- I’m sorry to say that I missed this piece when it first ran last week. Sorry Jeremy! Redressing the balance now because it is a very interesting and detailed peek into the variations in teacher pay schedules among Dayton-area school districts. Since all of these variations are the result of collective bargaining over the years, it is interesting to see what is more valued (high starting salary vs. longevity pay, holding veteran transfers to the 10-year level regardless of experience, etc.) from district to district. (Dayton Daily News, 4/29/16) Apparently, DDN readers were equally interested in the piece. So much so that Jeremy Kelly researched and published an addendum with more information related to questions on pay schedules raised by readers. Also an interesting read. (Dayton Daily News, 5/2/16)
- A new new member should join the state board of ed at its meeting next week, and she’s no stranger to state government in Ohio. Why do we need a new new member? Because the old new member, appointed in March, withdrew before being sworn in. (Columbus Dispatch, 5/3/16)
- Also happening next week: the state board will interview the top 8 candidates for state superintendent. One of those finalists is former Springfield City Schools superintendent Dr. David Estrop. The DDN stepped in where the PD left off and gave us a brief profile of Dr. Estrop. (Dayton Daily News, 5/3/16)
- One more stop on our review of state government happenings: the Joint Education Oversight Committee (pronounced JAY-ock) met last week and hammered out some basic details for what issues it would like to tackle once it gets properly started. (If only there were another similar committee from which it could take some cues in order to ramp up more quickly and smoothly.) Mentioned briefly was the topic of “transportation”. After that meeting, it was decided that transportation is definitely an issue for JEOC’s attention, seeing as how a transportation-specific legislative task force enacted in the previous state budget never got around to tackling it…mainly because no one ever got around to populating the putative task force. (Gongwer Ohio, 5/2/16)
- I was saddened to read that St. Patrick School in Hubbard is slated to close at the end of the school year due to declining enrollment. I was at least happy to read that everyone involved in the closure is aware that EdChoice Scholarships are transferrable to other schools in the area and that staff at St. Patrick are working diligently to make sure that their families using vouchers know how and where to transfer. Best wishes to everyone in this difficult transition. (Youngstown Vindicator, 5/2/16) Speaking of EdChoice, it seems that legislators are interested in making sure that the state’s wide-ranging “safe harbor” provisions don’t inhibit voucher eligibility after all. I’m sure there will be pushback and we’ll see how it turns out, but this is a positive development. (Gongwer Ohio, 5/3/16)
- Some members of Akron City Council would like better communication with the Akron City school board regarding building projects. Good luck with that, I say. Who knows what the current beef is even about, but the fiddle music in the background is pleasing. (Akron Beacon Journal, 5/2/16)
- Remember that “good problem to have” that Reynoldsburg City Schools has? The one where every high schooler both in the district and open enrolling into the district was clamoring for the same set of already-full STEM academies? Well, the proposed resolution announced this week – denying about 100 kids their first choice of high school academy – was not all that well-received in some quarters. It certainly seems the most efficient option, and one assumes that attrition will sort out the rest down the line. But the continued popularity of open enrollment in Reynoldsburg could easily become an ugly “us vs. them” issue in the meantime. (ThisWeek News/Reynoldsburg News, 5/3/16) Meanwhile, a new proposal from the interim supe in Youngstown – to move only some sixth graders rather than all sixth graders in order to accommodate expanded all-day pre-K – seems to have gone over like as much of a lead balloon with the school board as the previous proposal. Wonder what the district CEO thinks of these plans? Oh right, still waiting on that particular appointment. (Youngstown Vindicator, 5/4/16)
