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NATIONAL

Obama Right To Give Schools Flexibility
Orlando Sentinel, FL, October 5, 2011
In addition to cutting through the confusion and frustration that has reigned in the decade since Bush signed No Child Left Behind into law, the new flexibility will give districts and teachers more breathing room to do what they must: teach.

FROM THE STATES

Merit Pay For Teachers Is No Magic Bullet
Standard Times, MA, October 5, 2011
Combatants in the war to improve public education arrive at the front with two vastly differing arsenals. The battle currently raging is whether merit pay for teachers linked to high-stakes testing will narrow the achievement gap. One camp seeks the truth and supports it with data and common sense; the other camp seeks a profit margin from its distortion.

City Makes Moves To ‘Stabilize’ Schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, October 5, 2011
IN THE LATEST example of expanding oversight of the Philadelphia School District by the city and state, Mayor Nutter yesterday announced two efforts to help “stabilize” district operations.

New Evaluations Run Off Tennessee Teachers
The Tennessean, TN, October 5, 2011
Sherrie Martin, former teacher of the year at a Metro school, is questioning whether she really belongs in the classroom after scoring low on the state’s new teacher evaluation.

Despite Impressive Gains, Hamilton High Gets No Promise For Future
Commercial Appeal, TN, October 5, 2011
It was dinnertime and a Tuesday and several hundred people were streaming into Hamilton High School , wanting to prove that if it’s support that’s needed, this South Memphis institution can pack a hall.

Fearing Full State Takeover, Community Rallies at Hamilton High School
WREG, TN, October 4, 2011
Fearing for the future of Hamilton High School, alumni, parents and school and community leaders rallied in the school’s auditorium Tuesday. It was an effort to brainstorm ideas on what the school is doing right, and what it can do to improve.

A Better Way to Learn
The News-Press, NC, October 4, 2011
Sending high-performing teachers to the district’s 20 struggling schools is getting results for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools.

District to Seek Virgo Charter School
Star News, NC, October 5, 2011
If the N.C. Board of Education approves its application, the former Virgo Middle School in downtown Wilmington will be the county’s newest charter middle school in fall 2012.

Zais: Magnet/Charter Schools Should Allow Out Of District Students Opportunity
ABCNews 4 Charleston, SC, October 4, 2011
Recently it was discovered that 15 students that attend magnet schools in Charleston County do not live in the county. A Berkeley County parent has also filed a lawsuit against the Charleston County School District in attempt to get a child into Academic Magnet.

Georgia Charter School Leaders, Supporters to Meet in Macon
Newman Times-Herald, GA, October 5, 2011
Nearly 400 charter school teachers, principals, board members, school founders and potential school founders will be in attendance at a two-day conference this week.

New Beginnings Charter School Offers Valuable Educational Opportunity
The Ledger, FL, October 5, 2011
As the 2011-2012 school year got under way, Winter Haven was blessed to include a new high school within its city limits. New Beginnings High School has opened its doors and is receiving students. While the school is growing and doing an excellent job of meeting its goals in this inaugural year, it is not yet at capacity.

Seminole Teachers Say New Evaluation System Flawed
Orlando Sentinel, FL, October 4, 2011
As Seminole County public school teachers negotiate their contract this school year, they are uneasy over a new state-mandated evaluation system that could, for example, cost a first-grade teacher her job because third graders did poorly in reading.

Ohio Charter School Sponsors Now Face Sanctions for Schools’ Poor Academic Performance
StateImpact NPR, October 4, 2011
For the first time, Ohio charter-school sponsors with poorly performing schools have been banned from taking on new charter schools. But the sponsors affected by this new ban work with relatively few of the state’s charter schools.

Kensington Woods High School Adds Seventh And Eighth Grades
Livingston Daily Press & Argus, MI, October 5, 2011
The program’s goal is to better prepare junior high students in the areas of math, science, English and social studies before ninth grade.

Detroit Public Schools Lures Students to Class for Count Day
Detroit Free Press, MI, October 5, 2011
Today is count day, one of the most important days of the year for public schools statewide that are competing for students and the state funding they bring.

Charter School Proponents Aren’t Telling The Whole Story
Holland Sentinel, MI, October 5, 2011
OK, I lied. I didn’t take basketball lessons this summer. This tale is simply an analogy to better understand the situation of a local school — Black River Public School. This charter school boasts an outstanding record of test scores and awards.

