchanalysis of data from state standardized exams.

PENNSYLVANIA

Congressman Cantor to Speak at Philly Charter School
NBC10, PA, Sept 22, 2013
Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor is set to speak at a Philadelphia charter school on Monday to meet with students and deliver a major policy speech on school choice, according to a spokesperson.

Pennsylvania Legislature mop-up session to consider pension, school taxes, more
Tribune-Review, PA, September 22, 2013
Meanwhile, there’s a need for more openness and accountability for cyber charter schools, Turzai said.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Schools could receive flexibility on teacher evaluation processes
Capital Journal, SD, September 22, 2013
A proposed change in state rules would allow South Dakota school districts to use their own processes for evaluating teachers’ performances, rather than following the standard model already established by the state Board of Education.

TENNESSEE

MNPS School Choice Festival set for Monday
The Tennessean, TN, September 22, 2013
Leaders of Metro Nashville Public Schools learned their lesson about venues during the inaugural First Choice Festival.

MNPS attorney: Don’t be deterred by state in pursuing legal options
The Tennessean, TN, September 22, 2013
An attorney for Metro Nashville Public Schools told school board members Friday that they shouldn’t be deterred by the opinion of the state attorney general as they pursue a wide range of legal challenges over school funding inequity.

Mississippi charter schools starting up without money
Commercial Appeal, TN, September 22, 2013
Mississippi’s newly created charter school board is beginning its mission with no director and no money.

VIRGINIA

Six schools in Va. facing state takeover
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, September 21, 2013
Six schools in Virginia, including two in Petersburg, are poised to be the first seized by an embattled statewide division intended to turn around academically struggling schools.

The mayor’s evolution
Editorial, Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, September 19, 2013
Saying he has “evolved” on certain education questions, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones explained recently that he now supports charter schools and the involvement of the private sector in education.

WASHINGTON

Tacoma shows new interest in charter schools
News Tribune, WA, September 22, 2013
Tacoma Public Schools will submit a second letter of intent to state officials, indicating the district’s renewed interest in possibly becoming an authorizer of charter schools. But the soonest a charter school could open in Tacoma with the district’s blessing is still two years away.

Washington’s charter-school pioneers need to be bold
Opinion, Seattle Times, WA, September 19, 2013
Three Washington educators are at the forefront of the state’s new charter school effort. Columnist Lynne K. Varner welcomes them to this exciting endeavor.

WISCONSIN

Many independent charter schools miss mark on state report cards
Journal Sentinel, WI, September 23, 2013
Despite having more freedom over curriculum, budgets and staffing than traditional public schools, the majority of Milwaukee’s independent charter schools are not meeting performance expectations, according to statewide report card results for 2012-’13.

Sen. Kathleen Vinehout: Report cards for voucher schools? Yes
Column, Capital Times, WI, September 23, 2013
Report cards have just come out. Not for the children, but for schools. They help us know how our schools are doing and how schools can improve to help all students learn.

Voucher schools must report test scores
Editorial, Journal Times, WI, September 22, 2013
What is at question is whether private schools, such as Catholic schools, should have to report achievement data to the state if they accept students through the taxpayer-funded voucher program.

ONLINE LEARNING

Boost online learning
Editorial, News Herald, FL, September 23, 2013
Florida leaders continue to push the state forward on the issue of online education. They should keep up their efforts, despite the Sunshine State’s already high ranking in the online education field.

Hillsboro Online Academy expands to include grades 4-6, increases enrollment
Oregonian, OR, September 19, 2013
Hillsboro Online Academy, the virtual public school that the district launched in 2012, has expanded to include students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades this year.

More students taking online courses
Herald Argus, MI, September 22, 2013
The number of students in online courses at La Porte High School has increased from seven in the fall of 2012 to 181 in 2013.

Pennsylvania taxpayers cheated by charter school corruption
Letter, Lehigh Valley Times, PA, September 21, 2013
As a new school year begins, leaders of the largest and second-largest for-profit cyber charter schools stand accused of stealing from school children while Gov. Corbett and the Legislature looked the other way.

Remote learning not for all
Editorial, Post and Courier, SC, September 23, 2013
3It appears one more rift could be developing between traditional and charter schools. This time it is between traditional schools whose at-risk students leave and online charter schools where they enroll.

