The latest issue of the Ohio Education Gadfly came out yesterday, and features an excellent piece by Terry on the stark decline in student enrollment in Fordham's hometown of Dayton, Ohio.
Over the last decade the Dayton Public Schools (DPS) have contracted by more than 10,000 students; seeing enrollment decline from 24,916 students in 2000 to 14,393 students in 2009. During this same period Dayton has become one of the country's leading charter school markets.
Over the years such numbers and ratings have triggered angst and anger among district officials and their supporters, and even some hostility toward charters. However, while charters have played a role in draining DPS of students, a significant amount of the attrition can be attributed to an exodus to suburbs, other states, and private schools, Terry argues.
As illustrated by the chart below, the combined enrollment of Dayton public and charter schools has slumped over the last decade. Charter school enrollment peaked in the 2006, but has continued to decline steadily thereafter.
Source: Ohio Department of Education interactive local report card
For more on the incredible shrinking Dayton, you can read Terry's full piece here .?? And be sure to check out the rest of the Ohio Education Gadfly -- we feature a guest editorial by Courter Shimeall, a Teach For America recruiter who is witnessing Ohio's brain drain firsthand; optimistic news that Ohio is planning to adopt common national standards ; and video from the Dayton Education Forum Panel . Don't miss it, and don't forget to weigh in on our Ohio Gadfly Readership Survey!