KidsOhio » State Education Policy http://www.kidsohio.org Improving the lives and education of Ohio's children. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:59:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ohio to get millions in ‘Race to the Top’ award for early childhood education http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/12/16/cleveland-plain-dealer-ohio-to-get-millions-in-race-to-the-top-award-for-early-childhood-education/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/12/16/cleveland-plain-dealer-ohio-to-get-millions-in-race-to-the-top-award-for-early-childhood-education/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:21:28 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2922 By Stephen Koff, The Plain Dealer

WASHINGTON — Ohio will get up to $70 million from the federal government as one of nine states awarded ”Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge” grants.

The winners will share $500 million to better prepare disadvantaged youngsters for kindergarten.

“This is a huge win for the children of Ohio and it is a major step towards achieving the goal of having all students enter school ready to learn,” said State Superintendent Stan Heffner in a prepared statement.

Thirty-five states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico competed for the money.

In 2010, Ohio won $400 million for school improvement initiatives in the main Race to the Top competition.

Click here to read the full article.

 

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/12/16/cleveland-plain-dealer-ohio-to-get-millions-in-race-to-the-top-award-for-early-childhood-education/feed/ 0 Dispatch: Charter schools lure suburban kids, too http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/11/28/dispatch-charter-schools-lure-suburban-kids-too/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/11/28/dispatch-charter-schools-lure-suburban-kids-too/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:22:50 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2904 By  Jennifer Smith Richards

The Columbus Dispatch Sunday November 27, 2011 front page

More than 23,000 central Ohio students chose charters last school year, including more than 10,300 from suburban and rural districts.

And all 49 of the region’s school districts have some students in charters, a fact that defies the early view that charter schools were an escape for poor kids trapped in troubled schools — something that the Columbus City Schools had to contend with.

“We’re moving into the second generation of school choice. The first generation was about helping kids in failing schools and giving them a safety valve. The second generation of school choice is now actually about middle-class parents,” said Terry Ryan, vice president for Ohio programs and policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. The institute, based in Dayton, oversees several Ohio charter schools.

School districts traditionally have said that charters, which are publicly funded but often privately run, are a financial drain.

Click here to read full article.

Click here to review charter enrollment by school district.

 

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/11/28/dispatch-charter-schools-lure-suburban-kids-too/feed/ 0 Ohio’s Year-One Race to the Top Experience: Personal Accounts from Local & State Leaders http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/11/01/ohios-year-one-race-to-the-top-experience-personal-accounts-from-local-state-leaders-2/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/11/01/ohios-year-one-race-to-the-top-experience-personal-accounts-from-local-state-leaders-2/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:55:34 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2900 The local and state leaders implementing Ohio’s RttT plan are recognizing just how quickly four years can tick-tock along, and also just how much can be accomplished in such a seemingly short timeframe.

KidsOhio recently chatted with six of these leaders, each representing a different sector of Ohio’s public education system: Stan Heffner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Rhonda Johnson, President of Ohio’s largest local teacher union; Eric Gordon, CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District; Kyle Newton, Superintendent of Crooksville City Schools, a rural district in Southeastern Ohio; and Chad Carr and Brian Carlton, Principal and Assistant Principal of Columbus Preparatory Academy, a highly- rated charter school.

We talked about the challenges, successes, and lessons learned in year-one of the RttT grant. We also talked about what is in store for year-two. Lessons learned: Common goals, strategic planning, consistent monitoring of success, and quick adjustments to what is not working are essential to making headway in four-years’ time.

Click here to read the report.

 

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/11/01/ohios-year-one-race-to-the-top-experience-personal-accounts-from-local-state-leaders-2/feed/ 0 Dayton Daily News: Universities drop remedial classes as part of reform http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/10/11/dayton-daily-news-universities-drop-remedial-classes-as-part-of-reform/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/10/11/dayton-daily-news-universities-drop-remedial-classes-as-part-of-reform/#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:39:19 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2894 Click here to read article.

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/10/11/dayton-daily-news-universities-drop-remedial-classes-as-part-of-reform/feed/ 0 The Tennessean: New evaluations run off Tennessee teachers, Veteran educators criticize mandates http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/10/05/the-tennessean-new-evaluations-run-off-tennessee-teachers-veteran-educators-criticize-mandates/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/10/05/the-tennessean-new-evaluations-run-off-tennessee-teachers-veteran-educators-criticize-mandates/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:16:03 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2892 Click here to read the entire article.

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/10/05/the-tennessean-new-evaluations-run-off-tennessee-teachers-veteran-educators-criticize-mandates/feed/ 0 The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio in group revamping school science standards http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/09/30/the-columbus-dispatch-ohio-in-group-revamping-school-science-standards/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/09/30/the-columbus-dispatch-ohio-in-group-revamping-school-science-standards/#comments Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:38:20 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2886 By  Catherine Candisky

The Columbus Dispatch Friday September 30, 2011 8:12 AM

Ohio will be among 20 states leading the development of new standards for what students should learn about natural science and engineering from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The Next Generation Science Standards will focus on analytical and conceptual thinking and aim to ensure students graduate ready for college and careers. Ohio will work with other states to write the standards, gather feedback and work through any issues. The standards are expected to be completed by next fall.

The multistate effort is being coordinated by Achieve, a nonpartisan, nonprofit education group based in Washington, D.C.

