This is our last edition of 2023. Thanks for reading and subscribing. We’ll be back
on Friday, January 5, 2024. Happy New Year!
Stories featured in Ohio Charter News Weekly may require a paid subscription to read in full.
Charter sponsorship changes in Indiana
A law passed by the Indiana legislature this spring allows the highest-performing charter schools in the state to receive renewals of up to 15 years, more than double the length of the previous term. Last week, 11 charters sponsored by the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office received that new maximum renewal. Additionally, the law creates a pilot program which aims to synchronize the renewal timelines for individual schools within the same charter network. However, not all schools in the Hoosier State received good news. The Genius School in Indy and the Thea Bowman Leadership Academy in Gary were among those whose charters were not renewed for various reasons.
Virtual education flourishing in West Virginia
Here’s a nice look at the growing popularity of virtual education options across the Mountain State. That includes district- and state-run programs as well as West Virginia Virtual Academy, a charter school in its second year of operation. The school now serves more than 1,000 students in K-11, representing all 55 counties in the state. The expansion of educational options has moved quickly, giving parents and their kids more choices than ever in just the last two years. We even get a glowing testimonial from WVVA fourth grader Xavier Wise: “If we need to go somewhere we can do our school in the truck.”
Ohio news
The Blade ran a fantastic piece on Toledo Maritime Academy last week, focusing on the unique charter school’s dedicated principal. A veteran teacher and former Marine with a focus on special education, Aaron Lusk runs a small but mighty operation focused on diverse students and helping them to thrive in academics and life. Students, staff, and Lusk himself share several stories that demonstrate how a small charter school can be extremely nimble in accommodating individual needs as soon as they arise. Awesome! Also last week, The Repository took a look at the Academy for Urban Scholars, a dropout recovery high school that opened a new campus in Canton in September. Students, teachers, and community leaders describe in glowing terms the impact the school’s focus on workforce preparation for its graduates has already had on individuals, employers, and the community at large. With plenty more to come.
A final look back
Outgoing NAPCS president and CEO Nina Rees sat down for an interview with Education Week as her 11-year tenure neared its end. She provides some great insights into the successes and failures of the sector as a whole in the last decade, and shares her vision for the challenges and opportunities going forward. A great year-end read.
*****
Did you know you can have every edition of the Ohio Charter News Weekly sent directly to your Inbox? Subscribe by clicking here.
