Daily Headlines for April 29, 2013
NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest 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.
Misplaced Furor in the Battle over the Common Core
Huffington Post Blog, April 26, 2013
Welcome to the new blood sport, America: the fight over the Common Core State Standards Initiative. No issue in recent memory has served to divide the education community like Common Core.
Leaving No School Behind: Can Bad Ones Be Turned Around?
USA Today, April 28, 2013
The Obama administration has long supported charter school startups, but now aims to invest about $3 billion in those begging for improvement. Some critics say that strategy is bound to fail.
‘No Child Left Behind’ Gets Left Behind
Wall Street Journal, April 28, 2013
It has been 30 years since the landmark report “A Nation At Risk” documented the failings of America’s public-school system, and the past three decades have seen much promising reform on the local, state and federal levels, in legislatures, on school boards and in classrooms.
No Rich Child Left Behind
New York Times, NY, April 27, 2013
Here’s a fact that may not surprise you: the children of the rich perform better in school, on average, than children from middle-class or poor families. Students growing up in richer families have better grades and higher standardized test scores, on average, than poorer students; they also have higher rates of participation in extracurricular activities and school leadership positions, higher graduation rates and higher rates of college enrollment and completion.
Obama’s Big Second-Term Education Problem
Washington Post Blog, DC, April 28, 2013
President Obama has a big problem in his second term in terms of education policy: his first term.
Rethinking Common Core
Washington Examiner, DC, April 27, 2013
Thirty years ago this month, Americans were startled to learn that their underachieving public schools were undermining the future prosperity and security of the nation.
Critics Join Common Cause To Block Latest School Reform
Washington Times, DC, April 28, 2013
Education Secretary Arne Duncan would be a very wise man if he started paying close attention to the sticks being poked in the eyes of the Obama administration regarding those one-size-fits-all Common Core State Standards.
STATE COVERAGE
ARIZONA
Arizona School Vouchers Ramped Up
Arizona Daily Sun, AZ, April 28, 2013
Thousands of students in poorly performing public schools could soon get what amounts to a voucher from the state to go elsewhere — or even get educated at home — a move that could remove hundreds of millions of dollars a year from public schools.
Arizona Education Hindered By Lack Of Central Data System
Arizona Republic, AZ, April 29, 2013
State Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal has a high-tech vision for school improvement in Arizona.
CALIFORNIA
Rent Increase Could Force SF Charter School To Shut Down
KGO-TV, CA, April 28, 2013
It was a shock for students and parents when they learned their small charter school, located in the heart of San Francisco, may be forced to shut down due to a significant increase in rent. And now those parents are fighting back to keep the school open.
Gov. Brown as Robin Hood
Los Angeles Times, CA, April 29, 2013
His plan to shift money from suburban to urban districts might help disadvantaged students but it could hurt other kids.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. Charter Advocates Make Annual Push For Equal Funds
Washington Post, DC, April 27, 2013
The District sends more money per student to its traditional schools than to its charter schools, charter officials and advocates told the D.C. Council on Friday, renewing what has become an annual plea for equitable funding.
Rewarding Charter Schools For Their Failure
Washington Post, DC, April 28, 2013
The April 21 editorial “Give charters their due” suggested that D.C. public charter schools receive increased funding to match that of traditional public schools, in part because students at charter schools are outperforming those at traditional schools.
Quiet, Critical School Reform At D.C. Public Schools
Washington Post, DC, April 28, 2013
As D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) enters the second year of working toward the goals outlined in our strategic plan, “A Capital Commitment,” I often am asked whether the district is still leading the way in education reform.
Proposed KIPP DC High School Stalls
Washington Post, DC, April 26, 2013
KIPP DC’s controversial proposal to build a high school on public land in Southwest Washington stalled this week when officials with Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s administration announced that they will not consider leasing the site this year.
Educating Students To Succeed In The Global Economy
Washington Examiner, DC, April 27, 2013
Fresh off our annual lottery — which saw 1,000 applications for 30 open spots — I found myself thinking about the skills students will need for success as adults.
FLORIDA
State Budget Has More Money For Teachers, But How To Pay It Remains Issue
Naples News, FL, April 28, 2013
The money is in the budget, but Florida teachers aren’t entirely optimistic they will have more cash in their pockets during the coming school year.
Charter Schools Land $91M For Facilities
Bradenton Herald, FL, April 29, 2013
Charter schools will receive $91 million for construction and maintenance needs, state lawmakers agreed late Sunday.
