Daily Headlines for August 28, 2013
Click here for Newswire, 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.
NATIONAL COVERAGE
Legal challenge from Obama contends Louisiana vouchers collide with integration efforts
The Advocate, August 27, 2013
For decades, education activists have argued that giving families a choice about where they send their children to school will improve public education for minority and low-income students. Now that idea is colliding with an even older strategy for improving education among the historically underserved: racial integration.
School vouchers give power to parents and kids, not the system: James Varney
Opinion, Times-Picayune, August 27, 2013
If Howard Fuller is on the scene, it’s a reasonably solid bet that it is ground zero in the fight for choice in public education. Tuesday found Fuller in Amite City.
Some school districts quit healthier lunch program
Associated Press, August 27, 2013
After just one year, some schools around the country are dropping out of the healthier new federal lunch program, complaining that so many students turned up their noses at meals packed with whole grains, fruits and vegetables that the cafeterias were losing money.
STATE COVERAGE
ALABAMA
Alabama working to avoid NCLB waiver pitfalls
Dothan Eagle, August 27, 2013
Alabama education officials are working to ensure the state’s schools don’t hit the same speed bumps other states have hit on developing their alternatives to the No Child Left Behind Act’s accountability measures.
ARIZONA
Imagine sees enrollment hike after ALA decision
TriValley Central, August 28, 2013
After the American Leadership Academy, a newly constructed charter school located in Florence-Anthem, was denied their appeal to open its K-6 charter school as an alternative in Florence, parents and their students were left to pick up the pieces and find another school in a short period of time.
CALIFORNIA
Release of L.A. teachers’ performance ratings delayed by judge
Los Angeles Times, August 28, 2013
After earlier ruling that performance ratings of L.A. teachers must be made public, judge agrees to delay during district appeal.
CONNECTICUT
Hartford Board OKs 2nd Achievement First Charter School
Hartford Courant, August 28, 2013
After hours of debate, the city school board voted Tuesday night to allow the Achievement First charter organization to open a second elementary school in Hartford.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
McDonnell: School takeover law is constitutional, to be vigorously defended
Washington Post, August 27, 2013
Gov. Bob McDonnell said Tuesday that the state Supreme Court may have to decide whether the state can take over poorly performing schools, but he’s confident a key part of his education reform package would be upheld.
FLORIDA
Stalemate means 12,000 Orange teachers must wait for raises
Orlando Sentinel, August 28, 2013
Millions of dollars in teacher raises are on the line in Orange County as tensions flare between two key players — school district negotiator Scott Howat and teachers union president Diana Moore.
IDAHO
Otter: Restore $82.5 million for schools
Idaho Statesman, August 28, 2013
Idaho’s governor sets a five-year goal for implementing an education task force’s proposals.
ILLINOIS
CPS to vote on budget amid rally, boycott of schools
Chicago Tribune, August 28, 2013
Just past the heightened scrutiny over security and school consolidations brought on by the first day of school, Chicago school officials will vote Wednesday on a $5.58 billion budget that promises teacher and program cuts and has generated additional criticism.
INDIANA
New Indianapolis school embracing immigrant families
Fox 58, August 27, 2013
Just like our country can be a melting pot of different cultures, a new Indianapolis charter school is embracing kids from all over the world.
School voucher doesn’t guarantee quality
Northwest Times, August 28, 2013
Parents who use school vouchers must do what’s right for their children, but don’t automatically assume a private school is better without doing your homework.
MICHIGAN
Teacher evaluations can’t be an unfunded mandate
Opinion, Detroit News, August 28, 2013
Professional educators know all too well the shortcomings of the current process of evaluating their work. It is a system frequently lacking in consistency. While in some districts it’s done well, in others it’s not.
NEW JERSEY
Jersey City charter school has room to grow in new Heights location
Buffalo News, August 27, 2013
The METS Charter School opened a new chapter in its short history yesterday morning when officials cut the ribbon on a new home in the Jersey City Heights.
