National Alliance for Public Charter Schools - Daily Headlines

March 15: Top Story - ‘Obama: Revise No Child Left Behind Law’

dozemebhoya — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:01:18 -0400

Submitted by Press Room on March 15, 2010 - 9:01am

The Washington Post and USA Today report that President Obama has proposed an overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Law, replacing a pass-fail approach with a focus on academic growth.

In other headlines...
‘Utah Legislature: Charter Schools Get Boost in Funding, Seat on Board’
‘In Virginia, a Watered-Down Bill on Charter Schools’
‘Strong Cities Start with Safe Streets, Good Schools’
‘Coalition of Newark Educators Form Unlikely Alliance Trying To Reform City Schools’

March 12: Top Story - ‘Detroit Charter School Seen as Role Model’

dozemebhoya — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:37:29 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 12, 2010 - 9:37am

The Detroit Free Press reports that a city charter school will be the first new school to be funded by a grant from Excellent Schools Detroit, the coalition planning to open 70 new schools in the city over the next decade.

In other headlines...
‘Charter Schools Getting More Interest as KCMO Plans School Closings’
HIn Utah, Lawmakers Drop Charter Funding Proposal to Resolve Budget
‘What Diane Ravitch Gets Wrong’

March 11: Top Story - Utah May Shift Charter Funding from State to Districts

dozemebhoya — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:38:43 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 11, 2010 - 9:38am

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, lawmakers in the Utah House of Representatives have until midnight tonight to resolve the issue of how charter schools are funded.

In other headlines...
A New Plan for Detroit
New Jersey Ed. Commissioner to Encourage More District-Charter Cooperation
‘Parents in Struggling School Districts Partner With National Firms To Launch Charters’

March 10: Top Story - Become More Like Charters for International Advantage, Expert Says

dozemebhoya — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:58:32 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 10, 2010 - 3:58pm

According to the New York Times, Andres Schleicher of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development testified yesterday before the Senate education committee that American schools should take a page from the charter school playbook in order to retain their international education advantage.

In other headlines...
A Response to Ravitch
Va. Senate Passes Charter School Bill
Oklahoma Senate Passes Charter School Bill
Charter School Bills Headed for Compromise
First Lady to Speak at Charter School Commencement

March 9: Top Story - KIPP’s Advantage: Better Teaching

dozemebhoya — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:22:25 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 9, 2010 - 9:22am

A Newsweek article on teacher quality holds up KIPP as an example of what inner-city schools could be like were they free to innovate and hire and fire at will.

In other headlines...
Jay Matthews on Diane Ravitch
In Washington, ‘Is It Time to Reconsider Charter Schools?’
‘On to College…’

March 8: Top Story - ‘Race to the Top’ Finalists ‘Need Some Whittling’

dozemebhoya — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:37:17 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 8, 2010 - 9:37am

Education Week analyzed the finalists in the federal ‘Race to the Top’ grant competition, which include five states which either don’t allow charter schools or have restrictive caps on their growth: Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island.

In other headlines...
‘Charter Schools Flourish in Harlem’
‘Charter Schools Could Help -- Even in Northern Virginia’
‘New Orleans Charter Schools Work To Sustain Teachers' Energy, Results’
Charter School Success in Utah
100% College-Bound

March 5: Top Story - ‘Race to the Top’ Finalists Picked

dozemebhoya — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:42:49 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 5, 2010 - 9:23am

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. Education Department has chosen 16 finalists in the ‘Race to the Top’ grant competition: Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.

In other headlines...
Va. House Passes Charter School Bill
‘KIPP Helps Worst Students, Study Says’
California Not Selected in ‘Race to the Top’
Idaho Senate Rejects Changes to Charter School Cap

March 4: Top Story - In W. Va., ‘Keep Charter Schools Bill Alive’

dozemebhoya — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:29:35 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 4, 2010 - 9:29am

A Wheeling Intelligencer editorial urges the West Virginia Senate to resurrect the charter schools bill that Senator Erik Wells effectively killed yesterday because it did not have enough support in the House.

