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More anomalies
Back in June, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce announced an investigation into spring state testing results in Columbus City Schools after unspecified “anomalies” were reported by the district at two high schools. Today, DEW has announced that a wider investigation found more such anomalies in both district and charter schools across the state. This is a developing story. Initial coverage with a Franklin County focus is here. The full list of schools involved in the investigation can be found here.
Celebrating success
As part of its Bright Spots coverage, highlighting schools where staff members are using the science of reading to boost early literacy success among their students, The 74 featured this piece on Nashville Classical East charter school. It is written by the school’s founder and executive director and is classified as an editorial with the usual disclaimers attached. Charlie Friedman reports that 81 percent of Nashville Classical East third graders scored proficient on Tennessee’s state test this summer. He contrasts this to four years earlier when proficiency stood at 40 percent and explains all the changes the staff made in that time—eliminating ineffective practices and replacing YouTube videos with teacher and student read-alouds, to name just two—and says he is confident that their success can be replicated by any other school or district. Here’s hoping that many do so.
New dropout recovery school launches
Here’s a look at Ohio Bridge Connections Academy, a new online dropout recovery charter school that launched in late August, aiming to support students who have not been well-served by their schools in the past and have fallen behind. “We believe students who are eager to earn their high school diploma can achieve that goal with the right support,” says school leader Jason Swinehart. “By providing targeted guidance, personalized attention and the flexibility to meet students where they are, we help them regain confidence, build momentum and take meaningful steps toward graduation.” Best wishes for a successful year to all students and staff.
New year, new policies
A raft of new education policies are in effect in Iowa for the 2026-27 school year. These include teacher salary boosts for charter schools, the addition of the University of Northern Iowa as an authorizer of new charters, and allowing charter school employees to participate in Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System. Sounds like positive changes for the sector.
Just glad to start a new year
While many of its young students perhaps did not realize the significance, the staff and families of Wauwatosa STEM School in Wisconsin were relieved and elated to start the new school year after many months of uncertainty. The longstanding, popular, and high-performing charter school was non-renewed by the elected board of Wauwatosa School District last year. (No official reason was ever given for the decision, but previous media coverage noted that the district was touting its own new STEM program, opening this year). The school community fought to overturn the vote, and when that failed, they sought out a new authorizer. University of Wisconsin-Parkside stepped into the breach, resulting in a celebratory first day of school last week.
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