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Charter Schools

Bold Move, Big Risk

Alan Gottlieb | Posted 11.11.2009 | Denver

Read More: Public Schools, School Reform, Dps, Education, KIPP Charter Schools, Education Reform, Denver Public Schools, Charter Schools, Ana Tilton, Denver News
Alan Gottlieb

In a fascinating and audacious move, Denver Public Schools is proposing that new charter schools housed in district buildings become neighborhood schools.

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Christie Election Will Make NJ an Educational Battleground

Thomas W. Carroll | Posted 11.04.2009 | New York

Read More: Tuition Tax Credits, John Corzine, Chris Christie, New Jersey, Charter Schools, Race to the Top, Education Reform, New York News
Thomas W. Carroll

Christie is strongly committed to strengthening New Jersey's weak charter-school law, and pushing through an education tax credit focused on low-income students in failing schools.

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Turning Around Bad Schools With Blended Restarts

Tom Vander Ark | Posted 11.02.2009 | Politics

Read More: Education Reform, Arne Duncan, Charter Schools, Politics News
Tom Vander Ark

There are about 10,000 really bad schools in America (about 10%). The majority are elementary schools. We know how to make them better, but it takes political will and capacity to improve them.

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Chicago Ranks Fifth In Number Of Charter School Students

SouthTown Star | Posted 10.29.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Cps, Cps Charter Schools, Chicago Public Schools, Charter Schools, Chicago Public Schools Charter, Chicago News

The Chicago Public Schools ranks fifth nationally for the number of students enrolled in public charter schools....

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Gov. Paterson Forfeits Leadership Role in Race to the Top; Will Anyone Step Forward?

Thomas W. Carroll | Posted 10.28.2009 | New York

Read More: Richard Ravitch, Merryl Tisch, Education, David Steiner, David Paterson, New York, Race to the Top, New York Schools, Charter Schools, School Reform, Education Reform, New York News
Thomas W. Carroll

The governor's inaction -- perhaps disinterest -- in whether New York has a shot at hundreds of millions of dollars in federal education aid underscores the current vacuum on educational issues.

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New Haven's Teacher Contract a Model? Not So Fast

Thomas W. Carroll | Posted 10.21.2009 | New York

Read More: Michelle Rhee, Houston, American Federation of Teachers, Arne Duncan, Teacher Performance Pay, Randi Weingarten, New York State, Charter Schools, Connecticut, u.s. Department of Education, Denver, School Reform, Education Reform, New York News
Thomas W. Carroll

The contract's approach to charter schools mandates unionization, guarantees no layoffs, preserves grievance procedures, and keeps in place staff transfer rights. Reform with a union twist, one might say.

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Gov. Paterson: Where Is Your Education Strategy?

Thomas W. Carroll | Posted 10.19.2009 | New York

Read More: Education, Arne Duncan, Charter Schools, David Paterson, Barack Obama, New York, Race to the Top, National Assessment of Educational Progress, New York Board of Regents, Eliot Spitzer, Naep, Education Reform, Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York News
Thomas W. Carroll

Since taking office as governor, Paterson has yet to articulate an educational vision. His most significant education proposals have revolved around student access to snack foods.

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Mayor Bloomberg's Record on Schools Key Issue in Campaign: "Portfolio" Approach is Central Feature

Thomas W. Carroll | Posted 10.15.2009 | New York

Read More: Portfolio, Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability, Education, Mayor Bloomberg, Diane Ravitch, Tom Vander Ark, Jim Shelton, Reform, Schools, Campaign, Paul T. Hill, New York, New York City Department of Education, Charter Schools, Bill Thompson, Education Reform, New York News
Thomas W. Carroll

Under Bloomberg and mayoral control (vs. how it was run under Bill Thompson under the old board of education), the public school system is viewed as a "portfolio" rather than as a centrally run monolith.

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Green Dot: Proponent of Educational Reform

Micheal McElveen | Posted 10.01.2009 | Politics

Read More: Los Angeles Unified School District, Charter Schools, Watts, Green Dot, School Reform, Los Angeles, Alain Leroy Locke High School, Education Reform, Cameron Diaz, Politics News
Micheal McElveen

After Green Dot turned my Watts, L.A. high school into a charter, I felt a sense of inspiration in witnessing and living the transformation process. I should not be the exception.

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The Washington Post--Union Buster?

Gerald Bracey | Posted 09.30.2009 | Media

Read More: School Reform, Arne Duncan, Washington Post, Research, Data, Charter Schools, Media News
Gerald Bracey

Is a new study favoring charter schools remarkable? Are the results on charter schools in? The short answers are "no" and "no."

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Charter Schools Fail Immigrants

Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj | Posted 09.30.2009 | Politics

Read More: Public Schools, Immigrants, Education, Arne Duncan, English Language Learner, Charter Schools, Ell, Politics News
Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj

Why is there a glaring mismatch between charter school enrollments and the growing English language learner population?

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Tough Questions, No Answers

Alan Gottlieb | Posted 09.29.2009 | Denver

Read More: Cesar Chavez Schools Netwok, Denver Public Schools, Charter Schools, Metropolitan State College of Denver, College Adminssions, Education Reform, Denver, Denver News
Alan Gottlieb

Why are charter schools run the way they are? What about entire school districts?

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Should We Have More School Time? Yes -- For Kids

Paras Bhayani | Posted 09.28.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Education Reform, Ron Huberman, Chicago Public Schools, Oecd, Public Schools, KIPP Charter Schools, Charter Schools, Teachers Union, Economist, Chicago News
Paras Bhayani

While American students might be "underworked," American school teachers most certainly are not -- particularly for what they are being paid.