Newark Teachers Get $1.3 Million in Performance-Based Bonus Checks
WNYC, August 27, 2013
More than $1.3 million in performance-based bonus checks are being issued to 190 teachers in Newark, N.J.
NEW YORK
Pinnacle Charter School hoping court order will allow on-time-opening
Buffalo News, August 27, 2013
Supporters of Buffalo’s Pinnacle Charter School have vowed to continue fighting to keep the beleaguered school open.
Success Academy school chain comes under fire as parents fight ‘zero tolerance’ disciplinary policy
New York Daily News, August 28, 2013
The charter school chain Success Academy is being criticized for its high suspension rate, as parents complain that special-needs kids are pushed out and students are being denied due process.
Teacher Tenure Rate Dips Slightly
WNYC, August 27, 2013
Three years after the city made it harder for teachers to get tenure, just over half the number of teachers who were eligible in the 2012-2013 school year received the job protections. Just three percent of teachers were denied tenure outright, while the rest will stay on probation until another tenure review next year.
NORTH CAROLINA
First day of school for new charter high school
WBTW, August 28, 2013
Horry County’s first state-funded charter high school was scheduled to start back Monday but a faulty fire alarm panel pushed that to Wednesday.
Traditional and charter schools compete in Columbus
WECT, August 27, 2013
Two charter schools opening next week in Columbus County are appealing to different ages and types of students, but they have at least one thing in common – they’re impacting traditional public schools.
OKLAHOMA
Janet Barresi: Let’s give every teacher a $2,000 raise
Opinion, Tulsa World, August 28, 2013
When I decided to run for this office, I did it because I believe we can improve Oklahoma’s schools and give Oklahoma children a better start in life. The evidence shows we’re steadily advancing that goal: Our schools are getting better, and our students are achieving more.
PENNSYLVANIA
Phila. School District, teachers union still at odds
Philadelphia Inquirer, August 28, 2013
With two important deadlines looming, the Philadelphia School District on Tuesday reported little progress in getting $103 million in concessions from the teachers’ union – givebacks it says are key to shoring up a financial bailout plan that includes money from the state.
UTAH
Greene looking to alter election of school board candidates
Daily Herald, August 27, 2013
Rep. Brian Greene is looking to up the level of participation the general public has in the election of the state school board.
WASHINGTON
Seattle Public Schools warns parents to prepare for possible teacher strike
Seattle Times, August 27, 2013
School district officials emailed and called parents Tuesday, saying that the district and teachers still have not reached an agreement on a new teachers contract. In a vote Monday, teachers rejected the district’s latest contract offer.
WISCONSIN
State moves to bar 4 schools from voucher program, remove another
Journal Sentinel, August 27, 2013
Four new private schools trying to receive taxpayer dollars through the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program this fall have been barred from participating because the state considers them financially insolvent, according to preliminary orders issued this week.
ONLINE LEARNING
Enrollment in Hernando eSchool likely to double this year
Tampa Bay Times, August 27, 2013
Thirteen-year-old Jenny Marty spent six years in the Hernando County School District’s brick-and-mortar classrooms before leaving for the virtual ones.
LAUSD launches its drive to equip every student with iPads
Los Angeles Times, August 28, 2013
Two elementary schools — Broadacres in Carson and Cimarron in Hawthorne — roll out the tablet computers. Some question if they will help learning.
Rainier charter school set to offer online courses
Longview Daily News, August 27, 2013
Rainier’s North Columbia Academy charter school is going digital this fall. The Rainier School District set aside $13,000 of the charter school’s funds to start the online school, which is open statewide to students from seventh to 12th grade starting Sept. 4.
St. Joseph Academy in Cleveland embraces digital learning by providing students with computers
Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 27, 2013
When St. Joseph Academy’s school year begins Sept. 3, all 675 students will have their own laptop computers to use in class, to take tests, and to study at home.
State oversight lacking
Letter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 28, 2013
The allegations against Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School founder Nick Trombetta (“Feds charge Pa. cyber school founder with 11 counts of fraud, conspiracy,” Aug. 24 and TribLIVE.com) can best be described as disgraceful.