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Some States Will Soon Call The Roll On School Reform
Reuters, October 29, 2012
Voters in several states will weigh in next month on some of the most contentious issues in public education, including teacher tenure, charter schools and merit pay for teachers, as a national fight over education reform hits the ballot box.

Urban Middle Class Boosts School Diversity
USA Today, October 28, 2012
At the moment, researchers say, the phenomenon seems limited to a handful of mostly East Coast cities: New York , Boston , Philadelphia and Washington . But it’s also happening in New Orleans , Chicago , Denver and San Francisco .

Do Universities Need To Do A Better Job Preparing Teachers?
Grand Rapids Press, MI, October 28, 2012
How Henchey and other young educators are prepared for their first jobs by universities and other programs has come under fire as school reformers look to improve the quality of teaching.

FROM THE STATES

ALABAMA

Common Core Must Be Stopped
Birmingham News, AL, October 28, 2012
Alabama’s education standards are now 95% of the new “Common Core.” Why change? Alabama can improve standards by simply adopting the highest-ranked standards of other states, like Massachusetts (English Language Arts) and California (Mathematics).

CALIFORNIA

O.C.’S 13 Charter Schools Growing, Filling Niches
Orange County Register, CA, October 27, 2012
The O.C. School of the Arts in Santa Ana is consistently ranked as one of Orange County ‘s top 10 public high schools, and regularly clinches state and national recognitions.

Teachers Union Refuses To Sign Off On LAUSD Plan For Race To The Top Grant
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, CA, October 27, 2012
The Los Angeles teachers union has refused to sign off on Los Angeles Unified’s bid for a prestigious Race to the Top grant, costing the district a shot at winning $40 million in federal money, sources said Saturday.

Measuring The Worth Of A Teacher?
Los Angeles Times, CA, October 28, 2012
L.A. Unified School District’s Academic Growth Over Time measurement system, based on students’ progress on standardized tests, spurs debate over fairness, accuracy

State Strips 23 Schools Of API Rankings For Cheating
Los Angeles Times, CA, October 28, 2012
Teachers helped students correct mistakes on standardized tests, prepared them with actual test questions or left instructional posters displayed in the classroom during testing, according to school district reports.

COLORADO

Denver Public Schools Online Tool Helps Parents Pick Right School
Denver Post, CO, October 29, 2012
Denver Public Schools has launched a new online tool to help parents select the right school for their children.

CONNECTICUT

Conn. Schools Deal With Race Imbalance
Wall Street Journal, October 28, 2012
The emotionally charged issues of race and education are on the agendas of several Connecticut school boards as officials struggle to seek state-mandated racial balance at elementary schools.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Students Flood Into D.C.-Area Schools
Washington Examiner, DC, October 27, 2012
The top-performing public school systems in Montgomery and Fairfax counties have been ballooning with students in the last several years, sending school officials scrambling to find more space and beg for larger budgets to accommodate the influx of new faces. True to form, both school systems grew by more than 2,500 students this year, according to preliminary counts.

FLORIDA

Teachers, Palm Beach County School District Can’t Agree, Quash Race To The Top Grant Application
Palm Beach Post, FL, October 28, 2012
The Palm Beach County School District’s goal to win a federal grant worth up to $40 million is over before the application was even submitted.

Principal’s Golden Parachute Infuriates Lawmakers
The Ledger, FL, October 28, 2012
A failed Florida charter school’s principal is getting a $519,000 departure payment, and that has some state lawmakers outraged.

Lawmakers Need To Tighten Loopholes For Charter Schools
Tampa Bay Times, FL, October 27, 2012
If Florida Department of Education officials and lawmakers fail to slow expansion and tighten loopholes in charter school regulations, they should all be dismissed as hypocrites or fools.

GEORGIA

Issue Is Not About Charters, But Who Controls Them
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, October 28, 2012
This year, Georgia voters will be confronted with two proposed amendments to the state constitution. Regardless of their substance, the system for approving amendments is broken, and this threatens the principle that our Constitution draws its power directly from the people.

Georgia’s Amendment 1 Reforming Enemies of Change
Augusta Chronicle, GA, October 27, 2012
One of the more irrational arguments against Amendment 1 – the charter school amendment and the re-establishment of the Georgia Charter Schools Commission – is the argument that the Charter Commission is a duplication of what the Georgia State Board of Education already can do.

Campaign For Charter Amendment Draws More Out-Of-State Cash
Newnan Times-Herald, GA, October 27, 2012
The campaign to pass the charter-school amendment on this fall’s Georgia ballot pulled in $1.28 million in the last 30 days, with more than 70 percent coming from six out-of-state donors, according figures it released Friday.

INDIANA

Charter Building Lawsuit To Be Heard
The Journal Gazette, IN, October 28, 2012
Since June 2010, Fort Wayne Community Schools has been spending $1,200 to $3,200 a month on utilities at Pleasant Center Elementary School.

Indiana Teacher Colleges See Drop In Applications; Legislature Blamed
Post Tribune, IN, October 27, 2012
Applications to teacher colleges across Indiana have hit their lowest levels in at least five years as new laws and increased pressure on educators have deterred many from entering the field.

On Heels Of Strike, Teachers Union Braces For School Closure Fight
Munster Times, IN, October 28, 2012
More than a month after Chicago’s first teachers strike in 25 years, union members are gearing up for what they say is their next big fight: possible school closures.

