Tell everyone you know!
Another summer will soon be upon us, and families all across the state are eligible for an Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) educational savings account to help pay for a plethora of great classes, camps, and activities for their kids. Best of all: This year’s ACE awards are $1,000 per child! Families who previously received ACE awards don’t have to apply again, but for those who are new to the program, the application window for this summer is open right now. More information on the great activity providers available and access to the application portal can be found here. Don’t wait!
The view from D.C.
As part of her proposed 2024 budget, Washington, D.C., mayor Muriel Bowser offered thousands of charter school teachers the same pay raise that was negotiated in the contract with traditional district teachers. So far, so great. However, district teachers also negotiated a large amount of retroactive pay for the extended time they worked under an expired contract. The mayor has offered charter school teachers only half that amount. While the discussion of whether charter school teachers are valued as highly as their traditional district peers is an important one, charter supporters also fear a more practical downstream outcome: An exodus of their teachers to DC Public Schools in pursuit of higher pay. Budget negotiations continue.
Hoosier happenings
We have been following the progress of Indiana Senate Bill 391 which would, among other things, require traditional districts in four Hoosier counties to share a portion of local tax dollars with charter schools located within their borders. Specifically, referenda approved by voters for funding operations, school safety, and facilities improvements would be shared with partnering charters. This week, the bill passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee and will head to the House floor for a second reading.
Join us for a virtual event on May 1st
Join School Choice Ohio, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and The Buckeye Institute virtually on Monday, May 1, from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET, as EdChoice’s Marty Lueken, Director of Fiscal Research and Education Center, and Mike McShane, Director of National Research, discuss their recently published report “K-12 Without Borders: Public School Students, Families, and Teachers Shut in by Education Boundaries,” which examines what a K-12 education system with fewer school district borders would mean for students, teachers, and taxpayers. Register today!
How will you celebrate?
National Charter Schools Week 2023 is May 7–13 and coincides with Teacher Appreciation Week this year. Nice! The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools encourages charters across the country to celebrate not only their unique schools but their vital teachers as well. Kudos to you all and we look forward to highlighting as many of your celebrations as we can!
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