Daily News Roundup—February 25, 2010

National

The NY Times with a good report on yesterday’s first hearing on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act. Sponsored by the House Education and Labor Committee, the hearing focused on charter schools.

Tom Vander Ark, founder and partner of VA/R Partners and Revolution Learning (also EEP Signatory & Advisor) covers and analyzes the same hearing in the Huffington Post

Politics Daily reports on the anticipated teacher layoffs predicted by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and the need for states to determine who their best and brightest teachers are beforehand.

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige speaks at a Fordham Institute event on the achievement gap: The Black-White Achievement Gap: Why Closing It Is the Greatest Civil Rights Issue of Our Time.

Secretary Duncan issues a statement on reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act.

Jay Mathews, education columnist of the Washington Post, urges more principals to factor the opinions and preferences of parents into their teacher selection process.

From The States

California

The LA Times reports on a current suit against the Los Angeles Unified School District that claims teacher layoffs deny students their legal right to an education and aims to prevent the LAUSD from laying off more teachers.

EdWeek blogs on the recent decision to turn over management of a number of LA schools to groups of teachers.

Nebraska

Omaha.com reports on a charter school bill introduced by NE State Sen. LeRoy Louden of Ellsworth that would allow for the creation of charter schools in rural areas to serve children who might otherwise by spending hours each day on a bus.

New York

Joel Klein, NYC Public Schools Chancellor and EEP Co-Chairperson, writes an op-ed column for the NY Daily News discussing his initiatives that are aimed at providing parents with choice and competition for quality schools.

Oklahoma

Tulsa World reports that the OK House Committee on Education passed a charter school bill yesterday.

Rhode Island

CBSNews and the Providence Journal reports on Secretary Duncan’s support of the Central Falls School Board of Trustees decision to require all teachers to re-apply for their jobs at Central Falls High School. Duncan “applauded” them for showing courage and doing the right thing for kids.

A powerful op-ed by Chris Horvath, a parent at Democracy Prep’s Blackstone Valley (part of the Rhode Island Mayoral Academies – RIMA). “If you want your child to 'work hard, go to college, and change the world' then you should seriously consider entering the lottery for DPBV and be prepared for amazing things.”

Virginia

PilotOnline.com reports that VA’s brand-new education secretary, Gerard Robinson (EEP Signatory; formerly Executive Director of BAEO), and team are on the road pitching their education proposal to individual legislators to salvage the education reform package.

The Washington Examiner tracks the life and progress of VA Education Secretary Gerard Robinson, and asks how this one-time football visionary ended up a pioneer in education.

Washington DC

Harry Jaffe, columnist for the Washington Examiner, applauds Tom Nida, chairman of the DC Public Charter School Board for holding the District’s charter schools accountable and making sure charters use tax dollars well to educate all children.

Public Schedule of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

The Week Ahead: Thursday, Feb. 25 - Saturday, Feb. 27

Information/Schedule Subject to Change

(All times local)

Thursday, Feb. 25

Secretary Duncan to testify at the House Budget Committee Hearing. 10:00-1:00 p.m. at the Cannon Building, Room 207.

Friday, Feb. 26

Secretary Duncan to speak at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Askwith Forum. 2:30-4:00 p.m. at the Askwith Lecture Hall, Longfellow Hall, Harvard Graduate School of Education. 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138. Limited space for press.

Juan Sepulveda, Director, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, to give keynote at the San Antonio Nonprofit Annual Conference. Details TBA.

Saturday, Feb. 27

No public events scheduled.

Want to receive these headlines via email? Send us a note - info@educationequalityproject.org - with the Subject Title "Daily News Roundup."

Categories: Daily News RoundUp