SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
CORPORATE EDUCATION REFORM: On November 6, three states--Washington, Idaho, and Georgia--will allow voters to vote on ballot initiatives that will have direct impact on the future of public education in their state.
CORPORATE EDUCATION REFORM: On November 6, three states--Washington, Idaho, and Georgia--will allow voters to vote on ballot initiatives that will have direct impact on the future of public education in their state.
The national trend of 'education reform movement'--better described as the 'movement to privatize public education'--is driven by a corporate model of schooling and is backed by some of the nation's wealthiest individuals, for-profit education companies, anti-government and anti-union zealots. Some of the major initiatives, including the push for private charter schools, merit-based teacher evaluation schemes, and the elimination of union rights for educators, have infiltrated both major political parties in one of the most unfortunate instances of bi-partisan agreement ever foisted on the nation's school age children.
The troubling trend for this kind of education reform has already occurred in state legislatures across the country and can be found in many federal initiatives as well. The ballot initiatives represented below should only serve as a sampling of the national trend, but should offer a glimpse into how certain specific policies fit into the wider scheme to use catchy phrases like "school choice" and "teacher accountability" to decimate public education in the US.
* * *
Initiative Measure No. 1240 concerns creation of a public charter school system.
This measure would authorize up to forty publicly-funded charter schools open to all students, operated through approved, nonreligious, nonprofit organizations, with government oversight; and modify certain laws applicable to them as public schools.
Should this measure be enacted into law?
The Basics
This measure would allow a newly-created state commission or approved local school boards to authorize qualifying nonreligious, nonprofit organizations to operate public charter schools, limited to forty schools over five years. Public charter schools would receive standard per-student public school funding and be open to all students without tuition. Public charter schools would be subject to teacher certification requirements, government oversight, and performance reporting requirements, but exempt from certain laws and school district policies.
No on 1240 and 'The Charter School Fairytale' video:
Public polling on Washington's Initiative-1240:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/18 | KCTS 9 / Univ. Wash. Poll | 47.5% | 39.2% | 12% |
* * *
Prop 1:
Referendum to approve or reject legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts.
Referendum to approve or reject S1108... to revise the annual written evaluation process for professional staff; phase out renewable individual contracts; provide that professional staff employed after January 31, 2011 shall not be entitled to a formal review of decisions for not being reemployed; allow school boards to change the length of terms stated in current contracts and reduce the salaries of certificated staff with renewable contracts without due process proceedings; require school districts to disclose to employees a list of professional liability insurance providers; eliminate education support program for school districts experiencing enrollment decreases greater than one percent; eliminate teacher early retirement incentives; restrict the scope of negotiated agreements between school boards and professional staff to compensation and the duration of negotiated agreements to one year; and eliminate provisions for fact finding in professional negotiations.
Shall the legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts be approved?
A YES vote means you approve the legislation. A NO vote means you reject the legislation.
The Basics
Prop 2:
Referendum to approve or reject legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership.
Referendum to approve or reject S1110; relating to education: revising Idaho Code by adding new section 33-1004I to provide and distribute in fiscal year 2013 state share-based pay for performance bonuses to certificated instructional staff based on a school's median student growth percentiles on state achievement tests and a school's median standardized score on state achievement tests and local share-based pay for performance based on student test scores, graduation rates, dropout rates, percent of graduates attending post-secondary education or entering military service, meeting federal "adequate yearly progress", number of students successfully completing dual credit or advanced placement classes; percent of students in extracurricular activities, class projects, portfolios, successful completion of special student assignments, parental involvement, teacher-assigned grades, and/or student attendance rates, and, in fiscal year 2014 and thereafter, in addition to the aforementioned bonuses, provide incentives for certificated instructional staff in hard-to-fill positions and leadership awards for certificated instructional staff who assume one or more of the following additional duties: instructional staff mentoring, content leadership, lead teacher, peer coaching, content specialist, remedial instructor, curriculum development, assessment development, data analysis, grant writing, special program coordinator, research project, professional development instructor, service on education committees, educational leadership and earning national board certification.
