The Georgia Partnership will be reviewing news coverage of educational issues addressed during the 2012 legislative session and posting stories from across the state. "What are they saying?" will give you a good idea of how these various topics are being received "back home." For analysis of the education issues addressed in the session, check the links on the left side of this page.
February 22
Ga. lawmakers eye vote on creating charter schools - Associated Press
House set to vote again on charter constitutional amendment - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
School choice: "It's about education" - Cartersville Daily Tribune News
Don't mix politics and schools - Cherokee Tribune
Lawmakers keep on defensive over redistricting bills - Cherokee Tribune
Map proposal honors 'one man one vote' ideal - Cherokee Tribune
Second charter vote Wednesday - Georgia Public Broadcasting
Dems. rural Republicans may flip on charter vote - Macon Telegraph
Bill would specify history lessons in Georgia classrooms - Rome News-Tribune
February 21
Atlanta Forward: A fix goes wrong - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opinion: Legislation a first step to downsizing state bureauacracy - Madison Journal
February 20
Growing number of school districts converting to charter systems - Associated Press
Healthy competition: Charter schools shouldn't have to beg at the feet of public boards - Augusta Chronicle
Report: Charter Schools See Steady Growth, Success - WABE-Radio, Atlanta
February 19
Full scholarship's reach very narrow - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Salaries soar on funds for students - AJC
Maureen Downey: HOPE redesign benefits affluent Atlanta-area grads. Should we give the most to those who have the most? - AJC
Expanded pre-K is state's best hope - AJC
HOPE income cap hurts middle class - AJC
Healthy competition - Augusta Chronicle
Parents, lawmakers face off over cuts - Cherokee Tribune
Effort to wrest local school control should be defeated - Macon Telegraph
GOP compromises on charter school amendment - Rome News-Tribune
February 18
Georgia charter data complicated - Georgia Public TV
Maureen Downey: Cherokee school chief: Lawmakers are not friends of county's highly rated school system - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
House OKs Augusta district maps - Augusta Chronicle
Senator from Brunswick wants Georgia schools to focus on founding princples -Jacksonville Times-Union
Bill would tweak state's illegal immigration laws - Associated Press
Republicans scramble to marshal charter school amendment support - Associated Press
February 17
Change to charter school bill could bring it more support - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Republicans fight back on HOPE scholarship changes - AJC
Jim Galloway: African-Americans make up 3.6 percent of Zell Miller Scholarship recipients - AJC
Maureen Downey: DeKalb school board mess: A quick fix by Legislature gone wrong. Is anyone surprised? - AJC
Bill to redistrict school board posts submitted - Cherokee Tribune
Charter school bill compromise - Georgia Public Broadcasting
February 16
House Republicans scramble to build support for charter school amendment - Associated Press
Georgia charter schools don't outperform traditional schools, report says - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Maureen Downey: New review of Georgia charter schools shows they don't outperform traditional schools - AJC
Kyle Wingfield: Charter school amendment can fix our court-made mess - AJC
Jay Bookman: Charter school amendment a dangerous power grab (Feb. 9) - AJC
Georgia senate takes up charter school effort - AJC
Another day, a new charter school bill - Georgia Public Broadcasting
Another vote in works on charter school legislation (Feb. 11) - Newnan Times-Herald
Ga. House Democrats hold hearing on alternative charter school proposal - Public Broadcasting Atlanta
State Sen. Lester trying - again - to raise school dropout age - Savannah Morning News
February 15
Lawmakers in DeKalb fued over school-board map - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Columbia County school board approves resolution against charter schools amendment - Augusta Chronicle
Georgia charter school legislation worries Richmond County parents, educators - Augusta Chronicle
Hill apologizes to parents for 'abrupt' response - Cherokee Tribune
Parents, lawmakers face off over cuts - Cherokee Tribune
Carter: HOPE has been stabilized - Savannah Morning News
House Resolution 1162 raises ire of local public school advocates - WFXG-TV, Augusta
Columbia County school leaders say charter amendment would be 'detrimental' - WRDW-TV, Augusta
Local school districts fight Ga. amendment for charter schools - WRDW-TV, Augusta
February 14
Maureen Downey - Campaign for charter school amendment: The heat is on - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Senate looks at training for nurses and judges - Effingham Herald