Santa Fe-based online academy offers alternative for 500 students statewide
Santa Fe New Mexican, NM, September 21, 2013
It’s 2 p.m. on a recent Thursday, and science teacher Yvette Martinez is preparing to review some math skills with her ninth-grade science students.

State initiative growing technology in classrooms
Augusta Chronicle, GA, September 22, 2013
The initiative is part of a larger effort to grow technology in the classrooms, from incorporating more devices into the learning experience to offering more online courses.

What will be the impact of virtual schools and technology on brick and mortar schools?
Opinion, Daily News, MI
It is clear that technology must be thoughtfully and carefully integrated into the learning environment. Technology is ever changing and will require that teachers, students and, yes, parents continually adapt.

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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Lobbying Congress with kids, Advocates push childhood education
Time, US, September 19, 2013
Members of Congress defend early childhood education.

Next Steps Weighed on Federal ‘Double Testing’ Relief
Education Week, US, September 19, 2013
The Department of Education gives states option to administer either current standardized tests or field tests emphasizing Common Core for next school year.

Opinion: The Elephant in the (Class)room
USA Today, US, September 19, 2013
Column recommends combating classroom boredom by investing in technology, early childhood education to close global achievement gap.

STATE COVERAGE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

California takes a left turn on state exams
Washington Post, DC, September 19, 2013
California suspends state exams this year, against advice of US Education Secretary.

GEORGIA

North Atlanta principal will stay and attempt to change a “You can’t” culture in APS
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, September 19, 2013
Principal rescinds resignation after having accountability concerns addressed.

Two charter schools approved for Bibb
WMAZ, GA, September 19, 2013
County school board votes in favor of two new charter schools.

ILLINOIS

Schools CEO Barbara Bennett tells charter parents closings not their fault
Chicago Sun Times, IL, September 19, 2013
Chicago Public Schools CEO tells parents charter schools not to blame for string of school closings.

KANSAS

Church to host forum on school choice at former Mueller School
Wichita Eagle, KS, September 19, 2013
Church interested in converting starting a charter school holds town hall meeting.

LOUISIANA

Charter schools still a possibility in Lafayette Parish
KATC Online, LA, September 19, 2013
Charter schools can still gain approval from state despite rejection from local board.

Former State Sen. Ann Duplessis to head pro-voucher group
Times-Picayune, LA, September 19, 2013
Ann Duplessis named president of the Louisiana Federation for Children.

State superintendent would limit school letter grade drop under new tests
Times-Picayune, LA, September 19, 2013
State superintendent says school letter grades will only drop one letter at most due to testing considerations.

MARYLAND

Linwood school dedication seen as new era of learning, cooperation
Baltimore Sun, MD, September 20, 2013
$7 million new school and facility opens for special needs students.

MICHIGAN

Pontiac High may close or move to EAA under consent agreement
Detroit News, MI, September 19, 2013
School district must make plan to transfer to state control, close building or enact reforms.

MISSISSIPPI

Community leaders show support for charter high school helping struggling students earn diplomas
MLive.com, MI, September 19, 2013
Charter school holds open house, explains mission of helping students in need of second chance.

Miss. Charter school board to seek funds
Clarion Ledger, MS, September 19, 2013
Charter school seeks money for start funds and leadership positions.

MISSOURI

Lawmakers divided on DESE request for emergency funds
Missouri Times, MO, September 19, 2013
Unaccredited school district requests emergency funds to handle student transfer costs.

St. Louis school boards break ice and meet
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 18, 2013
School Board leaders meet to discuss district rating systems.

NEW JERSEY

Grudging Acceptance of Christie Policies Sets Tone As School Chiefs Gather
NJ Spotlight, NJ, September 20, 2013
Superintendents and school officials grapple with recent state reforms in meeting with Commissioner.

NEW YORK

Delaware Seeks to Steer the Poor Towards Top Colleges
New York Times, NY, September 18, 2013
Delaware to provide vouchers to low-income achieving students for applications to top colleges.

NORTH CAROLINA

School Board candidates argue over Wake issues
News & Observer, NC, September 20, 2013
School board candidates debate over school renovations and construction projects.

OHIO

Campbell Ridge parent ready to lead
Cincinnati Inquirer, OH, September 19, 2013
Parent to attend institute to learn how to become better advocate for education and improve schools with other parents.

