- Andy Boy, Founder and CEO of United Schools Network here in Columbus, had a great commentary piece in the Dispatch this weekend on how high-quality schools like his can help close achievement gaps for poor and minority students. And I don’t just say it’s great because Fordham sponsors USN’s schools. I say it because Andy knows what he’s talking about from long and successful experience. (Columbus Dispatch, 4/23/16)
- Patrick O’Donnell continued his profiles of the top five candidates for state superintendent. That’s right, we’re back to five again, as noted peripherally in this profile of Dayton’s Tom Lasley. Quite a career, I’d say. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 4/22/16)
- No one is saying that there is a direct line from Reynoldsburg City Schools to the upper echelons of the Ohio Department of Education… Well, maybe Patrick is saying it a little bit in this profile of current Reynoldsburg supe Tina Thomas-Manning, another of the top five candidates for state superintendent. There’s lots to dig into here, but I would draw your attention to two of Thomas-Manning’s reference letters, among the application materials posted on the PD website. One is from former Reynoldsburg supe (and current Fordham board member) Steve Dackin and the other is from a dad who lives in another school district but whose five children attend Reynoldsburg City Schools via inter-district open enrollment. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 4/23/16)
- We passed on clipping a story last week about Columbus City Schools retaining former mayor Mike Coleman to represent the district in negotiations over the decades-old Win-Win agreement between CCS and surrounding suburban districts. That piece seemed to lack substance other than to make noise about the amount of money and the specific people involved. However, the proverbial other shoe dropped over the weekend when it was revealed that at least one of those suburbs was ready to contest the normally-amicable Win-Win renewal process, which must by law be unanimous in order to continue unchanged. Sounds like Coleman may have his work cut out for him. (Columbus Dispatch, 4/23/16)
