Saturday, September 30, 2023
About
About the Media Bullpen
America’s future, its short and long term viability, is wholly dependent on how we educate our children.
The Media Bullpen is a dynamic, virtual newsroom that covers the news and the news of education. It’s a sophisticated and unique technological environment that allows everyone to get in the game on the greatest discussions of our day. To understand those discussions, we need great information and reporting on all the issues relating to education—all the time.
Each day nearly 500 stories—and sometimes many more—are produced in the media about education, but they often lack the context for the public to get engaged.
The Bullpen reporters—the umpires—react and respond in real time to the press as it rolls out its coverage in print, online or broadcast, at the local, state or national levels. They score the coverage using the metaphors of that favorite American pastime, baseball. Articles are given strike outs, pop flies, singles, doubles, triples, and home runs, reflecting a particular story’s objectivity, proper context, its exploration of data, and search for accuracy.
In so doing, the Media Bullpen provides a critical eye to help the public better understand the complexity of the issues being reported.
More than anything else, the Bullpen allows readers to be their own umpires. A full suite of social media applications allows readers to get engaged by sharing the Bullpen’s content with friends, family, other media outlets, activists, and school leaders. Readers can help to make education great only by demanding greater education reporting.
The Media Bullpen is an entirely separate, editorially independent division of the Center for Education Reform, and the strategic evolution of its pioneering and well-known media relations and news monitoring work.
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By having your own account, you can quickly browse information of most importance to you and see the top trends in education reporting. Plus:
You can comment, contribute ideas, and share articles with your team of friends or colleagues. Soon, you will be able to use Your BullPen to write a reporter or legislator to play for change.
Plus, by joining the Media Bullpen, you can create your own personalized news feed daily by issue, state, region, and more, and it will be delivered to you as often as you ask.
The Media Bullpen. Because education is no longer a spectator sport.
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- Opinion | Arizona can go even bolder on school vouchers. Here's how
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Jul 28, 10:29 AM, AZ Central:
For the citizens of Arizona, the educational futures of their students improved dramatically when Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law the expansion of the Empower Scholarship Accounts (ESA), making it possible for every parent – not just the >
- School Advocates Rally at White House Against Biden’s ‘Attack’ on Charter Schools
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May 16, 9:17 AM, US News and World Report:
Charter school advocates protested what they see as an increasingly hostile effort by Democrats – and the Biden administration, in particular – to prevent the sector from expanding.
- Majority of Americans believe public schools on the wrong track (CER in the news)
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Mar 24, 8:28 AM, The National News Desk:
They were meant to be the great equalizer. Public schools in America were supposed to provide all students – whether rich or poor, urban or rural – with a good education.
- Maine OKs 1st religious school for tuition reimbursement
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Sep 23, 7:43 AM, Washington Post:
Maine is ready to fund tuition for some religious school students for the first time since a Supreme Court ruling in June ordered the state to treat those schools the same as other private schools regarding tuition reimbursement.
- School 2.0: How has the pandemic changed learning?
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Sep 23, 7:37 AM, Christian Science Monitor:
Scholars, policy makers, and school leaders have advocated for using the global health crisis as an opportunity to rethink and reinvent how education works in the United States, so that fewer gaps exist between kids of different racial >
- With COVID Aid Pouring in, School Funding Ballot Initiatives Scarce This Year
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Sep 22, 9:21 AM, The 74:
Education issues may determine who wins top political offices in November. But we're not seeing the usual raft of school-related ballot initiatives
- Education leaders share academic, SEL recovery efforts in House subcommittee hearing
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Sep 22, 9:15 AM, K-12 Dive:
The House Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee held a hearing Tuesday to discuss meeting students’ academic, social and emotional needs.
- At UN, leaders confront COVID's impact on global education
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Sep 20, 9:47 AM, Philadephia Inquirer:
With COVID-related school disruptions setting back children around the world, activists implored world leaders Monday to prioritize school systems and restore educational budgets slashed when the pandemic hit.
- Randi Weingarten touts report about struggling schools despite having hand in closures
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Sep 20, 9:43 AM, Fox News:
The report highlighted underfunding, unsanitary conditions in schools and failing infrastructure. Some consistent problems included broken air conditioning and rusty water drips from ceilings, which, according to the report, have >
- School book bans surged this year, per PEN America report
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Sep 19, 10:10 AM, Los Angeles Times:
According to a report from PEN America released Monday, a book ban was enacted in an American school district every 3½ hours between July 2021 and July 2022.
