Shapiro Consulting, Author at The Center for Education Reform

Daily Headlines for October 23, 2013

October 23, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

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.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

NEWSWIRE: October 22, 2013

October 22, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

Vol. 15, No. 39

TERRIBLY OFF-TRACK. Over 130,000 students are enrolled with at least 40,000 more on charter school waiting lists across Pennsylvania. Despite the demand from parents to bring more high quality choices to the state, lawmakers in Harrisburg are doing the bidding of special interest groups. In fact, what was once billed as an effort to improve PA’s weak charter law has gone terribly off-track. There was a growing consensus that PA’s charter law needed a boost. Borrowing from other exemplary states, lawmakers and school leaders alike worked to shore up the existence of strong quality authorizers and seek practical solutions to ensure fiscal equity and accountability. But rather than make sure university authorizers could thrive in the Keystone State and address the fact that charters are funded, on average, 30% less per pupil than their traditional public school peers, SB1085 is chock full of regulation, arbitrary funding cuts and residue from the BLOB creeping in. How did these good intentions go awry one might ask…

LACK OF LEADERSHIP. Last week, Jeanne Allen took to task the exceedingly high amount of governors who have proven to be disappointing in their hesitation to embrace meaningful education reform. Worse still, many of these governors who have come up short have had no problem paying lip service to improving the school systems of their constituencies, only to accept the status quo once in office. Last week, we learned from the pioneers of charter school lawmaking.They shared how strong leadership and a willingness to reach across the aisle and build the coalitions necessary to introduce laws could have an impact for students. It’s time for governors who promised reform to galvanize their administrations, and work collaboratively with legislators to empower families to access the educational opportunities that’s best for them.

MISPLACED HEADLINES. Another day, another misdirected indictment against the concept of charter schools and the innovative benefits many of them contribute to urban school districts. In its report on charter school expansion in cities such as Detroit, New Orleans and St. Louis, Moody’s cites funding shortfalls in cities due to a lagging housing market, financial mismanagement and lack of state-level funding, which in turn affects how money is distributed amongst public schools. Notice how all of those things have nothing to do with the introduction of charter schools as a viable way to improve student achievement. But that didn’t stop the editorial staff at Reuters to write the headline, “Charter schools could hurt U.S. city school districts-Moody’s”, just another instance that demonstrates the importance of bringing accountability to education reporting.

ON THE RIGHT TRACK. The New Orleans daily Times-Picayune recently chronicled the changes and challenges experienced by schools in the Big Easy following Hurricane Katrina, specifically how schools have dealt with declining student enrollment and expanding student growth. But the missing variable in what has become the post-Katrina educational landscape is policies geared towards creating choice, accountability and more parent empowerment. Following the devastation that occurred all along the Gulf Coast to include Louisiana, the need to restore access to quality schooling options required bold action. Launched in 2008, the Louisiana Student Scholarships for Excellence in Education, which is currently under attack from the Department of Justice, served nearly 5,000 students during the 2012-2013 school year across 118 schools. The opportunity scholarship program combined with the innovative Course Choice program and an above-average charter school law will ensure the continued improvement of schools in the Bayou State.

STAY-TUNED for online lessons from the nation’s leading reformers and experts. Get a sneak peak of what’s in store, from CER’s 20^th Anniversary Conference, Hear first-hand accounts of challenges facing district leaders, how ordinary parents became community activists, and the proven ways to introduce positive reforms.

Filed Under: Newswire Weekly, Newswire

“REFORM” BILL A MAJOR SETBACK FOR PENNSYLVANIA’S CHARTER SCHOOLS

October 22, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

What was once billed as an effort to improve Pennsylvania’s modest charter school law has gone horribly off-track.

One anti-charter school bill, HB 618 passed the General Assembly earlier this month and now another anti-charter school bill, SB 1085, has been released from the education committee and is being discussed in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

There is little doubt that efforts to improve Pennsylvania’s charter school law are needed — the law is currently ranked 14^th out of the nation’s 43 laws, earning a C grade. Both bills represent a major setback for Pennsylvania’s families and school children.

It is time to scrap these bad bills and try again.

Lawmakers initially sought to make major reforms that would create new authorizers of charter schools in the state, remove unnecessary obstacles to the operation and funding of charter schools, address some funding equity issues, and strengthen the accountability of all public schools. Worthy goals, all.

But rather than make the public education environment more conducive for the growth of high-performing, highly accountable public schools, this latest legislation sets in motion the destruction of every inch of progress families, school children, and educational innovators have made in the Keystone State in recent years. SB 1085, for example, makes sweeping funding cuts with little regard for how different schools and students will be effected, adds considerable regulation even though existing ethics and education code already apply to charters, and ineffectively addresses the fundamental issue facing Pennsylvania’s charter sector – high quality authorizing and oversight.

There is consensus that significant improvement in Pennsylvania’s charter school law is needed and can be accomplished. SB 1085 fails to ensure accountability, foster the growth of charter schools, or properly address financial equity — admirable goals shared by parents, charter leaders, and reformist lawmakers alike.

Goal 1- Ensure Accountability and Foster Growth of Charter Schools. Pennsylvania’s charter school law is not lacking in public accountability, it is lacking in the existence of strong quality authorizers. Currently, only local school boards can authorize charter schools but many across the state have not proven they are up to the task. Because of a few bad apples, the public is demanding greater accountability. The research show that strong authorizers serve the public good, by fostering the creation of great public charter schools that they hold accountable and work to expand. Such charters are held to high financial and academic accountability standards.

In most cases, universities have proven to be exceptional authorizers, combining the infrastructure of existing higher education institutions (financial, legal, human resources, educational, etc.), a very high degree of public and legislative scrutiny and a compelling interest in improving the pipeline for their students. Central Michigan University and the State University of New York are just two models that offer best practices.

– SB 1085 does allow for the creation of university authorizers in PA, but lacks the clarity and provisions that would enable institutions of higher education to be successful authorizers.

– The proposal includes dozens of pages addressing the ethical behavior by board members. This language is unnecessary with traditional and existing ethics rules. The strengthening of charter authorizers will ensure the additional oversight and implementation of these rules.

– SB 1085 seeks to ensure accountability among authorizers by dictating standards. The state education department should be given autonomy to determine what standards of evaluation it wants to apply to authorizers. Further, a specific lobbying group and vendor – in this case, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers – should not be specified in this law.

