Education
Commentary
Confidential medical care isn’t necessary – Lawsuit threats muddle issue
On June 22, the Modesto City Schools board passed a preliminary motion, by a 4-3 vote, to allow students to leave class for confidential medical services without notifying parents. Parents and policy-makers alike have good reason to examine this proposal. School boards statewide have been reviewing their excused absence policies ...
Commentary
A Closer Look at the Stanford University Study
Charter School Newsletter, August 1, 2009 Stanford University has released a nationwide charter school analysis comparing charter and traditional public school student performance. The study matches charter students to public school “twins” by all measures possible. Comparisons of 15 states and the District of Columbia over a course of three ...
Commentary
King City takeover shows gap between spending and achievement
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell held a news conference on Thursday to announce the appointment of Dr. John Bernard as the state administrator for the King City Joint Union High School District in Monterey County. The state takeover of the district was required by law after the district ...
Commentary
Competition, Not Control, Will Improve Schools
Freedom Politics, July 30, 2009 U.S. Rep. John P. Kline, Minnesota Republican recently gained the ranking minority slot on the House Education and Labor Committee, a signal that Republicans are re-thinking their support for federal education activism in favor of local control, their old-time religion. The GOP should remember that ...
Commentary
Slimming Down the Waste-Watchers Way: A Radical New Diet Plan for California
Today, California formalizes the budget deal struck Monday night between the governor and California lawmakers to close the state’s $26.3 billion budget deficit without raising taxes. The Governator has also launched a new Waste Watchers website, where he urges visitors to “report wasteful practices in state government.” As yet, there ...
Commentary
One Last Hope for D.C. Voucher Program
In early May, President Obama presented a revised 2010 budget that included $12.2 million for the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The proposal represented a “compromise” solution to DC’s embattled voucher program, but is hardly a gain for low-income students and their parents. The DC voucher plan currently awards up to ...
Commentary
School Choice Would Satisfy Hunger for Change
Since 2000 education funding has increase 49 percent, and student performance has yet to see improvements. However, Secretary Duncan stated, “America urgently needs to elevate the quality of K-12 schooling and boost college graduation rates, not simply to propel the economic recovery but also because students need stronger skills to ...
Education
Politicians’ Broken Promises Shatter Hopes for DC Families
President Obama recently promised to continue funding the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program by allowing students currently enrolled to complete their education. This decision will prevent many students from being forced from their schools of choice, but it fails to help the thousands of DC parents who hoped to use vouchers ...
Commentary
School funding database shows us who does it right
California’s fiscal outlook continues to worsen. Concern has been steadily mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association (CTA), along with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. In reality, most experts agree California is ...
Commentary
School-funding formula illogical and inequitable
Concern has been mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association, along with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. Most experts agree California is around the middle of the pack, including the CTA’s own ...
Confidential medical care isn’t necessary – Lawsuit threats muddle issue
On June 22, the Modesto City Schools board passed a preliminary motion, by a 4-3 vote, to allow students to leave class for confidential medical services without notifying parents. Parents and policy-makers alike have good reason to examine this proposal. School boards statewide have been reviewing their excused absence policies ...
A Closer Look at the Stanford University Study
Charter School Newsletter, August 1, 2009 Stanford University has released a nationwide charter school analysis comparing charter and traditional public school student performance. The study matches charter students to public school “twins” by all measures possible. Comparisons of 15 states and the District of Columbia over a course of three ...
King City takeover shows gap between spending and achievement
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell held a news conference on Thursday to announce the appointment of Dr. John Bernard as the state administrator for the King City Joint Union High School District in Monterey County. The state takeover of the district was required by law after the district ...
Competition, Not Control, Will Improve Schools
Freedom Politics, July 30, 2009 U.S. Rep. John P. Kline, Minnesota Republican recently gained the ranking minority slot on the House Education and Labor Committee, a signal that Republicans are re-thinking their support for federal education activism in favor of local control, their old-time religion. The GOP should remember that ...
Slimming Down the Waste-Watchers Way: A Radical New Diet Plan for California
Today, California formalizes the budget deal struck Monday night between the governor and California lawmakers to close the state’s $26.3 billion budget deficit without raising taxes. The Governator has also launched a new Waste Watchers website, where he urges visitors to “report wasteful practices in state government.” As yet, there ...
One Last Hope for D.C. Voucher Program
In early May, President Obama presented a revised 2010 budget that included $12.2 million for the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The proposal represented a “compromise” solution to DC’s embattled voucher program, but is hardly a gain for low-income students and their parents. The DC voucher plan currently awards up to ...
School Choice Would Satisfy Hunger for Change
Since 2000 education funding has increase 49 percent, and student performance has yet to see improvements. However, Secretary Duncan stated, “America urgently needs to elevate the quality of K-12 schooling and boost college graduation rates, not simply to propel the economic recovery but also because students need stronger skills to ...
Politicians’ Broken Promises Shatter Hopes for DC Families
President Obama recently promised to continue funding the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program by allowing students currently enrolled to complete their education. This decision will prevent many students from being forced from their schools of choice, but it fails to help the thousands of DC parents who hoped to use vouchers ...
School funding database shows us who does it right
California’s fiscal outlook continues to worsen. Concern has been steadily mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association (CTA), along with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. In reality, most experts agree California is ...
School-funding formula illogical and inequitable
Concern has been mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association, along with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. Most experts agree California is around the middle of the pack, including the CTA’s own ...