- Families reflect on the pandemic’s long-term impact on students’ learning
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Sep 19, 10:07 AM, ABC News:
...data showing the full extent of COVID-19's long-term impact on elementary students' learning is only just starting to emerge.
- Opinion | Arizona can go even bolder on school vouchers. Here's how
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Jul 28, 10:29 AM, AZ Central:
For the citizens of Arizona, the educational futures of their students improved dramatically when Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law the expansion of the Empower Scholarship Accounts (ESA), making it possible for every parent – not just the >
- Minneapolis, St. Paul teachers and support staff authorize strike
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Feb 18, 9:23 AM, Star Tribune:
Minnesota law requires the unions to give the districts at least 10 days' notice before the first day of a strike.
- Indiana school districts may be required to share referendum proceeds with charter schools
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Feb 10, 9:58 AM, NWI Times:
Indiana school districts that successfully persuade voters to pay higher property taxes to support their local schools soon may be required to share referendum revenue with nearby charter schools.
- Maine OKs 1st religious school for tuition reimbursement
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Sep 23, 7:43 AM, Washington Post:
Maine is ready to fund tuition for some religious school students for the first time since a Supreme Court ruling in June ordered the state to treat those schools the same as other private schools regarding tuition reimbursement.
- Oregon students' math, reading skills plummet post-pandemic - Los Angeles Times
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Sep 23, 7:42 AM, Los Angeles Times:
Testing from spring 2022 shows students who were already behind before the pandemic had the most learning loss but all children overall lost ground when compared with spring 2019 test scores, Oregon Department of Education officials >
- Two Philly students now have seats on the school board
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Sep 23, 7:40 AM, Philadelphia Inquirer:
Student representatives do not have voting power, but they take part in all board discussions and gather information from peers across the city; last year’s board representatives helped select a new superintendent.
- Montgomery students are meeting literacy expectations but are behind in math
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Sep 23, 7:34 AM, Washington Post:
Montgomery County students met the school system’s performance target in reading but fell short of goals in math for the last school year, according to academic data shared with the school board Thursday.
- Addressing learning loss: What Omaha Public Schools is doing
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Sep 23, 7:33 AM, WOWT:
Nebraska data shows a detailed picture of OPS students’ decline in English and math proficiencies as a result of the pandemic.
- Hispanic interest growing for Michigan's schools of choice
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Sep 23, 7:31 AM, The Center Square:
Hispanic parents nationally are increasingly investigating alternatives to traditional public schools, according to a survey released this week by Conoce tus Opciones Escolares.
- Denver board approves charter school centering Black students
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Sep 23, 7:29 AM, Chalkbeat Colorado:
After the state ordered Denver to reconsider a charter school centering Black students and culture, the Denver school board Thursday approved the school to open next fall.
- New school choice coalition in Wisconsin looks to expand education options
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Sep 23, 7:27 AM, The Center Square:
A number of the state’s conservative groups, school choice groups, and the state’s largest business group are launching a new effort to expand school choice options in the state.
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- Maine OKs 1st religious school for tuition reimbursement
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Sep 23, 7:43 AM, Washington Post:
Maine is ready to fund tuition for some religious school students for the first time since a Supreme Court ruling in June ordered the state to treat those schools the same as other private schools regarding tuition reimbursement.
- Two Philly students now have seats on the school board
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Sep 23, 7:40 AM, Philadelphia Inquirer:
Student representatives do not have voting power, but they take part in all board discussions and gather information from peers across the city; last year’s board representatives helped select a new superintendent.
- Republican gubernatorial candidate Kalus pledges to revamp education testing in R.I.
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Sep 22, 9:11 AM, Boston Globe:
During the 2020-2021 school year, only 33 percent of students in grades three through eight were considered proficient in English language arts and 20 percent were doing math at grade level. Results for the last school year are expected >
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- Addressing learning loss: What Omaha Public Schools is doing
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Sep 23, 7:33 AM, WOWT:
Nebraska data shows a detailed picture of OPS students’ decline in English and math proficiencies as a result of the pandemic.
- Hispanic interest growing for Michigan's schools of choice
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Sep 23, 7:31 AM, The Center Square:
Hispanic parents nationally are increasingly investigating alternatives to traditional public schools, according to a survey released this week by Conoce tus Opciones Escolares.
- New school choice coalition in Wisconsin looks to expand education options
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Sep 23, 7:27 AM, The Center Square:
A number of the state’s conservative groups, school choice groups, and the state’s largest business group are launching a new effort to expand school choice options in the state.
