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NATIONAL COVERAGE

Good Teachers Linked to Test Success
Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2013
A study found that effective teachers can boost the test scores of students who had struggled under low-performing instructors, marking a new salvo in the national debate over teacher performance.

Denver Schools, Gates Foundation Identify What Makes Effective Teacher
Denver Post, CO, January 8, 2013
After investing three years and millions of dollars and scrutinizing thousands of teachers, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has determined that, yes, you can measure effective teaching.

The Education of Michelle Rhee
Frontline PBS, January 8, 2013
FRONTLINE examines the legacy of one of America’s most controversial school reformers.

How Home Schooling Threatens Monopoly Education
USA Today, January 8, 2013
“What about home schooling? You know, it’s not just for scary religious people any more.” That’s a line from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and it should strike fear into the hearts, not of vampires, but of public-school administrators everywhere.

School Choice Won’t Mean All Choices Are Equal
Huffington Post, January 8, 2013
To many in the pundit and policy class, education reform comes down to one idea — school choice.

No Child Left Behind Is Still A Flawed Policy
The Reporter, VA, January 9, 2013
If the No Child Left Behind law were a public school student, it would be halfway through its sophomore year by now and still getting Ds.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

No ‘Badge Of Honor’ For Backing Education Status Quo
San Diego Union Tribune, CA, January 8, 2013
It is not exactly news that California is cool to education reform. School districts routinely ignore a 1971 state law that says student performance must be a factor in teacher evaluations. Especially when crafting budgets, many school boards routinely place the interests of teachers and other adult employees above those of students.

Parent Trigger Group Wins Charter School Approval From Adelanto School Board
San Bernardino Sun, CA, January 8, 2013
After 21 months of battling their local school district over the future of a failing elementary school, Adelanto parents definitively won Tuesday night, when the board voted to approve a charter school taking over the campus of the school.

State Schools Chief Urges Cut In Number Of Tests Next Year
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 9, 2013
Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson says second-graders would not be tested in math and English, and most high school tests would be dropped. L.A. Unified chief expresses reservations.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Should We Just Let DC Public Schools Expel Anyone?
Greater Greater Washington, DC, January 8, 2013
Charter schools thus get rid of the problem students and often boost their own average test scores in the process. DCPS schools cannot expel elementary students and must convince judges to expel older students. Charters have no such restrictions.

D.C. Charter School Board Objects To Rhee’s Report Card
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 8, 2013
When Michelle Rhee’s Students First lobbying organization released its first state policy “report cards” this week, one of the fiercest critics to emerge was an important policy player from her old backyard: The D.C. Public Charter School Board

How One STEM School Aims to Lower the Achievement Gap
PBS Newshour, January 8, 2013
The achievement gap between low-income and high-income students has been a persistent problem in American public education system. The problem is exacerbated as technology becomes more integral to 21st century professions, and urban American schools struggle to prepare students for this new job market.

IDAHO

Experts Offer Education Reform Ideas in Boise
Idaho Statesman, ID, January 9, 2013
As Idaho lawmakers and educators regroup after repeal of the state’s education reform package, national experts visited Boise Tuesday to offer suggestions for improving education.

ILLINOIS

Chicago Largest Recipient Of Walton Family Foundation Money For Charter Schools
Chicago Sun Times, IL, January 8, 2013
The Walton Family Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Wal-Mart’s founder, gave more money to Chicago to start new charter schools last year than it did to any other city —¬ $3.8 million.

INDIANA

Put Brakes On Vouchers Until High Court Rules
Star Press, IN, January 9, 2013
For instance, lawmakers this week have filed bills to expand the Indiana School Choice Program, informally known as the voucher system. Bills have been filed to waive a requirement that a student attend a public school for at least one year before seeking a voucher to attend a private school — likely to be affiliated with a church.

IOWA

Education Reform Demands Open-Mindedness
Sioux City Journal, IA, January 9, 2013
Iowans, particularly those charged with delivering public education, can take one of two positions with respect to an “F” grade our state’s education policies were given by StudentsFirst.

KENTUCKY

Charter School Legislation Filed For 2013 Session
Bluegrass Institute, KY, January 9, 2013
January 8th proved to be an auspicious day for Kentucky’s 2013 legislative session. That’s because January 8th was the day Rep. Brad Montell, R-Shelbyville filed a bill that might finally bring school choice and real opportunity for those most in need in the commonwealth – underprivileged kids.

Advocates Support Toned-Down Kentucky Charter School Law
WFPL, KY, January 8, 2013
A charter school bill has been filed in the Kentucky House and supporters hope the less aggressive approach will help get it passed this year.

LOUISIANA

Charter School Changes Outlined
The Advocate, LA, January 9, 2013
A meeting held for parents Monday night at Crocker Arts and Technology School promised a brighter future for the students with a new charter operator but left some parents and education activists saddened by the staff upheaval and wary of an educational landscape where they see change as the only constant.

MAINE

Augusta Panel Rejects 4 of 5 Proposals for New Charter Schools
Portland Press Herald, ME, January 8, 2013
Maine’s Charter School Commission has rejected four of the five charter school applications under consideration for 2013, including both proposals for virtual schools.

Baxter Academy Reports 119 Applications In First Week
Portland Daily Sun, ME, January 8, 2013
Baxter Academy for Technology & Science, Maine’s first charter school for science, technology, engineering and math, began enrolling students on Jan. 1, and in just the first week, received 119 applications, reported the new charter school’s executive director, John Jaques.

MISSISSIPPI

Capitol Abuzz About Charter Schools
Desoto Times Tribune, MS, January 8, 2013
The gavel at the State Capitol will sound in the hallowed halls of the State Capitol on Wednesday, and charter schools will be on the lips and minds of most state lawmakers, according to members of DeSoto County’s delegation.

Racial Divide Seen In Mississippi Debate Over Charter Schools, Reform
MSNBC, January 8, 2013
Mississippi lawmaker Kenneth Wayne Jones, a Democrat, briefly became a political pariah last winter when he voted in favor of a proposal to expand charter schools in his state. He was the only African-American state senator to support the bill, which most members of Mississippi’s legislative Black Caucus disavowed. Jones liked the idea of expanded school options for families, but he also understood his colleagues’ mistrust.

