The ESC BRIDGE
Bridging Resources, Information, and Data from
Government and Education
FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 6, 2013
FEATURED NEWS
HOUSE REVISES READING PLAN FOR OHIO SCHOOLS COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Gov. John Kasich and state legislators last spring created a new reading guarantee designed to
identify young students with reading problems, get them help and keep them in the third grade if
they do meet certain standards. But supporters admitted the requirement was passed in haste,
and officials have since discovered a significant problem — only 12 percent of Ohio’s 34,000
teachers in grades K-3 qualify to provide new reading services. The House yesterday approved
a bill designed to expand the pool of teachers who can provide reading instruction and tutoring
for young students and give schools more staffing options. The bill, which might get final Senate
approval next week, also says that school districts or charter schools that score a D or F on the
grades K-3 literacy-progress test for two consecutive years and have fewer than 60 percent of
third-graders proficient on the English test must submit reading-improvement plans to the state.
SURVEY FINDS OHIO SUPERINTENDENTS SUPPORT COMMON CORE, OPPOSE THIRD GRADE
READING GUARANTEE HANNAH
A new survey of 344 Ohio district superintendents conducted by the Fordham Institute found
mixed reaction to a number of education policies coming out of the Statehouse, ranging from
support for the Common Core to disdain for the third grade reading guarantee and the A-F
report cards. The group put out surveys to Ohio’s 614 district superintendents on how they have
been managing seven education reforms, including Common Core state standards in English
language arts and mathematics; teacher evaluations; third-grade reading guarantee; A-F school
ratings; open-enrollment; blended learning and school choice (charters and vouchers). It
received a response from 344 superintendents, and additionally conducted two focus groups
and eight in-depth interviews to gauge the sentiment of superintendents.
LEGISLATOR’S PLAN WOULD PROVIDE PRESCHOOL VOUCHERS FOR 22,000 COLUMBUS
DISPATCH
A Senate Republican leader on education policy wants to create a $100 million voucher
program over the next two years to allow thousands of low-income Ohio children to attend
preschool. For every dollar Ohio spends on early childhood education, the return is $10 or more,
said Sen. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering. The need to have students enter kindergarten prepared to
learn is more vital than ever, she and others argued, especially as the state implements a new
requirement that students pass a reading exam in third grade or risk being held back.
BASA, SENATE LEADER PARSE EDUCATION ‘REFORM’ HANNAH
Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) and Buckeye
Association of School Administrators (BASA) Executive Director Kirk Hamilton voiced some
contrasting views on educational progress in the Buckeye State Friday following the release of a
superintendents’ survey panning a number of the Legislature's school reforms. Lehner and
Hamilton spoke as part of an education panel on Capitol Square hosted by the Fordham
Institute and joined by Reynoldsburg City Schools Superintendent Steve Dackin and policy
researcher Steve Farkas, who authored Thursday’s survey report, “Half Empty or Half Full?”
with the support of Fordham. The forum was attended by state Superintendent Dick Ross, who
generally backed Lehner, and State Board of Education President Debe Terhar, who did not
speak.
NATIONAL, FEDERAL AND US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TOP JOBS OPENING UP IN NATION'S SCHOOL DISTRICTS EDUCATION WEEK
Districts across the country, including some of the nation's largest, are facing a spate of
superintendent vacancies. Schools chiefs or interim superintendents will be leaving this year or
next in at least 17 well-known districts, including Baltimore; Boston; Clark County, Nev.;
Indianapolis; and Wake County, N.C. And while school officials in some places, such as
Baltimore, Boston, and Oakland, Calif., have indicated they intend to continue on paths laid out
by their departing leaders, the turnover elsewhere may signal major changes—and go hand in
hand, in some cases, with a shift in district priorities or governance restructuring.
