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Let The Kids Learn…Powerful Black Voices…Size Doesn’t Always Matter. REOPENING. What’s it look like, how should it happen, and why the choice between going to physical school and going remote are not the only options that should be on the table? Much to be said. Read everything, think and demand options. We will have much […] Read more »

Bye Bye Blaine, Supporting Black lives, Building The USA Digital Highway, Winning Cash, Sounding Off For CER. BLAINE BIGOTRY NO MORE. We confess to still feeling the glow from last week’s Supreme Court decision ruling Montana’s “Blaine Amendment” illegal. Lots of work remains however, as the action now shifts to the states. You can read Jeanne […] Read more »

THE HOT SUMMER IS HERE – so is cold, hard cash for your students. The Espinoza – “Blaine” clock continues to tick on the SCOTUS decision, another special graduation story and exciting happenings in Vermont. $45,000 “WITH JUSTICE FOR ALL” SCHOLARSHIP. The Center for Education Reform (CER), in partnership with the Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools, the Children’s Scholarship […] Read more »

FLAGS, GRADS AND DADS   A MOMENTOUS WEEK kicked off on Sunday with the 135th celebration of “Flag Day,” observed on June 14th.  That was the date in 1777 that the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the flag. We can’t think of a better time to remind ourselves of the last line of the Pledge of Allegiance […] Read more »

A Special – and perhaps most important to date –  Newswire EDUCATION AS A VEHICLE FOR CHANGE Dear Friends – We, too, are saddened and shocked by the murders, the racism, the disrespect, the destruction. As advocates for education opportunity and excellence, we’ve always believed that education — if not “the” — is at least […] Read more »

NO POMP – LOTS OF CIRCUMSTANCES COVID 19 MEANT GRADUATIONS WITH NO POMP BUT LOTS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.  This is a very different Newswire, but these are very different times. Anyone worried about the ingenuity of the upcoming generation need look no further than the joyous graduation celebrations that are taking place — looking nothing like […] Read more »

FREEDOM’S LEGACY – AND FUTURE. BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY SLIPS OUT OF MEMORY, let’s be sure to remember what it is all about — the cost paid by our fellow Americans to insure that we all had a precious commodity, one they thought worth dying for — freedom. “WHY AMERICA”? Teaching love of country isn’t just for patriotic holidays.  Now’s a good […] Read more »

EDUCATION’S BERLIN WALL. When the Berlin Wall fell and East Germans experienced freedom for the first time — there was no going back.  With an assist from COVID19, and despite the overwhelming tragedies and seeming irreversible impact it has created, the walls confining students to education based on zip code has also fallen. Millions of […] Read more »

IT’S CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK.THE FUTURE IS HERE – AND NOW.   The year 2000. That’s when National Charter Schools Week started (though some suggest it was 1999). The first Congressional resolution was introduced in the House by Democratic Representative Tim Roemer of Indiana and by Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. The resolution acknowledged and commended “the charter school movement for […] Read more »

Week 8 of Quarantine? For some it’s 6, 7 or 8 but it’s been a long time. Everything has changed, including when we publish our content and what we are doing. In fact, some suggest that this pandemic has forced us to all do things differently, that have been a long time coming. Change is […] Read more »

THE FUTURE OF SCHOOL?  If you’re interested in that, you’ll want to be joining the CER ACTION Series (That’s ACTION — meaning Accelerating Change through Innovation and Opportunity NOW)! Part III on the Future of School covered the experiences of two Change Makers who combined, serve almost 80,000 students remotely and digitally with much individual […] Read more »

  SCHOOLS ARE OPEN…It’s just the facilities that are closed. That’s what you’ll learn and see from today’s Ed Innovation Webinar, that despite the challenges and crisis, there are educators, leaders, visionaries and companies who are delivering for the students — our nation’s future. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF SCHOOL LOOK LIKE? You won’t want […] Read more »

Perhaps the most famous literary first line in history (if you were fortunate to be exposed to English literature, which, for all too many people is not the case) is “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” from Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities.” COVID is creating for many the […] Read more »

YOUR NO FOOLIN’ GUIDE TO EDUCATION IN THE TIME OF COVID Yes — Today is April Fools’ Day – but there is no fooling around in this Newswire. Just information we know you can use whether you’re a parent, teacher, student, administrator or just a foot soldier in the one answer to COVID that we […] Read more »

THE FUTURE IS NOW  Our resolve is more firm than ever before. We are not blinking — never have and never will. We are redoubling our commitment and efforts to help education advance through and despite this crisis. Whenever this COVID19 crisis ends, and it WILL end, one thing is certain — things will never be the […] Read more »

YOU KNOW WHEN THE NEA AND THE PRESIDENT AGREE it must be serious, but that’s precisely what happened today when both said students must go online to continue their learning. So here’s your news wire to help you comply with what everyone agrees needs to happen… THE CRISIS. It’s here, it’s everywhere, and we offer our support, […] Read more »

Virus or No Virus, Education Needs to Advance Education technology that delivers great content, engages students and teachers has never been more important.  While the many education systems have resisted changing their 150 year old structure, necessity now compels it to do what ailing student achievement could not.  We’re excited to be part of it […] Read more »

MAKING SUPER TUESDAY SUPER. It’s that day when the citizens of 14 states begin to turn the presidential elections toward the more likely candidate. We remain deeply concerned for the Republic that discussing education — the critical link for our security and prosperity — is altogether missing in a substantive way from the campaign trail (as […] Read more »

CHOICE WORDS FOR THE DEBATE #WHATABOUTUS? Tonight in the Palmetto State at the Democratic Debate, the most interesting activity is likely to be outside, not inside, if Vegas is any guide. Activists led by the Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools and civil rights leader Dr. Howard Fuller are already gathering at Wragg Mall, 382 Meeting St., just a few blocks from the […] Read more »

WASHINGTON TO LINCOLN TO  ?   “The best means of forming a manly, virtuous, and happy people will be found in the right education of youth. Without this foundation, every other means, in my opinion, must fail.”    – George Washington “Education is the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.” […] Read more »

In honor of St. Valentine, we’re sending hearts for love, but reserving darts for those who disappoint… A SPECIAL VALENTINE. An Unfinished Journey; Education & The American Dream, by CER’s Founder and CEO Jeanne Allen. Inspired by love of country, her Italian heritage, and this nation’s ongoing quest to raise its children to aspire and […] Read more »

STATE OF THE UNION’s BIPARTISAN THEME. Tonight’s State of the Union address by President Donald J. Trump will very likely include more than a passing reference to education reform, as Jeanne shared with the Washington Post the other day, and specifically, the Administration’s effort to enact education freedom scholarships to help low-income students choose the […] Read more »

What’s Inside: Parents – and their power — are front and center as of late, from the august chambers of the Supreme Court to the streets of the Big Easy, and throughout the country this week, with over 50,000 local events for National School Choice Weekbeing held. Catch up on nationwide Parent Power efforts here! FREE AT […] Read more »

  In brief, what you need to know about Mrs. Robinson’s “candidate debate” tonight in Des Moines, the latest candidate positions, the upcoming US Supreme Court case and teacher ed… all in your favorite weekly report from CER – Newswire! EYE ON IOWA. The remaining Democratic candidates gather tonight in Des Moines, Iowa for the last debate before […] Read more »

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS.  “Can Mr. Rogers nostalgia help cure today’s culture”?  Erica Komisar, a psychoanalyst in New York City thinks yes, it can.  “Rogers rejected the old-fashioned idea that children are to be seen and not heard. He believed adults should lead them with love and understanding, not fear and punishment.” Closely related to the potential […] Read more »

  ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE THE DEBATES, when all thru’ the house,Randi was stirring the Democratic candidates’ house.The strike signs were hung ‘ron the country with care,In hopes that Ms. Warren soon would be there. The union agitators were all snug in their red,While visions of new contracts danc’d in their heads.And Bernie in his […] Read more »

TIS THE SEASON TO BE (JOLLY) HEARD  Like Shakespeare, we try not to repeat ourselves, but an event in 4 days is too important not to mention again. A reminder that the entire blob/aka industrial complex/aka cartel of anti-ed reform groups is uniting to interview the Democratic presidential candidates next Saturday, December 14th, in Pittsburgh, […] Read more »

SHARPEN YOUR (PENCILS) SWORDS. The entire blob/aka industrial complex/aka cartel of anti-ed reform groups is uniting to interview the Democratic presidential candidates next Saturday, December 14th, in Pittsburgh. It’s a full day forum and will be broadcast live.   According to PennLive, “The organizing coalition for the Democratic candidates forum includes national groups such as the American […] Read more »

  WE GATHER TOGETHER As the great hymn says, to ask for God’s blessings and also to give thanks.  Listing all we are thankful for would fill books. So as to not keep you from your preparations for the feast, here are just a couple of tidbits for which WE GIVE THANKS… FOR THE FREEDOM […] Read more »

MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR Thanksgiving may officially be over a week away, but we find ourselves counting our blessings a bit early and we wanted to share our gratitude with you. PARENTS AND KIDS FIGHTING BACK. There may have been a chill in the air but the over 1,300 attendees at the  “Open Doors […] Read more »

FREEDOM ISN’T FREE. We offer this special Veterans “Day” edition of Newswire, because it shouldn’t just be about a day. The federal holiday was celebrated differently from place to place, but how many of the thousands of schools that were open took time to explore what Veteran’s Day is all about. It’s not too late, […] Read more »

US SCORES DROP AGAIN. The results of the 2019 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) are nothing short of SHOCKING.  Scores in 4th and 8th grade reading math either declined or flatlined for most groups. Proficiency on the Nation’s Report Card is defined as the ability to “demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging […] Read more »

POST NAILS IT. If you’ve been following Senator Warren’s attack on education opportunity, you’ll want to read the Washington Post today. People from all sides agree that  “Children are the losers in Edlizabeth Warren’s plan for charter schools”. Speaking of which, if you didn’t see our CEO’s Fox & Friends appearance on same, you’ll want […] Read more »

  WARREN’S PLAN…CHICAGO STRIKE. Elizabeth Warren issued a stark return to the past in her much-anticipated education plan yesterday. It’s more than reminiscent of the old initiatives that led the country to a massive decline in educational attainment that we’ve only recently begun to reverse.  The Warren Model looks like Chicago, where she will be […] Read more »

  THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CANCELLED COLUMBUS DAY but thank God the rest of America had a great time celebrating this weekend. In Pittsburgh the Italians marched with pride and thousands cheered as floats and representatives of all stripes passed by.  New York’s parade went off without controversy, which saw throngs of people of all nationalities lined […] Read more »

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD.  If you are tired of jokers, adulterers and over the top political messages on the silver screen (not to mention paying $15 for the privilege), have we got a movie for you.  It is “Miss Virginia”,  the eponymous heroine of which is Virginia Walden Ford,  an advocate for parent empowerment who fought the […] Read more »

BLAINE BIGOTRY UPDATE.  “Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine/the continental liar from the state of Maine.” James Blaine  got this label the old fashioned way – he earned it, though “bigot” would be as accurate as “liar.” In addition to the anti-Catholic virulence of his “Blaine Amendments,” he was also involved in the notorious “Chinese Exclusion Act” of […] Read more »

TODAY IS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY. Hundreds of thousands of brave men and women have died to preserve this – perhaps the most basic of American rights. Don’t let their sacrifices be in vain.  If you don’t register you can’t vote. And if you don’t vote, don’t you dare complain about anything the election winners […] Read more »

MIRACLE AT PHILADELPHIA. September 17, 1787 has a strong argument for being the actual date that what we know as the United States came into being. That was the day that “We The People” formed a more perfect union by replacing the dysfunctional Articles of Confederation with our Constitution. The famous painting above by  Howard […] Read more »

HOUSTON,  WE HAVE A PROBLEM – AND A SOLUTION. Thousands of parents will rally this Wednesday on the eve of the next Democratic Debate to warn candidates that education opportunity means more to them than hollow promises to special interest groups. At issue is the position of most of the candidates on charter schools, which since […] Read more »

START SPREADIN’ THE NEWS! The Good News: As has been the case since CER opened its doors in 1993, the public supports education choice. Even in the midst of union bullying and the disinformation campaigns, we know from our day-to-day work, and from reliable polls, that a majority of the general public favor education choice, […] Read more »

Okay it’s not as sizzling (or muddy) as Woodstock and the Summer of Love but it has all the trappings (minus the Sex, Drugs and Rock&Roll)….To wit, here are the greatest hits – of CER’s Summer of Choice – an intensive promotion of education opportunity – info that you need to take back to your […] Read more »

Perspectives on Hot Issues in 2020 Race –or Those That Should BeA Special CER Newswire It seems like forever, but it was just a few weeks ago that the nation witnessed its most recent union-organized walkouts in North Carolina. Prior to that, the unions had pushed teachers in more than 15 states or communities to […] Read more »

