- The good folks at The 74 Million blog referenced Fordham’s blockbuster school closure and student achievement report while discussing the same topic in terms of New York City school closures earlier this week. What; you don’t know about this particular bit of Fordham awesomeness? Shame on you. Go check it out right now. Partially because it’s the end of the year and we’re trying to max out on our stats, but mainly because it is – as I mentioned before – awesome. (The 74 Million, 12/2/15)
- Thanks for checking out our school closure and student achievement report. Glad to have you back with us here at Gadfly Bites. Last week in this very spot, we noted that Columbus City Schools had five days or so of tech hell when several systems melted down at once and moving to backups was found to be more difficult and time consuming than expected. I can sympathize and am happy to report that a previously-planned full-blown tech audit for the district has been moved up in the schedule as a result. Once again, CCS, I know a great tech consultant if you’re looking bidders. (Columbus Dispatch, 12/4/15)
- I have always assumed that there is some judicial equivalent of a teachers lounge where unrobed jurists let their powdered wigs down and start conversations like, “You won’t BELIEVE what habeus corpus dragged in to my courtroom today.” I imagine the judge who’s gotten stuck with all the legal maneuvering aimed at hamstringing the Youngstown Plan in any possible way has got several such stories already. To wit: said judge has been asked – and has granted the request – to block the impaneling of the Youngstown board president’s appointee to the distress commission. Not sure which argument swayed Judge D’Apolito: a possible violation of the definition of “teacher” or the fear of nepotism. Hilarious! And super sad. (Columbus Dispatch, 12/4/15)
- Back in the real world, Kettering Schools have been proudly showing off the product of their Straight A Fund grant, which was used to transform 11 of its libraries into digital media centers. (Dayton Daily News, 12/3/15)
- Finally, here is the fourth article in that noteworthy series on district report cards from journalist Bradley W. Parks at the Zanesville Times Recorder. This time he’s looking at the “Gap Closing” measurement. As in the previous installments, Parks goes to great lengths to define the measurement, but takes the interesting tack this time of seeing it in practice in only one district – Zanesville City Schools. Why? Because its demographic makeup is so different than that of the rest of the largely rural county. And you can read the piece to figure out just what I mean by that. Quotable: “Schools are a reflection of the communities they serve,” says the new-ish Z’ville supe. “I’ve been in high-wealth districts and low-wealth districts. Parents want the same things for their kids.” Sounds like an acceptable – though unofficial – definition of “gap closing” to me. (Zanesville Times Recorder, 11/28/15)
