Charter schooldisappointed in response Nov 1, 2009
Published: Saturday, October 31, 2009 10:08 AM EDT Officials with the Lake Wales Charter Schools System fired the second salvo in a war of words with the Polk County School District over the planned expansion of Bok Academy ... The Lake Wales Charter Schools system was originally formed because of a concern, on the part of the Lake Wales community, that our schools were not receiving the adequate resources to help our children perform at their highest potential, Ullman noted. (Lake Wales News, FL)
Polk Schools should be our partner Nov 1, 2009
Published: Saturday, October 31, 2009 10:08 AM EDT The argument between the Polk County School Board and the Lake Wales Charter Schools System over Bok Academy and McLaughlin Middle School is rooted in recent history and steeped in community pride ... Although there are only two public schools left in the Lake Wales area, we pay taxes to the state and the school board and that tax money comes back to the Lake Wales Charter Schools System. (Lake Wales News, FL)
Hospital donates vaccine Nov 1, 2009
We are very pleased with how smoothly everything went, and how many families chose to participate, said Paula Alford, the school nurse for the Lake Wales Charter Schools. We are especially grateful that Lake Wales Medical Center gave up some of its vaccine supply this week so that students and teachers would have access to the immunizations, Alford said. (Lake Wales News, FL)
Editorial: Tom Menino for mayor Oct 31, 2009
In some important ways, Menino has sought to reverse his mistakes and claim the mantle of reform, embracing charter schools and demanding long-overdue changes in the Fire Department. The latter move drew the lasting enmity of many firefighters. (Boston Globe)
Mayoral race: Menino vs. Flaherty - who will win? Oct 31, 2009
He also promised to promote in-district charter schools as a way to improve underperforming institutions, saying that the added flexibility would allow teachers to address the specific needs of their students. In light of 2008 Boston Public Schools statistics which indicate 41. (Rsolindale Parkway Transcript, MA)
Brookline schools review MCAS growth data Oct 31, 2009
I don t know how you can compare districts like Brookline with districts with 500 students or charter schools, said Scotto. During last night s meeting, Superintendent William Lupini said Brookline, when compared to systems with at least 300 kids, held the ninth-highest score on the English exam, and 12th-highest in math. (Brookline TAB, MA)
A quick look at who’s on the ballot in Districts 21, 22, 25 and 26 Oct 30, 2009
Friday October 30, 2009. A quick look at who s on the ballot in Districts 21, 22, 25 and 26 10/29/2009. (Queens Chronicle, NY)
Diary of an undecided voter Oct 30, 2009
Menino calls for in-district charter schools ... Wait, sounds like he s already starting to backslide on charter schools. (Boston Globe)
Partying with the state’s other party Oct 30, 2009
I remember when he used to hang around the Globe s Business section in the late 1980s, peddling right-wing propaganda on an outlandish idea called charter schools. Look who s plumping for charter schools now: Arne Duncan, secretary of education for a center-left Democratic president, Barack Obama. (Boston Globe)
Summer at School Oct 30, 2009
Evidence of this was the passage of a resolution by the school board on the last day of my internship to form partnerships with outside operators, including charter schools, to run the new schools and about 200 other underperforming campuses. I worked on two separate projects. (BusinessWeek)
Jeb Bush to talk education reform Oct 30, 2009
Gov. Sonny Perdue will also speak at the event at 3300 Peachtree Road NE. We have had a very open-minded attitude about education reform," said Bert Brantley, spokesperson for the governor, noting discussions of merit pay for teachers and adding graduation coaches to high school, an idea that other states are considering.Georgia, however still lags behind Florida when it comes to education reform. Florida is like an older sibling that Georgia seems to be striving to match. Florida had charter... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Ponderosa Junior High School placed on safety watch list Oct 30, 2009
RPL wrote on Oct 28, 2009 12:26 PM:" I would never let my kid go to a public school here. I went in the 80s and it was the same 12-15 kids making trouble everyday and nothing happened. Zero tolerance is probably a good idea but its probably not enforced. Any concerned parents should look into private or charter schools. I was an honor roll student who never caused trouble and I felt like I was walking into jail everyday I went to Brixner and Mazama. We couldn't even wear sweaters to class in... (Klamath Falls Herald & News, OR)
The influence game: Bill Gates pushes education reform Oct 30, 2009
Obama and the Gates Foundation share some goals that not everyone embraces: paying teachers based on student test scores, among other measures of achievement; charter schools that operate independently of local school boards; and a set of common academic standards adopted by every state ... They say student achievement is much more than a score on a standardized test and that it's a mistake to rely so heavily on charter schools ... "Despite growing evidence to the contrary, it appears the... (USA Today -- News)
Flaherty: Its our city and its time for a mayoral change Oct 30, 2009