TAKE BACK YOUR “SCHOOL.” Does your school look like this idyllic version, from the old “school days, school days, good old golden rule days..”?, when READING AND WRITING AND ‘RITHMATIC were taught proficiently – and history, too, instead of the non- stop revisionist history going on in these current school days? For a good example of […] Read more »

SUMMER SLIDE… the phenomenon in which students lose key skills by not reading at the same intensity or pace as they do throughout the year – no doubt happens to adults too as we turn off of our constant focus on the issues in favor of more fun! So as to not have to return […] Read more »

A HOME RUN FOR CHARTERS. Few things are as all-American as baseball – and education opportunity!  Over 1,000  D.C. charter school leaders, educators & families got to experience that winning combination on July 23rd at Nationals Park, where CER partnered with the winning team to sponsor DC Charter School Night. The event celebrated the achievements […] Read more »

The team is warming up for DC Charter School Night at Nationals Park! The bench is ready for the close to 1,000 DC charter school leaders, educators & families who are coming out to rally for the home team, e.g., DC CHARTER SCHOOLS and to bat Open the Doors for Opportunity. CER Newswire will be […] Read more »

50 years ago this week, man walked on the moon. The space race propelled us to embrace and lead the world in science. Today our nation’s schools are lagging and are lacking in the scientific, technological advances that once allowed us to do the impossible.  What is stopping us? ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY. Neil Armstrong’s “giant […] Read more »

  MEET THE EMPIRE. Darth Vader never had such good friends as those in the Education Establishment aka The Blob, The Cartel or the Empire. These veritable defenders of public education tradition – regardless of quality – includes not just the small but vocal senior officials of the national teacher unions (though not the rank […] Read more »

VIVA LAS VEGAS – AND CHARTER SCHOOLS.  We’re in Las Vegas to participate in the annual National Charter Schools Conference. We haven’t seen Elvis – or the longtime heart throb of a particular CER associate – Ann Margret, but we are seeing several thousand charter advocates, teachers, parents, business executives and “just plain folks” who share […] Read more »

  THE PRICE IS RIGHT! You can just hear show host Bob Barker with his famous “COME ON DOWN…” as former Congressman Robert Francis O’Rourke – aka “Beto” – joins the American Federation of Teachers and its President Randi Weingarten as the next contestant on their “show.” It’s being billed as a town hall tonight on […] Read more »

  BLACK LEADERS CHANNEL TWISTED SISTER.   A powerful piece calling out black leaders for their lack of support of charter schools comes this week from Gwen Samuels, founder and President of the Connecticut Parents Union.  As she puts it, “they have a moral obligation to break their silence and stand up for black parents, families and students […] Read more »

  D.C. SCHOOLS CHANNEL TITANIC OFFICERS.  A memorable scene in the movie “Titanic” was the ship’s officers refusing to unlock gates that kept steerage passengers trapped below decks, condemned to drown. The officers could care less, those passengers were after all just poor folks.  The D.C government is treating 12,000 poor kids waiting to get […] Read more »

    SHOW ME SHOWS US. When the Kansas City business community first started tackling how best to improve the city’s schools, they tried everything. From the biggest installation of Teach for America to lots of money, nothing worked.  Finally former Kaufmann Foundation president Carl Schramm thought to himself, let’s model a good school. So […] Read more »

    A DAY LATE BUT STILL TIMELY.  If it’s Tuesday it must be CER Newswire day, except when Monday is a holiday. We hope you had a great Memorial Day and were able to pause to recognize those in uniform who have fought so valiantly to protect and defend freedom.  Freedom comes at a […] Read more »

    FIGHTING BACK.  Doing his part in the continuing war on educational opportunities for disadvantaged kids, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has submitted a budget that will end the state’s “Opportunity Scholarship Program”. The program currently provides up to $4,200 per school year to low income students  – currently over 9,500 participate – to […] Read more »

  HAPPY NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK! Join us in celebrating the most impactful innovation in public education delivery since the country centralized schooling. Why should you? Read on and find out. SQUARE 1 – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has provided a road map  to get you started on your journey to learn […] Read more »

  This week we bring you a quick round robin of what we think are the most interesting – even if frustrating – happenings around the world of education opportunity and innovation. KIDS SHELTER TO OPEN CHARTER.  What a great example of using the leverage of the charter school idea to help kids where they […] Read more »

  NY TIMES v PERSONALIZED LEARNING.It’s no secret that many parents are getting a little uneasy about the role of technology in teaching and learning. Teachers, too, are largely unaware in many places about the way technology can most effectively be a tool, not a substitute, for great teaching. Most of the reason anyone gets […] Read more »

  PURPLE FOR PARENTS.  Parents are tired of getting beaten up for wanting choice in their child’s education. And are also tired seeing the teachers they love being intimidated into walking out on the students they serve.  Don’t believe us?  Check out this video of this Arizona union boss demanding that any teacher that doesn’t follow him on […] Read more »

  ADVANCING OPPORTUNITY.  The annual CAO Summit is wrapping up today in Washington, DC.  A program of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund whose membership includes public HBCUs, the Center for Advancing Opportunity is focused on solving the problems that prevent opportunity from reaching people in what they call fragile communities.  Reforming the prison system, education, AND economic […] Read more »

  You may be wondering what happened to your exhilarating, weekly report about the education reform circuit. Well what happened is easy to explain. DISRUPTION! We were disrupted this week in the best of all ways – by thousands of CEOs, leaders and ed tech innovators who gathered for ASU GSV X, the world’s leading […] Read more »

  DISGUSTING LIES.  Yes, we are angry. It’s still so hard to believe but even The Washington Post, which you can disagree or agree with on any number of issues, has mostly been even-keeled when it comes to coverage of ed reform. So their recent posting on page A4 of a story by a blogger […] Read more »

  WHILE THE MEDIA IS TRANSFIXED ON THE MUELLER REPORT, who is watching our schools? Read Jeanne’s take on staying focused – in an age of endless distractions – on the issues that matter the most to families, communities, and country. “Perhaps we need a Mueller Report for education,” says our Founder & CEO. SMALL […] Read more »

INNOVATIVE vs UNIMAGINATIVE.  Opposites do not attract when it comes to policy prescriptions to improve education, especially in Washington. The Trump Administration yesterday unveiled a rather creative, innovative set of proposals for higher ed that actually were born among myriad higher education innovators like this one  and that one  but it was immediately dismissed by Senator […] Read more »

SENATOR CORY BOOKER’S LIFE SHOWS SCHOOL CHOICE A KEY CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. When he was Newark’s mayor from 2006 to 2013, he managed to triple the number of students attending charter schools in his city. He even served on the board of one of the city’s first charter schools. NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.  Senator […] Read more »

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH ALABAMA.  Another tragic storm, lives lost, years of work to repair. And like everything, our minds go to “school.” Like thousands of other small communities hit by natural disasters along our southern flank especially, education is often a casualty of storms, too. Schools in Lee County, AL are getting ready to […] Read more »

KIDS LOSE THE KENTUCKY DERBY.  It was déjà-vu all over again, but not in the humorous sense Yogi Berra meant, as Kentucky once again failed to fund any charter schools. The state has authorized charter schools, but has failed to appropriate any funds for the program. A whiff of hypocrisy hovers over those actions. Blue Grass […] Read more »

MORE BI-PARTISAN SUPPORT FOR CHOICE.  In a major “get” for ed opportunity supporters, New Jersey Senator and presumptive Democrat Presidential candidate Cory Booker signed on to Senate Bill 213 that re-authorizes the District of Columbia’s Opportunity Scholarship program. The Opportunity Scholarships are the only federally funded program that helps low-income children pay for private school […] Read more »

WEST VIRGINIA’S FAILURE & FOLLY. Just a week ago, an omnibus education package came out of the WV Senate, providing a first ever comprehensive strategy for ensuring we educate children and students of all ages, no matter what it takes. The package included education savings accounts to help parents with special needs children and kids […] Read more »

WHAT WE’D LIKE TO HEAR IN THE SOTU (and the response!). We promise – no more acronyms. But as we have every year that a president offers his thoughts on the state of the union, we offer what edreformers believe would make this year’s address a real stand out for those who care about whether […] Read more »

CAPPING OPPORTUNITY? Today in Los Angeles, thousands of charter school parents will rally to protest the union-backed ban on charter schools. As a condition of ending the teachers strike, the School Board agreed last week to a public vote banning charter schools, as if they are some plague on society that need to be terminated. […] Read more »

  LA MAKES THE WRONG CHOICE. The nation celebrates#SchoolChoiceWeek this week. Being able to choose one’s own school is vital, and giving every student, parent, and teacher the opportunity to shape their own education is really what this is about. Yet in Los Angeles, with a district acquiescing to demands based on faulty assumptions about […] Read more »

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT. The potential for innovation in higher ed, alternative pathways, programs and flexibility across postsecondary is the subject of debate at the US Department of Education’s (ED) “Accreditation & Innovation”  hearings this week, part of ED’s negotiating rule-making process. The highly bi-partisan effort embraced by people across higher ed, ed tech, the investment community and […] Read more »

Yes, yes – by all means eat healthier, exercise more and all that jazz.  But the resolutions about which we will be most resolute are all about continuing CER’s leadership to ensure that every American student, whether child or adult, is prepared to achieve their goals and dreams. A few not-so-modest examples: MAKE “WHY AMERICA?” A […] Read more »

ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS… FORGET ABOUT TWO FRONT TEETH.  We’d gladly swap those for two more Governors like  educational choice superstars Kristi Noem of South Dakota and Jared Polis of Colorado. Republican Noem and Democrat Polis may not agree on much, but they are solid in their support of more innovation and opportunity […] Read more »

MAYBE WE NEED ANOTHER 1989.  The tributes to President George H.W. Bush continue, and many of us have reminded and been reminded that perhaps his biggest contribution to education was getting all the governors together so they could all be winners in the fight against bad education.  It wasn’t all selfless of course – Dems were trying […] Read more »

THE MAKING OF AN EDUCATION PRESIDENT.  The nation lost a true patriot this weekend, with the passing of President George H.W. Bush. As often noted, he was a true gentleman with a good heart.  Less known was that he was a stalwart champion for creative alternatives in education. His Administration fell square in the middle of the […] Read more »

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Newswire to bring you a special announcement! Last week we shared with you just a fraction of the reasons we are #Thankful. We stopped as we do often (though not often enough) to salute those parents who fight for better education, educators who create their own schools or programs, entrepreneurs who […] Read more »

  Besides the turkey, stuffing, gravy and pecan pie, CER gives thanks for many things even more important – well at least more important every other day of the year except this Thursday! WE GIVE THANKS – like virtually everybody else in America, that the election is finally over. We are especially thankful that candidates who favored […] Read more »

ELECTION RETURNS RATIOCINATION. We wouldn’t blame you if you have had your fill of election related items, but good and important things happened on election night for innovation and opportunity in education. Governor’s races are where the action was, and while  not all the news was good, supporters in both parties of CER’s agenda of  change and […] Read more »

(Washington, DC. November 7, 2018) The results of the 2018 election cycle will be deeply reviewed and analyzed for days, months and years to come, but the initial results among the states demonstrate that education opportunity is a winning issue.  Candidates that embrace policies that empower parents, provide more flexibility for schools and teachers, and foster innovation […] Read more »

WELCOME TO A SPECIAL, PICTORIAL, EDITION OF NEWSWIRE, COVERING THE CER SILVER ANNIVERSARY GALA & SUMMIT.  Held in Miami, Florida last Thursday and Friday, the leaders of innovation across all sectors gathered to build the new Road to Innovation. Read and view just a snippet of the extraordinary conversation and celebrations that occurred. We’ll be […] Read more »

FAILING AMERICA’S STUDENTS.  As Mark Anthony once said, “if you have tears, prepare to shed them now.” The latest American College Testing (ACT) scores are out, assessing readiness of high school seniors to succeed in college, and it’s not good. Only 60% of high schoolers met collegiate success benchmarks in English, 46% in reading, 40% in math […] Read more »

IRRESPONSIBLE.  The amount of time some people spend trying to defend the indefensible – lagging education achievement – is truly irresponsible. The Washington Post once again features a piece, thanks to anti-education opportunity and innovation blogger Valerie Strauss, that claims education isn’t really all that bad, (despite using a chart that shows most students don’t even make […] Read more »

SURVEY NONSENSE.  Don’t we all just love surveys that give zero sum options to respondents? A group called GenForward partnered with the prestigious University of Chicago to ask Millennials their views on the issues that will drive their votes, including education.  These 18-24-year-olds think more progress was made under Obama in education than during Trump, […] Read more »

Caution: This week’s edition is not for the faint of heart, or easily offended. Yes, it is that kind of week – not just in Washington, DC but all over the country as cameras roll on Capitol Hill. But… WHAT IF THE WORLD paid as much attention to what’s happening to children and families in […] Read more »

NERO FIDDLING.  All the national pundits and people who suck the air out of the room are focused on the she-said/he-said Supreme Court nominee drama in Washington. Meanwhile, the educational ‘Rome’ is burning. Consider the facts and the truth about the pitiful state of so many of our institutions – who are largely responsible for […] Read more »

