- Fordham is namechecked in this piece on the passage of HB 67 out of the General Assembly earlier this week. The bill, which will make a few changes to testing and graduation requirements for some students in this SARS-CoV-2-disrupted school year, is off to Governor DeWine for signature. (Dayton Daily News, 3/18/21) Editors in Marietta had a few odd thoughts on the bill and its provisions. (Marietta Times, 3/19/21)
- Meanwhile, here is a piece discussing the new Christian “school” getting ready to open in Elida. I use the quote marks because LifeWise Academy doesn’t appear to be so much a full-service educational entity as it does a provider of “religious electives” for students in Elida Local Schools who might want them instead of district-provided options such as “art, music or library”. I’ve never heard of this model before, but apparently it’s not the first of its type in Ohio. And it doesn’t sound like the operators plan for it to be the last. (Lima News, 3/19/21)
- Miami East Local School District Superintendent Todd Rappold told his elected school board this week that, despite the disruptions wrought by SARS-CoV-2 responses, students in their district are “not that far off from where [they] would typically be in a normal school year”. Even so, an education recovery plan is needed, and he’s not going to wait for the summer. High school students—specific individuals who it sounds like were “voluntold” to participate—are already receiving additional tutoring two days per week. Summer camps are said to be new this year, but they sound fairly typical rather than bootcamp-y. Anywho, Dr. Rappold seems pleased to be able to present this plan to Governor DeWine well ahead of the April 1 requested turn in date. (Miami Valley Today, 3/16/21)
- And finally this week, are we sure that in-person school in Toledo is all it’s cracked up to be? Because if this story is to be believed, some kids may be taking some dangerous (Northwest Ohio style) risks to get there and back. (13ABC News, Toledo, 3/17/21)
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