One way partnership for schools is over - Coastal Courier
No HOPE changes expected this fall - Newnan Times-Herald
Rep. Crawford reports on General Assembly - Rockmart Journal
Groups express opposition to charter school amendment - WABE-Radio, Atlanta
February 13
Opinion: Charter schools aren't working - Athens Banner-Herald
Rep. Jan Jones: Charter schools strengthen parent power - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Analysis: The politics of education is complex - Morris News Service
Rejection of charter schools amendment surprises during legislative day at the capitol - Marietta Daily Journal
February 12
Jeff Meadors: Funding private interests with public dollars - Rockdale Citizen
February 11
Opinion - 'REACH' scholarship will help keep 'best, brightest' in state- Athens Banner-Herald
'Old school' pitch helps sink amendment - Atlanta Business Chronicle
Rejection of charter schools amendment surprises during legislative day at capitol - Associated Press
Another vote in works on charter schools amendment - Newnan Times-Herald
Georgia Legislature hits halfway mark - Rome News-Tribune
February 10
Albany charter school unaffected by vote - Albany Herald
Georgia House rejects charter school amendment - Athens Banner-Herald
Black Caucus proposes HOPE changes - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opinion - Charter school amendment a dangerous power grab - Atlanta Journal-Consitution
February 9
Charter school resolution fails - Albany Herald
Charter schools issue not over - Albany Herald
Essig, Johnson: HOPE, pre-K need sustainable path - Athens Banner-Herald
Maureen Downey: Charter school amendment falls short by 10 votes but could revive - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia House rejects charter schools amendment - Macon Telegraph
February 8
House Democrats split - Albany Herald
Spend loterry money on pre-K; set caps on HOPE, group says - Athens Banner-Herald
Maureen Downey: Robo calls underway to push charter amendment - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Maureen Downey: Rural lawmakers: Charter school amendment is Atlanta battle. We don't want to get caught in crossfire - AJC
February 7
Editorial: REACH scholarship is a political ploy - Athens Banner-Herald
Maureen Downey: Rep. Jones: Constitutional amendment affirms true local control - parents - AJC
Georgia announces need-based scholarship, funded privately, to help middle schoolers - Augusta Chronicle
February 6
Opinion: Democrats would bankrupt HOPE - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Deal set to announce needs-based scholarship plan - Atlanta Business Chronicle
Cities, schools want to make up losses from proposed tax cut - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 5
Political Insider: On returning to a needs-based HOPE scholarship system - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
House targets charter school system funding... - Rome News-Tribune
February 4
No entries
February 3
Athens delegation halts referendum - Athens Banner-Herald
Bill repeals Shrenko era laws - Athens Banner-Herald
Georgia lawmakers OK charter school amendment - Associated Press
Charter school amendment clears early hurdle - Atlanta Business Chronicle
House spending will boost transportation, education - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Maureen Downey: House ed passes charter school amendment. But what does it actually do? - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vote gives OK to constitutional amendment helping charter schools - AJC
Legislators show off Mt. Zion teacher to state - Clayton News Daily
Cellphones, tablets to be allowed in schools - Gainesville Times
February 2
Bill allows smartphones in the classroom - Georgia Public Broadcasting
February 1
Deal urges caution on HOPE, TSPLOST changes - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bill would not allow illegal immigrants to attend Georgia colleges - Marietta Daily Journal
Bill on hold barring illegal immigrants - Gainesville Times
Debate continues on illegal immigrants - WSB-Radio, Atlanta
January 31
Democrats continue HOPE push - Georgia Public TV
January 30
Local and state officials frustrated with redistricting referendum - Athens Banner-Herald
Hearing Monday for income cap for HOPE - Atlanta Business Chronicle
Opinion: No easy solution for how to keep HOPE alive - Savannah Morning News
January 29
Editorial: The economy: Keep state a shining star - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Nathan Deal: Make Georgia number1 for business - AJC
Opinion: No challenge is more important than job creation - AJC
HOPE changes may mean fewer minorities, women at UGA - Athens Banner-Herald
Charter school amendment draws local fire - Walton Tribune
Cutting from lunches is just pathetic - Walton Tribune
January 28
Yarbrough: Random thoughts - Various publications
