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- OSU professor and Fordham friend Vlad Kogan appears on the latest edition of EdNext’s podcast, talking about his recent analysis of spring 2023 Ohio test scores. Sounds like the discussion focuses on the positive, which is probably good because there is some decent news for some schools and students amid the data. And there are plenty of other downers to focus on elsewhere. (Education Exchange, 9/25/23)
- This Gongwer piece from Friday discusses the availability (or not) of sufficient funding to support the state board of education, even in its reduced manner, if the transition to a Department of Education and Workforce survives a court challenge and goes ahead. The problem of underfunding is not due to come home to roost until at least fiscal year 2025. Seems like a whole lot of nothing to me, and even if it is a potential problem now, A LOT will definitely have changed—one way or another—before 2025. (Gongwer Ohio, 9/22/23)
- Speaking of money (when aren’t we, really?), I have not clipped anything related to the Columbus City Schools’ levy ask on the ballot in November before today. And, honestly, this is the first interesting thing that I’ve read about it: A public event on the levy held over the weekend brought out some surprising voices among both supporters and detractors. If I do say so myself. (10TV News, Columbus, 9/25/23) Also on the fall ballot are a handful of seats on the Columbus school board. Fingers crossed we won’t need to talk about this too much—icky political stuff—but this look at the candidates provides some surprising connection to the levy discussion too. We hear in bits and pieces that Columbus has been steadily growing in population but the district’s enrollment has been steadily falling over the same time. Two candidates want to “discuss” the humungous number of buildings the district operates for its shrinking student body…if they win. Also put forward: The assertion that some buildings are “crumbling” around their students and the fact that a huge high school (capacity 1000+ and recently renovated from top to bottom) had a graduating class of 33 kids last spring. Feels like a real opportunity for some right-sizing in my mind, but if any of those candidates came out and said so, I missed it. And of course no one cares what your humble clips compiler thinks about the matter anyway. On that we can all agree! (Columbus Dispatch, 9/25/23)
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