Search Results for: miss ana

Growth stalls at Florida Virtual School

The muscular growth of Florida Virtual School, the nation’s largest provider of online classes, has suddenly become anemic. And the culprit seems to be legislative changes made this spring to the state’s funding formula for education. Over the last five years, the highly regarded FLVS has seen a 24 percent annual growth in the number… Read more »

Time for a ‘Brown’ ruling on religious discrimination in education

New Hampshire joined other states in adopting a tuition tax credit program in 2012; now this has been partially blocked by a ruling that illustrates how urgently the United States needs a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court doing, for legalized discrimination on the basis of religion, what Brown v.  Board of Education did for… Read more »

Study finds teacher prep programs inadequate for future educators

The National Council on Teacher Quality released its first Teacher Prep Review today, and the findings show only a handful of colleges and universities adequately train aspiring teachers. Which means many of the programs are leaving new teachers ill-equipped to keep up with the growing rigor of public instruction – and that’s bad news for a country… Read more »

redefinED roundup: Tax credits in Arizona, vouchers in Wisconsin, charter schools in New Mexico & more

Illinois: The Chicago Teachers Union and privately-run charter schools railed against potential district funding cuts (Chicago Tribune). Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration  will partially restore funding to the United Neighborhood Organization so the charter school operator can finish a new soccer academy high school by this fall (Chicago Tribune). Arizona: The Senate approves the expansion of a school choice program that adds kindergartners and… Read more »

Florida roundup: School counselors, accreditation, Common Core & more

School counselors: Lee County schools’ tight budget has left the district with one school counselor to every 532 high students, one to 565 middle school students and one to 923 elementary students. The recommended ratio is 1-250 at every school level. News-Press. Ivy league: This senior and farmerworker’s son might be the first kid from rural LaBelle to go to an Ivy League… Read more »

Gary Beckner: Teachers need a professional association, not a union

Editor’s note: This is the third of four guest posts on the future of teachers unions. by Gary Beckner We are at a critical crossroads on the path to education reform in America. Stakeholders from all walks of life and political stripes are beginning to understand that in order to compete in a global economy we… Read more »

Florida roundup: Gifted students, cyberbullying, teacher pay cuts & more

Tax hike: Seminole County schools Superintendent Walt Griffin says his district needs another 1-mill tax on county property to pay for a slew of school improvements. Orlando Sentinel. Digital divide: Over the next few years, computers will play an even bigger role in public education. StateImpact Florida. Summer lunch: And breakfast at more than a dozen South Florida… Read more »

Lessons from school choice in Florida

For the last month, the North Carolina legislature has been debating whether to create a scholarship program to help low-income families pay the tuition and fees at qualified K-12 private schools. Since this proposal closely parallels Florida’s tax credit scholarship program, I’ve traveled to Raleigh three times in recent weeks to discuss what we’ve learned… Read more »

Religious schools should be a bigger part of the solution

Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court justice, might never have blossomed in the Bronx without the help of a faith-based school, a Catholic oasis called Blessed Sacrament. Sotomayor herself says so. Asked by Anderson Cooper if she would have become who she is without the school, Sotomayor said, “Doubtful.” Sadly, Blessed Sacrament is closing this year, felled… Read more »