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The Chicago Public School Teacher's Husband

David Murray | Posted 09.22.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Henry Horner Homes, Lake Street El, Poverty, Chicago Public Schools, There Are No Children Here, Alex Kotlowitz, Oak Park, Teacher, Education, Education Reform, Public Schools, Inner City, Charter Schools, Arne Duncan, Chicago News
David Murray

Our troubles had begun when my wife Kirsten took the job teaching art, K-8, at a West Side elementary school. Then came the informal adoptions.

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Bill Cosby on Harlem Village Academies: I'm Jumping (Video)

Tiki Barber | Posted 09.22.2009 | New York

Read More: Harlem, Education, Msnbc, Harlem Village Academies, Charter Schools, New York City, Bill Cosby, Non-Profits, Education Reform, Tiki Barber, Deborah Kenny, New York News
Tiki Barber

Cosby talked exuberantly about Harlem Village Academies as a model for the nation on MSNBC.

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D.C. Mayor and City Council Blame Each Other for Shock Teacher Layoffs

Dan Brown | Posted 09.22.2009 | Politics

Read More: Public Schools, Michelle Rhee, Dc Council, Dcps, Vincent Gray, Eduction Reform, American Federation of Teachers, Charter Schools, No Child Left Behind, DC City Council, Washington Post, Teachers Union, Adrian Fenty, Teachers, Politics News
Dan Brown

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced that a reduction in force of public school teachers had become unavoidable, and schools are in full-on panic mode.

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The Best School Operators in the Country

Tom Vander Ark | Posted 09.19.2009 | Denver

Read More: Arne Duncan, Charter Schools, Education, Education Reform, Denver News
Tom Vander Ark

Undeniably good results, parent pressure, and federal grants will make charters hard to ignore. I think we'll see more cooperative relationships as cities, like Denver, adopt a portfolio approach.

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Real Reform for Colorado's Schools

Evie Hudak | Posted 09.17.2009 | Denver

Read More: Bill Ritter, Colorado Education Reform, Colorado Senate, Charter Schools, No Child Left Behind, Schools, Education Reform, Colorado General Assembly, Bill Owens, Colorado, Denver News
Evie Hudak

Labeling schools doesn't help kids, and it doesn't make schools better. Judging schools on one year's test scores alone is not a valid reflection of how they are doing.

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Renaissance 2010 Gets A Solid 'B'

Paras Bhayani | Posted 11.13.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Arne Duncan, Chicago Public Schools, Charter Schools, University of Chicago, Green Dot, School Choice, Renaissance 2010, Chicago News
Paras Bhayani

New University of Chicago findings pour cold water on both the most ardent critics and most ardent proponents of both Ren10 and the charter schools it has created.

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Obama School Speech Sends the Right Message to Many Who are Usually Tuned Out

Dan Brown | Posted 11.08.2009 | Politics

Read More: Education, Glenn Beck, Obama, Education Reform, Back to School Speech, Student Achievement, Charter Schools, Barack Obama, President Obama, Politics News
Dan Brown

Obama's speech today matters because there's a psychic cost to not knowing a larger world beyond your day-to-day life; American kids need to know their president, whether they support his policy agenda or not.

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The Role of the Private Sector in Education

Tom Vander Ark | Posted 10.20.2009 | Politics

Read More: Competitiveness, Education Reform, Charter Schools, Education, Arne Duncan, Private Enterprise, Atlanta, Mosaica, Politics News
Tom Vander Ark

We don't mind if textbook publishers update versions, but hackles go up when private operators propose school management. Most of this is just disguised job protection; the rest is historical bias.

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CA School's Culinary Arts Program Teaches World Culture, Racial Acceptance

Sonal Bains | Posted 10.19.2009 | Green

Read More: Education, Lowell Bernstein, Organic Food, Children, Healthy Lifestyle, Charter Schools, Aveson Global Leadership Academy, International Education, Asia Society, School Lunches, Raising Global Citizens, Children's Health, Organic, Childhood Obesity, Green News
Sonal Bains

Transport yourself back to your elementary school cafeteria. Are you shuddering at the haunting memory of the combined odor of sloppy joes and Tater Tots?

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Schwarzenegger Sets Trap for Obama's "Race to the Top" Education Initiative

Chris Prevatt | Posted 10.16.2009 | Politics

Read More: Education, Arne Duncan, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charter Schools, Race to the Top, Pacific Research Institute, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barack Obama, Politics News
Chris Prevatt

If Duncan continues to blindly tout governors who have positioned right wing, anti-government wing-nuts to control federal education purse strings, it will truly be "Hasta la vista, baby" for the rest of us and our children.

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Who Owns Washington?

Tom Vander Ark | Posted 10.16.2009 | Politics

Read More: Health Care Reform, Education Reform, Charter Schools, Barack Obama, Politics News
Tom Vander Ark

Without Kennedy's leadership, it's not at all clear who will lead Senate education efforts.

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Obama's Awful Education Plan

Diane Ravitch | Posted 09.23.2009 | Politics

Read More: Public Schools, Arne Duncan Barack Obama, Obama, Education, Schools, Charter Schools, Politics News
Diane Ravitch

What is the Obama administration now doing? Its $4.3 billion will be used to promote privatization of public education and insist that states use the same pathetic tests.

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