  IN MEMORIAM. The reminders and remembrances of 9/11 have mostly finished, and the words and sorrows of so many affected unite us in our shared conviction that this the greatest nation on earth, borne of independence and our God given inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness will not and must […] Read more »

HAPPY SEPTEMBER!  It’s hard to believe we are here, again. Most of us experienced a uniquely-September barrage of incoming communication, demands and work post Labor Day’s annual lull, not to mention the reality of hearings, strikes, educational conflict and more. Here’s just a smidgeon that we’re watching this week. What’s on your mind? Let us know by dropping […] Read more »

BATON ROUGE IS HOT. Yep, you read that right.  Dozens of schools, including the city’s very first, Children’s Charter School, took kids back to school this year, and the opportunities in this community that was once close to the bottom of all Louisiana are not promising and innovative. Thanks to the variety of local and […] Read more »

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH TEACHER STRIKES.  The teachers union in Puerto Rico is gearing up for a strike next week. Among their list of demands: no to educational opportunity that would bring desperately needed educational options to families on the island. This strike is yet another indication of why the Janus v. AFSCME case was […] Read more »

A PERSONALIZED FUTURE. An overview of the Summit Learning Program and four schools that have adopted the approach provides a glimpse into a future of education that could be closer than many think. An excerpt: “Twenty percent of the school day is devoted to what Summit calls Personalized Learning Time, or what students more commonly […] Read more »

JUST THE FACTS…OR NOT. A NY Times op-ed, “A Plea for a Fact-Based Debate About Charter Schools,” would appear to make a compelling case for reasoned discussion on charter schools but there are some glaring holes in the piece that make it less reasonable than it seems. For example, there is no mention of the […] Read more »

POLITICS AS USUAL. As if on cue to lend credence to the wisdom of the Supreme Court’s Janus v. AFSCME decision (which frees individuals from being forced to fund unions they don’t support) last week’s AFT annual meeting more closely resembled the quadrennial national party conventions than a gathering of teachers devoted to education and […] Read more »

A NEW HOPE FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS’ FREEDOM? The President’s nominee to fill the vacancy that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy will create is Brett Kavanaugh, whose long history of rulings and opinions on education issues may allow for progress and real change for religious schools and school equity: Does A Justice Kavanaugh Mean That Blaine […] Read more »

As we all prepare to enjoy our nation’s annual birthday celebration, we hope you’ll take a few moments between the cookouts, ballgames, parades, and fireworks to truly consider what Independence Day means to us collectively, as a nation, and individually as citizens. Collectively it defines us as a country; it symbolizes our role as a leading […] Read more »

AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMIN’. As the unions anxiously await the Supreme Court’s decision on Janus, the lawsuits keep piling up in lower courts around the country, this time in the U.S. District Court in Camden, NJ where a South Jersey teacher who doesn’t want anything to do with the state’s largest teachers’ […] Read more »

COUNTDOWN TO CER’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY SUMMIT… it may seem early, but October will be here before you know it, so make your plans now to join CER on October 25-26 in Miami for its Silver Anniversary Summit & Celebration “The Road to Innovation for ONE America.” One of the features of the gathering will be […] Read more »

MASS MILESTONE. Recalling amazing milestones in educational change (something that all too many today think is too hard to pursue) the Pioneer Institute reminds of the 25th anniversary of the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA), the act which ushered in standards, testing and charter schools. “People should remember Governor Weld’s extraordinary K-12 education […] Read more »

POLITICS AS UNUSUAL.“A subterranean divide among Democrats between backers of teachers unions and those of charter schools and other education innovations is helping shape key gubernatorial primaries…” so reports the AP. Charter schools and edreform have long been backburner issues in political campaigns, but in some places a tipping point has been reached.  In Colorado, for example, tension […] Read more »

GUBERNATORIAL RACES PUT ED FRONT-AND-CENTER. Who are the education innovation and opportunity candidates? With 36 gubernatorial races at stake, and CER’s ED50 ramping up to serve you in the generals, your CER NEWSWIRE will highlight key races & what opportunity voters should know about each candidate from now until the final election day. CALIFORNIA. In the Golden state, […] Read more »

PRIMARY DAY. It’s a great reminder of what’s at stake, and a time for all to exercise their right to vote, not to mention their responsibility to know what it is they are voting for. A little civics knowledge courtesy of the Bill of Rights Institute might help you or your class, now and in the future to […] Read more »

REFLECTIONS. Last week America celebrated National Charter Schools Week. In the 27 years since the founding of the charter school movement, tremendous progress has been made in the number of schools established, and in the wealth of innovative opportunities they offer to children, families, teachers and communities. Each day of NCSW, schools, educators, advocates and thought leaders […] Read more »

INNOVATION GOES TO CAPITOL HILL. Education Innovation. We’ve been talking about it since early 2016 and its necessity as part of the larger equation – Innovation PLUS Opportunity = Results. For several months CER has introduced education innovation to Washington in individual meetings and provided guidance to federal officials on who they might want to listen to […] Read more »

UNIONS STAGE WALKOUTS. In case you hadn’t heard, the national teachers’ unions are staging/pushing for teacher walk outs across the country. In case theyhadn’t heard, the nation’s report card says less than 50 percent of our kids are proficient in the basics – with the percentages being dramatically less if you’re a minority or at-risk […] Read more »

LIVE FROM SAN DIEGO… IT’S THE ASU+GSV SUMMIT! TRANSFORMATION. It’s the thread that ties together all engaged in this, the 9th annual summit. University innovators, coding zealots, edtech investors, developers, advocates and educators have spent the past two days pitching, conversing and launching what may become the latest innovation for students. What makes this confab great […] Read more »

THIS WEEK, you can’t scan your favorite news site, Twitter feed or newspaper (yes, they’re still out there) without reading about the Nation’s Report Card. Scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for 4th and 8th grade reading and mathematics are out. So are the opinions. But look again: no one’s talking about […] Read more »

CAUTION: This newswire contains serious and thought-provoking commentary on teacher pay and teacher strikes. IN LIGHT OF THE TEACHER STRIKES, we are compelled to bring you some facts, research and data about teacher pay that we hope will enlighten and inform readers and help you avoid simply falling into the trap of saying to yourself, […] Read more »

THE CAUSE AND THE PROMISE OF INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY THE NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL LAWS AND RANKINGS. In its 22nd year, this flagship national report of laws represents much more than a trusted source of standings, compelling data and trends in today’s charter school sector — all in a user-friendly online format. The 2018 report takes an […] Read more »

CITY SCHOOLS FAILURE NOT A FUNCTION OF EDREFORM… though from reading the papers lately it would seem that some believe adult misbehaviors stems from edreform measures versus the real reason: that we haven’t changed those systems enough! Indeed, these systems remain fixed on the antiquated notion that attendance (time in the chair) is a more valid indicator […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON… HIGHER LEARNING   Some people are talking about reimagining high school and beyond to address deficiencies in learning, narrow the skills gap, and meet the needs of a new generation of work and the realities of a 21st century life filled with technology. At CER, we are working on taking it one step […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON… SXSW, INNOVATIONS AND MORE SOUTH-BY. It’s the place to be, they say. Thousands gathered for the beginning of several days of “SOUTH-BY…” as in, “Are you going to SOUTH-BY?” South by Southwest EDU, FILM and MUSIC. And from just a day around the “campus,” it’s clear why: Austin is one big town full […] Read more »

“The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.” — Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America SPOTLIGHT ON… DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA A VIEW FROM SCOTUS. Democracy was alive and LOUD on the steps of the Supreme Court this past Monday. Oral arguments in the long-anticipated case, […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON… THE CASE THAT MAY LIVE IN INFAMY. SCOTUS VS. UNIONS President Roosevelt famously declared December 7, 1941 as a “day which will live in infamy.” We don’t think that word is on the SATs anymore — or even taught — likely because we’ve made education such a dull, uniformly focused system. For decades, […] Read more »

Much Ado About Nothing? … “Why, what’s the matter, That you have such a February face, So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?” Much of the education world has Shakespeare’s February Face today as a result of the proposed federal budget released yesterday by the Trump Administration. Nary a constituency was spared, netting scorn […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON… EdTech in 2018 The Future of Education. If you haven’t read EDTECH Digest’s “State of EdTech 2017-2018: The Minds Behind What’s Now & What’s Next” you owe it to yourself to set aside some time to do so. The editor’s letter that begins the report, “A message from the future” sets the stage quite […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON… THE STATE OF THE UNION What We Can Expect. Will the State of the Union address include the state of the union’s education? We should hope so! And we urge the president to use his office and his bully pulpit to make the inextricable link between the most important precondition for success for all […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON…National School Choice Week WHAT IS IT? A national happening with events being held everywhere from the White House to your house… It’s a cultural shift… The concept of school choice (better and more effectively known aseducation opportunity )has moved from being simply an idea (dismissed by the establishment) to a cause (derided by the status quo) to a growing […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON… EDREFORM HISTORY What Would Dr. King Say? It’s a week when history is very much on people’s minds. For starters, MLK Jr. Day reminded millions that the struggle for freedom and equality continues. As LEAP Innovations’ CEO Phyllis Locket puts forth, If Dr. King were alive today, “He would look for fairness and find […] Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ON… Maryland Turn up the Heat. We are asking the same question that you are — why are there ANY schools in Baltimore not being heated? Unexpected and frigid temperatures aside, old boilers and pipes in schools have been anticipated for years. Eight schools remained closed Monday, and the Governor announced $2.5 million for repairs […] Read more »

HAPPY NEW YEAR! As we gear up for another year of creating great opportunities, working to allow innovation to flourish in education and quality school options to expand across the country, we pause briefly to look over our shoulder at some of the highlights from 2017. We kicked off the year by advising a new […] Read more »

The Education Grinch Who Stole Christmas — Or So They Try A special holiday Newswire! The parents and teachers they wanted reform. They looked for solutions to break from the norm. They wanted things better, that’s why they were fighting, to make sure their kids would learn reading and writing and science and math and […] Read more »

KEEPIN’ IT REAL! Tired of conversation/confrontation/conflict over education-related issues that quickly escape the gravitational pull of reality? The Center for Education Reform proudly presents Reality Check with Jeanne Allen, a podcast hosted by CER Founder & CEO Jeanne Allen and is a production of National Review Online. The program debuts todaywith fearless civil rights leader […] Read more »

THEY SAY SHOWING UP IS HALF THE BATTLE.  Research suggests that finishing high school is key to future success. But we’re still not ready to cheer the notion that rising high school graduation rates are an indication of great progress in education because other data – about what kids actually know and can do at […] Read more »

AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: IT’S GIVING TUESDAY — GIVE OPPORTUNITY! For nearly 25 years, the Center for Education Reform has fought to bring innovation and opportunity to education. It’s important work, which wouldn’t be possible without the support of donors from all regions of the county and all walks of life. CER’s […] Read more »

TAX REFORM. The focus on the economy has consumed much of the nation’s attention as of late, but CER is continuing to drive the potential for education opportunity to share the spotlight with economic opportunity. First the good news: Support for tax credits to enable learners at all levels to gain additional and new educational […] Read more »

  BETTER SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE. America’s 1.3 million service men and women are parents to some 750,000 school-aged children who share the unique burdens of military service: education mobility – bouncing from school to school; attending schools on military bases – most of which are stuck in decades-old pedagogy and lack the personalization and sophistication […] Read more »

CONGRESS, TAXES & EDUCATION. CER’s focus on “Helping Learners at All Levels” to access the American dream is at the heart of a new proposal being considered on Capitol Hill. Expanding the economy requires more skilled workers, but not without the depth of education and training that will help them succeed. Read what we have to say about how to […] Read more »

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Here’s one of several “spooky” spoof videos to help you celebrate the day in EdReform Style! These and others from CER’s “Lucky 13th” Anniversary in 2006. Everything old is new again! CONGRATULATIONS AND APPLAUSE. Good friend and CER Board Member Kevin Chavous is the new president of the Virginia-based ed-tech and on-line learning company K-12 Inc. CER and Kevin […] Read more »

Last Thursday, CER celebrated its 24th year of fighting for kids and families with a reception at our Washington office and a roundtable discussion of the past, present, and future of education. The evening featured an all-star cast of some of the most notable EdReform voices in the nation ... Read more »

IN PRAISE OF ELI BROAD. Much has and will continue to be said about the contributions of Eli Broad to the cause of great education for kids. Many have praised his support of charter schools, his efforts to help Los Angeles (in particular to recruit and elect pro-reform candidates to the board and other positions) and, […] Read more »

BACKPACK FULL OF CONTROVERSY.  Or hypocrisy, as the case may be. In an interview with a group shooting a documentary that was allegedly taking a look at the progress of education reform, our CEO Jeanne Allen explained the value of having money follow kids, which can create a path to equity for all children and […] Read more »

