Stories featured in Ohio Charter News Weekly may require a paid subscription to read in full.
Governor DeWine speaks about his education priorities
Governor DeWine met with reporters for the Ohio outlets in the Ogden Newspaper group earlier this week, talking extensively about the K-12 education proposals in his new two-year budget. Among other things, he explains that charter schools need more funding, that it’s possible for Ohio to support both schools of choice and traditional districts, and that guaranteed funding for districts with shrinking enrollment is a waste of resources that could be better used elsewhere. Overall, a great look at his student-centric priorities.
In other executive budget news…
Also on the governor’s mind: expanded vision care for students. DeWine’s new budget proposes creation of a program called OhioSEE, which would ensure that elementary students who fail vision screenings receive eye exams and glasses as needed, regardless of their families’ ability to pay. How would it work? Probably a lot like this program from the Cincinnati Health Department, which while located in a district school building still offers services to all eligible students, including those attending charter schools in the city. Sounds like a great model for the community…and the state.
Meanwhile, in the Ohio judiciary…
It is unclear right now as to any further implications it may have, but a recent appeals court ruling in northwest Ohio should definitely resonate with charter school leaders and families. The three-judge panel ruled unanimously in favor of Sylvania City Schools in a case involving transportation of private school students. The ruling emphasizes that school transportation in any form is “not a fundamental right” and that districts are compelled to use limited resources efficiently. The crux is “hub and spoke” bus routes with “layovers” versus more direct door-to-door routes. The judges were more swayed by the district’s ability to successfully staff the smaller number of routes (which fully eliminated the fines they previously incurred from the state) than by the plaintiffs’ travails trying to get their kids to a private school on time with the new routing. A story worth paying attention to.
The view from Indy pt. 1
Indianapolis Public Schools recently completed a reconfiguration plan called Rebuilding Stronger, which separated K-5 and 6-8 students into separate elementary and middle school buildings across the city. It was intended to give all students equal access to academics, extracurriculars, and high-demand programs such as dual language, International Baccalaureate, and STEM. And while that mission may have been accomplished, Indy families have not responded favorably, as new data show nearly 800 middle school students have left the district in the past year. Many of them have chosen charter schools instead.
The view from Indy pt. 2
As we have been following here, the steep and ongoing decline in enrollment at Indianapolis Public Schools (and other Hoosier State districts) has generated numerous responses from the state legislature, aimed at supporting students wherever they are being educated. One such response is Senate Bill 518, which would require all school districts that have at least 100 students living within district boundaries and attending charter schools share their local tax revenue with those charters according to a prescribed formula. That bill passed out of the Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee last week, heading to the full Senate for consideration.
*****
Did you know you can have every edition of the Ohio Charter News Weekly sent directly to your Inbox? Subscribe by clicking here.
