- You would think that interest in the 2013-14 school report cards would be waning by now, a few weeks after publication, and you’d be right. The PD, fresh from breaking the news that things actually are improving measurably in Cleveland schools, is already turning its attention to next year’s report cards, noting that the introduction of PARCC exams may delay results by months…a lot of them. Part of the anticipated delay is that state education officials want to wait to see how kids did on the tests before determining new cut scores, and therefore the report card results for test scores. Luckily, Fordham’s Aaron Churchill was there to set the record straight: most schools should brace for some lower-than-average performance. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
- This is the story of John Carter, 24, of West Carrollton, a man who not only beat the odds to simply survive but also took good advantage of all the assistance and opportunities available to him to thrive. There are a lot of players in his story, including his family, a local church, a charter school, and Sinclair Community College. But the story, and the success he is making of his life against some long odds, is entirely his. Congratulations, Mr. Carter. (Dayton Daily News)
- Last night’s “Evening with Teachers” edition of Ohio’s Common Core repeal hearings was a bit of a fizzle. In the end, not many teachers opposed to Common Core got to speak, at least one who did had been heard before, much testimony was less than relevant to the question at hand, and not many folks got to hear them anyway. In the end, the hearing ended early because the testimony was deemed important enough to wait for “more members” to hear it. You can check out a concise account of last night in Gongwer. And kudos to reporter Benjamin Lanka who came to Columbus, stayed for the duration, and got the committee chair to opine that “many legislators lack knowledge about the standards largely because the House education committee held no true hearings on the topic.” My sore behind from last November begs to differ. Audacious, to say the least. (Chillicothe Gazette)
- The Beacon Journal’s dogged Doug Livingston has a series of articles profiling the state school board races on the ballot this year. Some solid, thorough journalism here. The link above is to the intro piece and you can find the individual stories on various races on the ABJ’s website. Worth a click. Dog on school board elections. (Akron Beacon Journal)
- I am becoming obsessed with the idea of how small inner-ring suburbs adjacent to our big urban districts handle the difficulties inherent in education today while facing what must be many of the same circumstances as their much larger siblings. Are they microcosms or unique ecosystems? Case in point: the five-year budget forecast for tiny Whitehall City Schools, released this week. While serving many of the same populations as Columbus City Schools, Whitehall has managed to make a projected 10-year levy last nearly twice that long. While facing steady increases in student population – including many immigrants new to America with varying English proficiency – Whitehall has embraced and even celebrates these enrollment increases. And despite having entered deficit spending mode two years ago, their reserve funds and strategic spending are projected to maintain the budget for at least five more years. Now, about their academic numbers…. (ThisWeek News/Whitehall News)
- We’ve mentioned before about the “intestinal fortitude” it apparently takes to work in Youngstown City Schools, whether you’re in the administration or on the board or on the Academic Distress Commission overseeing both of the other groups on behalf of the state. One attempt to “clarify roles” via training sessions for board members is running into the usual roadblocks for which some “fortitude” is required. To wit: “I’d like to know what they feel we need training on and why,” said [the] board vice president. I’m not always a good prognosticator, but I’ll go out on a limb to predict it’s something about the dangerous culture of “board micromanagement” noted in that report from a few weeks ago. (Youngstown Vindicator)