Under a Flaherty administration, we will improve the state of Boston s public education by raising the state s cap on charter schools, giving greater autonomy to principals to make decisions that best meet the needs of their particular student populations, and solving the dropout crisis by implementing mechanisms that identify at-risk students at the earliest of grade levels. While Boston s youth population has declined in recent years, the number of youth homicides has actually risen. (West Roxbury Transcript, MA)
Gov. Patrick rejects house chair's explanation for Ed Reform Bill d... Oct 29, 2009
Patrick wants lawmakers to expand access to charter schools and permit new intervention tools to help the state boost academic performance in school districts that are lagging. Walz told the News Service Tuesday that guidelines for $4. (Allston Brighton TAB, MA)
Teacher (Mis)Education Oct 28, 2009
Whatever he may achieve, Mr. Duncan shows a talent for diagnosing the problem, whether he's putting in a good word for charter schools -- even if his boss has just nixed a voucher program for those who most need it in the nation's capital -- or stressing the need for better teachers ... Wouldn't it be simpler to just lift the caps that too many states now place on the creation of charter schools, reward those whose students are making marked progress, and close down the others. (Townhall.com)
Anchorage earns bicycle-friendly honor Oct 28, 2009
The city provided bike education kits, including horns and helmets, to all Anchorage School District elementary and charter schools. Anchorage joins Sitka as the only Alaska communities on the list. (Juneau Empire)
Charter schools agency gets grant Oct 28, 2009
The has selected the Georgia commission and two other public agencies engaged in funding charter schools for grants through a private foundation to help develop comprehensive strategic plans ... So far, the commission has approved two charter schools: Ivy Preparatory Academy, an all-girls middle school in Norcross, and the Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology in Statesboro, Ga. (Atlanta Business Chronicle, GA)
American citizenship essay contest for high school students Oct 28, 2009
Individuals eligible for this contest include: students in grades 9-12 who are U.S. citizens or legal residents and are either attending public, private, religious, or charter schools, being home-schooled, or participating in a GED or correspondence school program but are no older than 19 years of age. Military bases and U.S. territories are also invited to participate. (Boxford Tri Town Transcript, MA)
Controversial commission wins national award Oct 28, 2009
Georgia s newest charter schools authorizer has received a national award for growing campuses focused on excellence ... The Georgia Charter Schools Commission was recently named a winner of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers Fund for Authorizing Excellence Awards ... The commission was established by legislators in 2008 andgiven the power to authorizenew charter schools. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Sibal visits US to woo universities Oct 26, 2009
Special focus is expected on charter schools, vocational education options and twinning programmes at the higher education level. Besides the ministerial level meeting, the HRD minister will meet presidents of Harvard University, Boston University, Yale, Duke University, University of Georgetown. (India Times)
Cities wrangle over new school Oct 26, 2009
The board, which meets at 4 p.m. at the DeLand Administrative Complex, 200 N. Clara Ave., DeLand is scheduled to approve improvement plans for 78 elementary, middle, high, alternative and charter schools. Raising the grades given to Pine Ridge, Mainland and Atlantic high schools last June have been dubbed as Job One by Deputy Superintendent Chris Colwell. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
More schools on the horizon Oct 25, 2009
Existing charter schools in the borough would like permanent facilities. And there are two more charter schools applying to open up next year ... As for charter schools, Welton said that s a question the site selection committee could be a great help in answering. (Wasilla Frontiersman, AK)
Letter: Steinert's Pioneer Institute connection questionable Oct 25, 2009
Pioneer is a strong advocate for charter schools, including those run by for-profit companies and for school vouchers, which they have called scholarships, where tax money allocated for public schools could be spent on private schools. Why hasn t Steinert mentioned this connection. (Cambridge Chronicle, MA)
COMMUNITY and AREA EVENTS Oct 25, 2009
Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees Meeting Nov. 16 at 3:30 p.m.. Regular City Commission Nov. 17 at the Commission Chamber. (Lake Wales News, FL)
Malcolm Gladwell and his imitators can rest easy Oct 24, 2009
" Gladwell believes that KIPP -- a network of charter schools with more than fifty campuses nationwide -- has "succeeded by taking the idea of cultural legacies seriously. " Test scores for socio-economically disadvantaged children tend to suffer more from a long summer break, presumably because, as Gladwell explains, "privileged kids learn while they are not in school. (Harper's Magazine)
DBJ names Ann Higdon Regional Leadership Award winner Oct 24, 2009
It operates charter schools and also has the ISUS Institute of Manufacturing in Dayton where ISUS students run a production line that builds housing panels for green building projects. During her lengthy career, Higdon has stepped up as a leader in getting various issues addressed and is responsible for helping hundreds of students find work in the region, while helping area businesses hire needed workers. (Dayton Business Journal, OH)
