Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Is There a Need for Parent Trigger Laws?
US News & World Report, November 11, 2012
November Seven U.S. states have passed “parent trigger” laws, which give parents the ability to petition for changes at their children’s low-performing public schools. If more than half of the parents at a school sign the petition, the school district must comply with the changes. These can include hiring a new staff, hiring a public charter school operator to take over reforms, or closing the school altogether and sending students to better performing neighboring schools.

Comparing the Success of Nations in Schooling
New York Times, NY, November 12, 2012
In the world of international education, what Andreas Schleicher thinks matters.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Lawsuit Against Teacher Tenure Laws, Seniority Rights Advances
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 9, 2012
Supporters of a lawsuit to make it easier to remove ineffective teachers hailed a court ruling Friday that will allow them to proceed with efforts to overturn teacher tenure laws and seniority rights.

COLORADO

One Denver Charter To Close, Another Decides Not To Open
Denver Post, CO, November 10, 2012
Denver’s list of charter- school options is shrinking by two.
Northeast Academy has notified Denver Public Schools that it will close its doors in May and surrender its charter.

CONNECTICUT

Efforts To Reform Bridgeport Schools Won’t Stop
Connecticut Post, CT, November 10, 2012
A failed attempt this week to give control of the city school board to the mayor won’t scare off Paul Vallas or his sweeping education reform efforts.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. School Study Vindicates Michelle Rhee’s Reforms
Washington Post, DC, November 10, 2012
REMEMBER THE predictions that former D.C. Public Schools chancellor Michelle A. Rhee’s overhaul of teacher evaluation and compensation would lead to damaging upheaval? That there would be an exodus of good teachers? Those claims — like much of the criticism of D.C. school reform — have been proven baseless: Three years of dramatic change in personnel policy has made the District a model for smart teacher retention.

FLORIDA

Gov. Scott’s Mixed Bag On Schools
Tampa Bay Times, FL, November 12, 2012
The best news about Gov. Rick Scott’s newfound embrace of public education: He’s not asking lawmakers to change much this coming year.

GEORGIA

Attention Shifts To New Charter School Commission
Savannah Morning News, GA, November 11, 2012
Now that Georgia voters have approved a constitutional amendment affirming the state’s authority to create special public schools, attention has shifted to putting the new policy in action.

Charter School Amendment To Have Little Effect Here
Gainesville Times, GA, November 11, 2012
Members of both the Gainesville City Schools and Hall County Schools boards of education have publicly opposed the amendment, saying the current status of the state’s education budget is not conducive for added stress.

Georgia Legislative Caucus To Join Lawsuit Against Gov. Nathan Deal Over Charter School Amendment
Augusta Chronicle, GA, November 11, 2012
Georgia voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment that will allow a state committee to authorize charter schools, but some legislators and educators are not dropping their fight to stop it.

Passage Of Charter Schools Amendment Heartens Some, Worries Others
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, November 11, 2012
With the bruising battle over the charter schools amendment in the state’s rear-view mirror, educators and politicians are focusing on what they believe comes next.

A Victory For Choice
Augusta Chronicle, GA, November 10, 2012
Sometimes voters send mixed messages. On Tuesday, for instance, they told pollsters the country was on the wrong track – and then voted to stay the course.

IDAHO

Otter Should Take Lead On Education
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 12, 2012
The path to true education reform — worthy of the name, and worthy of our kids — is through collaboration, sorely lacking in the drafting of and politicking for Propositions 1, 2 and 3.

Students Come First Opponent: ‘Ultimately, Voters Do Get The Final Say’
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 11, 2012
Mike Lanza, leader of Vote No on 1, 2, 3, reflects on the campaign that repealed school laws backed by Idaho ’s most powerful politicians

ILLINOIS

Groups To Protest CPS Closings Monday
Chicago Tribune, IL, November 11, 2012
A list of Chicago schools targeted for closing may be months away, but the fight by community groups and the teachers union to thwart the district’s plan is under way and continues with a scheduled downtown demonstration Monday.

Should This School Be Saved? The Fight Over Chicago’s Dyett High
Reuters, November 11, 2012
By just about any definition, Walter H. Dyett High School has failed. Just 10 percent can pass the state math exam; barely one in six is proficient in reading. The technology lab is so ancient, some of the computers still take 3-inch floppy disks. More teens drop out than graduate.

