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NATIONAL COVERAGE

We Choose Everything – Why Not Our Schools?
Detroit News, MI, January 31, 2013
Being able to choose these goods and services is the essential first step to being an educated consumer, and being an educated consumer is an essential right of the American experience. It is truly awful, then, that many Americans are not permitted to choose the school where their children receive their education — a product more vital than any iPhone or brand of milk, and moreover, a product guaranteed to them by their states.

E-Mails Link Bush Foundation, Corporations And Education Officials
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 30, 2013
A nonprofit group released thousands of e-mails today and said they show how a foundation begun by Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and national education reform leader, is working with public officials in states to write education laws that could benefit some of its corporate funders.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

Give School Systems The Opportunity To Innovate, Be Flexible
Birmingham News, AL, January 30, 2013
Who in the world would argue against giving Alabama public schools more flexibility and an opportunity to be innovative?

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Educators React To Charter School Rally, Legislation
KUAR, AR, January 30, 2013
One day after a rally to push for more public charter schools in Arkansas, various groups of state educators gathered together at the Capitol on Wednesday to say current legislation that would create an independent commission to approve new charter schools would be an overreach into the state’s education system.

CALIFORNIA

Manzanita Backers Show Their Support
Lompoc Record, CA, January 30, 2013
With dozens of bright yellow balloons hovering above, a wide range of speakers took to the podium at Tuesday night’s Lompoc Unified School District board meeting, many of them with a clear and united message: Keep Manzanita Charter School in this community.

COLORADO

Stone Creek Tops State’s Independent Schools
Vail Daily News, CO, January 30, 2013
A local independent charter school earned some of the state’s best marks in independent rankings.

DELAWARE

Families, Children Benefit From School Choice
News Journal, DE, January 31, 2013
School choice is important. It’s important because it can literally change the trajectory of a child’s life. Where one child flourishes, another will fall behind. Each child is different, with unique strengths and needs. How well a child performs in a school depends on how well that child’s learning needs are met by the school.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Can Traditional School Systems Be Replaced By Charters?
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 30, 2013
When activists from the District and across the country gathered Tuesday at the U.S. Education Department to call for an end to school closures, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued a statement in solidarity: “It’s time to fix, not close, our schools,” she said.

FLORIDA

Concerns Mounting Over Teacher Evaluations
Sunshine State News, FL, January 31, 2013
Questions are continuing to mount about the future of Florida’s new teacher evaluation system, with Senate President Don Gaetz becoming the latest state official to wonder if the system needs to be overhauled.

Forsyth Academy Weighs Change From Charter To Program
Gainesville Times, FL, January 30, 2013
New opportunities could be heading to the Forsyth Academy if the local school district decides to convert it from a charter format to a program.

1,100-Student Charter School Proposed In Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Post, FL, January 30, 2013
A charter school that will create about 75 jobs and bring about 1,100 students to a vacant warehouse has been proposed for Hiatt Drive.

Scott Wants $1.2B for K-12
Hernando Today, FL, January 31, 2013
When Gov. Rick Scott announced Wednesday that he will propose an increase of $1.2 billion in the state’s K-12 education budget, or an increase of roughly $400 per student, some in the school district reacted to the news with a similar wave of curiosity that makes a person halt next to one of those plastic “Win a free cruise!” boxes full of business cards.

GEORGIA

Charter-School Commission Holds First Meeting
Rome News-Tribune, GA, January 31, 2013
The commission at the heart of last year’s controversial charter-school constitutional amendment held its organizational meeting Wednesday.

Charter Schools Commission Holds First Meeting Since Its Rebirth
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 30, 2013
It’s back. The State Charter Schools Commission, brought back to life with the passage of the charter schools constitutional amendment in November, held its first meeting Wednesday.

IDAHO

Report: Idaho Lags in Charter School Growth
Magic Valley Times-News, ID, January 31, 2013
Idaho lags behind other states in charter school growth, according to a new report from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.

IOWA

Iowa Senate OKs Basic Aid To Schools, Setting Up Showdown With House
Des Moines Register, IA, January 31, 2013
A showdown is brewing after the Iowa Senate approved a $187 million school aid spending package Wednesday that will be sent to the House, which is being urged by Gov. Terry Branstad to delay action until it develops a plan to reform the state’s education system.

KANSAS

Battle Begins In House Over Public Unions
The Lawrence Journal-World, KS, January 30, 2013
A bill that opponents and supporters agreed would weaken the ability of public employee unions to participate in politics won preliminary approval on Wednesday.

LOUISIANA

Education Laws Topic Of Forum
The Advocate, LA, January 31, 2013
Louisiana legislators need to rework the education accountability and choice laws that siphon resources from public schools, punish teachers based on faulty measuring tools and disproportionately affect at-risk students, a panel of Tangipahoa Parish educators and elected officials said.

MAINE

Democratic Majority On Education Panel Wants Charter School To Share In Cuts
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 30, 2013
The Legislature’s Education Committee voted 8-5 along party lines Wednesday to include charter schools in $12.6 million in cuts to education aid, sparking the latest partisan battle on education reforms.

If Current Charter School Problems Not Solved, Movement Will Fail
Morning Sentinel, ME, January 31, 2013
An advertisement airing on local television, sponsored by the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, gives the impression the charter school movement has no downside.

Charter Schools Are Not Free
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 30, 2013
There is an advertisement airing on local television sponsored by the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools. As with a lot of the political-type advertisements, it gives the impression that there is no downside to the charter school movement. They say it’s free, open to all and implies that parents will be able to work better with teachers in a charter school setting.

MARYLAND

Independently Operated Schools Sound Off On Contract Recommendations
Baltimore Sun, MD, January 31, 2013
In a public forum packed with emotion as well as people, the Baltimore school board heard Wednesday from independently operated schools fighting for contract extensions as some presented narratives describing their strengths and weaknesses.

Heavy Load Puts Teacher Retention At Risk In Prince George’s
Maryland Gazette, MD, January 31, 2013
Considering all the positive outcomes arising from our public schools in recent years, it is somewhat disheartening to see the issue of turnover rearing its ugly head in Prince George’s County once more. All our advances will be for naught if this community fails to entice educators to spend their careers right here.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter School Site Offers Opportunities For City, Schools
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, January 31, 2013
The issue confronting Mick Lafata — who owns what, until a few weeks ago, had been a bustling Gloucester Community Arts Charter School – is purely a business matter.

MICHIGAN

School Choice Has Helped Michigan’s Children
Detroit News, MI, January 31, 2013
A new study by researchers at Stanford University shows superb positive effects for students attending charter schools in Michigan. It is the most rigorous study of charter schools ever done in this state and positions Michigan as one of the nation’s leaders in charter school policy and performance.

