- As you may know, a monumental charter school reform law passed the Ohio General Assembly last week. Our own Chad Aldis was a guest on All Sides with Ann Fisher on Wednesday, discussing said reform. If you’re wondering where the “monumental” part is discussed during the hour-long program, don’t. (WOSU-FM, Columbus, 10/14/15)
- Lorain City Schools has “poured time, attention and transportation” into an all-out effort to help 90 students in the district’s New Beginnings and Credit Recovery Academy. The goal: passing the Ohio Graduation Test and having the students actually be prepared for college or a career on the other side. Good luck to everyone involved. (Northern Ohio Morning Journal, 10/15/15)
- No mention of Academic Distress Commissions in that Lorain piece, above, but it can’t be far from their minds. Lorain, as of yesterday, is the only district operating under the aegis of an old-style ADC. Graduation rate is just one of the factors that needs to improve there to avoid going down the path that Youngstown City Schools has blazed, into the new-style ADC. Speaking of Youngstown, a new community group has launched in the wake of the court-allowed implementation of the new ADC paradigm there this week. The group, calling itself Youngstown Educational Solutions (YES), seems supportive of the so-called “Youngstown Plan” and aims to be an all-inclusive community resource for the new district CEO when she or he is appointed in November. Well, I say “all-inclusive”, but that remains to be seen. Says one of the YES founders, “We’ve invited everyone to join, but if they don’t, it’s not our fault.” Good luck to everyone involved. (Youngstown Vindicator, 10/16/15)