INDIANA

Many Seek To Understand How Tony Bennett’s Heavily Funded Campaign Failed
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 11, 2012
State Superintendent Tony Bennett’s stunning defeat last week to Glenda Ritz sent shockwaves well beyond Indiana .

Ball State Examines Local Charter Schools
The Journal Gazette, IN, November 11, 2012
The fate of three local charter schools is on the line during ongoing reviews by Ball State University .

Bennett’s Reforms Cost Him His Job
Post-Tribune, IN, November 11, 2012
Indiana’s aggressive education reforms engineered by Tony Bennett galvanized his opposition and likely cost the state’s education chief his job.

New State Superintendent May Face Limit On Power
News and Tribune, IN, November 11, 2012
Democrat Glenda Ritz won the race for the state’s schools superintendent by challenging the education overhaul implemented by the Republican incumbent Tony Bennett, but her power to stop the sweeping changes in Indiana schools may be limited.

LOUISIANA

Education Groups Deploy For Teacher Training
The Advocate, LA, November 12, 2012
Officials of two education groups plan to train 50 teachers to instruct their colleagues on Louisiana’s new educator evaluations and changing curriculum.

MICHIGAN

Teach For America Works To Help Detroit Schools
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 12, 2012
Ramachandran is a second-year teacher, recruited by Teach for America , a national program that trains recent college graduates to teach in struggling and high-poverty schools nationwide. This year, Detroit has the sixth-largest Teach for America corps in the nation — 225 teachers in all.

MONTANA

When It Comes To School Choice, Pupils Before Profit
Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT, November 12, 2012
Back in September, we heard from Greg Gianforte regarding school choice. On behalf of the students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers across the state, I would like to interject some truth into this conversation.

NEVADA

Dream Turns Into Reality
Nevada Appeal, NV, November 10, 2012
As I have mentioned before, I and a group of parents and teachers have been working to develop a new charter high school/middle school with a strong focus on the arts. After two years of hard work, the Public Charter School Board Authority approved our ap¬plication on Oct. 19.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

TEAMS Charter School Enrollment Grows, Leaders Hope For More Students
Concord Monitor, NH, November 12, 2012
After facing the prospect in August of starting the year with zero students, the TEAMS charter school in Penacook found three students just in time and now has seven students enrolled. It’s Director George Roger’s hope that the growth will continue.

NEW JERSEY

More New Jersey Students From Low Income Families Receiving Healthy Breakfast At Their Schools
Courier News, NJ, November 11, 2012
More students in New Jersey from low-income families are receiving a healthy breakfast at the start of their school day, a recent report shows.

NEW MEXICO

Academy Adds Many APS Pupils
Rio Rancho Journal, NM, November 10, 2012
A few years ago, a group of Rio Rancho High School teachers got together and decided to open the city’s first charter school, with the goal of targeting not only the city, but Albuquerque students as well.

NEW YORK

The Elite Eight, on the Federal Radar
New York Times, NY, November 12, 2012
The civil rights office of the federal Department of Education has rightly decided to investigate a complaint filed in September by civil rights groups over the admissions policies of eight highly competitive “specialized” high schools in New York City, among which are Stuyvesant, the Bronx High School of Science and Brooklyn Technical High School.

Districts Wonder if Race to Top Is Worth Cost
Times Herald-Record, NY, November 12, 2012
The federal Race to the Top competition is making school districts dole out far more money than they’re receiving from the program, according to school officials and experts.

Charter School Team Didn’t Do All The Math
Times Herald Record, NY, November 12, 2012
I’ve got a bone to pick with the charter school approval process — because things literally don’t add up. It now looks as though the first charter school for the mid-Hudson is almost a done deal. The questions now focus on costs.

Charter Accountability Paying Off
Albany Times Union, NY, November 11, 2012
The State Education Department’s list of new failing and high performing schools in New York state painted a clear picture of the reality of school performance in Albany.

NORTH CAROLINA

Private School Debate Awaits New Governor
News & Observer , NC, November 10, 2012
Gov.-elect Pat McCrory received a welcoming message from a group that wants more charters and public money to support private school education.

OHIO

Parental Involvement In Education Leads To Successful Students, Stronger Schools
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 11, 2012
Khalilah Jones joined a crowd arriving for the first parent meeting of the year at Citizens Academy and overheard a mother telling her kids, “Hurry, we’re late.”

Tecumseh Tries To Avoid State Takeover
Springfield News Sun, OH, November 11, 2012
Tecumseh Local School District faces state financial takeover if it does not balance projected budget shortfalls before November 2013.