MISSISSIPPI

High-Risk Students Key For Charter School
Jackson Magazine, MS, January 30, 2013
The crisis in American and Mississippi education is with our high-risk children, those living in profound poverty or those who have learning disabilities. Though we must do better by all children, in Mississippi, as in the rest of America, we fail most our high-risk students.

MONTANA

Bill Calls For Charter Schools In Montana
Beartooth NBC, MT, January 30, 2013
Today a bill was heard in the house that could bring charter schools to the state of Montana.

NEVADA

Charter Schools, Vouchers On Education Leaders’ Wish List
Las Vegas Sun, NV, January 31, 2013
Nevada’s education leaders called for the expansion of charter schools and vouchers during a panel discussion highlighting School Choice Week.

NEW JERSEY

Most N.J. Charter School Facilities Outdated, Analysis Finds
Star-Ledger, NJ, January 30, 2013
Almost three-quarters of New Jersey’s charter schools that participated in a recent survey were built before 1970, and a third are housed in buildings not originally built as schools, according to an analysis released today.

N.J. Limitations On School Choice Blocks Opportunities For Students
Times of Trenton, NJ, January 31, 2013
If, as a nation, we choose our presidents, then why not our schools? Why, as parents, are we subjected to the dictates and mandates of an American education system gone awry, one that’s been hijacked by interests and decisions not of our choosing?

NEW YORK

Cuomo: State Might Impose Evaluations
Wall Street Journal, January 31, 2013
State officials will impose their own job evaluation system on New York City’s teachers if a deal isn’t reached soon between the union and the city, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

Gov’s Teacher-Eval Ultimatum To Mike
New York Post, NY, January 31, 2013
If Mayor Bloomberg and the city teachers union can’t come up with their own teacher-evaluation plan, Albany will step in and do it for them, Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders warned yesterday.

OHIO

Kasich Rolling Out His Plan For Schools
Columbus Dispatch, OH, January 31, 2013
Gov. John Kasich will unveil his long-promised school-funding plan today, in which he’ll propose creating a $300 million “innovation fund” to support school initiatives to improve teaching and learning, sources said. Kasich also is expected to seek expansion of tax-funded tuition vouchers and an increase in state aid for tutoring and intervention services for struggling readers.

PENNSYLVANIA

Former Official Of Charter School Network Reportedly Will Plead Guilty
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 31, 2013
The former business manager of Dorothy June Brown’s charter school network has signaled that he intends to change his plea and admit that he played a role in Brown’s alleged scheme to defraud the schools of $6.7 million.

Look At The Effective Work By Charter Schools
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 31, 2013
Using a headline to imply that charter schools as “a class” are “sub-par” does a great disservice to the educators, parents and students who support charters as a viable educational option, particularly for traditionally underserved students (“Sub-Par Options: Charter Schools as a Class Don’t Measure Up,” Jan. 27 editorial).

Money, Charter Schools Main Focus Of First York City Schools’ Recovery Plan Meeting
York Daily Record, PA, January 30, 2013
The advisory committee charged with creating a recovery plan for the York City School District heard an overview of the district at its first meeting Wednesday night. The 20 members also shared some of their hopes and concerns for the committee, with concerns about money and charter schools being a main focus.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Choice Leads To Child-Centered Education
Aiken Standard, SC, January 30, 2013
In the S.C. House of Representatives we deal with a lot of issues. None are more important to families than education.

How Should We Measure Teacher Success?
Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, January 30, 2013
Browsing the S.C. Department of Education’s proposed “Educator Evaluation and Support Guidelines,” the model proposed to overhaul the state’s system for measuring teacher success, two conclusions present themselves.

TEXAS

Higher Learning: Ignite Offers Flexible Schedules For Students
Valley Morning Star, TX, January 30, 2013
Located in Raymondville, it is one of six charter schools in the Ignite Public School District. The schools have flexible schedules to accommodate students in different circumstances.

Charter School Network Gets $5 Million Pledge
Dallas Morning News, TX, January 30, 2013
The Harold Simmons Foundation will give $5 million over four years to Uplift Education, North Texas’ largest charter school network.

VIRGINIA

Va. Panel Backs A’s -To-F’s For Schools
Washington Times, DC, January 30, 2013
Virginia public schools will get the same kind of report cards their students take home if legislation endorsed Wednesday by a House of Delegates committee becomes law.

WISCONSIN

Tough Decisions Lie Ahead For Wisconsin’s School Voucher Program
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI, January 30, 2013
A gathering sponsored by a national school choice group Wednesday in Milwaukee played to the theme of support for quality educational options for all children. Gov. Scott Walker, Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Thornton and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett – all in attendance – endorsed that sentiment.

Vouchers Hurt Public Schools
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, January 31, 2013
With voucher advocates trumpeting “National School Choice Week,” it is a fitting time to examine the proposed expansion of private school vouchers in Wisconsin. Some politicians are intent on slowly doing away with our public education system in favor of privatized education paid for with taxpayer money.

ONLINE LEARNING

Jeb Bush: Students Should Have The Choice Of Digital Schools
CNN, January 31, 2013
The Fair sisters graduated from Nevada Virtual Academy last spring and enrolled at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. After all the time she spent at the doctor’s office, Kaleigh is pursuing a degree in nursing – through online courses, of course.

Erie-Area Home-School Families Shifting To Online Programs
Erie Times News, PA, January 31, 2013
Harborcreek Township resident Dianne Jackson knew she had to make a change when she saw her daughter struggling in both public and private schools.

Our View: Too Soon To Call Virtual Schools A Failed Idea
Jackson Sun, TN, January 31, 2013
The Tennessee General Assembly approved what have come to be known as “virtual schools” in Tennessee. The state’s first, and only, online virtual school opened in 2011 in Union County.

Franklin School Board Plans For More Virtual Learning
Anderson Mail Independent, SC, January 30, 2013
Franklin County school superintendent Ruth O’Dell this week outlined the school system’s main objectives.

Idaho’s Largest Charter School Escapes Much Of The Criticism Aimed At Corporate Partner
Boise State Public Radio, ID, January 30, 2013
Wyatt’s mom, Jenifer Bell laughs at that. She says she turned to online education when her oldest child, Alexa reached school age. Her daughter was too sick to go to traditional school.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

Grade Our Teachers, Help Our Students
CNN, January 30, 2013
Knowing how to identify and measure great teaching is a huge step toward providing better feedback and support for teachers and building a better education system for all our children — but it’s just one step. The challenge now is to use this information to give teachers the tools, resources and support they need to do their best work.

