Gadfly Bites 12/19/25—Early Christmas presents

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1. This is subscriber-only content (just like the disclaimer says), but it’s just too awesome for me not to tell you about it, even if you can’t read it all. It’s discussion of Ohio Senate Bill 328 which would help build on existing momentum in the state to ensure high-quality career-connected learning for students prior to high school. As quoted in the Gongwer/State Affairs piece, my colleague Jessica Poiner recently analyzed the bill’s provisions with her usual rigor and, happily for you all, that blog post is freely available here. Here’s hoping for a swift hearing process for SB 328 when legislators return to work after the holidays. (Gongwer Ohio/State Affairs, 12/15/25)
   
   

2. At least three of the universities whose teacher prep programs were reported this week as failing their science of reading implementation audits say they have already eliminated the problems discovered—namely using textbooks and curricula which included banned teaching practices. This piece details those responses from Wright State and Central State. (Dayton Daily News, 12/17/25) This piece documents Bowling Green State University’s declaration that they are also already in compliance and states that the other seven delinquents have also done so…although I’d like to hear/see/read more from the birthplace of Reading Recovery myself. Just sayin’. (Bowling Green Independent News, 12/17/25)
   
   

3. Implementation of a four-day week, increasing the number of magnet schools, and numerous program cuts are still on the table for the long term, but Toledo City Schools’ budget deficit (due to ongoing enrollment losses) is so large and so pressing that the elected school board was forced to vote in emergency session last night to make cuts in their biggest line item: staffing. 115 positions were eliminated via unanimous vote, effective immediately, with more to come. “The district does not have a choice,” explained the deputy superintendent before the vote. “We must be in solvency” before the district can even begin to get assistance from the state. (Toledo Blade, 12/18/25)
   
   

4. To end the week on a high note, Bio-Med Science Academy, one of my beloved independent STEM schools, is on the move in the very best way. The school’s two elementary-grade buildings will merge into one and relocate to the campus of Kent State University. In this win-win partnership, Kent gets a rent-paying tenant for some of its underused space, and the STEM school students get access to a fully equipped lab facility and attend school on the campus of an actual higher ed institution. Fantastic news! The new site should be open by fall 2027, by which time I reckon that Bio-Med’s reported “900 students from 45 school districts in the region” will also be on the move—upward! (Cleveland.com, 12/18/25)

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