Teachers Seek More Details About New Evaluation Process Being Considered By Jackson School Board
Jackson Citizen Patriot, MI, October 5, 2011
Teachers want details about a new evaluation process that’s being considered by the Jackson School Board, but the head of the teacher union said she likes the plan.

‘No Child Left Behind’ Waivers May Mean Fewer Headaches for Schools
Chicago Sun Times, IL, October 5, 2011
More than 1,300 elementary schools across Illinois were failing by 2010, according to federal No Child Left Behind standards, and that number is expected to jump at the end of this school year. Which is why Illinois — and most other states — likely will apply for a waiver of NCLB requirements offered by President Barack Obama last month.

The Power of Parent Advocacy
Edmond Sun, OK, October 4, 2011
I had the opportunity recently to meet with other education reformers, school leaders and teachers and governors at the national “Education Nation” summit in New York City.

As Expected, Colorado Schools Fall Behind On Yearly Progress Target
Denver Post, CO, October 5, 2011
Fewer Colorado schools and districts met “Adequate Yearly Progress” targets established by the No Child Left Behind law this year than last year.

Re-1 Weighs In On Charter Application
Glenwood Springs Post Independent, CO, October 5, 2011
A new state charter school proposed to be located in Glenwood Springs would have serious economic and social impacts on other public schools locally, according to Roaring Fork School District Re-1 Superintendent Judy Haptonstall.

Study: Tempe Prep, Arizona Charters Among World’s Best Schools
East Valley Tribune, AZ, October 4, 2011
Where’s one of the best places in the world to learn reading and math? Tempe Preparatory Academy , according to a study released last week.

Evaluations Are Critical To Ongoing Improvement
Brandon Valley Challenge, SD, October 5, 2011
The South Dakota Legislative Rules Committee recently approved a set of new teaching standards that were proposed by the State Board of Education. The new standards, based on the work of Charlotte Danielson, are a research-based set of standards that, when teachers do them well, result in increased student achievement.

Bullis Charter School in Los Altos Faces Contentious Decision Over Its Future
Mercury News, CA, October 4, 2011
Bullis Charter School in Los Altos provides an education that most parents can only imagine: foreign language for kindergartners, electives like robotics and Broadway dance for elementary students and science field trips to Costa Rica. It posts a stellar 984, out of 999, on the state’s Academic Performance Index.

Florida House Democrats: Mckay Program Still Has Flaws
Florida Times Union , FL, October 5, 2011
Democrats grilled a Department of Education official Tuesday and once again said a school-choice scholarship program allowed too much room for fraud.

Hundreds of Charter School Supporters Rally at Capitol
WLNS, MI, October 4, 2011
A cap on charter schools brought hundreds from across the state to the capital Tuesday. Their goal is to reach out to lawmakers and get them to pass a bill that would allow all Michigan families to have a choice when it comes to their child’s education.

Green Bay School District Officials Back Bill Blocking Vouchers
Green Bay Press-Gazette, WI, October 5, 2011
Green Bay school officials support legislation that would prevent the state’s school voucher program from expanding to Green Bay.

The Right Goal – But Lots of Questions
Des Moines Register, IA, October 4, 2011
Gov. Terry Branstad unveiled his education reform proposal on Monday. Entitled “One Unshakeable Vision: World Class Schools for Iowa,” it is focused on the right goal. Better schools help Iowa’s children, and they, in turn, help Iowa’s economic future.

Bridging the Gap Between the City and Its Schools
Huffington Post, NY, October 4, 2011
If San Francisco’s economic future depends on a well-trained workforce, we must address the growing trend of families leaving our community in search of better schools.

VIRTUAL LEARNING

Virtual Education Has Florida As Leader, Moving Into “Uncharted Ground”
Miami Herald Blog, FL, October 4, 2011
Florida legislators just heard an update – nearly an hour and a half long – on the impact of bills passed last session on school vouchers and virtual education. The basic result: More students with disabilities or from poor performing schools are using vouchers, and virtual education is booming in Florida .

Windber School Board Discusses Online Learning Development
Daily American, PA, October 4, 2011
With students’ interests in mind, school districts across Somerset County are edging closer to technology-oriented curriculums.