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- Montgomery students are meeting literacy expectations but are behind in math
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Sep 23, 7:34 AM, Washington Post:
Montgomery County students met the school system’s performance target in reading but fell short of goals in math for the last school year, according to academic data shared with the school board Thursday.
- Lynchburg schools administrators share plan to improve academic achievement
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Sep 22, 9:01 AM, The News & Advance:
After the recent release of Standards of Learning (SOL) scores across the commonwealth, Lynchburg City School officials have rolled out a plan to improve academic achievement in light of the school division’s passing rates.
- University Charter School's BrewCS recognized, to be contender for governor's excellence award
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Sep 22, 8:59 AM, Selma Sun:
University Charter School (UCS) in Livingston was recognized as Work-Based Learning Regional Best Practice model and will be a contender for the Second Annual Governor's Work-Based Learning Seal of Excellence Award.
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- Oregon students' math, reading skills plummet post-pandemic - Los Angeles Times
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Sep 23, 7:42 AM, Los Angeles Times:
Testing from spring 2022 shows students who were already behind before the pandemic had the most learning loss but all children overall lost ground when compared with spring 2019 test scores, Oregon Department of Education officials >
- Denver board approves charter school centering Black students
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Sep 23, 7:29 AM, Chalkbeat Colorado:
After the state ordered Denver to reconsider a charter school centering Black students and culture, the Denver school board Thursday approved the school to open next fall.
- Public school enrollment down
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Sep 23, 7:26 AM, Hawaii Tribune-Herald:
Public school enrollment on Hawaii Island declined for a third straight year, according to data recently released by the Department of Education.
- Minneapolis, St. Paul teachers and support staff authorize strike
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Feb 18, 9:23 AM, Star Tribune:
Minnesota law requires the unions to give the districts at least 10 days' notice before the first day of a strike.
- Ronald Reagan’s favorite Chicago School continues to thrive despite the odds
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Feb 2, 9:30 AM, FOX News:
There is a school on the West Side of Chicago in the middle of the violence and poverty that wholeheartedly rejects this lowly view of blacks. Since 1969, Providence St. Mel School has pursued academic rigor and, in 2019, the school sent >
- How One West Side Charter School Kept Students In Class Through The Latest COVID-19 Surge
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Jan 13, 9:06 AM, Book Club Chicago:
Not all parents are happy North Lawndale College Prep has remained open — but many said the school has taken safety steps and communicated with parents in a way CPS could learn from.
- Two Philly students now have seats on the school board
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Sep 23, 7:40 AM, Philadelphia Inquirer:
Student representatives do not have voting power, but they take part in all board discussions and gather information from peers across the city; last year’s board representatives helped select a new superintendent.
- Montgomery students are meeting literacy expectations but are behind in math
-
Sep 23, 7:34 AM, Washington Post:
Montgomery County students met the school system’s performance target in reading but fell short of goals in math for the last school year, according to academic data shared with the school board Thursday.
- Addressing learning loss: What Omaha Public Schools is doing
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Sep 23, 7:33 AM, WOWT:
Nebraska data shows a detailed picture of OPS students’ decline in English and math proficiencies as a result of the pandemic.
- ‘A wonderful journey’: This Staten Island charter school is receiving $10K in arts funding
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Sep 22, 9:08 AM, silive.com:
With construction of a new building on track to provide more seats for students at Hellenic Classical Charter School in Bulls Head, Borough President Vito Fossella announced more than $10,000 in arts funding to the school on Wednesday.
- How some children prospered in pandemic online learning
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Aug 2, 10:20 AM, phys.org:
While media often seemed to report on negative aspects of online schooling, this was not a universal experience.
- Menasha's Fox Valley Virtual School is here to stay, and ready to grow with a recent $650,000 grant
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Jul 12, 8:40 AM, Appleton Post-Crescent:
Enrollment isn’t quite where it was during the height of the pandemic, dropping to fewer than 100 students last year, but the 4K-through-eighth-grade virtual school is now a charter school and a permanent fixture in the district.
- Jill Biden to headline teachers union convention
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Jul 12, 8:32 AM, The Hill:
First lady Jill Biden will headline the American Federation of Teachers Convention in Boston on Friday, marking the convention’s first in-person gathering since 2018.
- Charter School Foundation awards scholarships
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Jul 8, 9:03 AM, Morgan Hill Times:
The Charter School of Morgan Hill Foundation has awarded scholarships to graduating high school students who are alumni of the Charter School of Morgan Hill, for use in their pursuit of undergraduate degrees at their chosen institutions. >