Daily Headlines: November 10, 2011
Are Teachers Overpaid?
US News & World Report, November 9, 2011
Teacher pay has long been blamed for the diminishing quality of education in the United States . Education activists from former first lady Laura Bush to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan argue that salaries for teachers should be increased both to properly compensate teachers for their difficult occupation and to lure more competent young people into the profession.
STATE COVERAGE
A Chance To Improve: Charter Schools, If Done Properly, Could Help Anniston Education
Anniston Star, AL, November 10, 2011
With a year as the majority party under their belts, Alabama’s Republican legislative leaders this week announced in broad strokes their aims for Montgomery’s 2012 session.
Relief from No Child Left Behind Too Expensive, State Officials Say
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 9, 2011
It would cost cash-strapped California at least $2 billion to meet the requirements for relief from the federal No Child Left Behind law, state officials reported Wednesday to the California Board of Education.
Barnidge: A Little Late To Worry About Charter Dividing The School District
Contra Costa Times, CA, November 9, 2011
As opponents of Clayton Valley High School’s charter petition took turns at the microphone at Tuesday’s Mt. Diablo school board meeting — students, parents, teachers and administrators from other district schools all piped up — the words varied, but the message was unmistakable: If we have to be stuck with this school district, so do you.
Charter Schools Do-Over
LA Weekly, CA, November 10, 2011
Los Angeles Unified School District officials have moved to close a loophole in the charter school admissions process in the wake of an Oct. 13 L.A. Weekly story — and a school featured in our story also has changed its policies.
Kindergarten Fair Markets To Parents
Enterprise-Record, CA, November 10, 2011
The Chico State University-sponsored annual “Kindergarten Fair” saw 28 schools and educationally related organizations trying to put their best foot forward for the consuming public.
New Charter High School Makes A Pitch
The Almanac, CA, November 9, 2011
Now Ms. Stewart is on a steering committee, advised by Mr. Gemma and other educators, for a proposed fifth charter high school in the district. The school would be modeled on Big Picture Learning, a network of more than 100 charters with headquarters in Rhode Island and offices in San Diego, the Netherlands and Australia.
Superintendents Call For Eliminating Lifetime Tenure For Teachers
Hartford Courant, CT, November 9, 2011
Sweeping Set Of Proposals Would Replace It With Renewable Five-Year Contracts; Also Promote Personalized Learning, Flexible School Calendar, More Use Of Technology
‘Controlled Choice’ For School Admission Goes Beyond Proximity
Miami Herald, FL, November 9, 2011
In Coral Gables’ controlled choice program for public school admission, parents apply to their top two preferences among Coral Gables Preparatory Academy , Sunset Elementary and G.W. Carver Elementary. But they may actually get their third choice.
Pay-for-Performance Law A ‘Nightmare,’ Teachers Say
The Ledger, FL, November 9, 2011
Hyde made her decision after a recent faculty meeting that explained a new teacher evaluation system. The evaluation system is part of state legislation passed in the spring that ties teachers’ pay to students’ performance.
CPS Lays Out Metrics For Principal Bonuses
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 9, 2011
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Wednesday the criteria by which high-performing Chicago Public Schools principals will receive up to $20,000 in bonuses for boosting student achievement this school year.
Charter School For Adult Education Gets Thumbs Up
Post Tribune, IN, November 10, 2011
Community members were universally supportive of the possibilities for adult education in the region at the proposed charter school hearing for Neighbors New Vistas High School on Wednesday night.
Indiana Crafts Dropout Remedy Through Choice of Schools
PBS Newshour, November 9, 2011
Special correspondent John Tulenko reports from Indiana, where a voucher program allows families to choose religious schools, charter schools and public schools in neighboring districts for their children as part of an effort to provide more options when graduation rates are low.
Board Criticizes Charter School Plan
Frederick News Post, MD, November 10, 2011
Founders of the proposed Frederick Outdoor Discovery Charter School believed there were only misunderstandings in Superintendent Terry Alban’s recommendation to the school board to deny the application.
Reforms Pivotal For Struggling Schools
Boston Globe, MA, November 10, 2011
Two out of three public schools with chronically poor test scores have made appreciable strides since Massachusetts passed sweeping education changes intended to overhaul urban schools, a new report has found.
Patrick Unveils More Initiatives to Close ‘Achievement Gap’
Boston Globe, MA, November 9, 2011
Governor Deval Patrick today announced his latest plans for helping the state’s most challenged students catch up with their peers.
Give School Choice a Chance
Detroit News, MI, November 10, 2011
October proved a productive month for state senators, with lawmakers passing seven of nine school choice bills along to colleagues in the House.