Shall the legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership be approved?
A YES vote means you approve the legislation. A NO vote means you reject the legislation.
The Basics
NO on Props. 1,2,3 campaign video
Proponents:
Public Polling on Idaho's Props. 1,2,3:
Prop 1:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 42% | 38% | 20% |
Prop 2:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 42% | 39% | 19% |
Prop 3:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 47% | 40% | 13% |
# # #
Amendment 1:
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?
The Basics:
This proposal authorizes the General Assembly to provide by law for the creation of public state charter schools, which would operate under the terms of charters between the State Board of Education and charter petitioners, while preserving the authority of local boards of education to establish local charter schools. Specifically, the proposal clarifies the authority of the General Assembly to provide for state-wide policies for public education prior to the college or post-secondary level, restates the authority of the General Assembly to establish special schools, prohibits the incurrence of bonded indebtedness or the levy of school taxes for the support of special schools without approval of the local board of education and the voters in the affected school system, provides that special schools may include public state charter schools, preserves the authority of local boards of education to establish local charter schools, authorizes the expenditure of state funds for special schools, and prohibits the deduction of certain state funds from local school districts as a direct result or consequence of the enrollment of students in state charter schools.
The General Assembly has enacted a law to exercise the authority granted by the proposed constitutional amendment to provide for public state charter schools. This law will become effective only if the constitutional amendment is ratified by the voters.
The Opposition:
No on Amendment 1 video:
Supporters:
# # #
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
CORPORATE EDUCATION REFORM: On November 6, three states--Washington, Idaho, and Georgia--will allow voters to vote on ballot initiatives that will have direct impact on the future of public education in their state.
The national trend of 'education reform movement'--better described as the 'movement to privatize public education'--is driven by a corporate model of schooling and is backed by some of the nation's wealthiest individuals, for-profit education companies, anti-government and anti-union zealots. Some of the major initiatives, including the push for private charter schools, merit-based teacher evaluation schemes, and the elimination of union rights for educators, have infiltrated both major political parties in one of the most unfortunate instances of bi-partisan agreement ever foisted on the nation's school age children.
The troubling trend for this kind of education reform has already occurred in state legislatures across the country and can be found in many federal initiatives as well. The ballot initiatives represented below should only serve as a sampling of the national trend, but should offer a glimpse into how certain specific policies fit into the wider scheme to use catchy phrases like "school choice" and "teacher accountability" to decimate public education in the US.
* * *
Initiative Measure No. 1240 concerns creation of a public charter school system.
This measure would authorize up to forty publicly-funded charter schools open to all students, operated through approved, nonreligious, nonprofit organizations, with government oversight; and modify certain laws applicable to them as public schools.
Should this measure be enacted into law?
The Basics
This measure would allow a newly-created state commission or approved local school boards to authorize qualifying nonreligious, nonprofit organizations to operate public charter schools, limited to forty schools over five years. Public charter schools would receive standard per-student public school funding and be open to all students without tuition. Public charter schools would be subject to teacher certification requirements, government oversight, and performance reporting requirements, but exempt from certain laws and school district policies.
No on 1240 and 'The Charter School Fairytale' video:
Public polling on Washington's Initiative-1240:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/18 | KCTS 9 / Univ. Wash. Poll | 47.5% | 39.2% | 12% |
* * *
Prop 1:
Referendum to approve or reject legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts.
Referendum to approve or reject S1108... to revise the annual written evaluation process for professional staff; phase out renewable individual contracts; provide that professional staff employed after January 31, 2011 shall not be entitled to a formal review of decisions for not being reemployed; allow school boards to change the length of terms stated in current contracts and reduce the salaries of certificated staff with renewable contracts without due process proceedings; require school districts to disclose to employees a list of professional liability insurance providers; eliminate education support program for school districts experiencing enrollment decreases greater than one percent; eliminate teacher early retirement incentives; restrict the scope of negotiated agreements between school boards and professional staff to compensation and the duration of negotiated agreements to one year; and eliminate provisions for fact finding in professional negotiations.
Shall the legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts be approved?