Activists to U.S. Education Department: Stop School Closings Now
Washington Post, DC, January 29, 2013
Activists fighting school closings across the country converged at the U.S. Education Department on Tuesday to demand federal action to stop the shutdowns, which they say disproportionately affect poor and minority students.

Making the Grade
Washington Times, DC, January 29, 2013
More than 200 organizations across the country are staging some 3,600 events to mark School Choice Week. Many grateful parents, however, have reason to celebrate every week.

Offer More Options For Students
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 30, 2013
It is no secret that our education system needs reform, but what direction to take and how to get there present a formidable challenge. Countless studies have shown that our children’s math and science skills are dangerously below average.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

State Positioned To Exit No Child Left Behind Act
Tuscaloosa News, AL, January 30, 2013
It’s a new day for public education in Alabama, Thomas Bice, superintendent of the state Department of Education, said Tuesday in Tuscaloosa.

ARKANSAS

Former Florida Governor Pushes For Charter Schools In Ark.
KUAR, AR, January 29, 2013
As lawmakers consider proposals to expand charter schools in the state, the former Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, spoke at the state Capitol Tuesday as part of rally by a group that advocates for charter schools.

ARIZONA

Arizona Charter-School Safety A Concern
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 30, 2013
As schools examine their safety plans in the wake of the Newtown shooting, many of the Valley’s charter and private schools are not as prepared to defend against internal and external threats as their traditional public-school counterparts, police and school officials say.

CALIFORNIA

Proposed Charter School Plan From Former Mayor Yunits Does Little For Brockton
Enterprise News, CA, January 29, 2013
Regarding “SABIS charter school will help Brockton fulfill promise” commentary by John T. Yunits on Jan. 20:

School Choice Is Expanding Across U.S.
Orange County Register, CA, January 29, 2013
All of us can choose from among dozens of brands of automobiles. But when it comes to something more precious, parents generally have little choice in their children’s public schools. The educational bureaucracy makes the decision.

Private Money And Public Schools
Sacramento Press, CA, January 29, 2013
Last December 3, the California Fair Political Practices Commission recommended fining Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a Democrat, $37,500 for improperly reporting donations to his multiple nonprofit groups.

5 Keys Charter School Helps S.F. Inmates
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, January 29, 2013
Latrice Alexander beamed and cheered as her son walked across the Hall of Justice stage to accept his high school diploma Tuesday.

CONNECTICUT

Advocates For Charter Schools As Answer To Achievement Gap
Danbury News Times, CT, January 29, 2013
Connecticut has an opportunity — despite historic fiscal woes — to accelerate the groundbreaking progress made by Connecticut’s charter schools. The 27 letters of interest, one from Danbury, submitted to the state by educators, officials and clergy leaders, all of whom want to create new, public charters schools, offer proof that a growing corps of leaders are lining up to change the status quo and meet the huge parent demand for great public school choices.

FLORIDA

Education Commissioner Praises Hillsborough School Choice
Tampa Bay Tribune, FL, January 30, 2013
New Education Commissioner Tony Bennett, an ardent supporter of school choice, visited a Tampa showcase and panel discussion on Tuesday to laud the local district for what he called its innovative offerings.

Decision Delayed On St. Petersburg Charter School’s Fate
Tampa Bay Times, FL, January 30, 2013
It’s a question of survival for Imagine St. Petersburg, but one whose answer will have to wait another month.

Lawmakers Work To Clamp Down On Charter Schools
WFTV, FL, January 29, 2013
State lawmakers are working to clamp down on charter schools after the principal of a failed Orange County charter school left her job with a half-million dollar payout.

GEORGIA

‘Trigger’ Bill Would Let Parents, Staff Petition To Change Schools To Charters
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 29, 2013
Hoping to capitalize on the momentum of November’s positive charter school vote, a leader in the Georgia House introduced legislation Tuesday to give parents the right to petition to turn their low-performing public schools into independent charter schools.

Lindsey: Plan Means Parents Would Get Involved In Charters
Reporter Newspaper, GA, January 30, 2013
State Rep. Edward Lindsey, a Buckhead Republican, says his proposal making it easier to convert an existing school into a charter school is about getting parents involved in education.

Details About Charter High School Under Wraps
Cherokee Ledger News, GA, January 30, 2013
Cherokee Charter Academy officials are jubilant about a five-year renewal of their petition, with permission to begin offering a high school, issued earlier this month by the state Department of Education.

We Bought The Charter Hype
Covington News, GA, January 29, 2013
An article in the AJC last week noted that $2.7 million was spent by proponents of the charter school amendment as compared with $262,822 spent by those who opposed the amendment. Among those who contributed to the proponent campaign were K12 Inc. and Charter Schools USA, both for profit companies that manage charter schools.

ILLINOIS

Charter Advocates Rally As School-Closing Critics Pack Meetings
Chicago Tribune, IL, January 30, 2013
As opponents of school closings in Chicago pack community meetings this week to make their voice heard, charter school advocates took part in a rally Tuesday at Union Station to draw attention to their call for greater school choice.

INDIANA

3rd Charter Set To Appeal To Ball State
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 30, 2013
Timothy L. Johnson Academy has joined two other Fort Wayne charter schools that will appeal Ball State University’s decision not to renew their charters.

LOUISIANA

Group Lauds La. Charter Schools
The Advocate, LA, January 30, 2013
Louisiana won high marks Tuesday from a charter school advocacy group, including the state’s lack of any cap on the number of charter schools and the transparency of its application and review process.

MASSACHUSETTS

Framingham’s McAuliffe Charter Gets State’s OK To Expand
MetroWest Daily News, MA, January 30, 2013
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday unanimously granted Christa McAuliffe Charter School’s request to increase its student population nearly 33 percent over the next few years, an expansion that will lead to the hiring of more teachers and a move to a new facility.

Charter’s Landlord Out $1 Million-Plus
Gloucester Times, MA, January 30, 2013
Three weeks after the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School’s early and unexpected closure, the landlord of the former school building in Blackburn Industrial Park estimates he is out more than $1 million in rent as he begins the search for a new tenant.

Group Eyes Charter School With Multi-Age Classes
Cape Cod Times, MA, January 30, 2013
A group of educators and parents are setting a course for a new regional charter school on Cape Cod with multi-age classrooms.

MICHIGAN

Inkster District Could Convert High School Into A Charter School
Detroit Free Press, MI, January 30, 2013
Under a radical plan to deal with a $12-million deficit, Inkster Public Schools would turn its high school over to a charter school management company to run and become a K-8 district.

