There have been big changes in Ohio's education landscape over the past several years, and the flurry of activity won't be slowing in 2006. So, what's in the crystal ball for the upcoming year in education, and how will it affect you? Gadfly presents four education issues to keep an eye on this year.
1. Increased accountability for charter schools and their sponsors
In 2006, the message to charter schools and their sponsors is "shape up or shut down." This year, community schools will be held to a significantly higher level of accountability. New high-stakes testing (See budget bill) will require schools that are performing poorly to make sufficient academic gains or to close their doors. Sponsors will also find themselves under a more watchful eye as the Ohio Department of Education seeks the authority to evaluate all sponsors, and sanction or close them for poor performance. Additionally, the State Auditor's office will likely show an increased interest in monitoring and reporting more closely on the financial workings of both charter schools and their sponsors. The political heat on charters has been turned up, and the flames aren't likely to lessen in 2006.
2. Intelligent design will be a hotly contested issue
Someone dressed as a Panda, a reference to the book, "Of People and Pandas," which promotes the study of "Intelligent Design" as an alternative to evolution, showed up at Ohio's first state school board meeting of 2006, one clue that the heated debate over evolution will be front page news in Ohio this year. A split board voted 9-8 to retain a class model called Critical Analysis in the state's science curriculum. Opponents argue that Critical Analysis is just another name for Intelligent Design or Creationism, which they say is religion, not science. The board's decision could put Ohio in the crosshairs of a federal lawsuit. Late last year, a federal judge in Pennsylvania struck down the teaching of Intelligent Design in Dover, Pa.
Relevant Reading:
"Students will continue to debate merits of evolution," by Scott Stephens, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2006
"In 9-8 vote, state panel retains science rules," by Catherine Candisky, Columbus Dispatch, January 11, 2006
"Intelligent design stays in textbooks; lawsuit fear doesn't sway supporters," by Jim Provance, Toledo Blade, January 11, 2006
3. The school funding debate will be reignited by an unexpected source
This year, policymakers in Columbus will have another chance to wrestle with the state's persistent school funding issue. House Bill 432, which would create a committee to recommend a new funding system, is coming before the legislature, and while it's doubtful that any real progress will be made on this front, one thing is certain, the school funding debate isn't going away anytime soon. What's more, charter schools and their supporters are likely to continue protesting the serious fiscal inequities. Charters generally receive about 30 percent less state funding than their district counterparts, and no school facility dollars, despite this being an unprecedented period of public school construction in Ohio.
Relevant Reading:
Quality Counts at 10, Education Week
Charter School Funding: Inequality's Next Frontier, Fordham Institute
4. Value-added assessment: ready or not, here it comes
After several years of piloting value-added assessment among a select group of Ohio school districts, the state will be making final preparations this year to ensure that schools are ready, willing, and able to implement value-added growth measures during the 2007-08 school year. It is possible that this program could even be fast-tracked to commence with charter schools in 2006-07 as a way to improve their accountability. While the thought of adding another indicator to the statewide accountability system makes some school leaders squirm (and who can blame them when looking at the ever expanding state report card?), Gadfly thinks that many critics will jump on the band wagon once they see how useful the data are for policy, district, and even classroom-level decision making. School leaders can get a head start on training their staff on the state's value-added assessment program this year at no cost to them. Follow this link to find the time and location of a value-added information session in your area.