BLACK COLLEGES & CHARTER SCHOOLS. In opeds appearing around the country, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund says HBCUs are intricately connected to the movement for better opportunities for students and opposition from groups like the NAACP and the AFT aren’t helpful whatsoever. “Better parental choices are, frankly, a matter of life or death […] Read more »

THE NEW SAT. First there was the original, then there was the one they rescored years later to soften the blow, then they added writing, and subsequently many more essay questions (and took out that pesky “if this then that” analogy section). Now there’s the wholly new test – results of which are out today – […] Read more »

BLUE STATE CELEBRATION.  Leaders of education opportunity in Illinois gathered last night in Chicago to celebrate the first school choice program to ever grace a blue state. One Chance Illinois, the local advocacy group whose work contributed to the historic accomplishment, will lead the effort to implement the tax credit scholarship program, which permits businesses to […] Read more »

  A SILVER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. While the establishment and others are crowing over charter schools and trying regulate, slow or limit their growth, you may want to pause a moment to read the Wall Street Journal piece, “Charter Schools Are Flourishing on Their Silver Anniversary.” As we noted last week, City Academy, the nation’s first charter school opened in St. […] Read more »

REINVENT IT. A lot of people still don’t know that the #edreform movement is supported by a varied group of actors: From researchers to practitioners; and, thought leaders to parents. Since its inception, the cause of school choice, in particular, has been a mutual affinity among left, right, center and none of the above.  That’s why David Osborne’s […] Read more »

MAKING LINCOLN PROUD.  Tomorrow, August 30, Governor Bruce Rauner (R-IL) could sign into law new path-breaking legislation creating the state’s first tax credit scholarship program, part of the state’s new education funding bill.  The $75 million tax credit scholarship program could serve as many as 20,000 students and will be the nation’s largest first-year school […] Read more »

JUSTICE FOR ALL – A MESSAGE FROM CER’S DIRECTORS. Since 1993, the Center for Education Reform (CER) has worked to advance a bold agenda to help our nation’s children achieve the education they deserve. We fight hard and relentlessly for parent power because we know that education not only paves the way for everyone to […] Read more »

In a statement released earlier today, a comparison was made between Education Next polling data from 2015 and 2016, which showed public support for charter schools remaining consistent from one year to the next, and questioned news reports to the contrary. The data covered in media reports, however, compared 2016 polling information to 2017data and […] Read more »

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT OPPORTUNITY’S OPPONENT….but were afraid to ask. The NAACP’s report on charters has set off a firestorm of criticism from charter leaders across the country. CER directors Donald Hense and David Hardy released as statement decrying the association’s conclusions, saying it put the association “…sadly, and uncharacteristically, on the […] Read more »

FIRESTORM. AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST NAACP’S EDUCATION QUALITY HEARING REPORT. The NAACP’s recent report on education quality, which challenges the value of charter schools for minority families has African American ed reform leaders in an uproar. Two of the most prominent to speak out: CER directors David Hardy, founder and Chair of Boys’ […] Read more »

THE GREATEST HITS OF 2017 SO FAR… …but before we get to that, a couple of late-breaking notes from a mid-summer swirl of ed-related news SMART ALEC.  It was great to attend the 44th ALEC Annual Meeting that went off in Denver last week. The program featured Education and Workforce Development Task Force meetings on […] Read more »

Opportunity advocates storm Capitol Hill, Congress deals with ESSA implementation, advice to the DOE and more in this week's edition of Newswire... Read more »

PERSONALIZED LEARNING GAINS…  a big endorsement from a newly released RAND report which finds that students who engage in PL do better in math than their peers and gives an added boost to kids who are behind their classmates and trying to catch up.  The report also found that schools in the study “were pursuing […] Read more »

We have met the enemy... in this week's edition of CER's Newswire. Read more »

DeVos' gets strong advice at ed funding hearing. Choice makes inroads, climbs in NH, NE, AL, IN; SC looks at teacher certification. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW in this week's edition on CER's Newswire. Read more »

System change - what it is, where it has happened and where it needs to happen, this and more in Newswire... Read more »

Money, money, money... National reactions to the new budget and state-level enterprises expand... this week in Newswire. Read more »

CER Newswire: weekly education news and commentary you can't find anywhere else. Read more »

One day we’re at the White House. The next, we’re in Salt Lake City. Read more »

Take a moment this week to look back, look ahead, ...and read the newest edition of Newswire. Read more »

Political challenges, hope for a kid, and a sad loss... more in this week’s CER Newswire. Read more »

Education is hot today in Washington. 17 CEOs are at the White House, scheduled to talk about issues ranging from education & infrastructure (note: we think they go together). The Atlantic’s 3rd annual ideas summit is up and running and we’re happy to see the presence of Derrell Bradford to balance that of Randi Weingarten. Education […] Read more »

Innovation set to capitalize on de-regulation, ESSA developments from the heart of the nation, School Choice for our servicemen and women... all this and more this week in CER Newswire. Read more »

CER Newswire: weekly education news and commentary you can't find anywhere else. Read more »

A 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.     CHARTERS GO TO WASHINGTON. Wouldn’t you know that on the day CER was taking a diverse bi-partisan group of charter leaders to meet with Secretary […] Read more »

OK-LA-HO-MA. Choice in the Sooner State may soon have more meaning if a bill that passed the Senate Education Committee becomes law. The measure, SB 560, would allow public money to follow students to private schools. That’s the good news. The bad news: the bill was amended to limit it to counties with 150,000 residents or […] Read more »

DeVos debacle on Senate floor comes to a close, ESSA regulations to rollback, teacher freedom sees another day in court, and threats to digital learning access — all this and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

The past few weeks of national obsession with what should have been a simple appointment has distracted too many from the business of educating kids. While the Senate HELP committee today voted to send Betsy DeVos’ nomination for U.S. Secretary of Education to the Senate floor, there are plenty of other educational challenges it’s time […] Read more »

SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK. From January 22-28, the nation — 6.4 million Americans and 21,392 events to be exact — is shining a spotlight on the need for great education options of all kinds for all learners. Here’s what it means in raw numbers. Here’s what it could mean if the Trump Administration follows EdReform’s 100 […] Read more »

UNION OVERTIME (without pay). The unions are working overtime to discredit both the cause of parent power and the Education Secretary designee most likely to help state lawmakers bring it about. As they took to the airwaves and newspapers, so did we! The Center’s Founder & CEO Jeanne Allen sounded off on Fox & Friends this […] Read more »

BAYOU CHARTER TROUBLE. Yesterday the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal ruled – ridiculously in error of course – that the funding component for charter schools approved by the state (Type 2, they call them) is unconstitutional. The lawsuit was of course brought to you by the teachers union, and is yet another indication of the extremes to […] Read more »

#OPENINGDAY. Congress is back in session today, and CER CEO Jeanne Allen joined the bipartisan celebration for the 115th Congress. This is the 12th Congress CER has worked with to advance opportunity and innovation in education. And while much was accomplished in 2016, there’s still much to be done in 2017 to advance kinds of opportunities and innovations […] Read more »

NY EDTECH WEEK.  CER’s mission and work is to expand parent power and innovation so that all may achieve the American Dream. EdTech — and the promise it holds to transform the way we think about teaching and learning — is a vital component to this equation. After day one of NY EdTech Week, we’re energized […] Read more »

  ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS… Funds for DC’s life-saving opportunity scholarship program were released by Congress late Friday night, but Opportunity DC — a project of CER and Democracy Builders to build a movement of parents who are dedicated to expanding educational opportunity for all students in the District of Columbia — continues to […] Read more »

A NATION STILL AT RISK. Yet another sobering report addressing the crisis in US education was issued today. American 15 year olds did worse in math, and remained stagnant at astonishingly low rates of proficiency on the 2015 worldwide PISA assessment. The US ranks 35th in math, 14th in reading, and 18th in Science. Administered […] Read more »

HOW THE US STACKS UP INTERNATIONALLY. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) results are out today, and fourth and eighth graders in the US remain dramatically behind other countries. For high school seniors taking advanced math and science courses, achievement remains stagnant, and a 30 point gap exists between males and females. These results are a call […] Read more »

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this week’s Newswire highlights just a few things we’re thankful for here at The Center for Education Reform: CHARTER SCHOOLS SPEAKING UP. John Oliver launched a misguided attack on our nation’s public charter schools, and they spoke up by responding with more than 250 videos showcasing the amazing ways they’re […] Read more »

WHAT THEY TOLD JOHN OLIVER. Yesterday, CER was live in Sacramento, CA to award the top spot in our “Hey John Oliver, Back Off My Charter School!” Video Contest to Natomas Charter School. The school of 1,574 students, opened in 1993, won for having the video that best demonstrates why their charter school is meeting students’ needs […] Read more »

CHILDREN DESERVE A GREAT EDUCATION… Make sure they get it. Take action before heading to the polls this November 8th and make sure your friends and neighbors understand what is at stake in this election. CER’s Voter Education guide will be available this week and other initiatives require your attention. For example, if you live in Massachusetts or […] Read more »

Special Anniversary Issue 23. The Center for Education Reform’s founding in 1993 marked a turning point for the then-nascent effort to bring about educational excellence for all kids. Back then, while the nation had regained its competitive edge, and its schools were still struggling, charter schools, school choice (yes vouchers!), state standards and teacher quality […] Read more »

UNION MONEY IN MA. The NEA just approved $3M more to fight parent power in The Bay State, bringing their contribution to $4.9M. And that’s not including the local MA Teachers Association spend of $9M, along with the in-kind donations of teacher canvassing across the state to convince people that charters are bad for public schools. The reality is charters […] Read more »

CONTEST DEADLINE EXTENDED. You asked for an extension on your homework, so we listened. We get it — charter schools are busy doing the important work of educating all kids to their fullest potential, so we’re granting an extension to all schools. The “Hey John Oliver! Back Off My Charter School” video contest deadline has been […] Read more »

CHARTERS, PARENTS & STUDENTS HAVE 6 MORE DAYS! Don’t miss your chance to show us why your charter school works for you and your community. Submit a quick, informal video on any mobile device by September 26th for a chance to win $100K for your school. Check out the details here: 2024.edreform.com/cer-video-contest. NAACP & CHARTERS. […] Read more »

DR. KING’S SUPPORT FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS… is addressed in this must read. Real Clear Life asks the question, “Would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have supported charter schools? “Emphatically yes,” says fellow civil rights leader and close friend of King’s Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker. CHOICE ISN’T ABOUT MAKING BUREAUCRACY WORK. A new report from the […] Read more »

HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL! Watch your inbox — CER’s “Take Back Your Schools” guide is coming soon!  In the meantime, check out a few evergreen things every parent needs to know. 20 DAYS. Calling parents, teachers, and students! Tell the world why you chose your charter school, and your school could win $100,000. Submit your […] Read more »

#BACKOFFMYCHARTER. Win $100,000 for your charter school! CER’s “Hey John Oliver, Back Off My Charter School!” Video Contest is officially underway to show the world why John Oliver’s segment on charter schools was unbalanced, unfair, and misleading. We want to hear from parents, teachers, students, and students on waitlists why they prefer to be at […] Read more »

With credible news outlets reporting on John Oliver's piece on charter schools, thus inaccurately perpetuating misconceptions about charters, Newswire is taking the form of an open letter that we hope you'll read and share — because the important work that charter schools do is no laughing matter. Read more »

BACK TO SCHOOL CONTINUES. It’s week two of back-to-school highlights of great accomplishments of innovative opportunities in education, with a focus on blended and digital learning this edition. Have great news? Don’t be shy — submit it to [email protected].   BLENDED & ONLINE SCHOLARSHIP SUCCESS. Thirty-one high school graduates able to access unique learning opportunities […] Read more »

BACK TO SCHOOL. This back-to-school season, we’re highlighting great accomplishments of innovative opportunities in education over the next few weeks. Have great news? Submit it to [email protected]. ACHIEVEMENT FIRST.  3 high schools. 212 seniors. 935 college acceptances. “A lot of people call it Senior Signing Day, but I call it a Dream Come True Day,” […] Read more »

PARTY PLATFORMS. CER’s 2016 EDlection Center offers non-partisan analysis of how – and if – the positions of political parties in education would address challenges our nation faces in providing increased quality educational opportunities that secure our nation’s freedom and lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans, particularly our youth. Check out the side-by-side […] Read more »

INNOVATION & THE NEXT POTUS. This week, it’s the Dems turn to hear what our next president needs to know about parent power and innovation from leading experts like Sal Khan and more. Join the chorus of tweets by clicking here. 2016 ED-LECTION CENTER. Your resource for everything you need to know about where candidates […] Read more »

WHAT THE NEXT PRESIDENT NEEDS TO KNOW.  With conventions underway, we’re delivering messages from the best and brightest in education and edtech about what the next president needs to know when it comes to Innovation and Opportunity. EDLECTION CENTER. As a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to great opportunities for all children, students and families, CER […] Read more »

WILL GOV PENCE STILL KEYNOTE OUR EDUCATION FORUM? When we finalized the roster for the CER-KEMP Foundation Forum on Parent Power, little did we know we had picked a potential VP candidate to headline it! Indiana Governor Mike Pence was sought out not only because he has led a state to expand and foster great […] Read more »

