Gadfly Bites 8/9/17 - "Innovation? We don't need no stinkin' innovation."

But we do. Really.

1. The dynamic duo of John Mullaney, executive director of the Nord Family Foundation and Fordham’s own Aaron Churchill opine in the PD today on the topic of the state’s late, lamented Straight A Innovation Fund grant program. Both were members of the program’s grant advisory board. Interesting read, if I do say so myself. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 8/9/17) Meanwhile, Fordham was reportedly one side of a “night and day” comparison of the quality of two charter school sponsors in Cleveland. I think I know which was which, but it probably depends on your perspective. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 8/8/17)
    
2. Last night’s Dayton City Schools board meeting seemed to be taken up primarily with the administration’s update on how teacher contract negotiations have been going. Oh, and the revelation that teachers probably wouldn’t be paid this Friday if they went on strike. Triple dog dare? You decide. (Dayton Daily News, 8/8/17) Negotiations were set to resume this morning in Dayton, with high hopes for successful resolution without a strike. So we’ll file this piece – 10 things that will happen if Dayton’s teachers strike – under “hopefully just speculative fiction”. (Dayton Daily News, 8/9/17)
    
3. Youngstown’s school board met last night too and approved a resolution expressing concern over the district’s five-year forecast – whose worst-case scenario shows a big deficit ahead. The resolution further absents them from responsibility and lays any blame upon the management of CEO Krish Mohip. Interesting new front in the battle against HB 70 and the CEO-style Academic Distress Commission paradigm. (Youngstown Vindicator, 8/9/17) Meanwhile, Mohip still has the Help Wanted sign out, looking specifically for good high school math teachers. Salary negotiable. (Youngstown Vindicator, 8/9/17)
    
4. Speaking of school districts under the aegis of an Academic Distress Commission, Lorain Schools CEO David Hardy has engaged the services of TNTP from NYC to meet with students, staff, and community members to gather as much local intel as possible to help him formulate his initial academic recovery plan. The clock is ticking but Hardy seems ready for the job ahead. (Morning Journal, 8/8/17)
    
5. We end today with this profile of teenage backpack designer and entrepreneur Emily Laine Miller. Extra roomy and with customizable flaps that double as satchels themselves, these things should be flying off the shelves. Nice. (ThisWeek News, 8/8/17)