Star-rating system unveiled for DC’s public schools

By Kate Ryan  December 7, 2018 WASHINGTON — Nearly 40 percent of D.C.’s public schools, including charters, got a rating of three stars under the new school performance rating unveiled Friday. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser unveiled the new system at Harriet Tubman Elementary School. The five star-system — schools can get from one to five stars…

Nation’s first charter school strike ends, but could portend more battles on choice

Aamer Madhani, December 10, 2018 CHICAGO – Teachers and administrators agreed Sunday to suspend the nation’s first-ever charter school strike, ending a four-day work stoppage at one of the largest charter networks in Chicago. But the fight could portend more to come in the labor movement’s long-running battle with the alternative schools. The strike against the Acero charter school…

7 Corridor public school districts have had contracts scaled back

  TIFFIN — Almost as soon legislative changes allowed, everything but wages were shed from Clear Creek Amana Community School District teachers’ contracts. The teachers’ union agreed to the changes, the Clear Creek Amana Education Association’s chief bargainer Marcia Charbon said, primarily because of its faith in the current school board and superintendent. “I don’t…

Atlanta school board votes to restrict use of school taxes for Westside projects

By: Vanessa McCray December 7, 2018 The Atlanta school board voted today to restrict further use of school property taxes to fund future development on the city’s Westside, despite concerns from two board members who fear the move could escalate tensions with the city. The school board’s 7-2 vote came a month after Atlanta City Council approved a…

Set Up to Fail? How High Schools Aren’t Preparing Kids for College

Small schools and high poverty schools are putting their students at the biggest disadvantage, according to a new report. BY J. BRIAN CHARLES  NOVEMBER 15, 2018 (AP/LM Otero) Students in small schools or schools with high concentrations of poverty are less likely to be offered the kinds of higher-level classes that prepare them for college, according…

Should the state stop funding public education?

by Burt Mummolo Wednesday, December 5th 2018 Should the state stop funding public education? (Mummolo/KTUL) TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — “To paraphrase Will Rogers, ‘I’m not a member of an organized party. I’m an Oklahoma Republican,’” said David Arnett, reacting to the fallout from a Canadian County GOP letter saying public education should be privatized. “The Republican…