Viewpoints: Obama has enjoyed early success in quest to reform education Oct 24, 2009
These changes mean that states are raising their caps on the number of charter schools ... Caroline Hoxby of Stanford University recently concluded a rigorous study of New York's charter schools and found that they substantially narrowed the achievement gap between suburban and inner-city students. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
Whitman, Poizner speak at luncheons Oct 24, 2009
Both Poizner and Whitman said they want to expand charter schools. Cummins, the Fresno State political science professor, said both speeches were geared toward the conservative Republican voters who dominated the party's primary. (Fresno Bee)
Stanislaus County education partners rewarded Oct 23, 2009
Students at Whitmore charter schools in Ceres have benefited from the efforts of mom Jennifer Rushman. She and the school's booster club have raised $40,000 in two years to put a playground on campus. (Modesto Bee, CA)
The Chalkboard Oct 23, 2009
Olson has been a consultant to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Kennedy School at Harvard University and many large public school systems and charter schools. She received her doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2005. (Hamilton Wenham Chronicle, MA)
Candidate Khazei emphasizes education in speech Oct 23, 2009
US Senate candidate Alan Khazei, who built City Year into a national service program for young adults, outlined his education priorities yesterday, calling for higher teacher salaries, bigger investments in early childhood education, and an expansion of charter schools. We need to make public education the civil rights issue of the 21st century, Khazei said in a speech outside TechBoston Academy in Dorchester. (Boston Globe)
Outspoken public schools advocate Bracey dies at 69 Oct 23, 2009
Charter schools, teacher merit pay, standards-based reform, high-stakes testing whatever it was, it seemed, he was against it, often for the same reason: None of it, he said, showed replicable results. An indefatigable contrarian, Bracey in 1991 founded the Education Disinformation Detection and Reporting Agency or EDDRA, dedicated to analyzing reports, dispelling rumors and "rebutting lies" about U.S. public education. (USA Today -- News)
High school eyes post-grad options Oct 22, 2009
Published: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 10:11 AM EDT Charter board member Patrick Cain posed a loaded question to Lake Wales High School Principal Clark Berry at Lake Wales Charter Schools monthly board meeting Monday afternoon ... Lake Wales Charter Schools has its own quality control person who tracks the progress of students over the years and suggests programming to increase their scores ... He said that when Lake Wales Charter Schools was founded, parents indicated on early surveys that... (Lake Wales News, FL)
Grade teachers, the right way Oct 22, 2009
That's why we have raised concerns about Race to the Top's over reliance on test scores, undervaluing of professional development, rapid expansion of charter schools and abbreviated timeline for developing common national standards. We will always be resolute in rejecting proposals that are likely to be ineffective or could reverse the steady progress we've made toward closing the achievement gap. (Albany Times Union)
Hawaii schools could restore some class time lost to furloughs Oct 22, 2009
Seitz will file a motion in U.S. District Court for injunctive relief on behalf of "everybody affected by the furloughs," he said, as well as special education students and parents and students in charter schools. While some parents continue to search for something constructive for their children to do on furlough Fridays, parents at schools such as King Liholiho Elementary in Kaimuk are organizing alternative instruction for their children at their school. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Lawsuit filed for disabled children over Friday furloughs at Hawaii schools Oct 22, 2009
Meanwhile, attorney Eric Seitz filed a motion in U.S. District Court today for injunctive relief on behalf of "everybody affected by the furloughs" as well as special education students and parents and students in charter schools. Last night's lawsuit, filed by attorneys Stanley Levin and Susan Dorsey from the Levin Education Access Project and Carl Varady asks the court to stop the furloughs to preserve the quality and integrity of the special education and related services disabled children... (Honolulu Advertiser)
Charter schools face more suits Oct 22, 2009
Charter schools grow but so do legal challenges ... The growing pains of Georgia charter schools will be discussed Friday at an annual address tracking the school choice movement ... Gains in student achievement and an increase in charter school startups have made the state a competitive player in the education enterprise industry, say state administrators and leaders of the Georgia Charter Schools Association. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Don't Create an Enemies List Oct 22, 2009
The President and his Education Secretary Arne Duncan have been courageous-there is no better word for it-in advocating paying teachers more for teaching well and expanding the number of charter schools ... President Obama's advocacy of master teachers and charter schools could be the domestic of equivalent of President Nixon going to China. (CBS News -- Opinion)
