Gadfly Bites 12/10/18 – Lamentations, and other news

1. Chad is quoted in this editorial which laments the extension of softer graduation requirements for two years, but it is the editors’ own quote that really should be the highlight: “Any good parent will tell you, giving kids the easiest path possible does them a disservice in the long run.” Provided to you with no comments from me. (Marietta Times, 12/10/18) I will do the same for this commentary piece lamenting Fordham’s analysis of state report cards and attempting to dismantle its findings: “Why don’t we find out what parents of successful students do and what attributes the most successful students possess? Doesn’t that make more sense than studying schools, which we’ve already tried to no avail?” (Piqua Daily Call, 12/7/18)
2. I have been getting the impression that school district officials across Ohio are either getting some bad messages from somewhere (organizations meant to help them with policy and legislation? Legislators themselves perhaps?) or are interpreting the messages they are hearing in some very tortured ways. A case in point is the disembodied “they” who have apparently been talking to the superintendent of Portsmouth City Schools about graduation requirements and school report cards. I hope you’re not banking on all those changes magically occurring, sir. And wasn’t this event supposed to be the regular community update on great things going on in your district? That stuff was barely covered in this piece so I assume you needed “them” to fill up the rest of the time for you. (Portsmouth Daily News, 12/5/18)
3. While this effort IS official—a legislature-appointed group of supes and treasurers working to revise Ohio’s school funding formula—the person doing the talking about it in this piece is NOT an official part of the group. He does, however, seem to me to be a) speaking from a position of expertise, and b) intimately involved in the process. I’m sure it will be fine, though, especially for charter school students and students using vouchers. Oh, and for students utilizing open enrollment. And for kids in STEM schools too. All good. (Newark Advocate, 12/5/18)
4. State testing is here being blamed for the possibility of a “shortened” spring break in Marion City Schools next year. Even though literally every decision involved in the schedule is a local one except for the setting of the state’s testing windows. From which there are several to choose. But, hey, why let that get in the way of a good headline? (Marion Star, 12/6/18)
5. At this point, I might be tempted to speculate that Patrick O’Donnell is the only person in Cleveland who actually cares whether the Say Yes to Success organization chooses to operate there in the future. But even if it’s true, he clearly cares about it a lot, as this detailed analysis of the program’s successes—and lack thereof—in other cities proves. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 12/9/18)
6. Finally today, a new charter school will be opening its doors in Toledo next school year – a classical education academy. Q.E.D. (Toledo Blade, 12/10/18)

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