- We start today with more discussion of Ohio’s NAEP results, including perspective from Chad Aldis. (Dayton Daily News, 4/12/18)
- It was announced earlier this week that there are no more data scrubbing cases from Columbus to be probed by the state board of education. Awesome. To quote one of my favorite musicals: “Everything’s all right.” (Columbus Dispatch, 4/10/18)
- Shall we take a look at school facilities stories from around the state? After declaring the prospect of a deal dead a couple of weeks ago, Cincinnati City Schools’ board of education this week unanimously approved a land swap promise to help a putative professional soccer team build their own stadium on currently district-owned land which currently houses a perfectly-good (I imagine) athletic field. In exchange, the district would get a new athletic complex nearby paid for (at least partially) by the team. If the team goes on to actually exist I think. Nope, I don’t get it either. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/10/18) Up on the north coast, there’s no maybe about it: Toledo Central Catholic will definitely get a major sports facility upgrade – this time thanks to a partnership with Mercy Health System. The school will also get a new elevator, which is probably not just for athletes. (Toledo Blade, 4/10/18) Looks like the building boom is a go in Elyria! The five building construction plan in the district should be back on track again soon, providing the state approves the revised version which includes neither bells nor whistles in order to stay on budget. (Elyria Chronicle, 4/12/18) But it looks like a building bust is on the cards in Columbus as a community panel has been assembled to research and discuss the possibility of closure and consolidation across the district. (Columbus Dispatch, 4/12/18)
- Entrepreneurship education, experiential learning, and international investment to support families in Africa? All these boxes and more are checked by the seniors at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. This is a really great story; worth a read. Why yes, CVCA does take students with EdChoice Scholarships. Why do you ask? (Akron Beacon Journal, 4/12/18)
- Healthcare is a growth industry all across Ohio. yay. As noted above, one local hospital system in Toledo is kitting out a Catholic high school as part of their ongoing partnership. Now Toledo City Schools is seeking to get deeper into the woods with an expanded STEMM program in two more elementary schools. That extra “M” there stands for “medical”, as in the focus of all the science, technology, engineering, and math (and the group learning and grit and other soft skills) will be to introduce kids to medical jobs from the earliest possible moment. yay. I think the teachers union president’s comments are pretty telling here, but I could be misreading. With friends like these… (Toledo Blade, 4/12/18)
- My favorite Britney Spears song is “Toxic”. What’s yours? Apropos of nothing, that song is stuck in my head today. What a bop. This preamble almost definitely has nothing to do with today’s final clip, which focuses on the high cost of information in Lorain even while it purports to focus on the names of the new turnaround principles. Lawyers fees, and stacks of paper, and staff time. Luckily for everyone involved, the soul-sucking is gratis. (Elyria Chronicle, 4/12/18)
