- There is no author attributed to this commentary piece regarding school report card reform options (and school funding and several other things) so I have no idea who to thank for including Fordham’s stated dislike for several aspects of HB 200 as part of their opining. (Chagrin Valley Today, 4/15/21)
- As has happened several times over the nearly six years (!) since John Kasich signed the CEO-style academic distress paradigm into law, a bill has been introduced which would release Lorain City Schools—and only Lorain City Schools—from that paradigm. It is primarily a return to the previous model where the Academic Distress Commission would be advisory only, the CEO role would be reduced, and the elected school board would be in charge for real. What’s more: the district could create its own set of benchmarks to permanently end the ADC over a period of three years. The current president of the district’s elected board said assured us all that those benchmarks would not be so “egregious” the district would be unable to meet them. I mean, why would you want a high academic bar? (Elyria Chronicle, 4/15/21)
- One Cincinnati City Schools parent has noted that his daughter has fallen way behind during more than a year of fully-remote learning. He wants her to have the opportunity to retake the classes she is failing. However, a district representative told WCPO that, “Repeating a grade or course has negative long-term impacts on student success.” Unfortunately, he also added, “The research is clear that neither retention nor social promotion is effective in improving students’ academic or social skills.” If the research IS clear on both of those, it does not seem to me to leave much room for other options. What say you, Dad? (WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, 4/14/21) In reading the details of the summer program planned for high schoolers in Orange City Schools, I am struck by the “asynchronous online learning with a side order of teacher office hours” model. Isn’t this the same as the actual education model they had for the last year? The one for which they need remediation? Or am I misreading that? (Cleveland.com, 4/15/21)
- Meanwhile, the sad, pricey, pound-foolish saga of Dayton City Schools’ district headquarters buildings—which we have returned to on occasion in these clips over the years, especially on days when we really just needed a rueful laugh—is laid out in full in this piece. I won’t belabor it but you should definitely check it out as the multi-million-dollar fiasco enters another predictable, depressing, expensive phase. But then, you probably guessed that that shoe was bound to drop at some point, didn’t you? (Dayton Daily News, 4/14/21)
- Finally this week, here is your regular reminder that most K-12 students in Ohio have options besides their assigned district school. Sometimes lots of options. Here’s a look at a family who is very happy with their EdChoice Scholarship to attend St. Mary School in Marion. (In fact, it is interesting to me how very casual and matter-of-fact everyone is being in this piece about this family’s lack of interest in attending school in the district where they live.) Multiple voucher application windows are open right now across the state, and this piece does a great job of laying out eligibility criteria and the path for application. Nice! (Marion Star, 4/15/21)
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