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Mississippi’s Modest Step Forward

April 17, 2013 By

April 17, 2013

Just hours ago, Governor Phil Bryant signed the Mississippi Charter Schools Act of 2013 into law.  When this legislation was first headed to the governor’s desk, the Center for Education Reform acknowledged this as a step forward for Mississippi, but emphasized that this legislation is not as bold or aggressive as the parents and students of Mississippi deserve:

“We join our colleagues in acknowledging that this is a step forward for Mississippi, but after sixteen years of debate in a state where only 21% of 8th graders can read at proficiency, parents and students deserve better and more aggressive action from their elected officials,” said Kara Kerwin, CER’s VP of External Affairs.

“Strong laws create strong schools. A conclusion we’ve made since 1996 evaluating the nation’s 43 charter school laws,” said Kerwin.

“Mississippi lawmakers had two decades of proof to see what works and what doesn’t in charter policy. They missed the mark on most of the key components of strong policy. Incrementalism is not good for all children.”

Click here to read the full press release

(Photo courtesy of Twitter)

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso Tagged With: ,

Alabama public education is ranked low again

April 17, 2013 By

by Phillip Tutor
Anniston Star
April 17, 2013

Say this much about the Center for Education Reform: It’s not a fan of the quality of public education in Alabama.

The only proof you need is this passage from a recent CER report: “The only other thing this state has going for it is that its teacher quality index isn’t a complete failure. Parents also have access to a decent school report card to better understand their schools, but school board elections are held in October, a busy time for parents to get engaged.”

Ouch.

A recent CER effort ranked all 50 states in what it calls the “Parent Power Index.” Alabama ranked 46th — poorly, in other words, which is so customary in national reviews of states’ public education systems. At the heart of the poor ranking was the state’s lack of charter schools, which, as most Alabamians know, has been a hot legislative topic in Montgomery for some time.

From here, it’s interesting to view the two sides of the broader issue: In Alabama, proponents of our public education — such as the Alabama Education Association, local and state school boards, the governor’s office and the state Legislature — constantly talk of how proud they are of our schools and how convinced they are of their quality.

Yet, out-of-state agencies who study such things consistently point to real and obvious deficiencies. Rarely do the two sides agree.

Filed Under: CER in the News Tagged With: , , ,

Newswire: April 16, 2013

April 16, 2013 By

Vol. 15, No. 15

TRAGEDY IN BOSTON. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families of yesterday’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon. As our nation grapples with yet another act of terror, children no doubt have questions and concerns of their own. We’ve pulled together a few resources for parents and schools to provide reassurance and guidance to children when talking to them about tragedy.

WAFFLING ON CHOICE. Last week, TN Gov. Bill Haslam killed a very modest voucher plan at a time when senate republicans were poised to expand the plan beyond just those students trapped in what the state defines as “failing” schools. Why pull your own bill that had increasing support in the legislature? Evidently, as the Wall Street Journal uncovered, “to please the teachers unions.”

Some lawmakers in the Tarheel State may be waffling on this same issue as the Opportunity Scholarship Act that would provide approximately 360,000 low-income and middle-class families with a scholarship to attend a school of their choice was filed in the NC General Assembly yesterday. Some speculate Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenberg) isn’t going to be pushing so as not to lose the favor of the establishment as he makes his bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate. We’ve seen political aspirations get in the way of doing what’s right for kids play out before. Hopefully the 60,000+ parents, educators and students that have already vowed their support for this effort will be enough to sway the Speaker in their favor and remind him that he works for them, not special interests. Join the effort and sign up to attend Answering the Call for Our Children on April 23 in Greensboro, NC.

10,000 STRONG. Last Wednesday, 10,000 parents, students, educators and community leaders rallied in Buffalo in support of the NY Education Investment Tax Credit bill that would allow up to $300 million in individual and corporate tax credits. The bill enjoys bi-partisan support in the NY General Assembly, and as Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly remarked, “How often is it that Albany could pass one bill and everybody wins.” This editor couldn’t agree more, as a Buffalo native who knows far to well how desperately parents in the Empire State need choice. If passed, the bill would allow low-income and middle-class families to choose from a number of public, private and parochial schools. Help spread the word and help to secure the thousands of voices still needed to see this through to Governor Cuomo’s desk.

THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD. West Virginia—‘Wild’? Yes. ‘Wonderful’? That remains to be seen: the state ranks 43rd in affording parents power. Only 24% of the state’s eighth graders can read at proficiency. Rather than push for systemic change, the State Board of Education has decided to throw more money at 32 failing schools, essentially rewarding them for poor performance. State Superintendent Jim Phares said, “When schools continue to perform in the bottom 5 percent of the state and aren’t showing signs of growth, they need help.” With all do respect Mr. Phares, the children trapped in these persistently failing schools need the help finding a way out!

EVERY CHILD READY. Last week, Education Week, the national newspaper of record for education, profiled the DC-based AppleTree Institute for its evidenced-based preschool instructional model. Developed with federal Investing In Innovation (i3) funds, Every Child Ready has become a model for preschool instruction whose method is learning through play. AppleTree President and CEO Jack McCarthy explains in the article how the model is particularly effective for children from under-resourced communities, whose backgrounds may not have prepared them for the rigors of elementary school. “We’re really focused on the children who are starting the furthest behind. They’re the ones who make the most gains through our program,” says the edreform pioneer. Be sure to check out the full article to see how AppleTree is starting early to change the trajectories of hundreds of children.

DEVELOPING OUR IRREPLACEABLE TEACHERS. The National Academy of Advanced Teacher Education (NAATE), an intensive two summer program (10 days in residence each summer) designed specifically for experienced high-performing teachers from across the nation, is accepting applications from qualified candidates for the July 2013 program taking place in Providence, RI. The program is designed for high-performing Grade 3 – 12 teachers in their 3rd – 8th year of teaching in core subject areas with the goals of 1) further improving their classroom practice, 2) enhancing their ability to lead their peers and other adults outside the classroom, and 3) recommitting them to the profession of teaching. To find out more about the curriculum, the case study’s method and cost, and to learn about nominating teachers for the program, please call 401-371-0001 or e-mail [email protected].

Filed Under: Newswire Weekly

Common Core meets the Reform Agenda

April 16, 2013 By

On March 25, 2013, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) hosted an event on Common Core and the education reform movement. Panelists concluded that the state-led initiative will face an uncertain future as it intersects with additional efforts to improve schooling, such as teacher accountability policies and charter schooling.

CER President Jeanne Allen was a featured speaker during the discussion on charter schools and social studies standards. During this panel, she introduced the new “three Rs” that fit the condition charters are finding themselves in regarding their fate with the Common Core. Those sentiments -– Rejection, Resignation and Relief — typify most charters today, and the challenge, she said, will be for state policymakers not to impose things on charter schools that are contrary to their unique approaches and the way they choose to teach content.

A live recording of the panel on charter schools and social studies standards is below.

Filed Under: Standards & Testing

AppleTree: Every Child Ready

April 16, 2013 By

Did you see AppleTree profiled in Education Week today?

The piece, titled “Preschool Network Puts ‘Innovation’ Grant to Test ,” highlights how AppleTree has used Investing in Innovation (i3) funds from the Department of Education to develop Every Child Ready , its evidence-based preschool instructional model. Education Week, the national newspaper of record for education, presents Every Child Ready as a model that uses learning through play to give children the social, emotional, and cognitive foundations they need for success in kindergarten and beyond.

To experience a day in the life of an AppleTree student, Education Week reporter Christina Samuels visited AppleTree’s Columbia Heights classrooms. What she saw reveals a carefully planned combination of social-emotional learning and early literacy skill building:

Ms. Twyman leads the children through a brisk review of letter sounds and tells them the plans for the day: Some will choose to dig through a sand table to discover dinosaur “fossils,” while others may play with classroom toys, like blocks. Still others can choose to work with clay, or stamp paper with the letter E with the help of the classroom’s second teacher.