New World Needs Close Attention
Natchez Democrat, MS, January 9, 2013
The seemingly inevitable opening of the Delta Charter School in Ferriday likely won’t change life forever in the Miss-Lou. The school will probably be small for years to come and will draw from only a portion of the population.

NEVADA

Troubled Charter School Board President Resigns; Principal Ordered To Repay Bonuses
Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, January 8, 2013
Allegations of mismanagement at Quest Academy have led to the resignation of charter school President Christina Fuentes and prompted other board members to order Principal Connie Jordan to repay $15,000 in unmerited bonuses awarded to her by Fuentes.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

State Hopes To Have Charter School Start Up Grant Funds, Lost In 2011, Restored Next Year
Nashua Telegraph, NH, January 9, 2013
Since the state Board of Education voted to place a moratorium on new charter schools in September, school founders around the state have

NEW MEXICO

Gov. Spells Out Education Plans
Albuquerque Journal, NM, January 9, 2013
Gov. Susana Martinez on Tuesday laid out her education plans for the coming legislative session, including linking teacher pay to the state’s new evaluation system and creating an early-warning system to catch signs a student might drop out.

NEW YORK

26 Schools on City’s List
Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2013
New York City will try to shut down or shrink 26 schools this year, including six it unsuccessfully tried to close in the summer, officials said Tuesday.

The UFT Takes Offense
New York Observer, NY, January 8, 2013
Mayor Mike Bloomberg does not always parse his thoughts with the care of a diplomat. Sometimes he lets it rip, and, well, those who are quick to take offense do just that.

Elmira Charter School Group May Reconsider Boys-Only Plan
Elmira Star-Gazette, NY, January 8, 2013
The group seeking to open a charter school in Elmira hopes to decide in just over a week whether to keep it boys only or include girls.

What to Expect From the Utica Academy of Science Charter School
YNN, NY, January 8, 2013
Plans to open a new charter school in Utica are moving forward. Despite some protest, the Utica Academy of Science had its application granted and they plan to open in the fall. Our Andrew Sorensen takes a look at their parent school in Syracuse and tells us what they hope to accomplish with their new school.

Yonkers Schools Submit Teacher-Evaluation Plan, Hope Approval Comes In Time
The Journal News, NY, January 9, 2013
The clock is ticking for the Yonkers school system, which hopes the state will approve its last-minute teacher evaluation plan in time to save $17 million in much-needed aid.

NORTH CAROLINA

State May Consider 11 New Charter Schools in Durham
Herald Sun, NC, January 8, 2013
Public charter schools in Durham could more than double in the next two years.
As of last week, the state Department of Public Instruction had received 161 letters of intent for new charters. Of those, 11 are in Durham, including one virtual school.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City School Board Denies Charter Schools, Declines To Reveal Reasons
The Oklahoman, OK, January 9, 2013
The Oklahoma City School Board on Monday night denied applications from two charter schools but kept the reasons for the denials secret.

OREGON

Medford District Faces Charter Student Payouts After Oversight
Mail Tribune, OR, January 9, 2013
The Medford School District is paying out more than $500,000 after realizing it is obligated to give money to nearby districts whose students attend Medford charter schools.

PENNSYLVANIA

Charter School Of Excellence Reacts to Need for Chart Schools
WSEE, PA, January 8, 2013
On Tuesday, one of the oldest charter schools in the city, the Charter School of Excellence, held their Open House. It gave both parents and students an up-close look at what they have to offer. It also gave us a chance to talk to faculty about the possibility of more charter schools in the area.

Catasauqua Schools Chief: Medical Academy Charter School Isn’t Delivering
The Morning Call, PA, January 8, 2013
The Catasauqua Area School Board said Tuesday night it might move to revoke the Medical Academy Charter School’s charter in 30 days if the school doesn’t prove it’s offering what it promised.

The Reality Of Charter Schools In North Penn
The Reporter, PA, January 8, 2013
Since before I was a candidate for school board in 2011, I have been following the finances and operations of the North Penn School District for the last three years.

RHODE ISLAND

Chafee Nominates 10 for Education Board
GoLocalProv, RI, January 8, 2013
Governor Lincoln D. Chafee today announced ten nominees for the Rhode Island Board of Education. The Governor’s nominee for Board Chair is Eva-Marie Mancuso, Esq., a Managing Partner with law firm Hamel, Waxler, Allen & Collins.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charter, Magnet, And Private Schools Harm Public Education
Charleston City Paper, SC, January 9, 2013
Imagine you are riding on a train and the conductor comes into your car and informs you and your fellow passengers that something is terribly wrong with the engine and the train is in trouble. It might not crash, but it certainly is not going to reach its destination in good shape.

TENNESSEE

Education Reform Leader Michelle Rhee Lists Goals in TN
The Tennessean, TN, January 9, 2013
National education reform movement leader and part-time Tennessee resident Michelle Rhee is urging state lawmakers to create a statewide charter school authorizer, adopt a parent trigger law and give vouchers to some students.

Charters’ Role Limited
Commercial Appeal, TN, January 9, 2013
Your Jan. 6 article “Battle over charter schools grows heated,” about the charter schools issue in Mississippi, misrepresents the position of The Parents’ Campaign, an organization I serve as executive director.

WASHINGTON

Teachers Union Should Withdraw Suit To Block Charter Schools
Seattle Times, WA, January 8, 2013
The Washington Education Association should accept the November vote that created charter schools in this state.

State Schools Chief Wants To Oversee Charters
Bellingham Herald, WA, January 9, 2013
State schools chief Randy Dorn has sent a letter to legislative leaders asking them to revise the voter-approved charter school law to give his office jurisdiction over the new schools.

ONLINE LEARNING

High Schools, Take The Online Course
USA Today, January 8, 2013
Thankfully, there is one initiative in Alexandria and in a growing number of school systems nationwide that is revolutionizing the way kids learn: online classes. This approach not only helps potential dropouts keep working toward diplomas, but also allows the most motivated students to seek courses not often offered in a traditional school setting.

Virtual Classrooms Coming to County, City Schools
The Charlottesville Newsplex, VA, January 8, 2013
The classroom of the future may come in the form of a computer. Charlottesville City schools already offer eight online courses, and now Albemarle County schools are jumping on the virtual bandwagon, offering its first online course this semester.