Goal 2- Address Financial Accountability and Equity. There has been much debate over the years to address public school funding in the Commonwealth, not just for charters. The fact remains that this is a much larger problem that needs practical solutions. Today, most charter schools in PA receive, on average, 30% less per pupil than their traditional public school counterparts. Again, because of a lack of quality oversight by local school boards, the public and lawmakers are calling for greater financial accountability. Meanwhile, many charter school operators are forced to do more with far fewer resources.

– SB 1085 cuts funding for cyber charter schools by 5% across the board with little regard for how these cuts may impact students. Instead, the proposal suggests transferring those funds back to the district schools where the cyber charter students are no longer being served. The cuts are arbitrary, not based on data or any thorough analysis of school funding.

– Efforts to address the so-called pension double dip ignore the fact that not all charter schools participate in the state pension program (PSERS) for a number of reasons. These schools would suffer a significant financial blow under the proposed formula.

– The bill also sets fund balance limits on all charter schools. Therefore, if passed, a charter school that saves money for the purpose of expanding or maintaining a facility, rewarding teachers, creating innovations in technology and learning or growing more schools should not be punished by forced caps on the size of the reserves allowed. It is the role of a school’s authorizer to ensure sound business practices.

– Further provisions are overreaching in the case of charter school budgets and audits. Again, it is the role of the authorizer to review and make publicly available a school’s budget. Charter schools are already required by law to have audits performed. Legislation need not, and should not, micromanage and require the establishment of a committee of the board or the content of what generally accepted audit principles already require.

Sources in the PA General Assembly have confirmed that the Pennsylvania Education Association and the Pennsylvania School Boards Association have had major input on the proposal and are fairly supportive. Yet, these organizations and other special interest groups oppose the creation of independent, publicly accountable charter schools.

Charter leaders, parents and community leaders should make their voices heard and contact their elected officials immediately. Lawmakers should defer consideration of the current charter proposals until they can fully understand and appreciate the impact on students. Data and due diligence are lacking in the legislation on the table.

The Center for Education Reform is the nation’s oldest and leading organization supporting the creation of high quality and plentiful public charters. Our policy recommendations come from 20 years of experience, data and practice. The most important policy objective Pennsylvania can and must address is the quality in which charter schools are authorized and held accountable. Lessons from other states prove that multiple and truly independent authorizers yield successful schools.

Filed Under: Choice & Charter Schools

The Center for Education Reform 20th Anniversary Gala

October 22, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

The Center for Education Reform 20th Anniversary Gala

by Mark Lerner
Examiner.com
October 11, 2013

My wife Michele and I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Center for Education Reform’s 20th anniversary Gala and Awards Show Wednesday evening. The Washington Hilton ballroom was filled with a who’s who of education reformers on both the local scene and national stage. At one end of the room was Kevin Chavous, Michelle Bernard, and Chester Finn while at the other was Joe Bruno and Brian Jones. Josh Kern joined us as did Lisa Graham Keegan, who was recently inducted into the National Charter Schools Hall of Fame. Also in attendance was my hero Donald Hense. The event was indeed a celebration as eight individuals were honored for their groundbreaking work in improving public education for those who, because of their low economic status, are the least able to be able to fight for themselves.

But the night was also bittersweet. The men assembled in black-ties and the women in formal gowns knew that together we were marking the end of an era. For it was at this moment in time that Jeanne Allen was stepping down as president of the Center for Education Reform, the school choice support organization she founded twenty years ago. How perfectly appropriate, then, that her husband, Dr. Kevin Strother, sang our National Anthem with passion usually reserved for our most solemn occasions.

The master of ceremonies for the program was none other than Michael Musante, the government relations expert for Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS). Based upon his performance at the Gala I really think he should consider changing jobs. He moved through the crowd as if he was floating on air, sometimes telling jokes, other times singing classic Frank Sinatra songs with the assurance that comes from an experienced nightclub professional. After all you have to have talent if you are able to pull off “Mack the Knife” with credibility bestowed by the outstanding SunRay Orchestra. Among the others who sang beautifully at the event was Bob Bowden, producer of the exceptional movie “The Cartel.”

Those recognized included Yvonne Chan, Barbara Dreyer, William Bennett, James, Janis, and Tracy Gleason, Deborah McGriff, and Michael Moe. You can read their biographies here. Each award was preceded by the performance of a classic song made famous by the Ratpack. Included in the program was a well-produced slide show of reformers who are no longer with us because they have passed away moderated by Ms. Allen and Mr. Chavous. I very much appreciated Mr. Chavous’ discussion of the prominent role Joseph E. Robert, Jr. played in his understanding of the value of private school vouchers in education reform.

There were a couple of highlights for me. Hearing Bill Bennett speak was a privilege. The former U.S. Department of Education Secretary addressed the crowd with such authority and confidence that it made us feel uniformly proud that we were engaged in the struggle to let parents decide where they can send their children to school. His one sentence summary of the overriding public policy mission in public education as “determining who gets to teach and what do they teach when they are there” immediately ceased any stray conversation in the ballroom.

The other noticeable theme of the event was the words offered by presenters and awardees about the work of Jeanne Allen. It may be impossible for many to grasp now but when the idea of school choice was first promoted as a means to fixing our failing public schools most people thought the idea was crazy. It was crystal clear from the remarks that Ms. Allen literally held the hand and supported the back of those brave people who paved the way for the creation of the charter and private school voucher movements so prevalent in America today. The fact that so many of these programs now seem commonplace is the highest accolade that can be bestowed to this fine individual.

Filed Under: News & Analysis, Breaking News

School Choice Does Work

October 22, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

School Choice Does Work, is Constitutional

By Richard Komer

DNJ.com

October 18, 2013

Zelman v. Simmons-Harris in 2002 was of one of the most important U.S. Supreme Court decisions since Brown vs. Board of Education. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, the court upheld the constitutionality of a school choice program in Cleveland for low-income children long ignored by the educational establishment. The ruling laid to rest the argument of public school apologists that giving parents the means to choose private religious schools for their children’s education violated the Constitution’s Establishment Clause. The court held that so long as a program is religiously neutral — neither favoring nor disfavoring a religious school option — and so long as that choice is driven by the independent choices of parents, the fact that many families will choose religious schools does not violate the Constitution’s guarantees of religious freedom for all nor advance the establishment of religion.

