- We start today with a quick thanks to the folks at Gongwer, who briefly noted the release of Fordham’s new report on interdistrict open enrollment. Much appreciated! (Gongwer Ohio, 1/19/21)
- We have discussed in these clips before the topic of Ohio’s new readiness seals. What they are, who they are for, and how districts are choosing to define them. The version of this story in Dayton City Schools, unfortunately, includes a game of two truths and a lie. What’s worse is that all three are depressing. The lie (if I do say so myself): Ohio’s graduation requirements are “complicated”. Seriously? You explained them in less than 60 words! Far less than it took to explain how a performing arts seal works. Truth one: the district said it “likely wouldn’t be overly stringent” on approving activity completions for those seals. I mean, why would you? Truth two is a direct quote from the story (no idea whose analysis it is): “Given the breadth of options, the seals likely won’t be the main hurdle to a diploma in the new system, compared to the four years of credits or the competency area.” Amen. (Dayton Daily News, 1/17/21) But never mind that. We’ve got more important stuff to talk about in Dayton. ODE’s annual review of Dayton City Schools’ special education services—the result of site visits conducted in early 2020, pre-pandemic—was presented to the elected school board this week. It’s a doozy…and not in a good way. District Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli has some comments and explanations. (Dayton Daily News, 1/19/21) At that same meeting, Superintendent Lolli got a two-year contract extension and a raise via unanimous vote of the elected school board. (Dayton Daily News, 1/19/21)
- Governor DeWine announced yesterday that 96 percent of school districts across the state have signed his pledge to return to at least a hybrid in-person model of learning by March 1. Let the vaccines flow! (Cleveland.com, 1/19/21) I have to remind myself that Cleveland Metropolitan School District is one of those that has been remote-learning-only since March. Why’s that weird for me? Because the “learning pod” described here looks so much like regular in-person school (the only things missing were flesh-and-blood, degreed, union teachers) that I suspected a misunderstanding on my part. But nope: This pod is doing all the work of “school”—and then some—for its fully ELL population. Same with several others described herein. And it seems to be going really well by all indications. Are y’all sure you want to mess with this? Especially if it means going back to the old way of doing business? (Freshwater Cleveland, 1/19/21)
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