Gadfly Bites 2/28/25—Not enough learning leads to not enough earning

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1. The good folks at Learn to Earn in Dayton are worried about the state of both of the items in their name. That is: Data show that kids in the area don’t seem to be learning very much (especially eighth grade math) and thus will not be out there earning very much when they are adults. And they want a fix fast for the benefit of students and the community. A tiny bit of good news we learn in this story is that New Lebanon Local Schools, also concerned, is said to have recently hired an eighth-grade math teacher who is “an expert in her field”, and whose prowess has already begun “show[ing] up in the district’s scores.” Yay, I guess, as far as it goes. But I have to say this nugget of information raises a lot more questions for me than it answers. Such as: “Why didn’t you have any experts before now?” “Seriously, one teacher can boost your scores that much?” “Are there a couple more of these experts where she came from?” “And can we get them into other schools stat?” Etc.  Etc. (Dayton Daily News, 2/27/25)
   
   

2. Lack of learning (and the downstream lack of earning) is also on the minds of some state legislators, who have proposed a bill adding 53 instructional hours to the mandated length of Ohio’s school year. Lots of competing rhetoric here that seems to me to undercut the purpose (“could be gym or study hall”; “maybe just one less PD day”). But perhaps the true purpose of the effort is not fully clear to this political abecedarian at the moment. (Toledo Blade, 2/28/25)
   
   

3. Teachers unions have cast early aspersions on the above-mentioned bill—regardless of its true intent—as an “unfunded mandate”, citing their ongoing concerns with the state budget’s final phase in of the Fair School Funding Plan. As we have noted, that final phase in has been characterized as a “cut” for many traditional districts and a “boost” for charter and STEM schools as well as and private school voucher programs. For me, these outcomes are actually a feature of the formula—not a bug—but the phrase “funding cut” drives lots of folks insane around here and so the rhetorical pugilism continues and expands. Thus it makes me happy to see the editorial board of the Toledo Blade opine outright that they have no problem with the formula or the final phase in proposal, stating, “Nor is it fair to cast blame on the state’s two other large school education funds — charter schools and private school vouchers. In both cases, the allocations achieve the state’s goal of funding quality education, and in both cases, the money spent goes farther than it does in the traditional public schools.” Nice! That being said, however, they want Governor DeWine to drain the state’s rainy day fund to top up those traditional districts destined to receive less than they did in previous years due to the completely legitimate formula. They justify this by saying “This state is too low on the national rankings when it comes to average level of education completed and other metrics such as literacy,” to do anything less than shower money on all schools (see what I did there?). (Toledo Blade, 2/26/25)
   
   

4. We first discussed this sad situation way back in November, and my suggestion at the time has now come true: Dohn Community School in Cincinnati announced it will close at the end of this school year. It has been plagued by declining enrollment, administrative lapses, poor academic outcomes, and mounting debt. Any one of these could be grounds to discuss closing a charter school; together, they are a perfect storm. Kudos to the adults who made this difficult, but clearly-inevitable decision. But the important thing here is that the students remaining will have time to either complete their work and graduate or to make an orderly transition to a new school next fall. Both of these are best cases and should always be part of a school closure process, but it will take dedication and selflessness from the grown-ups in charge in the school’s final months to get it done right and to minimize the impact on students. No excuses, no aspersions, no buts. You have the chance to make the best of this, adults; I hope you will do so. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 2/27/25)

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