OKLAHOMA

Education Dept. Lifts Rule On Transfers
Tulsa World, OK, November 11, 2012
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has notified school districts across the state that they don’t have to offer school choice to as many schools as originally intended.

A-F Grading System Already Having An Effect In Some
The Oklahoman, OK, November 11, 2012
A little over two weeks after the release of report cards for each of Oklahoma’s 1,744 school sites, the A-F grading system is already having more impact than the prior Academic Performance Index system of school evaluation.

PENNSYLVANIA

Easton Area School District To Bill Cyber And Charter Schools For Students Who Play Sports
Lehigh Valley Express-News, PA, November 12, 2012
Former Easton Area School District students who transferred to cyber and charter schools can still play for Easton’s home teams, but their new schools will have to pay.

TENNESSEE

Local Control At Risk In Charter Schools Fight
The Tennessean, TN, November 12, 2012
“Move on” is the sound bite of the moment. It’s a targeted message, and it’s appealing. We are all suffering from Great Hearts fatigue. I wholeheartedly agree with my colleagues on the Metro Board of Education that this controversy has been an immense distraction from important work we must undertake, and I guarantee that no one wants to “move on” more than I.

Memphis Parents Sound Off Against Achievement School Process
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2012
More than 60 parents and community members like Barbara Swearengen-Ware, former Memphis City Council member, listened to the reasons the state needs to take over failing public schools, at a recent meeting, then let loose with their worries.

A Magic Wand?
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 12, 2012
I don’t understand how the state can come into a city school, take it over and — voila! — the school is automatically predicted to “make enough improvement to be in the top 25 percent of schools statewide” in five years (Nov. 8 article, “State taking over 10 more city schools”).

Compare All Metro Schools Online
The Tennessean, TN, November 10, 2012
Officials at the Tennessee Charter School Incubator and Metro Nashville schools are launching a joint online portal that allows side-by-side comparisons of test scores for charter and traditional public schools.

VIRGINIA

Parents Hope To Save Middleburg By Turning It Into A Charter School
Washington Post, DC, November 10, 2012
Loudoun County public school enrollment has essentially doubled in the past decade, with the district taking in thousands of new students every year and racing to build new, look-alike buildings to relieve some of the pressure on crowded schools.

Charter Schools, the Cliffhanger Issue of the 2012 Election
The Atlantic, November 10, 2012
The presidential election, gay marriage, and marijuana legalization all had clear outcomes. So why is the Washington state charter school vote still too close to call?

WASHINGTON

Anxiety, Resignation As School Boards Mull Charter Schools
Kitsap Sun, WA, November 11, 2012
School officials in Kitsap and North Mason counties are sketching out strategies to accommodate charter schools, should Initiative 1240 pass.

Opponents Not Conceding Charter-Schools Ballot Victory
Seattle Times, WA, November 10, 2012
Charter-school supporters claimed victory Saturday, but opponents refused to concede in the face of a vote tally that remains too close to call.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Prospects For Pupils Following Graduation
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
How do cyber-charter students fare after graduation?
Commonwealth Connections Academy’s website lists nearly 500 colleges and universities that have accepted its graduates, including Harvard University and Amherst College .

Cyber-Charter Pupils Not Connecting Well On Pa. Tests
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
SusQ-Cyber Charter School promises “the best education possible.” PA Distance Learning Charter School claims it “fosters academic excellence.” But neither school has made “adequate yearly progress” for at least three years. PA Distance’s graduation rate is 51 percent. SusQ’s is 32 percent.

CYBER-CHARTERS: Critics: More Oversight Needed
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Taxpayers can get an inside look at local school districts by visiting their child’s classroom or attending a school board meeting.
Brick-and-mortar charter schools are authorized and overseen by the school district in which they’re located, giving nearby residents some degree of input.

Districts Floored By Payments To Charter-Cyber Schools
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Lancaster County school districts’ annual cyber-charter costs are soaring. According to a Lancaster Newspapers analysis, county districts paid almost $14 million in cyber-charter tuition in 2011-12.

Who Is Taking The Attendance At Cyber-Charter Schools?
Lancaster News Era, PA, November 11, 2012
Cyber-charter leaders say many checks and balances are in place to make sure students log on and do their work. But critics say tracking attendance relies too heavily on the honesty of the student and the dedication of the student’s family.

