Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 12/15/21—Not Justin time
A teacher unionization effort is underway at Menlo Park Academy, the only Ohio charter school specifically for gifted stu
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 12/13/21—Crystal
It appears likely that current district CEO Justin Jennings will not be superintendent of Youngstown City Schools when the elected school
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 12/10/21—Simple cleanup
Another quiet news cycle to end the week. The Ohio Senate this week passed SB 229.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 12/8/21—Fantastical
I am always amused when average citizens attempt to handwave serious problems away by saying that “They should do something”. Not to minimize those nuisances at all, but the response to them follows a predictable and perhaps less-than-helpful pattern.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 12/6/21—Oh, there will still be plenty of academic distress—don’t you worry
Text to follow--check back soon!
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 12/3/21—Cloudy with a chance of baloney
There are only two times when school report cards are deemed correct by school district officials: the first is when they show traditional district schools
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 12/1/21—Janky
Where the heck are the education news stories these days? Only one to cover today, but at least it’s pretty interesting.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/29/21—Revenge of the nerds
We’re back from the Thanksgiving holiday break, laden with leftovers.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/24/21—Rekindling, blazing, and firing up
No Bites on Friday (to help you avoid indigestion). Back Monday after Thanksgiving. Let’s hope there are some clips worth snarking upon when we return.
Commentary
Governance
Reform-minded school board members should push for choice, science of reading
In the wake of the November elections, hundreds of new school board members will soon take their seats overseeing Ohio’s 600 plus districts.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/22/21—The opposite of appreciation
We’re back after a short break. Looks like we missed a couple of humdingers. Let’s get to it!
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/17/21—The phantom menace
Gadfly Bites will be taking a little break on Friday. (Stop cheering back there, you ingrates!) We’ll be back on Monday to catch up with whatever exhausting shenanigans have happened in the interim.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/15/21—No, it’s SUPER great!
In case you missed it, the state board of education elected a new president and vice president this morning
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/12/21—Captain Ron
Let’s start with the best news of the week: A groundbreaking ceremony was held earlier this week for a new charter school in Cincinnati the first IDEA school in t
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/10/21—Defined as an increase or improvement in quality, value, or extent
Fordham’s own Chad Aldis testified before the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee yesterday on SB 229.
Commentary
Governance
Testimony presented before the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on 11/9/21
NOTE: Today, the Ohio House of Representatives’ Primary and Secondary Education Committee heard testimony on SB 229.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/8/21—Cannot compute
If you, like me, were hoping that passage of the new school funding formula—and especially the end of those hated school choice deductions from district finances—would make district treasurers happier than dogs in a butcher’s shop, early indications are that you were mistaken.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/5/21—The smack of realism
The elected board of Youngstown City Schools voted earlier this week to amend their academic “improvement” plan per the recommendations returned to t
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/3/21—It’s just like “Room and Zoom”, only without the room…or the Zoom
The new nominal head of the Cleveland Metropolitan School district is… But you already guessed that, didn’t you? (The Land, 11/2/21)
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/1/21—Trick, or treat?
In case you missed it while you were busy finalizing your costume for Halloween, Governor DeWine appointed two new state school board members late in
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/29/21—Read my lips…
As we have been following in these here clips, the pilot program for a new approach to Covid-exposure quarantines in schools was deemed a success.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/27/21—Don’t we all?
The leaders of Akron City Schools say they want a “reset” after dealing with a concerning uptick in behavio
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/25/21—Sometimes, you don’t need to dig deeper
Here is a story about the status of the three Ohio school districts currently operating under the (nominal) aegis of an Academic Distress Commission.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/22/21—Delivering
Repeat after me: “Report cards are just a snapshot. Tests do not define our students.
Commentary
Governance
Moving school board elections on-cycle, and other policy musings
Hot-button education topics such as masking, vaccines, and critical race theory have dominated headlines this fall. But lost in the shuffle are a few notable items that have also made news—but barely—and have significant implications for Ohio policymakers.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/18/21—Feats of creativity
Toledo City Schools continues to celebrate its increased graduation rate, as per the school and district report card data released last week, with the
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/15/21—Jarring
In case you missed it, Ohio released school and district report cards yesterday for the 2020-21 school year. They are, in general, not pretty.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/13/21—Episode 562 of “If This Were a Charter School…”
No less a light than former New York Lt.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/11/21—Saving us from a hyperbole deficit for sure
In case you missed it, Fordham’s own Aaron Churchill published an op-ed in Cleveland.com on Friday, laying out the troublesome findings of our recen
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 10/8/21—Finger pointing
In case you missed it, Wednesday’s press conference on House Bill 290 has been getting some media coverage.