MISSOURI

Missouri Could Speed Up Its Takeover Of KC School District
Kansas City Star, MO, January 29, 2013
Proposal working its way through the Senate could bring state control before start of the new school year this fall.

NEVADA

Nevada Needs More Education Competition
Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, January 30, 2013
Gov. Brian Sandoval on Sunday joined more than 20 other governors in signing a proclamation recognizing School Choice Week. Twenty-nine events are scheduled around the state this week to celebrate educational choice. That’s great. What would be even better? If Nevada already had more school choice.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Educational Opportunity Is Under Attack On Many Fronts
Union Leader, NH, January 30, 2013
Educational opportunity is something we all want for our children. But it is under threat in New Hampshire. While the wealthy can choose among many options to find the best education for their children, two small programs that increase options for poor people in New Hampshire are under attack.

NEW YORK

Mayor Bloomberg Plans To Slash 1,800 Teaching Positions Through Attrition In Proposed New $70.1 Billion Budget
New York Daily News, NY, January 30, 2013
Mayor Bloomberg gave his final budget address as mayor on Tuesday, proposing a $70.1 billion plan that slashes up to 1,800 teaching positions through attrition.

Mulgrew’s End Game
New York Daily News, NY, January 30, 2013
Under surprisingly aggressive questioning at a legislative budget hearing Tuesday, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew revealed his true heart’s desire for the nation’s largest school system. He wants a patsy to take over.

Tour Aimed At Promoting Charter Schools Coming Here
Buffalo News, NY, January 30, 2013
A cross-country “whistle-stop” train tour aimed at promoting alternative choices for public education – mainly charter schools – will bring its message to Buffalo during a breakfast reception at 8 a.m. Friday in Statler City, 107 Delaware Ave.

OKLAHOMA

State School Superintendent Asks For $2.6 Billion For Oklahoma Education
The Oklahoman, OK, January 30, 2013
State schools superintendent Janet Barresi asked the joint Budget and Appropriations Committee on Tuesday morning to increase the state education budget by nearly $300 million compared to last year.

PENNSYLVANIA

Truth Revealed About Charters
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 30, 2013
The latest numbers on charter school performance in Pennsylvania give new meaning to the term fuzzy math.

Harrisburg Schools Saddled With Debt And Growing Exodus To Charter Schools, Says Veno
Patriot News, PA, January 29, 2013
Two trends threaten Harrisburg School District’s future financial success, said state-appointed chief recovery officer Gene Veno: increasing payments for past debt and a growing exodus of students to charter schools.

Bethlehem Area School District Premieres Video Series ‘Come Join Us’
Leigh Valley Express-Times, PA, January 29, 2013
The message to parents considering private or charter schools was clear: give Bethlehem Area a chance.

Reading Superintendent Against I-lead Middle-school Proposal
Reading Eagle, PA, January 30, 2013
Dr. Carlinda Purcell believes that, when it comes to education, choice can be a good thing.

New Hope Best Choice For Me
York Daily Record, PA, January 29, 2013
If you had a gifted child, wouldn’t you want them to be taking classes that challenged them? This is how my parents felt when making the decision to send me to New Hope Academy Charter School. School choice is important to me because it provides me with the level of education I need and am capable of doing.

TENNESSEE

Voucher Legislation Includes Caps, Private School Restrictions
Nashville Public Radio, TN, January 29, 2013
A proposed voucher program would be restricted to students poor enough to get free or reduced lunch and attending a school in the bottom five percent in the state. School voucher legislation from the Haslam Administration has been filed for consideration by the General Assembly.

UTAH

Tax Transparency
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, January 30, 2013
Many Utahns are still just a bit in the dark about charter schools. These non-traditional public schools are relatively new, but over the past decade the number of charters has risen consistently until now there are 85 in the Beehive State.

VIRGINIA

Defying Obama, Virginia Democrats Kill Charter School Bill
Watchdog blog, January 29, 2013
Snubbing their national party’s position, Virginia Democrats killed a charter-school bill in the state Senate and threaten to quash similar reform measures.

WASHINGTON

Teachers Should End Boycott Of MAP Assessment Test
Seattle Times, WA, January 29, 2013
Seattle Public Schools teachers boycotting the MAP test should stop. There is value in a local assessment.

WEST VIRGINIA

Bureaucracy Keeping Schools From Thriving
Journal-News, WV, January 30, 2013
It’s all about change. The recent firing of the State Superintendent of Schools is all about change. The State Board of Education decided to fire the Superintendent without following proper legal procedures.

ONLINE LEARNING

Cyber Charter School Applications Denied
Delaware County Times, PA, January 29, 2013
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ronald Tomalis denied applications for eight proposed cyber charter schools Monday, including one based in Springfield.

Cybernots – The Schools That Boldly Went Nowhere
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader, PA, January 29, 2013
Call them Cybernots, exploring the new world of Pennsylvania public education.

Virtual Academy Contrite About Poor Math Scores
Nashville Public Radio, TN, January 30, 2013
An online public school enrolling thousands of students across Tennessee once again faced scrutiny from state lawmakers yesterday (Tuesday). The virtual school, based in Union County, uses curriculum developed by a for-profit company called K12 Inc. The school’s standardized test scores have been some of the lowest in the state.

TN Lawmakers Blast Online K12 School
The Tennessean, TN, January 29, 2013
Top officials from Tennessee’s embattled publicly funded online virtual school faced sharp criticism from members of the state House Education Committee Tuesday over its abysmal test results, with lawmakers delivering a clear message: You’re on notice.

NEWSWIRE IS BACK! Click here for the latest weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else, spiced with a dash of irreverence, from the nation’s leading voice in school reform.

NATIONAL COVERAGE

School Choice: Spreading Like A Prairie Fire
Daily Caller, DC, January 28, 2013
The school choice movement is extraordinary because it’s not inspired by any political figure. Instead, it’s an organic, grassroots parent movement inspired by extreme dissatisfaction with the status quo.

FROM THE STATES

ALASKA

Don’t Open The Floodgates: Public Money Belongs In Public Schools
Alaska Dispatch, AK, January 28, 2013
National School Choice Week started Jan. 27 as part of a national campaign to inform the public about the educational choices available to students and families.

ARKANSAS

Bill Adds Poverty To School Choice Debate
Arkansas News, AR, January 28, 2013
A second school choice bill intended to remove race as a factor in student transfers was filed Monday. House Bill 1181 by Rep. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, also takes into account the numbers of students in districts who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches.