‘Virtual’ Public Schools Draw Interest Of Religious Families
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 8, 2013
Worried about exposure to foul language, immodest dress, peer pressure, and other inappropriate behavior, Susan Brown didn’t want her two daughters attending public schools — even though she’s a substitute teacher in a public school in Minnesota.

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.

StudentsFirst Gets It Right With Its State Policy Report Card
Dropout Nation, January 7, 2013
Certainly education traditionalists are not fond of the State Policy Report Card released today by Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst. After all, it dings states such as California for the willingness of its education and political leaders to do the bidding of National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers affiliates — and in the process, keeping in place policies and practices that do little to help children, especially those from poor and minority backgrounds, attain high-quality education.

Educators Rebut Rhee’s Tough Grading
Washington Times, DC, January 7, 2013
One of American education’s leading provocateurs still knows how to set off a firestorm.

Flaw in ‘Teach for America’
New York Times, NY, January 8, 2013
As a former Teach for America corps member and recruiter and an undergraduate business major, I find a lot to like in “After College, Deferring Six Figures on Wall Street for Teacher’s Salary” (DealBook, Jan. 3).

Three Steps For Better American Schools
Baltimore Sun, MD, January 7, 2013
Education policy wasn’t a significant issue in the 2012 presidential election, but it needs to be one in 2013. Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with public education, and no small wonder: studies continue to show that our schools, once the envy of the world, have fallen to the middle of the pack or worse.

FROM THE STATES

ARKANSAS

35 Labeled ‘Achieving’ of 239 School Districts
Northwest Arkansas News, AR, January 8, 2013
Thirty-five of Arkansas’ 239 school districts and six of 16 open-enrollment charter schools are classified as “achieving” school systems under the state’s new accountability system, leaving more than 200 districts and charter systems — some considered very high performing — branded as “needing improvement.”

School Choices Will Be Lawmaker’s Focus
The Courier, AR, January 7, 2013
Still, as a group they are generally “pro-choice” when it comes to giving students more public school alternatives, the idea being that competition will make all schools better and that no student should be forced to stay in a bad school. Many Democrats — though not all, because this is Arkansas — as well as the education establishment are skeptical of that strategy.

CALIFORNIA

Where Failure Is a Virtue
Wall Street Journal, January 8, 2013
One reason American public education is so lousy is because so many in the schools establishment refuse to admit there’s a problem. Take Richard Zeiger, chief deputy superintendent for California, who says a negative critique of the Golden State’s policies is a “badge of honor.”

Rocketship Plan For Tamien Deserves Approval From San Jose City Council, Planning Commission
Mercury News, CA, January 7, 2013
San Jose’s City Council and planning commission both will make key decisions this week on a proposed Rocketship charter school in the Tamien area, and like most charter plans, it’s controversial. The council and the commission need to focus on the big picture — the benefits of the plan weighed against the drawbacks. If they do, they will enthusiastically support it.

California Schools Flunk Education Group’s Ratings
Los Angeles Times, CA, January 8, 2013
State is among 11 to get a failing grade from a group run by Michelle Rhee, known for her work as chancellor of Washington, D.C., schools. No state earned an A.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Federal Complaint Details Cheating Allegations At D.C. Public School
Washington Post, DC, January 7, 2013
The former principal of an award-winning D.C. public school has accused a group of teachers and administrators of systematically cheating on standardized tests in order to win cash bonuses and an expensive steak dinner, according to recently unsealed federal court documents.

Frontline: D.C. Schools Downplayed Cheating Allegations
USA Today, January 7, 2013
A new documentary raises questions about whether Washington, D.C., school officials downplayed allegations that educators were cheating to improve students’ scores on high-stakes skills tests — even after a principal came forward with her own eyewitness account.

FLORIDA

School Reform Group Rates Florida No. 2 In Nation
Sun Sentinel, FL, January 7, 2013
A new national report card by StudentsFirst, the education advocacy group founded by former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, gives Florida a B- for its education policies.

GEORGIA

State Report Slants Teacher Ratings
WFXL FOX 31, GA, January 7, 2013
Results from the Georgia Department of Education’s new school rating system shows that teacher scores have been skewed to the positive.

ILLINOIS

Ball Charter Parents Object To Proposed Middle-School Cutback
State Journal Register, IL, January 7, 2013
Springfield Ball Charter School parents objected Monday to the possibility the Springfield School Board might eliminate Ball Charter’s middle-school program.

Greektek Withdraws Charter School Application, Appeal
The Rockford Record, IL, January 7, 2013
A local organization has withdrawn its application to open a charter school in Rockford.

Chicago Faulted on Learning Disabilities
New York Times, NY, January 8, 2013
In a complaint filed on Monday with the Illinois State Board of Education, a nonprofit advocacy group says that thousands of children are in Rashaan’s position because the Chicago Public Schools have repeatedly failed to evaluate children with disabilities and move them into special education preschool programs.

New Chicago Program Seeks To Span Achievement Gap Through Birth-To-College Education
Desert News, UT, January 7, 2013
Low-income children in the United States need a clear pathway out of poverty, but that isn’t easy to find. Current efforts to increase opportunities for disadvantaged children are divided between philanthropies, churches and various levels of government — a scattershot approach that is difficult for disadvantaged families to navigate, and often is ineffective.

IOWA

Businesses Could Be Key To Improving Schools, Leaders Say
Des Moines Register, IA, January 8, 2013
The success of Gov. Terry Branstad’s school improvement plan could hinge on the amount of time and money Iowa’s business leaders devote to advocating for change, state and national experts said Monday.

LOUISIANA

BESE To Consider Greater School District Policy Flexibility
The Advocate, LA, January 8, 2013
After a one-month delay, Louisiana’s top school board is expected to approve a proposal by state Superintendent of Education John White that would give local school districts more flexibility.

Lycée Parents Ask State Education Chief To Investigate School’s Board
The Lens, LA, January 7, 2013
A group of parents from Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orleans charter school have asked the state’s public education chief to investigate its board’s actions regarding recent hiring and firing decisions, including the manner in which it hired its interim chief executive officer.

Louisiana’s Teacher Evaluation System Gets Top Slot On National Education Policy Report Card
Times Picayune, LA, January 7, 2013
Despite low national student achievement rankings, education reform group StudentsFirst has named Louisiana #1 for “putting students first in its education policies,” commending in particular the state’s new teacher evaluation system.

