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Report ranks California’s charter school laws 7th strongest in nation
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranked California 7th for its charter school laws among the 42 states and the District of Columbia that have passed laws allowing charter schools. For the past four years, the alliance has compared the strength of each state’s charter laws with its own model law, which includes measurements of quality and accountability, equitable access to funding and facilities compared with traditional schools, and no caps on charter school growth. California received high marks for its variety of charters (start-ups, conversions of existing schools, and virtual schools) and for its automatic exemption of charters from collective bargaining agreements with unions. Minnesota, which has revamped its laws to match the alliance’s model, not surprisingly ended up first. In general, more states are enacting or strengthening their charter … Read entire article »
Filed under: Charter Schools, Featured, Quick Hits, School Choice
Desert Trails parents choose charter operator, next step in ‘parent trigger’
With a low voter turnout Thursday, parents exercising a “parent trigger” option at the Desert Trails Elementary in Adelanto selected a charter operator in nearby Hesperia to run their school starting next August. The selection of LaVerne Elementary Preparatory Academy, a small K-8 charter with an API of 911 – more than 200 points above Desert Trails’ score of 699 this year – marked the next stage in parents’ contentious and protracted exercise of California’s parent empowerment law. Teachers at the school, who may lose their jobs in the conversion to a charter school, as well as parents opposing the move, will seize on the vote by only 53 parents. Last spring, 286 parents, representing a majority of the students enrolled in the K-5 school, signed the petition that gave them … Read entire article »
Filed under: Charter Schools, Featured, Parent Activism, Parent Trigger, Parents, Reporting & Analysis
Charters and state at odds over Transitional Kindergarten
The first lesson that the state’s youngest students may learn is about the meaning of words – specifically, words in the state education code that may or may not give these children access to Transitional Kindergarten in charter schools. The California Department of Education maintains that any charter school offering kindergarten must provide Transitional Kindergarten, or TK. “Our lawyers affirmed it verbally,” said Tina Jung, spokesperson for the California Department of Education. “To us, it’s clear … Read entire article »
Filed under: Charter Schools, Featured, Kindergarten and Preschool, Legislature, Bills, Poverty, Reporting & Analysis, Transitional Kindergarten
Michelle Rhee says StudentsFirst organization has 170,000 members in California
StudentsFirst, a new entrant on the California school reform landscape, has 170,000 members in California, according to its founder Michelle Rhee, the former Washington D.C. schools chief and wife of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Reporting & Analysis
New year brings new expectations for “parent trigger” law
Educators in California will be watching closely this year to see whether the so-called “parent trigger” law approved by the state Legislature exactly two years ago amid predictions that it would effect radical changes in schools across the state, will have any significant impact on the California education landscape. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Reporting & Analysis
Nationally recognized charter organization seeks state approval for San Francisco school
UPDATE: The State Board of Education unanimously voted to approve the charter petition of Rocketship Education, overruling the recommendation made by the California Department of Education to deny the petition appeal. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Reporting & Analysis
Charter association’s call for closure of charter schools stirs controversy
In a bold move that is generating controversy within its own ranks, the California Charter School Association is urging that 10 of the 145 charter schools up for renewal this year be denied their charters because they failed to meet academic performance benchmarks set by the association. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Reporting & Analysis
With boost from California, charter schools enroll 2 million students nationally
Charter schools enrolled 2 million public school students this fall, with California playing a major role in helping them reach that milestone, according to figures released today. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Reporting & Analysis
Charter schools grow while more than 9 out of 10 students stay in regular public schools
Charter schools now enroll 7 percent of the state’s public school students, according to just-released figures. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Reporting & Analysis
Why California must lead the way in closing underperforming charter schools
January 1st, 2013 | 20 Comments
By Jed Wallace / commentary ~ EdSource Today
Many of California’s charter schools are among the best public schools in the state, if not the nation, but some are also among the worst. It is time for the charter community to fix the failings in the sector so that more children have the chance to attend a great school. The second state in the nation to allow charter schools, California has long been at the forefront of education reform. We must also lead the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Charter Schools, Commentary, Featured