Daily Headlines for August 3, 2011
Overreacting to Cheating
Los Angeles Times, CA, August 3, 2011
States should not work so hard to prevent cheating on school tests – even when the cheating is done by teachers – that new problems are created.
Money Is Not The Be-All And End-All
Foster Daily Democrat, NH, August 3, 2011
Some $5 billion after the fact, Bill Gates has come to the conclusion that pumping more money into the nation’s public schools is not the answer.
NCLB a Success, But Change It
Montgomery Advertiser, AL, August 2, 2011
Despite its many critics, the No Child Left Behind program and its emphasis on schools making “adequate yearly progress” have spurred significant improvements in public education. And public schools in the River Region and throughout Alabama are no exception; improvements have been made here as well.
Teachers Unions’ Temerity: No Accountability
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, August 3, 2011
Unionized teachers ostensibly protested No Child Left Behind (NCLB) outside the White House last week. But what they really were protesting was accountability.
FROM THE STATES
CALIFORNIA
Aldo Leopold High School: Reaching 120 Students Enrolled
La Cruces Sun-News, CA, August 3, 2011
Starting its seventh year, Aldo Leopold High School, for the first time in its history, has reached capacity of 120 students and has created a waiting list for interested students.
Alternative Educations Found At Charter Schools
La Cruces Sun-News, CA, August 3, 2011
Charter schools offer educational alternatives that are attracting attention and a growing student base throughout the state and nation.
COLORADO
Court Hears Testimony In Case To Stop Douglas County’s School-Voucher Program
Denver Post, CO, August 3, 2011
A business owner and father of three told a packed courtroom Tuesday that he joined a lawsuit to stop the Douglas County School District’s voucher program because it will harm his daughters’ schools.
FLORIDA
Ben Gamla Immerses Students In Hebrew Language, Culture
Sun Sentinel, FL, August 3, 2011
Principal Elanit Weizman said Ben Gamla is similar to Spanish language schools in which children receive a period of Hebrew a day to read and write, through music, art and dance to learn the culture of the country. She said that Ben Gamla is not a Jewish school and religion is not taught.
Focus on Education, Not Pay
The Ledger, FL, August 3, 2011
In April, I asked the question “what is a good teacher?” Today I ask a simple question with two choices.
ILLINOIS
We’re Trying To Get Our Message Out’
Chicago Tribune, IL, August 2, 2011
Rich Township educator showcases south suburban district after charter school opens.
School’s Out
Chicago Tribune, IL, August 3, 2011
The state’s 44 regional school superintendents aren’t getting paid. In late June, Gov. Pat Quinn zeroed out $11.3 million in the state budget earmarked for their offices.
INDIANA
Family Excited About School Voucher
WANE, IN, August 2, 2011
With the start of school just weeks away, the list of schools and students approved for the state’s voucher program continues to grow. Local families are now finding out whether they’ve been accepted.
MINNESOTA
TiZA Opts Against Appealing Closure
Star Tribune, MN, August 3, 2011
The troubled charter school, which had been ordered to close, decided that its prospects were not going to improve.
NEW JERSEY
Changing the Rules for Teacher Evaluation
NJ Spotlight, NJ, August 3, 2011
It took a little courage and some said a leap of faith, but 31 New Jersey school districts have signed up to be part of the Christie administration’s pilot program for testing a statewide teacher evaluation system.
NEW MEXICO
Give Education Secretary And Her Reforms A Chance
El Defensor Chieftain, NM, August 2, 2011
Should we be more concerned that 87 percent of our public schools didn’t make Adequate Yearly Progress or that Democrats are still nitpicking Secretary of Education-designate Hanna Skandera?
NEW YORK
Adding Job Amid Layoffs Stirs Uproar
Buffalo News, NY, August 3, 2011
Buffalo School Superintendent James A. Williams wants to add a position to his central office staff just as more than 250 district employees are receiving layoff notices.
Specter of Nonexistent Exam Cheating Is Next Assault for Anti-Test, Anti-School Reform Activists
New York Daily News, NY, August 3, 2011
When the state releases the 2011 public school test scores on Monday, New York City kids may very well show gains over last year.
