Ohio auditor’s report on teacher pension system raises concerns, no illegalities
Aaron ChurchillIn December, the Ohio Auditor of State released a special audit of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS).
Gadfly Bites 1/18/23—Checking in on the big districts
Jeff MurrayIt’s an all-Urban 8 edition today.
Ohio should be more transparent about its federal Covid relief spending
Jessica PoinerOver the last few years, the federal government has sent billions of dollars in emergency funding to states via several relief packages aimed at addressing the impacts of Covid-19.
Casting a wide net to help define teacher expertise
Jeff MurrayWe need many more effective, “expert” teachers in our schools. Thus, a new report aiming to synthesize numerous past studies in order to identify attributes that make a top performing teacher should be of interest to practitioners and policymakers alike.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 1.13.23
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayCharter growth in Ohio
Gadfly Bites 1/13/23—Anyone besides me kinda hope it’s cloudy that day?
Jeff MurrayWe first noted this…unusual story last Friday, and simply alluded to it in the Bites because it seemed fanciful at the time.
Fordham Institute statement on introduction of Senate Bill 1
Ohio Education GadflyToday, Senator Bill Reineke introduced Senate Bill 1, legislation that would dramatically change the duties of the State Board of Education, create a Department of Education and Workforce Development, and make the new department part of the governor’s cabinet.
Three policies Ohio leaders should prioritize in the upcoming budget
Jessica PoinerAs the excitement of a new year dwindles and Ohioans settle back into their familiar routines, policymakers and advocates are gearing up for yet another budget season. Governor DeWine is scheduled to release his proposed biennial state operating budget in just a few short weeks, and by June, a host of new legislative provisions will likely become law.
Fine-tuning Ohio’s school report card: An analysis of the state’s revamped report card in its first year of implementation, 2021–22
Aaron ChurchillExecutive summary
Gadfly Bites 1/9/23—Welcomes, warm and otherwise
Jeff MurrayFirst things first: Looks like a deal was reached between Akron City Schools and its teachers union at some point over the weekend.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 1.6.23
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayThis is our first edition of 2023. Happy New Year to all! It covers news from December 15, 2022 – January 6, 2023. Looking back at 2022 pt 1 – Indianapolis
Gadfly Bites 1/6/23—“Obviously that’s not going to happen”
Jeff MurrayOur recent report on the impacts of Ohio’s EdChoice program on traditional district schools is one of two choice-focused report
Another study finds that third-grade retention works
Aaron ChurchillOver the past year, one of the most heavily debated topics in Ohio education has been the retention provision of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, a decade-old package of early literacy reforms.
Gadfly Bites 1/4/23—“Ultimately, I’d really, really like to solve a problem”
Jeff MurrayThis is our first edition of the new year but we’re covering the final clips from 2022 first—specifically, those published between 12/24 and 12/31/22. Happy New Year, and welcome back!
Five predictions for Ohio education in 2023
Aaron ChurchillIt’s the new year, and that means football, resolutions, and predictions. Foreseeing the future, of course, is risky business—nothing is certain except death and taxes—but we can be pretty sure that the coming year will be a busy one for Ohio policymakers.
2022 in review: Ohio’s biggest education stories of the year
Jessica PoinerA key part of year-end celebrations is looking back and pondering the events of the past twelve months. Such reminiscing isn’t always pleasant, as there are inevitably things that we’d rather forget, but it’s important to take stock of what’s happened as we prepare for what’s next.
The most-read blogs of 2022
Ohio Education GadflyFordham’s Ohio Gadfly readers were drawn, it seems, to practical matters in 2022. Our most-read blogs of the year cover topics such as curriculum, career education, and school choice. It is nice to know that, in a time of hot button rhetoric and political mania, topics closer to families’ and students’ lives garnered so much attention.
Recapping Fordham’s policy recommendations for the next General Assembly
Ohio Education GadflyBeginning in late summer, we published a series of policy briefs designed to help frame the biggest education issues facing Ohio lawmakers in the upcoming budget cycle. Here’s a quick look at the issues we covered and our policy recommendations. School choice
Gadfly Bites 12/23/22—”College is where I’m going… I have to go to college.”
Jeff MurrayThis is our last edition of the year. Thanks for reading and subscribing. We’ll be back on 1/4/23 with a final Bite at 2022.
Gadfly Bites 12/21/22—Pressure-packed
Jeff MurrayFordham’s Aaron Churchill has got a lot to say in this otherwise quiet week before Chr
EdChoice vouchers have helped, not hurt, traditional public schools
Aaron Churchill , Chad L. AldisTry saying it with us: “Choice and competition are good.” Don’t take our word alone. On the left, President Joe Biden said:
The state of play in open enrollment policies
Jeff MurrayOpen enrollment—when students are allowed to enroll in district schools other than the one to which they would be assigned based on their residence—is one of the oldest school choice options in the country.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 12.16.22
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayThis is our last edition for 2022. Thank you for reading and subscribing. We’ll be back on January 6, 2023 with a final rundown of late December news. Cincinnati charter school on the grow
Gadfly Bites 12/16/22—Eyes on the prize
Jeff MurrayThere are a handful of exceptions to the state law that says school districts must offer surplus buildings to charter schools first before any other
Gadfly Bites 12/14/22—They don’t call it the status quo for nothing
Jeff MurrayIn case you missed it,
The Ohio EdChoice Program’s impact on school district enrollments, finances, and academics
Stéphane Lavertu, John J. GreggThis report explores the impacts of Ohio’s EdChoice program on school district enrollments, finances, and educational outcomes. The study includes detailed analyses of the state’s “performance-based” EdChoice program that, as of 2021–22 provides vouchers to approximately 35,000 students as well as its “income-based” EdChoice program which serves approximately 20,000 low-income students.
To address teacher shortages, Ohio needs better data
Jessica PoinerOver the last few years, dozens of Ohio school districts have expressed growing concern