MAINE

Battle Over Maine Charter Schools Smoldering
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 7, 2013
Maine public school administrators lodged a new complaint Monday about the state’s two new charter schools: They won’t feel any impact of $12.6 million in education aid cuts Gov. Paul LePage ordered late last month to close a $35.5 million hole in the current state budget.

MARYLAND

Legislators To Renew Push For ‘Hybrid’ School Board This Session
Baltimore Sun, MD, January 8, 2013
Towson-area legislators will be tackling issues both fresh and familiar during the 2013 General Assembly session, which begins on Wednesday, Jan. 9, in Annapolis.

MASSACHUSETTS

Lowell Planning Board Delays Charter-School Vote
Lowell Sun, MA, January 8, 2013
Despite pleas for a vote from the attorney pushing for site-plan and special-permit approval for the proposal to transform the Bradford Industries warehouse on Middlesex Street into a charter school, the Planning Board voted to delay the decision for another month for a second straight meeting.

MICHIGAN

Transform Education Reform Into Progress
Detroit News, MI, January 8, 2013
Gov. Rick Snyder did not clean his plate during the 2012 year-end legislative flurry. He left a portion of his education reform agenda on the table.

MISSISSIPPI

Lt. Gov. Wants Charter School Choice For All Districts
Clarion Ledger, MS, January 8, 2013
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday announced a hard-line stance on charter schools, saying he wants to see them allowed in all districts, not just failing ones.

Business Leaders Call for Charter Schools
Mississippi Public Broadcasting, MS, January 7, 2013
Also topping the 2013 legislative agenda is education reform, and as MPB’s Daniel Cherry reports, charter schools are expected to be the biggest education issue.

NEW JERSEY

NJ Touts Educational Reforms But Earns ‘D’ on One Nationwide Report Card
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, January 8, 2013
Two years ago, school-reform crusader Michelle Rhee was sitting in the first row during Gov. Chris Christie’s State of the State address, in which he laid out much of his education agenda.

NEW YORK

Mike Speaks The Truth
New York Post, NY, January 8, 2013
Mayor Bloomberg isn’t one for eating his own words, but he’d probably like to have back his weekend comparison of the United Federation of Teachers to the National Rifle Association.

At Two Staten Island Catholic Schools, Parents Hope To Avoid Closure
Stanton Island Advance, NY, January 8, 2013
After receiving the disheartening news Friday that their schools may close in June, parents, teachers and administrators at St. Joseph’s School in Rosebank and Immaculate Conception School in Stapleton began the uphill climb to persuade the New York Archdiocese to keep their schools alive.

OHIO

Charter School Sponsor Rules in Place for Cleveland
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, January 7, 2013
The Transformation Alliance, a new panel created through the Cleveland schools legislation passed by state legislators last year, has agreed on broad principles for evaluating charter schools and their sponsors, but is still working out some details.

PENNSYLVANIA

Hite’s Philadelphia Schools Blueprint Praised And Poked
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 8, 2013
People think William R. Hite Jr.’s new blueprint for the Philadelphia School District is “focused” and “diligent.” They say it’s “thorough” and the “serious and good work” of a “thoughtful practitioner.”

TENNESSEE

Voucher Use Still Unsure
The Daily News Journal, TN, January 7, 2013
Rutherford County legislators aren’t exactly enthusiastic about a proposal to give students in public schools vouchers to attend other public or private schools.

WASHINGTON

State Board of Education to Review Draft Rules for State’s First Public Charter Schools
Bothell Reporter, WA, January 7, 2013
The Washington State Board of Education’s meeting in Tumwater, Wash. will include a review and discussion of draft rules pertinent to the state’s first public charter schools. The meeting will take place on January 9-10 at 8 a.m. in office ESD 113.

ONLINE LEARNING

New Bedford Students: Learning In The Virtual World
South Coast Today, MA, January 8, 2013
The virtual world is everywhere. It’s changed how we communicate, shop and pay our bills.

More Volunteers: Gatsas Is On To Something
Union Leader, NH, January 7, 2013
Why would you put a teacher in charge of a roomful of children whose lessons are being delivered by another teacher? That is the question Mayor Ted Gatsas is posing by advocating that virtual learning classrooms in Manchester’s public schools be headed by volunteers, not teachers. He has a great point.

The State Should Impose A Moratorium On New Cyber Charter Schools
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 8, 2013
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has the opportunity to make a meaningful New Year’s resolution when it comes to raising standards for performance and accountability.

Auditor’s Office Posts Report, Then Pulls It
News Tribune, WA, January 8, 2013
The state Auditor’s Office issued a finding Monday against the Steilacoom Historical School District and, in an unusual move, rescinded it hours later while it takes another look at past student enrollment in online programs.

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.

12 States Get Failing Grades on Public School Policies From Advocacy Group
New York Times, NY, January 7, 2013
In just a few short years, state legislatures and education agencies across the country have sought to transform American public education by passing a series of laws and policies overhauling teacher tenure, introducing the use of standardized test scores in performance evaluations and expanding charter schools.

Catholic Education, in Need of Salvation
New York Times, NY, January 7, 2013
CATHOLIC parochial education is in crisis. More than a third of parochial schools in the United States closed between 1965 and 1990, and enrollment fell by more than half. After stabilizing in the 1990s, enrollment has plunged despite strong demand from students and families.

Public or Private: Charter Schools Can’t Have It Both Ways
GoLocalPro, RI, January 5, 2013
Are charter schools public? Are they private? Are they somewhere in between?
There is a lively debate in the education community over these questions

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

Common Core Funds Lacking
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 6, 2013
Arizona leaders have called for tougher new education standards, but the cost to implement them in classrooms has fallen primarily to school districts, which have seen state funding drop by about 15 percent since 2008.

CALIFORNIA

Hats Off To Brown On School Reform
The Monterey County Herald, CA, January 6, 2013
We must give Gov. Jerry Brown credit, he does not run from difficult subjects. Witness his decision to dive headfirst into reforming the bizarre and dysfunctional labyrinth that is California’s system for parsing out dollars to its schools.

