The Perils of School Finance, Everyone Hates NCLB, and Too Soft on Spellings? (Washington/National)

While not that much is really happening yet in Washington, school finance lawsuits and court decisions in the states continue to come in waves across the nation, usually raising hopes (and temperatures):

NCSL’s Stateline.org warns that complicated and controversial tax issues can get in the way of efforts to revamp school finance laws: "Tax reform complicates overhaul of school financing" (Stateline.org).

Then, IEL’s Michael Usdan reminds us that the results of school finance and equity decisions are often more incremental than incredible: The Next Four Years (American School Board Journal):

“I wouldn’t use the word “solution” in any context related to school finance reform,” says Usdan. “The courts keep making decisions, and the legislatures keep on tinkering….and the plaintiffs keep going back into court again.”

There are the usual assortment of threats and efforts in opposition to NCLB:

Strange bedfellows back protest of NCLB Salt Lake Tribune
Bill would buck federal rules on public schools Salt Lake Tribune
NCLB draws fire from state lawmakers Idaho State Journal
States Revive Efforts to Coax NCLB Changes Education Week
Bilingual Educators Ratchet Up Criticism of NCLB
NSBA Unveils No Child Left Behind ... U.S. Newswire

Meanwhile, the past month or so of coverage of Secretary Spellings makes me wonder whether news coverage of Spellings has been a little soft so far -- just like it was for so long when it came to Condi Rice.

Role as Mom To Guide Spellings CNN.COM
Spellings will 'stay the course' of school reform Cincinnati Enquirer
Spellings: 'Errors of judgment' made in paying Williams USA Today

I mean, it's just so neat that she's a woman, and a mom, and comes from Texas, and isn't a voucher advocate. Forget the fact that her first few steps out of the gate -- an attack on PBS programming, a very slow response on Armstrong Williams, and now a reversal on the HQT requirements -- have been questionable at best.

My favorite over-the-top headline of the week:

Our new education mullah Concord Monitor