DFER Ohio
From Our Blog
Ohio Education Reform News Roundup
August 29, 2011
By Miesha Headen, DFER Ohio State Director
Many things are in happening across the Ohio education reform landscape. Here are some we think are particularly notable:
Expanding School Choice in Ohio: The 2011 State budget increased the number of EdChoice vouchers available to students from 14,000 to 30,000. After the second application process closed on August 15th, the Ohio Department of Education reported that 17,003 students statewide have applied for EdChoice this year, including 1,623 new scholarship applicants and 58 students who applied for scholarship renewals. Interest in the scholarship has been growing as parents have learned more about the program and weighed their educational options. The Tribune Today reports on how the expansion of the voucher program is affecting Mahoning County with a quote from School Choice Ohio's Executive Director, Chad Aldis.
Report Cards: The Ohio Department of Education released report cards for all district schools on Tuesday, August 23rd. Of the 613 school districts in Ohio, 352 received the State's highest two designations, Excellent with Distinction and Excellent, while no districts fell into the lowest category, Academic Emergency, according to State Impact Ohio. The report card "heat map" (courtesy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer) also shows the school grades for every county in Ohio. The map highlights some of Ohio's less affluent, rural counties - such as Ashtabula, Pike, and Belmont - which also struggle with mediocre public schools.
Mayor Frank Jackson: Courageous Democratic Leadership
June 28, 2011
By Miesha Headen, DFER Ohio State Director
Congratulations to Democratic Mayor Frank Jackson of Cleveland and Eric Gordon, the new CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), for their courageous stance in support of the educational achievement of students!
As reported in the Plain Dealer, Mayor Jackson wrote a letter to Republican Governor John Kasich, Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus, and Republican Speaker of the House William Batchelder urging them to support these important educational reforms:
• Annual evaluations of teachers based at least 50% on student performance and growth measures;• The end of reduction in force legislation that compels districts to lay-off teachers based solely on seniority;• The establishment of merit pay for teachers; and,• The fostering of collaboration between district and charter schools by having the enrollment numbers and test scores of district-sponsored charter schools count toward the overall district on the state report card.
The Republican controlled House of Representatives wrote these reforms into the Ohio bi-annual budget, known as House Bill 153. However, the Republican controlled Senate stripped out the amendments.
It is rumored that the Republican Senators fear reprisals from the unions and do not want to doubly anger them after their vote on Senate Bill 5.
Mayor Jackson is advocating for the reforms to be re-inserted during the joint caucuses.
Why the Rancor Now? A Historic Perspective on Partnerships between Public and Private Schools
May 16, 2011
University School - African American Alumni Honor Former Upper School Director
By Miesha Headen, DFER Ohio State Director
Geoff Morton, former Director of the Upper School, is being honored during the 6th Annual African American University School Alumni & Parents Reception for his tireless efforts to recruit black students, mentor them, and oversee their matriculation into top-tier colleges.
As battles over "school choice" rage in the Ohio Statehouse, it is both delightful and timely that Morton is being honored. This serves to underscore that cooperative and congenial relationships between public and private schools have always existed for the benefit of children.
Recruiting promising black students to University School beginning in the 1960's, Geoff Morton built relationships with school leaders throughout the eastside of Cleveland. Morton once asked a guidance counselor, named Dorothea Brown, at Charles Elliot Middle School if she would get in trouble for referring students. She said, "I don't work for Cleveland. I work for the children."
Amendments to Charter School Legislation in Ohio Are Worth Laughing About
May 6, 2011
But, who finds any of these amendments funny? In the words of Education Reform Now Executive Director, Van Schoales, "It seems as if Ohio compiled all of the worst legislation in the entire country into one state." Ryan points out how the "new" charter amendments would actually regress Ohio charter laws to the time in the 1990's when Ohio was considered the "wild west" of charter schools.
Why would the Republicans in the House introduce these amendments? Ryan is even-handed in his reasoning. However, others are pointing to the money and influence of White Hat Management, the largest operator of for-profit charter schools in Ohio.
Make no mistake, other charter school operators stand to gain from the relaxing of accountability for charter school operators.
The Governor's budget bill, with the House Republican amendments, passed out of the Ohio House on Thursday evening. However, it remains to be seen what the Republican-lead Ohio Senate will do with these irresponsible amendments. So, Stay tuned.
Gov. John Kasich's budget has good news for charter schools, voucher programs
April 21, 2011
By Edith Starzyk
(The Plain Dealer, April 21, 2011)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While suburban districts like Solon and Rocky River are wailing over proposed cuts in their state funding, supporters of "school choice" are pleased with Gov. John Kasich's budget -- and hopeful that they'll get even more of what they want down the road.
Kasich plans to use state money to:
• Raise the maximum number of EdChoice vouchers for private-school tuition from the current 14,000 to 60,000 within two years.
• Allow more independently operated charter schools to join the 339 that are authorized now.
His point man for education, Robert Sommers, says the administration has a consistent message: It will promote schools that deliver student success, whether or not they're the traditional district model.
"When adults compete to educate our children, the children win," Sommers, who used to run charter schools in Detroit, said earlier this month.
But skeptics like Miesha Headen question whether the state is demanding accountability from those who use public money to provide all the new choices, such as charter schools that work only with dropouts.
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