Voucher critics are at it again
Jessica PoinerIt’s been a banner year for private school choice in Ohio.
Some Ohio schools are facing a teacher shortage. What caused it, and how can it be addressed?
Jessica PoinerOver the last few months, there have been growing concerns over a teacher shortage
Can Ohio solve the school transportation riddle?
Aaron ChurchillEvery student ought to have safe, reliable transportation to a school that meets their needs. Recognizing this, Ohio law has long required districts to offer transportation to all resident students in grades K–8 who live more than two miles from their school—whether that’s a district, charter, private, or STEM school.
An overview of Ohio’s new school funding formula, and a look at whether it might stick
Aaron ChurchillAt the end of June, Ohio lawmakers passed House Bill 110, the biennial operating budget for FYs 2022–23. It included a new school funding framework that received bipartisan support and was backed by school district officials and teachers unions.
An overview of Ohio’s recently-enacted family-friendly voucher changes
Jessica PoinerFor nearly twenty years, EdChoice has provided tens of thousands of students with the opportunity to attend private schools via state-funded scholarships, also known as vouchers.
NCTQ sheds light on Ohio teacher licensure exams
Jessica PoinerBefore they can stand in front of a classroom full of students, most prospective teachers have to pass state licensure exams. But how many candidates pass those exams on the first try and how many need multiple attempts? Which schools fare best at readying their students for these exams?
No, EdChoice is not the cause of racial segregation
Aaron ChurchillOpponents of school choice in Ohio continue to threaten a lawsuit seeking to eradicate the state’s largest private-school scholarship program, known as
Want great teachers and higher achievement? A study from Wisconsin suggests trying flexible pay.
Aaron ChurchillThe vast majority of Ohio teachers are paid according to salary schedules that reward seniority and degrees earned, the result of state l
Ohio’s budget bill makes major changes to K–12 education policy
Aaron ChurchillOn July 1, Governor DeWine signed House Bill 110, the state’s operating budget for fiscal years 2022–23.
Fordham Institute statement on passage of biennium budget (House Bill 110)
Ohio Education GadflyToday, the Ohio Senate and House, each with broad bipartisan support, approved the report of the budget conference committee and sent HB 110 (the biennium state budget) to Governor DeWine for his approval.
Six ideas that conferees should include in the final budget bill
Jessica PoinerIt’s been a busy budget season filled with heated debates over how to revise Ohio’s school-funding formula, testing and
A primer on the Ohio Senate’s school funding plan
Aaron ChurchillOver the past few years, school-funding policy has been at the forefront of Ohio’s education debates.
The Senate’s enrichment ESA proposal could help Ohio eliminate opportunity gaps
Jessica PoinerEarlier this year, Governor DeWine requested that all public schools create and publish plans to address student learning loss caused by the pandemic.
The Ohio Senate puts educational choice front and center
Aaron ChurchillAcross the nation, state lawmakers have been heeding the call for parents to have more control over their children’s education.
Testimony given before the Senate Finance Committee on HB 110—6/3/21
Chad L. AldisNOTE: On June 3, 2021, the Ohio Senate’s Finance Committee heard testimony on House Bill 110, the state budget bill.
Media statement on the Ohio Senate’s K-12 education proposals
Ohio Education GadflyToday, the Ohio Senate released its version of the biennial state budget (House Bill 110). As a sizeable portion of overall state expenditures, K–12 education funding has rightly been subject to much debate since Governor DeWine and the Ohio House unveiled their budget proposals earlier this year.
Gadfly Bites 5/24/21—Perhaps they are referring to the party game?
Jeff MurrayThis headline, as with almost every legislation-related headline that includes it, misuses the term “limbo” in referencing the topic of education funding reform. (13ABC News, Toledo, 5/22/21)
Cupp-Patterson funding plan falls short on open enrollment and guarantees
Aaron ChurchillOver the past two years, the Cupp-Patterson school funding plan has received tremendous attention in the media and at the statehouse. Currently, House lawmakers are considering what changes might be made to the plan, as laid out in House Bill 1.
Reliably identifying low-income students should be a priority
Aaron ChurchillThis spring’s school funding debates have revolved around the needs of poor students. Governor Mike DeWine has proposed a significant bump in state spending targeted at low-income students.
When it comes to preparing teachers to teach reading, Ohio’s ahead of the pack
Jessica PoinerIt’s no secret that teaching kids how to read is extremely important. Research shows that children who don’t read proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers.
Bringing Head Start programing into the home
Jeff MurrayIf a little treatment goes a long way, does it stand to reason that more treatment will go even further?
2018 Teacher Prep Review: An examination of graduate and alternative teacher preparation programs
Jessica PoinerThe National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) recently added to their trove of teacher preparation evaluations with the 2018 Teacher Prep Review. This year’s study examines 567 traditional graduate, 129 alternative route, and eighteen residency programs across the U.S. (no undergraduate programs were examined).
Fordham Ohio celebrates teachers and charter schools
Ohio Education GadflyDuring the recent celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week and National Charter Schools Week, Fordham Ohio staffers shared stories of the teachers, counselors, and schools that made a positive difference in their education and in their lives. You can read about:
The impact of phonics instruction in England
Aaron ChurchillBack at the turn of the millennium, we at Fordham published a paper that urged a stronger focus on phonics.
Teacher appreciation
Jeff MurrayNOTE: In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Fordham Ohio staffers will be blogging about teachers, principals, and guidance counselors who made a positive difference in their schooling and in their lives. This is the third post.
Small town, great expectations
Madison YoderNOTE: In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Fordham Ohio staffers will be blogging about teachers, principals, and guidance counselors who made a positive difference in their schooling and in their lives. This is the second post.
One of the teachers who changed my life
Chad L. AldisNOTE: In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Fordham Ohio staffers will be blogging about teachers, principals, and guidance counselors who made a positive difference in their schooling and in their lives. This is the first post.
What’s with the fixation on educator certification in Lorain?
Jessica PoinerLast week, the Elyria Chronicle published a piece headlined “Another Lorain Schools hire lacks state certification.” The hire in question is Scott Dieter, who has been selected by CEO David Hardy to serve as the
Addressing language acquisition issues for bilingual children
Jeff MurrayDespite genetic hardwiring of babies’ brains to learn language, emerging evidence suggests that different languages are acquired in different ways based on their specific characteristics. Most of what child development and education professionals know about language acquisition in young children is based on monolingual studies and is difficult to apply to bilingual children.