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Our Hearts are with Alabama while we investigate Teacher Union Spending, Federal Tax Credits, and acknowledge those who helped with our February Why America? experience

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A weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else — from the nation’s leading voice on education innovation and opportunity.

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH ALABAMA. Another tragic storm, lives lost, years of work to repair. And like everything, our minds go to “school.” Like thousands of other small communities hit by natural disasters along our southern flank especially, education is often a casualty of storms, too. Schools in Lee County, AL are getting ready to provide grief counseling and that’s great. But who is getting ready to step up their education game so that students graduate more prepared, and able to excel? This rural community is like many where options and opportunity to learn outside of traditional ed are limited. According to the state’s report card [http://54.148.24.183/Alsde/OverallScorePage?schoolcode=0000&systemcode=041&year=2018], the County itself has a C for education, with absenteeism of 20%, a college or career ready score of 68%, and proficiency in core subjects less than 50% (with only 35% meeting growth targets). One elementary school has 50% of its kids proficient in reading but because of other elements it scores a high B on the state’s report card. It shouldn’t take a storm as we learned in New Orleans to turn education around. As our nation devotes time and money to repairing the community, let’s also remember the most precious assets need our attention too.

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST. SXSW is happening now in Austin [https://www.sxswedu.com/] and the streets are filled with education innovation rabble rousers touting such controversial notions such as personalized learning, ed choice, equity and opportunity, college readiness and more. This one session on fixing the college-to-career handoff [https://www.educationdive.com/news/sxsw-edu-why-we-need-to-fix-the-college-to-career-handoff/549727/] looked especially meaty. A shout out and thanks to the more than 1 thousand people gathered to challenge conventional assumptions and reset education across the board, which is a noble goal anyday. Follow on Twitter with #SXSWEDU [https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SXSWEDU&src=typd&lang=en] or check out the schedule.

TEACHER UNION SPENDING. The AFT just launched a national PR campaign to increase funding for education. Multi millions of dollars on ads and travel and PR begs the question, where is the money coming from? Answer: Teacher union dues, pension investments and the like. Is it any wonder they are mobilizing in states? To wit:

PAY & CLASS SIZE ARE SMOKESCREENS FOR ATTACKS. The recent spate of teachers’ union strikes against their students that began in Los Angeles were ostensibly about pay and class size. “Horse hockey” as Colonel Potter used to say on M*A*S*H. It has become clear that the real goal of the strikes is to eliminate competition for the unions and choice for students [https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickhess/2019/01/16/the-real-deal-with-the-los-angeles-teachers-strike/#6a7ba5b52218] and parents [https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickhess/2019/01/16/the-real-deal-with-the-los-angeles-teachers-strike/#6a7ba5b52218]. Charter enrollment in the LAUSD has soared 35% since 2012–2013. Parents and students are voting with their feet. Additionally, the District has $13.6 billion in unfunded pension and health liabilities, so the union may be looking at the equivalent of monopoly money in the not too distant future.

NEW FEDERAL TAX CREDIT UNVEILED. We were delighted [https://edreform.com/2019/02/cer-applauds-federal-education-proposal/] to see the fruits of our labor embedded in a new tax credit scholarship proposal unveiled last week by Senator Ted Cruz, Congressman Bradley Byrne and Ed Secretary Betsy DeVos. The national media [https://www.apnews.com/581d24a0f4ab42adb1aacbb3b5ff3210] paid close attention to this effort to incentivize states to expand private funding of scholarships for low-income and working-class families, as well as including our views. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/betsy-devos-to-pitch-new-tax-credit-to-support-school-choice-programs/2019/02/27/ea835cb6-3ac7-11e9-a2cd-307b06d0257b_story.html?utm_term=.30b54c730c8d]

WE DIG IN to the new federal tax credit with our 3rd Season Opener of Reality Check with Jeanne Allen. [https://edreform.com/realitycheck/] In it, Secretary DeVos outlines the plan, addresses what she thinks it can do (help kids and teachers) and what she thinks of the difficult environment in Washington DC. Tune in!

CHARACTER COUNTS. One of the distinguishing traits of good schools is their insistence on discipline, character, and just plain old fashioned good manners. And one of the things schools of choice have always been recognized for is their ability to focus on character and civics in a way that too many traditional public schools just don’t anymore You don’t have to take our word for it, though. Thanks to a just [https://news.uark.edu/articles/46318/researchers-report-link-between-school-voucher-program-and-reduced-crime-paternity-disputes]released study of the nation’s oldest school choice program in Milwaukee [https://news.uark.edu/articles/46318/researchers-report-link-between-school-voucher-program-and-reduced-crime-paternity-disputes], “Students who participated in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program in the mid-2000s committed 53% fewer drug and 86% fewer property crimes as young adults, compared to similar students who attended Milwaukee public schools.” The Godfather of this program, former Governor Tommy Thompson, talks about education and prison reforms in this Reality Check podcast last year. Give a listen [https://soundcloud.com/centerforeducationreform/episode-39-former-wi-governor-tommy-thompson]

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, IT’S A WONDERFUL TOWN. Or at least it’s charter schools are. They are performing wonders for the neediest kids [https://nypost.com/2019/02/28/charter-schools-deliver-for-new-yorks-neediest-kids/]. As this cogent editorial in the New York Post points out, it is urgent to lift “the cap on the number of New York charter schools, which have proved far more effective at making big academic gains with low-income students of color.” Emma Lazurus’s iconic inscription at the Statue of Liberty might be amended to read “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning for a good education and send them to charter schools”.

STRIKING TEACHERS POUND THE TABLE. A much used quote often attributed to Carl Sandburg is “If the law is on your side, pound the law. If the facts are on your side, pound the facts. If neither is on your side, pound the table and yell like Hell.” The objective of table pounding and yelling is to intimidate your opposition into silence. It is a common tactic of bullies and sadly often effective. See for yourself in this chilling tale of intimidation and fear [https://thefederalist.com/2019/03/01/west-virginia-teachers-parents-scared-disagree-striking-teachers-unions/] among parents and teachers in West Virginia who support options and alternatives in education.

MISS AMERICA & MISS D.C. TO D.C. STUDENTS – “NEVER GIVE UP!” We couldn’t close without sharing our pride that these two amazing young ladies – Nia Franklin, Miss America 2019 and Allison Farris, Miss D.C. 2019 took time to visit with over 500 DC charter school students who enjoyed a break at the historic Shakespeare Theatre all about “The Father Of Our Country And The Women Who Helped Him Preserve It”. One of the highlights were the messages from both Franklin and Farris - Never give up! [https://wjla.com/news/local/miss-america-miss-dc-2019-encouraging-dc-charter-school-students] We are so proud of both of them and thankful to them for sharing their inspirational stories with our charter school students. Thank you Nia and Allison!

CER’s Jeanne Allen and Nia Franklin

We’re certainly going to follow Nia’s and Allison’s advice – we will never give up the fight to provide the maximum in freedom and options to plot their own educational paths forward to America’s students. That’s why we exist. If you want to help, or just find out more about the battle we are in, we always welcome your comments or questions. [https://edreform.com/contact/]

Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform [http://www.edreform.com] aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education.

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