While she noted that early academics are a key focus of Every Child Ready, Samuels also emphasized that AppleTree gives chidlren these cognitive skills in an intentional, fun, and engaging way.

AppleTree President and CEO Jack McCarthy explains in the article how the model is particularly effective for children from under-resourced communities, whose backgrounds may not have prepared them for the rigors of elementary school. “We’re really focused on the children who are starting the furthest behind. They’re the ones who make the most gains through our program,” he says.

It’s an exciting time for AppleTree, and the article accurately describes us as approaching the early education of our children with a “sense of urgency” at a time when preschool is entering the federal limelight.

Take a few minutes today to read the full Education Week article and get a sense for how AppleTree is changing the life trajectories of hundreds of children.

Filed Under: Choice & Charter Schools

The Top 10 states for educational options; Arizona 6th

April 16, 2013 By

by Angela Gonzales
Arizona Business Journal
April 15, 2013

Arizona ranked sixth on The Center for Education Reform’s Parent Power Index, which means parents have access to quality education options and are provided with good information to make smart decisions about their children’s education.

The states were ranked on prevalence of charter schools, school choice, teacher quality, transparency and access to data, online learning, pro-reform governors and parent trigger laws, where parents have an opportunity to turn around failing schools.

The rankings pointed to Arizona’s scholarship program for students with disabilities and a tax credit that has helped more than 30,000 students opt into new schools. In addition, Arizona’s charter school law has provided more than 200,000 children with choices about their schooling.

Click here to see the top 10 states in The Center for Education Reform’s Parent Power Index.

Here are more specifics on Arizona from the index:

72%: Arizona’s graduation rate
1539: Average SAT test score
19.7: Average ACT score
33%: 4th grade National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math score
31%: 8th grade NAEP math score
26%: 4th grade NAEP reading score
$8,006: Per pupil funding
1,077,831: Public school enrollment

Filed Under: CER in the News Tagged With: , , ,

Talking to Kids About Tragedy: Tips for Parents and Schools

April 15, 2013 By

As news of the Boston Marathon explosions dominate social media, television, and people’s thoughts and concerns, children across the nation are likely to have questions and concerns of their own. These resources offer suggestions and tips for providing reassurance and guidance to children when talking to them about tragedy:

–Talking with Kids about News from PBS

–A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope from the National Association of School Psychologists

–Talking With Kids About Tough Issues from Children Now

–Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers from the National Association of School Psychologists

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso Tagged With:

TX Senate Committee Approves Tax Credits

April 12, 2013 By

“Senate panel OKs measure to fund tuition at religious and private schools”
by Will Weissert, Associated Press
Star-Telegram
April 11, 2013

A state Senate committee on Thursday approved a high-profile school voucher plan, sending it to the full chamber for what could be a fierce floor fight.

Senate Bill 23 by state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, would offer tax credits to businesses that provide scholarship funding for low-income students who want to transfer from low-performing public schools to private or religious schools.

The bill would allow businesses to write off 100 percent of their state business margins taxes, but it caps the total value of all donations at $100 million.

Patrick, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, says the plan could help as many as 10,000 students transfer.

His committee referred the bill to the Senate, but not before an important modification was approved: To qualify for scholarships, children have to be at risk of dropping out of school and come from low-income families. The measure originally allowed at-risk or low-income students to seek scholarships.

The amendment changing or to and was made by state Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville.

“I understand the author’s intent with this bill,” Lucio said. “This could give those students who most need educational choice a voucher.”

Patrick accepted the change, saying his intent was “to help students who are poor and in failing schools.”

Lucio responded, “I am for helping poor kids, including keeping them in our public schools.”

To get scholarships, students must come from households with incomes less than 200 percent of that needed to qualify for the free and reduced-price lunch program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has guidelines for who qualifies based on family size.

