Commentary
Private School Choice
A visit to Cristo Rey Columbus High School
NOTE: This piece was originally published as part of School Choice Ohio’s Success Stories in Education blog series.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Building on DeWine’s budget proposal to help Ohio solve its teacher data problem
Like leaders in other states, Ohio policymakers have been working to address chronic teacher shortages.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Three resources that can help Ohio families make school choice decisions
Despite what you may hear in the media, Ohio collects and publishes plenty of important data on the private schools that accept state scholarships. Here are just a few of the worthwhile resources parents should know about.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Can an evaluation system improve the practice of novice teachers? Evidence from Tennessee
First-year teachers—especially those who begin on the lower end of the performance scale—tend to improve over time if they remain on the job, according to rigorous research studies.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Ohio could bolster its teacher pipeline by supporting student teachers
Tackling Ohio’s teacher vacancy data problem should be a priority for lawmakers in the upcoming year.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
House Bill 563 could help Ohio address teacher shortages
Legislation in the Ohio General Assembly proposes a new method for collecting and analyzing data on teacher vacancies that could provide leaders with information they need to tackle shortages. Here’s a look at what works and what could be better.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Testimony on Ohio House Bill 407—11/20/24
Note: On November 20, 2024, the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee heard testimony on
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Teacher salary reforms could boost efforts to retain more early-career educators
About a month ago, I published an analysis of the starting salaries of teachers working in school districts across the Cleveland and Columbus metro areas. Strong entry-level pay is crucial as schools work to attract talented folks into the profession.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
A fresh look at starting teacher salaries in Ohio
Teachers are the most important in-school factor driving student achievement, and how schools compensate them matters immensely. Entry-level teacher pay is particularly important, as it affects recruitment efforts.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Four takeaways for Ohio leaders from the State of the Teacher Workforce
The Learning Policy Institute recently released The State of the Teacher Workforce, a state-by-state examination of factors impacting teacher supply and demand and student access to qualified educators.
Commentary
Private School Choice
What’s next for private school choice in Ohio?
This is the sixth in a series in which I examine issues in K–12 education that Ohio leaders should tackle in the next biennial state budget.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Take it from an Akron kid: Akron families deserve better from their school board
Earlier this summer, the Akron Public Schools (APS) board voted to become part of the statewide lawsuit seeking to dismantle Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship program.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Addressing chronic absenteeism is another way Ohio policymakers can help improve teacher retention
In a recent piece, I examined how recommendations from the Let Teachers Teach workgroup in Louisiana could be applied in Ohio to help improve teacher retention. One recommendation stood out as something worthy of a closer look: addressing chronic absenteeism.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction, Governance, Teachers & School Leaders
Letting Ohio teachers teach
Earlier this year, the Louisiana Department of Education launched a Let Teachers Teach workgroup. More than two dozen educators were tasked with identifying “common classroom disruptions and unnecessary bureaucracies” and then brainstorming solutions.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Gadfly Bites 7/10/24—Enlightenment dawns
News stories featured in Gadfly Bites may require a paid subscription to read in full. Just sayin’.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Federal data give Ohio hope on the teacher shortage front
Teacher pipelines and shortages have been a hot topic in Ohio the last several years. One of the biggest talking points has been that fewer students seem interested in the profession.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Shame on Upper Arlington schools
With a 3-2 vote last week, the Upper Arlington school board signed onto a lawsuit that aims t
Commentary
Private School Choice
Public-school groups’ latest stratagem: Tie Ohio’s voucher program in red tape
It’s no secret that the public-school establishment pulls out all the stops to prevent families from exercising educational choice, including private school options.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
How Ohio can help schools retain more teachers
Last year, state officials published some troubling data related to Ohio’s teacher workforce.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
For principal apprenticeships, look to the Peace Garden State
Registered apprenticeship programs offer workers paid, on-the-job learning experience under the supervision of an experienced mentor, job-related classroom training, and the chance to earn a portable industry-recognized credential.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Gadfly Bites 6/3/24—Blurred line vibes
News stories featured in Gadfly Bites may require a paid subscription to read in full. Just sayin’.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
The A to Z of sequential bias in grading student assignments
The use of technology in education—in place before the pandemic but increased in magnitude and ubiquity since 2020—is drawing increasing scrutiny from many sides.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Three ways to strengthen Ohio’s teacher pipeline
Last spring, state officials published data indicating that fewer young people are entering the teaching profession, teacher attrition rates have risen, and troubling shortages exist in specific grades and subject areas.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Gadfly Bites 3/25/24—This is your celebration?
News stories featured in Gadfly Bites may require a paid subscription to read in full.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Ohio still needs better data on teacher shortages
Last spring, state officials published data indicating some worrying signs regarding the future of Ohio’s teacher workforce.
Commentary
Private School Choice
Gadfly Bites 2/19/24—Who’s sitting at the table matters
News stories featured in Gadfly Bites may require a paid subscription to read in full.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Do licensure tests predict future teacher effectiveness?
Relaxing licensure requirements for new teachers is one of many proposals being floated in order combat teacher shortages and diversify the pipel
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Looking at a new framework for classroom evaluations
Real time classroom observations by trained evaluators hold promise to accurately assess the quality of teaching and learning going on inside those four walls; an as-yet-untapped area of “education R&D”.
Commentary
Teachers & School Leaders
Senator Brenner’s plan would ensure struggling students get academic help
Too many students in Ohio are off-track—way off-track—in terms of meeting grade-level math and reading standards. Last school year, 32 percent of students statewide scored “limited”—the lowest achievement mark—on state math exams, while 20 percent scored at that level in English language arts (ELA).
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction, Governance, Teachers & School Leaders
An overview of Ohio’s new teacher apprenticeship program
Teacher shortages have been a hot topic in Ohio for years.