Maureen Downey - State Sen. Carter: Reinstate cap on HOPE and base it on available lottery funds each year - AJC
State law makers file charter schools amendment - Cherokee Tribune
January 27
Maureen Downey: Are you ready to allow the Legislature access to local school funds in pursuit of greater school choice? AJC
January 26
Pass charter schools amendment; get back to fixing schools in Georgia - Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC)
School choice supporters converge on Capitol - AJC
State senate passes education reform - Roswell Neighbor
Lawmakers split on scholarship finances - Georgia Public Broadcasting
Republicans opposed to income caps for HOPE - WSB-Radio, Atlanta
January 25
Choice advocate: Money won't fix Georgia schools. An end to government interference and control will. - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
HOPE budget goes up, payouts go down - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Amendment filed for charter schools - Athens Banner-Herald
Senate Democrats pitch legislation to revisit HOPE - Athens Banner-Herald
Making dollars and sense of Gov. Deal's budget proposal - Walton Tribune
Editorial: Students out of luck - Rome News-Tribune
January 24
No listings
January 23
Is less ever more? - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No telling what lawmakers will do to HOPE - Savannah Morning News
January 22
HOPE should become need-based award - Athens Banner-Herald
Expanding lottery is best option for HOPE - Athens Banner-Herald
HOPE's future may be more dire - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Can we continue to provide less and ask schools for more? - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Voices: Education - k-12 program makes sense - Marietta Daily Journal
January 20
Blogging live today from ed event: New teacher evals and challenges - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
January 19
Committee to make recommendations on voting - Cherokee Tribune
A bad idea: Marietta's Lembeck criticizes movement to return charter school control to state - Marietta Daily Journal
GOP focuses on limited gov't, protecting kids - Associated Press
Cuts for technical colleges could mean closing campuses - Morris News Service
Editorial: Students out of luck - Rome News-Tribune
Governor proposes adding millions to state budget - Fox 31-TV, Albany
January 18
Education leaders talk budget; chancellor talks tuition, fees - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lottery deposits up for education programs but HOPE challenges remain - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fayette school officials lunch with legislators - Fayette Citizen
Lawmakers focus on budget - Georgia Public TV
January 17
Editorial: Senate bill no answer for HOPE - Athens Banner-Herald
Gov. Deal halts some education cuts - WJCL-TV/WTGS-TV Savannah
January 16
Deal budget plan gives boost to K-12 education - Associated Press
January 15
No solution in sight for dwindling HOPE - Athens Banner-Herald
Gov. Deal's plan stirs revenue questions - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some glimmers in Georgia public eduation gloom - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Your opinion: A penny for my thoughts - Tifton Gazette
Janury 13
K-12 career program makes sense - Athens Banner-Herald
Legislature passes two education bills on 1st day - Atlanta Business Chronicle
Head of the class: Senator leads town hall meeting with local teachers - Cherokee Tribune
Georgia educators want lawmakers to delay deadline for career pathways legislation - Florida Times-Union/Associated Press
House committee OKs delay in career path program - Marietta Daily Journal/Associated Press
Two Cobb Democrats want in-state tuition for illegal immigrants - Marietta Daily Journal
State buzzwords: Jobs, competitiveness - Savannah Morning News
January 12
Governor proposes $19.2 million state budget - Associated Press
HOPE scholarships: A grim projection - Savannah Morning News
Gov. Deal's 'State of the State' looks promising - Macon Telegraph
Editorial" 'Ivory Tower' can be good vantage point - Athens Banner-Herald
Maureen Downey: Deal replaces Perdue's 'Go Fish' with 'Go Build' but what is he building in education? - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
January 11
Gov. Deal's address to the Legislature: 'Charting a course to prosperity' - The Weekly
Gov. Deal's address - WMAZ-TV, Macon
Gov. Deal outlines agenda for lawmakers - Athens Banner-Herald
Schools top State of the State speech - Atlanta Business Chronicle
Deal outlines plans for education, economy - Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC)
Deal sets Georgia's 'course to prosperity' - Gainesville Times
Georgia Chamber CEO releases statement after Gov. Deal's address - Georgia Chamber Web Site
Editorial: HOPE funding problems are an opportunity - Athens Banner-Herald
Bill would bar students who haze from attending Georgia schools - AJC