Tony Bennett, Glenda Ritz vie for Indiana School Superintendent
Courier Journal, IN, October 29, 2012
Now seeking re-election, Bennett, 51, is nationally renowned within the school reform movement for a long list of changes he spurred in Hoosier schools. In particular, he’s among the highest-profile champions for market-based solutions in education.

LOUISIANA

Possible ‘Loopholes’ In Voucher School Regs Stir Debate
Opelousas Daily World, LA, October 29, 2012
Proposed regulations for approving nonpublic schools’ participation in a state-funded voucher program are too loose because they allow the superintendent of education to waive any requirements that a school can’t meet, proponents of stronger standards argued at an afternoon hearing on the rules.

Voucher Program Provides Vital Option: Letter
Times Picayune, LA, October 28, 2012
Re: “Public money should go to public schools,” Your Opinions, Oct.16. The letter omitted some key points as it relates to the Louisiana scholarship program. As an advocacy organization for parental choice and a child’s right to a high-quality education, the Louisiana Black Alliance Educational Options

J.S. Clark Enjoying Early Success
Opelousas Daily World, LA, October 29, 2012
J.S. Clark Leadership Academy may not look special from the outside. But those who go inside will tell you otherwise.

MICHIGAN

Opening Of New Charters Criticized
Detroit News, MI, October 29, 2012
Some of the state’s newest charter schools are being run by operators with poor academic records, critics say, and some question whether they should be allowed to open new schools when they’re not performing at the schools they have.

DPS Helping Students See Their Way To College
Detroit News, MI, October 29, 2012
That’s the approach under way in nine high schools at Detroit Public Schools, where leaders are using local control and a college-going culture as part of a transformation within the nation’s poorest big-city school district.

MISSOURI

Special School District Seeks Tax Increase
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, October 29, 2012
When St. Louis County voters head to the polls on Election Day, they’ll be asked to approve a 19-cent tax increase for the Special School District , which provides special education services and technical education to more than 25,000 students in 22 school districts in the county.

NEW JERSEY

Groundbreaking Newark Teacher Contract Good For Teachers, Kids
Star-Ledger, NJ, October 28, 2012
The long fight to improve public schools in Newark faces a crucial crossroads tomorrow, when teachers will vote on a breakthrough contract that could finally bring fundamental change.

Reform Group’s Study Finds Garden State Teachers Unions Among Most Influential
The Record, NJ, October 29, 2012
New Jersey teacher unions are among the strongest nationwide, a report due for release today by a conservative research group says.

Sandy Delays Vote on Newark Teacher Contract
Wall Street Journal, October 29, 2012
Newark Public Schools will be closed Monday because of Hurricane Sandy, pushing back a crucial vote on a new contract, officials said.

Contract With Merit Pay, Backed by Union Chiefs, Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers
New York Times, NY, October 29, 2012
On one side of the table was the union firebrand Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. On the other was the state education commissioner handpicked by Gov. Chris Christie, who became a star among fellow Republicans for aggressively taking on public employee unions.

NEW MEXICO

Objectivity Key in Teacher Evaluation
Albuquerque Journal, NM, October 27, 2012
Rick Miera and Ellen Bernstein’s “Test Scores No Panacea for Teacher Evaluation” published on Monday is a covertly politicized view really representing opposition to both standardized testing as well as teacher evaluation of any sort.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania Teacher Evaluations Will Be Tied To Schools’ Test Scores
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, October 29, 2012
When the new statewide teacher evaluation system takes effect next fall, teachers will be judged not only on how they do in their own classrooms but on how their school does as a whole.

Vitalistic Therapeutic Charter School To Close
The Morning Call, PA, October 28, 2012
The troubled small charter school’s financial crunch is forcing it to shut down, said Joyce Thompson, president of the board of trustees. She also said the negative publicity surrounding the money problems has hampered Vitalistic’s ability to secure grants and loans.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Yes-No Vote Sought On Education Bill
Aberdeen News, SD, October 29, 2012
South Dakota voters must try to answer a highly complicated set of questions with a single yes or no as they decide whether to approve or disallow Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s education reforms that make up Referred Law 16.

TENNESSEE

School Board Is In Place For The Greater Good
The Tennessean, TN, October 28, 2012
The Tennessean and the powers that be have come together to chastise the Metro School Board for trying to set standards for charter schools operating in the district for which they are responsible.

TEXAS

Well-Heeled S.A. Effort Aims For More Charter Schools — Lots More
San Antonio Express, TX, October 29, 2012
A coalition of San Antonio philanthropists is throwing its support — including a lot of money — behind an elite group of charter school operators that could someday educate nearly one in four area students.

West Dallas Partnership Investing In Families To Help Students Succeed
Dallas Morning News, TX, October 27, 2012
But while some people target investment returns in West Dallas, a new partnership involving schools and social-service agencies is taking a new approach to investing in people’s lives there, starting with children.

Senate Public Ed Chair Patrick Focuses on School Choice
Texas Tribune, TX, October 28, 2012
State Sen. Dan Patrick has a talk radio host’s comfort with publicly aired complaints.

WASHINGTON

I-1240 A Thoughtful Option
Spokesman Review, WA, October 28, 2012
I’m voting yes on Initiative 1240 because it’s a well-written initiative that brings to Washington the best that public charter schools have to offer. I-1240 was created based on the states with the top-performing charter schools and includes strict performance and accountability measures. I taught at a public charter school in another state and believe this initiative will benefit Washington ’s students.

WEST VIRGINIA

Report Ranks State Teachers Unions 13th Strongest
Charleston Gazette, WV, October 28, 2012
Leaders with West Virginia’s teachers unions are grateful to be recognized in a study that ranks the state as having the 13th strongest union presence in the country, but say that not all the report’s claims stand up.