Ohio and the other states agreed to commit staff time to the initiative and to strongly consider following the guidelines once they are completed.

ccandisky@dispatch.com

 

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/09/30/the-columbus-dispatch-ohio-in-group-revamping-school-science-standards/feed/ 1 View the August 29th Ohio education budget and policy briefing http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/08/30/view-the-august-29th-ohio-education-budget-and-policy-briefing/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/08/30/view-the-august-29th-ohio-education-budget-and-policy-briefing/#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:04:26 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2868 On August 29, 2011, The Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, the Columbus Urban League, and KidsOhio.org co-hosted a state education briefing. The new State Superintendent of Education, Stan Heffner, and other Ohio Department of Education staff explained the many budgetary and policy changes in the newly-enacted, two-year state budget. More than 150 education and community leaders attended the briefing.

View the PowerPoint presentation here: Ohio’s Path to Educational Success

View a video of the briefing here:  Video Presentation of ODE’s August 29 Briefing

 

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/08/30/view-the-august-29th-ohio-education-budget-and-policy-briefing/feed/ 0 Background Information for School Choice Discussions http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/25/background-information-for-school-choice-discussions/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/25/background-information-for-school-choice-discussions/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:37:06 +0000 keisha http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2752 The five charts below provide the latest information about the number of students enrolled in district, charter, and voucher-accepting schools.

  1. To view the “Ohio eight urban counties’ district, charter, and voucher enrollment by county” chart, click here.
  2. To view the “Ohio eight urban counties’ district, charter, and voucher enrollment by district” chart, click here.
  3. To view the “District, charter, and voucher enrollment in the 16 Franklin County school districts” chart, please click here.
  4. To view the “How many Columbus students are attending charter schools and which schools are they attending?” chart, click here.
  5. To view the “How many Columbus students are using a voucher to attend a private school and which schools are they attending?” chart, click here.
]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/25/background-information-for-school-choice-discussions/feed/ 0 Ohio’s Proposed State Education Budget and Related Policy Changes http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/21/ohio%e2%80%99s-proposed-state-education-budget-and-related-policy-changes/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/21/ohio%e2%80%99s-proposed-state-education-budget-and-related-policy-changes/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:45:17 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2749 On March 21, 2011, KidsOhio, the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, and the Columbus Urban League co-hosted an education briefing, Ohio’s Proposed State Education Budget and Related Policy Changes, with Dr. Bob Sommers, Director of Governor Kasich’s Office of 21st Century Education.

To view a recording of this briefing, and for copies of Dr. Sommers’ Power Point presentation and handouts, please click here.

]]> http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/21/ohio%e2%80%99s-proposed-state-education-budget-and-related-policy-changes/feed/ 0 KidsOhio Legislative Report, Week of February 27 http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/04/kidsohio-legislative-report-week-of-february-27/ http://www.kidsohio.org/2011/03/04/kidsohio-legislative-report-week-of-february-27/#comments Sat, 05 Mar 2011 03:36:37 +0000 ann http://www.kidsohio.org/?p=2747 KidsOhio Legislative Report, Week of February 27  

 

   
     
     
HB30 SCHOOL FUNDING (GARDNER, R) To eliminate spending and reporting requirements related to the school funding system, to abolish the School Funding Advisory Council, to eliminate the requirement that school districts offer all-day kindergarten, to eliminate the requirement that schools establish family and civic engagement teams, and to reduce to three years the period covered by financial forecasts of school districts, community schools, and STEM schools.
  Current Status:    3/8/2011 – Senate Education, (Second Hearing)
     
   
     
     
   
     
     
HB115 EDUCATIONAL CHOICE SCHOLARSHIPS (STEBELTON, G) To gradually increase to 20,000 the number of Educational Choice Scholarships awarded annually.
  Current Status:    3/2/2011 – House Education, (First Hearing)
     
HB116 SCHOOL ANTI-BULLYING ACT (BARNES, JR., J) To enact the School Day Security and Anti-Bullying Act to require age-appropriate instruction on and parental notification of public schools’ policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
  Current Status:    3/2/2011 – House Education, (First Hearing)
     
HB135 FREE SCHOOL MEAL BENEFITS (BURKE, D) To require direct certification of students for free school meal benefits at least five times each school year.
  Current Status:    3/9/2011 – House Education, (First Hearing)
     
HB136 PARENTAL CHOICE AND TAXPAYER SAVINGS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM (HUFFMAN, M) To replace the Educational Choice and the Cleveland scholarship program with the Parental Choice and Taxpayer Savings Scholarship Program and to establish the Special Education Scholarship Program.
  Current Status:    3/9/2011 – House Education, (First Hearing)
     
SB5 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING REFORM (JONES, S) To make changes to Ohio’s Collective Bargaining Law, which was first enacted in 1983.
  Current Status:    3/10/2011 – House Commerce & Labor, (Third Hearing)
     
SB9 ELIMINATE ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN (MANNING, G) To eliminate the requirement that school districts offer all-day kindergarten and to allow public schools to continue charging tuition for all-day kindergarten.
  Current Status:    3/1/2011 – REPORTED OUT, Senate Education, (Third Hearing)
     
   
     
     
     
SB65 EDUCATIONAL CHOICE SCHOLARSHIPS (CATES, G) To eliminate the limit on the number of Educational Choice scholarships and to declare an emergency.
  Current Status:  3/1/2011 – BILL AMENDED, Senate Education, (Second Hearing)  
     
SB86 COMMUNITY SCHOOL – DYS ADULTS (SAWYER, T) To permit the establishment of a community school to serve adults of school age who are incarcerated or who have been released from the custody of the Department of Youth Services abed to declare an emergency.
  Current Status:    3/1/2011 – Senate Education, (First Hearing)
     

2011 — Provided by The Hannah Report – A Publication of Hannah News Service, Inc.

actionTRACK – Hannah News Service, Inc.
 
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