CER Daily Media Clips

CER Daily Media Clips for July 26, 2021

Sparked by pandemic fallout, homeschooling surges across US

Jul 26, 2021 | AP News | homeschooling | National

Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They’re now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes.

D.C.’s largest charter network wants city to let it offer robust all-virtual option in fall

Jul 26, 2021 | Washington Post | online learning | States, South, District of Columbia

The District’s largest charter network wants to offer an all-virtual option in the fall to any student who meets certain academic qualifications — a break from the mayor’s announcement that only children who have doctor-approved medical exemptions would be allowed to remain virtual.

Most Schools Get Funding Increase via ‘Ghost Student’ Reform

Jul 26, 2021 | OCPA | state budget | States, South, Oklahoma

Among the major issues addressed during the 2021 legislative session was a funding reform that reduced schools’ ability to receive state payments for departed students, informally referred to as “ghost students.”

Commentary: During The Pandemic, School Vouchers Make Sense

Jul 26, 2021 | Honolulu Civil Beat | vouchers | States, West, Hawaii

Some locals welcome students returning to public school in Hawaii as a relief, as it gives parents flexibility to work. But with COVID-19 cases steadily increasing, other parents are concerned about the safety of their children and the potential for them to bring home the delta variant to multigenerational households.

These N.J. parents are pushing for virtual learning in September

Jul 26, 2021 | NJ.com | parent power | States, Northeast, New Jersey

The group, New Jersey Parents for Personal Choice, is asking Gov. Phil Murphy to reverse course and allow virtual learning, which was in place starting in March 2020 and throughout the 2020-21 school year due to the coronavirus pandemic, to resume when classes return in September.

Texas Dems pen letter to Gov. Abbott to give schools option for virtual learning, masks

Jul 26, 2021 | CBS Austin | state policy | States, South, Texas

In a letter signed to Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency commissioner Mike Morath, 32 Texas House representatives are asking for them to reconsider and allow districts to offer fully-funded virtual learning and enforce mask-wearing in school.

Asheville PEAK Academy prepares for opening, looks to close achievement gap

Jul 26, 2021 | Asheville Citizen Times | charter schools | Towns, States, South, North Carolina

The city’s newest charter school has been in the works for years, but officially received its recommendation from the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board to open for the 2021-22 school year in December.

Proposal to cut federal funding of charter schools could hurt Montgomery’s Life Academy

Jul 26, 2021 | WSFA | federal budget | States, South, Alabama

A recent proposal could cut federal funding to charter schools across the county, a concern for newly founded Life Academy in Montgomery.

Optimize school spending to help students, not teachers unions

Jul 26, 2021 | Orange County Register | state budget | States, West, California

California schools are in for a payday, but there’s no word yet on how much of that money will actually be used to help students recover from extended school closures.

Schools get remote-learning leeway

Jul 26, 2021 | Arkansas Democrat Gazette | online learning | States, South, Arkansas

Arkansas public school systems that did not previously submit plans to the state by a May 1 deadline to offer remote instruction to their students in the coming school year are getting another bite at the apple.

California’s school closure rules violated private school families’ rights, appeals cour

Jul 26, 2021 | LA Times | private schools | States, West, California

An appeals court Friday ruled that state leaders violated the rights of parents by forcing private schools to stay closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas Charter Schools Lag in STAAR Scores, Show More Racial Parity

Jul 26, 2021 | The Texan | accountability | States, South, Texas

While reporting irregularities frustrate precise analysis, some prominent trends cut through the fog. Students at traditional districts tended to score higher but more unequally on the STAAR while charter students tended to score lower but with more racial parity.

Liberty High School teachers receive grants from WGU Missouri

Jul 26, 2021 | Courier Tribune | microschools | Towns, States, Midwest, Missouri

Two Liberty High School teachers were recently awarded grants through WGU Missouri’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative. Both teachers will use the funds to expand their classroom offerings to align with EDGE, a globally focused micro school that Liberty Public Schools is launching for students in grades 9-12 in August.

North Little Rock schools to offer outsourced virtual instruction this fall

Jul 26, 2021 | KARK | online learning | Towns, States, South, Arkansas

School starts back up in just a few weeks, and one central Arkansas school district is taking a unique approach to virtual learning. The North Little Rock School District is outsourcing teachers and curriculum. So far, nearly 300 students have signed up.

Washington County districts OK, deny school choice transfers

Jul 26, 2021 | Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette | school choice | Towns, States, South, Arkansas

Farmington schools will have 49 new kindergarten students for the 2021-22 school year who are transferring to Farmington from other districts through the state's Public School Choice law, according to Stephanie Pinkerton, assistant superintendent.

Act 10 benefited education in Wisconsin — and may empower workers elsewhere

Jul 26, 2021 | The Hill | state policy | States, Midwest, Wisconsin

It’s been 10 years since Wisconsin passed Act 10, which limited the rights of public employee unions to demand collective bargaining, and Wisconsin is still reaping the benefits: better educational outcomes, more teacher freedom, less ability on the part of unions to influence politics and cost-savings to school districts — just to name a few.

Thousands of students learning online in Tennessee this upcoming school year

Jul 26, 2021 | WKRN | virtual schools | States, South, Tennessee

The Tennessee Department of Education announced this month that they approved 29 new virtual schools for the 2021-22 school year, bringing the total to 57.

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