- Following on from our theme on Wednesday, perhaps it’s not just the amount of time one takes to absorb new information that matters in terms of response. Perhaps it is natural inclination as well. For example, it seems like the treasurer and elected board president of Akron City Schools are sunny optimists based on the quotes provided here, in which both are positively giddy with happiness over the school funding revamp passed in the state budget this week. Optimism seems to me like a rarity in district treasurers, but things have definitely been coming up Benjamins for them all lately. That could indeed put a spring in one’s step when one’s job is to mind the vault. (Akron Beacon Journal, 7/1/21) As a counter example, the policy analyst for the Ohio Education Association, Steve Dyer, has always seemed to me to be a perpetual glass-half-empty kind of guy. Not even this funding revamp could change that it seems. Our own Aaron Churchill, also quoted here, is ever the pragmatist. (IdeaStream Public Media, 6/30/21)
- Some ADC-haters, however, are only seeing their glee grow exponentially by the day over what they believe to be the final end of the CEO-style academic distress paradigm as passed in the state budget. This includes the journalistic pros at Mahoning Matters, who were apparently jumping around the newsroom so giddily over the last few days that this morning their neutrality shield slipped! (Mahoning Matters, 7/2/21) But it is interesting to note that the archest of all ADC opponents—stalwarts of the elected school board in Youngstown—are wily and wary enough to realize that this is not yet the end, at least it’s not the end that they have fought for. “We have to create an environment that the district does not fall back into state control, because this is not eliminating HB 70, which placed us under the ADC,” said one. “This is not an effort of the seven board members,” said another. “The ADC and CEO will play a part in developing the plan. We must have one unified vision.” (Vindy.com, 6/30/21) Meanwhile, Lorain City Schools CEO Jeff Graham just got a super performance review from the Academic Distress Commission and a $10K bonus. “All arrows,” opined the ADC chair, “are pointing up.” Indeed. (Morning Journal, 6/29/21)
- Back in the real world, while bus drivers and other non-teaching union members rallied outside this past Tuesday, the elected school board of Columbus City Schools inside decided to table their consideration of a new student transportation plan for the 2021-22 school year. A plan which will make changes likely affecting thousands of district, charter, STEM, and private school families. They will instead consider the plan at their next meeting in early August…less than three weeks before school starts. (Columbus Dispatch, 6/29/21) Meanwhile, St. Bernard School in New Washington, Ohio, has closed after serving students in the Bucyrus area for more than 175 years. (Telegraph Forum, 7/2/21)
- Finally, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria this week announced his intent to retire in September after more than five years in Ohio’s top education position. (Columbus Dispatch, 7/1/21)
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