In other headlines...
In Va., ‘General Assembly Kowtows To Public School Interest Groups’
‘Wyoming Law Puts Chains on Charter Schools’
‘Who’s Afraid of Big Bad Charter Schools? Not St. Mary’s’

March 3: Top Story - In West Va., a Retreat on Charter Schools

dozemebhoya — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:19:10 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 3, 2010 - 9:19am

According to the Charleston Daily Mail and West Virginia Public Broadcasting, West Virginia Senator Erik Wells sent his charter schools bill back to committee yesterday, essentially killing it for the session.

In other headlines...
In L.A., ‘A Lesson for Charter School Operators’
Idaho Senate Committee Passes Charter School Bill
Duncan on Charter Schools
Mississippi House Committee Passes Charter School Bill
In Alabama, a ‘Damaging Decision’

March 2: Top Story - In Va., ‘Promising Reform for Charter Schools’

dozemebhoya — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:10:56 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 2, 2010 - 9:10am

The Virginian-Pilot reports that Governor Robert McDonnell’s charter schools bill passed a House committee with bipartisan support yesterday, and is expected to be passed by the Senate Education Committee as well.

In other headlines...
South Dakota Legislature Passes Charter School Bill
‘LAUSD Board's So-Called Reform’

March 1: Top Story - ‘Obama Focuses on School Dropouts’

dozemebhoya — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:05:13 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on March 1, 2010 - 9:05am

According to the Washington Post, President Obama is proposing replacing low-performing schools with charter schools as a dropout prevention strategy, and hopes to offer $900 million in grant money to states and districts to reform their worst schools.

In other headlines...
In Oklahoma, ‘Charter Schools For Whole State’
In South Carolina, ‘Maintain Charter Momentum’
‘Lack of Charter Schools in W.Va. Examined’
In Wyoming, ‘State Needs Better Charter School Law’
In Mississippi, ‘Do Charter Schools Right, If At All’
Georgia Charter Schools Chief to Leave for Illinois

February 26: Top Story - ‘All-STAR Act Will Help More Students Achieve Educational Excellence and Success’

dozemebhoya — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:10:22 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 26, 2010 - 9:10am

In a Hill op-ed, Rep. Jared Polis, of Colorado, the former chairman of the Colorado State Board of Education and superintendent of charter schools serving disadvantaged youth, praises high-quality charter schools, saying: “I know firsthand the life-changing and transformative effect that such schools can have on students, their families and communities.”

In other headlines...
‘The Charter School Test Case that Didn’t Happen’
‘McDonnell Brings Out Allies to Push Charter School Changes’
‘Law Needs To Change for Wyoming Charter Schools to Progress’
Charter School Activism in NYC

February 25: Top Story - ‘As U.S. Aid Grows, Oversight Is Urged for Charter Schools’

dozemebhoya — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:26:23 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 25, 2010 - 9:26am

According to the New York Times, at yesterday’s Congressional hearing on rewriting the No Child Left Behind law, charter school advocates testified that charters should be better monitored for their admissions procedures, academics and finances.

In other headlines...
‘Let Charter Schools Flourish’
NYC Charters Get Less Money Per Student
Va. Governor’s Charter School Plan Faces a Test
Utah Considers Removing Charter School Cap
‘Charter School Bill Passes Oklahoma House Committee’
In W.Va., ‘Charter School Bill Faces Uphill Climb’

February 23: Top Story - ‘A Better Path For Charter Schools In Virginia’

dozemebhoya — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:34:42 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 23, 2010 - 9:34am

A Washington Post editorial encourages Virginia and Maryland lawmakers to follow Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell’s lead in attempting to change his state’s restrictive charter school law.

