- While it seems that the question of “worst-run” state government entity in Ohio has been settled for the time being, maybe “most boring” is up for grabs again? After the Funeral Board went into overload last year, I was pretty sure that the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) had the title locked down. But when they got a chance to look at the state’s charter sponsor review rules this week, the word “boring” went out the window. To wit: said rules were sent back to the Orwellian-sounding “Common Sense Initiative” office (CSI) with a question about their retroactivity. Our own Chad Aldis is quoted calling for a swift review of the rules and a return to JCARR or perhaps an even quicker executive or legislative fix. “If legislators are really concerned about retro-activity, then we should take action to quickly rectify that issue.” (Columbus Dispatch, 8/23/16) Chad is then quoted again today, concerned that there could be far-reaching consequences if the rule review is not swiftly settled and the sponsor reviews not completed. (Columbus Dispatch, 8/24/16) Gongwer covers the same ground and quotes Chad similarly. (Gongwer Ohio, 8/23/16) Chad is of course speaking about the integrity of Ohio’s charter reform efforts and the pending $71 million federal Charter School Program grant. But you can check out the fast attempts of charter school opponents in Ohio to make hay of the JCARR issue here. Chad, once again, is quoted as the voice of reason. (Dayton Daily News, 8/23/16)
- If you’d like to read about the JCARR/charter sponsor rules story without comment from Chad, Patrick O’Donnell offers some good coverage here. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 8/22/16) Editors in Akron were quick to opine in high dudgeton on the topic as well. (Akron Beacon Journal, 8/23/16)
- Speaking of the CLE, the good folks at Innovation Ohio have released their own review of the Cleveland Plan. While unsolicited advice, it is timely in two ways. First, IO’s attempt to influence the outcome of the November levy is not only a stated motivation for the report, it is actually recommendation number 1. Second, IO’s attempt to influence the outcome of the ongoing negotiations between the teachers union and the district is not only an obvious motivation for the report, it is actually recommendation number 3. What’s recommendation number 2, you ask? More money from the state. Copy/paste/repeat. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 8/23/16) If you are so inclined, the full report is here. So, how are those negotiations going between the teachers union and the district in Cleveland? Down to the wire and not without the help of a federal mediator. Yikes. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 8/24/16)
- Down on Ohio’s other coast, Cincinnati Public Schools is still interested in taking back the Clifton Cultural Arts Center building to expand the popular Fairview-Clinton German Language School across the street. Opponents of this plan presented some options to the school board this week – which include long-term use of portable classrooms, expensive building projects, and, tellingly, a limit in the growth of one of the best and most popular schools in the district. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 8/22/16) To counterpoint those folks yearning for the good-old campout days at Fairview-Clifton, here is a guest commentary from at least one person who prefers proper lotteries to seat-assignment-by-Survivor. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 8/23/16) A rare two education-related stories in the Enquirer this week (although to be fair, this one was filed under “politics” and took two people to write). Our second story relates that a well-known group of anti-tax folks in the Queen City has decided to oppose the district’s levy request in November. It seems that their beef is with the pre-K component (“too large and too vague”), but as loyal Gadfly Bites subscribers will remember, the kumbaya nature of the levy ask here meant that both pre-K and K-12 money are combined into a single vote. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 8/23/16)
- The ongoing kerfuffle between the state’s largest online school and the Ohio Department of Education continued unabated this week. This time, ODE’s request to terminate its own lawsuit against the school was denied. Twisty. (Columbus Dispatch, 8/23/16)
- Here is a little more detail on CEO Krish Mohip’s first day of school in Youngstown. Among the highlights: the CEO ordered staff to update attendance every hour during the day to get a true and accurate picture of student attendance. He also said – out loud and on the record – that he found the kids at East High School “ready to learn.” He said, I think cleverly shutting down decades worth of unsubstantiated protests to the contrary, that “they’re students that teachers can teach.” An excellent first day for the Sheriff, I believe, even if attendance doesn’t reach 98%. (Youngstown Vindicator, 8/23/16) And on Day Two, there was a school board meeting. It was predictably awful. (Youngstown Vindicator, 8/23/16) One of the reasons why attendance will likely not reach the 98% goal is because of ongoing busing problems in several parts of the district. You can read about a few of them here. Mohip promised swift response. The board members did not. (WKBN-TV, Youngstown, 8/23/16)
