We’ve written about the potential of programs like Nevada’s universal education savings accounts to change the way the education system operates.
But that doesn’t mean everyone in the school choice movement is sold on the idea of universal private school choice programs. Howard Fuller is among the prominent advocates in the school choice movement motivated by causes of equity and social justice, not the power of the free market. The movement is not a monolith, and while its supporters can often make common cause, their goals sometimes diverge.
As that debate continues, Nevada officials are hammering out rules for the program before it opens next year. This week, we saw more reasons why implementing the program won’t be simple.
Meanwhile…
After rejecting another plan to support school choice and drawing fire from civil rights groups for scaling back accountability requirements, the U.S. Senate approved its rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. What’s in the competing House and Senate proposals? See a breakdown here.
The relationship between charter schools and teachers unions is more complex than diametric opposition, but the charter concept was not “first” proposed by Albert Shanker.
Teach For America wants recruits who will stick around for the long haul.
State takeovers fo struggling schools are becoming more common, with a new effort coming to Ohio.
Buckeye state regulators are accused of ignoring academic troubles at online schools.
ICYMI, this week on RedefinED
Charters remain popular with students who transfer from private schools
Senate rejects plan to allow Title I funding follow low-income students to private schools
Report: Florida “somewhat hospitable” to charter schools offering pre-K
Florida sees jump in home schooling
Quote of the Week
Let’s just be real: achieving results in neighborhood schools is harder than in a choice environment. I have seen this firsthand at YES Prep and now as the superintendent of the ASD. As a charter school founder, I did my fair share of chest pounding over great results. I’ve learned that getting these same results in a zoned neighborhood school environment is much harder.
-Chris Barbic, announcing his plan to step down as head of Tennessee’s Achievement School District.
Is that an argument for an all-choice system like the one New Orleans, or, as Barbic frames it, an argument for more innovation in the effort to turn around neighborhood schools? Share your thoughts, or offer tips, suggestions and criticism, at tpillow[at]sufs[dot]org.