Zelman represented a huge step forward in a then decade-long effort to vindicate the constitutionality of programs that enable parents to select the best available education for their children with publicly funded vouchers — whether the schools the parents selected were public, private or religious. Zelman opened the way for an explosion of choice programs across the nation — programs that represent a truly fundamental change from the educational status quo.

This remarkable progress has resulted because of education reformers and their legislative partners who recognized early on that the public education system is incapable of reforming itself from within. Teachers’ unions and public education bureaucracies exercise too much control to permit real reform to occur, endorsing instead only those programs that increase their membership or offer cosmetic change.

The bottom line is this: In study after study, school choice offers a cost-saving alternative to continuing to reward failure with ever increasing public funding. By empowering parents, school choice gives them real power to improve their children’s lives, resulting in greater parental involvement and increased satisfaction. As graduation rates have gone up for participating families, increased interest in school choice has developed across the board, but notably among leaders of minority communities, whose children are tragically ill-served by the existing government monopoly over public education.

Thanks to Zelman, as more and more states consider school choice legislation in all its variety, they can do so confident that school choice is fully compatible with the federal Constitution.

Richard Komer is a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, which represented parents in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris.

Filed Under: News & Analysis, Breaking News

Daily Headlines for October 22, 2013

October 22, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

NATIONAL COVERAGE

The Federal Takeover of Catholic Education
Crisis Magazine, October 14, 2013
As teachers throughout the country introduced the new Common Core curriculum—the federal standards for mathematics and English Language Arts—in their classrooms this fall, most parents had no idea this radical change in their children’s education was coming.

STATE COVERAGE

ARIZONA

Yuma charter school eyes expansion to Lone Star state
Yuma Sun, AZ, October 21, 2013
Yuma-based charter school Carpe Diem is looking to expand to Texas. Carpe Diem’s charter school application was recently approved to operate a network of charter schools in San Antonio by Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams.

CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles schools’ plan for non-English speakers: Segregation or solution?
Christian Science Monitor, CA, October 21, 2013
Los Angeles schools are moving forward with a plan to separate English language learner students from native speakers in all core elementary school classes. Protests have erupted.

COLORADO

Douglas County School Board races expose deep divisions in community
Denver Post, October 22, 2013
A fractious race for four seats on the Douglas County School Board has showcased deep divisions over how the 64,000-student district is run and lured heavyweight national advocates for each side.

James Irwin seeks to open unique trade school, has backing of Springs businessmen
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO
October 21, 2013
Charter school powerhouse James Irwin wants to open an entrepreneurial trade school for middle and high school students interested in learning construction and manufacturing skills – and have them ready enough to work in the field right after graduating from high school.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

An improving record for D.C. Public Schools
Editorial, Washington Post, DC, October 21, 2013
THE TIMING couldn’t have been more propitious as Kaya Henderson delivered her first formal address since becoming D.C. school chancellor three years ago.

D.C. nonprofits start charter schools to ready adults for the workforce
Elevation DC, October 22, 2013
Two years ago, the leaders of Academy of Hope in Edgewood Terrace looked at how they could better prepare their adult students for a changing workforce, not to mention an entirely new GED test that’s coming in January.

For many young D.C. parents, city schools remain a sticking point
Washington Post, DC, October 21, 2013
De’Andre Anderson and his wife don’t have children yet. But when the couple bought a home in Southeast Washington after years of renting on Capitol Hill, Anderson began mulling what they could do to help the neighborhood schools.

FLORIDA

Brevard breaks class-size law on purpose
Florida Today, FL
October 22, 2013
In a strategic decision to save money, Brevard Public Schools allowed about 30 of its 82 schools to have more students per class than allowed by state law.

Who’s the better “education” governor: Jeb Bush or Rick Scott?
Column, Sun Sentinel, FL, October 21, 2013
It really isn’t any contest. In the battle between Florida’s self-proclaimed “education” governors, former Gov. Jeb Bush leads by a wide margin. At least he got something accomplished.

LOUISIANA

Voucher participation on increase, but at a slower rate than expected
The Advocate, LA, October 21, 2013
As it enters its second year, student participation in Louisiana’s embattled experiment with private school vouchers has grown by 37 percent, a fast pace but slower than state leaders estimated before an adverse court Supreme Court ruling in May.

MASSACHUSETTS

Most Fitchburg students lose with another charter school
Letter, Sentinel & Enterprise, MA, October 22, 2013
I am writing to refute the claim by Marc Kenen, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, that Fitchburg city leaders’ concerns over a new charter school are “disingenuous.” If someone told you that you were about to lose millions of dollars to fund the city’s schools — but don’t worry, because the first year you’ll get it back, and then for five years thereafter you’ll only be losing 75 percent of that money — wouldn’t you be concerned?

MICHIGAN

Muskegon’s newest charter school combines Montessori methods with environmental research
Kristy Crocker had explored Muskegon County’s newest charter school for its potential to challenge her sixth-grade daughter, and when they found out it had an environmental theme, the decision was made.

MINNESOTA

MPS: A system built to fail
Opinion, Journal Sentinel, MN, October 21, 2013
Franz Kafka’s statement is especially true if “us” refers to public school students in Milwaukee. An assessment of K4-12 public education in Milwaukee, devoid of sentimentality or attempts to speculate on motivations or to assign blame, offers no reason to expect quality education for the preponderance of urban students in Milwaukee Public Schools or charter schools or voucher schools — ever. The pool of students at risk is too large to not fail. There is no hope.

MISSISSIPPI

Charter schools unlikely to open by fall ’14 in Miss.
Clarion Ledger, MS, October 22, 2013
It’s unlikely that students will attend charter schools in Mississippi in August 2014.
Members of the new charter schools board say there’s not enough time to complete applications, approve them and set up schools by next fall.

MISSOURI

Experts see no easy solutions for struggling Missouri schools
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, October 22, 2013
Consultants hired to give Missouri education officials guidance on how to better support troubled school districts offered a grim assessment Monday about the task that lies ahead.

NEW JERSEY

Facebook gift hits third birthday with new focus on principals
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ
October 22, 2013
Zuckerberg $100 million donation to Newark schools at critical turn as fundraising and spending continue.

Panel to study Montclaif district’s student achievement gap
Montclair Times, OCtober 22, 2013
The Montclair School District could have a special panel in place to study its student achievement gap as early as next month.

