Friday’s ed news
Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett resigns amid a school grade-changing scandal. The departure threatens one of two national Common Core testing groups.
Common Core testing is twice as expensive as Arizona’s current tests, and lawmakers don’t like it.
Race conflicts complicate a Missouri school choice law allowing transfers from bad districts to good ones.
The U.S. Department of Education decides to meddle directly with school districts in a new grant competition.
Florida teachers can now get tax-free debit cards for buying school supplies.
Congress sends President Obama a bill to fix government student loan rates.
Thursday’s ed news
In September, Tennessee will conduct hearings to reconsider Common Core.
So many Louisiana students want into the state’s Course Choice mini-voucher program, the state superintendent is looking for ways to free up more money for them.
Parents, schools quickly apply for Wisconsin’s new statewide vouchers.
Part of Georgia’s federal Race to the Top grant is in jeopardy because it has not implemented a test score-tied teacher evaluation system.
Wisconsin lawmakers are stalling on promised public hearings to reconsider Common Core.
Florida Superintendent Tony Bennett talks about why he changed Indiana’s school grading system suspiciously.
Because of Common Core, school districts are making massive computer purchases without considering whether these will benefit students.
Why there is no education without religion.
Tuesday’s ed news
North Carolina ends K-12 teacher tenure.
Several parties appeal a New Hampshire court’s decision that tax-credit scholarships cannot fund private schools.
Emails reveal former Indiana state Superintendent Tony Bennett changed the school grading system to boost the score of a charter school founded by one of his campaign donors. This is what happens when government controls education, says Greg Forster.
An Ohio school district aims to increase property taxes to fund their transition to Common Core.
A teacher’s union alternative arises in Wisconsin.
Monday’s ed news
The school first converted under Parent Trigger legislation will re-open this fall in California.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio increases intraparty rifts by issuing a public statement against Common Core national education standards and tests.
A new report highlights three ways states can refine school choice programs into next-generation vouchers.
Arizona lawmakers search for a Common Core testing replacement after learning the national tests nearly double their current costs. Kansas faces a cost increase of at least that much.
Outraged Floridians charge Islamic bias in K-12 textbooks.
Families are expected to spend less during back-to-school shopping this year.
In the past five years, Maryland schools lost students but spent nearly a third more on K-12.
A statewide school wireless contract sparks controversy in Idaho.
Why it’s time to redefine “public school.”
Second- and third-tier colleges are losing students.
For last week’s School Reform News roundup, click here.
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Image by Mo Riza.
Joy Pullmann is a research fellow on education policy for The Heartland Institute and managing editor of The Federalist, a web magazine on politics, policy, and culture.
