- Well, Governor Kasich sure impressed some folks with his appearance with a group of fellow GOP governors in Florida yesterday. Some are talking about presidential aspirations for Kasich; we’re just appreciative of his comments cutting through the BS on Common Core in Ohio at crunch time. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
- Kudos to journalists still keeping their eyes on the outcome of last year’s third grade reading tests. Because the process is still ongoing, and will be for the foreseeable future. New information released by ODE this week reveals that just over 4 percent of last year’s third graders were retained at some level across Ohio. The Plain Dealer looks at these numbers from the Cuyahoga County perspective, noting that Cleveland Metropolitan School District had a 600 percent increase in retention for third graders between 2012-13 and 2013-14. The Dayton Daily News includes charter schools’ scores in its local reporting. DECA Prep was top of the heap in passage rates among charters, Dayton Leadership Academy was lowest. None of this is bad news IF every one of those students is receiving the help he needs to read on grade level and move forward with the proper skills in place.
- Editors in Akron opined yesterday against the testing-time limiting provisions proposed in HB 228. They say that “a consensus has formed around the notion of repairing the testing regimen,” but are clear that a proper fix will “take time and thought, two elements in short supply during a lame-duck session.” Well said. (Akron Beacon Journal)
- Editors in Youngstown have not been shy about calling for state help in turning around the struggling city schools. They are at it again this week, opining in favor of any and every bit of assistance the governor and the state department of education can offer to aid the district in cutting $1.5 to $2 million from the budget to avoid a deficit through 2019. (Youngstown Vindicator)
- We’ve told you before about the weird Survivor-like school-choice campouts just concluded for another year in Cincinnati. Well, imagine the heartbreak of surviving the cold-weather ordeal and securing a spot for your rising Kindergartner in the school you want…only to be told that there was an error and you are not in but on the waiting list. That happened to 17 families when an error overestimated the number of spots available in the school. The district is vowing to make it right, but that is a terrible mistake to have happen in this already-brutal process. (Cincinnati Enquirer)