NEW YORK

UFT Charter school is opting out of new teacher evaluations
New York Daily News, NY, October 21, 2013
A CHARTER school run by the teachers union is opting out of the new ratings that city public school instructors have to face this year.

NORTH CAROLINA

NC educators oppose law ending job protections
Asheville Citizen-Times, NC, October 22, 2013
Public school teachers and administrators are gearing up to fight a new North Carolina law that eliminates job protections and shifts toward paying teachers based on job performance.

OKLAHOMA

Another challenger joins the state superintendent race
Tulsa World, OK, October 21, 2013
Freda Deskin, founder and chief executive officer of the Advanced Science and Technology Education Charter middle and high schools in Oklahoma City, announced her candidacy Monday.

Charter school founder to seek Barresi’s post
Tulsa World, OK, October 22, 2013
The candidate field for next year’s state superintendent race is becoming more crowded.

OREGON

Portland Association of Teachers supporters rally at Portland School Board meeting
The Oregonian, October 21, 2013
Hundreds of Portland Association of Teachers supporters rallied outside Monday’€™s Portland School Board meeting to protest the district’s recent call to mediation as the two sides negotiate a new contract.

PENNSYLVANIA

Keep focus on students
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, October 22, 2013
There has been an understandable amount of attention recently on the School District of Philadelphia’s budget shortfall, particularly the commonwealth’s role in addressing the current challenges.

Ramos leaves SRC to take care of “recent, unexpected” family matters
Philadelphia Daily News, PA
October 22, 2013
PEDRO RAMOS, who as head of the School Reform Commission oversaw a fiscally distressed district, rounds of layoffs and the closure of 30 schools, resigned yesterday morning after two years in the position.

Unfinished business
Editorial, Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, October 22, 2013
Pedro Ramos’ second tour as the city’s top education policymaker was shorter than it seemed. In just two years, Ramos presided over dramatic reductions in the School District’s spending, operations, and facilities, enduring uproar from parents, employees, and the public as the price of demonstrating the schools’ commitment to reform. Unfortunately, he is leaving a district that still has very little to show for the painful retrenchment of his tenure.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charter school growth adds more costs for Horry County Schools
Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, October 21, 2013
An increase in students at two charter schools in the Horry County school district will cost the district about $500,000 more this year, based on recent attendance information.

UTAH

Utah needs no new law to protect students’ religious liberty
Editorial, Salt Lake Tribune, UT, October 21, 2013
Convincing people that you have come to rescue them from threats that do not exist is a good way to raise campaign funds or win votes in a neighborhood caucus. But it is a lousy way to govern.

ONLINE LEARNING

College Park Academy charter school, connected to U-Md., is officially opened
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III and University of Maryland President Wallace Loh on Monday cut the ribbon on a new charter school near the university campus that offers a college-preparatory program for hundreds of sixth and seventh graders.

Grant makes charter school dream purchase possible
Republican & Herald, MA, October 22, 2013
While Gillingham Charter School’s historic school building, built in 1895, features large classic windows, hardwood floors and slate chalkboards, its students are using some of the latest technology to supplement their learning.

York cyber school’s drop-in center keeps students focused
York Dispatch, PA, October 21, 2013
The centers allow for students to voluntarily “drop in” for educational support as they take their online classes. Students have combinations of “live” classes they participate in online and independent sessions for homework assignments.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

A Reflection of CER’s 20th Anniversary

October 21, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

The Center for Education Reform (CER) conference room is filled beyond capacity with white polka dot boxes and there is a consistent assembly line in progress to tie the beautiful red bows atop the boxes. The guest list is checked over and over and over again to ensure it is correct. After the last couple of months of precise planning by the CER team, it all comes together on October 14, 2013 for an extraordinary day to commemorate CER’s 20^th Year Anniversary.

The conference was infused with a plethora of significant advocates of education reform, yet the reaffirmation that grassroots organizations can in fact have great impact on an issue was enough to recharge my hope for education reform. The passion and fervor that leaders such as Janet Barresi, Bill Manning and the many others who were in attendance had when they spoke about education reform was powerful and inspiring. It was especially helpful in a field that can often get discouraging by the bureaucracy that exist and the hoops that must be jumped through when trying to make effective change in the education system.

I also enjoyed the panel discussion entitled “Changing the Complexion.” Dr. Howard Fuller spoke profound words about the inclusion of minorities within the education reform field. He stated that while it is important to change the complexion of those involved in the dialogue around education reform, it does not end there. If those individuals are not given the power to actively employ education reform policies within their communities, then changing the completion has no real benefit. As a minority woman of color, I seek to not only change the complexion of the discussion but also of what those in power look like. I hope to also empower suffering communities to use available resources such as CER and make meaningful change.

For me, the gala was a defining moment of the impact CER has had for the past 20 years and continues to have on the conversation and implementation of education reform. During both the Conference and Gala, countless individuals spoke of the great influence both the Center for Education Reform has offered them and the tireless ally Jeanne has been. It was also symbolic of how other individuals and organizations can come together and work for a common cause and create a revolution around the county.

Overall, I am so grateful to be interning at a wonderful organization that has made so much of an impact in the education field. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to learn a little bit more about the history of CER.

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso

Daily Headlines for October 21, 2013

October 21, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

NATIONAL COVERAGE

After Misuse, a Push to Continue Tutoring Mandate
Texas Tribune, TX, October 20, 2013
A decade after it became law as a part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a tutoring program heralded as an academic safety net for children from low-income families in struggling schools has earned few champions — and lost many supporters.

‘An Industry of Mediocrity’
Op-Ed, New York Times, NY, October 21, 2013
The heartening news is that the universities that have so long resisted pleas to raise their standards are now beginning to have change pushed on them from outside.

Do private schools suck even worse than public schools?
Daily Caller, October 19, 2013
It seems that private school students have higher scores because they come from more affluent backgrounds, not because the schools they attend are better educational institutions

Evidence confirms the positive effects of school choice learning
Opinion, Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, October 20, 2013
Perhaps not all families can benefit from vouchers, due to special circumstances. Yet, why limit access to, in many cases, a better education simply because some cannot take advantage of that possibility? The fact is that school voucher programs open up access to a private education, when many families wouldn’t otherwise have that opportunity.