Several Mid-Michigan Schools Begin Offering Virtual Learning Centers
Morning Sun, MI, November 11, 2012
With time comes change and with change comes growth. Through the years education and technology have been changing and schools have been growing to encompass these new changes. With locations in Ashley High School , St. Louis , Fulton and St. Johns , several mid-Michigan schools provide new virtual learning centers.

Online School Is Adding K-5 Classes
Star Tribune, MN, November 10, 2012
An online public school affiliated with the Fergus Falls School District is expanding its program to include elementary students.

Big Labor’s Losses
Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2012
Unions can boast about helping President Obama win re-election and raising taxes through the roof in California, but when their own causes were directly at issue on Tuesday, unions didn’t fare so well.

Election Day Brings Victories And Setbacks For Teachers Unions
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
Teachers unions scored political victories in several states Tuesday, beating back proposals that ranged from merit pay to school vouchers and unseating a Republican school superintendent with a national reputation for aggressively changing the way teachers are evaluated and compensated.

FROM THE STATES

ALASKA

Student Achievement Could Be Part Of Teacher Evaluations
Anchorage Daily News, AK, November 8, 2012
A new rule proposed by the Alaska Department of Education would add student achievement — in the form of test scores or other data — to the criteria on which teachers are evaluated each year.

CALIFORNIA

Novato Charter Supporters, Opponents Square Off
Marin Independent Journal, CA, November 8, 2012
More than 250 people packed the Novato Unified School District ‘s headquarters Thursday night to debate a controversial proposal for a new charter school.

School Board Rejects Woodland Poly Charter
Daily Democrat, CA, November 8, 2012
The Woodland school board rejected a proposal for a K-8 charter school Thursday night, with most trustees saying petitioners were simply not ready to start a new school yet.

Lawsuit Against Teacher Tenure Poised To Move Forward
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, November 8, 2012
A lawsuit to overturn teacher tenure laws and seniority rights remained on track Thursday when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a tentative ruling allowing the litigation to move forward. Judge Rolf M. Treu did not rule on the merits of the case.

Teachers Union Says SF Students Shorted
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, November 8, 2012
San Francisco teachers union officials have refused to name names, but said Thursday they stand behind their allegations that some district schools are violating state law by depriving students of science, history, art, physical education and other required subjects to focus solely on boosting math and English scores.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C.’s Education Emergency
Washington Examiner, DC, November 8, 2012
The District continues to have a public education emergency. Many charters could be considered mediocre. A significant number of traditional schools have been labeled low performers; some of those, undoubtedly, are on Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s and DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson’s facilities closure list, expected to be released within days.

DCPS Graduation Rate Up Slightly; But Well Short of Goals
Washington Examiner, DC, November 8, 2012
The number of students who graduated from D.C. Public Schools in four years increased by three percentage points to 56 percent last year, but the system’s chief said DCPS would have to pick up the pace and make stronger gains to meet its goals.

School And City Officials Address Truancy Rates In District
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson said Thursday that the school system’s high truancy rates amount to an educational “crisis,” as D.C. officials disclosed that more than 40 percent of the students at Ballou, Anacostia, Spingarn and Roosevelt high schools missed at least a month of school last year because of unexcused absences.

FLORIDA

Florida’s Race-based Standards Are A Solution With Problems
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 9, 2012
Race is never far below the surface when talking about public education. Except right now. Thanks to a recent decision of the State Board of Education, it’s not below the surface at all, stirring all sorts of emotions.

Former YMCA Complex to Become New Charter School
WCJB, FL, November 9, 2012
As the YMCA of north central Florida deals with its financial hardships, one of their old facilities is getting a new ‘lease’ on life.

City Waives Fees for Charter School
WCJB, FL, November 8, 2012
The school was being charged about $18,000 for phase one and about $62,000 for phase two.
City council member Daniel Owen said he was in favor of waiving the fees because there are quality students graduating from the charter school.

GEORGIA

Lawmaker Wants To Let Parents Decide On Charter Schools
My Fox Atlanta, GA, November 8, 2012
A leading Georgia lawmaker wants to make it easier for parents to convert traditional public schools into charter schools. State Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta) plans to introduce legislation to do that in the next General Assembly session.

IDAHO

No Timeline for AG Opinion on Merit Pay
Magic Valley Times, ID, November 9, 2012
School districts and public charter schools will receive pay-for-performance money later this month, but that doesn’t mean it will make it into teachers’ hands.

