(Newswire, June 5, 2018) A NY Post editorial lays it on the line for Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza. If he truly wants to mend fences with the city’s high-performing charter schools and their leaders, he can start by granting long-languishing space requests and also end an injustice that NY1 exposed this week: discrimination by the Committee on Special Education against kids who attend Success Academy (it’s been slow-walking requests for Success Academy students, and even unfairly denying services). Carranza not only visited charters in the Bronx and Brooklyn recently, he acknowledged that “charter schools are public schools” all welcome signs but will he follow up with tangible change? After all, as the editorial points out, Team de Blasio has talked détente with the charter movement from time to time but never walked the walk.
Personality Politics – Public Perception on EdReform, Charter Schools Stands to Suffer Amidst Polarizing Figures
(Newswire, June 5, 2018) An interesting piece in the NY Times posits that because EdSec Betsy DeVos is such a polarizing figure her support for charter schools actually does more harm to the charter movement than good. “One survey of views on charter schools found that Democrats’ support dropped when they heard that President Trump supported them. In other words, the president and his education secretary are so disliked by liberals that some will automatically reject whatever they endorse.”
That’s not surprising, but it is unfortunate and has spawned a narrative of negativity that is doing a terrible disservice to charters specifically and ed opportunities and innovations generally.
As pointed out in the piece “Most [charter school teachers] come to this work to provide underserved children with a better shot at educational success, but now they’re increasingly branded as corporate stooges selling out public education by critics who challenge charter schools’ right to exist.” “I wish that people knew that the thing that’s most important to us is that students are achieving at high academic levels and they’re also empowered individuals,” said a teacher at the charter school featured in the article, which concludes: “That’s all that should matter. But when it comes to education politics in 2018, it seems to be the last thing anyone wants to talk about.
Politics As Unusual – Education Shapes the Campaign Debate for Key Primaries
(Newswire, June 5, 2018) “A subterranean divide among Democrats between backers of teachers unions and those of charter schools and other education innovations is helping shape key gubernatorial primaries…” so reports the AP.
There are clearly sides to be chosen here – we line up with pro-charter Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and against anti-charter New York actress Cynthia Nixon – but a larger point can be found in the fact that these are campaign issues in the first place. Time was that charters and edreform were backburner issues in political campaigns but many places have reached a tipping point in matters of education and bringing key edreform issues to fore, even within the parties themselves.
In Colorado, for example, where as the AP notes, tension has been building over education for months – so much so that “during the party’s convention in April, activists tried to forbid the group Democrats for Education Reform, which backs candidates who support innovations like charter schools and evaluations, from using the party’s name in its title.”
Paradoxically, some of this strife is being driven the teachers unions, which either have an axe to grind against particular candidates (Villaraigosa angered the unions when, as mayor, he took over several failing schools and criticized the unions; and Cuomo has angered teachers unions with a proposal to make it easier to remove incompetent instructors and by support charters and their advocates) or are still on a high from their walk-out-campaign that, in their minds, strengthens their hand politically.
We’ll see how it all shakes out, but no matter the winners or losers that fact that there is now some debate within the Democratic establishment on these issues is good news.
Response to Valerie Strauss
Responding to Valerie Strauss (‘Answer Sheet’)
Jeanne Allen
All you have to know about Valerie Strauss’ attempts at journalism, and those she quotes or offers as “proof” that public education is under attack by dark forces who want to “privatize” schools (which of course is a misnomer since public strings are intricately linked to any ed reform measure) is that she holds up bad education results as a defacto result of poverty, rather than a result of bad educational programming, union contracts that neuter any hope for innovation, bureaucracy and poorly spent funds.
Why the Washington Post continues to host her is anyone’s guess. But know that when someone throws Strauss’ propaganda at you – or that of Ravitch or anyone from Save our Schools, Red for Ed or any number of union funded front groups – that they are not speaking from experience, fact, or concern for the 60% of students (80% among at risk children) whose futures are destined to be among the 80 million adults we have today without a postsecondary credential of any kind (certificate, degree etc.).