School choice does work, is constitutional
Opinion, Daily News-Journal, TN, October 19, 2013
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris in 2002 was of one of the most important U.S. Supreme Court decisions since Brown vs. Board of Education. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, the court upheld the constitutionality of a school choice program in Cleveland for low-income children long ignored by the educational establishment.

Teach for America rises as political powerhouse
Politico, October 21, 2013
Teach for America is best known for sending bright young college graduates to teach for two years in poor communities. But it’s much more than a service organization. It’s a political powerhouse.

STATE COVERAGE

ARIZONA

College readiness of Arizona students questioned
The Republic, AZ, October 19, 2013
The majority of Arizona high-school graduates’ scores on two popular college-admissions tests — the ACT and the SAT — indicate that the students are ill-prepared for college and would likely need to take remedial classes once there, according to reports from the groups responsible for administering the tests.

School voucher challenge filed
Arizona Daily Sun, AZ, October 19, 2013
Education groups are making a last-ditch effort to halt what is now a limited school voucher program before it spreads.

CALIFORNIA

Rebooting L.A. Unified’s iPad plan
Editorial, Los Angeles Times, CA, October 20, 2013
Although we live in a technological age, it is more important for the district to move carefully than to move quickly on giving every student a tablet.

COLORADO

Charter school applications up for PSD school board approval
Coloradoan, CO, October 20, 2013
School board members are expected to vote this week to approve or deny applications from two charter schools with plans to open in Fort Collins.

Millions already spent backing, rebuking Colorado’s billion-dollar education tax
The Coloradoan, CO, October 20, 2013
Teachers unions and several wealthy Coloradans are spending millions to convince voters to agree to almost $1 billion annually in higher income taxes devoted to public schools.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

In speech, D.C. Chancellor Kaya Henderson offers optimistic view of city schools
Washington Post, DC, October 18, 2013
Chancellor Kaya Henderson used her “State of the D.C. Public Schools” address Thursday evening to celebrate a “turning tide” that she said is beginning to transform the city’s long-struggling school system.

GEORGIA

School leaders at Jenkins White hope innovation leads to academic growth
Augusta Chronicle, GA, October 20, 2013
On a given day at Jenkins White Elementary Charter School, pupils might be reading poetry in music class or dancing during math.

FLORIDA

Charter school needs to mend fences
Editorial, Tampa Bay Times, FL, October 18, 2013
Every time a charter school opens, there is an implicit trust that its leaders will deliver on their promises in exchange for public money. But two months after opening, University Preparatory Academy in south St. Petersburg has at least twice broken its word.

More Pinellas students heading to charter schools
St. Petersburg Tribune, FL, October 21, 2013
More students are enrolling in Pinellas County’s charter schools then ever before, but some School Board members worry it’s at the detriment of public schools.

Politics take center stage in Common Core controversy
Miami Herald, FL, October 20, 2013
The three public hearings on the Common Core State Standards, held last week at the request of Gov. Rick Scott, were intended to let parents, educators and taxpayers in Florida express their opinions on the new national benchmarks for students. But many of their voices were drowned out by emotional outbursts and political jabs aimed at the federal government.

INDIANA

Keep school reform’s focus on kids, not faculty
Editorial, Munster NW Times, IN, October 20, 2013
Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz has hired outreach coordinators to help struggling school districts instead of taking over failing schools. That outreach must be forceful, however, to make sure improvements do happen.

LOUISIANA

Common Core could help remedy state’s education woes
Editorial, The Daily Advertiser, LA, October 19, 2013
Common Core State Standards have been at the center of a heated and emotional debate for months in Louisiana. The standards that allow creative and critical thinking to be taught in the public school system has been marked with misunderstandings and misinformation.

New Orleans high schools: then and now
Times-Picayune, LA, October 20, 2013
The trajectories of schools that the state Recovery School District seized after Katrina have differed. Some, such as Booker T. Washington and Fortier, never reopened. Others, like L.E. Rabouin, Marion Abramson and Douglass, reopened then closed, casualties of the district’s plan to “right size” and improve the low-performing campuses.

MARYLAND

Teacher’s union gives Brown his biggest endorsement for governor
Maryland Reporter, MD, October 20, 2013
The pandering cameras were on at the Maryland State Education Association in Ocean City Friday as four candidates for governor came seeking the endorsement of the largest union in the state with promises in hand.

MISSISSIPPI

After-school clubs try to close science, math gap
Detroit News, MI, October 20, 2013
The engineering club of 20 students, which meets at the charter academy once a week, illustrates a growing number of extracurricular programs in Metro Detroit aimed at boosting students’ skills and interest in science, technology, math and engineering — STEM. Studies have shown U.S. students lag their peers in many other industrialized countries in math and science.

MISSOURI

Lawsuit likely if state denies KC school district’s bid for accreditation
Kansas City Star, MO, October 21, 2013
The Kansas City school district is stripped of accreditation. A district official decries it as a “death knell.” The superintendent despairs over the timing for a school system trying to reset itself. The state school board and education commissioner hold their ground.

St. Louis schools taking aim at social promotion
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, October 20, 2013
Each year, around 2,000 children in the city’s public elementary and middle schools receive the worst score possible on state reading exams.

NEW YORK

De Blasio’s charter schools rent plan could devastate programs
New York Post, NY, October 21, 2 013
Bill de Blasio’s plan to charge charter schools rent would wreak havoc on their finances — forcing them to slash academic programs to absorb millions in new costs or even shut down, new analyses by the charter operators have found.

Districts weigh options for releasing teacher evaluations
Utica Observer-Dispatch, NY, October 20, 2013
When it comes to releasing principal and teacher evaluations, area school districts are walking a “tightrope” between privacy and state law.

The Charter School Fight
New York Times, NY, October 20, 2013
The mayor’s race, otherwise somnolently lacking in drama since the primaries retired the name Sydney Leathers to the history of grade-B scandal, received an infusion of heat recently over the dependably combustible issue of charter school education.

UFT again shows it doesn’t care about the kids
Editorial, New York Post, NY, October 20, 2013
The United Federation of Teachers has spent decades pleading for more money for public schools.

UFT nixes evaluations at its own charter school
New York Post, NY, October 20, 2013
The UFT’s own charter school, which barely won state accreditation this year, has decided to opt out of new teacher evaluations that all its members in public schools have to undergo.