A YES vote means you approve the legislation. A NO vote means you reject the legislation.
The Basics
Prop 2:
Referendum to approve or reject legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership.
Referendum to approve or reject S1110; relating to education: revising Idaho Code by adding new section 33-1004I to provide and distribute in fiscal year 2013 state share-based pay for performance bonuses to certificated instructional staff based on a school's median student growth percentiles on state achievement tests and a school's median standardized score on state achievement tests and local share-based pay for performance based on student test scores, graduation rates, dropout rates, percent of graduates attending post-secondary education or entering military service, meeting federal "adequate yearly progress", number of students successfully completing dual credit or advanced placement classes; percent of students in extracurricular activities, class projects, portfolios, successful completion of special student assignments, parental involvement, teacher-assigned grades, and/or student attendance rates, and, in fiscal year 2014 and thereafter, in addition to the aforementioned bonuses, provide incentives for certificated instructional staff in hard-to-fill positions and leadership awards for certificated instructional staff who assume one or more of the following additional duties: instructional staff mentoring, content leadership, lead teacher, peer coaching, content specialist, remedial instructor, curriculum development, assessment development, data analysis, grant writing, special program coordinator, research project, professional development instructor, service on education committees, educational leadership and earning national board certification.
Shall the legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership be approved?
A YES vote means you approve the legislation. A NO vote means you reject the legislation.
The Basics
NO on Props. 1,2,3 campaign video
Proponents:
Public Polling on Idaho's Props. 1,2,3:
Prop 1:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 42% | 38% | 20% |
Prop 2:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 42% | 39% | 19% |
Prop 3:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 47% | 40% | 13% |
# # #
Amendment 1:
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?
The Basics:
This proposal authorizes the General Assembly to provide by law for the creation of public state charter schools, which would operate under the terms of charters between the State Board of Education and charter petitioners, while preserving the authority of local boards of education to establish local charter schools. Specifically, the proposal clarifies the authority of the General Assembly to provide for state-wide policies for public education prior to the college or post-secondary level, restates the authority of the General Assembly to establish special schools, prohibits the incurrence of bonded indebtedness or the levy of school taxes for the support of special schools without approval of the local board of education and the voters in the affected school system, provides that special schools may include public state charter schools, preserves the authority of local boards of education to establish local charter schools, authorizes the expenditure of state funds for special schools, and prohibits the deduction of certain state funds from local school districts as a direct result or consequence of the enrollment of students in state charter schools.
The General Assembly has enacted a law to exercise the authority granted by the proposed constitutional amendment to provide for public state charter schools. This law will become effective only if the constitutional amendment is ratified by the voters.
The Opposition:
No on Amendment 1 video:
Supporters:
# # #
CORPORATE EDUCATION REFORM: On November 6, three states--Washington, Idaho, and Georgia--will allow voters to vote on ballot initiatives that will have direct impact on the future of public education in their state.
The national trend of 'education reform movement'--better described as the 'movement to privatize public education'--is driven by a corporate model of schooling and is backed by some of the nation's wealthiest individuals, for-profit education companies, anti-government and anti-union zealots. Some of the major initiatives, including the push for private charter schools, merit-based teacher evaluation schemes, and the elimination of union rights for educators, have infiltrated both major political parties in one of the most unfortunate instances of bi-partisan agreement ever foisted on the nation's school age children.
The troubling trend for this kind of education reform has already occurred in state legislatures across the country and can be found in many federal initiatives as well. The ballot initiatives represented below should only serve as a sampling of the national trend, but should offer a glimpse into how certain specific policies fit into the wider scheme to use catchy phrases like "school choice" and "teacher accountability" to decimate public education in the US.
* * *
Initiative Measure No. 1240 concerns creation of a public charter school system.
This measure would authorize up to forty publicly-funded charter schools open to all students, operated through approved, nonreligious, nonprofit organizations, with government oversight; and modify certain laws applicable to them as public schools.
Should this measure be enacted into law?
