2011 December School Reform News

The December issue of School Reform News reports on efforts by Pennsylvania lawmakers and advocacy groups to increase school choice options available to parents and their students. Gov. Tom Corbett said a voucher plan is one of his top priorities.

Also in this issue:

• The Occupy Wall Street protest movement turned its attention towards education during a speech by News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch at a school reform conference in San Francisco.

• A Utah legislator is proposing public school education accounts to promote choice, savings.

• The Senate passed over Republican No Child Left Behind bills for a 1,500-page proposal.

• Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is trying to reorient his state to compete internationally in student achievement.

• The federal government’s huge deficit could result in education funding cuts.

• Compared to other industrialized nations, even America’s best school districts rate as mediocre, a new study shows.

• Instituting state-level merit pay for teachers distorts personal incentives and education itself, writes economist Arnold Kling. The solution: Empower principals and parents.