Unfinished Students Come First Business
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 9, 2012
When it came to passing Students Come First, state Superintendent Tom Luna’s far-reaching and hastily assembled K-12 overhaul, Idaho’s powers that be certainly figured out how to move quickly.

ILLINOIS

As CPS Shows, Time Is Now For Real School Choice
Chicago Sun Times, IL, November 9, 2012
In fact, we are pleased enough with the education our children are receiving that we pay their tuition on top of the hefty taxes we pay to support public schools. But many families can’t afford to this, which raises the question: How can we best ensure greater choice for children of all means and backgrounds? One idea is for tax dollars to flow to students rather than to schools.

INDIANA

New State Superintendent May Face Limit On Power
Pharos Tribune, IN, November 9, 2012
Democrat Glenda Ritz won the race for the state’s schools superintendent by challenging the education overhaul implemented by the Republican incumbent Tony Bennett, but her power to stop the sweeping changes in Indiana schools may be limited.

Reformers Shake Up IPS Board
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 8, 2012
The effort to raise standards, improve performance and enforce accountability in Indiana ‘s schools suffered a heavy loss Tuesday with the defeat of incumbent state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett. The education reform movement is likely to face significant obstacles now that Democrat Glenda Ritz, a vocal opponent of most reform measures, will now run the state Department of Education.

LOUISIANA

EBR Superintendent Taylor Wants Four School Regions
The Advocate, LA, November 9, 2012
East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Bernard Taylor on Thursday suggested dividing 36 public schools in Baton Rouge into four attendance regions where students could choose to attend any school in the region.

MARYLAND

Progress for City Schools
Baltimore Sun, MD, November 8, 2012
The most recent data on high school graduation and dropout rates from the Maryland State Department of Education suggest that while Baltimore City still lags behind other jurisdictions, it is making solid progress in its school reform effort.

MASSACHUSETTS

Charting Progress
Boston Herald, MA, November 9, 2012
I read with interest the letter that stated charter schools do not enroll a student and then keep them through to their graduation and urging that “taxpayers focus on the high dropout rate of charter schools” (“More to the story” Oct. 23).

Marshall Elementary Moves A Step Closer To Becoming In-District Charter School
Boston Globe, MA, November 8, 2012
Plans to convert Dorchester’s Marshall Elementary School into an in-district charter school are closer to fruition.

MICHIGAN

With State Takeover Rejected, Detroit Schools Can Refocus Mission To Serve Students
Detroit Free Press, MI, November 9, 2012
Detroit Public Schools has been both numerically and academically decimated during the past decade.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

$4.45 Million For NH Charter Schools
Union Leader, NH, November 8, 2012
The Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee Thursday approved the necessary money to meet the state’s obligation to the 17 charter schools operating today.

Committee Approves $4.5M For Charter Schools, But Officials Say More Needed To Lift Moratorium
Nashua Telegraph, NH, November 9, 2012
The state’s Joint Fiscal Committee approved an additional $4.45 million to help cover the costs of the state’s charter schools, but the move will not reverse the current moratorium on approving new charter schools.

OHIO

Local Schools Feel The Pinch From Loss Of State Funding
Youngstown Vindicator, OH, November 9, 2012
Cuts in state funding for public schools and the diversion of funds from public school districts to charter schools and voucher programs have been a fact of life in Ohio for years.

Northeast Ohio Students Move Frequently In Some School Districts, Study Says
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 8, 2012
A new statewide study attaches numbers to a situation faced by many Ohio teachers every year: The names on their student roster on opening day aren’t going to be same ones they check off on the last day of school.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Passion, Questions Abound on Choices for FSD1
Morning News, SC, November 8, 2012
Choices Charter School is safe through the end of the school year despite a lapsed charter, according to a report the Florence School District 1 board heard Thursday night, though the district has more questions than answers on how to keep the school open after that.

TEXAS

Texas School Finance Trial Presses On
Texas Tribune, TX, November 9, 2012
The massive trial involving more than two-thirds of the state’s school districts and most of its charter schools has been under way for two weeks now — and while the evidence will continue to pour in until January, the arguments of all seven parties, including the state, have taken shape.

WASHINGTON

Spokane Will Seek Charter School
Spokesman Review, WA, November 9, 2012
Although votes are still being counted on Washington ’s charter school initiative, Spokane Public Schools officials have already decided the district will apply to have one if it passes.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Charter School Holds Online Classes During Power Outage
The Advertiser News, NY, November 8, 2012
A power outage didn’t stop one local school from holding classes. The Sussex County Charter School for Technology, which is located in Sparta , was closed and without power since the initial winds and rain from Hurricane Sandy affected the area last Monday until this Tuesday when its lights initially came back on.