COLORADO

Boulder Valley Sees Net Gain Through Out-Of-District Enrollment
Daily Camera, CO, January 5, 2013
Students who live in the Boulder Valley School District are enrolled in districts as far-flung as tiny Julesburg at the northeastern tip of the state, Denver and Douglas County.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Thousands Attend D.C. Charter School Expo
Washington Post, DC, January 5, 2013
Thousands of parents streamed into the Washington Convention Center Saturday for the District’s annual charter-school expo, eager to find a way to navigate the city’s large — and increasingly popular — universe of public charter schools.

D.C. School Closings Push Parents To Charter Schools
Washington Examiner, DC, January 5, 2013
The announcement that Francis-Stevens Education Campus in D.C.’s West End neighborhood could close caused Sarah Reece to start looking at the city’s public charter schools for her two sons.

D.C. Charter Schools Expel Students At Far Higher Rates Than Traditional Public Schools
Washington Post, DC, January 5, 2013
The District’s public charter schools have expelled students at a far higher rate than the city’s traditional public schools in recent years, according to school data, highlighting a key difference between two sectors that compete for the District’s students and taxpayer dollars.

FLORIDA

Florida School Enrollment Gets Best Boost Since Bubble, But It Could Mean A Good Sign Or A Bad Sign For State Economy
Palm Beach Post, FL, January 6, 2013
Herzog said the economy plays a role. But also, he said, the expansion of public charter schools makes many parents think twice about paying for private education.

GEORGIA

New Evaluation Pilot ‘Skewed,’ With Too Few Unsatisfactory Teachers, Officials Say
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 7, 2013
The state’s new teacher evaluation system needs some work. That’s the lesson Georgia education leaders are drawing from a pilot study that unexpectedly showed only a tiny fraction of the state’s teachers are ineffective.

Parent-Trigger Charter Bill Could Renew Intense Political Battle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, January 5, 2013
The push to change Georgia’s constitution to make it easier to approve charter schools was a bruising political scrap that featured sharp elbows and plenty of haymakers.

INDIANA

Indiana Legislature To Look At Expanding Voucher Program
Courier Press, IN, January 7, 2013
Indiana lawmakers will look at expanding what is already the nation’s largest school voucher program when the General Assembly gets to work Monday despite concerns that the program is hurting public schools in big cities.

Education Reform Post-Bennett?
South Bend Tribune, IN, January 6, 2013
As Indiana lawmakers return for a busy 2013 session on Monday, a big question mark is, will momentum for sweeping school reform initiatives continue?

Up For Renewal, 8 Local Charter Schools Wait For Ball State Decision
Post Tribune, IN, January 6, 2013
Eight Northwest Indiana charter schools are up for renewal this spring — and tougher standards mean some of those schools could be closed.

The Stress Of A New Teacher Evaluation
Journal and Courier, IN, January 5, 2013
What he’s uncovered, in many ways, could have been predicted — teachers and principals, alike, reporting the added stress of the system. The stress, though, doesn’t seem to be coming as much from the increased scrutiny in the classroom, as it is from the paperwork, tracking and the metrics involved.

LOUISIANA

School Voucher Case Moves To Louisiana Supreme Court
Times Picayune, LA, January 5, 2013
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration is taking its fight for private school vouchers to the Louisiana Supreme Court, after a district court judge ruled that the way the state is financing the program is illegal.

MAINE

Lepage Charter School Proposal To Re-Ignite Legislative Debate Over School Funding
Bangor Daily News, ME, January 6, 2013
Gov. Paul LePage is preparing legislation that would eliminate the cap on the number of charter schools allowed in Maine, an initiative that is sure to cause significant debate among incoming lawmakers who already face a weighty agenda and difficult funding issues in the education sector.

Cornville Charter School Accepting Applications For 28 New Student Slots
Morning Sentinel, ME, January 5, 2013
Students will be chosen via lottery from all applicants; enrollment expanding from 60 to 90 for upcoming term

MARYLAND

Washington County Parents Submit Proposal For Charter School With Environmental Focus
Herald Mail, MD, January 6, 2013
A small group of Washington County parents has submitted to Washington County Public Schools a concept proposal for a charter school with an environmental focus and a strong emphasis on hands-on learning.

MASSACHUSETTS

New Option Lets Boston Pick School For Child
Boston Globe, MA, January 6, 2013
Boston parents who do not get their choices of kindergartens for their children in the first round of the lottery now have the option of letting the School Department pick a school for them under a change that went into effect last week.

Adults Deal Charter Kids Harsh Civics Lesson
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, January 7, 2013
Today marks the start of the final week for the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School.

MINNESOTA

Achievement Gaps, Early Education, And Minnesota’s Changing Demographics
Twin City Daily Planet, MN, January 6, 2013
Education achievement gaps across races and economic strata are a problem throughout the country and, despite a high overall education ranking, Minnesota is no exception.

MISSISSIPPI

Any Charter School Legislation Should Include Basic Principles
Clarion Ledger, MS, January 7, 2013
Mississippi’s state leaders are determined to pass charter school legislation this legislative session. Charter schools are being promoted as a panacea for K-12 education in Mississippi — a “game changer” that will unleash Mississippi students’ ability to perform at the highest academic levels.

Miss. Legislature Puts Charter Schools Back On Agenda
Clarion Ledger, MS, January 6, 2013,
A year ago, even some opponents of charter schools expected a bill to pass. But some majority Republicans balked, killing the bill in the House.

MISSOURI

Move For Teacher Tenure Reform Draws Mixed Reviews
Columbia Daily Tribune, MO, January 4, 2013
Efforts to change teacher tenure rules failed at the end of the Missouri General Assembly’s session last year, but with the start of the 2013 session just around the corner, tenure reform appears to be back on the table again.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Charter School Bill Aims To Fix Funding Problems
Nashua Telegraph, NH, January 6, 2013
It has been nearly a year since Karin Cevasco and the other founders of Gate City Charter School for the Arts applied for school approval with the Department of Education.

NEW JERSEY

Paterson School Offers Signs Of Hope In Urban School Reform
The Record, NJ, January 6, 2013
Rosalie Bespalko, a blunt-spoken principal from Carlstadt charged with the daunting mission of turning around one of the lowest-performing schools in New Jersey, was alone in her motel room last July when she opened her laptop to check the latest results from her students’ state tests.

N.J. Public Officials Involved In Education Must Aggressively Transform Failing School Districts
Times of Trenton, NJ, January 5, 2013
The New Jersey and United States constitutions require public officials to assure a thorough and efficient system of education and equal protection, respectively. If officials honored their oath of office, there would be significantly less unemployment, crime and segregation.

