Gadfly Bites 5/29/20 – Old

In Lorain, the old supe is finally the new CEO. The circle is complete. I think it’s the ninth.

Gadfly Bites 5/27/20 – If we do say so ourselves…

Gadfly Bites 5/22/20 – The COVID slide

Columbus audit offers sobering lessons for Ohio teacher evaluations

Editor’s 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.

Gadfly Bites 5/20/20 – Public utility

While the sample is small and unrepresentative, the details on student engagement with distance learning in Northeast Ohio

Gadfly Bites 5/18/20 – “Happy to have something”

Gadfly Bites 5/15/20 – As the Heights goes, so goes Ohio…or something like that.

We’ll start today’s clips with old legal news.

Young, talented teachers shouldn’t be first to be fired

Due to plummeting tax revenues, Governor Mike DeWine last week announced plans to slash state spending for the current fiscal year, ending June 30. Among the cost-cutting includes a $355 million hit to K–12 education, a roughly 3 percent reduction in education outlays. With the economy still swooning, legislators are mulling deeper cuts for 2020–21.

Gadfly Bites 5/13/20 – Kids win one; kids lose all the rest.

In this difficult time, I’m sure you’ll agree that we have to take whatever sunshine we can get.

Gadfly Bites 5/11/20 – Impending doom?

Folks across the state are interested in the topic of how best to issue grades for K-12 students participating in remote learning in the final quarter of the school year

Gadfly Bites 5/8/20 – Swift and coordinated

Gadfly Bites 5/6/20 – It’s literally never about the kids.

Gadfly Bites 5/4/20 – One, minus one-half, minus six = hosed.

We start the week with our own Aaron Churchill’s latest op-ed. Title: “Even in a crisis, students must earn their diplomas”. Wonder how that’s going to go over? (Vindy.com, 5/3/20)

Gadfly Bites 5/1/20 – “Keep working hard, and we’ll see what we can do.”

As we have discussed several times so far, there are certain things that even the Mighty ‘Rona can’t stop.

The post-pandemic education landscape in Ohio

When Governor DeWine announced that Ohio schools would remain closed for the rest of the 2019–20 school year, many students and parents immediately began to wonder what school will look like in the fall. Given the unpredictably of COVID-19, it’s impossible to know.

Gadfly Bites 4/29/20 – Neener-neener

We’ll start today with what should probably be news from the “no duh” department: the so-called “online gaming”

Two ways that Governor DeWine should use K–12 federal relief funds

As part of the gargantuan aid package recently passed by Congress, Ohio will soon receive $105 million through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund.

Gadfly Bites 4/27/20 – Strong guidance

NCTQ shines a light on teacher contracts, licensure during the pandemic

In the last few weeks, schools have rightfully been focused on student nutrition, health, and the transition to distance learning. But flying under the radar—and of increasing importance to schools’ ability to serve students well—are teacher policy issues. How has the pandemic affected current and aspiring teachers, and what are states and local districts doing to respond?

Gadfly Bites 4/24/20 – That light at the end of the tunnel could be a freight train

Gadfly Bites 4/22/20 – Distantly

Gadfly Bites 4/20/20 – “As well as can be expected.”

At the start of week six of school building closures in Ohio, Cincinnati City Schools is here said to be “muddling through” whatever it is they have been doing.

Gadfly Bites 4/17/20 – New Normal, party of one

Three ways Ohio schools can use this summer to stem learning loss from the coronavirus pandemic

EDITOR'S NOTE: On April 20, 2020, Governor DeWine ordered that schools should remain closed to in-person learning for the rest of the 2019-20 school year. Thus, the first option presented here has been rendered unfeasible.

Gadfly Bites 4/15/20 – There is no “fail”

Gadfly Bites 4/13/20 – Fare well

More positive findings on the competitive effects of voucher programs

The vast majority of voucher program studies have shown positive competitive effects, meaning that students who remain in public schools benefit as their schools are exposed to competition from private-school-choice programs.

Gadfly Bites 4/10/20 – Stuck

The guardians of status quo in education in Ohio are here said to be looking for exemptions to everything – testing, accountability, requirements, etc. Soooooo many exemptions.

Four ways Ohio can prepare for the likely school funding crunch to come

With the economy in free fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools across the nation are very likely to face significant fiscal challenges.