OHIO LEGISLATION UPDATE (RECENT BILL ACTION IN RED)
130TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Introduced
HB 167 COMMUNITY SCHOOLS (HEARD T, GROSSMAN C) To authorize school districts with
an average daily membership greater than 60,000 and located in a city with a population greater
than 700,000 to levy property taxes, the revenue from which may be shared with partnering
community schools STATUS: Introduced
HB 168 CERTIFIED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS (HAGAN C) To create a subprogram of
the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program that permits students to participate in certified
apprenticeship programs STATUS: Introduced
House
HB 1 OHIO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LAW (DERICKSON T, ROMANCHUK M) To
require a local workforce investment area to use OhioMeansJobs as the local workforce
investment area's job placement system, to rename county one-stop systems, and to make
other changes to Ohio's Workforce Development Law STATUS: Passed by House, Vote 81-11
HB 4 LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT GRANT PROGRAM
(STAUTBERG P, BLESSING III L) To establish the Local Government Performance
Measurement Grant Program STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House State & Local
Government Committee
HB 8 SCHOOL SAFETY LAWS (ROEGNER K, KUNZE S) To revise the school safety law
STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Education Committee
HB 10 FISCAL TOWNSHIPS-MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS FISCAL OFFICERS (HAGAN C)
To establish education programs and continuing education requirements for the fiscal officers of
townships and municipal corporations, to establish procedures for removing those fiscal officers,
county treasurers, and county auditors from office STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House
State & Local Government Committee
HB 14 SCHOOL RECORDS-ABUSED-NEGLECTED-DEPENDENT CHILD (PELANDA D) With
respect to a school district's withholding or transfer to another district or school of the records of
a child who is alleged or adjudicated an abused, neglected, or dependent child. STATUS:
(Passed by House) Referred to Senate Education Committee
HB 16 HEAD INJURIES-YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS (O'BRIEN S, HOTTINGER J) To
correct a cross reference with regard to concussions and head injuries in athletic activities
organized by youth sports organizations and to declare an emergency. STATUS: (Passed by
House) Referred to Senate Medicaid, Health & Human Services Committee
HB 17 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUND (CERA J, GERBERRY R) To require that, for fiscal year
2014 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Local Government Fund must receive the same
proportion of state tax revenue that the Fund received in fiscal year 2005. STATUS: House
Finance & Appropriations Committee
HB 18 METAL DETECTORS-PUBLIC SCHOOLS (PATMON B) With respect to metal detectors
in public schools STATUS: House Education Committee
HB 30 EDUCATORS LETTERS OF ADMONISHMENT (JOHNSON T) Regarding letters of
admonishment to licensed educators STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Education
Committee
HB 32 MINIMUM SCHOOL YEAR (HAYES B, PATMON B) To establish a minimum school year
for school districts, STEM schools, and chartered nonpublic schools based on hours, rather than
days, of instruction STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Education Committee
HB 50 CHILDREN'S' RIGHTS (HEARD T, MCGREGOR R) To protect the rights of children
before and during custodial interrogations STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Judiciary
Committee
HB 58 STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERSHIP (GERBERRY R) To change the voting
membership of the State Board of Education STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House
Education Committee
HB 59 BIENNIAL BUDGET (AMSTUTZ R) To make operating appropriations for the biennium
beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2015; to provide authorization and conditions for
the operation of state programs STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Finance
Committee
HB 96 PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LAW (STRAHORN F) To eliminate
an exemption from the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Law for specified educational
employees STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee
HB 97 DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH (BRENNER A, LETSON T) To designate October as
"Dyslexia Awareness Month” STATUS: House Health & Aging Committee – Reported out
HB 107 CAREER EXPLORATION INTERNSHIPS-TAX CREDIT (BAKER N) To authorize a tax
credit for businesses that employ high school students in career exploration internships
STATUS: Referred to House Ways & Means Committee
HB 111 STATE UNIVERSITIES-STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS (DUFFEY M, STINZIANO M)
To grant student members of the boards of trustees of state universities and the Northeast Ohio
Medical University voting power and the authority to attend executive sessions STATUS:
Referred to House Education Committee
HB 113 HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION (ANTONIO N, HENNE M) To specify that
school districts and chartered nonpublic schools may excuse from high school physical
education students who participate in a school-sponsored athletic club STATUS: Referred to
House Education Committee
HB 115 LOCAL GOVERNMENT BRIDGE FUND (SCHURING K) To create the Local
Government Bridge Fund for the purpose of providing grants to local governments up to the
reduced amount of funds the government received in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 from the Local
