Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

2013 National Teacher of Year: Public education not in crisis

2013 National Teacher of Year: Public education not in crisis:


2013 National Teacher of Year: Public education not in crisis

jeffThe newly named 2013 National Teacher of the Year, who is visiting with President Obama at the White House on Tuesday with other award-winning teachers, is not a big fan of all of Obama’s education policy initiatives and believes that some reformers are mischaracterizing America’s public schools.
Jeff Charbonneau, a high school science teacher from Zillah, Washington, was tapped as  the 63rd National Teacher of the Year in a contest sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers. The winner, chosen by a committee of representatives from 15 education organizations, is pulled from the cohort of State Teachers of the Year, who themselves are selected through different processes in various states.
He and the other State Teachers of the Year visited Monday with Jill Biden, a veteran educator, at the official residence of the Vice President, and will all go to the White House on Tuesday to see Obama.
Charbonneau teaches chemistry, physics and engineering at Zillah High School. He is the founder and director of the award-winning Zillah Robot Challenge, which is open to 

A windfall for failing charter schools?

How’s this for a treat? Lawmakers in Indiana are debating whether to forgive millions of dollars in loans that the state gave to charter schools that lost their charters because they were failing academically. According to this story by the … Continue reading →