NEW MEXICO

Charter Schools To Get New Vote
Albuquerque Journal, NM, January 6, 2013
The state Public Education Commission is planning to re-do its votes on two charter school renewals, after the votes were held one day early without public notice.

NEW YORK

School Bus Strike Is Feared
Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2013
New York City officials on Sunday braced for the possibility that 152,000 children soon could be left without their usual ride to classes as hundreds of school bus drivers marched to City Hall Park and chanted for a strike.

Talks on Teacher Evaluations Disintegrate as Deadline Looms
New York Times, NY, January 7, 2013
New York City and its teachers union are stuck in their negotiations over a new teacher evaluation system, jeopardizing $450 million in state aid if they have not reached a deal in less than two weeks.

Teachers Irate as Bloomberg Likens Union to the N.R.A.
New York Times, NY, January 7, 2013
Of all the polarizing things Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has said and done over the years, from banning large sugary drinks to supporting congestion pricing, few have generated the sort of viral backlash that has unexpectedly mounted after his weekly radio show on Friday.

The Schoolyard Bully
New York Post, NY, January 7, 2013
The United Federation of Teachers is ringing in the new year with an artful lie of the first order: A TV ad campaign designed to convince New Yorkers that Mike Bloomberg, and not the union itself, is responsible for the imminent loss of $450 million in extra state school aid.

School Reform Panel Gets An ‘Incomplete’
Newsday, NY, January 5, 2013
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and his New York Education Reform Commission ought to be commended for their initial efforts to improve public schools throughout the state. The commission’s preliminary report, published Wednesday, makes some sound suggestions to tackle problems so daunting and complex it’s tempting to close the book on them altogether.

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia’s Schools Superintendent Lays Out A “Call To Action”
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 7, 2013
It is William R. Hite Jr.’s “call to action,” a 25-page document that maps out strategy for the future of the Philadelphia School District.

‘Onerous’ Process for Opportunity Scholarship in Pennsylvania May Deter Donors
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 6, 2013
Education groups promoting a new tax credit for businesses funding scholarships are reporting confusion with an electronic application process that they fear could dissuade potential donors.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Renovated Rivers Middle School Campus Opens To Charter School, Plans To Start New Lowcountry Tech Program Later This Month
Charleston Post Courier, SC, January 7, 2013
Use of the Rivers building has become one of the district’s most controversial and volatile issues. Although the school board agreed in 2007 for the charter school to share the space with a new program, Lowcountry Tech Academy, the school board talked as recently as November about that agreement and whether it should be changed.

TENNESSEE

Nashville Parents Press Fight On Vouchers, Charter Authorizer
The Tennessean, TN, January 7, 2013
Tennessee lawmakers are just now making their way back to Nashville. And bills for school vouchers and a statewide charter authorizer, though certainly in the works, still aren’t on the table for inspection.

VIRGINIA

Governor’s Mere Suggestion Of A Charter School Spurs Improvement In Va. District
Richmond Register, KY, January 7, 2013
Petersburg, Virginia is not unlike a lot of small towns in rural Kentucky. Its 30,000 or so residents are predominantly Baptist, proud of their city’s rich heritage and enjoy the economic benefits of being nestled near a major waterway.

Va. Gov. McDonnell: Consider Letters To Grade Schools
Washington Times, DC, January 6, 2013
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is pushing for a letter-grading system to evaluate the quality of the state’s schools, echoing an approach that has been enacted by Republican leaders in other states.

ONLINE LEARNING

Patrick Signs Legislation Paving Way For More Virtual Education Opportunities
South Coast Today, MA, January 5, 2013
Students across SouthCoast and the state could have more access to so-called “virtual” schools under legislation signed Thursday by Gov. Deval Patrick that establishes a clear framework for the establishment of those schools.

Low Enrollment To Shut Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Online School After 1 Year
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, January 5, 2013
A cyber charter school founded by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and touted to provide a cutting-edge combination of online and on-site learning will close as of June 30 because of foundering enrollment.

The Dangers Of ‘Outsourcing’ Public Education
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 5, 2013
The privatization of public education is becoming perhaps the biggest controversy in public education. Here’s a different look at the subject from Larry Cuban, a former superintendent of Arlington Public Schools.

S.C. Teacher Certification Extends To Those Online
Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, January 6, 2013
The S.C. Department of Education is beginning to apply the state’s certification regulations to teachers of online courses, raising questions about future course offerings for school districts that rely on outside providers.

Online Aid Picks Lessons Best-Suited To Each Student
Columbus Dispatch, OH, January 5, 2013
Many Ohio teachers soon will have access to an online system in which they can quickly analyze students’ progress and pick the most appropriate curriculum or lesson plan for them.

Catching Up: McFarland School District Renegotiating Contract With Wisconsin Virtual Academy
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, January 6, 2013
The McFarland School District is renegotiating its contract with the Wisconsin Virtual Academy after a district review found the online charter school wasn’t meeting some of its performance goals.

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

Deferring Six Figures on Wall Street for Teacher’s Salary
New York Times, NY, January 2, 2013
Four years after the financial crisis, Wall Street hiring has remained weak, and many college graduates have searched for jobs and even careers in other fields. In the last several years, hundreds of such would-be finance professionals and management consultants have taken their high-powered ambitions and spreadsheet modeling skills to the classroom.

More Educational Choice Needed in 2013
Huffington Post Blog by Kevin P. Chavous, January 2, 2013
Over the next several days, millions of children will return from their holiday vacation and walk through the doors of a school that does not serve their needs. Before the month ends, thousands will drop out and by the end of 2013 more than a million of these children will leave school never to return again.

FROM THE STATES

ARIZONA

School Vouchers Off-Base
Arizona Republic, AZ, January 3, 2013
I have yet to be convinced that the tax credit for private schools, and now the expansion of the school-voucher system, is the answer for educating children. The reasoning of legislators I’ve spoken with doesn’t hold water, either.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Judges Look At Whether Charter Schools Are Public
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 3, 2013
Charter schools are publicly funded but increasingly people are asking whether many of them more resemble private schools. Here’s a different look at this notion from Julian Vasquez Heilig, an award-winning researcher and Associate Professor of Educational Policy and Planning at the University of Texas at Austin. A version of this appeared on his Education and Public Policy blog.