Education in Hawaii Oct 22, 2009
And we must remove constraints from educational alternatives such as home schools and charter schools. Despite years of discussion spanning generations, efforts to achieve major reforms have been derailed. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Riaa Sues 744 Music Pirates Oct 21, 2009
For once, state lawmakers might do something positive -- and lift the cap on charter schools. Buffalo Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, a Democrat, is pushing a bill to scrap the cap -- allowing new charters to help meet the. (Yahoo News -- Digital Music)
Opinion: DuBos Two potential candidates finally make a mayor's race Oct 21, 2009
She recently has been a leading advocate of public school reform, particularly charter schools. Unlike Henry, she is not on the cusp of jumping into the race. (WWLTV.com, LA)
Living with children Oct 21, 2009
Charter schools grow in Valley. Charter schools are gaining momentum in the Valley, despite tiny budgets and some high-profile failures ... But support from state and federal governments -- along with a movement among charter schools to set higher standards for themselves -- is driving growth, officials say. (Fresno Bee -- Lifestyle)
City schools like enrollment trend Oct 20, 2009
It has long struggled with poor academics and finances, an image problem and competition from suburban and charter schools ... Graduates of city high schools and charter schools are eligible for up to $20,000 in scholarships, provided they meet certain enrollment, academic and behavioral guidelines ... The district wasn't immediately able to say how many students it lured this school year from suburban, private and charter schools. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
A good night for the challenger Oct 20, 2009
And more often than not, Flaherty gave viewers a reasonable sense of how he d try to do better: fighting to lift the cap on charter schools, adopting predictable rules for and an even-handed approach toward developers, hiring an administration whose racial makeup mirrored that of the city, and so forth. Menino seemed complacent about the state of the city - even when professing he wasn t. I m not satisfied, he said of his own record on diversity. (Boston Globe -- Editorial)
Hogan seeks input on issues Oct 20, 2009
Weigh in on the state tax, casino gambling, charter schools and the environment on State Rep. Kate Hogan's survey. (Hudson Sun, MA)
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF: Democrats and schools Oct 18, 2009
It's difficult to improve failing schools when you can't create alternatives like charter schools and can't remove inept teachers ... There are no silver bullets, but researchers are gaining a better sense of what works in education for disadvantaged children: intensive preschool, charter schools with long hours, fewer certification requirements that limit entry to the teaching profession, higher compensation to attract and retain good teachers, objective measurement to see who is effective,... (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Hawaii swine flu vaccinations just for priority groups, for now Oct 17, 2009
At the same time, as more H1N1 vaccines are coming into the state, Hawaii students are being given vaccines for seasonal flu through Dec. 3 as part of the "Protect Hawaii's Keiki: Stop Flu at School" program that is expected to inoculate more than 68,000 elementary and middle school students in 334 public, private and charter schools. Students in elementary and middle school will get a second flu shot offered next month for H1N1, health officials have said. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Letters for Friday, October 16, 2009 Oct 17, 2009
Dave Camp wrote on Oct 16, 2009 1:38 PM:" Vouchers -- blech. Charter schools are failing left and right and there's no evidence they do any better at educating. Same with home schooling. Private schools show better figures because they get to cherry pick their students from those who can afford to pay for a private education + top students they offer scholarships.If it were all so easy it'd be fixed already. ". Deke wrote on Oct 16, 2009 2:28 PM:" There is a wonderful website, TED.com that has a... (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Varsity Notebook: PIAA feels sting of attendance fall Oct 16, 2009
" Basketball championship attendance in the past couple of years drastically has been affected by the addition of the Philadelphia Public and Catholic League to the PIAA. Some schools from the Philadelphia Public League are charter schools and the PIAA is lucky if they bring 200 fans to the basketball championships. "There is also some concern that we're losing fans to events that are on live TV," Cashman said. The football and basketball championships, and the individual wrestling championships... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA -- Sports)
THE FLIP SIDE: Politicization or red herring? Oct 16, 2009
Earlier this year, Gloucester, Worcester and Waltham were each seeking state approval for their proposed charter schools ... People who support accountability and innovative thinking have for years been behind the growing success of charter schools ... Even Barack Obama has come out in strong favor of charter schools, remarking how they can provide an answer to weaknesses in school systems. (Marblehead Reporter, MA)