WISCONSIN

Analysis Finds Limitations Of New Public School Report Cards
Wisconsin State Journal, WI, October 28, 2012
Wisconsin’s new public school report cards offer parents a trove of previously unpublished information about their children’s educational options, but they also come with some noteworthy quirks and limitations.

Consequences For Failing Schools Still Undecided
Fond du Lac Reporter, WI, October 29, 2012
But the state hasn’t said what supports or penalties those 266 struggling schools might face — will they get extra funding to make changes, will they add fuel to the push for a statewide voucher program allowing students to leave for private schools, or will they face some other type of sanctions?

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Students ‘Flip’ for Digital Learning
Huffington Post, October 26, 2012
Students today live in a wired world. Educators strive to assure high school and post-secondary success for each student. We think it’s a pretty good idea to recognize where students live outside the classroom and provide learning experiences that are real, relevant and engaging during the school day and beyond.

Bucyrus BOE Looks at Grade Card, Virtual Learning Academy
WBCO, OH, October 26, 2012
The Bucyrus City School District received the same grade from the state for last year as the previous one, but that doesn’t mean significant improvement didn’t take place. That’s what Superintendent Kevin Kimmel told the district’s Board of Education at Thursday’s meeting.

Iowa View: You Can Get a Good Education without Hollywood’s Approach
Des Moines Register, IA, October 29, 2012
For a growing number of parents in Iowa and across the nation, virtual schools are providing a better educational fit for their children than traditional brick-and-mortar schools.

Opinion Journal: School Choice on the Ballot
Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2012
Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, on ballot initiatives in Georgia and Washington that would expand school choice.

At Charter Schools, High Enrollment, Low Oversight Bring Mixed Results
Desert News, UT, October 25, 2012
Across the country, communities continue to put energy and dollars into charter schools, despite the lack of both oversight and convincing results.

FROM THE STATES

Amid Misconduct Probe, O.C. Charter School Exonerates Itself
Orange County Register, CA, October 25, 2012
A K-8 charter school accused of misconduct during state standardized testing has absolved itself of all wrongdoing following an internal investigation, even as the Capistrano Unified School District continues to probe reports of testing violations.

One Small Victory for Anti-School Choice, One Giant Opportunity for Einstein Academy
SCVTV, CA, October 25, 2012
The California Teachers Association wields its power silently but effectively in our K-6 elementary school system here in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Charter Carbondale School Seeks To Loosen Sibling Policy
Glenwood Springs Post Independent, CO, October 26, 2012
The lone charter school operating as part of the Roaring Fork School District Re-1 wants to change its enrollment policy to allow siblings of current students automatic enrollment into the school.

Hartford Seeks $30M In Federal ‘Race To The Top’ Money
The Hartford Courant, CT, October 26, 2012
A tablet computer for every city high school student? That’s the plan if Hartford wins a federal Race to the Top grant worth up to $30 million over four years, a potential boon that could mean personal technology for thousands of students and their teachers.

D.C. To Give Charter Schools Hand With Facility Costs
Washington Post, DC, October 25, 2012
The District will apply part of its $140 million budget surplus to charter-school facilities costs that are currently paid for with federal funds, Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) announced Thursday.

D.C. Officials Expect Enrollment Numbers To Hold Up Well Under Audit
Washington Post Blog, DC, October 25, 2012
Charter school enrollment in the District continues to grow quickly while DCPS enrollment appears to be either holding steady or headed for a slight drop, according to raw data released today by the Office for the State Superintendent of Education.

Scott’s Education Agenda Offers More Flexibility
Tallahassee Democrat, FL, October 26, 2012
Gov. Rick Scott released an education agenda on Thursday that would offer Florida ’s school districts more flexibility and, if money can be found in the state budget, more funding.

Don’t Set Low Expectations For Minorities In Florida’s New Education Goals
Miami Herald, FL, October 25, 2012
The Florida Board of Education has approved a six-year plan to address students achievements based on race, disability, and English proficiency.

Charter School Spent More On Principal Than Teachers, Students
Orlando Sentinel, FL, October 25, 2012
An Orange County charter school that gave its principal a $519,000 departure payout was an academic failure that struggled to provide its students with basic materials and qualified teachers, an evaluation by the school district shows.

Amid Renewal, Charter School Mulls Addition
Cherokee Tribune, GA, October 26, 2012
With Cherokee Charter Academy’s charter renewal quickly approaching, the academy is eyeing the possibility of adding a high school.

Panelists Debate Charter School Amendment
Augusta Chronicle, GA, October 26, 2012
When debating the merit of House Resolution 1162, a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot affecting charter schools, panelists at the Richmond County Council of PTAs forum agreed on one idea Thursday.

Gwinnett Judge Tosses Suit On Schools’ Campaigning
Athens Banner Herald, GA, October 26, 2012
A judge dismissed a lawsuit accusing Gwinnett County school officials and the Georgia School Boards Association of illegally campaigning against a proposed constitutional amendment to affirm the state’s power to create independent charter schools.

IDAHO

Ills Of Citizens United Visible In Idaho Election
Spokesman Review, WA, October 26, 2012
Idaho voters are being asked to reject or support the education reforms passed by the last Legislature. These include expanding online courses, providing laptops to students, replacing teacher tenure with two-year contracts, and other changes. In this case, the big money is lined up against the reforms, and it comes from predictable sources: teachers unions.