PIONEER STATE OPPORTUNITY. Parents of more than 32,000 children anxiously await November for a ballot question to lift the cap on charter schools in the Bay State. According to new data from six Boston charter high schools – which serve a student population that’s largely Black and Latino – 98 percent of graduates are accepted to college. Read more »

We’re on the ground in Nashville, TN this week at the National Charter Schools Conference, and from panel discussions to side conversations the message for a New Opportunity Agenda is clear:  Charter schools must get back to their roots of being innovative learning opportunities for children. QUOTABLE. A few of the best remarks overheard so far […] Read more »

SOUNDING THE ALARM FOR INNOVATION & OPPORTUNITY. Hundreds convened last week in Washington, DC to disrupt education and promote CER’s New Opportunity Agenda. “I left the lunch meeting feeling inspired and energized; filled with new ideas to try, groups with which to collaborate and ways to engage the students and their families who desire the […] Read more »

A New Equation for EdReform — A Better Way — Remembering Choice Champion Voinovich — Literacy Solutions Read more »

I + O = R. Since 1993, CER has led the charge for substantive, structural changes in American education that can provide lasting opportunities for children and families, long after the fads and generations have come and gone. Now, 23 years later, we’re applying a new equation in EdReform. To help us expand, we’re pleased […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 19 FIX TENURE. Rather than wait for another ruling in the Vergara v. California case, Democratic Assembly member Susan Bonilla has introduced legislation to curb tenure laws. “To wait is to lose another year in a child’s life,” said Bonilla. While Vergara must still be re-fought and won to improve educational quality, it’s […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 18 CRISIS OF ACCOUNTABILITY. The Connecticut Senate narrowly averted passing a law that would disconnect any part of teacher evaluations from the performance of their students. It’s hard to believe in this day and age that anyone would say that teachers have nothing to do with how students perform, but that’s precisely […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 17 May 3, 2016 This National Charter Schools Week (May 1-7), the Center for Education Reform is dedicated to growing public awareness of the original vision of charter schools and those that still embody that vision, making education better for the hundreds of thousands of parents, teachers, students, community leaders, policymakers, and […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 16 April 26, 2016 A RECAP ON THE NATION’S LEADING EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION SUMMIT PUTTING THE “I” IN EDREFORM. Resetting the landscape for structural change in education requires providing for maximum opportunities for kids, teachers and families – and the flexibility for innovations to be tested and applied. CER is leading […] Read more »

PUTTING THE EDTECH IN EDREFORM, the team of the nation’s premier parent power organization, CER, will be joining ASU+GSV Summit attendees April 18-20. The standout conference with its unique focus on technology, innovation, and education will be ground zero for major advances in the effort to improve economic outcomes for all Americans, particularly our youth. […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 14 HOW IS LACK OF FREEDOM A WIN? US Education Secretary John King called the 4-4 SCOTUS ruling on the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association a win for educators, but that’s hardly the case. The whole point of this suit was teacher freedom. Rebecca Friedrichs and her colleagues boldly took a stand against […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 13 TEACHER RIGHTS. The Supreme Court’s split decision today in the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Assocation et al. case does not mean that the issue of teachers’ rights is going away. “Great and courageous teachers like Rebecca Friedrichs have already exposed the public to the issue of union collective bargaining power in […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 12 NEW INDEX ON THE BLOCK. There’s a new education index on the block (of course Newswire readers know that CER’s Parent Power Index was one of the first) called the Education Equality Index, and it measures how well states, cities, and schools are doing when it comes to closing the achievement […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 11 ED TECH CAN BOOST OPPORTUNITY. Every child in America deserves the opportunity to access a high-quality education in whatever format best fits their needs. Microsoft knows CER Founder Jeanne Allen has been a tireless advocate towards that goal, and wanted her thoughts on how ed tech, a booming source of innovation […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 10 DC IS NUMBER ONE. For the past 20 years the Center’s Charter School Laws Across The States Ranking & Scorecard has employed proven analysis to rank the nation’s charter school laws by whether and how they do what they set out to — create the conditions for massive opportunities for students […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 9 MAKE SUPER TUESDAY COUNT. Whether or not you have voted yet, make your sure the ballot you cast is an informed decision. A vote for expanded educational opportunities is a vote for a great nation. Get educated about what’s at stake, what’s reality and what’s just rhetoric. And with November just […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 8 WILL KING SAVE OPPORTUNITY? When Acting Secretary of Education John King goes up for his Senate hearing this Thursday in Washington, DC at 2 pm by the Senate HELP Committee many will be watching to see if he will acknowledge the failure of the US Department of Education to disburse over […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 7 Special Edition CER Newswire Special Interests Obstruct Education Opportunities for Children Advocates of expanded parent power for children are encountering increased threats from opponents across the United States, curtailing or delaying school options for kids whose needs aren’t being met by their assigned schools. In Massachusetts, the NAACP and seven Boston […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 6 SECRET MEETINGS IN MA. When Four Rivers Charter Public School principal Peter Garbus showed up to what he thought would be a public discourse on charter schools with Senate President Stan Rosenberg as lawmakers are feeling the pressure to lift the cap for 37,000 on waitlists, he was dismayed and shocked […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 5 TIME FOR KY TO GET IN CHARTER GAME. Super Bowl 50 teams have endured a season-long struggle to reach their ultimate goal. Like these gridiron warriors, advocates of school choice in Kentucky have struggled and persisted in their efforts to enact a charter school law. For the sake of the children, […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 4 In lieu of this week’s Newswire, we’re bringing you today’s School Choice Week spotlight on the leaders who help push for the conditions possible to make numerous and diverse education options a reality for children. A Leader’s Choice “It’s not an experiment anymore. It’s not a demonstration. It’s not a what-if. […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 3 CALL FOR CANDIDATES. We expect our leaders to speak a certain way about what it takes to improve schools. And that’s exactly why we offered guiding principals for presidential candidates, as they debated shortly after President Obama’s final State of the Union speech, centered around the philosophies of those who work […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 2 RANDI’S RANTS. AFT President Randi Weingarten is having a rough few days. After grumbling over how the feds are handling opt outs under the new ESSA, she now has to read headlines about how the Supreme Court Justices could be siding with veteran teacher Rebecca Friedrichs, who believes it’s against her […] Read more »

Vol. 18, No. 1 ALL EYES ON THE SUPREME COURT. Next Monday, January 11, 2016, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association et al. case, which will give teachers the right to decide for themselves whether they want to belong and financially support a union. WHY I’M FIGHTING […] Read more »

CER’s Annual Holiday & Christmas Convo Guide ‘Tis the season to be jolly, until Aunt Suzie walks in, sets her cookie tray down on the table, and starts railing on the latest political ad or poll she saw. You nod, smile and consider the best way to refocus the conversation. Whatever your holiday of choice, […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 49 DE JA VU. The Chicago teachers union votes to strike if contract negotiations don’t go their way. We’re having flashbacks to 2012, when a Windy City strike had costly consequences and left kids out of school for a week. Meanwhile, the Chicago BOE is scheduled to hold a meeting tomorrow to discuss the […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 48 This week’s Newswire is brought to you by the letter “I” for Innovation (cue Sesame Street) WHY INNOVATION? Because there can be no systemic education reform without innovation. And at the core of The Center for Education Reform’s focus is the understanding that flexibility and freedom in US education is a […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 47 ‘TIS THE SEASON. For giving, as I’m sure every nonprofit has made you aware with today being #GivingTuesday. Tap into your desire to help all kids get a better education with a comment on Facebook or a tweet using #Donate. Check out the examples below and try it out, or donate […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 46 In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this week’s Newswire showcases just a few things we’re thankful for here at The Center for Education Reform: ALLOWING TEACHERS TO BE REWARDED FOR WORK WELL DONE. In cities that boldly advanced performance pay, some teachers are making as much as $100K. We are grateful for […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 45 WORK BY RULE? Unions are at it again, this time in Maryland’s Anne Arundel County, where teachers are being asked to stick to the bare minimum of their contract. The union even has a playbook to push their adult-centric agenda. Just another reason why CER continues to fight for changes to […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 34 IF NOT HERE, WHERE? That was the slogan on CICS Larry Hawkins charter school students’ shirts yesterday at a press conference called by the school to protest its slated closure by Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The school improved from a Level 3 to a Level 2 in just one year, but in […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 43 VOICES OF EDREFORM. Can you hear them? Thousands are advocating for school choice and accountability daily and CER’s You Tube channel has access to many of the leaders who have made edreform happen nationwide. When you need a quick pick me up or want to convince another to come along, have […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 42 VICTORY IN TN. Last Friday, the Tennessee State Board of Education made its first-ever binding charter school appeal, approving two KIPP schools for Nashville. Thanks to an update to The Volunteer State’s charter school law in 2014 making the appeal process binding, districts like Nashville can no longer unfairly deny much-needed […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 41 CERBERUS IN MOTOR CITY? Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s latest plan announced yesterday to fix the woes of Detroit Public Schools is more akin to Greek mythology’s three-headed beast Cerberus, charged with guarding Hades against the strength and will of proven Herculean efforts that would actually bring about substantive change. Based on the […] Read more »

Vol. 14, No. 40 #DEMDEBATE. Last night’s Democratic presidential debate was pretty disappointing for all interested in K-12 education, as talk of the cost of higher education overshadowed ensuring kids are actually armed with an excellent education before they get there. Perhaps not surprising though, after Democratic candidates were invited to attend a summit on K-12 […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 39 NEW SHERIFF AT 400 MARYLAND AVE. Last week, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced his resignation. A thank you for his service and well wishes to him and his family are in order. While Duncan has been fairly supportive of charter schools, he hasn’t been so supportive of other forms of […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 38 MORATORIUM MADNESS. Nearly all Chicago aldermen (42 out of 50) have signed a resolution seeking a moratorium on new charter schools in the Windy City and across the state. The Illinois Network of Charter Schools says it best, writing the proposed moratorium is misguided and fails to acknowledge the reality that […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 37 CATHOLIC SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT. In honor of the Pope coming to town, we’re highlighting a few facts about Catholic schools, a rich tradition in U.S. education that has provided an alternative education to many families. Catholic schools’ academic and community benefits are many, and while Catholic schools have struggled to survive, a […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 36 NO SPECIAL SESSION. Seattle teachers are still striking, while charter school students are still in school as the September 24 deadline for a reconsideration of the State Supreme Court ruling declaring charter schools unconstitutional draws nearer.  Supporters called on Governor Jay Inslee to call a special session to #SaveWAcharterschools, but on […] Read more »

Vol. 17 No. 35 #SAVEWACHARTERSCHOOLS. As Americans were getting ready to enjoy Labor Day weekend late Friday afternoon, the Washington State Supreme Court handed down a ruling that deemed the state’s newly opened public charter schools – which were filled to capacity – unconstitutional. Rick Hess calls this move “especially gutless,” and we have to […] Read more »

