Ohio’s new biennial budget
This week, the General Assembly passed—and Governor DeWine signed—Ohio’s new biennial budget. The legislation included a new school funding plan, wide-ranging expansions and changes in voucher and other school choice programs, several charter school-related provisions, and much more.
Praise
ExcelinEd released a statement praising the choice-friendly aspects of Ohio’s budget bill. Organization founder and chairman Governor Jeb Bush said, “Ohio’s budget wisely invests in student-centered policies by supporting programs that expand educational opportunities and develop critical career skills.” Ohioan and ExcelinEd board member Dee Haslam added that the budget “takes important steps to ensure successful charter schools receive more equitable funding so additional students can benefit from these options.”
A new lens
A concept paper released by the Educational Freedom Institute at Kennesaw State University in Georgia looks to determine a new way of ranking the health of the charter school “ecosystem” in each state by using a student-focused, outcomes-based methodology. If the goal of the charter school movement is to have high performing charter schools available to every family who wants one, the authors reason, the status of a state’s charter school sector should be determined by how close to the goal they are. Interesting.
New polling
New national poll numbers released by Morning Consult and the organization EdChoice, focused around Black parents and their feelings toward various aspects of K-12 education, indicate that Black parents continue to be much more likely to support education savings accounts (ESAs), public charter schools, and vouchers than oppose them. In fact, seven out of ten Black parents nationwide indicated support for charter schools.
In the schools and beyond
Education Next this week published a great story looking at a number of charter school networks across the country and the ways in which they support their graduates into and through college.
Farewell
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria this week announced his intent to retire in September after more than five years in Ohio’s top education position.
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