ARIZONA

State Funding Error Could Mean Bonus For Teachers
KVOA Tucson New, AZ, January 28, 2013
A huge error in calculating education funding could mean big money for some Arizona school districts. But it could also cost a number of Arizona public and charter schools.

CALIFORNIA

A Multiple-Choice Test For Parents
San Diego Union Tribune, CA, January 28, 2013
Sending a child to school has never required so many decisions. Will it be a Chinese-language program or one that pushes the performing arts? A high-tech charter school or an intimate private institution? What about a campus with stellar test scores across town, or even the familiar school down the street?

Phillips Charter Told To Upgrade Program
Napa Valley Register, CA, January 28, 2013
School district administrators say they can’t recommend a renewal for Phillips Charter School unless the Napa elementary school changes its “game plan.”

Crenshaw High Group Opposes Reform Plan And School Closings
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, January 28, 2013
Parents, students and teachers rallied Monday in front of Crenshaw High School to protest a plan to restructure the low-performing campus and require teachers to reapply for their jobs.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Tough-Love Education Reforms Produce Results
Washington Times, DC, January 28, 2013
Last year didn’t hold great news for District of Columbia public schools. Less than 20 percent of eighth-graders were proficient in either math or reading. Only 61 percent of District high school students made it to graduation.

Keeping The Doors Open At D.C. Charters
Washington Examiner, DC, January 28, 2013
Whether a charter school gets to keep its doors open in the District depends on a combination of its finances and its academic performance.

IDAHO

Idaho Senate To Debate 4 New Teacher Union Bills
Idaho Statesman, ID, January 28, 2013
The Senate Education Committee has agreed to debate a series of bills designed to restrict the power teachers unions have in negotiating multi-year contract agreements and fighting salary cuts, setting the stage for another potentially corrosive battle with public school teachers across the state.

INDIANA

Broadway Imagine Cites Higher Test Scores
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 29, 2013
Imagine Schools on Broadway Principal Ra’Chelle Spearman said the school is more motivated than ever to finish out this year strong.

House Approves Plan Speeding Sales Of Vacant School Buildings
Northwest Times, IN, January 28, 2013
School corporations could dispose of their vacant buildings quicker under legislation approved 98-0 by the Indiana House on Monday.

IOWA

Education Reform Plan Details Queried
Des Moines Register, IA, January 29, 2013
Iowa lawmakers took their closest look yet under the hood of Gov. Terry Branstad’s top priority education reform proposal on Monday.

High Pay Gives Districts Flexibility
Des Moines Register, IA, January 29, 2013
Iowa school districts that have previously boosted teacher pay would be better positioned to hire additional staff under a legislative proposal that calls for more veteran educators to take on duties outside the classroom, data released Monday shows.

LOUISIANA

John White Counters Claim That Teacher Evaluation Is Spiking Retirement Rate
Times-Picayune, LA, January 28, 2013
State Education Superintendent John White rebutted charges that new teacher evaluation rules are causing Louisiana teachers to retire at higher rates. He said the data don’t support the claim and that on the whole, it’s the better teachers who are sticking around.

MAINE

Maine Teachers Don’t Want Student Achievement To Play Big Part In Their Evaluations
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 28, 2013
Representatives of public school teachers and administrators told the Maine Department of Education on Monday that they don’t want standardized tests to play too great a role in determining whether they’re doing a good job.

MASSACHUSETTS

School Plans Tweak Status Quo, But Bold Change Is Needed
Boston Globe, MA, January 29, 2013
WHAT BEGAN last January with Mayor Menino’s dramatic call for Boston students to be given seats in schools close to their homes, with meaningful alternatives for those in areas with underperforming schools, has morphed into something more like an effort to improve the current system of wide geographic zones, multiple choices, and luck of the draw.

Foxborough Regional Charter School Earns Charter Renewal
Bellingham County Gazette, MA, January 28, 2013
Dr. Mark Logan, executive director of the Foxborough Regional Charter School, recently announced the school has earned an unconditional renewal of its charge from the state for another five-year term.

MICHIGAN

Charter School Leaders: Stanford Study Shows Michigan Charter Students Closing Achievement Gaps
Grand Rapids Press, MI, January 29, 2013
Michigan’s charter public school students are making larger learning gains than their peers in traditional public schools, according to a new study.

MONTANA

Education Reform – School Choice Would Benefit All Montanans
Helena Independent Record, MT, January 29, 2013
Given the fact that Montana continuously ranks near dead last in the country in average wages and our “low-income neighborhoods” arguably encompass our whole state, it should not go un-noticed that Montana also ranks dead last nationally in educational choice reforms as well.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Public Schools: Vs. Public Education
Union Leader, NH, January 29, 2013
One of the reasons New Hampshire has to continue debating school choice year after year is that self-proclaimed supporters of public education do not support public education. They support public schools.

NEW JERSEY

Schools Call For More Parent Involvement
Asbury Park Press, NJ, January 29, 2013
Ask Ocean Township social worker Debbie Schisler and she’ll tell you bluntly enough: a child’s education begins at home.

Let’s Offer Families School Choice: Opinion
Star-Ledger, NJ, January 29, 2013
As parents, we would do anything for our children in their time of need, no matter what illness, injury, trouble or danger they face.

NEW YORK

Mayor Warns of School Cuts
Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2013
Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday called on state lawmakers to restore nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars wiped out by New York City’s failure to launch a new teacher-evaluation system, saying 2,500 teachers would be lost and predicting a host of “calamitous” cuts.

Mike Bares UFT’s $1B Blow To City
New York Post, NY, January 29, 2013
A sham teacher-evaluation process that rewarded union foot-dragging will cost the city more than a billion dollars in school aid and 2,500 teachers, Mayor Bloomberg charged in explosive testimony to state lawmakers yesterday.

School Closures Challenged
Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2013
The U.S. Department of Education will investigate a claim that the Bloomberg administration’s plan to close 26 low-performing public schools this year discriminates against minority and special-education students.

OKLAHOMA

Education Experiment In Wisconsin Worth Watching Here In Oklahoma
Oklahoman, OK, January 29, 2013
WHAT has historically been thought of as education is changing every passing day. Many facets of the classroom haven’t changed much over the years, but the questions of what comprises an education and whether a classroom must be part of that education have never been so present.

PENNSYLVANIA

Nutter To Name Parent Advocate To School Reform Commission
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 29, 2013
In a shake-up, Mayor Nutter is appointing a parent advocate and former Philadelphia School District bus aide to the School Reform Commission.