NORTH CAROLINA

Proposed charter school to cater to special needs students
WRAL, NC, October 19, 2013
Two Raleigh mothers want to open a charter school that focuses on children with developmental and intellectual disabilities

OHIO

State shuts down twin charter schools on Near East Side
Columbus Dispatch, OH, October 20, 2013
In a rare move, the state school superintendent has ordered the immediate shutdown of two brand-new Columbus charter schools, saying conditions are deplorable.

Superheroes race through Ohio City for Breakthrough Schools
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, October 20, 2013
Superheroes bounded through the streets of Ohio City on Sunday, raising money for Breakthrough Schools; nine Cleveland non-profit charter schools ranked as the highest-performing in the state.

OKLAHOMA

Raising the male high school graduation rate
Opinion, Tulsa World, OK, October 20, 2013
Never count on a single silver bullet to stop real bullets, or some other secret weapon to combat overall crime in communities.

PENNSYLVANIA

A welcome change of heart
Editorial, Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, October 20, 2013
The city teachers’ union appears to be winning the game of stare-down it has been playing with state and city officials over the $103 million in contract concessions being sought to close the School District’s budget deficit.

Dues deduction exploits Pa. teachers, taxpayers
Column, The Mercury, PA, October 20, 20123
Teachers from across the commonwealth have joined together to protest being forced to finance a political organization that works against their own views and values. That organization is the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state’s largest and most influential teachers union.

Right call on New Hope charter school closure
Editorial, York Dispatch, PA, October 20, 2013
Ultimately, what the dispute amounted to was a failing school district denying renewal of a charter for a school that was also failing. And in a sense, you could argue the district’s own charter is in jeopardy as it works through the state-mandated school recovery process — a process that could, ironically, result in the district being taken over by charter schools.

TEXAS

Texas education chief wants Dallas charter school closed for good
Dallas Morning News, TX, October 18, 2013
The state’s education chief is seeking to permanently close a Dallas charter school, citing a repeated failure to protect students from teachers and staff with criminal backgrounds.

UTAH

Don’t suspend kids for behavior; it makes them drop out
Op-Ed, Salt Lake Tribune, UT, October 19, 2013
Hurrying down to class at a major Salt Lake high school years ago, one of us was in the company of two friends. When passing the vice principal, these two friends were stopped and questioned about why they were not in class, But our current law school peer, then just a naive high school student, was allowed to continue.

WISCONSIN

Rally against MPS legislation underscores deep divisions
Journal Sentinel, WI, October 19, 2013
A rally Friday against what protesters called “Jim Crow legislation” added another burning log to a week of heated discussion over state legislation aimed at moving more Milwaukee Public Schools real estate into the hands of non-district operators.

ONLINE LEARNING

End unjust payments to cyber charters
Pocono Record, PA, October 21, 2013
While our state legislators debate how to address the major problems plaguing public school funding in Pennsylvania, they should at least fix some obvious and easily remedied inequities, like the overfunding of cyber charter schools. School districts pay tuition for students who attend charter schools; what they pay is based on the average cost to educate students in their district.

Technology use on the rise at St. Johns H.S.
Lansing State Journal, MI, October 20, 2013
Use of technology is growing everywhere, including schools. Using computers of some form is the new norm in schools that are working to prepare their students for the future.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

Daily Headlines for October 18, 2013

October 18, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

STATE COVERAGE

CALIFORNIA

Rocketship schools’ growth in Santa Clara County could be slowed by legal ruling
San Jose Mercury News, CA, October 17, 2013
Rocketship Education, which has opened nine public elementary schools in seven years, may find its lightning-speed velocity forced to decelerate.

CONNECTICUT

State tries new approach to help the 25% of urban students who can’t read
Connecticut Mirror, CT, October 18, 2013
It took third grade teacher Marcy Deschaine three minutes to determine that one of her students was struggling to read.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. charter board considers oversight improvements
Washington Post, DC, October 17, 2013
The D.C. Public Charter School Board decided at a meeting Wednesday not to immediately initiate the closure of Options Public Charter, the Northeast Washington school at the center of allegations that its former managers diverted millions of dollars to their own for-profit companies.

D.C. school enrollment increases, with charters growing faster than DCPS
Washington Post, DC, October 17, 2013
D.C. traditional and charter schools grew for the fifth year in a row, together enrolling 4 percent more students this fall than last, according to a raw count the Office of the State Superintendent of Education released Thursday.

GEORGIA

DeKalb Schools: Two education leaders urge approval of Druid Hills charter cluster
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, October 17, 2013
Attorney Brad Bryant is a former chair of the state Board of Education and the DeKalb school board. In 2010, Gov. Sonny Perdue appointed him to fill the unexpired term of Superintendent Kathy Cox.

FLORIDA

Gov. Scott’s leadership needed on education changes
Editorial, Sun Sentinel, FL, October 17, 2013
It is nice Gov. Rick Scott wants to listen. This week he convened three public meetings across the state to ask parents, teachers and business leaders their opinions of Common Core, the state’s new education standards for public schools.

Is Pitbull ‘Mr. Education’? Rapper Opens Charter School In Miami
NPR, October 15, 2013
Rapper Pitbull (Armando Christian Pérez) is the latest in a long list of celebrities lending their star power to the flourishing charter school movement. Alicia Keyes, Denzel Washington, Shakira, Oprah — all support or sponsor charter schools.

Teacher Absences Leave Schools Scrambling to Fill the Classrooms
The Ledger, FL, October 18, 2013
When teachers are sick, on leave or take vacation days, students still go to school for instruction.

ILLINOIS

CPS changing its promotion policy
Chicago Tribune, IL, October 17, 2013
Revamp a response to tougher testing, means fewer students in summer school

Gov. Quinn again suspends state funding to UNO, putting $15 million on hold
Chicago Sun-Times, IL, October 17, 2013
For the second time this year, Gov. Pat Quinn has suspended state funding to the scandal-scarred United Neighborhood Organization, the biggest charter-school operator in Illinois.

IOWA

Iowa, not federal government, will determine academic standards
The Gazette, IA, October 17, 2013
Gov. Terry Branstad said he’s not trying to stop the Common Core in Iowa, he just wants to make sure local school boards get to choose curriculum.