In other headlines...
Where the Bar Ought to Be
Students at Charter High Schools More to Likely to Graduate College
New Charter School Bill Introduced in West Virginia
Proposed Bill Would Create New Charter Schools in Iowa
In South Carolina, ‘Charter Schools Cope With Cuts’

February 22: Top Story - ‘State, Feds Should Ease Way for More Charter Startups’

dozemebhoya — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:45:06 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 22, 2010 - 9:45am

An editorial in the Oklahoman argues that federal and state lawmakers should “make it easier to establish and expand high- quality charter schools.”

In other headlines...
‘Fine-tuning Colorado’s Charter School System’
‘Raw Power Stopped Charter School Bill’
Texas Senate Studies Special-Ed Charter Idea
‘Mcdonnell's Charter School Proposal Deserves A Thumbs-Up’
‘A New School Hopes to Learn From the Charters’
New Haven Charter Gets ‘Green’ Grant

Februrary 19: Top Story - A Bipartisan Effort to Rewrite ‘No Child Left Behind’

sjohnson — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:11:10 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 19, 2010 - 9:11am

The Washington Post reports that a group of senior House Republicans and Democrats have teamed up to rewrite the No Child Left Behind Law, in “a rare show of bipartisanship in the polarized Congress.” Rep. George Miller described it as “the best opportunity we have had to have really substantial change in how we meet the educational needs of our kids.”

In other headlines...
‘Smith to Step Down as Head of Charter Schools Group’
St. Louis May Owe Charter Schools $20 Million
Oregon’s Charter Law Under Review L.A. Supt. Issues Recommendations for New and Failing Schools
‘Alabama’s Charter School Bill is Dead, But the Debate Continues’

February 18: Top Story - Charter Schools Blocked in Alabama

dozemebhoya — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:19:39 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 18, 2010 - 9:19am

According to the Opelika Auburn News, the Alabama legislature has blocked Governor Bob Riley’s attempt to bring charter schools to Alabama.

In other headlines...
Mississippi Lawmakers Revisit Charter Schools
Minnesota Bill to Make Changes to Charter Facilities Laws
Oklahoma Charter School Bill Advances
Chicago KIPP Schools Win $100,000 Grant
Houston To Try Charter-Like Extended School Year

February 17: Top Story - Alabama Editorials Lament Charter School Opposition

sjohnson — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:24:30 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 17, 2010 - 9:24am

The Birmingham News editorial confronts the “education establishment,” led by state teachers’ union head Paul Hubbert, for blocking needed education reform by opposing charter schools in Alabama. A Senate committee will consider charter legislation today; a House committee indefinitely postponed a similar measure last week.

In other headlines...
In New Jersey, ‘Charter Schools Fight to Survive’
A Colorado Bill to Tighten Charter Oversight
Georgia Charter Commission Faces Another Lawsuit

February 16: Top Story - Bill Would Lift Limits on Charters

dozemebhoya — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:32:11 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 16, 2010 - 9:32am

According to the Idaho Press-Tribune, state Senator John Goedde has introduced a bill that would raise the cap for Idaho charter schools which serve low-income, minority, at-risk, immigrant, special needs or gifted and talented students.

In other headlines...
‘Charter Schools Face Uphill Battle in 2010 Alabama Legislature’
‘Charter Schools Aren't Racist Tool’

February 15: Top Story - ‘Charter Schools in Virginia’

dozemebhoya — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:16:29 -0500

Submitted by Press Room on February 15, 2010 - 9:16am

A Washington Post editorial praises Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell’s plan to expand charter schools: “Mr. McDonnell's ambitious goals make sense for Virginia students, and the General Assembly should support them.”

In other headlines...
‘They’re Graduating to Traditional Digs’
‘Plan Could Expand Oklahoma Charter Schools’
‘A Win and a Loss for Charter Schools’
‘Demand in Charter Schools Forces Lotteries, Long Waiting Lists’
‘Education: Arizona’s Great Paradox’
‘School Reform Baby Steps’
‘A New Chapter for R.I. Charter Schools’