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Everything but a solution
Lots of complaints about student busing requirements coming from Ohio school district leaders this week. First up, a parade of official adults took to the microphone in Dayton to explain to the public why they can’t design a school busing system that a) doesn’t put students in harm’s way, and b) doesn’t cost more than they have to spend on it. A litany of problems trotted out, but the only nod toward a solution was a nonstarter: eliminating the requirement to transport charter and STEM and private school students. Even worse is this piece of embarrassing faux journalism, which claims to have “uncovered” the fact that districts are in charge of busing all eligible students—including kids utilizing school choice—despite the reality that it has been state law for decades. All of the adults in charge need to stop with the complaints and step up with solutions that fully serve children and families.
I want to speak to the manager
Also pretty embarrassing is this piece out of Cleveland, in which a number of school district and ESC leaders complain bitterly about a provision in the current state budget bill around disposition of unused school facilities. There’s nothing new being proposed—simply new guardrails around existing law that would stop the now-habitual flouting of requirements for districts to give charter schools right of first refusal on purchasing unused and underused district buildings. If this passes, the excuses and loopholing stop.
Bitter, party of 30
Quite a bit complaining in this piece too, which actually does a good job of summing up the numerous incredible changes recently made to Indiana state law to better support charter schools and their students. The 74 explains them all but makes sure to include a wide selection of remonstrations, expressions of woe, and unnecessary doomsaying from some of the 30 districts impacted by the changes. Districts, we should point out, who have already seen large percentages of their resident students opt for charters in the last several years.
SCOTUS update
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week in the St. Isidore of Seville v. Drummond case. The question before the court is whether the state of Oklahoma, and the 46 other states with charter school laws, are discriminating against nonprofit religious organizations by prohibiting them from applying to create and run public charter schools aligned with their faiths. In this case, specifically a virtual charter school proposed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The 74 gives us a good summary of the arguments made, the questions asked by the justices, and what the answers may mean. A decision is likely later in the summer.
The view from Alabama
A groundbreaking ceremony was held this week for the new I Dream Big Charter School, to be opened on the campus of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa this fall. The school, serving grades 6 through 8 to start, represents what its leaders are hailing as the first partnership between a charter school and a historically black college in Alabama. I Dream Big plans to add additional high school grade levels each successive year until they reach 6-12. Kudos and best wishes for success to all!
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