FLORIDA

Charter School Hopes New Year Means Fresh Start
Jacksonville Daily News, FL, January 2, 2013
A Carteret County charter school is hoping the New Year will bring a close to a first semester that was full of challenges to keep the school open.

GEORGIA

Atlanta School Facing Loss Of Charter
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, January 2, 2013
The Atlanta school board will hear arguments in January whether to renew the charter of Atlanta Preparatory Academy or follow a staff recommendation to terminate it in June.

ILLINOIS

Chicago Charter School Subject To Private-Sector Labor Laws
WBEZ, IL, January 2, 2013
Teachers at a Chicago charter school are now subject to private-sector labor laws, rather than state laws governing public workers. The move could impact how public schools are run down the road.

INDIANA

Evaluations Bring Stress At Indiana Schools
Courier & Journal, IN, January 3, 2013
One by one the squares on the board in principal Brett Gruetzmacher’s office are being filled, each one marking another step in the long march of teacher evaluations.

LOUISIANA

Better Schools Equal Better Scores
Times Picayune, LA, January 2, 2013
After Katrina and the levee breaches, New Orleans’ failing school system was broken up. The Orleans Parish School Board kept the small number of schools that were thriving, and the state-run Recovery School District took over the rest.

Natchitoches Parish School Board Denies Charter School Application
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, January 3, 2013
The Natchitoches Parish School Board has denied an application for a new charter school.

MAINE

More Than 30 Apply To New Portland Charter School
Portland Press Herald, ME, January 3, 2013
More than 30 students applied in the first 24 hours for admission to Portland’s new charter school, the Baxter Academy of Technology and Science.

MASSACHUSETTS

Departures at South Boston Charter School Raise Concerns
Boston Globe, MA, January 3, 2013
Since UP Academy took over the Gavin Middle School in South Boston in 2011, some critics of charter schools have questioned whether the academy has been pushing out disruptive or academically struggling pupils in order to boost its test scores.

Charter To Close Next Week
Gloucester Times, MA, January 3, 2013
After a tumultuous journey over the past two months, Gloucester Community Arts Charter School officials last night voted unanimously to close the school Jan. 11.

MICHIGAN

DPS Project Helps Math Skills Sprout
Detroit News, MI, January 3, 2013
Look inside one Detroit elementary school classroom and see the unexpected: kids excited about math. It’s a squirm-in-your-seat kind of enthusiasm with students eager to raise their hands, stand at the chalkboard and solve problems with each other as they tackle equations.

MISSISSIPPI

Reeves Pushing For Charter Schools
Hattiesburg American, MS, January 3, 2013,
With the 2013 Mississippi legislative session starting next week, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves says he believes there’s bipartisan support for charter schools and for efforts to improve children’s reading skills in early elementary grades.

NEW YORK

Cuomo Panel Recommends School Goals
Wall Street Journal, January 2, 2013
A commission tapped by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to assess education in New York state delivered a wish list on Wednesday that included widely praised items such as prekindergarten for all students, better teacher preparation and longer school days and years.

Local School Officials Sound Off On Cuomo’s Reform Report
Niagara Gazette, NY, January 3, 2013
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Education Reform Commission released a 92-page report Wednesday, highlighting eight changes the state could investigate to change the way education is provided state-wide.

NY Awaiting 9 Districts’ Teacher Evaluation Plans
Wall Street Journal, January 2, 2013
Time is running out for school districts in New York state that haven’t yet adopted a new teacher evaluation plan.

TENNESSEE

Radio Ads Start In School Voucher Campaign
WREG, TN, January 2, 2013
There is a push to show Memphis parents all their choices when it comes to educating their children. One choice is a private school education for some families who might not be able to afford it.

Charters That Fail Must Pay The Price
The Tennessean, TN, January 3, 2013
When the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Board voted in mid-November to close Smithson-Craighead Middle School at the end of the current academic year, the decision angered parents and generated pleas for patience.

WASHINGTON

Teachers Union Wants To Help Challenge Charter School Law
Seattle Times, WA, January 2, 2013
The state’s largest teachers union is exploring how it might help challenge the charter-school law that narrowly passed last November. The union’s board of directors has committed to help fund a lawsuit, although it is not yet clear who would file it, when it would be filed, or exactly what form the challenge would take.

ONLINE LEARNING

Making Excellence The Norm
Henderson Daily Dispatch, NC, January 2, 2013
Bill Harrison, chairman of the state board of education, formally presented the 2012 N.C. Innovator in Digital Learning Award to Granville County school officials in a ceremony at the Granville County Expo & Convention Center in Oxford on Wednesday.

Sen. Goedde: The Best Way To Equalize Idaho Schools Is Through Digital Learning
NPR StateImpact, ID, January 2, 2013
State Sen. John Goedde is a Republican from Coeur d’Alene. He’s chairman of the Senate’s Education Committee. It’s a panel that will be closely watched during the upcoming legislative session as lawmakers figure out what to do now that voters rejected three sweeping education laws.

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.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Vacaville Unified School District Leader Not Worried About California’s Waiver Loss
The Reporter, CA, January 4, 2013
A prominent Vacaville Unified School District leader does not fear the likely rejection by federal officials of a California waiver request to the No Child Left Behind law, which some believe may prompt radical reforms, including state takeovers and charter school conversions.

CONNECTICUT

Sibs Get An Edge In Public School Admissions
New Haven Independent, CT, January 3, 2013
A kid with an older sister at Edgewood, Hooker or Nathan Hale schools will get a leg up in this year’s admission lottery, according to a new policy unveiled Thursday.

DELAWARE

Del. Officials Discuss Troubled Charter School
News Times, DE, January 4, 2013
State education officials are meeting with representatives from a troubled charter school in New Castle County to discuss a path forward.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Advice For Parents Facing School Closures In The District
Washington Post, DC, January 3, 2013
Parents are not happy about the proposal, either. They have been especially vocal about plans to close five schools in Ward 7, saying it will push more students into public charter schools and further erode the traditional public schools.

Charter School Ruled Private Entity For Labor Relations
Washington Post Blog, DC, January 4, 2013
The question of just how public charter schools really are has been further muddied by a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board in a case involving a Chicago charter school.

