NAACP: Hiring Flexibility Helps Kids!

Over Christmas break, the NAACP quietly released a resolution on charter schools. Among the expected anti-charter rhetoric are sprinkled some things of interest. First, in the midst of listing the advantages charters have, e.g., the supposed selection and removal of students, the resolution also states that charters operate more autonomously…

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Preliminary Victory: Justice Feinman Rules Against Charter Opponents in Rent Lawsuit

Today, Justice Feinman of NYS Supreme Court ruled against a group of charter opponents who had sought a preliminary injunction against the NYC Department of Education, requiring it to charge charter schools rent when they are co-located in public school buildings. Justice Feinman, in a well-reasoned and thoughtful opinion, declined…

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Co-location, 19th Century Edition

Not much has changed in co-location or availability of real estate for public schools in more than 110 years. Our friend Nelson Smith recently perused through the history books and found an interesting quote from 1898 about our public schools in NYC – long before charters were part of the…

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Amber Charter School Launches Education and Parenting Column in El Diario La Prensa

Amber Charter School is launching a column on education and parenting in El Diario La Prensa (see story in the paper today concerning the new column: http://www.impre.com/eldiariony/vida-estilo/educacion/2011/11/7/no-se-pierda-a-la-maestra-del--281088-1.html. The new weekly column will be written by Dr. Vashti Acosta, Principal of Amber Charter School, starting as of November 14 discussing a…

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More Progress Reports: 2 A’s, 3 B’s, and 2 C’s for Charter High Schools

Today, the NYC Department of Education released its 2010-11 progress reports for high schools. (See our breakdown of the K-8 progress reports.) The reports assign a letter grade to each school, based on student test scores, student progress, attendance, and “learning environment” survey results—all heavily weighted to account for differing…

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Our Week on Eduwonk

We spent the week guest blogging over at Eduwonk.com, the Ed Reform blog by Bellwether Education Partners' Andrew Rotherham. Here's a round-up of all of the posts from Monday, October 3 to Friday, October 7. Friday, October 7:It's Been RealWhen Bad Charters Stay Open, Parents Deserve a WarningStretching the Clock…

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