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Now the actual news
Last week, we were anticipating announcement of the winners of federal charter school grant funds here in Ohio. Today, we have the actual winners! Congratulations to all 9 schools that will receive Charter School Facilities Incentive grants and all 4 schools that will receive 2026 Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants.
Philanthropy
Here’s a look at the Haslam family—owners of the Cleveland Browns, among other enterprises—focusing on their extensive philanthropic contributions to K-12 education in Ohio and beyond. These include a huge gift to the Breakthrough Network of charter schools and creation of the statewide Stay in the Game student attendance initiative.
Focusing on Focus
With the inclusion of Columbus charter school Focus Academy on the list of those whose state testing results showed “anomalies” that the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) is currently investigating, media attention has been directed anew at Focus founder and current leader Abdirizak Farah. With a criminal case against him long-since settled, no state law requiring him to be removed despite the conviction, and Focus’ sponsor saying that the school is “running pretty well” under him, Farah remains at the helm. It is possible that a negative finding from the DEW investigation could change that calculus, but Focus’ sponsor seems to be in “watch and see” mode for now. Meanwhile, however, retired school administrator and school choice skeptic Denis Smith uses the Focus story as springboard from which to opine once again that charters “are underregulated and largely immune to transparency and accountability requirements.”
A tentative step forward in West Virginia
A public meeting is scheduled regarding a proposed new charter school in Huntington, West Virginia, intended to open in fall of 2027. This step forward is a tentative one, however, because the constitutionality of specific aspects of West Virginia’s charter law is still facing a state Supreme Court hearing. A moratorium on new charters is on hold until the court rules, but approval of the Huntington school still likely faces an uphill battle.
Upheaval in Indy
Last Friday, Indianapolis Public Schools announced that it was leaving Enroll Indy, the central enrollment platform that allowed parents to apply to both district and charter schools via a single website. Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said IPS would move all “application, lottery, and registration into PowerSchool — an existing platform our parents already know and use.” Enroll Indy’s board immediately condemned the move as “creat[ing] confusion and instability during a major transition for education in our city.” IPS cited significant cost savings as the main motivator of the move. However, Chalkbeat Indiana reported this week that Enroll Indy offered to drop its fees to zero for next year in order to keep the district onboard. That was not enough to change their minds. In a statement, IPS said, “Our decision…has always been driven by multiple factors, including cost-savings, operational improvements, and a commitment to providing a better experience for families and staff.” Thus it seems that harmony will remain elusive in Indianapolis when enrollment for the 2027-28 school year begins in earnest in November.
Upbeat in New Orleans
New data from Leaders for a Better Louisiana touts huge wins for schools and students in New Orleans, 20 years after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. Before the hurricane, more than 60 percent of city schools were considered “academically unacceptable” and the district ranked 67th out of 68 in the state. Now, New Orleans schools—almost all charters—rank in 39th place. Additionally, the city’s students are actually leading the nation in academic growth today–registering in the 99th percentile in reading and 98th for math improvement—and learning almost 34 percent more in a school year than the national average. A hard fought effort to benefit all students.
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