Category Archives: Education

What Cyber Charter Schools Have to Offer

Posted on February 3, 2010 by matt ohern

Virginia has only three operating charter schools, and the concept of virtual schools is still a new frontier. But around the country, both are expanding – often together – and they offer lessons for the Old Dominion. Continue reading →

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Where the School Boards Association is Right

Posted on January 20, 2010 by matt ohern

Though Virginia may currently be a vast wasteland for quality charter innovation that could help kids, the Virginia School Boards Association is right on this: the quality of the charter applications that are received by local boards is often quite poor. Changes proposed by the NACPS, however, could change that. Continue reading →

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The Positive Legal Consequences of Disabilities TAG Grants

Posted on January 6, 2010 by matt ohern

Since 2006, State Senator Walter Stosch has introduced legislation that would create Tuition Assistance Grants for students with disabilities in Virginia. As the General Assembly struggles to reduce costs and burdens on local school divisions this year, they might follow the lead of Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Utah and finally pass it. Continue reading →

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Will Bipartisanship Rule in Building Quality Charter Schools?

Posted on November 11, 2009 by matt ohern

A 17-point victory offers newly-elected Governor Bob McDonnell a mandate on those policies he made part of his platform. Developing quality public charter schools – particularly those that would serve as a turn-around mechanism – seems a good a place as any to start. Continue reading →

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Beware Their Cheating Hearts: Part Two – The Special-Ed Hustle

Posted on October 28, 2009 by matt ohern

Unless the miraculous properties of Virginia water cure disabilities after the eighth grade, something is rotten. A dramatic increase in over-identification and misidentification of some children as ‘special education’ has left some teachers, parents and even retired administrators fearing state-wide, systematic cheating on the SOLs. Continue reading →

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