A good news online charter school story
Sarah Robinson, an online charter school graduate from Massillon, Ohio wrote an op-ed that appeared in the Canton Repository this week. Robinson, the co-valedictorian for the class of 2018 at Ohio Connections Academy (OCA), describes how the school’s flexibility enabled her and her sister to learn self-discipline, work at their own paces, and pursue outside interests (like taking college classes and volunteering). This is a great reminder that, despite the flurry of negative stories, there are many students like Sarah who thrive in online schools.
Analyzing the impact of dropout recovery report card changes
As we’ve described previously, the State Board of Education recently adopted significant changes to the rules around report cards for Ohio's dropout prevention and recovery schools (DPRS). A new piece from Fordham’s Jessica Poiner examines the potential impacts of those changes, specifically around identification as a DPRS and graduation rate performance levels.
Ohio charters in the news
The Ohio Distance and Electronic Learning Academy (OhDELA), an online charter school long operated by White Hat management, is now working with ACCEL Schools. This story in the Plain Dealer provides great details, including the impressive growth of ACCEL over the past couple of years. Moving across the state, the Dayton Daily News explores the closure of one charter school and the opening of another in the Gem City.
Charter schools are stepping up to combat the “summer slide”
Last week, schools, families and communities across the country recognized National Summer Learning Day, which elevates the importance of providing high-quality summer learning opportunities for students. According to the Walton Family Foundation, charter schools around the country are stepping up to fill the summer void using classes, camps, and other programs. Check out their detailed account here, and see more stories by searching for the hashtags “#KeepKidsLearning” and “#SummerLearning” on Twitter.
Upcoming events
Registration is open for a few events in Columbus in the next few months, including the 2018 National Dropout Prevention Network Conference (October 28-31), the Auditor of State’s 2018 Community School Training (August 1), and the Ohio School Improvement Institute (November 15-16). Don’t forget to register for the National Forum to Advance Rural Education (October 11-13) in Denver.
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