- More report card analysis today. This time, charter schools in Cincinnati go under the journalistic microscope with the invaluable assistance of Fordham’s Aaron Churchill. (Cincinnati Enquirer)
- An even greater level of detail is applied to the report cards of charters in the Dayton area, including an in-depth look at Fordham-sponsored Dayton Leadership Academy. The picture is bleak, but there are clear signs of improvement. Kudos to journalist Jeremy Kelley for his work. (Dayton Daily News) As a bonus, here’s a TV piece looking at DLA. (WHIO-TV). And as an Easter Egg, there’s a cameo from former Fordhamite Bianca Speranza in the DDN piece as well.
- More Horizon charter school have been added to the list of buildings under investigation by the Ohio Department of Education. One in Columbus (Columbus Dispatch), and one in Cincinnati. (Cincinnati Enquirer)
- These additional investigations were announced the same day that parents, students, and staff members of Horizon Schools were rallying in front of ODE HQ - that is to say, across the street from Fordham Columbus HQ – and speaking before the State Board of Education in support of their schools. (WKSU-FM, Kent)
- Speaking of board meetings, the small item of 20 schools being eligible for parent-led reorganization in Columbus under Ohio’s “parent trigger” law was discussed at yesterday’s school board meeting. The Dispatch’s coverage focuses on the questions left unanswered after last night’s meeting but at least the highly-reasonable “let’s wait and see if any parent actually acts on this before we panic” comment was said…and preserved for the record. (Columbus Dispatch)
- The Ohio Department of Education chose StudentsFirst to answer the questions posed at the meeting last night…mainly because they’re the only ones who wanted the job. The organization bends over backward in this piece to try and reassure stakeholders that they have no vested interest in the outcome of any parent trigger process that might occur, nor will they actively solicit parents to act. (Columbus Dispatch)
- In the end, all of this analysis and discussion of school and district report cards comes down to the question of “are students getting a good education?” Editors in Youngstown have been unequivocal in their assertions that that is not the case in their district, and they appealed yesterday to Governor Kasich to do something about it. Now. (Youngstown Vindicator)
