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School choice burgeoning in Ohio
A Dayton Daily News analysis published this week shows that traditional district school enrollment in Ohio has fallen by nearly 2 percent (or 26,900 students) over the last five school years. In that same period, charter school enrollment has grown by 4.2 percent (about 5,000 students) and private school enrollment by 11.2 percent (or nearly 27,900 students). Unfortunately, there isn’t much discussion as to why this might be the case, because that feels like an even more interesting story.
School choice setback in Kentucky
Across the river in Kentucky, a legislative effort to fund charter schools was ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court this week. As a reminder, the Bluegrass State approved the creation of charters in 2017, but none have yet opened because of the lack of a funding mechanism. That status quo is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Another blow for charters in Indiana
An Indiana appeals court judge ruled in favor of the South Bend school district this week in its efforts to keep hold of a school building that the state believes should have been sold to a charter operator back in 2023. Issues include questions of who identified the building as “closed” and when and how the state was informed of this fact. It is unclear whether further appeal will be pursued.
Union doins
The National Labor Relations Board ruled this week that a New Orleans charter school does not need to recognize the union formed by its teachers via a May 2024 vote. This is because a state law redefined charter school teachers from private employees of the school’s nonprofit charter operator into public employees of a government body, thus eliminating their right to bargain collectively. The main reason the fight had ground on so long and reached the NLRB was because the bill was passed before the union vote but signed into law afterward, although this coverage of the saga includes many additional details.
Join the Phones in Focus survey
University of Pennsylvania researcher Angela Duckworth is conducting a survey of educators in several states—including Ohio—looking to measure the impact that different K-12 cellphone policies are having on student academic, mental health, and engagement outcomes. The more responses received, the better the analysis can be. We especially want to make sure that charter educators are represented. The survey only takes a few minutes and can be accessed from this link. Don’t miss out!
Register now for the 2026 Ohio Charter School Leadership Summit
Ohio’s premier annual gathering of charter school leaders, policy makers, and industry experts will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm in Columbus. Click this link for registration and more information on this opportunity to foster collaboration, share perspectives, and join the forward-looking conversations that support long-term success.
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