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Feature: MA Dept. of Education Reaches Out to Private Schools
What's New
Innovations in the News
Massachusetts State Department of Education Reaches Out to Private Schools
The passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) brought new educational services and benefits to students across the country. The Massachusetts Department of Education (MA DOE), like all state education agencies, was faced with the challenge of assuring that these services were not only delivered to public school students but also to students in private schools. MA DOE's goal was to ensure that information and assistance regarding equitable services to eligible private school students, teachers, and other education personnel would be conveyed in a timely and effective manner. The Department also wanted to provide assistance to public and private schools as they work together on implementing the equitable participation requirements.
Taking a proactive approach, MA DOE conducted outreach to the private school community to determine how the state department of education could better meet the needs of their students. MA DOE established a working relationship with the Parents Alliance for Catholic Education (PACE), for example.
As a result of continued discussions with PACE and OII's Office of Non-Public Education, as well as borrowing largely from the U.S. Department of Education website, MA DOE developed a document to assist students and educators in private schools. Entitled the "Working Draft on Private School Student and Educator Participation in ESEA/NCLB Programs" the document gives information on:
- Provisions of NCLB;
- Summaries of each program including Reading First and English Language Acquisition;
- Answers to frequently asked questions regarding participation in the programs; and
- Information on the transfer of funds from one program to another.
In honor of Massachusetts' initiative with the private sector, the Parents Alliance for Catholic Education recognized this state's department of education at the annual Catholic School Advocacy Day in March.
To learn more about the Massachusetts State Department of Education, go to: www.doe.mass.edu. To view the "Working Draft on Private School Student and Educator Participation in ESEA/NCLB Programs," go to: www.doe.mass.edu/nclb/news03/esea_memo.html. To view guidance issued by the US Department of Education on Elementary and Secondary Education, go to: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OIIA/NonPublic/nclb.html.
What's New
Guidance on the Charter Schools Program is released.
Non-regulatory guidance on the Charter Schools Program has been released by the U.S. Department of Education. This guidance addresses questions the Department has received on provisions of the Charter Schools Program statute, including questions about admission, the use of lotteries, private school conversions, and the involvement of for-profit organizations. To read the guidance, see www.ed.gov/offices/OII/pr/index.html. (August 20)
The Manhattan Institute issues new report on vouchers.
The Manhattan Institute has issued a study entitled, When Schools Compete: The Effects of Vouchers on Florida Public School Achievement. The study by Jay P. Greene and Marcus Winters can be found at http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ewp_02.htm. (August 20)
The Broad Center for Superintendents is accepting applications to the Urban Superintendents Academy.
The Broad Center for Superintendents is accepting applications and nominations to the 2004 Urban Superintendents Academy. The Center is seeking applications from executives from the corporate, nonprofit, government, military, and education sectors who want to improve public education by serving as superintendents in the nation's largest urban school systems. Deadlines are September 15 and October 15, 2003. For more information, see, www.broadcenter.org. (August 19)
Ohio Charter School Sponsor Institute is launched.
The Ohio Foundation for School Choice (OFSC) and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute announced a new, two-year, million-dollar project to recruit, train and support new "sponsors" (also known as authorizers) for Ohio charter schools. This project is also supported by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation. Additionally, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) will share its members' expertise. For more information, contact John Rothwell at 513-404-2499 or via email at SponsorInstitute@OhioCharterSchools.org. (August 13)
Innovations in the News
School Improvement
Six universities, the education company K12, and the Franklin Institute, a renowned science education institution, will link up with the Philadelphia School District in a $1.4 million initiative to improve 16 city schools. [More-The Philadelphia Inquirer] (August 12)
Parental Involvement
The Baltimore County Education Forum was established this summer. The group's approximately 20 members have been meeting weekly and plan to arrange a mentoring program linking schools in the western part of the county. [More-Baltimore Sunspot.net] (August 13)
Teacher Quality
Nearly 150 of the East Valley, Arizona school district's new teachers recently completed a four-day training seminar under the Teachers New to Teaching (TNT) Program. [More-The Arizona Republic] (August 11)
Charter Schools
Dozens of Michigan parents are rushing to get their children enrolled in Chandler Woods Charter Academy and the other National Heritage Academy sites. [More-WoodTV 8.com] (Aug 14)
Parents in Houston are turning to Mainland Preparatory Academy, a charter school, as an alternative for their children's education. [More-News 24 Houston.com] (August 11)
Virtual Schools
Hundreds of students in Florida have enrolled in online fitness courses to replace the traditional gym class. [More-USA Today] (August 12)
Entrepreneurs
Education companies are seizing the opportunities presented by No Child Left Behind to create and promote new educational products. [More-Education Week] (Aug 8)
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Last Modified: 11/06/2007
