Oakland High teachers walk out to protest pay; district considers discipline

Jill Tucker  Dec. 10, 2018  More than 100 Oakland teachers and students ditched school Monday to protest teacher pay and larger class sizes, an illegal action that could be a precursor to a district-wide strike. Oakland High School teachers called in sick or took a personal day in an unauthorized walkout despite threats from district officials that…

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…

Public school allies sound the alarm over Corcoran recommendation and committee chairs

By: James Call, December 10, 2018 Public school advocates don’t like what they see and hear coming out of Tallahassee. Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis’s selection of Richard Corcoran as his choice to be the next Education Commissioner and the appointment of two pro-charter school lawmakers – with questionable credentials, according to their critics – have led public education allies…

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…

Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis taps Richard Corcoran to be Commissioner of Education

By: James Call, Dec. 6, 2018  https://uw-media.tallahassee.com/embed/video/107203466?sitelabel=reimagine&placement=snow-smallarticleattophtml5&keywords=ron-desantis%2Cconfusion%2Cshame%2Chatred%2Coverall-negative%2Cschool-choice%2Ceducation%2Cbill-montford&simpleTarget=&simpleExclusion=&pagetype=story&cst=news&ssts=news&series= The head of the Leon County teachers’ union describes a demoralized faculty due to a lack of state spending on public schools. James Call   Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis wants former House Speaker Richard Corcoran to be Florida’s next Commissioner of Education. Thursday DeSantis announced he will recommend Corcoran to…

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…

Geneva teachers union says talks will resume Thursday

Susan Sarkauskas December 6, 2018 Negotiations between striking Geneva schoolteachers and the Geneva school board will resume Thursday, according to union officials. The announcement by Geneva Education Association President Kevin Gannon, at a rally outside Geneva High School Wednesday afternoon, drew cheers and applause from strikers, and other supporters. Pickets chanted “2-4-6-8! What lets us…