Every Florida Teacher to Get Minimum $2,000 Raise; Scott Sends Up a Cheer
Sunshine State News, FL, April 29, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott came close to getting exactly what he wanted for teachers on Sunday — close enough that he and Florida Education Association (FEA) President Andy Ford jointly applauded the House and the Senate’s agreement to implement $480 million in teacher pay raises.
Fix Evaluations
News Herald, FL, April 29, 2013
First the Legislature had an evaluation plan to identify which Florida teachers deserved “merit” pay raises, but it had no money. Now, lawmakers have $480 million earmarked for “performance-based” teacher raises next year, but they don’t have an evaluation system that is credible or even understandable.
Charter School Group Touts Performance
The Ledger, FL, April 27, 2013
A nonprofit group advocating on behalf of charter schools released a report last week that says charter school students perform better than traditional public school students.
INDIANA
Lawmakers Expand School Voucher Program, Pause Common Core
Indianapolis Star, IN, April 27, 2013
The Indiana General Assembly revised the state’s A to F school ratings and paused its participation in national Common Core school standards late Friday and was poised to expand private school vouchers.
IOWA
Should Iowa Teacher Pay Be Tied To Student Test Scores?
Sioux City Journal, IA, April 29, 2013
Education reform is at a standstill in the Statehouse with the politically rocky issue of teacher evaluations one of the main stumbling blocks.
KENTUCKY
Kentucky Charter Schools Movement May Get Bump From Carl Rollins’ Resignation, Advocate Says
WFPL, KY, April 29, 2013
A leading Kentucky charter schools advocate says he’s hopeful the state House leadership will choose a new chairman for the House education committee who is open to charter schools.
LOUISIANA
Ed Overhaul Under Review
The Advocate, LA, April 28, 2013
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education agenda, which roared through the Legislature last year, is under fire on three new fronts.
MAINE
Former Thornton Academy Headmaster To Head Baxter Academy
Portland Press Herald, ME, April 29, 2013
The longtime headmaster of Saco’s Thornton Academy has been named executive director of Portland’s first charter school, Baxter Academy for Technology and Science.
MISSISSIPPI
Teacher Bill Raises The Bar
Cleveland Currant, MS, April 29, 2013
“This provision is a component of the Governor’s larger education reform agenda,” said Leslie Griffin, dean of the college of education and human services at Delta State University. “It is designed to increase the quality of those teaching in Mississippi’s schools by requiring a higher entrance standard for teacher education programs than currently exists.”
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sen. Stiles Misled Voters On School Vouchers
Portsmouth Herald, NH, April 29, 2013
State Sen. Nancy Stiles recently joined 12 other Senate Republicans to table HB 370, which would have repealed the school voucher law. Much will be made by Republicans that the Senate just tabled it; they didn’t kill the bill.
School Choice That Works For Everyone
Foster’s Daily Democrat, NH, April 28, 2013
I believe every parent in America should have the opportunity to send their kids to a school offering them a quality education. I’m not alone.
NEW MEXICO
APS Gives Details On Educator Reviews
Albuquerque Journal, NM, April 27, 2013
Albuquerque Public Schools officials laid out some details Friday of their plan to evaluate teachers and principals. The proposal is a counter to the state’s evaluation plan, which school board members have criticized and talked about resisting.
NEW YORK
Charter School Funding Takes Toll On The Public
Times Record-Herald, NY, April 28, 2013
When news of a proposed charter school in Newburgh first came out, those in charge of the city schools did the math and concluded that this could cost the district $1.5 million, money that it could not afford to lose.
School In Oui Bit Of $$ Trouble
New York Post, NY, April 28, 2013
Mon Dieu! A French-language charter school in Harlem faces a $500,000 deficit after wasting thousands of dollars on dubious consulting fees, staff costs and doughnut sprees, documents obtained by The Post reveal.
In North District, Retired Educator Gillick Urges Shift On Discipline
Buffalo News, NY, April 29, 2013
Susan Gillick is a retired educator whose main priority is seeing that the Buffalo Public Schools spend less time suspending and punishing kids and more time focused on progressive discipline that keeps kids in school and focuses on their needs.
NORTH CAROLINA
The Hijacking Of Charter Schools
News & Observer, NC, April 26, 2013
As a longtime supporter of charter schools, I am distressed to watch Republican legislators attempting to hijack this once-promising notion for school improvement and transform it into a force for undermining public education in North Carolina.
Rodney Ellis: Vouchers Will Harm Schools
Greenville Daily Reflector, NC, April 28, 2013
I have spent my career working with kids who without public education will never experience the hope of the American Dream.