Money Woes At Charter School
Albany Times-Union, NY, August 3, 2011
Serious financial trouble has prevented the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls from paying some employee benefits.
New Management Team Tries To Save Failing Harlem Charter School
NY1, NY, August 2, 2011
A grand experiment is happening in a Harlem school building, as for the first time the state is allowing a group to come in and try to save a failing charter school that was slated for closure. NY1’s Education reporter Lindsey Christ filed the following report.
NORTH CAROLINA
Charter Schools Polishing Proposals
Charlotte News Observer, NC, August 3, 2011
These are days full of hope for potential charter school operators who see their chances for sta
rting new schools blossoming.
NC Charter Schools Seeking Capital Funds Lose Case
WLOS 13, NC, August 2, 2011
North Carolina’s Court of Appeals is telling charter schools seeking taxpayer money to buy and maintain their buildings and buses to take it up with lawmakers.
OHIO
‘A’ for Effort
Toledo Blade, OH, August 3, 2011
It is too early to tell whether the changes at Robinson will bring long-lasting improvements to the chronically under-performing school. Ideas that work will be exported to other city schools; those that fail will be modified or abandoned and replaced with new ideas.
PENNSYLVANIA
Givebacks by School District Unions? Not So Fast . . .
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, August 3, 2011
SCHOOL DISTRICT officials will be hard-pressed to get the concessions they asked for from principals, union officials said a day after members learned of the district’s giving bonuses to 10 favored principals.
Let’s Expel the School Reform Commission
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, August 3, 2011
GIVEN THE STATE of city schools – angst over The Queen’s contract, strong suggestions of a cheating scandal and, oh, so much more – is it time to switch things up?
RHODE ISLAND
Providence, Teachers Reach Tentative Contract Agreement
Providence Journal, RI, August 2, 2011
City officials and the Providence Teachers Union have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, Mayor Angel Taveras announced Tuesday.
TENNESSEE
With Expectations High, Failing Cameron Middle Has Fresh Start
The Tennessean, TN, August 3, 2011
It’s the state’s first conversion charter school – a public school taken over by a charter. Every fifth-grader who is zoned for Cameron can attend Cameron College Prep, but each student must sign a commitment to follow the strict rules, including a plan to go to college. Parents were asked one on one to buy in
Former Memphis Mayor Herenton Hopes To Run 9 Charter Schools
Commercial Appeal, TN, August 3, 2011
Former mayor Willie Herenton hopes to be running a consortium of nine charter schools across city and county school boundaries by this time next year.
Troubled Charter Schools ‘Going Forward’
Commercial Appeal, TN, August 3, 2011
MBA’s middle school did not make Adequate Yearly Progress for the second consecutive year, a grave situation for charter schools in Tennessee, where the law gives charters two years to prove themselves. If they fail, they can be shut down.
VIRGINIA
Patrick Henry Charter School Bolsters Financial Controls
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, August 3, 2011
The board of directors of the Patrick Henry School for Science and Arts tightened its financial belt a few notches Tuesday night.
WISCONSIN
Check the Facts on Voucher Programs
Appleton Post Crescent, WI, August 3, 2011
If we are going to pursue alternative methods of educating a large number of Wisconsin’s children, new programs have to be proven to work. Publicly funded programs can’t undergo wide expansions without showing they’re better than their predecessors.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Treasure Coast-Wide Virtual School In The Works?
TC Palm, FL, August 2, 2011
An online school that crosses county lines could be in the Treasure Coast’s future.
Online School Good Choice For Students
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, August 2, 2011
I agree with the News Sentinel that online public schools are an exciting innovation and a catalyst for education reform (” Virtual Academy is a welcome innovation for state’s students,” July 25). This is exactly why Union County Public Schools decided to open the Tennessee Virtual Academy to students statewide.
NE Valley Incorporates Online Classes To Schools
The Arizona Republic, AZ, August 2, 2011
Options for online education have expanded for Northeast Valley students as district and charter schools offer more ways to bypass the traditional model of learning in a classroom all day.
Major Education Groups in Colorado Back Proposed State Tax Hike for K-12
Denver Post, CO, August 3, 2011
He stood alone for months, but now state Sen. Rollie Heath has the backing of two major education groups behind his $3 billion tax-increase proposal.