Charters Need Time To Correct Traditional Schools’ Failed Approaches
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 29, 2013
I am writing in response to the Jan. 27 editorial “Sub-Par Options: Charter Schools as a Class Don’t Measure Up.” Parents don’t select charter schools because their children are doing great at their public school district. They send them to charter schools because of special needs or, even more important, because the district is failing them.

City School Closings Target Vulnerable Students, Critics Say
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 29, 2013
Ramping up their fight against 37 planned public school closings, a coalition including the city teachers’ union, politicians, a pastor, and the head of the local NAACP chapter said Monday that the Philadelphia School District was targeting the city’s most vulnerable students.

TENNESSEE

Gov. Haslam Touts Limited School Vouchers
Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN, January 29, 2013
Republican Gov. Bill Haslam used his annual State of the State address Monday night to defend his plan to implement a limited school voucher program next fall that would allow impoverished children in 83 low-performing public schools to use tax dollars to attend private institutions.

Giving Parents A Say
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 29, 2013
State Rep. John DeBerry’s proposal to adjust Tennessee’s so-called “parent trigger,” making it easier for parents to force education reforms at their children’s schools, appears to be in step with giving parents a greater voice in their children’s education.

TEXAS

Charter School Denies They Are Cherry Picking Students
Valley Morning Star, TX, January 28, 2013
IDEA Public Schools’ founder on Monday refuted a charge that the charter school recruits the best students from public school districts that lose state funding for each student who transfers.

Charter Schools Say Their Smaller Share Of State Aid Is Unconstitutional
Austin American Statesman, TX, January 28, 2013
For the first time in Texas’ protracted legal wrangling over how to fund public education, charter schools Monday added their voices to the fray.

UTAH

Legislative Bill Proposed To Add Transparency To Charter School Funding
KSL, UT, January 28, 2013
The first day of the Legislative Session on Utah’s Capitol Hill began Monday. One of the bills being introduced would add taxes to support local charter schools.

VIRGINIA

Republican’s Legislation Would Allow State To Place Charter Schools
Richmond Times Dispatch, VA, January 28, 2013
A House subcommittee today backed a proposal by Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William, that would amend the Virginia Constitution to allow the state Board of Education to establish charter schools in local school divisions.

Virginia Senate Kills Right-To-Work, Charter School Amendments
Washington Examiner, DC, January 28, 2013
The Virginia Senate narrowly killed a pair of constitutional amendments dealing with two perennial Republican favorites: right-to-work and charter schools.

WASHINGTON

Students Come First Back On Agenda
Spokesman-Review, WA, January 29, 2013
Idaho lawmakers on Monday took steps to reinstate parts of the controversial Students Come First school reform laws less than three months after voters overwhelmingly repealed them.

Seattle’s Boycotting Teachers Start Crusade Against Standardized Tests
Washington Times, DC, January 28, 2013
By refusing to administer a district-mandated test to their students, teachers at a Seattle high school have sparked an “anti-testing movement” that is picking up steam by the day.

WISCONSIN

Giving Students Choices: A Look At Charter Schools
WEAU, WI, January 28, 2013
As part of National School Choice week more than 3,000 events will be held this across the country to encourage states to offer more education choices to students.

Achievement Gap Factors Transcend Boundaries
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, January 29, 2013
State Journal columnist Chris Rickert’s Sunday piece was titled “Achievement gap owned by Madison.” The gap refers to the difference in average measured scores of achievement of two groups, A and B for simplicity.

ONLINE LEARNING

Maine Democrats Take Aim At Virtual Charter Schools
Morning Sentinel, ME, January 29, 2013
The push represents a significant challenge to the taxpayer-financed institutions, which Gov. LePage has championed vehemently.

Pennsylvania Withholds OK For 8 Cyber Charter Schools
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 29, 2013
All eight statewide cyber charter school applications have been rejected, a decision that comes as legislators debate charter school funding and existing cyber schools have taken a hit for missing state academic goals.

A Growth Industry Funded By Taxpayers…
Towanda Daily Review, PA, January 29, 2013
Charter schools in Pennsylvania are a growth industry funded by taxpayers. More than 105,000 students attend 157 charter schools at physical locations, and 16 “cyber” charter schools that operate over the Internet.

Bills Chart Fairer Funding
Scranton Times-Tribune, PA, January 29, 2013
Charter schools in Pennsylvania are a growth industry funded by taxpayers. More than 105,000 students attend 157 charter schools at physical locations and 16 “cyber” charter schools that operate over the Internet.

Schools Moving Toward Digital Learning
Central Florida News 13, FL, January 28, 2013
Central Florida education is going high-tech, and bulky backpacks will soon be a thing of the past. We spoke with Pearson, a learning sponsor of a forum held in Orlando on Monday.

Events Celebrate School Options
Monroe News Star, LA, January 29, 2013
This is National School Choice Week, which attempts to shine a spotlight on all the public school options now available to students and their families. Immediately following that week is Digital Learning Day on Feb. 6.

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NATIONAL COVERAGE

Transforming Culture, Education Key To A New Birth Of Freedom
Human Events, January 28, 2013
American history is filled with examples of political parties rising and falling, reaching the pinnacles of success just years before ultimate extinction and rising reborn from the ashes of political movements and principles of the past.

With Parents Making Choices, Bad Schools Left Behind
Washington Times, DC, January 27, 2013
Now is the time for all good education advocates to come to the aid of school choice. It’s National School Choice Week, so pay attention if you truly want a way forward.

State-Level Education Reform Key To Kids’ Future
Washington Times, DC, January 27, 2013
Our children represent our hopes and dreams for tomorrow, and in the eyes of a parent, there’s nothing more important. Unfortunately, today the troubles in our education system hang like a dark cloud over our children’s bright future.

FROM THE STATES

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Republican House Caucus Pushes for Charter Schools
KARK, AR, January 27, 2013
A battle shaping up in the legislature over your child’s education.
The Arkansas Republican house caucus is pushing for the creation of a charter school commission.

ARIZONA

Error Shorts Ariz. Schools $38 Million
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 28, 2013
An error in calculating classroom funding since 2006 has shortchanged hundreds of Arizona public and charter schools while causing others to be overpaid.

Traditional Public School Is A Legitimate Choice, Too
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 27, 2013
However, what may get lost in the celebration this week is that after nearly two decades of expanding choice options in our state, traditional public schools continue to be the choice for nearly nine out of 10 Arizona students. Like my family, hundreds of thousands of Arizona families make the informed and conscious choice to send our children to our traditional public schools.

Range Of School Options Allows Children To Thrive
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 27, 2013
It was 1993 and my first year in the Arizona Senate. I was one of a handful of legislators who were enthusiastically committed to reforming education in Arizona.