LOUISIANA

Caddo school board, staff visit New Orleans charter schools
Shreveport Times, LA, October 17, 2013
As the countdown continues to determine what will happen to five Caddo Schools eligible for state takeover, administrators are looking to the Recovery School District to demonstrate what can happen when school systems think outside the box.

The Choice for School Choice
National Review Online, October 17, 2013
Clay almost fell through the cracks. But at the end of his sophomore year, an assistant principal named Philmon Edwards saw potential in him and decided to be the father figure Clay lacked. “Without that man at that time,” he says, choking up, “I could have become a statistic.”

MASSACHUSETTS

Struggling Spirit of Knowledge Charter School in Worcester under review
Telegram & Gazette, MA, October 17, 2013
The Spirit of Knowledge Charter School, which was already on probation, will be the subject of discussion at the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s meeting on Tuesday.

MISSISSIPPI

New Mississippi superintendent backs Common Core, pre-K
Sun Herald, MS, October 17, 2013
Incoming state school Superintendent Carey Wright gave strong endorsements Thursday to the new Common Core education standards and prekindergarten education.

NEBRASKA

Worst case scenario: state run school
Grant Tribune Sentinel, NE, October 17, 2013
It is far off from happening and measures are already in the works to correct issues with the Nebraka State Accountability (NeSA), but the absolute worst-case scenario for Perkins County Schools would be a district run by the state and federal government.

NEW JERSEY

It’s slow going on education policy as Trenton action stalls before election
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, October 18, 2013
A state Board of Education meeting with virtually no agenda. Charter-school approvals that go unannounced. A slew of expected reports and initiatives that suddenly take a bit longer than anticipated.

NEW MEXICO

APS leaders urge community to protest evaluations
Albuquerque Journal, NM, October 17, 2013
The message from Albuquerque Public Schools leaders to teachers, parents and community members protesting the state’s overhaul of teacher evaluations was clear Wednesday night: it’s up to you to continue the fight.

NEW YORK

New Tests, New Aim: Evaluating Teachers
Wall Street Journal, October 18, 2013
New York state education officials said they would look for ways to make sure that students weren’t being over-tested, after concerns from parents and educators about exams tied to a new teacher-evaluation system.

Re “Thinking Sensibly About Charter Schools” (editorial, “The Next Mayor” series, Oct. 16)
Letter, New York Times, NY, October 17, 2013
The issue of supporting charter schools is entwined with how New York City’s next mayor will support public education; they are not separable.

State to release teacher evaluations by year’s end
Newsday, NY, October 17, 2013
By Dec. 31, parents in New York will for the first time be able to review their children’s teachers’ performance and compare them to aggregate ratings for teachers in counties statewide, State Department of Education officials said Thursday.

NORTH CAROLINA

Wake and CMS school leaders complain about loss of teacher tenure
Charlotte Observer, NC, October 17, 2013
Leaders of North Carolina’s two largest public school systems charge that state legislators made a bad decision when they replaced tenure with a system that will have teachers competing for a small number of four-year contracts.

OREGON

Making the Grade
Mail Tribune, OR, October 18,2 013
Jackson County schools that scored low in last week’s state report card now have specific goals to shoot for

OKLAHOMA

A-F school grades statewide released with errors
Tulsa World, OK, October 18, 2013
The first A-F school grades sent to districts for their 10-day review have changed five or six times since their release Wednesday due to miscalculations by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

PENNSYLVANIA

Allentown School District student exodus to charter schools continues
Lehigh Valley Express Times, PA, October 18, 2013
The Allentown School District has been losing students to cyber and charter schools at an increasing rate for the past decade, and this year was no exception.

As Council passes schools plan, will Nutter go along?
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, October 18, 2013
IT WAS A battle of wills – and it’s starting to look as if City Council President Darrell Clarke will outlast Mayor Nutter in the standoff over competing plans to produce the $50 million the School District of Philadelphia says it needs to finish the school year.

More than 400 at meeting to support York’s New Hope Academy
York Dispatch, PA, October 18, 2013
Weary and more than 400 parents and students attended a meeting Thursday in New Hope Academy Charter School’s gymnasium to learn how to help the school appeal the Oct. 15 decision by the state’s Charter School Appeal Board to order New Hope to close by Jan. 15.

Two charters now facing termination, including the city’s oldest
Philadelphia Notebook Blog, PA, October 17, 2013
The School Reform Commission voted unanimously Thursday night not to renew the charters of Community Academy and Truebright Science Academy Charter School. Both remain open pending expected appeals to a state board.

TEXAS

HISD paring 20 magnet programs to satisfy new policy
Your Houston News, TX, October 17, 2013
Houston ISD administrators on Thursday identified 20 schools where magnet programs will be phased out because they don’t meet enrollment criteria established by the board in May.

Trying to Keep Religion Out of the Charter School Classroom
Texas Tribune, TX, October 18, 2013
At the Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy, a fifth-grade foreign-language class is taught entirely in Hebrew, with students shifting into English only long enough to translate words like “research” and “to overcome.”

VIRGINIA

Welcoming state intervention at Jefferson-Houston
Alexandria Times, VA, October 17, 2013
While city and education officials stand united in opposition to a state takeover of the struggling Jefferson-Houston School, more than a few parents and residents are leaning toward it.

WASHINGTON

League of Women Voters forum tackles teacher tenure
Columbia Tribune, WA, October 17, 2013
Although some issues, such as school transfers, might overshadow the topic of teacher tenure in the upcoming session of the Missouri General Assembly, Stacey Preis, executive director of the General Assembly Joint Committee on Education, said she doesn’t think the topic of tenure is going away.

Regulations could affect timeline of new charter school
KIMA-TV, WA, October 17, 2013
Washington State’s Charter School Commission met in Yakima today to go over the rules and applications for new schools.

WISCONSIN

ONLINE LEARNING

LP schools look to improve vocational, virtual classes
Herald Argus, IN, October 18, 2013
La Porte Community Schools has seen a rise in enrollment and a gain of some $200,000, said superintendent Rande Thorpe. And the corporation is hoping to continue that trend with a focus on improving its vocational offerings and virtual classes.

Wayne Trace Digital Academy provides learning options to students
Times Bulletin, OH, October 18, 2013
Wayne Trace Local Schools recently created the Wayne Trace Digital Academy, a program that allows students the option to complete their schooling online.