Unions Show Election Clout
Detroit News, MI, November 10, 2011
By spearheading Michigan’s first recall of a state lawmaker in nearly 30 years and overturning a law to curb bargaining rights for public workers in Ohio, unions showed they still have clout among voters heading into next year’s presidential election.
Education Reform / Start With Parents
Press of Atlantic City, NJ, November 10, 2011
But teachers, lawmakers, parents and school board members serious about improving education in the state would do well to take a wider look around, at area schools that are setting an interesting example.
Educators Discuss Teacher Evaluation Pilot Program At Gloucester County In-Service Day
Gloucester County Times, NJ, November 10, 2011
Teachers and school administrators met Wednesday at West Deptford Middle School to discuss a controversial new pilot program aimed at more accurately assessing teacher effectiveness.
Charter School Head Will Partner With Police To Make Surrounding Nabe A Safety Zone
New York Daily News, NY, November 9, 2011
Harlem Children’s Zone leader Geoffrey Canada, shaken after the shooting of a student outside the prominent charter school, said he’s working with cops to identify gunfire “hot spots” in the neighborhood.
New Parent Group All $nug with UFT
New York Post, NY, November 10, 2011
It’s the new teacher’s pet. A nonprofit touting itself as an “independent” parent advocacy group has quickly cozied up to the United Federation of Teachers — and to the union’s deep pockets, The Post has learned.
Columbus County Charter School Proposal Has Local Support
Fay Observer, NC, November 9, 2011
A proposed charter school for troubled children on the campus of Boys and Girls Homes at Lake Waccamaw has the support of local public schools and the Columbus County Board of Commissioners.
Vouchers Could Harm Schools
Yellow Springs News, OH, November 10, 2011
The Ohio legislature introduced a bill last spring that has the potential to change the face of public education and greatly enhance the possibilities for school choice.
State Sues Charter School’s Old Operators Over Bingo
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 10, 2011
The state attorney general’s office has filed a civil lawsuit against the former operators of a Newark charter school who admitted last month that they ran improper bingo operations.
Resurgence seen at Oklahoma Centennial Middle High School
The Oklahoman, OK, November 10, 2011
Oklahoma Centennial Middle High School is bouncing back from posting the worst test scores in the state a year ago. School pride and test scores both have made a huge jump.
Schools Look Forward to Waiver for NCLB
Tulsa World, OK, November 10, 2011
A newly released draft of the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s application for a No Child Left Behind Act waiver reveals that school districts across the state could soon see the policy relief they have been seeking.
N.J. Home-Schooled Students To Be Eligible For High School Sports
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 10, 2011
Home-schooled students will be eligible to play high school sports under a new policy announced Wednesday by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Too Few Schools Targeted For Closure
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 10, 2011
When the Philadelphia School District announced plans to close some of its aging and unneeded facilities, everyone waited for the other shoe to drop. It landed last week with a soft thud.
Thackston Board Applies for Charter High School in York City
York Dispatch, PA, November 10, 2011
Lincoln Elementary Charter and Helen Thackston Middle Charter School may soon get a big brother. Thackston’s board has applied to York City School Board for a high school, according to Thackston board president Oscar Rossum Sr.
Teacher Evaluations Should Not Be Watered Down
The Tennessean, TN, November 10, 2011
Excellent teachers and excellent education are inseparable. In fact, teacher quality is one of the most important determinants of whether a child succeeds in school and continues to college.
Not Everyone Keen on Charter IDEA
Austin Chronicle, TX, November 10, 2011
Austin Independent School District staff met a polite but chilly community response last week when Superintendent Meria Car¬star¬phen and IDEA Public Schools CEO Tom Torkelsonlaid out their proposal to turn the Eastside Memorial Vertical Team over to the charter school group.
Advancing Money Over Learning
Virginia Pilot, VA, November 10, 2011
It’s the wrong message to send teenagers who are supposed to be learning to make smart choices about their futures. They’re supposed to be motivated to learn because it helps them in the long run, not for a short-term gain of $100. Do they really need to be paid to do something that’s in their best interest?
VIRTUAL LEARNING
Teaneck School Officials Urge Public To Join Fight Against Charter School
The Record, NJ, November 9, 2011
Using $15 million of the school district’s budget to fund a virtual charter school would “devastate” local public education, district officials said Wednesday night.
Home School, Florida Virtual Offering Students Great Education
TC Palms, FL, November 10, 2011
This school year, my husband and I decided to home-school our children, who are in first and third grades. This was a big decision to make and one that could not be taken lightly. As the stay-at-home parent and the one who would be teaching them, it was up to me to figure out how I was going to school them successfully.
When Politics Eclipses Policy
Denver Post, CO, November 10, 2011
The failure of a proposal to audit the state’s online schools is the latest victim of pre-election politics.