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- Some interesting input from out-of-state experts was heard in the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee earlier this week, discussing ways that Ohio might combat student absenteeism. I was taken by the “black box”/“no one is sure” nature of many of the comments included in this Gongwer coverage. While I will accept that there aren’t any silver bullets to fix the problems, I don’t think there’s a lot of mystery left about the reasons for student absences. Students working, students feeling unmotivated, students watching younger siblings, students fearing bullies. The list isn’t long, and the “unique challenges” you can think of off the top of your head will probably cover 90 percent of cases. Stop fact finding and get cracking! (Gongwer Ohio, 11/18/24)
- Personally, I’d love to get some data on chronic teacher absenteeism myself, but I figure I’m a party of one in that regard. Instead, let’s take a look at the use of substitutes—both short- and long-term—in a couple of Toledo-area school districts. Sounds like the sub model is here to stay for the foreseeable future. (WTOL-TV, Toledo, 11/19/24)
- While the story has fallen off the radar of local news outlets, the national trade publication for school transportation posted a very nice summary of the ongoing legal battle between the state of Ohio and a number of its school districts in regard to providing (or, more regularly, failing to provide) bus service to charter, private, and STEM school students as required by law. It is also bang up to date, giving us a look at the fines levied against districts for these infractions through early November. Dayton, Columbus, and Toledo’s earlier fines (as we know) were refunded due to a court ruling, but fiscal year 2024 fines were massive, and the meter’s still running for fiscal year 2025, with Cleveland Metropolitan School District now joining the ranks of scofflaws. (School Transportation News, 11/19/24)
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