Vol. 17 No. 34 PROFESSIONALISM PREVAILS. Teachers are growing increasingly dissatisfied having to join a group that doesn’t always align with their personal beliefs, particularly when it comes to the workplace and reform, according to the Association of American Educators’ (AAE) latest survey about the workplace and pension policies. Representing views from teachers in every […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 33 BACK TO SCHOOL. As many students and teachers – and undoubtedly parents! – celebrated the #FirstDayofSchool yesterday, we can’t help but think about the number of parents and students who still don’t have access to excellent schools. With just six percent of the total K-12 school-aged population taking advantage of choice […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 32 INFORMATION IS POWER. Everyone knows that parents can make great choices when they have good information and an opportunity to use it. That opportunity is only available in states and communities that permit a wide variety of options to parents. Since 1993 CER has been advocating for increased Parent Power!, and […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 31 CATHOLIC SCHOOL COMEBACK. According to a new report from Faith in the Future, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will have happy news to share with Pope Francis when he comes to visit in September. Philadelphia Catholic schools are projecting a growth in the number of students they serve, and the high school […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 30 KATRINA LESSONS. “New Orleans isn’t perfect, but there are lessons that can be learned from its education reforms,” writes Jason Russell in a Washington Examiner piece detailing a dysfunctional education system in the Big Easy, and how charter schools have helped turn it around since Hurricane Katrina. Stories of schools going above […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 29 STUDENT RIGHTS, ROUND 2. A second lawsuit in defense of student rights is underway in California, this time under the name Jane Doe, et al. v. Antioch Unified School District, et al. Just as the Vergara v. California suit sought to uphold the constitutional rights of students by reversing unproductive teacher […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 28 DANGEROUS AMENDMENT. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is still being debated this week in Congress, and CER got wind of an amendment that’s a veiled attempt at destroying charter schools. Under the guise of accountability, union-backed Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has introduced an amendment that would force states to comply […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 27 ESEA. The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has gotten as far as it ever has, and the debate about what role the federal government should play in education continues today at 2:30pm on the Senate floor. It’s been stressed that civil rights is the education issue of […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 26 UNCONSTITUTIONAL. As battles for civil rights are going on all across the country, a group that should be leading the charge for civil rights is actually playing a role in blocking civil rights for parents and families in Colorado. In 2011, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) together with other organizations, […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 25 Special Charter Schools Conference Edition Team @edreform is on the ground at the National Charter Schools Conference in New Orleans, where school leaders, educators, parents, and activists are discussing how charter schools can provide a “Chance For Every Child,” the theme of this year’s gathering. A fitting one too, given the fact […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 24 VIRTUAL POWER. And no, we’re not talking in hypotheticals here, but about the real power of online learning to close the achievement gap. One of the nation’s largest providers of online education, K12 Inc., released data revealing three of its biggest managed online virtual charter academies, Arizona Virtual Academy, Georgia Cyber […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 23 DIPLOMAS COUNT. Education Week released its annual Diplomas Count special report earlier this week on high school graduation rates nationwide. Next Steps: Life After Special Education lays out high school graduation data disaggregated by ethnic group, as well as by English learner, socioeconomic, and disability status. Although the report lauds the […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 22 UNIVERSAL CHOICE. Late last week, the Nevada legislature sent a universal education savings account (ESA) bill to Governor Brian Sandoval’s desk. The bill would put Nevada parents of children currently enrolled in public school in charge of either 90 or 100 percent of the statewide per-pupil expenditures for their children, depending […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 21 #POWEROFCHOICE. Last week, News10NBC WHEC in Rochester, NY, aired an in-depth, multi-part series on the Power of Choice that explored why parents in Rochester aren’t afforded the same opportunities as parents in Washington, D.C. when it comes to finding the best educational fit for their children. The Center for Education Reform […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 20 POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE. More students across the country are donning their caps and gowns this spring with U.S. graduation rates at an all-time high. However, the numbers aren’t telling the whole story. The Associated Press reported last week that “the record high graduation rate masks large gaps among low-income students and […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 19 DOWNGRADED. This morning, Maryland became the first state to roll back its charter school law. While Governor Hogan’s original changes to Maryland’s charter school law would’ve made modest improvements to the state’s ‘F’ graded law, the State Senate gutted his vision, sending a bill to his desk that prohibits online charter […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 18 Lots to celebrate this week with National Charter Schools Week and Teacher Appreciation Week! THANK YOU to schools and educators working hard for our kids! #THANKATEACHER. It is no secret teachers are the “gold stars” in a child’s education. Every single one of us can think back to a teacher that’s […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 17 CHOICE IS POWER. This editor of Newswire had the pleasure to sit down with a mom yesterday to talk about her son’s education and the impact making a choice has had on his life. Barbara left D.C. in the mid-90s to escape the violence and chose to move to suburban Virginia to […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 16 NECESSARY VETO. Just last week, the Maryland General Assembly rammed through the last of 2015 legislation, including a badly maimed charter school bill that will only harm Maryland’s already suppressed charter sector. Maryland’s political obstacles are no secret to even the most casual observer, but that’s no reason to sign legislation for the […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 15 KILL THE BILL. “Appalled. MD just became 1st state 2 roll back on #charterschools w/ F grade and celebrates it on floor. Time 4 @LarryHogan to Veto.” That’s the takeaway CER President @CERKaraKerwin tweeted late last night after the Maryland General Assembly passed a dramatically revised charter school bill that makes it less […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 14 MARYLAND’S WRONG PATH. The Maryland Senate approved a completely amended version of Gov. Larry Hogan’s original charter school reform, taking the teeth out of a bill intended to create more opportunities for kids in the Old Line State. Evidently, the Senate had other ideas, and through the amendment process gutted the operational […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 13 CHANGE MARYLAND. As regular Newswire readers know, efforts to strengthen Maryland’s F-graded charter school law are facing major headwinds, and time is running out before the legislative session ends on April 13. Just today, the Maryland Senate Education Committee voted in favor of charter school legislation that would set back charter schools in […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 12 COMPROMISING NEGOTIATIONS. Lawmakers in the Maryland Senate want to strike key provisions of legislation that would strengthen Maryland’s F-graded charter law. One provision of vital importance would give charter schools the freedom to make personnel decisions based on what’s best for their school and teachers, something school districts are now responsible […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 11 STATE OF CHARTER LAWS. The Center for Education Reform released the Charter School Laws Across the States 2015: Rankings & Scorecard, revealing a remarkable lack of progress in statehouses nationwide when it comes to implementing policies that could allow charter schools to play an even bigger role in addressing the needs of […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 10 A GEM OF AN IDEA. An exciting initiative is underway in Idaho, as the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation announced the launch of a new charter school network aimed at growing the blended learning model. Gem Innovative Schools will oversee three blended learning charter campuses and one fully online school. The three […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 9 POLICIES MATTER. Even after seemingly doing his bidding by only approving five – yes, just five – out of 39 charter school applications, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf removed the School Reform Commission (SRC) Chairman in Philadelphia. Clearly that was five too many in Wolf’s eyes, but to the nearly 30,000 Philly students on […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 8 EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY. Since 2011, Arizona’s incredibly popular Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program has grown to cover more student populations, from students with special needs to those stuck in failing schools. Using ESAs, parents have the power to put education dollars towards tuition and resources that best meet their child’s learning needs. Lawmakers […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 7 NEW SCHOOLS IN THE OLD LINE STATE. This week, thousands of Baltimore families will gather in gymnasiums and meeting rooms to anxiously hear the results of charter school lotteries. Though the lotteries will be for charter schools unique in their missions and student populations, the one consistency is eager parental demand for […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 6 MARKETING CHOICE. Yesterday, CER participated in a daylong forum on #ChoosingExcellence hosted by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the American Federation for Children, and the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. The event provided a wealth of information from a vast array of advocates and lawmakers growing parent choice. The final panel, “Marketing […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 5 In this special federal policy edition of Newswire, The Center for Education Reform takes a look at some of the most essential parts of redefining the federal role in improving our nation’s schools. OPPORTUNITY. In a true testament to Groundhog Day, President Obama’s budget request repeated itself by forgoing expansion of the immensely […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 4 NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK. If our Twitter and Facebook pages didn’t give it away, CER is pretty psyched about National School Choice Week, the annual event that celebrates all forms of learning that have given students the opportunities they need to truly excel. The number of events happening at schools, in communities and outside statehouses […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 3 IN PURSUIT OF EQUITY. The Center for Education Reform, together with allied organizations, filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit that intends to bring equitable funding for District of Columbia charter schools. The lawsuit, filed in July 2014, takes a bold stand against the persistent funding inequity that undercuts charter educators’ […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 2 CARROTS, STICKS & CONGRESS. While expressing optimism and touting areas of agreement, Education Secretary Arne Duncan acknowledged there are competing visions for how best to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Rather than compete between those nostalgic for local control and those who want a clearly defined federal role, why […] Read more »

Vol. 17, No. 1 CLEARED FOR CONVERSION. The York City School District in Pennsylvania is one step closer to a charter conversion plan, aiming to boost financial solvency, and more importantly, student achievement. A judge granted control of York City schools to a state-appointed recovery officer who is in favor of converting district schools to charters, seeing […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 50 Walking In a School Choice Wonderland Children learn, are you listening? In their schools, nothing’s missing A beautiful sight, their futures look bright Walking in a school choice wonderland Gone away, is the worry Towards more choice, parents hurry To get their child a seat, they vote with their feet Walking […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 49 Happy Holidays! We’re cramming in all the news in this extra special Parent Power edition of Newswire, as next week’s Newswire will be reserved for a holiday surprise! Stay tuned. PARENTS DISSED. While discussing choice and charters following the release of a study on Ohio charter school performance, CREDO’s Margaret Raymond […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 48 UNAPOLOGETICALLY OUTCOMES FOCUSED. For the past 18 years, CER has evaluated charter laws based on practices that don’t just sound good on paper, but have been proven to expand educational options in states such as Michigan, the District of Columbia, and Indiana. Unfortunately, and to the detriment of students, others have a […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 47 #GIVINGTUESDAY is finally here. Although you probably know that from the flood of emails in your inbox today. We can’t help but take part in #GivingTuesday because we think giving parents fundamental power over their child’s education is the most important work on earth. With your help, The Center for Education Reform will […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 46 THANKSGIVING. As families across the country prepare to have turkey, watch football and count their blessings, we at CER have a short list of what we’re thankful for this holiday season. While we must work to accelerate the pace of reform, we’re thankful for more choices in more states, as more […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 45 HAPPY BIRTHDAY VOUCHERS! In 1990, Wisconsin reformers made school choice history in creating the first-ever modern day voucher program in Milwaukee. Fast forward 25 years and 280,000 scholarships later, the program designed for low-income students has not only expanded beyond the Milwaukee city limits but has served as a blueprint for other […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 44 REMEMBERING POLLY WILLIAMS. Sadly, the education reform movement has lost another leader this year in Polly Williams, former state representative of Wisconsin who tirelessly fought to bring school choice to Milwaukee parents, laying the necessary groundwork for families nationwide. So awe-inspiring were Williams’ legislative efforts that President Clinton sent a letter urging Williams […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 43 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. Today, Americans face the important task of electing candidates who will best serve their interests and appreciate the urgency with which leaders must act to improve student outcomes. State leaders are vital to improving education, and some – but not all – have recognized this responsibility by expanding […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 42 VOTE FOR EDUCATION. No, we aren’t getting a president this year, but midterm elections are a big deal, as they have the ability to put leaders in place who truly care about delivering the promise of an excellent education for all students. Unfortunately, as AEI’s Rick Hess points out in the […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 41 TAKING ON THE FREE PRESS. Readers with no background who read the Detroit Free Press State of Charter Schools series would think charters are unaccountable for results while consuming $1 billion in public funds, even though the state of Michigan spends $13 billion on K-12 public education, and not a single […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 40 BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. Every morning, New Orleans native and local pastor Oscar Brown greets students at Homer A. Plessy Community Charter School. Boasting an art-centered curriculum that brings out students’ creativity, Plessy is a neighborhood school in the truest sense. Prior to opening, parents and community members all pitched […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 39 THE ‘BARGAIN’. On Sunday October 5, 2014, Washington Post reporter Valerie Strauss launched a series of attacks on charter schools relying heavily on biased and inaccurate data. Claiming that the “Charter school ‘bargain’ was a raw deal” and stating “concerns are rising as the number of charters overall is increasing.” The allegations […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 38 EARLY DISMISSAL. Score one for Florida families after a judge threw out a lawsuit against the expansion of the highly rated tax credit scholarship program and the creation of personal learning scholarship accounts (PLSAs) for special needs students. Unfortunately, the tax credit expansion isn’t out of the woods yet, since the union can […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 37 TIME FOR A CHANGE. Tomorrow, a cluster of union mouthpieces and status quo proponents are descending on York, PA to protest a much-needed effort to reverse a failing school district. After a year of refusing to make necessary internal changes to improve, York officials are rightfully moving forward with a charter school conversion […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 36 EQUITY TAKES NEW YORK. Five family plaintiffs, along with the Northeast Charter Schools Network, have taken necessary steps to fight for an equitable funding structure that does not shortchange public charter school students. Reminiscent of when families in the District of Columbia put their foot down in July by filing suit, these plaintiffs […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 35 UNDER THE HOOD? Readers of the Sunday paper in Baton Rouge, LA, were greeted by an editorial criticizing CER’s analysis of Louisiana’s ‘C’ graded voucher program in the 2014 Voucher Laws Across the States: Ranking & Scorecard. In this case, the editorial took issue with Louisiana losing points due to infringement on […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 34 A BEACON OF INSPIRATION. The world lost a stalwart leader and, relatively speaking, an unknown pioneer in the education reform movement yesterday. That millions of children and adults are now learning because of technology-driven, online solutions is owed largely to the path-breaking work Barbara Dreyer started nearly 20 years ago. Barbara knew that […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 33 THE GOLDEN STATE OF CHARTERS.  As if there isn’t enough excitement around the start of school, a new report illuminates a remarkable transformation that has taken place in the California charter school sector over the last few years. Between the 2007-08 and 2012-13 school years, the number of charter schools performing in […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 32 Students across the country are heading back to school, and Newswire is highlighting stories that show what to build on from last year, what educators are doing to make this new year a success, and what everyone can do to support a year full of choices, accountability, and most importantly, student success. STRIPPING PARENTS OF POWER […] Read more »

