Ready for the road yet?
Student transportation continues to be a source of concern for parents across Ohio as the new school year approaches. Who can blame them given the trouble that many have experienced in recent years? In a recent Dispatch piece, districts in central Ohio did not sound fully confident that they will be ready. As ever, the need to transport charter, STEM, and private school students was cited as a complicating factor. “I think there’s still a general surprise among the public that public schools are responsible for transporting nonpublic students,” said Westerville City Schools’ spokesman. “Despite the challenges posed by the overall number of transportation-eligible students we transport, we are committed to addressing them with resilience,” said Columbus City Schools’ representative. Meanwhile, Dayton City Schools’ interim superintendent sounds more interested in fixing things, even if he is ultimately no more optimistic than his peers. In a welcome show of support, however, Dr. David Lawrence has been working to earn his CDL certification so that he himself can step in to drive a bus if needed this fall.
Expansion complete
Toledo School for the Arts has completed a $10 million expansion and renovation project underway for the last year. The well-regarded charter school can now serve nearly ten times the number of students it could accommodate in its first year and has expanded its studio arts offerings as well. Check out the excellent photos and details here.
The view from Pennsylvania
Nathan Benefield, Senior Vice President of the Commonwealth Foundation in Pennsylvania, had some nice words for Ohio in a RealClearEd opinion piece published this week. Specifically, he lauds Ohio’s recent expansion of school choice—including charters and vouchers—via the state budget bill. He hopes his own state will follow suit.
New school for the new year
Here’s a profile of Tallahassee Collegiate Academy, a brand new charter school in Florida’s capital. It is a STEM-based high school with close ties to its authorizer Tallahassee Community College, including an early college track with access to dual enrollment courses both onsite and at the college. Nearly 200 students make up the inaugural class with growth to 400 students predicted. An exciting new opportunity for learning in the Sunshine State!
Know your data
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools this week released the results of a national survey of more than 1,200 public school teachers—both district and charter—examining teachers’ experiences and opinions. They have a lot to say about their motivations for entering, staying in, or leaving the classroom, as well as the challenges they believe are facing public education in America right now. Check out the survey findings here. Also this week, the University of Arkansas’ School Choice Demonstration Project released its latest report, looking at school funding in 18 U.S. cities with larger charter sectors. The disparity between charter and district funding remains stark. The full report is here.
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