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.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 6.11.21
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurraySchool choice provisions in the Senate budget bill
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.
The past, present, and future of summer programs for students
Jeff MurrayAs post-pandemic life cautiously starts to take shape here in America, uncertainty abounds. Will our systems and processes and activities eagerly snap back to their 2019 forms? Or will our lives in 2021 and beyond take on new contours influenced by what we have learned, for good and ill, during the challenges forced upon us by 2020?
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.
What’s next for College Credit Plus?
Aaron ChurchillBack in 2014, Ohio lawmakers overhauled the state’s dual-enrollment program that gives students opportunities to take advanced courses through two- or four-year colleges.
Ohio Charter News Weekly – 5.28.21
Chad L. Aldis, Jeff MurrayThe past, present, and future of charter schools
School attendance boundaries: A thing of the past?
Historically, children have been assigned to public schools based on their home address. For some students, this works out fine. But for many others, geographic assignment locks them into schools that don’t meet their needs. What can be done to break the link between students’ zip codes and their school?
How can Ohio meet charter school facility needs?
Brick-and-mortar charter schools serve more than 80,000 Ohio students, most of whom come from low-income backgrounds.
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.
Ohio charter school performance: On the upswing?
Has the performance of Ohio charters improved in the wake of these important reforms? Or is the sector still struggling to keep pace? Join us at the DoubleTree Suites in Downtown Columbus on Tuesday, February 19 to learn about the results from a brand-new CREDO study that examines Ohio charter performance from 2013-14 through 2016-17.
Ohio Charter News Weekly - 1.11.19
Chad L. Aldis, Madison YoderAutomatic charter closure questioned
For Ohio districts with vacant buildings, sharing isn’t caring
Jessica PoinerEarlier this month, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece that charged school district officials in various cities with attempting to stall the growth of school choice b
Ohio Charter News Weekly - 8/24/18
Chad L. Aldis, Madison Yoder2018 EdNext Poll shows increased support for charter schools
Ohio Charter News Weekly - 8/10/18
Chad L. Aldis, Madison YoderGovernor Kasich signs HB 87 and SB 216 into law
LeBron’s I Promise School isn’t a charter, but it puts kids first—and that’s all that matters
Jessica PoinerYou’ve probably heard by now that basketball superstar LeBron James opened a school for at-risk kids in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Called I Promise School (IPS), it’s a joint effort between the I Promise Network, the LeBron James Family Foundation, and Akron Public Schools.
How can children become good readers?
Aaron ChurchillIn a paper titled Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement, the Ohio Department of Education recently wrote that districts have “a limited understanding of how to build early literacy in young children.” This is manifestly troubling, as s
Ohio’s dual credit landscape: A primer
Jessica PoinerWith college tuition at an all-time high, Ohio families are increasingly interested in finding ways to save on costs. Dual credit is a promising solution because if offers students the chance to earn high school and college credits simultaneously. Ohio has a plethora of dual-credit options, but some are better known to families than others. Here is a quick overview of the offerings.
Innovation Ohio’s half truths about ECOT and school funding
Aaron ChurchillOver the past month, local newspapers across Ohio have blasted headlines such as “Local schools lost millions to ECOT” and “Study: Now-defunct ECOT siphoned $2.6 million from
Big changes are coming for Ohio’s dropout prevention and recovery schools
Jessica PoinerState report cards are a hot topic in Ohio, but most of the attention has been focused on the system used for traditional district and charter schools. Many Ohioans are unaware that state law requires the State Board of Education to have a separate report card system for dropout prevention and recovery charter schools (DPRS).
How did Ohio’s urban charters stack up on report cards?
Aaron ChurchillLast week, the Ohio Department of Education released school grades for the 2016-17 school year. These report cards offer Buckeye families, community members, and taxpayers an important annual review of the performance of the state’s 3,000 plus schools and 600 districts.
Gadfly Bites 9/8/17 - Paging Dr. Hardy! Paging Dr. Hardy!
Jeff MurrayNot much to report on today, but let’s not let that get us down. First up, we’ve got a bit more insight into that “final offer” from the Columbus City Schools board to the teacher’s union.
Think carefully before ditching WorkKeys
Jessica PoinerIn early June, State Superintendent DeMaria shared with the state school board his recommendations for stream
Schools are still peddling the self-esteem hoax
Chester E. Finn, Jr.By Chester E. Finn, Jr.
Quality education should know no borders
Jessica PoinerDespite their pronouncements to the contrary, many of Ohio’s affluent suburban school districts are about as “public” as a gated community. That’s the right conclusion to draw from a series of recent events.