Government Fund STATUS: Referred to House Finance & Appropriations Committee
HB 127 CAREER-TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
MONTH (ADAMS R) To designate the month of March as "Career-Technical Education and
Skilled Workforce Development Month” STATUS: House Education Committee – Reported
out
HB 152 RIGHT TO WORK-PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (MAAG R) To remove any requirement under
the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Law that public employees join or pay dues to any
employee organization. STATUS: Referred to House State & Local Government Committee
HB 154 LOTTERY PROFITS-EDUCATION (GERBERRY R) To require that a portion of lottery
profits be distributed annually on a per pupil basis to public and chartered nonpublic schools
STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Finance & Appropriations Committee
HB 158 NONREFUNDABLE TAX CREDITS-NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS (BRENNER A, PATMON
B) To authorize nonrefundable tax credits for donations to nonprofit entities providing
scholarships to low-income students enrolling in nonpublic schools
STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Education Committee
HB 167 COMMUNITY SCHOOLS (HEARD T, GROSSMAN C) To authorize school districts with
an average daily membership greater than 60,000 and located in a city with a population greater
than 700,000 to levy property taxes, the revenue from which may be shared with partnering
community schools STATUS: Introduced
HB 168 CERTIFIED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS (HAGAN C) To create a subprogram of
the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program that permits students to participate in certified
apprenticeship programs STATUS: Introduced
Senate
SB 1 OHIOMEANSJOBS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT REVOLVING LOAN FUND
(BEAGLE B, BALDERSON T) To create the OhioMeansJobs Workforce Development
Revolving Loan Fund, to create the OhioMeansJobs Workforce Development Revolving Loan
Program, to allocate a portion of casino license fees to finance the loan program, and to make
an appropriation. STATUS: (Passed by Senate) Referred to House Manufacturing and
Workforce Development Committee
SB 2 OHIO'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LAW (LEHNER P, BEAGLE B) To require a local
workforce investment area to use OhioMeansJobs as the local workforce investment area's job
placement system, to rename county one-stop systems, and to make other changes to Ohio's
Workforce Development Law STATUS: (Passed by Senate) Referred to House
Manufacturing and Workforce Development Committee
SB 11 SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS (BROWN E) To require school districts to allow
alternative summer meal sponsors to use school facilities to provide food service for summer
intervention services under certain conditions. STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate
Medicaid, Health & Human Services Committee
SB 13 VETERANS-ACADEMIC CREDIT (GENTILE L) To enhance support and services for
veterans at state institutions of higher education and to require each institution to develop a
policy for awarding academic credit to veterans for training received while in the military
STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Public Safety, Local Government & Veterans
Affairs Committee
SB 15 EDUCATION FUNDING (SAWYER T) To prescribe a system and timeline for the
General Assembly to deliberate and determine the components and cost of a high quality public
primary and secondary education STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Finance
Committee
SB 21 THIRD-GRADE READING GUARANTEE (LEHNER P) To revise the requirements for
reading teachers under the Third-Grade Reading Guarantee STATUS: (Passed by Senate)
House Education Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by House, Vote 98-0;
Emergency Vote 94-2
SB 26 HEAD INJURIES-YOUTH SPORTS (SCHAFFER T) To correct a cross reference with
regard to concussions and head injuries in athletic activities organized by youth sports
organizations and to declare an emergency STATUS: (Passed by Senate) House Health &
Aging Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by House, Vote 97-0; Emergency
Vote 92-3
SB 31 INCOME TAX CREDIT-TEACHERS (SCHAFFER T) To allow a credit against the
personal income tax for amounts spent by teachers for instructional materials STATUS:
Introduced; Referred to Senate Ways & Means Committee
SB 35 SPECIAL ELECTIONS (JORDAN K) To eliminate the ability to conduct special elections
in February and August STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate State Government
Oversight & Reform Committee
SB 42 PROPERTY TAXES-SCHOOL SECURITY (MANNING G, GARDNER R) To authorize
school districts to levy a property tax exclusively for school safety and security purposes
STATUS: Passed by Senate, Vote 31-2; Referred to House Way & Means Committee
SB 59 EDUCATION ENERGY COUNCIL (BEAGLE B) To authorize an eligible regional council
of governments to establish itself as an education energy council for the purpose of issuing debt
to pay for school district energy purchases STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Public
Utilities Committee
SB 65 PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LAW (TURNER N) To eliminate an
exemption from the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Law for specific educational
employees STATUS: Referred to Senate Commerce & Labor Committee
SB 67 AUDIT PROCEDURE-POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS (PETERSON B) To create an
agreed-upon procedure audit for certain eligible political subdivisions and to eliminate the
Auditor of State's exemption from filing a rule summary and fiscal analysis with proposed rules.