Education Laws Provide Needed Reforms
Idaho Mountain Express and Guide, ID, October 26, 2012
We will be failing our students if Idaho doesn’t demand a better education and preparation so our kids can compete on the world’s stage. The “Luna laws” have given local school boards more control over budgets and hiring. There have been many commercials falsely portraying Idaho’s Students Come First laws. These laws were passed with bipartisan support.

Majority of Local Charters Get 4-Star Rating From State
Idaho Press, ID, October 26, 2012
Last month, the state Department of Education released Adequate Yearly Progress and Five Star Rating System results for Idaho schools, and Canyon County’s charter schools fared well in general.

INDIANA

Hope And Worry In The Classroom
Bloomington Herald Times, IN, October 25, 2012
For better or worse, depending which side of the argument you’re on, state-mandated teacher evaluations that affect pay and employment are in place for the first time this school year.

LOUISIANA

White on Neville: Students Trump District Concerns
Monroe News Star, LA, October 26, 2012
State Superintendent John White said Wednesday that providing good opportunities for the state’s students takes precedent over how chartering schools outside of local school systems might impact district performance scores.

Possible ‘Loopholes’ In Voucher Rules Stir Debate
The Advertiser, LA, October 26, 2012
Proposed regulations for approving nonpublic schools’ participation in a state-funded voucher program are too loose because they allow the superintendent of education to waive any requirements that a school can’t meet, proponents of stronger standards argued at an afternoon hearing on the rules.

BESE: No Voucher Changes Expected
The Advocate, LA, October 26, 2012
Renewing arguments that have raged for months, voucher critics and backers clashed Thursday on whether state oversight of private and parochial schools that accept voucher students is adequate.

MICHIGAN

EFMs Tapped for Allen Park, Highland Park School District
Detroit News, MI, October 26, 2012
A state board on Thursday appointed Joyce Parker to serve as Allen Park’s new emergency financial manager.

MINNESOTA

Prairie Seeds’ Biggest Challenge Isn’t On Field
Star Tribune, MN, October 25, 2012
The charter school has filed for an injunction that it hopes will let the team participate in today’s soccer state tournament.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Common Core Won’t Improve Education
Nashua Telegraph, NH, October 25, 2012
When President Obama touts “education reform” as one of his accomplishments, most people do not realize that he is referring to the new Common Core State Standards being implemented nationwide, including in New Hampshire.

OHIO

Give Charter Schools A Chance
The Hill Blog, October 25, 2012
Ohio passed legislation authorizing a limited number of charter (community) schools in 1997, and has since amended the laws numerous times to expand the total number of charter schools in the state.

FBI Joins Probe of Schools’ Records
Columbus Dispatch, OH, October 26, 2012
The FBI has launched its own investigation into the data-scrubbing probe that began with Columbus City Schools and has spread statewide.

OKLAHOMA

Results of Oklahoma’s A-F Grading System for Schools Should Be Embraced
The Oklahoman, OK, October 26, 2012
AFTER several weeks’ delay, A-F grades have been released for all Oklahoma public schools. The results indicate the pre-emptive criticisms of some superintendents were overblown and unfounded.

PENNSYLVANIA

State House Candidates Weigh-In On Education
The Morning Call, PA, October 25, 2012
Gov. Tom Corbett has made education reform — mostly in the form of expanding charter schools and school choice — the cornerstone of his first-term agenda. But the Republican has seen his efforts to pass taxpayer-funded vouchers stymied, as were the efforts of his GOP predecessor, former Gov. Tom Ridge.

TEXAS

School Choice Vouchers Expected To Dominate 83rd Legislative Session
Midland Reporter Telegram, TX, October 25, 2012
Though water shortages, traffic congestion and budget shortages will be hot topics during the 83rd legislative session, the majority of discussions likely will to revolve around education, said Senate Education Committee Chairman Dan Patrick, R-Houston.

UTAH

18 Candidates Vie To Lead Utah Education
The Salt Lake Tribune, UT, October 25, 2012
It just might be the most important race this election year that you’ve never heard of.

WASHINGTON

TV Ad Accuses O’Ban of ‘Extreme Agenda’ on Education
Bellingham Herald, WA, October 26, 2012
A recent television advertisement on Steve O’Ban, Republican candidate for a House seat in the 28th Legislative District, paints him as having an “extreme agenda” for public schools.

WISCONSIN

SCHOOL: Pay Your Own Way
Coeur d’Alene Press, WI, October 26, 2012
It never ceases to amaze me why the same people who through my tax dollars want me to pay for their educational choice, via PYP and IB, but do not want to pay for teaching Creation Science, my educational choice for my kids. They say those of us who want our kids taught Creation Science can send them to a private religious school.

Audit: US Oversight Of Charter School Funds Lax
Associated Press, October 24, 2012
An audit of the U.S. Department of Education’s division overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in charter school funding has criticized the office for failing to properly monitor how states spend the money.

Camilla Benbow: Romney, Obama Differ On Education Ideology
The Tennessean, TN, October 25, 2012
With the election looming, let us take a look at where the two major candidates for president stand on education.

How The World’s Longest-Running School Voucher Program Fared
Washington Post Blog, DC, October 25, 2012
Though Gov. Mitt Romney and President Obama agree on some education issues, there are important differences, including the extent of federal involvement in local school issues and voucher programs.

