- Our own Aaron Churchill was on the radio in Columbus yesterday, talking about our new report School Closures and Student Achievement. Big thanks to host Joel Riley for having us. (WTVN-AM, Columbus, 5/7/15)
- Blast from the past. Former Fordhamite Terry Ryan spoke to statewide public radio this week, discussing the history of charter schools in Ohio. With audio link in case you miss Terry’s dulcet tones. Nice. (StateImpact Ohio, 5/6/15)
- Fast-forward to today, when editors in Columbus opine (again) in favor of charter law reform in Ohio. Now. (Columbus Dispatch, 5/8/15)
- Reference is made in that Dispatch op-ed to bills being debated in the Ohio General Assembly on charter school law reform. No less than three bills contain vital elements of reform. On Wednesday, Bellwether Partners’ Andy Smarick testified before a Senate subcommittee on one of those bills. But, honestly, he could have been speaking of them all: “If they can implement the law well and hold their sponsors accountable, evidence from other states suggests this will put Ohio on the right track.” You can check out coverage of all the testimony from that session – which included not only Smarick but also representatives of the Columbus Partnership, OAPCS, and high-performing charter schools – in the Columbus Dispatch (5/6/15) or Gongwer Ohio (5/6/15).
- Also referenced in that Dispatch op-ed is the developing story of allegations against a statewide online school in regard to possible violations of truancy reporting rules. We told you about this on Wednesday and so far it’s only allegations, but the State Auditor (him again?!) is digging in. Here’s a bit more on the story, including how online charter schools are currently required to handle attendance and truancy reporting. What’s missing is that changes to the existing processes for online schools are part of the reform bills we’ve been talking about. (StateImpact Ohio, 5/7/15)
- In case you inferred from StateImpact’s history of school choice piece that vouchers are more popular – or at least less controversial –than charter schools, don’t kid yourself. A proposed expansion of the Cleveland Scholarship Program, one of the oldest voucher programs in the country, that would allow eligible students from inside the city to take their vouchers to private schools in neighboring communities for the first time, has hit a wall of controversy. I can’t even be bothered to figure out what their beef is. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 5/6/15)
- The only concrete problem I can find with the proposed Cleveland Scholarship Program expansion is that no one seems to know whether tony Rocky River actually borders the mighty city of Cleveland. My guess is the answer is different on either side of the border – a thing which actually exists. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 5/6/15)