STATUS: Senate State Government Oversight and Reform Committee – Reported out as
amended
SB 69 COURSE AND PROGRAM SHARING NETWORK (BEAGLE B) To establish the Course
and Program Sharing Network and to make an appropriation STATUS: Introduced; Referred
to Senate Finance Committee
SB 72 TRIO PROGRAMS (TAVARES C) To make an appropriation for the provision of state
matching funds for federal TRIO programs at Ohio institutions of higher education for FY 2014
and FY 2015 STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Finance Committee
SB 74 AGENCY STANDARDS-CHILDRENS FACILITIES (TAVARES C) To require that any
privately run non-Ohio agency, home, school, camp, institution, or other entity or residential
facility to which Ohio abused, neglected, dependent, unruly, or delinquent children are
committed comply with the same standards that are applicable to in-state agencies STATUS:
Introduced; Referred to Senate Criminal Justice Committee
SB 93 OPEN MEETINGS ACT (JONES S) To require that further information be stated in
motions to hold executive sessions under the Open Meetings Act, to expand the fees and
expenses that may be recovered for violations of the Act, and to make other changes to the Act
STATUS: Referred to Senate State Government Oversight and Reform Committee
SB 96 HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM (LAROSE F) To require one unit of
world history in the high school social studies curriculum STATUS: Referred to Senate
Education Committee
SB 122 OFFICE OF REGIONAL SERVICES AND ACCOUNTABILITY (SAWYER T) To create
the Office of Regional Services and Accountability in the Department of Education STATUS:
Introduced; Referred to Senate Education Committee
SB 123 INTERDISTRICT OPEN ENROLLMENT (SAWYER T) To terminate interdistrict open
enrollment on that date with the possibility of renewal following the General Assembly's
examination of the study's findings STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Education
Committee
SB126 SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDS (SCHIAVONI J) To require the State Board of Education to
establish criteria and procedures for the awarding of school safety funds to school districts and
to make an appropriation STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Finance Committee
SB127 PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION-HOME SCHOOLED CHILDREN (JORDAN K) To create
a property tax and a manufactured home tax reduction for parents of home schooled children
equal to the taxes levied by the school district on the homestead of the parent STATUS:
Introduced; Referred to Senate Ways & Means Committee
OHIO POLITICS/BUDGET
TAXPAYERS WILL SOON BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE TO SEE HOW THE STATE IS SPENDING MONEY
STATE NEWS BUREAU
Taxpayers will soon be able to go online to see how the state is spending money. Ohio Public
Radio’s Jo Ingles reports on a new database being developed by state leaders that would allow
Ohioans to follow their tax dollars.
KASICH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $112M TO SCHOOLS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN BWC
REBATE PLAN HANNAH
Under a plan announced by Gov. John Kasich nearly two weeks ago, Ohio schools and local
governments would receive $112.8 million in a rebate from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’
Compensation (BWC). The rebates would go to nearly 3,800 local governments and schools as
part of an overall $1 billion rebate plan. Kasich and BWC Administrator Steve Buehrer said at
the announcement that the rebate would be a part of an overall BWC reform plan that includes
tripling of the Safety and Wellness Grant Program, and a perspective payment system allowing
employers to pay workers’ compensation bills in advance of coverage periods instead of after
them.
HOUSE READING GUARANTEE CHANGES TO GIVE 'MORE LATITUDE' ON TEACHER
QUALIFICATIONS HANNAH
House Education Committee Chairman Gerald Stebelton (R-Lancaster) said Monday that
planned changes to the Third Grade Reading Guarantee cleanup legislation will grant greater
flexibility for schools and teachers to qualify as reading instructors. Witnesses told his
committee Monday that the as-written version of SB21 (Lehner) might leave some professionals
and programs that get results technically unqualified to teach reading to lagging students.
"We're going to have a group of amendments that will give more latitude to school districts and
teachers regarding the Third Grade Reading Guarantee requirements ... and the timelines within
which to do that. One of the things we've found is, it's just -- we're expecting our school districts
to do a lot of things in a relatively short period of time, and there's some legitimate criticism out
there that this is moving too quickly with certain things," he said. "Now, the casualty in this is the
kids who are not being addressed in a timely fashion to meet their needs. But the reality is we
may not have the ability to do that anyway with the requirements of licensure, etc., that are in
this bill."
