Here's an overview of what's happening in NY, with another quote from Joe:

Gov. David A. Paterson on Thursday proposed a host of changes in state education law, including eliminating the cap on the number of charter schools, which he said would make the state more likely to receive $700 million in federal grant money.

The governor's bill would also repeal a 2008 law that banned the use of standardized test scores in tenure decisions, as well as give the state the ability to pay for charter school construction and allow the state to take over low-performing schools.

…The State Legislature has just days to pass the bill — the application for the first round of federal grants is due on Jan. 19, and the governor has said that the law would have to be passed five days earlier in order to be signed into law.

… For the past several months, states have scrambled to make changes to their education laws in an effort to make them more likely to receive the money. Several observers have expressed skepticism that New York would be able to act swiftly and forcefully enough to win the competition early this spring. Another round of funding is expected to be distributed later in the year.

Joe Williams, the executive director of Democrats for Education Reform, who has been critical of the state, said that it was an "important sign" that the governor had begun to make some changes, but added that many of them were what "we've always considered low-hanging fruit."

"I think we're at a time when the State Legislature can't afford the possibility to overlook $700 million," Mr. Williams said.

---------------------------------------------

Seeking Grants, Paterson Urges Education Changes

By JENNIFER MEDINA

www.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/education/08race.html