Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/30/23—Super pleased
“In general, I think most superintendents earn their compensation,” says F
Topics
Commentary
Accountability & Testing
Lorain schools don’t deserve special treatment in the budget bill
It’s been a very busy budget season in Ohio.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/28/23—It’s like they don’t even read the Bites
Quite the mixed bag of stuff today, including two staple topics of Gadfly Bites. First up: Drama in Youngstown.
Commentary
Governance
Five K–12 education issues to watch in the budget bill conference committee
The process of creating a new state budget is quickly drawing to a close, with key lawmakers set to hammer out the final legislation in conference committee. Those negotiations are ongoing, with the budget for FYs 2024–25 likely to pass by Friday.
Commentary
Charter Schools
One size does not fit all: Alternative education campuses in the charter sector
One purpose of charter schools is to serve as laboratories of innovation for public education—a deliberate effort to do things differently than the long-entrenched traditional district model.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/26/23—Good old summertime
Both of these summer academics-and-fun combined camp programs sound great to me.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Ohio’s budget bill seeks to hold teacher preparation programs accountable for the science of reading
For better or worse, Ohio does most of its education policymaking during the biennial budget process. This year is no different.
Commentary
Accountability & Testing
Don’t weaken accountability for Ohio’s charter sponsors and online schools
As this year’s budget process races to the finish line, state lawmakers are the midst of making decisions about what stays and what goes. The current, Senate-passed version of the budget bill has dozens of provisions that would move K–12 education in the right direction.
Commentary
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/23/23—Not to be missed
We’ll start today with some good news that is probably easy to miss.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Ohio lawmakers should ensure low-income kids aren’t priced out of private schools
Since 2005, Ohio has provided state-funded EdChoice scholarships, or vouchers, to help eligible students cover the cost of attending private schools.
Commentary
Charter Schools
Lawmakers can still go further in Ohio’s historic effort to narrow charter funding gaps
Despite serving tens of thousands of students each year—most of whom are low-income—Ohio has a regrettable track record of underfunding its public charter schools.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/21/23—Failing grade
Aaron Churchill is quoted extensively, and the report’s findings discussed at a decen
Commentary
School Finance
“Supplemental targeted assistance” is no way to fund schools
In its biennial budget plan for FYs 2024–25, the Senate—as did the House—proposed a hefty increase in K–12 education spending.
Commentary
Charter Schools
Lots of new schools. How much innovation?
Since the 1980s, education reform efforts have sought to shake up the stodgy, traditional landscape of public schooling in the United States. One way to do that is to start schools from scratch that can introduce innovative new education models and push traditional systems to improve.
Commentary
School Finance
Senate’s budget plan moves the ball downfield on educational choice
To use football parlance, education reform often feels like three yards and a cloud of dust. Yet sometimes the gains are bigger—a long forward pass—and that’s what the Ohio Senate’s final budget bill, which passed the chamber yesterday, would amount to. These are the key proposals in their game plan.
Commentary
Career & Technical Education
Senate takes aim at some CTE funding boosts proposed by Governor DeWine
The Ohio Senate recently introduced its version of the state budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
Commentary
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/16/23—Same old same old for the kids
In case you missed it, the Ohio Senate passed the state budget bill yesterday.
Commentary
Accountability & Testing, Charter Schools, Governance
CREDO got it wrong: Ohio’s charter sector is strong and getting better
NOTE: The Thomas B. Fordham Institute occasionally publishes guest commentaries on its blogs. The views expressed by guest authors do not necessarily reflect those of Fordham.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/14/23—Media literacy
A little history for you before we kick off today’s clips: Back on June 4, a lifetime ago by journalistic standards, an op-ed by our own Aaron Churchill was published in the print version of the
Commentary
Governance
Bravo to Ohio legislators for finding the way forward on student transportation
For several years, thousands of charter,
Commentary
Governance
The policies, perceptions, and implications of open enrollment
This spring, the national education nonprofit EdChoice published a “capstone” report outlining a series of research projects it conducted alongside Hanover Research.
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/12/23—Must be how the blob feels every year when state report cards come out
I guess I’m not quite sure how this happened, but I like it anyway: A blog post from our own Aaron Chu
Commentary
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/9/23—“People can choose”
Aaron Churchill provided testimony on the Senate’s version of the state budget bill during a committee hearing yesterday.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Ohio needs a knowledge movement to take the science of reading to the next level
Led by Governor DeWine, the science of reading is taking off in Ohio—and not a moment too soon.
Commentary
Governance
Testimony provided on Substitute House Bill 33—6/8/23
NOTE: This morning, the Ohio Senate Finance Committee heard testimony on Substitute House Bill 33, the state’s budget bill for fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
Commentary
Governance
Kudos to Ohio policymakers for expanding ACE account eligibility and improving parent outreach
In 2021, during the previous state budget cycle, lawmakers used federal pandemic relief funds to create
Commentary
Governance
Gadfly Bites 6/7/23—Amended
It’s been a busy couple of days for Fordham’s Aaron Churchill.
