Daily Headlines for October 23, 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
Education reform groups call for transparency in No Child Left Behind waiver renewals
The Ann Arbor News, October 22, 2013
With Michigan and other states approaching the end of their waivers from federal No Child Left Behind requirements, a coalition of several education reform groups is asking U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to require states to prove their efforts are working.
STATE COVERAGE
ALABAMA
Parents describe benefits of Alabama Accountability Act in court filings
The Huntsville Times Blog, AL, October 22, 2013
Montgomery County Circuit Judge Gene Reese ruled Monday that three parents could intervene in the lawsuit backed by the Alabama Education Association ,which has fought the school choice law since it passed in February.
CALIFORNIA
Charter School Wars Heat Up; Can Cooler Heads Prevail?
San Jose Inside, CA, October 22, 2013
The Santa Clara County Office of Education hosted a special meeting Saturday for a charter school study workshop. Approximately, 50 community leaders, elected school board members and parents participated in a discussion on the role of charters and traditional public schools in meeting student academic needs. Even though all those who spoke appeared to have the right intentions, eliminating the achievement gap is a divisive issue.
FLORIDA
Listen to teachers
Gainseville Sun, October 23, 2013
It’s refreshing to hear from educators actually teaching the Common Core State Standards, rather than opponents spreading conspiracy theories about them.
Troubled Pinellas charter school plans a second location in Tampa
Tampa Bay Times, FL, October 22, 2013
A new charter school beleaguered by problems in St. Petersburg is planning to negotiate a contract to replicate the school in Tampa, its founder says.
ILLINOIS
New charter school proposed for Chicago’s Austin neighborhood
Austin Weekly News, IL, October 22, 2013
The Chicago Plan Commission voted Oct. 17, to rezone a closed lumberyard near Prosser Career Academy in order to build a new $20 million charter school in that section of Austin.
Report: community questions CPS’ charter school plans
Chicago Sun-Times, October 22, 2013
A group of parents and students are questioning Chicago Public Schools’ motive to expand charter schools in parts of the city, according to a report released Tuesday
LOUISIANA
Superintendent sees new Course Choice program in action
Times-Picayune, LA, October 22, 2013
State Education Superintendent John White visited two Course Choice sites in New Orleans on Tuesday to highlight the breadth of the new, pioneering program that lets high school students take free classes outside their home schools during the school day, often from private schools or commercial outfits.
WNBA star visits BR, promotes school choice
The Advocate, LA, October 22, 2013
Basketball star-turned school choice advocate Lisa Leslie toured three Baton Rouge schools on Tuesday, one public and two private, discussing her newfound cause, as well as the importance of setting goals, hard work and working well with others.
MASSACHUSETTS
‘Adults have failed the children’ at Spirit of Knowledge Charter School
Worchester Telegram, MA, October 22, 2013
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education plans to monitor the troubled Spirit of Knowledge Charter School daily but took no action at the board’s meeting Tuesday.
MICHIGAN
Training teachers in the classroom
Editorial, Detroit News, October 23, 2013
An Oakland University partnership offers a smart approach by giving education majors more real-world experience
MISSOURI
Riverview Gardens looks to tough financial choices
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, October 23, 2013
Riverview Gardens School District officials outlined a series of proposed budget cuts Tuesday that would offset at least part of the $15 million in tuition and transportation costs associated with the school transfer program.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Education fight erupts among N.H. Republicans
Eagle Tribune, NH, October 22, 2013
A public disagreement over education is playing out among groups traditionally allied with Republicans in New Hampshire.
NEW MEXICO
Hundreds protest new teacher evaluation system, student testing
Albuquerque Journal, NM
October 23, 2013
Hundreds of teachers, parents and students rallied on a Del Norte High School field Tuesday afternoon in a spirited protest of the state’s new teacher evaluation program and methods of testing students.
NEW YORK
Lhota, in Acrid Second Debate, Turns Up the Heat on de Blasio
New York Times, NY, October 23, 2013
His mayoral ambitions slipping away, Joseph J. Lhota shed his sleepy style to unleash a ferocious attack against Bill de Blasio on Tuesday night in an acrid debate that descended into a free-for-all of interruptions, name-calling and indignant lecturing.
Poison apples
Editorial, New York Daily News, October 23, 2013
New York has released the first round of teacher performance evaluations produced by the hard-fought system for identifying the best and worst instructors — and the results are disastrous.
