Gadfly Bites 12/2/19 – Mixed messages

1. We’re back after a long holiday break with lots to cover. So let’s get to it. The Dayton Daily News took a look at the charter school sponsors active in the Gem City. Most of them were rated in the top two tiers by the state recently, including Fordham. That all sounds like good news, and our own Chad Aldis is quoted about the relevance of the ratings as well. So why does the whole piece feel so downbeat then? (Dayton Daily News, 11/28/19)
    
2. Speaking of mixed messages, here is a look at how “school choice” has “drained” traditional district schools in Cleveland. Mostly, that so-called drain is referring to students; specifically in reference to two humungous old high school buildings operating at a third or less of their capacity these days. And to be fair, that list of where those neighborhood kids go to high school is pretty amazing. But the importance attached to money isn’t far away from the discussion. Sadly, the importance of providing a quality education that kids and families actually want is mentioned but deemphasized here. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 12/1/19) This story, lamenting the “explosion” of voucher eligible schools and students, is only about money. Nothing mixed in this one. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 12/2/19). But we’re back to confusion again in this glowing tribute to Urban Community School, a Catholic school in the CLE that for more than 50 years has provided a “world-class educational experience for low-income children in the community”. Why yes, UCS does “drain” kids and funding from local school districts via vouchers. And no, the article does not mention that at all. You can see my confusion, right? (Cleveland.com, 12/1/19)
   
   

3. Here, unfortunately, is another one of those infamous “drainers” of kids and money—DePaul Cristo Rey High School in Cincinnati. What was it in the news last week? Because of the awesomeness with which this voucher-accepting Catholic school (the “v-word” is not included here for some reason) helps its low-income students and students of color get into college (lots and lots of colleges across the country, it seems) and then supports them through their entire higher ed experience. Nice, right? Yet so confusing. (WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, 11/28/19)
    
4. In stark contrast (see what I did there?), the folks that run Fairless Local Schools seem to be fully committed to clipping their students’ academic wings (another pun!). Rather than soaring toward the best possible colleges their Falcons can reach (can he be stopped?!), it seems that Fairless (no, that’s not a joke; it’s the actual name) would rather encourage local grads to stay grounded. Specifically, to choose local colleges and remain in the area, no matter what else they might have thought about doing after high school. “Don’t be ashamed of choosing local and starting small,” those lucky kiddos were exhorted last week. Here’s hoping that they were as attentive to this as most kids are when Charlie Brown-style grownups begin to drone. And, pray, what is the name of the effort (misnomer!) that has produced this initiative (surely that word is a joke)? It’s called Smart Stark. I only wish I were kidding about that. (Canton Repository, 11/30/19)
    
5. Editors in Toledo opined last week that the latest poor NAEP data for reading achievement should “indict education”. Unfortunately, in their scattershot response, they don’t say whose education. Shame. (Toledo Blade, 11/29/19)
   
   

6. Some folks in Ohio school districts really hate the state’s “Prepared for Success” report card measure. Here is an article from Southern Ohio about that hatred, and what those folks want to do about it. Hint: get rid of the measure entirely because it is wrong/broken/“not indicative of what’s going on in these districts”. Well, I guess if you only want your kids to “think small…” (WTOV-TV, Steubenville, 11/27/19)
    
7. Last week, we talked about a school district that was not particularly thankful for the new infusion of student wellness funding provided by the state. They didn’t need it, they said, and couldn’t really find a use for it. Luckily, a number of districts in Northeast Ohio don’t seem to share that feeling. Here is a look at some of their preliminary plans. (The Record-Courier, 11/29/19)
   
   

8. Back to mixed messages to end our clips today: Dayton City Schools has lifted its ban on crowdfunding requests by teachers, now that the board at last has some very specific policies in place to control guide the use of such funds. What’s the mixed message? If you have to ask after the last two years of stories about the district’s enormous financial surplus (and their comical/tragical efforts to spend it down), I might gently suggest that you’re reading the wrong set of education news clips. (Dayton Daily News, 12/1/19)

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