June 29: Top Story - Boston Mayor Menino's Charter Support Puts Pressure on Gov

An opinion in the Wall Street Journal examines how Mayor Tom Menino last month announced that Boston needed to support the growth of high-quality public charter schools that use flexibility to help close the achievement gap. While the Boston Teachers union called the mayor’s charge a betrayal, the Journal reports that Menino’s actions place additional pressure on Gov. Patrick to support charter-friendly policies.

In other headlines...
Boston Mayor Menino's Charter Support Puts Pressure on Gov
Union Contracts Raise Costs for Longer School Days Threatening Successful Baltimore Charter
Charters Face Uphill Climb in Virginia
North Carolina Enters Race to the Top
Use of Stimulus Dollars in Texas May Jeopardize Future Funding

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Boston Mayor Menino's Charter Support Puts Pressure on Gov
An opinion in the Wall Street Journal examines how Mayor Tom Menino last month announced that Boston needed to support the growth of high-quality public charter schools that use flexibility to help close the achievement gap. While the Boston teachers union called the mayor’s charge a betrayal, the Journal reports that Menino’s actions place additional pressure on Gov. Patrick to support charter-friendly policies.
Source: Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124605614478863441.html

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Union Contracts Raise Costs for Longer School Days Threatening Successful Baltimore Charter
A column in the Washington Post discusses how salary negotiations led by Union Leaders in Baltimore might put at risk the school’s highest achieving public middle school’s success. KIPP Ujima Village has cut its longer school days because it could not afford the union increase in overtime pay. Unlike those in most other states, charter schoolteachers in Maryland are subject to union agreements.
Source: Washington Posthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/28/AR2009062802327.html

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Charters Face Uphill Climb in Virginia
According to the Virginia Pilot, Virginia has the smallest percentage of charter school attendance out of the 40 states with charter school laws. The state’s charter school law requires local school boards to approve or deny applications and is not considered to be a strong charter law. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell has made relaxing the charter restrictions a key part of his education agenda.
Source: Virginia Pilot http://hamptonroads.com/2009/06/charter-schools-face-uphill-climb-virginia

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North Carolina Enters Race to the Top
According to The Charlotte Observer, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue has formed a “Race to the Top working group” pulling together a plan for accessing the $4.4 billion fund. Perdue administration officials tout innovation efforts such as the state's “virtual public schools,” which, among other things, allows students to earn college credits online. One thing that may stand between North Carolina and the funding is the state cap on charter schools. The current cap is 100, but at least two bills in the General Assembly would raise it. One measure that passed the House would put the cap at 106.
Source: The Charlotte Observer Not Available Online

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Use of Stimulus Dollars in Texas May Jeopardize Future Funding
According to the American-Statesman, Texas left untouched $9.1 billion in its rainy day fund while using $3.2 billion in stimulus money to pay for textbooks and increase school funding. While state officials argue that this use of money was in compliance with the law, it appears to go against U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s warning that states could harm their chances in the grant competition by using stimulus money to "backfill budget holes" while protecting state dollars. Additionally the Texas Legislature failed to lift the cap on charter schools, another issue that is important to Secretary Duncan.
Source: American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/06/29/0629race.html

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