OHIO
Ohio Charter Schools Could Enroll Out-Of-State Students
StateImpact, OH, April 29, 2013
Ohio charter schools could enroll out-of-state students — and charge them tuition — under a provision inserted into the House version of the state budget earlier this month, giving the publicly funded schools another source of revenue.
CPS Teachers Retiring In Droves
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, April 28, 2013
About 150 teachers are expected to retire this year from Cincinnati Public Schools, the third year in a row the region’s largest district has seen more than 100 workers retire from its teaching force.
Eight-Week Strongsville Teachers Strike Is Over; School Board Unanimously Approves New Contract
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, April 28, 2013
The five-member Strongsville school board met at 9 this morning and unanimously approved an agreement to end the eight-week strike by teachers.
PENNSYLVANIA
York City Schools Reform: Breaking Down The Two Plans
York Daily Record, PA, April 28, 2013
Will charters be on the way, or will the York City School District get a chance to prove itself capable of getting on the right track? By the end of the week, the community should have a better idea of how reform will be pursued for city schools.
Hearing To Probe Philadelphia’s Oldest Charter School
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, April 29, 2013
Community Academy of Philadelphia opened in 1997, but the School Reform Commission said in January the school’s operating charter should not be renewed because of low test scores and financial problems.
Philadelphia School District To Seek $60 Million More
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, April 29, 2013
School District of Philadelphia leaders are expected Monday to ask Council to open the municipal wallet again – this time for $60 million – two months before the members have to pass a budget.
Charter Chief Says School Met Needed Benchmarks
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, April 27, 2013
The chief executive officer of a North Philadelphia charter school that is fighting to remain open testified during a Philadelphia School District hearing Friday that the school met the state’s academic benchmarks for 2012.
TEXAS
From Inner-City To Ivy League: College Is Goal For Dallas Charter Schools
WFAA, TX, April 28, 2013
Mendez was one of 40 students from Uplift Education charter schools in Dallas to travel to Boston. They went to Harvard and Boston College.
Small Crowd Rallies For School Choice At Capitol
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX, April 28, 2013
A few dozen activists joined a pair of tea party state senators Saturday to rally at the Texas Capitol for expanding school choice.
UTAH
New Charter School?
St. George Daily Spectrum, UT, April 28, 2013
Spectrum Media has routinely supported the arts — both in terms of news coverage and in terms of assisting with free or low-cost advertising for arts events. And this editorial board has routinely showed support for the great cultural offerings provided in Southern Utah — from the Utah Shakespeare Festival to the performances at Tuacahn to the St. George Musical Theater.
WASHINGTON
Spokane Public Schools Pursues Charter Schools
Spokesman Review, WA, April 28, 2013
Visions of the kinds of charter schools that could open in Spokane are emerging: a dual-language elementary or middle school; a high school that incorporates two years of college; an academically rigorous elementary school; and a K-8 science, technology, engineering and mathematics school.
Lawmakers Still Have ‘A Lot Of Work To Do’ On Education
Seattle Times, WA, April 28, 2013
State lawmakers ended their regular session Sunday after passing only a handful of major education-policy bills. The issue will be a focus of the special session, leaders said.
WISCONSIN
Katherine Berkvam: Take Private School Voucher Expansion Out Of State Budget
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, April 28, 2013
The state budget proposal seeks to expand the taxpayer-funded private school voucher program, which uses tax dollars to support private schools, including religious schools. To qualify, a family of four can earn around $70,000.
ONLINE LEARNING
Easton Teachers Union Files Complaint Over Cyber School Employees
Lehigh Valley Express-Times, PA, April 28, 2013
The Easton Area School District teachers union president says the district broke an agreement to hire district teachers to staff its cyber school.
School System Hailed For Tech
Forsyth News, GA, April 28, 2013
For the fifth time since 2004, Forsyth County Schools has been named one of the nation’s top 10 digital school districts.
Districts 300, 204 Ask Residents To Support Legislation Delaying Online Charter Schools
Aurora Beacon News, IL, April 26, 2013
Some local school districts are asking residents to join them in opposing plans for an online charter school in the Fox Valley.
Charter School Bill Bad
Northwest Herald, IL, April 29, 2013
State lawmakers should not support HB494 – the bill proposed by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, that aims to put a one-year moratorium on virtual charter schools in Illinois.
Bluesky Online School Rebounding After State Effort To Shut It Down
Pioneer Press, MN, April 29, 2013
A year after her school concluded a protracted battle with state education officials, the new leader of BlueSky Online says it is on the rebound.
In Utah’s Digital Shift, Students Turning The Page On Traditional Textbooks
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, April 29, 2013
State cranks up the development of free, open-source science, math and language-arts digital textbooks.