Obama Would Better Support Education
Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, WI, October 25, 2012
When you think about it, how do we really create a nation that is prosperous, healthy and progressive with the ongoing world? You educate our youths to be better prepared to make the future decisions that will affect the nation as a whole.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

Charter Schools Going Strong For 20 Years
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, October 24, 2012
Charter school enrollment in California has reached record levels this year with nearly 1 in 10 students now attending the alternative public schools.

Settlement Voided; Teacher Layoff Process To Go To Trial
Los Angeles Times Blog, CA, October 24, 2012
The state Supreme Court has declined to reinstate a settlement that allowed local officials to shield schools from having disproportionate numbers of teachers laid off during a budget crisis. The voided settlement had allowed exceptions to rules stating that less-experienced teachers must be let go first.

L.A. Schools Chief Urges Union Cooperation On Federal Funds
Los Angeles Times, CA, October 24, 2012
Supt. John Deasy seeks teachers’ backing on a grant application that could bring $40 million to LAUSD. The union fears the grant won’t cover all the costs of implementing the district’s proposal.

COLORADO

Dougco Launches Call For Charter Schools
EdNews Colorado, CO, October 24, 2012
A second large Colorado school district has approved the launch of a “call for new schools” process, though the focus of the Douglas County plan is charter schools.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Rise In D.C. School Enrollment
Washington Post, DC, October 24, 2012
The number of students enrolled in public and public charter schools in the District rose 5 percent this fall, to nearly 81,000 students, the highest level in more than a decade, according to a raw enrollment count that city officials plan to release Thursday.

FLORIDA

Lake Wales Charter System Seeks Injunction for IB Program Recruitment
The Ledger, FL, October 24, 2012
Parents with students in the Lake Wales Charter System and its officials say the Polk County School District is not playing fair.

GEORGIA

Gwinnett At Center Of Charter Amendment Fight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, October 25, 2012
In the highly contested fight over the charter school amendment, Gwinnett County is ground zero.

Charter School Parents Explain Why We Need Amendment One
Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog, GA, October 25, 2012
“How can I in good conscience send my child to a school that didn’t even cheat right?” The question from Shelby McDonald has surely been asked by many an Atlanta parent since rampant cheating on standardized tests was uncovered in the city’s public schools. Only rhetorically, of course, because the answer is: You can’t.

State Superintendent John Barge Shares Concerns About Charter Amendment
Savannah Morning News, GA, October 25, 2012
State Superintendent of Schools John Barge came to Savannah on Wednesday to discuss his vision for education but got grilled for opinions on the upcoming charter school Constitutional amendment.

Charter Amendment Isn’t Answer
Athens Banner-Herald , GA, October 24, 2012
This week, many of us are opening our mailboxes to find a slick, full-color, very expensive piece of propaganda. It’s full of children’s smiling faces, and it also contains false statements and misleading assertions about the proposed charter school amendment.

IDAHO

Idaho Seeks Names Of Education Reform Campaign Donors
Spokesman Review, WA, October 25, 2012
The state of Idaho asked a judge Wednesday to order a secretive group to disclose its funding sources for more than $200,000 in campaign ads in support of three school-reform ballot measures, and do it before the election.

INDIANA

Forum Held For State Superintendent Candidates
Journal Review, IN, October 25, 2012
The choice for Indiana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction is clearly between two different paths.

EVSC Enrollment Declines
Evansville Courier & Press, IN, October 25, 2012
Enrollment in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. for 2012-13 is 21,510 students, a decline of 94 from last school year.

MASSACHUSETTS

Taking The Reins At Charter School
Gloucester Daily Times, MA, October 25, 2012
Classes at the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School begin each morning with a meeting, with teachers and their students on all grade levels sitting down to talk and setting the tone for the day.

Charter School Company Shows That Time Is On Students’ Side
Boston Globe, MA, October 25, 2012
It is maddening that Boston’s public schools must reach the precipice of collapse before they can use one of the most important tools of school reform — a longer school day.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Derry Charter School Puts Focus On Next Year’s Opening
Union Leader, NH, October 24, 2012
With a board of trustees and state approval in place, the NEXT charter high school in Derry can now focus on opening its doors to students for the 2013-14 school year.

NEW JERSEY

Ocean City Schools Ready For Teacher Evaluation Program
Shore News Today, NJ, October 25, 2012
Administrators in Ocean City are optimistic about the district’s participation in the Excellent Educator’s for New Jersey pilot program.

NEW YORK

Children Left Behind
New York Daily News, NY, October 25, 2012
A report on college-readiness among high school graduates in New York’s poorest neighborhoods paints a stark, depressing picture of the future for thousands of black and Latino young people. But while the results of the study are clear, the conclusions that can be drawn from them are far less so.

Lack Of Evaluation Accord May Mean $58.7 Million Loss
Buffalo News, NY, October 24, 2012
The Buffalo Public Schools stand to lose $58.7 million – some of it earmarked for the district’s lowest-performing schools – if the district cannot work out a teacher-evaluation plan with its union soon, Superintendent Pamela C. Brown told the School Board on Wednesday night.

Graduation Rates, Test Scores Show An Entrenched Gap For Syracuse African-American, Latino Students
Syracuse Post-Standard, NY, October 25, 2012
Fifteen years and countless dropouts ago, a review of the Syracuse school district revealed an achievement gap between African-American and Latino students and their white peers. The gap mirrored a national disparity.

OHIO

First Charter School In Cleveland’s Central Neighborhood Hosts Open House
NewsNet5, OH, October 24, 2012
Stepstone Academy hosted an open house Tuesday for perspective students and their parents. It is the first charter school in Cleveland’s Central Neighborhood.

