DFER News Roundup
By Devin Boyle, Director of Communications, and Stephanie Doctrow, Communications Coordinator and Web Editor
DFER Seen & Heard:
- A Washington superior court judge’s ruling on the constitutionality of the state’s new charter school law cleared the way for the first public charters to open in 2014. “We’re thrilled with the judge’s ruling,” DFER-WA State Director Lisa Macfarlane told The Seattle Times’ Linda Shaw.
- In EdWeek, DFER’s Charles Barone said of Chiefs for Change: “There’s a responsibility that comes with that [success], to be constructively self-critical. And it’s a tough balancing act between that and wanting to maintain your trajectory because you believe in it.”
Advocacy, Policy Briefs & Such:
- Don’t forget to support DFER’s Reformer of the Month, Pennsylvania state Rep. Brendan Boyle!
DFER Blog:
- DFER Policy Director Charles Barone and Policy Analyst Mac LeBuhn follow up on New America Foundation Policy Analyst Anne Hyslop’s must-read new report.
- A+ Denver and DFER-CO’s new report reveals disappointing school turnaround results in Colorado.
- DFER-IL’s Rebeca Nieves Huffman: “Solving the current pension issue will allow Illinois to finally start putting the necessary time and resources into long-term priorities, including funding our state’s education system so all of our children will have access to a high-quality education.”
- DFER-WA Deputy State Director Tania de Sá Campos writes, “Washington State Trial Court Upholds Charter School Law.”
In Related News:
- Check out New America Foundation Policy Analyst Anne Hyslop’s new report, “It’s All Relative.”
- Congratulations to DC Public Schools on their TUDA results!
- The Department of Education announced updates to one of the Obama Administration’s central efforts to control rising college costs, the so-called Shopping Sheet.
- “Lots of folks sort of scoffed when we invested in Hawaii through Race to the Top,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in EdWeek. “People thought that was a loser, that Hawaii could never do anything. … Hawaii, to their tremendous credit, has proved a lot of skeptics wrong.”
- “Rather than rail against Common Core standards, meet them,” editorializes the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.
Fun With Infographics & More:
- Check out the 2013 DFER Holiday Card!
- Infographic | Top 10 Blog Posts of 2013.
- Infographic | Remember Sandy Hook.