Some groups call for NY education chief’s job
Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2013
State Education Commissioner John King Jr. and the state Board of Regents said Tuesday they are pushing ahead with the new Common Core learning standards even as some teacher and parent groups call for King’s resignation.
Teachers Get High Marks
Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2013
More than 90% of New York state public-school teachers outside the city received high marks on a new teacher-evaluation system, while 1% were slapped with the lowest rating, officials said Tuesday.
OHIO
Charter Schools Would Benefit From Levy
WOSU, OH, October 21, 2013
We continue our week-long critical look at the Columbus Schools Levy voters will decide next month. Voters, for the first time, are being asked to approve local property tax funds for independently run charter schools. The Charter school sharing proposal is the most controversial policy aspect of the $75 million request.
Cleveland city councilmen, parents losing patience as school district struggles to fill teaching positions
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, October 22, 2013
City Council members and parents are losing patience with the Cleveland school district’s struggle to hire enough teachers to cover classes.
PENNSYLVANIA
Educators lukewarm over new system
Pocono Record, October 23, 2013
The Pocono Mountain Charter School is an example of a school where student demographics may have played a role in the grade, said Kenneth Koberlein, former superintendent of the East Stroudsburg School District, who now works as a part-time consultant for the charter school’s education program.
Former assistant principals became teachers and supervisors
Philadelphia Daily News, October 23, 2013
THE PHILADELPHIA Federation of Teachers and the school district are at odds over two recent teacher hirings that one union official says amounted to skipping over laid-off staff.
Looking into the fog of education funding
Column, Philadelphia Daily News, PA, October 23, 2013
The answer to whether Corbett drastically cut money for education or is funding schools at record levels (or both) depends on your definition of “education.”
TENNESSEE
Metro Poised for Deep Dive Into MNPS Operations
Nashville Scene, October 22, 2013
According to Metro documents, plans to audit Nashville Schools’ operations look to include everything from the district’s hiring and firing practices to how officials evaluate whether their programs are working.
UTAH
Principals request alternative grading system for Utah’s alternative high schools
Deseret News, UT, October 22, 2013
Many in the education community cried foul when Utah’s first school grades were released last month, criticising lawmakers for labeling schools as failing based solely on test scores and graduation rates.
WASHINGTON
Charter Schools ‘3.0:’ Would-be Founders Show Their Hands
Seattle Weekly, WA
October 22, 2013
Early Monday morning, Spokane resident Brenda McDonald caught a flight, slightly delayed by the October fog, for an 8 o’clock meeting in Seattle. Until last summer, McDonald was the principal of a public school, as were the two women she was coming to see, Bellamy-McClain and Maggie O’Sullivan. Then, they all left their jobs and leapt into the state’s emerging charter school scene.
Groups take steps toward new schools
The Olympian, WA, October 23, 2013
Parents and the education community got a glimpse Tuesday of the groups seeking to open Washington’s first charter schools next fall, though some say there isn’t enough time to establish an institution by then.
Seattle School Board candidates differ on influence of money, role of board
Seattle Times, October 22, 2013
The race for District 4, the only competitive open Seattle School Board seat on the November ballot, reflects concerns about the influence of big money and the board’s proper role in overseeing the superintendent.
WYOMING
Charter school sees growth in first year
PODER Academy has doubled in size, added fourth grade and moved to a new location in the old Triumph High building.
ONLINE LEARNING
Chicago-area Catholic schools offer online classes
Chicago-Sun Times, IL, October 22, 2013
As of Tuesday, the nation’s largest private school system is offering online classes to middle and high school students through its new Virtual Academy as a complement to existing classes taught at its schools, the institution announced.
Districts wants to develop blended learning program
Canal Winchester Times, OH, October 22, 2013
Groveport Madison schools Superintendent Bruce Hoover hopes partnerships in developing a blended learning environment could prove successful as the district aims for Straight A state grant funds.
Online credit retrieval program popular at alternative high school
Coeur d’Alene Press, ID, October 23, 2013
Thanks to Gradpoint, an online credit retrieval program, juniors and seniors can work at their own pace to catch up or move ahead in their pursuit of a diploma. The program is now offered to students at New Vision Alternative High School for the first time this fall.
PA Cyber wants 30-day review of Times information request
Beaver Times, PA, October 23, 2013
In response to a right-to-know request filed by The Times, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School has said it needs 30 days to determine whether documents related to college course payments for students are public or even exist.