John M. Engler is president of the Business Roundtable and a former three-term Michigan Governor. As governor, Engler was committed to improving education, focusing on high standards, more accountability and strengthening local control.
Transparency – John Engler – CER-Mandate-2009
Kevin P. Chavous is a partner at law firm SNR Denton LLP. He is a former member of the DC Council and continues his efforts to bring quality school choice to students by speaking across the country. Kevin is Chairman of Black Alliance for Educational Options. He is co-founder and chair of Democrats for Education Reform.
Jeanne Allen is the founder and president of CER, the leading voice and advocate for lasting, substantive and structural education reform in the US. She is recognized as one of the country’s leading education experts and appears frequently on national television and radio programs.
Richard Whitmire, a veteran newspaper reporter and former editorial writer at USA Today, is the author of the just-published The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on the Nation’s Worst School District. He is also the author of Why Boys Fail, which explores why boys are falling behind in K-12 schools. He writes the Why Boys Fail blog for Education Week and comments on urban school reform issues atthebeeeater.com.
Teacher Quality – Richard Whitmire – CER-Mandate-2009
CER Press Release
Washington, D.C.
November 14, 2011
Pennsylvania is poised to be the next big battleground for serious, and potentially controversial, school reforms. Next to Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin, if the legislature adopts the Corbett education plan, the state will be the next big prominent player in national school reform and the leader on the East Coast.
President of The Center for Education Reform (CER) Jeanne Allen was on the ground visiting with Pennsylvania House Leadership and other House members on Monday, November 14, to express the importance of pending education reform proposals for Pennsylvania children.
“At the Center for Education Reform, we’re both watching and working in the field to ensure that sound policy advances are adopted for all children, in every state. In Pennsylvania, we’ve been actively engaged for years in developing charter schools,” said Allen. “Improvements to that original law, which have been tested over time, are now pending and we’re hopeful that the state will soon stand with others who permit universities and other independent entities to create charter schools.”
Public school reform is an important proposal to allow parents, who feel trapped in failing schools by virtue of their zip code, to access schools of their choice. While limited to children in the lowest 5% of performing school districts, SB 1 ensures that those children, who are currently forced to attend a failing school, do not have to stay there any longer. The state’s popular business tax credit program, which funds additional scholarships for middle- and low- income families, also grows.
The teacher evaluation proposal is what will hopefully be a first step in a long line of important teacher quality initiatives that follow recommendations of some of the leading education researchers in the nation.
It’s important that Pennsylvanians have context for the pending proposals:
Academic Performance: On the 2011 “Nation’s Report Card” fewer than half of all fourth graders are proficient in reading and math, and only 38% of 8th graders meet the standards.
Charter Schools: Pennsylvania currently has the 12th-strongest ranked charter school law, yet the deficiencies in the law have restricted quality growth and allowed other states to outpace Pennsylvania in charter growth.
Multiple Authorizers: If adopted, the proposed charter changes would make Pennsylvania the 17th charter law, out of 42, to allow for multiple authorizers. This promotes a checks and balances system in charter approval, oversight and renewal decisions. The goal is to give parents the most options, and having multiple sponsors helps reach that potential.
School Choice Programs: With passage, the opportunity scholarship program would make Pennsylvania the 3rd state to provide school choice statewide. In addition, it becomes the 21st program to provide some form of school choice.
Teacher Evaluations: A growing number of states require districts to tie student performance to their public school teachers’ evaluations ensuring that high quality teachers earn what they deserve. Pennsylvania can join a long list of states that have implemented measures to reform teacher tenure policies, as well, which is good for students, good for teachers.
“Policy makers throughout the U.S. are seeing growing numbers in student achievement in states that have adopted similar, bold reforms. Pennsylvania will experience the same success in its students with these initiatives,” said Allen.
History is an important aspect of life to understand. Knowing what transpired and why, who was involved and why they did what they did, drives us to emulate that which is good, and, hopefully, learn from mistakes. That’s why I ask my colleagues to appreciate, as well as tolerate, my concern over a public tribute to former President Bill Clinton, who today received the first-ever lifetime achievement award from the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools.
Look, it’s great that a prominent, centrist Democrat supports charters and that he knew as president that it was important to endorse the concept. But, it doesn’t change the fact that two states had already enacted charter school legislation before he even stepped into the Oval Office. In 1991, Minnesota’s Gov. Arne Carlson became the first to sign charters into law and then in 1992 California Gov. Pete Wilson followed suit. [Read more…]
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Exercising Parent Power
It’s that time of year again – kids are heading back to school. For parents, this can be a reason to rejoice or panic.
Sure, you’re happy your child is going to begin another year of learning and growth. But, at the same time you may be worried about whether or not your child is in the right environment, if the teachers are properly preparing your child for the future or if there are better options available.
Well, the Center for Education Reform is available to help.
Parent Power provides the tools for parents to become empowered and make the best decisions possible for their child’s future.
Whether you have questions about charter schools, school choice, curriculum, evaluating your child’s school, digital learning, or even how to stay involved and informed with your child’s homework, the site will help you get the answers you need.
Parents have more power over their child’s education than ever before. You just may not realize it. Parent Power will help you navigate the system and take control over your child’s learning.