This isn’t your typical Newswire (We warned you we’d be on break, remember?) This week, we want YOU supplying the latest stories in education reform. From state officials to school leaders to engaged citizens, no story or anecdote is too small in the effort to better student outcomes, and CER wants to know: How do YOU help #DeliverThePromise of an […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 31 NEW YORK HEATS UP… No that isn’t a reference to the dog days of summer, but rather the ramped up criticism Campbell Brown and the courageous parent plaintiffs are receiving in New York, as they work through legal action to improve educational conditions for children. Whether it’s the peanut gallery at the […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 30 EXCUSE ME, YOU’RE BLOCKING THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLHOUSE DOOR… Arguably the most glaring example of school choice denial this week is taking place in Tennessee, where 626 legally enrolled students of the Tennessee Virtual Academy now face uncertain prospects just two weeks before school starts. Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman has granted a waiver to the […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 29 WHAT TO SAY WHEN SOMEONE SAYS CHARTER SCHOOLS DON’T PRODUCE RESULTS FOR KIDS… They do, and they do it with less money. The old saying, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade,” goes a little differently in the charter school sector, reading something like, “When public entities hand you less taxpayer […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 28 LEBRON MIGHT BE GONE, BUT SUCCESSFUL CHARTER PROVIDERS AREN’T… Congratulations to Florida school leaders and students on a strong showing in the 2014 Schools Accountability Report that gives both charter and traditional schools letter grades based on state assessments. The number of schools to receive A grades this year increased by 7 […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 27 DITHERING IN DENVER. Another year, another NEA Annual Meeting full of incendiary rhetoric urging progress and recommitment within a broken system that union officials helped create. The big news was a resounding call for Arne Duncan to resign, which of course has about as good a chance of happening as NEA reversing […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 26 #NCSC14. The National Charter Schools Conference is underway, where school leaders, parents and activists of all stripes come together to discuss one of the most impactful education reforms of the last two decades. So far, there has been no shortage of inspiring speakers, from charter parents to veteran reformers like Kevin Chavous, and […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 25 For two decades, charter school leaders, parents and educators have forged ahead to deliver the promise of a better educational opportunity for our nation’s children in the face of relentless attacks. In light of a Detroit Free Press series calling for more charter school oversight, it has once again become necessary to […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 24 CREDIT WHERE CREDIT’S DUE. In the past three years, there has been a rapid creation of tax credit-funded scholarship programs across 14 states. Eager to determine whether these programs were actually increasing parental access to more and better educational choices, CER conducted a ranking and state-by-state comparison to encourage best practices. Some […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 23 VERGARA VICTORY. In a tremendous victory for California students, the Superior Court decision in Vergara v. California has upheld the constitutional rights of students by significantly reversing unproductive teacher employment practices. In May 2012, nine student plaintiffs sued the State of California to invalidate teacher employment practices, to include the ‘Last-In-First-Out’ […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 22 For many schools across the country, the academic year is sadly coming to a close. But for many, this means the start of a new and exciting life chapter. Newswire congratulates all of the 2014 graduates, whether in charter, traditional public, or other educational settings, and hope many more students receive the […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 21 $10 MILLION TO NOWHERE. The National Education Association (NEA) will be redirecting $10 million in union dues alone for political purposes in the 2014 election cycle, in hopes that the widening consensus on the benefits of choice and accountability won’t prevail this November. Help CER spread the word to set the […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 20 60 YEARS AGO, the Warren Court in Brown v. Board of Education unanimously struck down the inherently unequal system of segregated schools by race. The Brown decision reversed a societal ill, demanding schools integrate with “all deliberate speed,” with the end promise being equality of opportunity for all students to pursue a […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 19 IT’S CRIMINAL. This past school year, 1,289 students, approximately 240 of whom with special needs, received an education centered around social justice, development and growth at the Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School in Philadelphia, PA. As the school has been busy rebuffing district efforts to unlawfully cap the charter’s […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 18 Across 42 states and the District of Columbia, families, students and educators are celebrating National Charter Schools Week. Here are a few recurring themes you might hear this week from those who have directly benefitted from having charter schools and the power of choice in their communities: CHOICE. In case it’s not completely […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 17 A “GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS STORY” was how Education Secretary Arne Duncan described the state of education in America in testimony before Congress on the Obama administration’s budgetary request, as the federal government continues to try and find its footing on a proper role in advancing education. That’s a fair description, provided the good […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 16 CHARTERS DO MORE WITH LESS. The Muskegon Heights Charter School System in Michigan posted impressive student achievement statistics in the face of great financial challenge, as is usually the case for charter schools across the country. From 2012-14, average student achievement growth in math and reading across Muskegon schools ranged anywhere from 155 percent in reading […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 15 TENNESSEE STRIKES AGAIN. Monday afternoon, the Tennessee House of Representatives took the final approval measure necessary to make the Volunteer State more charter-friendly. This latest piece of legislation grants chartering authority to the State Board of Education, allowing a quality charter school application to be under the auspices of the State Board […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 14 SINK OR SAIL. There’s a perfect storm brewing in Tennessee, with proposals aimed at expanding educational choices coming from all directions. It’s a perfect storm because while there are pieces in place that could expand the state’s charter school sector, there are also proposals that would help expand the entire portfolio of options […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 13 NY APRIL FOOLS BUDGET? New York’s budget passed late Monday night, and it’s being billed as a “bold course” of action for charter schools. April fools? If only. The sad reality is that this budget is nowhere near bold because it neglects more than half of the state’s charter schools! Apparently […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 12 MARCH MADNESS IN YORK, PA. For many across the country, March Madness is viewed as a time full of Cinderella-storied basketball teams that overcome all odds, along with shining moments that shock and inspire. These sentiments are also present in the ongoing struggle of New Hope Academy in York, PA, where a […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 11 ROOM FOR GROWTH. The 15th Edition of Charter School Laws Across the States: Rankings & Scorecard is here,providing a definitive snapshot on whether or not states have taken meaningful action in expanding charter schools since the first charter law passed in 1991. Experience in seeing how policies have played out over the last […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 10 CHARTER BATTLES: A NEW HOPE. New Hope Academy is a charter school in York, PA, that serves a student body of which 98 percent live in poverty. Since 2007, that student body has had a 93 percent attendance rate, 84 percent have gone on to a post-secondary education, and nearly 23 percent […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 9 OPPORTUNITY SHORTCHANGED. Once again, President Obama’s FY15 budget has shortchanged money for the successful, popular, money-saving Opportunity Scholarship Program in Washington, D.C.  Sadly, this is not the first time D.C. vouchers have been zeroed-out of the budget, even though research validates the program’s effectiveness, despite President’s claims to the contrary. Very few […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 7 SOME STATES JUST GETTING STARTED. Last week saw a victory for Parent Power in Mississippi, where state lawmakers passed legislation that, once reconciled, will establish education savings accounts (ESAs) for students with special needs. Early estimates show that as many as 11 percent of Magnolia State students could benefit from having their […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 6 SCAPEGOATING PARENTS. In a weak attempt to find key problems and solutions to public education, The New York Times framed a discussion on its opinion page with the misguided question, “Do Parents Care Enough About School?” Yes, after decades of stagnation and failure in traditional public schools, the Times thought to ask […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 5 DIGITAL LEARNING IN THE NEWS. If the only newspaper a person ever reads is the Los Angeles Times, he or she would be inclined to think that students’ use of iPads is the most revolutionary classroom introduction since the chalkboard, and a substantial product of the digital learning revolution. But “digiformers” […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 4 STATE OF EDUCATION. In his first-ever State of the Union address in 2009, President Obama said: “That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education, from the day they are born to the day they begin […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 3 FREEDOM TO CHOOSE. A half century following the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights era, American students still face inequitable educational options, and find themselves unable to escape failing systems. And yet, in places such as the District of Columbia, more and more students are demonstrating first-hand how […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 2 PEAK PERFORMANCE. In a brief video testimonial, 16 year-old Savannah, a low-income student who is a full grade ahead and obtaining college credit, sums up her experience attending Pikes Peak Prep charter school in Colorado. With expenses such as books and transportation costs taken care of, students like Savannah can focus […] Read more »

Vol. 16, No. 1 MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS ARE GAME CHANGERS. As with any major legislative initiative, there has been a lot of debate surrounding charter school legislation currently in the Pennsylvania State Senate, particularly the question of creating university authorizers. If done properly, Pennsylvania school districts could expect the same type of quality charter schools that […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 48 Newswire: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the states People were seeing what real reform creates Charter schools were open, each with a different mission and creed Students lined up to attend, especially those most in need Kids were now learning, with excitement and […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 47 GARDEN STATE GRINCHES.  The holiday season is a little less bright for Tracey Williams, whose charter school application was again unfairly denied.  The denial came with little feedback, a testament to the flawed application process in the Garden State.  The New Jersey Supreme Court sided with the State Commissioner, finding nothing suspect […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 46 SUPPORT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. As teacher unions and establishment allies across the country marched on statehouses and in cities urging those in power to maintain business as usual, we thought it only too fitting to release poll results that reflect a strong desire to see increased accountability in schools. With the exception of […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 45 POSITIVE CULTURE. We were on the ground today touring Democracy Prep Endurance Charter School in New York City, where it shares a building with a traditional public school. As we made our way towards Endurance’s classrooms, the cultural shift in the building’s atmosphere became abundantly clear. Detailed, colorful banners lined the hallways, […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 44 THANKSGIVING. This holiday season, there are more families than ever who have reason to be thankful for the improved educational landscape in their community and chances of success for students. Here are just a few items for which we’re thankful: We’re thankful for those in communities who have the courage to […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 43 WHY THEY EXCEL. Earlier today, we were very fortunate to receive a tour of Excel Academy,  an all girls charter school that is deliberately located in the Anacostia section of Washington, DC. The school staff, mission and most of all the young scholars are nothing short of a quintessential example of […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 42 CALIFORNIA PARENTS WANT POWER. The state of California just boosted the state-aid in the low-income Fresno school district where over 80 percent of students are eligible for free or subsidized school lunches. Once the parents caught wind of the extra funding, hundreds spoke up to claim their power. Because of their […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 41 ELECTION DAY. Today, the likely decisions of voters in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City chart a very uncertain future for education reform and student opportunity. Two frontrunners have firmly positioned themselves as anti-reform, while one other merely has the potential to do more. In a state desperately in need […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 40 CHARTER LAW LESSONS.  We’ve long said that creating charter school authorizing commissions is a policy prescription that actually works against quality charter school growth. First hand evidence of bureaucratizing the process in New Mexico, politicizing it in Maine or building new barriers to entry that have little to do with quality like in Idaho, are […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 39 TERRIBLY OFF-TRACK. Over 130,000 students are enrolled with at least 40,000 more on charter school waiting lists across Pennsylvania. Despite the demand from parents to bring more high quality choices to the state, lawmakers in Harrisburg are doing the bidding of special interest groups. In fact, what was once billed as […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 38 NEW YORK, NEW YORK? No, that isn’t a reference to the wildly successful RatPack EdReformies last week, but rather the uncertain future of charter schools in New York City. The mayoral race between candidates Bill de Blasio (D) and Joe Lhota (R) is guaranteed to have a substantial impact on the […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 37 INTERNAL DIFFERENCES. It’s always essential to call out misleading information with potentially negative effects on more and better opportunities for students, even when they come from friends and supporters. In two separate instances, Jeanne Allen has responded to Whitney Tilson’s criticisms of both Allen’s integrity as well as K12 Inc., a […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 36 SEEKING HELP IN HIGH PLACES. Ten-year old Carlos Jackson had a very important request related to the quality of his education, so important he took it up with the President of the United States. When Carlos decided that he wanted to attend another school after becoming dissatisfied with his current option, […] Read more »

Volo. 15, No. 35 Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the horrific shooting that took place yesterday in Washington, DC’s Navy Yard. We applaud the precautions taken by the courageous educators and school leaders in the surrounding area who kept all students safe and away from danger. Police, emergency personnel, […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 34 VINDICATION. One misleading report. That’s all it takes to tarnish a proud legacy of meaningful education reform, especially if the opposing side has an agenda. Former education chief and reform stalwart Tony Bennett quickly became the subject of controversy when a July news report indicated wrongdoing in the statewide grading system […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 33 Newswire – Special Back-to-School Parent Power! Edition IN SEARCH OF PARENT POWER! As more students head back to school this week as evident by the 300 or so alerts most of us have received or posted from Facebook “Friends,” more and more parents and lawmakers are questioning whether they have a […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 33 BACK TO SCHOOL FOR ED REFORM. As students and parents begin the new school year, we’re beginning The Campaign for Education Reform, a new effort to grow awareness and support of the need for real education reform among the 280 million Americans who still do not benefit from that reform’s promise […] Read more »