Learning Before Dollars
Pittsburgh Tribune Review, PA, November 8, 2012
While I agree that cyber education provides a valuable service, the news story “Districts hit Web to lure students, save money” (Oct. 29 and TribLIVE.com) made some inaccurate and misleading claims.

Warwick Board Reviews Progress Of ‘Virtual Academy’
Lancaster New Era, PA, November 8, 2012
Warwick school board members on Tuesday received a good news about the performance of the district’s new cyber school.

Lake County School Board Raises Eyebrows By Tapping Umatilla High School Principal For Virtual School
Orlando Sentinel, FL, November 9, 2012
School Board members last week — without a word of discussion — reassigned a veteran principal to oversee Lake’s virtual school while keeping his salary of $102,610 a year.

Some Online Schools A Waste Of Money?
Fox 23, OK, November 8, 2012
Taylor is one of 240 students who learns online through Tulsa Public Schools’ own program – Tulsa Learning Academy – while Chelsea signed up online with another program, Oklahoma Virtual High School through a charter school called Epic One-on-One.

Election Shows Voters Divided Over Education
Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2012
Voters delivered mixed verdicts on a raft of education-related ballot questions, highlighting the deep divide across the country over how to run public schools.

A Call For President Obama To Change Course On Education
Washington Post, DC, November 7, 2012
With the election behind us, it is time for the Obama administration to step back from its education policy and access whether its foundation is sound and supported by evidence. It is a moment to summon the courage to change course.

Teachers Unions Notch Big Wins On State Education Votes
Reuters, November 7, 2012
Teachers unions won several big victories in both red and blue states Tuesday, overturning laws that would have eliminated tenure in Idaho and South Dakota, defeating a threat to union political work in California, and ousting a state schools chief in Indiana who sought to fundamentally remake public education.

Evaluating Teachers Based on Student Test Scores Hurts Children the Most
Washington Times, DC, November 8, 2012
My daughter Caroline is a bright, sweet, inquisitive thirteen year-old. She also has autism. Over the past seven years of school, Caroline has made amazing progress because she always been included in the general education classroom with the help of a 1:1 aide.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Passage of Prop. 30 Hailed By Educators
Los Angeles Times, CA, November 8, 2012
College students will be spared tuition increases, thousands of classes will be restored, and younger students will avoid a shorter school year, they say.

COLORADO

Board Grants Extension To Local Charter School
Pueblo Chieftain, CO, November 8, 2012
The Connect School has been granted another five-year extension of its charter with Pueblo County District 70.
The school board Wednesday night unanimously agreed to the charter renewal that now will run through 2018.

D-11 Board Hears About Three Proposed Charter Schools
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, November 7, 2012
Colorado Springs School District 11 board members have one less charter school application to consider this month.

CONNECTICUT

Impact Of Charter Vote On Finch’s Influence Unclear
CT Post, CT, November 7, 2012
A bid to seize control of the city school board was a gamble Mayor Bill Finch took and lost. Yet few are ready to say he or the Democratic machine are too bruised as a result.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

D.C. Charter Board Releases School Ratings
Washington Post, DC, November 7, 2012
The D.C. Public Charter School Board released charter-school ratings Wednesday that aim to provide a way to assess and compare education choices across the city.

Study Chides D.C. Teacher Turnover
Washington Post, DC, November 8, 2012
The District has higher-than-desirable teacher turnover, but a report released Thursday finds that the public school system is succeeding in holding onto its best teachers at nearly twice the rate as its lowest performers.

Heated Debates Expected over School Closures
Washington Informer, DC, November 7, 2012
A maelstrom of controversy is erupting over a list of District of Columbia Public School [DCPS] closings that made its way onto the Internet last week. As a result, pressure has been put on D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson to come clean about which schools are marked for closure or consolidation.

Moving The Best Teachers To The Worst Schools
Washington Post Blog, DC, November 7, 2012
Here are two tough questions for D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson. They are suggested by a study from TNTP, a nonprofit teacher improvement organization for which Henderson once served as a vice president:

FLORIDA

New Charter School Targets iGeneration
The Palm Beach Post, FL, November 8, 2012
The iGeneration Empowerment Academy is tucked into a corner office complex directly behind Stayin Alive Fitness Center in Palm Beach Gardens.