CALIFORNIA

Rating Districts On School Choice
Victorville Daily Press, CA, January 28, 2013
As our nation marks National School Choice Week, through Feb. 2., it is intriguing for Californians to reflect on exactly what is meant by “choice” in public education, and how well California schools fare in offering choice options and policies to parents.

Bill Aims To Limit Schools’ Use Of Expensive Bonds
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 28, 2013
To build classrooms and sports facilities, many districts have been relying on bonds that can require as much as $20 in payments for every $1 borrowed.

CONNECTICUT

Revisiting Charter School ‘Successes’
Stamford Advocate, CT, January 25, 2013
Every legislative session, charter school lobbyists proclaim how successful privately run charter schools are compared to “failing” public schools, and that charters should get a share of public money disproportionate to the 1 percent of public school children they serve. In order to illustrate the murky world of charter school statistics, here is a follow-up to two of my columns on Connecticut charters.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Council Member David Catania Takes Charge Of New Education Committee
Washington Post, DC, January 27, 2013
Two weeks after taking the helm of the D.C. Council’s new Education Committee, David A. Catania walked through the front door of Burrville Elementary School and started asking questions.

FLORIDA

Palm Coast Charter School Battling Back From ‘F’
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, January 27, 2013
As many young schoolchildren pack up each day, Palm Harbor Academy students gear up for an extra hour of reading. While their peers are boarding buses, the charter school students are breaking into small groups for individual instruction.

Pines Charters Want Share Of Broward Dollars
Miami Herald, FL, January 26, 2013
The Pembroke Pines Charter school system has a stellar reputation, top-notch students and well-maintained buildings. But it needs more money to keep going, school officials say.

Legislators On the Spot With Rick Scott’s Teacher Pay-Hike Proposal
Sunshine State News, FL, January 28, 2013
The past two years, Gov. Rick Scott and the majority in the state Legislature have been mostly on the same conservative, pro-business page regarding education, reforming insurance, slashing the budget and repealing government regulations.

Gov. Scott’s Teacher Pay Raise Plan Met With Skepticism
Tampa Bay Tribune, FL, January 28, 2013
The governor wants teachers to have $2,500 raises next school year.Teachers say the raises are long overdue. It sounds like a great idea, but whether it comes to fruition might be another thing.

GEORGIA

Education Group Claims Tax Credit Program Is Widely Abused
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 27, 2013
A 2008 law that allows Georgians to claim a tax credit after making a charitable contribution to a student scholarship organization has been widely abused, an education policy group alleges in a complaint that will be filed Monday with the state Department of Revenue.

INDIANA

Charters’ Test Scores Miss Mark
The Journal Gazette, IN, January 27, 2013
At a recent parent meeting for Imagine MASTer Academy, one big question that school officials said was difficult to answer was, “Why?”

More School Choice Options Touted, Extending Vouchers To Kindergarteners
Northwest Times, IN, January 27, 2013
As the nation celebrates National School Choice Week today through Friday local and state school choice supporters said they’d like to see changes in the law to give parents even more options.

IOWA

This Must Be The Year For Education Reform
Sioux City Journal, IA, January 27, 2013
From the beginning, we have applauded and supported the administration of Gov. Terry Branstad for its pursuit of education reform.

LOUISIANA

More Boards Follow Rules
The Advocate, LA, January 28, 2013
Twenty-five of New Orleans’ 43 charter school boards have complied with a state law that requires them to publicize and gather public input on their school budgets before they’re finalized, according to a Lens survey.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charter Schools’ Building Costs Cited
Boston Globe, MA, January 28, 2013
As charter schools lobby the State House for increased funding for building improvements, they have a new tool to help them make their case: A report expected to be released Monday outlines the financial challenges faced by Massachusetts charter schools that lease or purchase their own facilities.

City on a Hill Offers Choice Where None Exists
South Coast Today, MA, January 28, 2013
The families and children of New Bedford cannot afford to wait for the New Bedford Public Schools to fulfill their promises of a better education.

MICHIGAN

Spend Early Education Dollars Wisely
Detroit News, MI, January 27, 2013
As they consider increasing preschool funds, lawmakers ought only to support effective programs

MINNESOTA

Minnesota Falls Behind On School Choice
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN, January 27, 2013
Back in 1991, my home state of Minnesota was a national leader in promoting the progressive reform of parental school choice. The Star of the North had begun allowing parents to claim a state income tax deduction for school expenses, including tuition at private schools, in 1955. In the 1980s, it pioneered the concept of public-school choice through open enrollment. In 1991, St. Paul became home to the nation’s first public charter school.

MISSISSIPPI

A Model That Benefits All Children
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, MS, January 27, 2013
No one would argue that our schools are in need of smart and sustaining reform. Every child in our state deserves a quality education that will one day prepare them to compete globally in the workplace. Simply put, our children are not keeping up with children in top-performing countries. Regrettably, some children in our state have been denied the chance to be taught in consistently good schools by good teachers.

MISSOURI

Charter Schools Bring Competition To Education
Kansas City Star, MO, January 27, 2013
For those intent on deriding the Kansas City School District at every turn, the idea of charter schools is often an appealing alternative. A more realistic view would see the schools as an education option for families, but not a silver bullet for everything ailing public schools.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Charter School Funding Bill Moving Forward in Statehouse
Nashua Telegraph, NH, January 28, 2013
A bill to revert charter school spending practices back to those in place before 2010 is officially moving forward, but it likely won’t mean an earlier end to the moratorium on new charter schools.

NEW YORK

Catholic Competition
New York Post, NY, January 27, 2013
Today marks the start of Catholic Schools Week. There should be nothing parochial about the local celebrations.

Still on Strike, a Bus Union Sees a Threat to Its Culture
New York Times, NY, January 28, 2013
The strike, which has shut down roughly 5,000 of the city’s 7,700 school bus routes, is expected to continue this week, though the drivers’ union and the school bus companies had agreed to sit down at Gracie Mansion with a mediator on Monday.

Albany Charter School Group Becomes Hotbed Of Fraud, Embezzlement
NYaltnews, NY, January 27, 2013
The Brighter Choice Foundation, which was created by a Republican political operative, Thomas Carroll, is reeling as its chief financial officer has been charged with embezzling more than $200,000 from the organization.

Assembly Democrats Are Opposed To Gov. Cuomo’s New, $224 Million Line In The Sand In The City’s Teacher Evaluation Fight
New York Daily News, NY, January 28, 2013
Assembly Democrats are strongly opposed to Gov. Cuomo’s decision to impose a second strings-attached deadline on the city to approve a teacher evaluation plan.