Ohio Teachers Seek A Voice In The State Legislature By Running For Office
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, October 25, 2012
Remember last year’s Senate Bill 5? The legislation that cut public employees’ power to collectively bargain, which was met with some support, a lot of outrage and ultimately a ballot measure that struck it down?

PENNSYLVANIA

No Curve For Charter Schools
Citizen Voice, PA, October 25, 2012
State education officials haven’t finished their investigation into alleged cheating on standardized tests in some public school districts, including Scranton. But they have found their own side door to increase test results for charter schools, which the Corbett administration and legislative Republicans aggressively have promoted as alternatives to conventional public schools.

Critics: Pa. Inflating Success Of Charter Schools
Beaver Times, PA, October 24, 2012
Pennsylvania education officials have asked to measure charter school achievement by a different yardstick than traditional schools, a standard that critics say inflates the success of charters for political reasons.

Tighten Funding Formula For Charter Schools
The Reporter, PA, October 24, 2012
LAWMAKERS HAVE made some valuable changes to the law covering public charter schools but have punted on the most important issue.

Pa. Charter Bill Fail Is Business As Usual
York Dispatch, PA, October 24, 2012
We can’t say our state Legislature does nothing. That wouldn’t be fair. Occasionally, a meaningful bill slips through and becomes law. There was the, um …And the one that fixed that thing with the … oh, what was it now?

TENNESSEE

Metro School Board Should Move Past Charter Debate, Focus On Future
The Tennessean, TN, October 25, 2012
Student progress measurements, teacher evaluation implementation and planning for the future must all be well in hand in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.

TEXAS

Why Not Improve Texas Public Schools?
The Cross Timbers Gazette, TX, October 25, 2012
In 1876, state leaders in Austin approved the Texas Constitution, which included establishing and providing “for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.” Our forefathers had a vision that the Constitution would provide a quality and equal educational system for all future young Texans.

Proposed Texas School Vouchers Program Won’t Work
Houston Chronicle, TX, October 24, 2012
Now that state Sen. Dan Patrick has been appointed chairman of the Senate Education Committee, the battle over school vouchers will begin in earnest. I have always in theory endorsed the concept of allowing school choice and permitting state funds to follow the kids.

WASHINGTON

Why Teachers Will Love Charter Schools
Auburn Reporter, WA, October 24, 2012
Bob Dean is a public school teacher and a supporter of Initiative 1240, the ballot measure to allow public charter schools in Washington. He is the head of his school’s Math Department, teaches Advanced Placement calculus and is a past member of the State Board of Education Math Advisory Panel.

7 Seattle Schools Apply To Use “Creative Approach”
Seattle Times Blog, WA, October 24, 2012
Seven Seattle schools are applying to become Seattle Public Schools’ first “creative approach” schools which, similar to charter schools in other states, will be allowed significant flexibility to pursue innovative approaches to learning.

WISCONSIN

Proficiency Plummets At Voucher Schools, MPS With New Test Scoring
Journal Sentinel, WI, October 24, 2012
Based on a new and tougher yardstick for academic competency in Wisconsin, about 90% of the students in Milwaukee’s private-school voucher program are not proficient in reading and math, according to recalibrated fall 2011 state test results released this week.

ONLINE SCHOOLS

Milwaukee Area Schools Lose Enrollment To Virtual School
Marquette Tribune, WI, October 25, 2012
Schools in the four-county Milwaukee metro area have been hit by a significant decrease in enrollment this year, while virtual charter schools have made gains, according to data released by the state that provides a preliminary head count of all students in public schools.

Filling Gap In Number Of Quality Teachers Is Something Candidates Should Be Talking About
The Oklahoman, OK, October 24, 2012
EDUCATION was the one important topic that was almost entirely absent from last week’s second presidential debate, which focused on a wide variety of domestic issues.

President Barack Obama Strives To End The Failure Of No Child Left Behind
Desert Sun, CA, October 23, 2012
President Obama’s commitment to this institution reflects the critical role public education plays in ensuring a strong and vibrant America.

WHY IT MATTERS: Education
Associated Press, October 23, 2012
States and local governments have the primary responsibility for education in the United States . But the federal government gets a big say, too, by awarding billions in aid, often with strings attached.

FROM THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

In Search Of Quality Teachers, Charter Network Trains Its Own
The Bay Citizen, CA, October 24, 2012
Amy Youngman’s seventh- and eighth-grade humanities students had left for the day. Other than some shouts from the after-school program in the courtyard, all was quiet in her second-floor classroom here.

School Choice And Educational Services Available
Press Enterprise, CA, October 23, 2012
San Bernardino City Unified School District students who attend Program Improvement (PI) schools may be eligible for special services or school transfers.

Education Prize Eludes Corona-Norco District
Los Angeles Times, CA, October 24, 2012
The Corona-Norco Unified School District is a finalist for the Broad Prize for Urban Education, garnering $150,000, but the award goes to Miami-Dade schools.

CONNECTICUT

Bridgeport Charter Revision Backers Aren’t Being Honest
CT Post, CT, October 24, 2012
In fact, if the referendum passes, parents will have less chance for involvement. They won’t be able to hold the board accountable by voting them out.

FLORIDA

Spectacular Academics
Miami Herald, FL, October 23, 2012
The fifth time was the charm for Miami-Dade Public Schools, which won the prestigious Broad Prize on Tuesday, for minority students making spectacular gains in academics.