The Basics
This measure would allow a newly-created state commission or approved local school boards to authorize qualifying nonreligious, nonprofit organizations to operate public charter schools, limited to forty schools over five years. Public charter schools would receive standard per-student public school funding and be open to all students without tuition. Public charter schools would be subject to teacher certification requirements, government oversight, and performance reporting requirements, but exempt from certain laws and school district policies.
No on 1240 and 'The Charter School Fairytale' video:
Public polling on Washington's Initiative-1240:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/18 | KCTS 9 / Univ. Wash. Poll | 47.5% | 39.2% | 12% |
* * *
Prop 1:
Referendum to approve or reject legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts.
Referendum to approve or reject S1108... to revise the annual written evaluation process for professional staff; phase out renewable individual contracts; provide that professional staff employed after January 31, 2011 shall not be entitled to a formal review of decisions for not being reemployed; allow school boards to change the length of terms stated in current contracts and reduce the salaries of certificated staff with renewable contracts without due process proceedings; require school districts to disclose to employees a list of professional liability insurance providers; eliminate education support program for school districts experiencing enrollment decreases greater than one percent; eliminate teacher early retirement incentives; restrict the scope of negotiated agreements between school boards and professional staff to compensation and the duration of negotiated agreements to one year; and eliminate provisions for fact finding in professional negotiations.
Shall the legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts be approved?
A YES vote means you approve the legislation. A NO vote means you reject the legislation.
The Basics
Prop 2:
Referendum to approve or reject legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership.
Referendum to approve or reject S1110; relating to education: revising Idaho Code by adding new section 33-1004I to provide and distribute in fiscal year 2013 state share-based pay for performance bonuses to certificated instructional staff based on a school's median student growth percentiles on state achievement tests and a school's median standardized score on state achievement tests and local share-based pay for performance based on student test scores, graduation rates, dropout rates, percent of graduates attending post-secondary education or entering military service, meeting federal "adequate yearly progress", number of students successfully completing dual credit or advanced placement classes; percent of students in extracurricular activities, class projects, portfolios, successful completion of special student assignments, parental involvement, teacher-assigned grades, and/or student attendance rates, and, in fiscal year 2014 and thereafter, in addition to the aforementioned bonuses, provide incentives for certificated instructional staff in hard-to-fill positions and leadership awards for certificated instructional staff who assume one or more of the following additional duties: instructional staff mentoring, content leadership, lead teacher, peer coaching, content specialist, remedial instructor, curriculum development, assessment development, data analysis, grant writing, special program coordinator, research project, professional development instructor, service on education committees, educational leadership and earning national board certification.
Shall the legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership be approved?
A YES vote means you approve the legislation. A NO vote means you reject the legislation.
The Basics
NO on Props. 1,2,3 campaign video
Proponents:
Public Polling on Idaho's Props. 1,2,3:
Prop 1:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 42% | 38% | 20% |
Prop 2:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 42% | 39% | 19% |
Prop 3:
DATE | POLLSTER | YES | NO | UNDECIDED |
10/13 | Mason Dixon Polling & Research | 47% | 40% | 13% |
# # #
Amendment 1:
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?
The Basics:
This proposal authorizes the General Assembly to provide by law for the creation of public state charter schools, which would operate under the terms of charters between the State Board of Education and charter petitioners, while preserving the authority of local boards of education to establish local charter schools. Specifically, the proposal clarifies the authority of the General Assembly to provide for state-wide policies for public education prior to the college or post-secondary level, restates the authority of the General Assembly to establish special schools, prohibits the incurrence of bonded indebtedness or the levy of school taxes for the support of special schools without approval of the local board of education and the voters in the affected school system, provides that special schools may include public state charter schools, preserves the authority of local boards of education to establish local charter schools, authorizes the expenditure of state funds for special schools, and prohibits the deduction of certain state funds from local school districts as a direct result or consequence of the enrollment of students in state charter schools.
The General Assembly has enacted a law to exercise the authority granted by the proposed constitutional amendment to provide for public state charter schools. This law will become effective only if the constitutional amendment is ratified by the voters.
The Opposition:
No on Amendment 1 video:
Supporters:
# # #