Those of us who actually do engage daily in educational change at the home, school, community, local, state or national level are reminded daily that without life-saving educational opportunities through personalized learning, scholarships, charter schools, teacher pay reforms, created over the past 25 years we would be the third world that Nation at Risk warned we’d become if we did not turn the U.S. Education Ship around. It’s a big ship, and a slow turn, but millions of lives are better because of the people and programs Strauss and her mal-intentioned colleagues malign.
Jeanne Allen is Founder & CEO of the Center for Education Reform.
CER Announces Silver Anniversary Honorees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eight Outstanding Leaders of Education, Government & Industry to be Honored
(Washington, D.C. – May 30, 2018) – Recognized for their accomplishments in ensuring the creation and advancement of opportunities and innovation across the education landscape, the 8 honorees for CER’s 25th Anniversary are change agents, innovators, and leaders of breakthrough options for learners at all levels.
They will receive their awards and recognition for their unique accomplishments at the Center’s Silver Anniversary Summit & Celebration, October, 25 – 26, 2018 in Miami, Florida, “The Road to Innovation for ONE America.”
“These eight colleagues are education’s outliers,” said CER Founder & CEO Jeanne Allen. “They took action and challenged convention, even when it was unpopular. And together they represent the majority of advances in educational change in the US since the early 90s.”
“We’ve had the privilege of working alongside them and following their lead to ensure education opportunity and innovation reaches students and families everywhere.”
CER’s 25th honorees are:
· Jon Hage, Founder and CEO, Charter Schools USA
· Brian Jones, President, Strayer Education
· J.C Huizenga, Founder, National Heritage Academies
· Lisa Graham Keegan, CEO, Arizona Chamber Foundation
· Joe Nathan, Director, Center for School Change
· Deborah Quazzo, Managing Partner, GSV Acceleration Fund
· Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin
· Fernando Zulueta, Founder and President, Academica
Please see this link for event details, registration and media information.
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Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education.
For press inquiries regarding the events, please contact Mary Riner at mary@staging.edreform.com, or call (202) 750-0016.
NBC News offers up a great article on K12 Virtual School in Indiana
Modoc, Indiana, a rural community in Union Township, once threatened with closure because of its small size – has partnered with K12 Inc. to open a public virtual school, Indiana Digital Learning School (INDLS), which has been the savior of the struggling district.
According to NBC News which covered this hopeful story, the school not only brought people back to the community but enrollment in this novel school actually surpasses demand.
“When you eliminate the school, we’ve seen what happens to these small towns,” said school board Vice President Christa Ellis. “Those towns have died over the years. We didn’t want…our community to die.”
It hasn’t, and it won’t. Thanks to the partnership with K12, Union’s enrollment has grown from 256 students in 2016-17 to 937 students in 2017-18 and is projected to top 1,000 next year. And, with hundreds of Indiana kids on a waiting list for enrollment in INDLS (and many families attending the numerous “EnRolling Skate Events” K12 held throughout the state in May) the future of Modoc, and the kids receiving an innovative opportunity for learning, looks bright.
Newswire – May 30, 2018
GUBERNATORIAL RACES PUT ED FRONT-AND-CENTER. Who are the education innovation and opportunity candidates? With 36 gubernatorial races at stake, and CER’s ED50 ramping up to serve you in the generals, your CER NEWSWIRE will highlight key races & what opportunity voters should know about each candidate from now until the final election day.
CALIFORNIA. In the Golden state, the front runner’s gold is clearly the teachers unions, who endorsed Lt. Gov and former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom because he says stuff like edreforms such as charters are an attack on public education. Antonio Villaraigosa believes in choice through charter schools, which earned him the endorsement of California charter advocates and some of their biggest financial backers.