When Mom And Dad Help, Schools And Students Excel
News-Press, FL, October 24, 2012
On any given day, you can find about 20 parents regularly volunteering their time at Bonita Springs Charter School.

School Board Oks Improvement Plans For 2 Charter Schools
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, October 23, 2012
Improvement plans for F-rated charter schools in DeLand and Oak Hill were approved by the Volusia County School Board Tuesday amid warnings district officials will be watching carefully to see how they’re put into action.

Why Miami-Dade Schools Won Prestigious Broad Prize For Urban Districts
Christian Science Monitor, MA, October 23, 2012
Miami-Dade County Public Schools has been steadily chipping away at the achievement gap. After being a finalist four other times, the district won the Broad Prize for Urban Education on Tuesday.

GEORGIA

Setzler: We Must Have Healthy Competition With Charter Schools
Marietta Daily Journal, GA, October 24, 2012
One side at a Tuesday evening forum said passing the charter schools constitutional amendment on Nov. 6 to create a new state agency for charter schools would give parents more choice in their children’s education, while others called it a money grab for out-of-state interests.

A ‘Yes’ Will Offer An Appeal Process
Cherokee Ledger, GA, October 24, 2012
For those who have been following the debate regarding Amendment No. 1 — the charter amendment — and wondering why everyone is so upset, I wanted to give you some final thoughts. For those of us in the thick of it, it’s a passionate subject that goes to the basic instinct of parents, what’s best for our kids and who is best to decide that?

Amendment 1 a Modern Trojan Horse
Macon Telegraph, GA, October 24, 2012
Let me begin with a disclaimer. I am an educator in a public school; have been for 25 years. The boorish behavior of our governor and his attorney general aside, I certainly don’t feel my profession disqualifies me from holding or sharing an opinion on the charter school amendment.

ILLINOIS

Cleveland’s Charter School Growth A Cautionary Tale For Chicago
Chicago Tribune, IL, October 24, 2012
Ohio gives poor marks to nearly a third of city’s charters that serve disadvantaged students

District 150 Launches New Evaluation System For Teachers
Peoria Journal Star, IL, October 23, 2012
All Peoria School District 150 teachers are being rated with a new evaluation tool this year that both administrators and teachers’ union representatives say will improve teaching and put the district in the forefront of new state-mandated reforms.

INDIANA

In State School Chiefs Election, Pace Of Educational Reforms Just One Issue
Journal and Courier, IN, October 23, 2012
If one issue in Indiana has become a hotbed of political debate, it’s education.

Charter School Lawsuit Sent Back To State Court
Munster Times, IN, October 23, 2012
LEAD College Prep wants to force the Gary school district to comply with state law and lease the unused former Ernie Pyle Elementary School to the charter for $1. The Gary district wants the charter school to follow through on an offer its former management company made to buy another school building for $300,000.

LOUISIANA

D.C. Trip May Boomerang
The Daily Adviser, LA, October 24, 2012
The boomerang hasn’t made its way back to the delegation of Monroe City School Board members and officials who made a questioned and questionable trip to Washington, D.C. , to the U.S. Justice Department to talk about the Neville High School charter proposal.

Voucher Law Questioned In Desegregation Case
Alexandria Town Talk, LA, October 23, 2012
Louisiana’s education chief has been summoned to federal court in a case involving the state’s new school voucher law and a 47-year-old desegregation case.

Once-Failing Orleans Parish Schools Eligible To Return To Local Control
WWL-TV, LA, October 23, 2012
A number of once-failing Orleans Parish schools that the state took over after Hurricane Katrina are now eligible to return to local control.

MARYLAND

Dream Act Event At City School Being Scrutinized
The Baltimore Sun, MD, October 23, 2012
The Baltimore school system is looking into whether an event held at a public charter school to promote passage of a question on the Nov. 6 ballot was an improper use of facilities to promote a political cause.

MINNESOTA

All-Day Kindergarten Back On The Ballot In St. Paul
Star Tribune, MN, October 23, 2012
St. Paul is on a quest to improve education by training more resources on the youngest students, and its all-day kindergarten offerings — a crucial part of that effort — could hinge on a school levy up for renewal by voters on Nov. 6.

MISSISSIPPI

Parent Trigger Law
WJTV, MS, October 23, 2012
If your child attends a failing school, there may be something you can do about it. This is the first year parents have the opportunity to take control of their child’s education.

MISSOURI

Southeast Approves Charter School Through 2018
Southeast Missourian, MO, October 24, 2012
Southeast Missouri State University says a charter schools it oversees can continue operating through 2018.

NEW JERSEY

Newark Teachers Blast Historic Salary Contract Signed By Union Leaders
Star-Ledger, NJ, October 23, 2012
Leaders of the Newark Teachers Union faced a barrage of criticism from rank and file members tonight over the historic three-year contract signed Friday that, for the first time, will offer annual bonuses of up to $12,500 to top teachers.

OHIO

Charters Not Making The Grade
Ironton Tribune, OH, October 23, 2012
Ohio’s public school systems have been at odds with the state’s charter schools for the near decade and a half since they were created. But data from the recent state report cards show that public school administrators — and taxpayers — should have legitimate concerns.

PENNSYLVANIA

School Board, Residents, Teachers Frustrated At Lack Of State Response
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA, October 24, 2012
It’s been four weeks since the state board of control overseeing the Duquesne City School District notified the state Department of Education that it would not oppose its decision to place the district in preliminary financial recovery status.