NORTH CAROLINA

Lambeth’s Proposal For A Charter-School District Needs Much More Study
Winston-Salem Journal, NC, January 28, 2013
We have long supported charter schools in North Carolina. We favored lifting the state’s 100-school cap in 2011 because we think charter schools encourage innovation, give parents a choice, and put needed competitive pressure on the public schools to do a better job.

Davidson Elementary Enrollment Falls
Charlotte Observer, NC, January 27, 2013
While private and charter schools proliferate in the Lake Norman area, Davidson Elementary School’s enrollment has decreased by more than 20 percent over the last seven years.

Charter Schools May Double By 2014
News & Observer, NC, January 26, 2013
The events sponsored by the N.C. Public Charter Schools Association will draw parents looking for schools for their children. Over 1,000 people are expected to attend the charter fairs, where they can get information on the state’s 107 existing charter schools, the 25 new ones set to open in August and the more than 150 that have submitted letters to the state indicating they want to open in 2014.

Popularity High For Two Charter Schools In Vance County
Daily Dispatch, NC, January 26, 2013
Equal access to high quality educational opportunities is becoming more attainable in the state of North Carolina since the enactment of a bill signed into law by former Gov. Bev Perdue in 2011, lifting the 100-school cap on charter schools.

OHIO

Kasich Set To Unveil School Funding Plan
Toledo Blade, OH, January 28, 2013
It’s been a decade since the Ohio Supreme Court issued its fourth and final ruling declaring the state’s funding of schools unconstitutional because it placed students in poorer districts at a competitive disadvantage with their wealthier counterparts.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pa. Gets Good Grades In Education Reform Ranking
Philadelphia Tribune, PA, January 26, 2013
The Center for Education Reform, a national non-profit tasked with improving public education, has released an encompassing report that grades parental empowerment, solid educational choices, teacher quality and access to digital learning, among other factors. That Pennsylvania ranks in the top ten of all states can be viewed as proof educational reforms in the commonwealth are beginning to take hold.

Sub-Par Options: Charter Schools As A Class Don’t Measure Up
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 27, 2013
Now that the test scores for Pennsylvania charter schools have been recalculated, parents and taxpayers will be able to make more of an apples-to-apples comparison with the performance of traditional public schools.

Pittsburgh-Area Catholic Schools Launch An Outreach Association
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 27, 2013
At a time when school choice is hot, one choice that has been around for more than a century has boosted its marketing efforts to get the word out.

It’s A Shame Pa. Chose To Become A Wild West Of Charter Schools
Newsworks Blog, January 27, 2013
The state of Pennsylvania just got caught cooking the books. Which books? Well, this little scam didn’t have to do with dollars or deficits. It had to do with test scores. The scores emerging from the state’s charter schools, to be precise. As reported by Martha Woodallin The Inquirer, the Corbett administration – a big charter backer – fiddled with how it evaluated charters to make the picture look rosier.

Activists Gear Up Against Planned Philadelphia School Closings
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 27, 2013
As the clock ticks down to a School Reform Commission decision on shutting one in six Philadelphia public schools, opponents of the plan are ramping up their push against it.

Bills Would Alter Funding For Charter Schools In Pa.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 26, 2013
Republicans in the House are proposing changes in how charter schools are funded, after a late decision last year not to call a House vote made charter-school legislation a major piece of unfinished business.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Local Charter Schools To Conduct Enrollment Lotteries
Beaufort Gazette, SC, January 27, 2013
Three area charter schools plan enrollment lotteries soon because they have more applicants than spots available. Here is information about Bridges Preparatory, Riverview and Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts & Sciences.

TENNESSEE

School Board May Have Learned Why Charters Succeed
The Tennessean, TN, January 28, 2013
Metro school board members nailed it last week with a direct question: If the district’s most successful middle school test scores are coming out of six charter schools, how can regular schools emulate that success?

Governor To Outline School Voucher Program
NewsChannel5, TN, January 27, 2013
Governor Bill Haslam is preparing for Monday night when he will deliver his annual address. During his State of the State speech, he is expected to cover the hot-button issue of education reform in Tennessee.

Haslam To Introduce Public-Money-To-Private-Entities Transfer Program
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, January 27, 2013
Gov. Bill Haslam confirmed that, in his annual State of the State address tomorrow, he will introduce his own proposal to create a program in Tennessee to transfer more public money to private hands, beginning with a school voucher system. He declined to elaborate about which private concerns he would make eligible for taxpayer dollars.

Proposed Change In ‘Parent Trigger’ Law Would Give Tennessee Final Say
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 28, 2013
A state representative from Memphis is proposing a change in the so-called parent trigger education law that would give the state final approval.

Bill In Works To ‘Tweak’ Teacher Evaluations In Tennessee
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 26, 2013
Teachers across the state, including thousands in Shelby County, could have a job evaluation that better reflects their work, if a bill now in the draft stages passes this legislative session.

TEXAS

Waco-Area Schools Speak Out Against ‘Unfair’ Vouchers
Waco Tribune, TX, January 27, 2013
Waco, Midway and China Spring school boards approved the same resolution last week stating their opposition to vouchers, taxpayer savings grants, franchise tax credits or any other provision that diverts public money from public schools to private schools.

UTAH

The Winners And The Losers
Desert News, UT, January 26, 2013
The idea of charter schools took awhile to catch on in Utah, and it still isn’t popular among some public-school advocates.

Lawmaker Wants To Add Charter School Costs To Property Tax Notices
Salt Lake Tribune, UT, January 27, 2013
A Republican lawmaker wants to show Utahns how much of their property taxes goes toward charter schools, by adding a line to their local property tax notices.

‘Yes’ On Seattle Public Schools Levies — With Reservations
Seattle Times, WA, January 27, 2013
Vote yes for two Seattle Public School levies, but the district’s academic challenges and management problems remain cause for concern.

ONLINE LEARNING

Teachers Flip For ‘Flipped Learning’ Class Model
Associated Press, January 27, 2013
When Timmy Nguyen comes to his pre-calculus class, he’s already learned the day’s lesson — he watched it on a short online video prepared by his teacher for homework.

Superintendent Questions Cyber School Funding
The Sentinel, PA, January 27, 2013
The funding of cyber education programs is something that Mark Leidy, superintendent of Mechanicsburg Area School District, has seen as problematic.

Georgia’s Virtual Schools See Enrollment Increasing
Augusta Chronicle, GA, January 26, 2013
Interest in virtual education is rising across Georgia for families who want an alternative to traditional public schools, causing a significant increase in enrollment at the major online providers this academic year.