Democrats for Education Reform

Press

Press Archive: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39

Wanted: Dems Against School Status Quo

(From The Detroit News, January 20, 2010)

By HARRISON BLACKMOND

In December, the Michigan Legislature passed the most significant education reform legislation in Michigan since voter approval of the Proposal A school funding and other reforms in 1994. While the legislative package seems to position Michigan well for President Barack Obama's "Race to the Top" funding, the real significance lies in the fact that so many Democrats supported the policy changes.

Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, was the first to introduce this legislation in the Senate, which provided the momentum for the charter school cap idea that became law. It modifies the statewide cap on charter schools to allow the creation of "schools of excellence," which in turn creates room for the startup of additional alternative charter schools.

House Education Committee Chairman Tim Melton, D-Pontiac, supported by House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, led the effort in the House to pass this and other changes despite vigorous opposition from traditional Democratic allies. State Reps. Bert Johnson of Highland Park and Shanelle Jackson of Detroit also provided crucial support.

Continue reading "Wanted: Dems Against School Status Quo"....

January 19, 2010

Colorado Scrambles For Dollars With New School Reform Plan

(From The Denver Post, January 19, 2010)

By JESSICA FENDER and JEREMY MEYER

Colorado education officials will unveil a reform proposal today that asks for $380 million in federal Race to the Top funding, but they are missing a key plank regarding teacher evaluations that will likely give other states a leg up in the contest.

Months of work have led to a nearly 150-page plan that touches on nearly everything, including incentives for top teachers, resources focused on failing schools and sharing data across the state.

But while Colorado's application vows to address such issues as teacher performance, tenure and dismissal through a commission born today of an executive order from Gov. Bill Ritter, other states with more advanced teacher-tracking systems have put their evaluation plans into law.

Colorado began the competition as a front-runner, but analysts say the lack of guidelines for tenure and dismissal will likely hurt the state's chances at being among the first chosen for a share of the $4.35 billion program. As many as 45 states nationwide are revamping their K-12 systems to compete for hundreds of millions in stimulus dollars that will be granted in two rounds of competition.

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien has spearheaded Colorado's Race to the Top effort and said she would rather have the support of teachers and their union than forge ahead with a plan that schools are unhappy with.

Educators are worried about kinks in the state's year-old tracking system, O'Brien said.

Continue reading "Colorado Scrambles For Dollars With New School Reform Plan"....

Michigan Hopes Reforms Will Win Up To $400M In School Aid

(From The Detroit News, January 19, 2010)

By KAREN BOUFFARD

Lansing -- Michigan filed its application for federal funds to launch education reform with strong support from school districts but a dearth of union backing.

Michigan sent Monday its request for a slice of the $4.35 billion in Race to the Top money with hopes that its plan is strong enough to win based on significant education reforms passed by the Legislature in December and the Obama administration's commitment to improving education in Michigan and especially Detroit.

While about 750 Michigan school districts and charter schools signed the state's application, only 48 union locals did so. The reforms passed by lawmakers raise the high school dropout age to 18, link teacher evaluations to student performance, allow state takeovers of failing schools and open more charter schools.

"We had some very bold legislative changes that were signed into law to improve our application and more than 750 school districts signed, so we feel very confident that our application will be one of the strongest that the U.S. Department of Education will have to consider," said Martin Ackley, spokesman for the state Department of Education.

Like Florida, Louisiana, California and other states with tough reform packages, Michigan won few signatures of support from unions, a shortcoming that could cost it points when up to 30 states send in their forms.

Continue reading "Michigan Hopes Reforms Will Win Up To $400M In School Aid"....

Seawell's Bounty: Gamel Gave Her $144K In Denvers Schools' Race

(From State Bill Colorado, January 19, 2010)

By NANCY MITCHELL

Jaw-dropping amounts of money flowed into the 2009 Denver Public Schools' board elections from would-be education reformers near and far while state and local labor unions united in a covert push to fight them.

Friday's campaign filing deadline provides more details about what became a battle between those who want to shake up the city's public schools - and those who'd like their change with a little less shaking.

But, as in years past, the final vote tallies showed neither big money nor union backing guaranteed a win.

Money matters - or not

Thomas W. Gamel, with little recent history of political activity but supportive of DPS reforms such as school autonomy, contributed a total of $237,558.84 to three candidates, giving $144,350 to at-large candidate Mary Seawell - or 60 percent of her total dollars raised. She beat her opponent Christopher Scott by taking 71 percent of the vote but the other recipients of Gamel's largess did not fare as well.

Gamel contributed more than half of the $104,138.84 total raised by Vernon Jones in northeast Denver but Jones was defeated by Nate Easley, whose final tally was $41,470. In southwest Denver, Gamel's $36,950 in donations helped push Ismael Garcia's fund-raising total to $85,830. Garcia was defeated by Andrea Merida, who raised less than half that amount - or $30,116.

Continue reading "Seawell's Bounty: Gamel Gave Her $144K In Denvers Schools' Race"....

January 16, 2010

Joe Williams: Democrats Should Back Charter Schools

(From The Charleston Gazette, January 16, 2010)

By JOE WILLIAMS

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia stands to lose $75 million in federal stimulus money due to the state's bad charter school law. Now, in the eleventh hour, lawmakers are scrambling to update the law in an effort to increase access to better educational options and thereby improve public education considerably.

It's time for Democrats in the state Legislature to realize that with or without the carrot of federal dollars, updating this law is the right thing to do.

The Democratic Party has touted our support of public education for decades, but our support has sometimes gone too far when we've defended schools and policies that aren't working for the children we ultimately want to improve the lives of. When we are the ones standing between the families we claim to represent and the public school options for which they clamor, we have to re-examine our priorities when it comes to schools.

Democrats, in particular, owe it to their constituents to support the kinds of exciting public school options offered by public charter schools. Recent data shows that West Virginia parents are eager to learn about the opportunities at charter schools -and the opportunities are clear.

Continue reading "Joe Williams: Democrats Should Back Charter Schools"....

January 13, 2010

Who's Pulling the MPS Takeover Strings?

(From Express Milwaukee, January 13, 2010)

By Lisa Kaiser

National pro-privatization organizations led by former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel education reporter Joe Williams and backed by Wall Street hedge fund managers are emerging as a driving force behind the mayoral takeover of the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).

Williams is the executive director of the affiliated groups named Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) and Education Reform Now (ERN), based in New York City. ERN has a nine-month-old chapter in Wisconsin, and DFER has branches in Wisconsin, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri and New Jersey.

The Wisconsin state director of both groups, Katy Venskus, has been lobbying in support of the pro-mayoral takeover Senate Bill 405, authored by state Sen. Lena Taylor and state Rep. Pedro Colon.

Venskus also has organized a group of Milwaukee business leaders--including Julia Taylor of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Tim Sheehy of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and Tim Sullivan of Bucyrus International--to push for a mayor-appointed superintendent of MPS with enhanced executive powers.

Continue reading "Who's Pulling the MPS Takeover Strings?"....