New report on Ohio charter school funding
The Fordham Institute released a report this week detailing how Ohio “shortchanges” charter school students. The study, using Ohio funding data from fiscal years 2015–17, revealed that charter schools face massive inequities in funding compared to district schools. The analysis breaks down revenue and expenses statewide and in the cities where most Ohio charters are located. Coverage in the Columbus Dispatch can be found here.
Online charter school success stories
Two students of Ohio Connections Academy (OCA) recently shared their experiences in the online school. The Marietta Times published an interview with Sarah Yoak, a seventeen year old OCA student who is enrolled in the renowned BalletMet Trainee Program. And the Columbus Dispatch published an op-ed from Jessica Nichols, a fifteen year old OCA student who holds an associate’s degree from Lakeland Community College and expects to graduate from Cleveland State University with a bachelor’s degree next year. Both students discuss how learning online has met their unique needs and how the flexibility has allowed them to follow their dreams.
NAPCS releases model charter school law report
This week, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) released the tenth edition of their report, “Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of Public Charter School Laws,” which assesses how well states have aligned their charter school laws to their “gold standard” model charter law. The report discusses how laws have improved across the country and efforts that must be made going forward. Ohio’s ranking remains unchanged at #23. You can view the Ohio-specific results here.
Expect state legislatures to debate charters this year
Marva Hinton recently discussed in Education Week how charter school funding and accountability are likely to be an area of focus for many state legislatures this year. Hinton touches on the issues Ohio and other states have had regarding virtual charter schools, but notes that charter supporters are encouraged by the election of many pro-school choice governors across the country. Added bonus: the story contains a nice picture of Governor Mike DeWine.
Podcast: The state of choice during National School Choice Week
On the latest episode of the Education Gadfly Show, Michael Petrilli and David Griffith of the Fordham Institute sat down with Mike Magee, CEO of Chiefs for Change, and Nina Rees, President and CEO of NAPCS, to discuss National School Choice Week and the many hopeful developments on the charter school front nationwide.
