- I fear I have run out of clever ways to discuss the level and form of heartburn being expressed throughout the state over the size of the new EdChoice voucher eligibility list. Especially since it is pretty much the same in each place. So, here is more generic heartburn from Butler and Warren counties. (The Journal-News, 12/10/19) And more, from Northeast Ohio. (Patch.com, Cleveland Hts, 12/11/19) Yet more, this time from Cincy, although this piece does differ by including a little bit of pushback from one state senator. (WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, 12/10/19) Editors in Cleveland, while they are in sympathy with the knee-jerk dyspeptics, opine in favor of a “fix” for EdChoice issues. Their preference is that whatever the “fix”, it should be included in a larger, more comprehensive education funding bill. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 12/11/19) While the PD editors aim their opinion directly at the House Speaker, Gongwer tells us that the first discussion of the EdChoice reflux will likely take place in the state Senate. GERD your loins, I guess, (Gongwer Ohio, 12/10/19)
- In not-at-all-(probably)-related news, the Ohio Education Association released its report card
destruction planrecommendations this week. Along with some helpful context. To wit: “Now is the time to end the destructive practice of rating schools and districts on misleading and punitive A-F letter grades that shame public educators for the poverty of their students. Studies consistently show that there is a direct correlation between ratings and wealth, and for too long, low ratings have been used as cover for diverting taxpayer resources to unaccountable charter and private schools and as an excuse to punish communities and educators by depriving them of local control and collective bargaining rights through state takeover schemes.” In other words: the state’s entire accountability and school choice frameworks. (Gongwer Ohio, 12/9/19) - Here is a quick shout out for 12 schools in the Youngstown area that received the state’s Momentum Award for exceeding expectations in student growth for the year. Guess we’ll be able to kiss this good bye soon too. Since, you know, those report card measures are no good and have to go and all. Wonder if those student growth scores are even accurate? (WKBN-TV, Youngstown, 12/9/19)
- Staying on topic for a moment, here is a brief piece covering an event in DC this week in which President Trump touted a plan to expand federal support for private school choice scholarships. Two Buckeye State rock stars, Sam Myers and Walter Blanks, were in the White House meeting and got to tell their stories. The freakin’ White House!! There are a ton of stories out there on this event, including some national TV news outlets, so do yourself a favor and check them out. Ohio school choice successes are represented awesomely! (ABC4, Washington, DC, 12/10/19)
- In other news, here’s a little more info on Lorain CEO Hardy’s bonus. “During Hardy’s tenure, Lorain Schools has found ways to engage under-represented populations,” said the ADC chair, “and teachers were able to come up with new strategies to reach kids.” Just like he was supposed to do. No word whether anyone will bother to ask him what those ways were before he heads out the door. (The Morning Journal, 12/9/19)
- While constructing four empty rooms in a two year period is a hard project to beat in terms of
frittering away“using” new state wellness funds, the folks at Graham Local Schools decided to give it a go. With their money, hundreds of thousands of dollars of it, they are doing…absolutely nothing new. Instead, they are using the new funds to maintain the status quo of student wellness support (oh the irony) and using the money thus “freed up” to expand busing for high schoolers. (WDTN-TV, Dayton, 12/10/19)
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