Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/29/17 - More challenging thinking
Maybe they were too optimistic? Maybe there was a wink and a nudge? Who knows?
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/27/17 - Getting her hands dirty
We start the week with another update on Columbus City Schools’ upcoming surplus property auction.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/22/17 - Toledo Zoo in the (wild) dog house
Pretty busy meeting for the Columbus school board last night. Suspensions were approved for two more data scrubbing administrators. Both will retain their jobs after the sting of that wrist slapping abates.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/20/17 - Say Yes to the Bites
Fordham is namechecked in Jeremy Kelley’s look at the latest charter sponsor ratings. Makes sense since our sponsorship office (and two sponsored schools) is located in the Gem City. (Dayton Daily News, 11/20/17)
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/17/17 -- Christmas with the Senate
New Ohio charter sponsor ratings were released this week. For the first time, there are sponsors rated at the highest level, which is good. The Dispatch is focusing on the bad – 10 sponsors rated “Poor”.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/15/17 - "We are not where we’d like to be… My greatest fears came true."
Want a good read? Check out this little nugget on the Fordham-sponsored United Schools Network of charters here in Columbus, including a look at their new School Performance Institute. Just ignore the snarky subhead of the piece. They couldn’t help themselves, I suppose.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Youngstown takes a wrong turn on teacher evaluations
Youngstown City School’s CEO Krish Mohip recently announced significant changes to how his district will evaluate its teachers.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/13/17 - A Mighty Fortress is our District
We’re back after a little break on Friday, with a lot of central Ohio education news. Stay with me on this first one; it’s twisty. Twenty-some years ago, Columbus City Schools was embroiled in a lawsuit over the use of religious music—specifically Christian hymns and spirituals—used in its graduation ceremonies.
Commentary
Governance
Columbus City Schools: Money matters
In the last week, central Ohioans got an interesting look at how Columbus City Schools deals with its taxpayer-provided finances and assets, courtesy of two stories from the Columbus Dispatch.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/8/17 - CEO's balance sheet, supplemental
Props to Columbus City Schools for this accounting control measure that likely saved the figurative bacon of dozens of district employees. Surprisingly. (Columbus Dispatch, 11/6/17) Why the surprise?
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/6/17 - The voice of someone with choice
Youngstown CEO Krish Mohip this weekend unveiled a new teacher evaluation framework coming soon to his district – in which 50% of a teacher’s performance rating will be based on how the district as a whole is doing in terms of value added measures.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/3/17 - "That’s all that we can hope for — that you’re trying."
Not sure why, but the story about Dayton City Schools’ contract tussle with the Preschool Promise folks—clipped earlier this week—garnered more interest than usual from readers.
Commentary
Governance
The case for overhauling the Ohio State Board of Education
In That State Up North, a debate is brewing over the state board of education.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 11/1/17 - "Middie pride" indeed
It seems like Dayton City Schools is advocating here to receive money for pre-K kids they don’t have. But I’m probably misreading it.