A family of three can qualify to get reduced-price or free lunches at school if their yearly income doesn’t exceed $36,000. Patrick’s proposal would allow families to seek assistance if they have income up to double that level.

Opponents say the plan will drain yet more funding from public schools still reeling from the $5.4 billion in cuts to public education that the Legislature approved in 2011. But Patrick said money for his plan would come from other portions of the budget — not out of funding already earmarked for public schools.

Although Patrick’s fellow Republicans control both chambers of the Legislature, his bill faces seemingly long odds. It has yet to be considered by the state House, which while passing its version of the state budget last week, the lower chamber overwhelmingly approved an amendment to keep public funding in public schools

Filed Under: Breaking News Tagged With: , ,

Does Obama’s 2014 Budget Put DC Vouchers In Danger?

April 11, 2013 By

News outlets and the blogosphere have been abuzz lately about the impact that President Obama’s 2014 Budget plan will have on education. Of particular note is funding, or lack thereof, to the highly successful and popular D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP).

According to a press release by the American Federation for Children, upwards of 90 percent of opportunity scholarship students have graduated from high school and 89 percent have enrolled in college. Since the 2004-2005 school year, the OSP has granted scholarships for income restricted families, almost 100 percent of which would be zoned into a school in need of improvement. Funding exists for around 2,000 children but only 1,600 students participated this year because of implementation challenges.

This years budget only includes funding for evaluation and program administration, leading to greater concerns over the programs ability to accommodate a sufficient number of applications.

Voucher resources:
Congress to restore D.C. school vouchers, Washington Examiner, June 8, 2012
71% of Moms Support Vouchers, Washington Times, May 9, 2012
Study: Vouchers Boost College Attainment Brookings Institution, 2012

Filed Under: Federal Policy

Louisiana parents have power in their children’s education, study says

April 11, 2013 By

by Danielle Dreilinger
The Times-Picayune
April 11, 2013

Louisiana parents have more power in their children’s education than parents in nearly every other state, according to a new report card from the pro-charter Center for Education Reform. The state moved from sixth to third in the group’s “parent power index,” scoring 80.5 percent, or 2.55 on a four-point scale. Indiana and Florida topped the list.

The score prioritized access to charter schools and taxpayer-funded vouchers for private and parochial schools. Louisiana scored 2.3 on charters and 3.0 on vouchers. According to state data, six percent of public school students attend charters, though the rate is far higher in New Orleans.

“States where parents have options to choose tend to yield higher growth rates in student achievement,” the study’s authors said in a statement. “(In) states where systems and policies in place limit choice, parental engagement is hindered.”

The center gave Louisiana extra points for its parent trigger law that lets parents vote to put perennially failing schools into the state Recovery School District, and for making information about schools easily available to the public.

The state received a 1.7 on teacher quality — which in this case measures whether states use student performance data to hold teachers accountable — and a 2.3 for its online learning options.

Following Gov. Bobby Jindal’s controversial 2012 education reform package, Louisiana has received a number of high marks from national groups that are pro-charter and often pro-voucher.

In January, Louisiana was ranked first in the nation by StudentsFirst, led by former D.C. school chancellor Michelle Rhee. That score emphasized the state’s new teacher evaluation system that takes half a teacher’s grade from student performance on standardized tests and eliminates tenure as a factor in layoffs.

That same month, Louisiana placed sixth in the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ annual rating of charter laws.

Critics say these report cards don’t measure how well programs are implemented, or how well students score on national measures like the ACT. In 2011, the most recent data available, the National Assessment of Educational Progress put Louisiana near the bottom for fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading.

The national charter alliance has listened: Next year, its ratings will factor in graduation, dropout and attendance rates, and academic performance.

Moreover, teachers unions and school boards are currently challenging the constitutionality of two of Jindal’s three 2012 education reform laws, including the teacher evaluation and voucher programs. The governor has said he’s willing to hold a special legislative session if the state Supreme Court strikes down either law.

 

Filed Under: CER in the News
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