School choice on Catholic agenda in Kentucky
Cincinnati Inquirer, OH, September 19, 2013
Catholic district superintendent hopes for school choice legislation in Kentucky.

State report card shows: charter schools are growing but are still a small part of state’s education landscape
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 19, 2013
More students attending charter schools statewide, still small part of state education system, except in Cleveland.

PENNSYLVANIA

Boy sought help from the top in changing schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 20, 2013
Boy sends letter to President Obama expressing desire to attend new school, ends up in charter not too soon afterwards.

New school friendly tax abatement system in works
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 20, 2013
Property tax bill gives larger share of tax dollars to schools over time.

RHODE ISLAND

Opinion: Break the Chains on Charter Schools in Mass.
Providence Journal, RI, September 20, 2013
Column urges Massachusetts legislature to expand charter school sector.

TENNESSEE

Common Core hearing offers overview that keeps emotions down
Tennessean, TN, September 20, 2013
State Senate hearing holds recitation of Common Core standards in possible attempt to keep emotions down.

Criticism of MLK Magnet plan doesn’t let up in second parents meeting
Tennessean, TN, September 20, 2013
Opposition grows to eliminating 7th and 8th grades at local magnet school.

State closes Houston charter school over hiring failures
Houston Chronicle, TN, September 19, 2013
School closes after employees not properly vetted, students transfer to other schools.

VIRGINIA

Fairfax schools hiring rate is lower than many Ivy League schools’ admissions rates
Washington Post, DC, September 19, 2013
Hiring rate for teachers in Fairfax County, VA currently at 6.8%.

ONLINE LEARNING

Hillsboro Online Academy expands to include grades 4-6, increases enrollment
Oregonian, OR, September 19, 2013
Virtual public schools expands enrollment and grade levels.

Northern York expects $30,000 savings for online learning program this year
PennLive.com, PA, September 19, 2013
School district to use own teacher personnel and laptops to participate in online learning program, saving on costs.

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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Lawmakers Question Education Research’s Usefulness
Education Week, US, September 19, 2013
Congress debates usefulness of federal education research to streamline process in context of cutting down budget.

National leaders meet in Miami to discuss early education for Hispanics
Miami Herald, FL, September 18, 2013
National education leaders meet to discuss expansion of early learning programs for Hispanic children.

STATE COVERAGE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

KIPP DC, Two Rivers charters to lease shuttered District schools in Northeast
Washington Post, DC, September 18, 2013
Two high performing charter schools will lease shuttered DC school buildings in Northeast.

Opinion: Louisiana school voucher fight: Justice Dept vs poor kids
Washington Times, DC, September 19, 2013
Department of Justice lawsuit in Louisiana sets education reform backward.

GEORGIA

Getting it wrong: Can we trust the accuracy of tests?
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, September 18, 2013
The reliability of tests is becoming a critical question as students, schools and teachers are being held to higher and higher accountability.

ILLINOIS

$17 million at Peyton Prep planned
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 19, 2013
$17 million addition could create up to 400 new seats at one of Chicago’s top high schools.

Non-tenured CPS teachers rated under new system
Chicago Tribune, IL, September 18, 2013
For the first time, Chicago Public Schools released teacher evaluations based in part on student test scores, no striking changes from previous year.

LOUISIANA

East Jefferson, West Bank schools receive service-learning grants
Times-Picayune, LA, September 18, 2013
Foundation distributes grant to schools for community service projects.

MICHIGAN

Amid growth of Michigan charter schools, teachers often less experienced
Detroit News, MI
September 19, 2013
Teachers at Michigan’s 298 charter schools average three years of experience, part of a growing trend.

Pontiac district OKs consent agreement, avoids EM
Detroit News, MI, September 19, 2013
School district reaches agreement with state to deal with financial emergency, avoiding emergency manager.

MISSOURI

State school board seeks $6.8 million for Normandy
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, September 18, 2013
School district seeks funds as it experiences mass migration of students into better districts.

NEW JERSEY

State funnels $1M to Schools Ranked Lowest for performance, achievement
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ
State education department gives out grants to low-performing schools, aimed at helping students with disabilities.

NEW MEXICO

APS to City Council: Butt Out
Albuquerque News Journal, NM, September 18, 2013
Public school system criticizes City Council decision to limit funding for school infrastructure projects.

