- Lawyers are now involved in the kerfuffle between Portage County ESC and the Ohio Department of Education. So far it sounds mostly like trading barbs in the media, but I’m sure we’ll get to the heart of the matter soon enough: bad charter school authorization practices must end. (Gongwer Ohio)
- It’s been a bad PR week for Education Service Centers in Ohio. As a result, the awesome Jennifer Smith Richards is digging in to the structure, funding, and function of these public entities. (Columbus Dispatch)
- Perhaps this story highlighting the “constant tension throughout the district” explains the need for “intestinal fortitude” in Youngstown we mentioned earlier this week. A report issued this week says Youngstown school board members need more training as to the proper roles of an elected board, because they are bogged down in day-to-day operations issues. An eye-opening read indeed. (Youngstown Vindicator)
- Speaking of Y’town, State Superintendent Dick Ross was briefly the chair of the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission before state government called. Four years later, and from the perspective of the superintendency, he is not satisfied with progress made by the district. Seems like a theme. (Youngstown Vindicator)
- Superintendent Ross visited two districts in Stark County this week, taking a first-hand look at technology integration in schools that won Straight-A grants and talking about the importance of third grade reading in rural schools. (Canton Repository)
- We’ll end today with a head scratcher. Pursuant to the Education MBR (HB487)—“more input” is required into Ohio’s New Learning Standards—a brief announcement in the Beacon Journal calls for “applications and resumes from Ohio parents and educators interested in serving” on committees that will “review state academic standards for science, math, English and social studies.” But if the House is going to repeal them, what’s the rush? Weird. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
