Gadfly Bites 8/31/26—Money for nothin’

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1. Another week, another high-quality op-ed by our own Aaron Churchill. This time, it’s a reminder to readers of the Akron Beacon Journal about the importance of continuing scrupulous implementation of science of reading in Ohio into the administration of the next governor—whoever that may be. “Improving literacy is not ultimately about politics or proficiency rates,” he concludes. “It’s about kids and empowering them to take ownership of their future. Skilled readers (and writers) will be poised to take advantage of rewarding career opportunities and engage their communities as responsible citizens.” Nice! (Akron Beacon Journal, 8/29/26)
   
   

2. The elected leaders of Barberton City Schools have at last voted to request a declaration of “fiscal emergency” from the state of Ohio, due to their “tough” fiscal situation. (Translation: likely out of cash before the end of this school year.) How’d they get here? Because, as this coverage daintily proffers, state funding for the district has “remained relatively flat”. Oh, and because they “previously relied on several ‘inaccurate’ financial forecasts”. Feels like if they had had more money from the state and avoided a deficit like they wanted, they might never have noticed those inaccurate forecasts and would have continued to generate them and to operate by them. Right? Even so, I feel it would be a tiny bit churlish of me to chide them for failing to take the fiscal emergency step sooner since they have at last done the right thing, but I will point out that their efforts to avoid state fiscal oversight for the last several years have clearly only served to make their situation that much more dire now that they have realized the inevitable step they had to take. (WVXU-FM, Cincinnati, 8/28/26) Unfortunately, I predict no lessons will be learned from state fiscal oversight—in Barberton or elsewhere—and that the same nearsighted pushback against academic oversight—as evidenced in this op-ed—will continue to be the kneejerk response to all forms of state-based efforts to improve school districts’ quality and sustainability. Just send money; don’t ask questions. (Akron Beacon Journal, 8/31/26)
   
   

3. Apologies for clipping what is probably a press release posted verbatim in a local news outlet, but I felt like we could use some refreshing reality after the previous clips. Defiance Christian Academy began its inaugural year last week with 30 students in grades K through 6. Why, yes, this brand new private school does accept students using the EdChoice Scholarship. They must have known you were going to ask, because they made sure to say so right in the press release news item. (West Bend News, 8/28/26)

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