Volume 15, No. 32 PARENT POWER DEFICIENCY. The recently released Associated Press-NORC poll produced some troubling results concerning the role of parents in education. Just over half (54 percent) of Hispanic parents believe they have “a great deal or a lot of influence over their child’s education.” That figure only goes lower when applied to […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 31 WAIVERING ON PROGRESS. Last week eight school districts, including Los Angeles Unified, became the first districts in the country to receive waivers on NCLB provisions from the US Department of Education. Under NCLB, states were expected to ensure student proficiency across the board by 2014. California had the past thirteen years […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 29 OFF TO THE BEACH. While none of us are actually sitting on a beach right now, Newswire requested some much-needed vacation time this week. Besides, most of you are away and not paying attention to email. Newswire will return next week, fully recharged and ready for the Back-to-School push that August […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 28 GOOD NEWS. On Sunday, lawmakers in NC finally reached an agreement on the state budget, which includes offering a $4,200 scholarship for low-income families to choose a school that is the best fit for their children. The budget, which opponents are already slated to take to the courts, also addresses teacher […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 27 ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. The Education Committee of the DC City Council deliberated today about Mayor Gray’s “Increasing Access to High Quality Educational Opportunities Act of 2013.” The proposal seeks to reinstate charter authorizing for DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson. In her testimony, CER founder and president Jeanne Allen said, “The real […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 26 Special Charter Conference Edition While the NEA is having its annual conference in Atlanta, charter school leaders, teachers, and advocates (and even a few celebrities!) are coming together discussing how to keep the ball rolling on these innovative schools that have already helped move America forward. From the social media airwaves, […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 25 Special Charter Research Wars Edition DON’T LET EM’ FOOL YOU. We’d like to caution Newswire’s readers this week about the release of another national report that uses statistical gymnastics to make spurious comparisons of student achievement in charter schools across state lines. At the stroke of midnight a report on charter […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 24 POORLY PREPARED. Only 11 percent of our nation’s elementary school teacher prep programs are providing “adequate content preparation for teachers in the subjects they will teach,” according to a report released today by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). Of the over 2,400 teacher prep programs across the country evaluated, […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 23 Special Graduation Edition From coast to coast, scores of students who were once at-risk of falling through the cracks are graduating and finding success at charter schools. The pomp and circumstance of graduation ceremonies take on a whole new meaning and mark a major milestone for these students who otherwise would […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 22 LOOKING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD. CER President Jeanne Allen is in Boston, MA today for a look at authorizing in The Bay State, sponsored by the Pioneer Institute. Cara Stillings Candal just authored a fantastic paper for Pioneer on the history of the charter movement in Massachusetts and how the authorizing […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 21 OPPORTUNITY FORWARD. Just this morning, the North Carolina House Education Committee moved legislation forward that would bring vouchers to the Tarheel State. Following a heated debate, The Opportunity Scholarship Act, HB 944, passed 27 to 21. As one lawmaker said in favor of the bill, “Some think we were elected to […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 20 OPPORTUNITY AHEAD. North Carolina lawmakers deliberated on a proposal earlier today that would bring much needed change to the Tarheel State. Thanks to the bi-partisan work of NC House Members Rob Bryan (R-Mecklenburg), Marcus Brandon (D-Guilford), Brian Brown, (R-Pitt) and Ed Hanes (D-Forsyth), the Opportunity Scholarship Act (HB 944) is moving […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 19 GOOD at ENCOURAGING DROPOUTS (GED). As states across the nation are called to increase high school graduation rates, there’s a growing concern about the value of the GED and state policies that encourage dropouts. As the Washington Post points out, educators and economists alike are calling for stricter access to the […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 18 SPECIAL EDITION, from the Editor WHY NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE (excerpted. Read the Full Analysis here) “People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after.” –Oliver Goldsmith This quote seems particularly apt today, the second day of National Charter Schools Week, […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 17 SIN CITY. In 30 years, only two principals in Nevada’s Clark County School District have been fired. Could it be that the schools in Vegas are really so good that only two school leaders have ever been held accountable? Unfortunately, the answer is NO. Nevada ranks 24th on the Parent Power […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 16 BING. Two significant developments in the cause for equity and justice for kids happened over the past few days. First, a major report by the non-partisan University of Arkansas found that students in Washington, DC charter schools are treated to almost 44% less in funding than the traditional public school system […] Read more »

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 […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 14 THE MADNESS CONTINUES. With all due respect to basketball fans out there, the Louisville win might be nirvana for some, but we’re wondering why we can’t channel some of the sports enthusiasm toward education reform and help this laggard state actually adopt some measures that are good for kids and families. […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 13 SUPREME VICTORY. Just a week ago, the Indiana Supreme Court unanimously upheld a lower court decision declaring the state’s school voucher program constitutional. Kevin Chavous, executive counsel for American Federation for Children and CER Board Member explains, “…the bottom line is people and parents are clamoring for change. And that’s why […] Read more »

Vol. 15, No. 12 MARCH MADNESS. Across the country March Madness is in full swing; but in Chicago, it’s not just their brackets being busted – it’s their schools. As Chicago officials announced that they will close 54 under-enrolled schools this year, in the country’s third largest district to help close a $1 billion budget […] Read more »

Maine holds conference on best practices... Louisiana parents fight for vouchers... Mississippi has ways to go on charter schools... Blended learning in action at Aspire ERES in CA... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

AFT President arrested while defending failing Philly schools... Common Core affecting young kids... states grappling with kids that can't read... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

U.S. Ed Sec gets four Pinocchios... MD union covers up embezzlement issue... AL expands choice... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Sequestration Skyfall?... Mega-states Mega Mediocrity... Friendship Charter students college-bound... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Charter school selectivity claims widely exaggerated... Underestimating parental choice... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

State of the Union... Why our Nation is still At Risk... School closing protestors aren't just parents... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

CREDO report shouldn't be taken as fact... Strong laws mean strong schools... Common Core falls short... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Twitter buzzing for National School Choice Week ... State of the State addresses hit or miss... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

20th Anniversary announcement... MS charter school law changes... School Choice is a Civil Right... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Ohio reforms... Michigan charter school achievement... Louisiana vouchers... and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

New state policy report card...no NCLB waiver for CA...less than 1% GA teachers rated unsatisfactory...and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Coping with the Newtown tragedy...irrational fear of for-profits in education...district accountability...and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

U.S. students lag globally...Louisiana reform rejections...Common Core...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Louisiana Judge rules against vouchers...SABIS fights to open in Boston... Mitch Daniels says reform isn't about getting along... and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

The weekly report on education news & commentary you won't find anywhere else is BACK by popular demand! Feds regulating charter schools...DC insanity...countdown to school choice week...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Vol. 14, No. 31 GONE FISHING. Well, actually, most of us don’t fish, at least not in the water, but we do need a breather and most of you are away anyway and not paying much attention to email. Those of you who are reading email (or at least this one) will be excited to […] Read more »

Garden State's first blended learning charter schools...Olympians go online...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Parents, FL & NC, and sports starts support school choice...Remaking America's Schools...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Tellin' it like it is on Maine's charter law...students bored by school...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Push for charters in WA...union membership down...DC charter enrollment up...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

ID reform challenges...NH Voucher Veto...GAO report suspect...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Mayors and Parent Trigger...Charter school achievement...National Charter Schools Conference...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Corbett's Crusade...Parent Trigger in MI... cost of Neshaminy teacher strikes...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

WI recall election...unions losing popularity...charter reform unraveling in PA...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Special graduation issue of Newswire gives shout outs to charter, online, and Catholic schools providing quality education with no excuses. Read more »

John Engler honored...Keys to charter school success...media accountability...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Harlem Village Academies...Data damage...Tennesseans support choice...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

All about charter schools in today's Newswire in honor of National Charter Schools Week. Read more »

Forcing reform conversation with presidential hopefuls...Charters cut bureaucratic tape...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

LIFO legislative battle in MN...Buffalo union eval contention...More NC charters sue...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Keeping choice a priority in DC... Louisiana's expansive reforms...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

While you were on spring break...online schools in New Jersey...Merit Pay in Wisconsin...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

New charter law ratings...In favor of multiple authorizers...Louisiana and South Carolina legislators close to closure...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Council on Foreign Relations...Heavy doses of suspected cheating...Online learning is burgeoning nationwide...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Summit to improve nation's dropout rate...Louisiana's moral imperative...Georgia gets a win and much more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Washington Times hits the mark...while Fox News misses...online learning gets a boost...and much more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Super Tuesday...Study on Milwaukee's voucher program...Big week for reform ...and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Utah’s legislators to add teeth to existing teacher law...Choice works in Philly...Catholic schools win a victory...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Speak up in Maine...Chicago protests...New York's new eval process...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Harrisburg's harassment of charters...NCLB waivers...Tenure in Virginia...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Georgia's constitutional amendment...STEM teaching and learning...Boys Latin and KIPP success...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Parent triggers...Digital Learning Day...and fallout from the State of the Union address...all in today's Newswire. Read more »

National School Choice Week...Lunchtime Lessons...and what the states are doing in this week's Newswire. Read more »

New report is misleading and counterproductive. Read more »

A look forward to 2012...More states are stepping up to the plate...Upcoming Education Week report...and more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

2012 in Review -- What’s In and What’s Out Read more »

Of gifts and grinches... Read more »

Digital report card...New Jersey's virtual school...Performance-based accountability in the nation's capital and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

False facts...Virtual schools in New Jersey...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Tenure and bad apples...Maine's pending charter bill...Jersey charters file petition...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

A message of thanks for those who strive to bring all of our children the education they deserve Read more »

Parents in Buffalo are fed up...in Philadelphia rally for change...and lose out in NCLB...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Charters closing the gap...Survey shows teachers want reform, too...New Jersey teachers union plays politics...and more in Today's Newswire. Read more »

Hot gubernatorial races...Latest NAEP report...Paper takes aim at teachers' union...and much more in Today's Newswire. Read more »

Views of two masters...California Charter Schools Association study...What's happening in the states...and more in Today's Newswire. Read more »

Senators agree on No Child...CT charter succeeding against all odds...Gap closer...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Charter success stories...Pennsylvania governor's comprehensive ed reform approach...Michigan's charter bill...and much more in this week's Newswire. Read more »

Look for a new Newswire...When school choice is a crime...Federal vs. local...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

Chicago mayor takes on teachers union...Who is the new head of the NEA?...SAT scores fall...and much more in today's Newswire. Read more »

New Orleans, Louisiana’s (NOLA), ed establishment has mounted a fight they hope carries hurricane force winds to the Big Easy, knocking out the careful and successful repair work of the state’s -- and perhaps -- the south’s -- worst school system. That system lost everything in the tragic hurricane of 2005, but from the ashes emerged a fresh start for schools, including no interference by a power-hungry school board and unions, as well as from tenure and seniority issues that protect jobs often at the expense of kids. Next month’s elections will decide the fate of 11 positions on the state board of education. Unlike most states, their job is not only to pick a state superintendent who can advocate for or against reforms like the charter schools that gave NOLA a fresh start or the pathbreaking voucher program that now helps thousands with private education. This board and the state super also have authority over the Recovery District, and that is why this is such a hot race. Teacher unions have banded together with the Coalition for Louisiana Public Education to try to return NOLA to a pre-Katrina structure. It’s a pity they still don’t get it. Get involved and publicize the importance of reform-minded candidates to your friends or colleagues in the Bayou. For more information on New Orleans schools, visit: http://educatenow.net/ or http://newschoolsforneworleans.org/index.php Read more »

That more regular public schools replicate success, like the one covered in today's NY Times by veteran education reporter Sam Dillon. YOWSA! "We can't sit idly by and let parents think that only the quality charter schools can educate poor kids well," said Terry Grier, Houston's hard-charging superintendent. "If you see something good, why not try to replicate it?" KIPP's Mike Feinberg, whose work forms the basis for some of the reforms Grier is trying told Dillon: "They've been trying to fix Lee High School for 20 years," he said. "But up until now, there's been no competitive pressure for them to really get crazy and do transformational things." See for yourself - Need we say more? Read more »

MORE BLENDED LEARNING. You know an innovation is on the rise when they write a white paper about it. And, so it is with blended learning, a mixture of on-line and brick-and-mortar education. "The Rise of K-12 Blended Learning: Profiles of Emerging Models," the white paper, was published by Innosight Institute, a research firm, and the Charter School Growth Fund, which invests in charter school management organizations. Report authors call blended learning a "disruptive innovation," a term coined by Harvard's Clayton M. Christensen that describes those innovations that "fundamentally transform a sector by replacing expensive, complicated and inaccessible products or services with much less expensive, simpler and more convenient alternatives." Blended learning, which is beginning to bubble up around the country, may be the spark that totally transforms the delivery of American education. In 2000, only 45,000 K-12 kids took an online course. By 2010, 4 million students participated in some type of on-line learning, according to "The Rise of K-12 Blended Learning." The paper tells us that it started with a small group of students – homeschoolers, gifted kids needing classes their schools didn't offer, rural students, kids needing remedial support and others. But, now it is weaving its way into a broader population, sometimes embraced because it is seen as soft on the budget and sometimes because it simply supports student and family flexibility. Read more »

Vol. 13, No. 33 BACK2SCHOOL.It’s that time again, when kids start packing their bags and getting back on a routine that makes families happy and, hopefully, makes student life productive for the future. This week all over the South schools are back in session. But despite an increase in charter school seats (estimated to be […] Read more »

CER Newswire Vol. 13, No. 32 August 16, 2011 CHOICE CHESS. Legal ploys to stop democratically created choice programs seem to be in vogue this year, with union bosses’ taking their cases to court. Score a win in Indiana (now considered the Reformiest State– see story below) where Judge Michael Keele refused to stop the state’s voucher program […] Read more »