SCHIAVONI PROPOSES TIERED FUNDING SYSTEM FOR SCHOOL SAFETY HANNAH
Sen. Joe Schiavoni (D-Austintown) plans on introducing legislation that would appropriate $35
million in both FY14 and FY15 to be divvied among school districts by a certain amount
according to size of enrollment. The senator said the additional funds would be for increased
safety and security inside the schools. The money would be distributed in four tiers based on
the district's size. The smallest districts would receive $25,000 and the largest districts would
get $100,000. As an accountability measure, the districts would be required to submit an
application to the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) describing how they will use the funds
to increase school safety. An ODE approval process would then consider and approve
applications that meet predetermined criteria. Applications would be non-competitive, so any
approved district safety project would receive funds.
STILL MUCH TO BE DONE ON THE GAMBLING FRONT IN OHIO AKRON BEACON JOURNAL
The past year has been action-packed for the fledgling gambling industry in Ohio. Casinos and
racinos have been rolling out faster than dice at a craps table. “We’ve been drinking from a
firehose,” Matthew Schuler, executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, said as
he described how his regulatory agency felt about overseeing the opening of four casinos within
11 months.
NO INTERIM CHIEF ON THE HORIZON FOR COLUMBUS SCHOOLS COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The Columbus Board of Education has no idea who will take over the $1.3 billion-a-year,
50,000-student district when Superintendent Gene Harris leaves in just over six weeks, the
board president said yesterday. Almost five weeks after the board abruptly canceled its search
for a permanent superintendent under heavy pressure from Columbus Mayor Michael B.
Coleman, the board has had no discussions on finding an interim leader, has no list of
candidates to choose from and has scheduled no meeting to discuss it.
LEGISLATORS TRY TO COMBAT SCHOOL-STANDARDS RUMORS COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Tom Gibbs has reluctantly watched conservative commentator Glenn Beck and is up to speed
on the criticisms of the new Common Core math and English standards adopted in Ohio and 44
other states. And while the superintendent of both Warren Local and Fort Frye Local schools
has plenty of criticisms of Ohio education policy — he made sure to let lawmakers know about
problems with new teacher evaluations — he said his gripes have little to do with Common
Core.
SENATE EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE COMPLETES HEARINGS; GARDNER IDENTIFIES AREAS TO
ADDRESS HANNAH
The Senate Education Subcommittee completed its hearings on the proposed FY14-15 budget
Wednesday afternoon, with Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green)
commenting that he believes this subcommittee "has spent more hours and heard from more
people" than the other subcommittees combined.
DEWINE, SCHOOL SAFETY TASK FORCE CALL FOR ‘PERIMETER CONTROL’ OF CAMPUSES
HANNAH
Members of Attorney General Mike DeWine’s School Safety Task Force told the State Board of
Education Tuesday that the Legislature would do better to adopt a statewide model for school
safety plans and funding for campus “perimeter control” rather than have the state encourage
teachers to carry guns. DeWine was joined by Executive Director Rick Baron of Ohio Homeland
Security, Director Tom Charles of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, President Ken Hinkle
of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Chairman Frank LaRose (R-Fairlawn) of the Senate
Public Safety, Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee, and Superintendent Joseph
Bergant II of Chardon Local Schools, where what authorities refer to as an “active shooter” killed
three students and injured two last year. Task force members testified throughout the morning in
separate panels but voiced a similar conviction: Guns in schools should be reserved for
resource officers or other highly trained personnel with the experience to intervene in active
shootings.
HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES THIRD GRADE READING GUARANTEE UPDATE HANNAH
The House unanimously passed SB21 (Lehner), a bill that lawmakers said would fix some of the
unintended consequences of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee in 129-SB316 (Lehner) after
Republicans tabled a Democrat's amendment on teacher qualifications. Rep. Gerald Stebelton
(R-Lancaster) said the state ran into an issue after the bill was passed last session where only
4,200 of K-3 teachers were qualified to offer remedial services to students who were falling
behind in reading skills. “A problem, obviously,” he stated on the House floor. He admitted that it
has been a struggle to put into place a system where teachers are high enough quality to
implement the program. The House version of the bill added language addressing the SEED
school planned for Cincinnati that would be built with assistance from the Ohio School Facilities
Commission (OSFC). Stebelton said the language allows the school to contract with the OSFC
to obtain financing on a shared basis with the SEED Foundation, and also states that the
building is only to be used for public purposes should the school no longer use it.
