DFER News Roundup

By Devin Boyle, Director of Communications, and Stephanie Doctrow, Communications Coordinator and Web Editor

ROTM:

• It’s That Time Again ~ DFER announces its Ed Reformer of the Month for June. Join us in supporting North Carolina State Rep. Marcus Brandon for his stellar efforts to reform education in NC.

DFER Seen & Heard:

• Sandi Love of Indiana’s StateHouseFiles gives a nod to DFER IN’s recently released report card evaluating IN state legislators.

• Capital Tonight reports, “Craig Johnson Joins Democrats For Education Reform.”

• Geoff Decker of GothamSchools writes, “Ex-state senator picked to lead DFER’s New York fundraising.”

• Gloria Romero of DFER CA writes, “Stronger teacher preparation needed to improve schools” for The Sacramento Bee.

• On NYC mayor hopeful Bill Thompson’s stance on ed reform, DFER’s Williams says, “He’s made a convincing case that there are way too many kids who are not getting [a] good education in the current system.” (WSJ)

DFER Advocacy, Policy Briefs & Such:

• Report | DFER Indiana grades state legislators’ actions on ed reform policy.

• Press Release | Former NY State Sen. Craig Johnson tapped to head DFER NY.

• Statement | DFER supports TN’s Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman’s reforms.

• Statement | DFER releases statement on Chairman Kline’s ESEA Reauthorization Bill: “Come for the Block Grants, Stay for the Lax Accountability.”

DFER Blog:

• Van Schoales writes, “The long and winding road to school finance reform in Colorado: Five key lessons.”

• DFER IL’s Rebeca Nieves Huffman writes, “The future of virtual charter schools? Wait a year to find out!“

• “Pulling victory from the jaws of defeat,” writes DFER IN’s Larry Grau.

• DFER’s Charlie Barone writes, “#YGTBFKM Volume 1.”

• DFER’s Joe Williams pens, “UFT’s endorsement is more show horse than work horse.”

• Responding to the NCTQ report, DFER’s Domenic Giandomenico writes, “The true cost of looking the other way.”

In Related News:

• Editorial Board of the Knoxville News-Sentinel says, “Common Core State Standards should be kept.”

• Mac LeBuhn, who is a former teacher, writes about teaching and policymaking for TFER.

• “Arne Duncan Mounts Strongest Defense Yet of Common Core Standards,” says Michele McNeil of EdWeek‘s Politics K-12.

• “In 2010, the United States spent 7.3 percent of its gross domestic product on education, compared with the 6.3 percent average of other OECD countries,” according to a recent study.” (EdWeek)

• EdWeek‘s Alyson Klein asks, “How Did SIG Schools Do on Graduation, Attendance, and Other Factors?“

• Ed Trust writes, “Congressional committees move forward on ESEA reauthorization.”

• Stanford University multistate survey shows public charters make “slow and steady progress,” reports Education Week.

• “House committee passes partisan NCLB renewal bill,” by Education Week’s Alyson Klein.

• “Lifeline for Minorities, Catholic Schools Retrench,” says Gonzalez of the NYT.

• “Education chief lets states delay use of tests in decisions about teachers’ jobs,” writes Motoko Rich of The New York Times.

• The Wall Street Journal’s Stephanie Banchero writes, “Teacher training’s low grade.”

• “Common Core: Setting the record straight,” by Education Week’s Richard Laine and Chris Minnich.

• UFT “Seeks Influence in New York’s Mayoral Race,” reports Javier Hernandez for the NYT.

• “A student whose performance is languishing compared to high-fliers may be suffering under the heel of the Golem Effect,” writes LeBuhn for TFER.

• Teacher says criticism of NCTQ report is “built on false assertions and outdated facts.”

• NCTQ released its 2013 teacher prep rankings, evaluating programs in 1,200 schools. (US News & World Report)

• “Newark pushes for a common application for charter enrollment,” writes Education Week’s Katie Ash.

• “In rich countries, school systems with exams based on robust national standards (ie, similar to Common Core) perform 16 points better on the PISA test (an international benchmark) than school systems without them,” reports The Economist.

• There’s an “unfounded fear of Common Core,” says Boston Globe columnist Edward L. Glaeser.

Fun With Infographics & More:

• Remember to ALWAYS be awesome.

• Smile, it’s Friday!