SBC Charter Roundup 34

The Associated Press has run a fascinating story on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which annually spends in the neighborhood of $200 million on elementary and secondary education. Now the Foundation is in close alignment with the Obama Administration, which has made some in traditional environments nervous.

Writes Libby Quaid and Donna Blankinship of the Associated Press in The Influence Game: Bill Gates sways government dollars:

Obama and the Gates Foundation share some goals that not everyone embraces: paying teachers based on student test scores, among other measures of achievement; charter schools that operate independently of local school boards; and a set of common academic standards adopted by every state.

And the rest of the weekend roundup:

Nat’l — Harlem Village and Tucson BASIS: Two schools leading as examples (Examiner.com)
Ariz. — U.S. education chief a fan of ‘good’ charter schools (Arizona Republic)
Calif. — Our kids deserve innovative charter schools (Bakersfield Californian)
Calif. — Statewide online charter school attempt angers some (Contra Costa Times)
Colo. — The truth about charter schools (Denver Post)
Colo. — Jeffco to get charter high school for deaf students (Denver Post)
Del. — More schools should be like CSW, Newark Charter (Wilmington News Journal)
La. — Charter schools idea growing (Monroe News Star)
Mass. — School Committee candidates questioned at forum (Boston Globe)
Miss. — Free schools to succeed (Clarion Ledger)
Mont. — Chances of Race to the Top money slim (Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
N.Y. — Success Charter Network advertising for open spots (Gotham Schools)
Ore. — Catholic charter schools risk losing their identity (Oregon Faith Report)
Va. — Potts takes Deeds off-message on charter schools (Washington Post)

This feature is intended to share the latest news on charter schools. If you have a news item that didn’t make the list, email us a link and Schools Building Communities will give it consideration.