But the State’s two leading Republican candidates are polling ahead of Villaraigosa. Businessman John Cox is pretty silent on education opportunity, and Assemblyman Travis Allen is a fierce advocate of educational choice. They are polling at 18 and 16 percent respectively ahead of Villaraigosa’s 9%.
GEORGIA. The winner of May 22nd’s Democratic primary, Stacey Abrams says educational choice is “diversion of funds to private schools” that “[undermine] our government’s responsibility.” (Hmmm, you mean the responsibility to educate kids which they can’t do in most states and communities, Stacey?)
The Republicans will run off Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp in July both of whom have supported education opportunity. Kemp also supports military vouchers.
UNIONS GEAR UP (BRACE) FOR JANUS. The U.S. Supreme Court will deliver a decision in Janus v. AFSME sometime in June, and true to form, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is focused on how to mitigate membership losses that will be inevitable if the Court rules in favor of Janus. AFT says it will lose members (aww, darn) and is buying up advertising to scare people that this decision is terminal… for… exactly who? Imagine if those funds were given back to the teachers who can’t make enough money in the prime of their lives thanks to A) the policies they lobby for and B) the dues they extract.
GET THE DETAILS with the latest Reality Check w/Jeanne Allen with guest Colin Sharkey, EVP of the Association of American Teachers, the largest non-union professional association for teachers. Colin is uniquely qualified to comment on the case and its implications for the public sector and the teaching profession. Mark Mix, the head of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund, also talks about the case he helped to take all the way to the Supreme Court.
EXCEL IN ED PLAYBOOK. Shout out to the Foundation for Excellence in Education for producing the first-ever playbook for state policymakers defining the case for strengthening career and technical pathways through cross-sector partnerships. Let’s strive to help learners at all levels, particularly those ill-served by traditional schooling all these years.
STUDENT-CENTERED FUNDING IN NORTH CAROLINA? Could a new funding model mean greater impact, and more money going to teachers students and classrooms in NC? The NC budget includes a 6-7% pay increase for teachers and principals, performance pay provisions for additional bonuses, increases for all education related growth and even includes a provision allowing property tax dollars to fund public schools or public charter schools directly outside district lines. Consider the impact of this on teachers, who recently took to the streets to protest what they get paid. If money flows to schools, the potential for more and better funding opportunities for teachers is enormous. Think about it!
JOIN US! Recognized for their accomplishments in ensuring the creation and advancement of opportunities and innovation across the education landscape, the 8 honorees for CER’s 25th Anniversary are change agents, innovators, and leaders of breakthrough options for learners at all levels. They will receive their awards and recognition for their unique accomplishments at the Center’s Silver Anniversary Summit & Celebration, October, 25 – 26, 2018 in Miami, Florida, “The Road to Innovation for ONE America.” Sit back and watch who’s driving opportunity & innovation!
25th Anniversary Summit & Celebration
THE ROAD TO INNOVATION IS PAVED WITH SILVER
Join us for CER’s Silver Anniversary Summit & Celebration
Opportunity, Innovation & One America
Paving the way for learners at all levels – across the continent
October 25-26 – The Mandarin Oriental, Brickell Key in Miami, FL
This year CER turns 25! During our time the education reform movement has been part of revolutionary changes in what we mean by “school”, and thousands of innovations have been made possible by path breaking discoveries about what works, how people learn, what is possible and what can be done if we are willing to disrupt our comfortable ideas and assumptions.
As in every turning point, it’s time for us all to make a turn in the road we’ve been on. Plan to JOIN US as we look back at the journey, and pave the way for a new road, a road to innovation that unites all involved in the work of transforming education for learners at all levels, across ONE America. Our friends from all the Americas and from our territories are moving fast in ed tech and innovations in knowledge building. Let’s unite to ensure all of our children, families, and students of all ages have access to life-long learning pathways.