Watch the video Oct 16, 2009
Charter schools will be preferred; public schools closed ... The changes are being implemented to allow a federalized approach to education; to break the back of the teacher s pay and subsidies; to allow US education to align with UNESCO guidelines internationally; and to benefit rotten politicians and private citizens who reap profit of charter schools set up to augment military enlistment. (The Palm Beach Post)
Obama: Hands-off Education! Oct 15, 2009
The ads ask Obama to step in on the side of the program in part because he attended a private school in Hawaii, and he sends his daughters to Sidwell Friends, one of the very charter schools that also accepts students from the D.C. Opportunity program. In fact, according to an April 2009 report by the Heritage Foundation, 20 percent of the members of Congress attended a private high school, as did Obama, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Vice President Joe Biden. (Human Events Online)
Los Angeles students write songs, cook for Obama... Oct 15, 2009
" Would this suggest taxpayer funds were used to support one candidate over another? At the very least this is unethical. But hey, do what feels good and for this clown, the ends justify the means.","createdAt":"14 Oct 2009 20:03:01 GMT","fromUserId":7918844,"isDefaultUserIconUploaded":false,"isDisabled":false,"isVisible":true,"messageId":1067218,"pathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","reviewed":true,"updatedAt":"20090813055530","username":"anonymous_user"},{"body":"I... (The Drudge Report)
Community Calendar and Area Events Oct 15, 2009
Lake Wales Charter Schools Board Mtg. Oct. 19 at the Charter School Building. (Lake Wales News, FL)
School flu inoculation begins Oct 15, 2009
The occasion was the kickoff of "Protect Hawai'i's Keiki: Stop Flu at School," a program that is expected to inoculate more than 68,000 elementary and middle school students in 334 public, private and charter schools in Hawai'i through Dec. 3. The school vaccination clinics are being provided by the state Department of Health in collaboration with numerous public and private schools, as well as health care providers and community partner groups. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Enrollment Down For SD Unified School District Oct 14, 2009
Among the 180 district-operated schools, there was an 865 student decline, while enrollment in the SDUSD's 35 charter schools increased by 151 students. For the 2008-09 school year, enrollment at SDUSD increased by 705 students. (TheSanDiegoChannel.com, CA)
Report shows statewide gains in school performance Oct 14, 2009
"We're running well run schools, well run charter schools. The results speak for themselves." ... "Our main focus at this point in terms of our turnaround strategies is to create charter schools," said Guillaume ... "As you can see, the data speaks for itself. Charter schools are performing significantly better than independently run and district run schools.". (WWLTV.com, LA)
Click to read: Cub Scout: Utensil Suspension Unfair Oct 14, 2009
Communities: Start charter schools under truly local control if you can without government school board interference. Americans: Shut down the federal and state education bureaucracies that support this type of fascist behavior. (CBS News -- Early Show)
Rep. Hogan offers voter survey Oct 13, 2009
Do you support charter schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. What is the environmental issue that is most important to you at this time. (Beacon Villager, MA)
Editorial: Legislators, get to work Oct 13, 2009
- Charter schools: Patrick has a balanced, reasonable bill that would lift the cap on charter schools in the state's poorest-performing districts. The topic has been debated for years. (Wakefield Daily Item, MA)
Jeb Bush praises Obama on education Oct 12, 2009
Bush said that the administration had shown support for greater accountability, data-driven decision making, more charter schools and improvements in teacher effectiveness. "The Obama administration, to their credit seem, to be very supportive of these things," Bush said. (TheHill.com)
Stalled agenda irks labor leaders Oct 12, 2009
The Obama administration is also encouraging creation of some charter schools, a long-time concern of teachers' unions, who fear money will be diverted from other public schools. And an increase in the minimum wage, which supporters pushed in the last Congress, when Republican George W. Bush was in the White House, hasn't even been introduced in this Congress. (Boston Globe)
Lesson for teachers union: It takes two to cooperate Oct 12, 2009
In 1994, the BTU and the Boston Public Schools agreed to establish pilot schools, flexible but still unionized schools that were meant to be the system s response to independent, nonunionized, charter schools ... After years of frustration, Mayor Menino finally threw up his hands this spring and announced his support for in-district charter schools. (Boston Globe)
Solving the Catholic School Crisis Oct 12, 2009
Mandating that students work to pay off tuition, forging partnerships with philanthropists and foundations, converting to charter schools, and taking control away from pastors and putting it in the hands of lay experts these are just some of the ways in which dioceses (essentially a Church district) are hoping to stem the school closure tide, which has reached worrisome proportions in America's urban areas, where close to half of all parochial schools are located ... Last year, in a... (Time.com)
