When the News & Observer and Charlotte Observer decided to compare student performance in the Wake and Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, reporters called on N.C. Education Alliance Director Lindalyn Kakadelis for comment. Meanwhile, the Durham Herald-Sun recently picked up Education Policy Analyst Terry Stoops‘ annual teacher pay report. Stoops also attracted attention for a recent column urging education leaders to close all failing schools, not just the poor-perfoming charter schools that have drawn fire from the state public education establishment. The Leland Tribune and Mint Hill Times republished that column. Sticking with the charter school theme, an entrepreneur who started two successful charter schools in southeastern North Carolina won the John Locke Foundation’s annual John W. Pope Award for the Advancement of Freedom in North Carolina. Baker Mitchell collected that award last week during JLF’s 19th anniversary celebration. The Leland Tribune and Whiteville News-Reporter helped publicize Mitchell’s achievements. (Speaking of JLF’s recent anniversary dinner, the featured speech from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal continued to attract media attention this week, in the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the Lafayette (La.) Independent.)