Michelle Rhee Proud Of Controversial School Reform Efforts In D.C
Washington Examiner, DC, January 3, 2013,
Former DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee says in a new documentary that she is proud of the reform efforts she initiated in 2007, measures that have been heavily criticized since before she left the District in fall 2010.

FLORIDA

Symbiotic Relationship: Campuses Combining Schools Strive for Peaceful Coexistence
The Ledger, FL, January 4, 2013
Benjamin Stewart may be a Summerlin Academy student, but when it comes to all of the classes and extracurricular activities he participates in, he’d rather be known as a Yellow Jacket.

ILLINOIS

Chicago Charter Schools Rake In Thousands In ‘Disciplinary Fees’
MSNBC, January 3, 2013
As public funding for Chicago charter schools increases, so do questions about accountability and governance within these publicly-funded–but privately-run–institutions.

LOUISIANA

Orleans Board Rejects Schools
The Advocate, LA, January 4, 2013
Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy, Martin Behrman Charter School and O. Perry Walker College and Preparatory High Schools will not be returning to Orleans Parish School Board governance, as decided in a 5-2 cast by the board at an Algiers Charter School Association meeting Thursday.

MASSACHUSETTS

Gloucester School Will Close Early
Boston Globe, MA, January 4, 2013
The Gloucester Community Arts Charter School’s brief and turbulent existence will come to a halt next Friday afternoon when the school will officially close.

MISSISSIPPI

Charter School Fight Looms as 2013 Session Nears
Mississippi Public Broadcasting, MS, January 3, 2013
Mississippi lawmakers will gavel in the 2013 legislative session this Tuesday, and the debate over charter schools is likely to be one of the hottest issues of the session. MPB’s Daniel Cherry has more…

NEW YORK

Better Teaching, Beyond Evaluations
New York Daily News, NY, January 4, 2013
Faced with a Jan. 17 deadline, New York City may soon have a new teacher evaluation system to help identify those educators who are excelling and those who need extra support. This focus on teacher performance and accountability is essential.

Left Out Of The Gov’s Schools Rx
New York Post, NY, January 4, 2013
Hang on to your hats, folks: Those of us who favor serious, overhaul-minded education reforms actually agree with the bullhorn of the “just spend more” crowd, the Campaign for Educational Equity’s Michael Rebell, when he says that the big problem with Gov. Cuomo’s education-reform commission’s report is “what’s not in there.”

NORTH CAROLINA

McCrory Completes Cabinet, Names Tata In Another Surprising Pick
News & Observer, NC, January 4, 2013
Gov.-elect Pat McCrory finalized his Cabinet Thursday, naming Wake County’s ousted schools leader Tony Tata to head the Department of Transportation – another surprising pick for his administration

OHIO

Colleges Set Bar For Remedial Classes
Columbus Dispatch, OH, January 4, 2013
Ohio’s public colleges and universities have agreed to minimum ACT and SAT scores that will guarantee students don’t have to take remedial courses that cost them money but don’t count for credit.

OKLAHOMA

Improve Schools By Training Principals And Superintendents
The Oklahoman, OK, January 4, 2013
Ed Allen (Point of View, Dec. 14) made some good points about deficiencies of Oklahoma City Public School administrators which can be applied statewide.

OREGON

Legislature Should Tweak Charter Rules
Albany Democrat Herald, OR, January 3, 2013
It looks as if there are some chapters left to write in the controversy surrounding a proposal to launch a new charter school in Albany.

PENNSYVLVANIA

Hite Will Present His Blueprint For Schools Monday
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, January 4, 2013
Coming Monday: a blueprint for the William R. Hite Jr.-era Philadelphia School District. Expect a focus on early literacy, a call for more art and music classes, more students in advanced math by middle school, and more and higher-quality spots in vocational programs.

TEXAS

School Choice Legislation Introduced This Week
Hays Free Press, TX, January 3, 2013
As of press time, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and state Sen. Dan Patrick were expected to announce education legislation this week that would allow more school choice. The Texas Tribune reported that the bill would likely spark a major battle in the upcoming legislative session.

Public Schools Can Achieve Success, Even With Voucher System Looming
The Courier, TX, January 4, 2013
With the tide turning toward more ultraconservative Republicans in Austin, the state Legislature is preparing for yet another battle over school choice, better known as a voucher system.

Reforming Our Education
Anniston Star, TX, January 3, 2013
Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Bradley Byrne spoke this week to The Star about his plans for the nonprofit group Reform Alabama, which has dropped out of sight.

VIRGINIA

Governor Bob McDonnell Adds To School Plans
Roanoke Times, VA, January 4, 2013
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced plans Thursday to pursue legislation that would bring Teach for America staffers to Virginia, establish an A-F grading system for schools, bolster third-grade reading proficiency and allow school divisions to request waivers from the State Board of Education from certain state requirements.

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin Republicans Expected To Push Private-School Vouchers, Charter-School Expansion In 2013 Session
Isthmus Paper, WI, January 3, 2013
Gov. Scott Walker’s second most controversial move, after ending collective bargaining rights for public employees, was a package of school-choice proposals and budget cuts that aim to remake public education in the state.

Wisconsinites Lose Ability To See Performance Records Of Principals Under New System
WTAQ, WI, January 3, 2013
Wisconsinites are about to lose the right to see how their public school principals are performing. Governor Scott Walker and state lawmakers approved a new system last year for evaluating teachers and principals.

ONLINE LEARNING

NJ Teachers Union Moves to Block ‘Blended’ Learning at Newark Charter
New Jersey Spotlight, NJ, January 4, 2013
NJEA argues that blending online technology with traditional teaching has to be cleared by Legislature before it can be used in school

Blended Learning: Teachers Plus Computers Equal Success
Desert News, UT, January 3, 2013
Carpe Diem Collegiate High School in Yuma, Ariz., looks more like a call center than a high school. It features a huge room full of rows and rows of cubicles where students, who attend classes four days a week, work for half a day at computers that track their daily progress.

Understanding Online Charter Schools
Contra Costa Times, CA, January 3, 2013
The number of students enrolled in virtual charter schools continues to grow around the country, including in California and the Bay Area.

More Bay Area Students Opting For Cyberclassrooms
Contra Costa Times, CA, January 3, 2013
While many parents struggle to get their kids out from under the covers, dressed and off to school, Erinn Watson’s daughters are always on time for class.