Merit-Pay System Flawed
Florida Today, FL, November 8, 2012
I want to call your attention to a destructive policy that will have dire consequences for your children. Florida’s ill-conceived merit pay evaluation system may result in your children being subjected to inferior teaching.

GEORGIA

New Charter Schools Commission Could Crank Up In February
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, November 7, 2012
The new Georgia Charter Schools Commission voters approved Tuesday could start meeting as soon as February.

Charter Schools Win Support in Georgia Vote
New York Times, NY, November 8, 2012
Two ballot measures concerning charter schools, which are publicly financed but privately operated, spawned fierce battles in Georgia and Washington State .

IDAHO

Otter To Seek ‘Path Forward’ On Education
Idaho Statesman, ID, November 8, 2012
Though his name wasn’t on the ballot, Gov. Butch Otter said he got the message from voters who soundly rejected education reforms he championed with state Superintendent Tom Luna.

What Next For Ed Reform?
The Coeur d’ Alene Press, ID, November 8, 2012
Now that Idaho voters have given Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna’s education reform initiatives the boot, what’s next? Top administrators from Kootenai County’s three largest school districts say it’s unclear, while teachers say they’re eager to move forward toward finding reform solutions that will increase teacher effectiveness and improve student outcomes.

INDIANA

What Does Tony Bennett’s Defeat Mean For Future Of Education Reform In Indiana?
Indianapolis Star, IN, November 7, 2012
Under four years of Tony Bennett, Indiana embraced education reform at an unprecedented level — so swift, so sweeping that Indiana and its school superintendent have emerged as among the nation’s leaders in the education reform movement.

The Takedown of Tony Bennett
Journal Courier, IN, November 7, 2012
What do they say about Washington, D.C. ? Congress is broken, but my representative … well, he’s OK. Twist that a bit and apply it to Indiana schools, and you get a sense of how Tony Bennett, the state’s run-and-gun school reformer, went down so spectacularly and unexpectedly in Tuesday’s elections.

GOP Firm Despite Education Coup
The Journal Gazette, IN, November 8, 2012
Top Republican officials, including the current and future governor, argued vehemently Wednesday that their education reform mandate is intact despite the defeat of Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett.

ANDREA NEAL: Education Reform Could Be Daniels’ Enduring Legacy
Evansville Courier & Press, IN, November 8, 2012
Mitch Daniels used his first term to get Indiana’s fiscal house in order. His second term sealed his reputation as the education reform governor.

LOUISIANA

Jefferson Parish School Board Approves Young Audiences Charter
Times-Picayune, LA, November 7, 2012
The Jefferson Parish School Board, in an 8-1 vote Wednesday, approved a new charter school that will focus on the arts and theater. Young Audiences is set to open in the 2013-14 school year with a location yet to be determined. It will accept applications from students across the parish.

James Meza Wins Extension As Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent Into 2014
Times-Picayune, LA, November 7, 2012
The Jefferson Parish School Board on Wednesday unanimously agreed to extend Acting Superintendent James Meza’s contract through June 2014 and name him permanent superintendent.

Neville Board: Monroe System Still An Option
Monroe News Star, LA, November 8, 2012
Neville Charter School Board members say they are willing to consider negotiating with the Monroe City School District for a shared services contract, but they’re not discontinuing their efforts to charter through the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

MASSACHUSETTS

Parents Listen In To Potential Changes Coming To The Marshall Elementary School
Boston Globe, MA, November 7, 2012
On Monday night parents and staff from the Marshall Elementary School in Dorchester listened nervously to what Superintendent of Boston Public Schools Carol R. Johnson had to say about the possibility of the school being turned into an in-district charter school.

MICHIGAN

Emergency Manager Law Rejection Doesn’t Change Much In Muskegon Heights
The Muskegon Chronicle, MI, November 7, 2012
Voters’ repeal of the state’s emergency manager law doesn’t affect the changes made in the Muskegon Heights school district, but does offer the elected school board a little more say in the education children receive.

MISSISSIPPI

State GOP Renewing Charter Schools Push
Madison County Journal, MS, November 7, 2012
Gov. Phil Bryant and fellow Republicans who lead the Mississippi House and Senate say they have big plans to overhaul public education during the 2013 session.

