New York: More than 1,000 charter school parents rally in Albany to convince the state to let charter schools compete for state funding for pre-K (Fox23 News). Montana: Lawmakers hear from parents and other child advocates who want their state to open charter schools and support giving families more choices, such as[Read More…]
Tag: private schools and testing
Most “voucher” schools not afraid of testing, report suggests
The Fordham Institute may be the closest thing to an honest academic broker in the contentious private school choice arena these days, and its latest report will no doubt enhance that reputation. “Red Tape or Red Herring?”, released today, provides strong evidence that private schools are not averse to academic[Read More…]
Tony Bennett on testing private school “voucher” students in Florida
In this lengthy exit interview with the Indianapolis Star, new Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett adds to a simmering debate, sparked last month by Gov. Rick Scott, about whether students using vouchers and tax credit scholarships to attend private schools in Florida should be required to take the same standardized tests as their[Read More…]
Emerging market in public education is a good thing
Words such as voucher, privatization, profit and corporation are often used as weapons by individuals and groups who oppose parental empowerment and school choice. Using words as weapons is especially common during periods of significant social change – we all do it – but the practice undermines civic discourse and[Read More…]
Florida lawmaker works in public schools, but supports expanded school choice
Count newly-elected Florida Rep. Manny Diaz, Jr. among a number of state lawmakers who are public school district employees. But Diaz, an assistant principal in the Miami-Dade public school district, isn’t just a cheerleader for traditional public schools. He’s also a huge – and very vocal – advocate for school[Read More…]
Letter to editor: “Voucher” (tax credit scholarship) students are tested in Florida
Editor’s note: Step Up For Students president Doug Tuthill wrote the following letter, which was published this morning in the Tampa Bay Times. It’s in response to this Times editorial about testing for students in Florida’s tax credit scholarship program and recent comments from Gov. Rick Scott. Some recent news stories have[Read More…]
Florida roundup: Tony Bennett, voucher testing, Newtown reverberations & more
Not the best fit. Andy Ford, president of the Florida teachers union, says in this Q&A with the Orlando Sentinel that Tony Bennett is “the best fit for the Jeb Bush power structure, but not the best choice for Florida’s students, parents and school employees.” Board of Education member Kathleen[Read More…]
Florida roundup: More PIRLS, more Tony Bennett, more testing and vouchers
Basking in the glow. Interim education commissioner Pam Stewart touts the PIRLS results on CNN. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan offers praise, notes Orlando Sentinel. More from Fort Myers News Press. More Tony Bennett. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano sees the same old agenda. The Tampa Bay Times editorial[Read More…]