Policy Change Aids Bear Creek School
Times Leader, PA, October 24, 2012
It was easier for Bear Creek Community Charter School to meet state goals in math and reading tests this year – not because of anything the school did, but because the state changed the way it judges charter school success.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Hayes: Zais’ SC Teacher Pay Plan Unfair, Counterproductive
The State, SC, October 24, 2012
S.C. Education Superintendent Mick Zais has a plan to radically change how teachers are evaluated, credentialed and, ultimately, paid. Student test scores will be used to give teachers a letter grade: A, B, C, D or F.

Closing Choices Would Be A Bad Choice
Morning News, SC, October 24, 2012
The idea behind Choices Charter School in Florence has undeniable appeal. A retired Florence police captain starts a school, based on military-style discipline and accountability, offering a tough-love second (or third, or fourth) chance to kids who just can’t seem to make it “regular” school.

Future of Choices Charter School Uncertain After Agreements Lapse
WBTW, SC, October 23, 2012
The future of Choices Charter School is somewhat up in the air after a lapse in charter agreements between the school and school districts in Florence and Darlington Counties.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Teacher Bonus Pay Is A Dubious Plan
Yankton Daily Press, SD, October 24, 2012
South Dakota’s educational system may soon be redefined and based on a questionable theory. That theory — that awarding bonuses to teachers whose students perform best in the classroom — sounds straightforward and productive enough. But like many theories, it doesn’t always function ideally in the real world.

TENNESSEE

Nashville School Board Appears Split On Filing Suit Over Charter Penalty
The Tennessean, TN, October 24, 2012
Metro Nashville school board member Amy Frogge is ready to sue the state to force the return of $3.4 million the district didn’t receive last month, and she said parent groups stand ready to take up the legal fight if the board decides against it.

TEXAS

Schools Have Strong Funding Case
Dallas Morning News, TX, October 23, 2012
The state’s latest school finance lawsuit is only into its first week of hearings, but this much already is clear: Poor and wealthy districts aren’t fighting each other. They are united in protesting that lawmakers aren’t adequately funding Texas schools. It is not often that you see rich and poor districts partnering in a school finance case.

UTAH

Charter School Application On Hold
Park Record, UT, October 24, 2012
While the Winter Sports School in Park City (WSS) application to become a charter school may be on hold, it’s anything but dead. In a recent Park City Board of Education meeting, board members voted to table the talks to incorporate the private school into the district.

VIRGINIA

State On-Time Graduation Rate On The Rise
Richmond Times-Dispatch, VA, October 24, 2012
The number of students dropping out of high school fell last year and is down 25 percent over the past five years, according to data released Tuesday by the Virginia Department of Education.

WASHINGTON

Evergreen Offers Model For Better Teachers – Without Depending On Test Scores
Bellingham Herald, WA, October 24, 2012
Sharon Nichols and David Berliner know something you don’t know about education – but they wish you did. And I wish all the smart people who supposedly care about education would listen to them.

Port Angeles School Board Opposes Charter-School Initiative
Peninsula Daily News, WA, October 24, 2012
The Port Angeles School Board has formally voted to oppose a state initiative that would allow charter schools in Washington, and it encourages voters to vote against I-1240.

What Happens To Local Schools If I-1240 Passes?
KXLY, WA, October 24, 2012
The way your child looks at school may soon change. If Initiative 1240 passes, up to 40 charter schools could open in Washington.

Former Foe Now Embraces Charter Schools, Campaigns For I-1240
Seattle Times, WA, October 23, 2012
Longtime public-school supporter Lisa Macfarlane once opposed opening charter schools in this state. Now she’s leading the campaign for Initiative 1240, which would allow up to 40 charters here.

Reject Initiative 1240 And Sending Public Money To Charter Schools
Seattle Times, WA, October 23, 2012
Initiative 1240 to create public charter schools is a distraction that masquerades as a solution to fund basic education, writes guest columnist Mari Taylor.

NEA Donates $250,000 To Anti-Charter-School Campaign
Seattle Times Blog, WA, October 23, 2012
The National Education Association, which supports charter schools in some states, has contributed $250,000 to the campaign to defeat a charter school initiative here, the campaign’s largest contribution to date.

Initiative 1240 Would Offer Tool That Could Help Fix State Schools
Yakima Herald-Republic, WA, October 23, 2012
Charter schools have proven a tough sell in Washington, having failed three times in ballot issues extending back to the 1996. The latest incarnation, Initiative 1240, would bring neither the sweeping changes that school reformers seek nor the dire disruption that opponents say they fear.

ONLINE TOOLS

York-Based Urban Cyber Charter School Plans Satellite Hub In Lancaster
The Evening Sun, PA, October 24, 2012
Lancaster newspapers reports a York company is seeking state approval to start a cybercharter school that would include a satellite hub in Lancaster city.

Easton Passes ‘Pay To Play’ Fee For Charter, Cyber Schools
The Morning Call, PA, October 23, 2012
Charter and cyber schools will have to start paying a fee for former Easton Area School District students who want to play sports for their home team.

Virtual Academy Is Up And Running, And Enrolling Students
Osakis Review, MN, October 24, 2012
Lakes Area Virtual Academy (LAVA) is up and running and enrolling its first students, according to Phil Grant, director of the Lakes Area Charter School (LACS) in Osakis.

Virtual Schools Meet The Needs Of Students, Families
The Gazette, IA, October 24, 2012
The movie “Won’t back down” makes for compelling Hollywood drama, and is touching off an important discussion about the future of public education. As this important conversation continues, we should keep in mind that this show glosses over educational options and solutions that aren’t nearly as extreme as taking over a school.