• The Alliance for School Choice has released the latest version of the School Choice Yearbook… The big news? More than 210,000 students nationwide are enrolled in publicly-funded private educational choice programs, a 25 percent increase in just four years!
• Remember Education Savings Accounts, the cutting-edge school choice program with a superior design? Well, today a Maricopa County judge ruled that Arizona’s first-of-its-kind ESA program for special needs student was constitutional!
• Finally, speaking of special needs students, the Columbus Dispatch reports that Ohio is about to launch its fourth voucher program, the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship!

Good news on all three fronts. Before my hyperactivity takes over and my short attention span fades away, here’s one last call to invite you to this evening’s Kids Aren’t Cars movie night at the Independence Institute in Denver. Hope to see you there!

Anyway, having just watched one top-notch education reform movie, there’s another one to look forward to being released in the fall, called Waiting for Superman. Here’s a snippet of a review:

[Director Davis] Guggenheim makes his points by introducing us to all sorts of people who are directly affected by our floundering education system — and for the most part, it’s just not pretty. We meet Washington D.C. Education Chief Michelle Rhee, who has some revolutionary new ideas on how to keep teachers happy and inspired … but the teachers’ union doesn’t like them. We get to know a small handful of great kids, all of whom seem smart and sweet and dedicated … oh, but there simply isn’t enough room for those kids at the (relatively) local charter school.

Seem familiar? Gulp. It sounds like there isn’t much that could make this movie even better. If you want my opinion, I think they should change the name to “Waiting for Spiderman,” because he is really a much cooler superhero. He climbs buildings, shoots spider webs from his hands, and doesn’t need a phone booth (a what?) to change clothes….

Well, anyway, here’s the brand-new trailer of Waiting for Superman that just might get you to anticipate this movie as much as I am:

Given the events of this week, in which thousands of New Jersey students walked out in protest at proposed K-12 education budget cuts, watching the film takes on all the more fresh relevance. As edublogger Matthew Tabor points out, the adult organizers who incited the event are doing a disservice to students by showing no interest in truly solving the Garden State’s education problems. Had they watched The Cartel with an open mind first, they might have taken a different perspective on quite possibly the most fiscally bloated and corrupt state education system in the nation.

Got your attention yet?

If you’re still not sure about whether to come, I invite you to read a brand new review of the film written by local blogger Joshua Sharf. It provides a refreshing and insightful perspective, coming from someone smart and thoughtful who isn’t enmeshed in the finer points of the education policy research and debates.

Look, in all honesty, you don’t have many good excuses to miss watching The Cartel at some point this week while it’s in town. You especially want to come out on Tuesday evening to see the movie and my Education Policy Center friends — and if I can stay out of trouble, maybe my mom or dad will bring me, too!

The new, award-winning documentary focuses on New Jersey to offer a fresh inside look at the K-12 public school system and opens eyes to the need for significant reform. Click the play button below (or follow this link) to listen to a new iVoices podcast as The Cartel producer/director Bob Bowdon gives a sneak peek at his film and shares what it’s all about:

Speaking of sneak peeks, check out this official video trailer:

And this compelling description directly from The Cartel website:

Teachers punished for speaking out. Principals fired for trying to do the right thing. Union leaders defending the indefensible. Bureaucrats blocking new charter schools. These are just some of the people we meet in The Cartel. The film also introduces us to teens who can’t read, parents desperate for change, and teachers struggling to launch stable alternative schools for inner city kids who want to learn. We witness the tears of a little girl denied a coveted charter school spot, and we share the triumph of a Camden homeschool’s first graduating class.

Together, these people and their stories offer an unforgettable look at how a widespread national crisis manifests itself in the educational failures and frustrations of individual communities. They also underscore what happens when our schools don’t do their job. “These are real children whose lives are being destroyed,” director Bob Bowdon explains….

But you missed it, you say? I don’t know what your excuse might be, unless you heard that I wasn’t coming (I had chores to do, and my mom and dad wouldn’t let me stay out late), and couldn’t bear the disappointment. Well, wipe away those tears. While you’ll have to wait for another time to meet me in person, you can go here to watch the official video of Randy DeHoff’s presentation.

Cyberschool mom Lori Cooney also has posted her take on the event, along with a couple more pictures, over at her blog. Thanks, Lori!

This seminar, which will feature FEE president Lawrence Reed and author Gregory Rehmke, is specifically designed for Christian high school and home-school students who want to seriously explore this complex economic issue.

FEE is a great organization, and Dr. Lawrence Reed is an excellent thinker, speaker and gentleman. If you’re anywhere near the Denver metro area, and you get a chance to go, I highly recommend it!

You can register online here.

VOLUNTEER SPEECH AND DEBATE JUDGES NEEDED

April 15-18, 2009
Region 3 Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament
First United Methodist Church
420 N. Nevada Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

The NCFCA Speech and Debate League is holding their Region 3 Invitational Tournament in Colorado Springs this year and we are looking for volunteers who would be willing to spend a few hours (or days) to help judge the various events at this tournament. Students at this tournament have already placed as semi-finalists or finalists at their local and state competitions, so judges will have the opportunity to see some of the top speakers and debaters from the multi-state region.

Judge training will be provided so experience is not needed. Complimentary meals and snacks will be available and judges will enjoy entertaining dramatic interpretations, invigorating debates, and thought-provoking speeches from talented young people across the region.

If you are available to help judge during this tournament, please take a moment to visit the online link http://registertojudge.com where you can review the schedule and register for the rounds you would like to judge.

We are excited that Colorado Springs has been chosen to host this exciting competition, but we need your help! We will need nearly 400 community judges to help the tournament run smoothly. If you know of anyone else who might be interested in volunteering, please pass along this invitation.

If you have any questions, you can call Kris or Maggie at the phone numbers listed below, or e-mail judgecoordinator@registertojudge.com.

Kris Wilson
(719)748-8493
(719)433-8128 (during tournament)

Maggie Carabelos
(303)457-9047

Have a great debate!