NEW YORK

Bronx partnership aims to build parent-engagement skills
Education Week, US, September 19, 2013
Local college begins program for parents to be more active in child’s education and school, more able to help children academically, behaviorally and socially.

NORTH CAROLINA

McCrory checks in on group revamping NC education
News & Observer, NC, September 18, 2013
Gov. Pat McCrory met with education leaders working to streamline state’s education system, encourage cooperation with state education budget.

Students seek to complete GEDs before test changes
News & Observer, NC, September 18, 2013
New computer based GED to launch in January based on Common Core standards, also will be more expensive.

OHIO

School levy ‘has a shot’ Coleman says
Columbus Dispatch, OH, September 18, 2013
Possibility of property tax increases to fund school districts this election cycle.

OKLAHOMA

State chamber seeks to push school choice through new nonprofit
Tulsa World, OK, September 18, 2013
Chamber seeks funds to recruit education reform advocate to push for and manage school choice program.

PENNSYLVANIA

Teacher to Corbett, Nutter: Try my job for an hour
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, September 19, 2013
Teacher challenges in a letter to elected officials to try teaching economically disadvantaged third grade students.

Washington School to be charter site in Penn Hills
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, September 19, 2013
School council approves application to convert local school facility to charter school.

TENNESSEE

Most school superintendents opt not to sign letter criticizing TN education chief
The Tennesean, TN, September 19, 2013
A majority of Tennessee school chiefs opted not to join their colleagues in publicly criticizing beleaguered Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman.

VIRGINIA

Fairfax teacher workforce grows over five years
Washington Post, DC, September 18, 2013
Fairfax County hired fewer teachers this year than in years past.

Gov. McDonnell visits Virginia Beach charter school
Virginian Pilot, VA, September 19, 2013
Governor visits charter school in effort to advocate for charter sector expansion statewide.

ONLINE LEARNING

No More Books: High School goes all digital
Detroit Free Press, MI, September 18, 2013
New York high school becomes one of first schools in the country to fully switch to a “digital library.”

Orleans Parish School Board approves city’s first blended-learning charter
Times-Picayune, LA, September 18, 2013
The joint venture education model combines in-person and online coursework.

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

NATIONAL COVERAGE

GOP wants Justice to change ruling on Louisiana vouchers
Washington Times, DC, September 17, 2013
House GOP leaders came to the defense of school-choice advocates Tuesday, calling on the Justice Department to reconsider its legal opposition to a popular school voucher program in Louisiana that gives some students from low-income families the chance to escape failing education systems.

STATE COVERAGE

CALIFORNIA

Chaos, dysfunction and the L.A. Unified school board
Editorial, Los Angeles Times, CA, September 17, 2013
During a special meeting Tuesday, the Los Angeles Unified school board will try to figure out how the district should spend more than $113 million in one-time funding to get teachers and students ready for the Common Core curriculum, the new standards in English and math that are to go into effect next year and that emphasize critical thinking over rote memorization.

LAUSD approves $113M budget to train teachers for Common Core standards
Los Angeles Daily News, CA, September 17, 2013
After debating nearly two hours and voting down a proposed compromise, the Los Angeles Unified board on Tuesday approved a plan for spending $113 million to implement a new curriculum — the same budget that triggered the resignation of the district’s instructional chief when it was rejected last week.

COLORADO

Education reform bill authors pitch ballot measure
Post Independent, CO, September 17, 2013
The return on investment in early childhood education that would come with voter approval of Amendment 66 could be seen in about three years, as fewer children will need costly intervention programs to bring them up to speed when they reach third grade, according to the lead proponent of the measure.

CONNECTICUT

Did This Little Election Strike a Big Blow to Education Reform?
The Atlantic, September 17, 2013
Progressives and unions say a primary in Connecticut last week shows momentum is turning against the corporate-backed charter-school movement.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. charter board approves new preschool evaluation tool
Washington Post, DC, September 17, 2013
The D.C. Public Charter School Board has approved a revised evaluation tool for preschools that is one of the first efforts in the country to tie the success of early learning programs to the academic performance of their students.

FLORIDA

639 school officials scold charter schools
Herald Tribune, FL, September 17, 2013
Sarasota County School Board members lambasted the applications for new charter schools Tuesday, at times calling them “bizarre” and “disrespectful” and accusing one of plagiarism.

