- As all my dedicated, now-working-at-home subscribers will recall, the voucher grouchers saga began last fall with the release of the most recent list of EdChoice-eligible schools. Over the many months that followed, there was a constant parade of whining, opining, and maligning. There were hours and hours of legislative testimony (although mostly consisting of the same whining, opining, etc.) and numerous legislative maneuverings to “fix” what everyone insisted was “broken”, absent any real evidence of such. And now…it’s over. God put on an N95 mask and laughed at us all from behind it. (Gongwer Ohio, 3/25/20) In case you missed it, Ohio’s COVID-19 response bill addressed all of the most-pressing education issues. These include a waiver of testing requirements across the board, a dispensation for schools to actually educate kids during the shutdown, and a blanket provision of safe harbor for accountability measures downstream. Third grade promotion and diploma eligibility will be local decisions with wide latitude for principals and teachers. (Dayton Daily News, 3/25/20) But the one we’re most interested in today is the EdChoice Scholarship Program, whose eligibility criteria will be frozen at the 2019-20 level with no expansion except in terms of sibling access. The end. Amen. Didn’t see that coming back in November. Wonder how many of my jokes on this topic I’ll end up regretting? (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/26/20)
- While I am repenting, the grouchers are still grouching. They are assuming that, should we ever get back to normal, eventually safe harbor will wear off and voucher expansion will happen anew. That’s it, guys. Keep your eyes on the prize. (Gongwer Ohio, 3/26/27) The EdChoice application window will now open, as postponed, on the more-aptly-chosen-than-we-could-have-ever-imagined date of April 1. But maybe it won’t matter much, because it seems that the effects of the coronavirus-inspired shutdown of schools will likely decimate the ranks of private schools precisely where they have long been needed the most. (New York Daily News, 3/24/20)
- Even though the COVID response bill gives plenty of cover for it, Governor
ActonDeWine has so far DeClined to close schools for the rest of the year. (Dayton Daily News, 3/26/20) Most districts, it seems, are anticipating the loss of the rest of the school year. Two quick examples: Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon has taken to cyberspace to promise district seniors an in-person graduation ceremony at some point. A prom? Well….maybe. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/25/20) In Akron and surrounding suburbs, seems like lots of seniors are already moving beyond those tattered rituals. (Akron Beacon-Journal, 3/26/20)
- And in case you wanted some district insider-y lowdown on how the COVID relief bill was going to be enacted on the ground, look no further than Delaware City Schools. (Delaware Gazette, 3/27/20)
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