Groveport Madison Local Schools have sued the state of Ohio in response to a massive fine levied upon them for failing to properly transport resident charter and private school students over more than two weeks last school year. The case argues that aspects of the state’s definition of “noncompliance” are arbitrary and unconstitutional. We learned from the same coverage that four other districts were similarly fined last year as well: Columbus City Schools, Cincinnati City Schools, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and Elyria City Schools. Given the stern warning issued by the Ohio Department of Education and the more stringent legislation passed by the General Assembly last year, this appears to be a challenge to the state’s commitment to transporting all eligible students regardless of school attended.
Giving students what they need
Staff at Utica Shale Academy in Salineville, Ohio, recently created an outdoor welding lab at the school in order to speed up access to newly-donated welding machines. Not only will students immediately begin gaining hands-on experience, they will also be working in situations more resembling the real world environments of the oil and gas industry for which they are training.
Diverse, inclusive options
AM NY this week published a nice feature on charter schools in New York City. While it was a simple “explainer” style piece, the lauding of charters as diverse and inclusive options for families looking for a new or different fit for their children was clearly expressed. Likely very helpful to parents and guardians who had not considered charters previously.
Upcoming webinar on ESSER III funding
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is holding a webinar next week titled “ESSER III Funding and Fiscal Responsibility”. Supported by Amazon Business, the event aims to provide insights into the current status of funding distribution, share best practices from school leaders on how to stretch this funding, and provide resources on tracking spend to meet potential reporting requirements. Registration for the event, to be held January 19 at 1:00 pm ET, is here.
2022 National Charter School Conference
The annual National Charter Schools Conference is scheduled to be held in Washington, DC, June 19-22, 2022. This year’s event will center around three issues: The future of teachers, education, and charter schools; Impact of the pandemic on learning outcomes and mental health; and engaged and diverse advocacy. For more information and to register to attend, click here.
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