- Today, Fordham released its latest report – On the Right Track: Ohio’s charter reforms one year into implementation. First out of the gate with coverage of our HB 2 report is Jim Siegel at the D. Thanks! (Columbus Dispatch, 1/18/17)
- On the day when our HB 2 implementation is released, it is fitting that we get to note that our own Aaron Churchill and Chad Aldis were recently quoted in the Dispatch regarding the exceptionally low number of new charter schools opened in the state in 2016. What could have caused it, do you think? (Columbus Dispatch, 1/14/17)
- Some news outlets are just catching up to the recent Quality Counts report, in which Ohio had a mediocre showing. You can read Chad’s request for a nuanced look at the data in this brief piece from the Enquirer (Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/17/17) and in this longer piece from the DDN. (Dayton Daily News, 1/17/17)
- Two stories bearing the words “Common Core” in their headlines hit the PD late last week. First up, a look at how Ohio’s Learning Standards for ELA and math do and don’t resemble CCSS and how both may change further soon. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 1/13/17) Next up, a piece which tries to answer the question: “Is it fair to call Ohio's standards Common Core?” Spoiler alert: it depends. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 1/14/17)
- After two very long meetings, some free pizza from the CEO, and the posthumous mortification of Henry Martyn Robert, the Youngstown school board elected a president for its new session: Current officeholder Brenda Kimble. VP = TBD. (Youngstown Vindicator, 1/14/17)
- Gongwer predicts that the topic of caps (to keep some districts from getting “too much” money) and guarantees (to keep some districts from losing “too much” money) will be front and center in terms of school funding in the governor’s upcoming new biennial budget proposal. Safe bet, methinks. (Gongwer Ohio, 1/13/17)
- We finish today with three disparate stories from big-city districts in three far-flung corners of the state. First up, announcement of a new option for gifted students coming to Cincinnati City Schools in the fall. Don’t worry, it’s not the return of campouts. This is a program rather than a school, and admission will be granted by means of exam scores and lottery. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/12/17) Next up, Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s charter sponsor ranking of “ineffective” is rankling some in the district due to the "discrepancies and inconsistencies" officials noted in the scoring in their six-page complaint letter. Even more annoying: they can’t formally appeal their ranking because it wasn’t low enough to trigger the process. Weird. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 1/17/17) Finally, here is a look at the WorkReady Manufacturing program, a partnership between Toledo City Schools and Lucas County which aims to train residents – including district students – for new manufacturing jobs which are promised for a new industrial park being developed. I don’t know what “employment-survival skills training” is, exactly, but I believe officials when they assure us it will be helpful. (Toledo Blade, 1/18/17)