NEVADA

It Is Time To Get Engaged In Incline Education
North Lake Tahoe Bonanza , NV, November 7, 2012
As the front page story indicated in last week’s Bonanza (Nov. 1), a proposal for a NV-sponsored K-12 public charter school to be located in Incline Village was denied approval on Oct. 21. This proposal was first discussed in public at the Oct. 19 WCSD School Board candidates forum (though no members of the charter development team were present).

NEW YORK

A School Distanced From Technology Faces Its Intrusion
New York Times, NY, November 8, 2012
That presents a challenge for the Mountain School: how to regulate the use of smartphones and other devices that serve as a constant distraction for 21st-century teenagers, who are here to engage with the rural setting and with one another.

Charter Conversion Pitch Falls Flat With Teachers, Buffalo School Board
Buffalo News, NY, November 7, 2012
A heated two-hour public hearing Wednesday night sparked plenty of hostile exchanges, along with allegations of racism and questions about a profit motive, regarding a proposal to close East High School and Waterfront Elementary and reopen them as charter schools.

OHIO

Test Scores Suffer When Kids Move
Columbus Dispatch, OH, November 8, 2012
The students aren’t staying put. Not in Columbus, a district that has long struggled with a student population that often changes schools. Not in many suburban central Ohio schools either. And not among charter schools, where just a few in this area have stable populations, according to a first-of-its kind look at kindergarten-through-12th-grade student mobility in Ohio.

Cleveland School Board Votes To Restore Full School Day, Along With Cut Programs, After Levy Wins
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, November 7, 2012
Cleveland schoolchildren will have 50 minutes returned to their school day in January, after East Side voters overwhelmed West Side opposition to give the district more money Tuesday.

OREGON

It’s Official: Evans Valley Elementary School Site Goes To Homeschool Group
Mail Tribune & Daily Tidings, OR, November 8, 2012
The Rogue River School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to transfer the deed for the former Evans Valley Elementary School site to a nonprofit group supporting homeschool students.

Equity In Education Benefits All Of Us
Portland Tribune, OR, November 8, 2012
Make no mistake, at Portland Public Schools, our goal is to increase student learning for every student — whether they are white, black, Latino, native, Asian or multiracial.

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia’s School Commission Borrows $300 Million To Pay Its Bills
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, November 8, 2012
The Philadelphia School Reform Commission moved Wednesday to borrow $300 million – money it needs just to pay teachers, heat buildings, and buy books for the rest of the school year.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Shealy Says She Will Vote To Loosen Gun Laws, Give Tax Credits For Private Schools
The State, SC, November 8, 2012
Newly elected state Sen.-elect Katrina Shealy said Wednesday that she will work to make concealed weapons permits optional and pass a school-choice bill – two issues soon-to-be-former state Sen. Jake Knotts opposed.

TENNESSEE

As The Metro School Board Decides Whether To Sue The State, Two New Members Undergo A Baptism By Fire
Nashville Scene, TN, November 8, 2012
For the better part of this year, if you engaged local politicos, journalists or civilian junkies in a political discussion, you’d be likely to hear the same observation: “The school board is where all the action is.”

Education PACs Show Muscle In Tennessee Races
Commercial Appeal, TN, November 7, 2012
Two groups promoting charter schools and vouchers poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into state and local political races this year and wrote some of their biggest checks last month as they pushed to fill state House and Senate chambers with supporters.

Achievement School District Prepares to Take Over 10 More Schools
WREG, TN, November 7, 2012
The state-run Achievement School District is preparing to take over another 10 schools in Memphis for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year.

TEXAS

School Choice Works … If You’re Choosy.
Houston Chronicle, TX, November 7, 2012
Attention parents: It’s time to start shopping for schools, picking the best for your kid to attend next year. The good news is that the Houston area offers parents one of the nation’s broadest selections of public-school (free!) options, not to mention many good private and religious schools. The bad news is that navigating all those options takes time, effort and savvy.

WASHINGTON

Charter Schools Measure Leads By A Slim Margin
Everett Herald, WA, November 7, 2012
More ballots have been counted, but the results are still unclear for Washington’s charter schools initiative.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

6News Explores Cyber Charter Schools In Pennsylvania
WJAC Johnstown, PA, November 7, 2012
Is tax money well spent on a cyber charter education? It’s a hot topic for some school administrators and parents. As 6News found out, the answer to the question depends on who you ask.

Wauwatosa District Studies Creating Virtual Charter School
Wauwatosa Now, WI, November 7, 2012
The Wauwatosa School District could add a virtual charter school to its options under a presentation made to the School Board on Monday night.