- The most recent third grade reading scores across Ohio were released this week and the numbers got a lot of coverage across the state, including here in Central Ohio. It is reported that 89.5 percent of Columbus City Schools' third graders passed last year's test; not the worst in the county. (Columbus Dispatch, 3/24/16) In Northwest Ohio, Toledo City Schools had just shy of 72 percent of last year’s third graders pass the test, although with the allowed exemptions for special needs students and others, they say 95 percent of last year’s third graders were promoted to fourth grade. (Toledo Blade, 3/24/16) In Stark County, they are more interested in individuals than percentages, noting that 148 of last year’s third grade students in the county did not pass. (Canton Repository, 3/25/16) Note that the cut score for this year’s test rises again. That data has been promised in a more timely fashion.
- Free bachelors degrees from OSU will produce a raft of new preschool teachers in low-income Columbus neighborhoods. That’s the 50,000-foot view of this story from the D this week. Digging into the details yields some fine print and questions. The program is limited to 100 scholarships over five years (maximum 20 entrants per year?); scholarship applicants must already have at least an associates degree (not exactly a free ride, but at least they’ll be done quicker than four years), applicants may already have to be preschool teachers (the story seems to indicate yes, which casts doubt on how many “new” teachers will actually result, but is unclear); and the commitment to teach in Columbus neighborhoods expires after three years (so the first round of teachers could be headed for the hills before the last round is ready to replace them). But hey. Who am I to poop OSU and Columbus’s parade? (Columbus Dispatch, 3/24/16) Speaking of which, folks in Cincinnati want to know who should pay for preschool expansion in their city and how. There are two separate propositions being discussed with several different funding mechanisms being floated. The two entities are trying hard not to clash, but having two separate levies on the ballot is not a prospect either wants to face. Cincinnati voters want to know. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/23/16)
- Reynoldsburg City Schools is dealing with what one might term “a good problem to have”. That is, a successful high school that is also the most popular option among incoming freshmen who are given a choice. It is so popular that to give all those opter-inners their first choice means one school over capacity and another across town well under capacity. Solution pending… (ThisWeek News/Reynoldsburg News, 3/23/16)
- Federal Hocking Schools in Athens County has recently emerged from state-mandated fiscal oversight and they are itching to get back to business. Like many districts we’ve covered in this situation, that means a spending spree. FHS calls theirs a “student improvement plan” and entails hiring no less than four new administrators. And maybe some teachers. If student enrollment warrants it. (Athens Messenger, 3/24/16)
- Poor Stephen Stohla. We noted earlier this week that the interim superintendent of Youngstown City Schools probably expected to be long gone from this job by now. Or perhaps he figured he might be CEO by now. Either way, were it not for the missing court-ordered definition of the word “teacher”, he would not still be clinging to his last best hope (“…as long as four [board members] support me, I’m going to keep working”) while trying to do the job of the endless interim. This week, the Youngstown unit of the NAACP said that Stohla isn’t qualified for his position and called for his ouster. (Youngstown Vindy, 3/23/16) Some of the reasons given for this ouster call are related to the ongoing brouhaha over East High School in Youngstown. Sure, the well-publicized student fight is part of the brouhaha, but the discussion about the culture at East is getting far deeper than just student discipline. In fact, the fight was only a minor part of the concerns aired by parents and community members during a 2 ½ public meeting about the problems at East High School this week. Things like having enough teachers, access to curricular materials, and treatment of parents by staff were uppermost in their concerns. (Youngstown Vindicator, 3/25/16). I can’t imagine that Stohla’s interview with Vindy Radio last week did him any favors with members of the NAACP either.
- One online charter school will be closing its virtual doors at the end of this school year after its sponsor declined to renew its contract. The stated reason for non-renewal is NOT the fact that the school was found to have been overpaid by the state (to the tune of $150,000) for services not rendered and the sponsor is on the hook for the dough but the fact that the vaunted HB 2 “took away some of the flexibility e-schools had for educating students”, rendering the school unable to continue in its education model. Loyal Gadfly Bites readers will probably have already guessed my not-so-cleverly elided ironic punchline. The sponsor is a school district, still on the hook for the $150K, and whose teachers union is likely scratching its collective head over its superintendent’s lament over HB 2’s stringency. Good luck kids. (Newark Advocate, 3/23/16)