Filed Under: Daily Headlines

Jeanne Allen on the Lack of Gutsy Governors Willing to Embrace Education Reform

October 17, 2013 By Shapiro Consulting

A Dearth of Statehouse Mavericks

Posted: 10/16/2013 6:37 pm

Lack of gutsy governors stagnating real education reform

Millions of children are now fully ensconced in another year at America’s schools. Unfortunately for most families, the schools, classrooms, teachers, and school leaders are functioning in much the same manner as they did last year — and five and ten years before that.

The hype and anxiety surrounding Common Core State Standards, No Child Left Behind and its reauthorization, and standardized federal testing has fueled yet another rhetorical battle over not only what ails schools and how to fix them, but what is the proper scope of the federal role in public education. Lost on too many citizens is a basic fact of political life for states in our federation: the best antidote for federal government intrusion is a strong governor.

Many of today’s governors have, by virtue of their placid approach to legislative reform, ceded both the authority over and initiative in public education policy to the feds. This is in stark contrast to the strong-willed governors whose leadership seeded the modern-day education reform movement. When state leaders are weak, programs and policies emanate from “above” to forcibly supplant or supplement state programs. When governors are strong, they encourage, embrace, and even initiate grassroots activism that counters the entrenched special interests — teachers’ unions, school boards associations, and the like — that typically keep progress from happening. Apathetic or timid governors wait for bills to reach their desks, allow critical-mass special interest groups to get organized before they take action, govern not by ideals but by poll favorability ratings.

In statehouses across the country, school children deserve to have the Winston Churchill-types in charge. Instead, our statehouses today host too many Neville Chamberlains.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett’s lack of strong leadership on education, declared one of his top priorities, has caused a stalemate that has embarrassingly failed to achieve any significant reform despite his party’s full control of both houses of the state legislature. The otherwise popular Gov. Chris Christie has led New Jersey to only modest recent progress, showing himself to be more rhetoric than results. The state’s takeover of Camden’s failing schools is a solid (though unproven) move, but a tepid teacher evaluation program that allows union-controlled districts to mask real accountability, one of the most regulatory charter school laws in the nation, and — despite promises years ago — no school-choice scholarships for poor kids scores a win for the establishment in the Garden State, not for reformers.

Gov. Bob McDonnell campaigned as the education-reform governor of Virginia, but despite his parting shot of securing state-takeovers of failing schools and allowing Teach for America into the state, he still governs a state where a 15-year-old charter school law is so restrictive that only two of these innovative public schools are operating despite the overwhelming evidence that good charter schools can achieve dramatic success with students. The list goes on.

Allegiance to party over principle and the ultimate goal of securing higher political office surely is driving some decisions by governors to avoid fighting the tough fights. But a willingness to do battle, even at the cost of one’s own political longevity, is what marks a truly courageous and effective leader.

The current dearth of mavericks in statehouses wasn’t always so. Since the 1980s, strong and bold Churchill-type governors from both parties have been the driving force in America’s effort to reform and strengthen the nation’s public education system. Governors Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Bill Clinton of Arkansas embraced transformative changes, coalesced other strong state leaders into an outspoken force, and brought their efforts of reform to national prominence at a groundbreaking policy-making summit in Charlottesville, Va. Florida’s Bob Graham, Mississippi’s William Winter, New Jersey’s Tom Kean, North Carolina’s James Hunt, South Carolina’s Richard Riley all played leading roles in a movement by state governors to improve the nation’s schools. Leading Wisconsin’s transformation of its public education system, 17 years ago Gov. Tommy Thompson noted the need for strong state leadership, saying, “We might get national standards eventually. But the only way it’s going to happen is bottom up, through coalitions of states.”

This bold state leadership continued into the 1990s. Gov. John Engler bucked his party and enormous opposition to equalize funding and permit its portability through a path-breaking charter school law and to initiate a public school choice program. Performance standards and accountability to those standards was heresy when Virginia Gov. George Allen decided that his state needed uniform measures to elevate education outcomes. Pennsylvania’s Tom Ridge created a tax credit program to fund school choice scholarships and innovative public school programs, initiated vouchers for supplemental education services such as tutoring in reading and math, and secured a hard-fought charter school law. And Jeb Bush started his leadership of Florida to and through some of the deepest and broadest education policy changes in choice and accountability the nation has seen.

These strong leaders also created a climate that grew and supported maverick state legislators underneath them: senator Ember Reichgott Junge watched as Minnesota Gov. Rudy Perpich signed her charter school law, the nation’s first; Wisconsin state assembly member Annette Polly Williams authored the nation’s first voucher bill, designed for low-income families in Milwaukee, which with strong state support quickly became a focus of school-choice activism; and, Cleveland city councilwoman Fannie Lewis fought for 17 years to get a school-choice voucher program enacted, a program she then carried through as it got signed into state law and challenged by establishment-types all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where she — and Cleveland’s families — won.

Charter school laws, model state standards that pushed other reluctant states into the accountability discussion, vouchers, and policies touching on the once-toxic teacher-quality issue all were driven by strong governors. These governors were the real drivers of education reform, leaders who were in it for the long-haul. Such engagement led to myriad bi-partisan accomplishments of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, a cooperative can-do attitude that is all but absent today.

To be sure, some of today’s governors hold the promise of becoming tomorrow’s education reform leaders. Wisconsin’s Scott Walker looked teachers’ (and other) unions in the eye and didn’t blink when reform was needed, and along the way expanded that state’s voucher law and strengthened its charter school law. Mike Pence in Indiana and John Kasich in Ohio have built on the reforms they’ve inherited without apology, even acting so bold as to expand school-choice voucher programs. Delaware’s Jack Markell seemingly has unleashed a no-nonsense education secretary with a directive to expand choice and seriously increase accountability of schools, despite his own hesitancy to put on the “reformer” mantle. And Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal has set records for positive education reform lawmaking in education in a state where a devastating and unwelcome storm served as a catalyst for a new public education landscape.

Even in these states, however, parents are wondering whether it’s just another round of wasted potential and foregone opportunity, or if the current generation of school children really will be better-schooled than the last.

Most of today’s governors came in to office standing on a platform full of nice-sounding school reform, but only a very few have delivered anything worth talking about. Families that truly care about education policies that affect their children each day would be well-served to start distinguishing between state leaders that simply talk the talk and those that actually have the will and the guts to walk the walk.

Follow Jeanne Allen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeanneAllen

Filed Under: Opinions

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