Broward charter school forced to close after two Fs
Sun Sentinel, FL, September 17, 2013
A Broward County charter school that received two F grades in a row must close, the State Board of Education decided Tuesday, leaving parents of 249 children scrambling to find a new school.

Company running F-, D-rated schools wants to open 3 more in Orange Co.
WFTV, FL, September 17, 2013
A charter school company that runs an F-rated school is fighting to open three more in Orange County.

Orange school board turns critical eye toward first round of charter applicants
Orlando Sentinel Blog, FL, September 17, 2013
Despite changes in state law, the Orange County School Board didn’t hold back when the first four charter applicants appeared before them Tuesday night.

Teachers still waiting for promised pay hikes
Sun Sentinel, FL, September 17, 2013
More than four months after Gov. Rick Scott and the legislature approved $480 million in raises for educators, teachers in South Florida have yet to see a dime.

Troubled St. Pete charter school faces closure
Tampa Tribune, FL, September 17, 2013
Only months after its elementary school was closed due to poor performance, Imagine Charter School in St. Petersburg’s middle school has learned it may face a similar fate.

Vitti says he, district ready to pursue charter students
Florida Times Union, FL, September 17, 2013
After years of watching students opt for private or charter schools, the superintendent of Duval County Public Schools says it’s time to fight and recapture those children.

HAWAII

Hawaii Charter Schools in Limbo Over Teacher Evaluations
Honolulu Civil Beat, HI, September 18, 2013
Hawaii is trying to find out whether its public school teachers are making the grade.

ILLINOIS

Better than a meaningless checklist: CPS’ new teacher evaluations
Editorial, Chicago Sun Times, IL, September 18, 2013
A key issue driving last year’s Chicago teachers strike was a new teacher evaluation system, one that for the first time judged teachers in part on how much their students learned.

New CPS teacher evaluations: Mixed reviews from CEO, principals, teachers
Chicago Sun Times, IL, September 18, 2013
The first year of the new teacher evaluation system at the heart of negotiations during last year’s Chicago teachers strike worked better than expected, Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said, releasing individual results Wednesday to teachers.

LOUISIANA

School board still weighing options on charter schools
The Daily Advertiser, LA, September 18, 2013
There is no clear consensus among Lafayette Parish School Board members on whether they will approve charter schools for the district.

MARYLAND

Carroll commissioner announces Common Core study group
Baltimore Sun, MD, September 18, 2013
Carroll County Commissioner Doug Howard announced in a news release Tuesday the formation of a citizen study group that will examine concerns and the impact of the Common Core State Standards in the county.

MASSACHUSETTS

Test time for teachers union in mayor’s race
Column, Boston Globe, MA, September 18, 2013
Do unions still wield muscle in local elections? Richard Stutman hopes so. The president of the Boston Teachers Union, at least, thinks his group has the clout to make a difference in a close mayoral primary.

MICHIGAN

Tennis star Agassi greets students, parents at Detroit school he helped fund
Detroit News, MI, September 18, 2013
Tennis champion Andre Agassi visited southwest Detroit on Tuesday to meet the students, staff and parents of a charter academy he and partners helped to create.

MINNESOTA

St. Paul teachers reject district’s Q-Comp pitch
Pioneer Press, MN, September 17, 2013
The St. Paul teachers union rejected a district pitch to join Quality Compensation, or Q-Comp, the state’s alternative teacher pay and evaluation program.

MISSISSIPPI

Judge halts school takeover
Clarion Ledger, MS, September 18, 2013
A Hinds County judge granted Leflore County school officials a temporary restraining order to stop the state from taking over the district. Meanwhile, the Claiborne County school district is asking another judge to block a takeover there.

MISSOURI

Missouri Board of Education disappointed in Confluence charter schools
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, September 18, 2013
The Missouri Board of Education expressed frustration Tuesday with Confluence Academies, a cluster of struggling charter schools in St. Louis that have been under pressure this past year to improve.

Spend on school reform instead of on reform schools
Column, News-Leader, MO, September 18, 2013
According to the report, Missouri could save a lot of money in annual crime costs if its high school male graduation rate increased by just 5 percent.

NEW JERSEY

Going one on one with news superintendent of Camden public schools
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, September 17, 2013
When Paymon Rouhanifard was appointed by Gov. Chris Christie as superintendent of Camden public schools, questions quickly arose as to not only his plans for what is arguably New Jersey’s most troubled district but also his experience and credentials to lead the state’s fourth district takeover.