This won’t be just any summit. Nor will the celebration be like any gala you’ve attended. CER will ensure that when you join us on October 26th, you will be part of developing strategies that fuse together our collective efforts across every juncture. We will say goodbye to silos, and hello to student-centered learning and opportunities to redesign schooling without the confines of 18th century classrooms. You’ll meet top education leaders, school pioneers, investors, industry giants, and EdTech decision makers, from throughout this continent and the world!
It’s time to speed things up. We hope you will join us in putting a pin in the map of education reform, and in moving from Edreform in the US, to Ed Innovation for ONE America. That is our hope and our focus this October and beyond!
“Braking” News:
- CER Announces 25th Anniversary Chair Jeb Bush
- CER Announces Silver Anniversary Honorees
- Announcing CER’s 25th Anniversary Co-Chairs
- ASU and GSV Partner with CER on The Road to Innovation for ONE America
PRELIMINARY SUMMIT & CELEBRATION SCHEDULE
Thursday Night, October 25th
- VIP opening reception with special guests and music, Latin American style!
Friday, October 26th
- The Silver Summit convening – Opportunity, Innovation & One America.
- Click here for preliminary summit agenda.
- CER 25th Anniversary Gala – Get your kicks on CER’s Route 66– Fun and fancy dinner with awards, music and surprises.
Featuring – Innovator’s Book Garage, EdTech Superhighway & more, Start-Up Roadshow & more!
For Hotel Registration at the Mandarin Oriental: CER has negotiated fantastic rates for you at this premier hotel. Please book online using our group code by clicking here. Guests may also call 1-866-888-6780 to reserve rooms. The reservation deadline is September 25, 2018 to enjoy this special rate.
For Sponsorship Opportunities: To get your name in lights and participate write events@staging.edreform.com or dial 202-750-0016.
CER Announces 25th Anniversary Chair
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Governor Jeb Bush to serve as Honorary Chair of CER 25th Anniversary Celebration
The Road to Innovation for ONE America
WASHINGTON, DC May 23, 2018— In the 25 years the Center for Education Reform (CER) has been leading the fight for innovation and opportunity in education, we’ve been privy to the best hearts and minds that one could ever hope to bring together under one tent to expand educational excellence. In celebration of its Silver Anniversary, CER announced today that Governor Jeb Bush will serve as the Honorary Chair of the 25th Anniversary Summit and Gala scheduled for October 25-26, 2018 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami, Florida.
“The Center for Education Reform’s 25 years of bold leadership and relentless advocacy for freedom, innovation and quality in education have changed the lives of millions of students across the nation. This milestone is an opportunity for education reformers to come together to celebrate the many successes in our mission to transform education and reflect on how we can achieve even better results for future generations of Americans,” said Jeb Bush. “It is my honor to serve as Honorary Chair and I urge other leaders to join us for this special event.”
“We are thrilled that Gov. Bush will be spearheading our events, particularly given the impact of his work in Florida and across the nation,” said CER’s Founder and CEO Jeanne Allen.
“CER’s Silver Summit and Gala is in Miami not only because the area is host to some of the most innovative efforts in education but because it is the gateway to Latin America. In the coming days and weeks we will be formally announcing our partners, our honorees, and our innovators who work to transform education for learners at all levels, K through Career.”
To learn more about CER’s Silver Anniversary Summit & Gala, click here.
For more information, please follow us @edreform, on Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter at staging.edreform.com.
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Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education.
For press inquiries regarding the events, please contact Mary Riner at mary@staging.edreform.com, or call (202) 750-0016.
Stand Up for Nevada’s Clark County Charter School Students
(Newswire, June 5, 2018) Last week The Las Vegas Review-Journal ran a piece about how Nevada’s Clark County School District had created a new marketing position to sell the district’s schools to parents and slow the exodus of students to charter schools. It’s something that most people might let pass, but then CER is not staffed by most people. So we opened our trusty laptop and fired off a letter to the editor, which reads in part “The [district’s] goal should not be ‘How do we convince families not to leave?’ It should be ‘How do we provide learning experiences and results that make them want to stay?’ Read the whole letter below, or visit this link.