- The ongoing kerfuffle between Ohio’s largest online school and the Ohio Department of Education regarding the parameters of an attendance audit is not exactly on the boil at the moment. More of a medium simmer. To fill the time until the next flare up they are hoping for, the good folks at the Dispatch give you a behind-the-scenes look at how the kerfuffle has evolved. (Columbus Dispatch, 9/5/16)
- Here is a very nice look at KIPP: Columbus, a top-notch charter school (if I do say so myself) here in the capital city. The source is unusual, but the piece is definitely worth a look. Full disclosure: Fordham sponsors KIPP. (Smart Business News, 9/1/16)
- The Dayton Daily News acknowledged Ohio’s rather disastrous showing in the recent “Fault Lines” report of the 50 most segregating school district borders, including the high ranking ones between Dayton and two of its suburbs. There is no analysis or discussion here; just the fact. But I guess the first step to fixing a problem is admitting that there is one. (Dayton Daily News, 9/6/16) I am a little remiss in discovering this piece, but the timing couldn’t be more fortuitous. The Lens, an online news outlet published by The Business Institute of Washington State, made note of Fordham’s Pathway to Success report featuring a student at Dayton Early College Academy charter school as a prime example of the benefits a well-run charter school can provide to a community. I think “humbled and excited” is probably the right word here. (The Lens, Washington State, 8/31/16)
- Patrick O’Donnell got a first look at some of the features of the new teacher contract negotiated last week in Cleveland. The contract on offer is for three years, with the issue of teacher pay subject to a reopener pending passage of November’s levy. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9/2/16) Today, Patrick tells us about the proposed changes to Cleveland’s “merit pay” plan for teachers. It is either going away entirely or simply being recalibrated, depending on who you talk to. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9/7/16) Innovation Ohio’s Steve Dyer has a commentary in Real Clear Education’s blog this week, talking about IO’s new report on what Cleveland needs for its schools to actually succeed. The title: “Cleveland Shows the Way, and the Importance of Money”. Indeed. (Real Clear Education, 9/6/16)
- We told you last week that state supe Paolo DeMaria had apparently solved a heated issue in regard to the rules by which ODE was to evaluate charter school sponsors. He tells public media just that in this piece. (WKSU-FM, Kent, 9/5/16) Editors in Cleveland praise DeMaria’s actions on that front in today’s op ed, but every other topic upon which they opine is given as a warning to the supe as to what NOT to do going forward. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9/7/16)
- CEO Krish Mohip has delivered his proposed Academic Recovery Plan to the Academic Distress Commission in Youngstown. Check out some highlights of the “student-centered, goal-oriented” plan here. (Youngstown Vindicator, 9/7/16). There was another one of those was-it-or-wasn’t-it-a-meeting meetings of the Youngstown school board last night. One of the main items on the agenda-that-maybe-wasn’t-an-agenda was a proposed tax abatement for a hotel being developed in downtown Youngstown. The developer is looking for 100% abatement, but that can only occur if the school board agrees. And in this case, of course, that means if CEO Mohip agrees. He took no stand at the meeting-that-he-said-was-a-meeting-but-maybe-wasn’t-a-meeting-after-all but said he would give it due consideration. (WKBN-TV, Youngstown, 9/6/16) Also on the agenda at that possible-non-meeting was discussion of first day attendance figures (still being calculated due to “glitches”; should be released today) and teacher paycheck problems (more “glitches”; Mohip will address immediately). (Youngstown Vindicator, 9/7/16)