NEW YORK

Education Secretary Not Closely Following Mayor’s Race
Wall Street Journal Blog, September 18, 2013
The next New York City mayor will take control of the nation’s largest school system. But don’t look to the U.S. Secretary of Education for guidance on which candidate would be best for the city’s 1.1 million public schoolchildren.

Parents assail education officials on N.Y. school reforms
The Journal News, NY, September 17, 2013
The growing focus on testing in New York’s schools is sickening students, bewildering parents and threatening to undermine public confidence in the state’s education system, speaker after speaker said Tuesday at a public hearing on the state’s “reform” agenda.

Troy Prep files transportation appeal with state Education Department
Troy Record, NY, September 17, 2013
Troy Prep has filed an appeal with the state Education Department regarding ongoing transportation issues between the charter school and the Lansingburgh Central School District.

NORTH CAROLINA

Wake Schools to tackle high school drop out rate
WNCN, NC, September 18, 2013
Wake County School leaders say a variety of options are on the table to try and reduce the county’s high school drop out rate.

OHIO

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson vows that he “won’t be burned again” in his efforts for oversight of charter schools in the city
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, September 17, 2013
Mayor Frank Jackson’s not sure if state officials pulled a slick move on him last year when they left charter schools with an easy way to skirt his new school quality control panel.

Two Stories About Big-City Mayors Trying to Set Rules for Charter Schools
NPR StateImpact, OH, September 17, 2013
Over the past year, state legislators changed state law to allow charter schools in Ohio’s two biggest cities–Columbus and Cleveland–to receive local tax dollars.

PENNSYLVANIA

Residents give school district bad grades in Pew poll
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, September 18, 2013
PHILADELPHIANS gave the strapped school district the lowest rating in five years while placing blame equally on local and state leaders for the system’s woes, according to a poll released yesterday by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

RHODE ISLAND

Charter schools’ successes bolstered by caring parents
Column, Valley Breeze, RI, September 17, 2013
By the time you read this, the Cumberland Town Council will likely have approved a move strongly backed by Mayor Dan McKee to site a new Blackstone Valley Prep charter school in Valley Falls, across from Town Hall. It will displace the Currier Playground there, recreational space which the town will be forced to replace.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Parents look to charter schools to deal with overcrowding
WMBF, SC, September 17, 2013
While the Horry County School District is dealing with overcrowding, Bridgewater Academy says they have room for dozens more students and their low student-teacher ratio is attracting some parents.

TENNESSEE

Haslam asks school leaders to back off from criticizing Huffman
The Tennessean, TN, September 18, 2013
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam took a flattering and conciliatory tone with irritated school leaders this week, but still told them to back off public criticism of beleaguered Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman.

Hopson Three-Year Contract Approved By School Board.
Memphis Daily News, TN, September 18, 2013
School board members voted down a resolution by board member David Pickler to call for a moratorium on the approval of any new charter schools statewide until the 2016-2017 school year.

WASHINGTON

Pride Prep has promise as pioneer for charters
Editorial, Spokesman Review, WA, September 18, 2013
While other school districts are taking a wait-and-see approach, Spokane Public Schools could have the first charter school in the state. Voters said they want them, and the district board and superintendent aren’t afraid to deliver.

Seattle redraws school maps to ease overcrowding
Seattle Times, WA, September 17, 2013
The Seattle school district is redrawing its attendance maps to make room for thousands of additional students expected by the end of the decade. School Board members saw the first proposal Tuesday, and parents will have several opportunities to weigh in before a final board vote in November.

WISCONSIN

Voucher schools need report cards, too
Editorial, Wisconsin State Journal, WI, September 17, 2013
Virtually every public school and school district across Wisconsin received a state report card Tuesday. The same performance summaries should be applied to all private schools that receive public money.

ONLINE LEARNING

Rossview students take on the digital frontier
Leaf Chronicle, TN, September 17, 2013
Enthusiastic students are learning the foundation of digital arts, design and computer programming in the Academy of Media Arts and Technology at Rossview High School.

WHS teacher blends learning in class
Shoshone News Press, ID, September 17, 2013
Mr. Hoffman waited for his ninth-grade Earth science students to raise their hands as they each worked on laptops and desktops Wednesday to complete a quiz on outer space.