EDUCATORS, LEGISLATORS AREN’T ON SAME PAGE ON OHIO SCHOOL REFORMS COLUMBUS
DISPATCH
A survey of more than half of Ohio school superintendents revealed, with few exceptions, a wide
gap between themselves and legislators regarding what policies will have the most impact.
Fewer than 10 percent of superintendents say new state-issued A-F report cards for districts
and individual schools will boost student learning. And only 1 in 5 believes Ohio’s new thirdgrade reading guarantee will improve schools. It requires schools to provide assistance to
struggling readers and hold back students not reading at grade level by the end of third grade.
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
OHIO SET TO ADOPT NATION-LEADING CAREER-TECH REPORT CARD HANNAH
The State Board of Education is set to approve a career-technical report card that will reportedly
put Ohio in the vanguard of states for workforce development at the K-12 level. Unlike the local
A-F report card approved last year, the proposed career-tech report card adopted by 129SB316 (Lehner) and modified by 129-HB555 (Stebelton) is a “collaborative effort” between the
governor’s office, Board of Regents, state board, and a variety of career-technical education
(CTE) associations, officials with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) told board members
Monday. “Ohio is the only state we are aware of that implements an accountability system
above and beyond what is required by the U.S. Department of Education, and the only state that
will issue a graded report card for career-technical education,” Senior Executive Director Kathy
Shibley of the Center for Student Support and Education Options said.
CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
COMMON CORE SUPPORTERS FIRING BACK EDUCATION WEEK
Supporters of the Common Core State Standards are moving to confront increasingly highprofile opposition to the standards at the state and national levels by rallying the private sector
and initiating coordinated public relations and advertising campaigns as schools continue
implementation. In states such as Michigan and Tennessee, where common-core opponents
feel momentum is with them, state education officials, the business community, and allied
advocacy groups are ramping up efforts to define and buttress support for the standards—and
to counter what they say is misinformation.
MOBILE APPS MAKE FIELD TRIPS MORE INTERACTIVE EDUCATION WEEK
As districts cope with tightening budgets and testing schedules, field trips often fall by the
wayside. But a new generation of field trips may make it easier to integrate curriculum and even
assessment into real-world local settings students can explore. Researchers and educators in a
symposium at the American Educational Research Association conference here this month
suggested the next generation of field trips may use "augmented reality" to make traditional
museum or zoo tours more interactive—or even create a field trip in a neighborhood or empty
lot for a school that otherwise could not afford one.
COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS/PREPARATION
NINE PRESIDENTS OF OHIO PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES PAID ABOVE NATIONAL MEDIAN COLUMBUS
DISPATCH
Most of the public university presidents in Ohio make more money than the national median
salary for the job, according to a new survey The Chronicle of Higher Education released last
night. The publication sought salaries for the 2011-12 academic year, and 10 of the state’s
public-college presidents answered the survey. Nine of them reported earning more than
$441,392, the median total compensation of the 212 public-university presidents in the survey.
Eight of them made more than $500,000.
CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE NAMES JERRY SUE THORNTON'S SUCCESSOR CRAIN’S
CLEVELAND BUSINESS
Cuyahoga Community College has tapped Alex Johnson, who led the college’s Metropolitan
Campus from 1993 to 2003, as its next president. Dr. Johnson, who currently serves as
president of the Community College of Allegheny County in the Pittsburgh area, will replace
Jerry Sue Thornton, who has led Tri-C through a period of marked growth over the last 21
years. She announced in January that she would retire June 30.
FEDERAL SPENDING THAT WORKS INSIDE HIGHER ED
Most community colleges could easily put federal grant money to good use plugging up budget
holes after years of slashing by states. But the U.S. Department of Labor’s $2 billion in
workforce development funding for the sector was designed to encourage two-year colleges to
make lasting, ambitious changes instead of just back-filling budgets. And that approach seems
to be working.
REACHING STUDENTS EARLY INSIDE HIGHER ED
College-going rates could go up significantly if students in high school received counseling as
freshmen, and not just when they are juniors and seniors, a new study from the National
Association for College Admission Counseling says. The impact may be greatest on those in
groups less likely than others to go to college.
EARLY LEARNING
PRESCHOOL PRACTICES AROUND THE GLOBE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EARLY EDUCATION
RESEARCH
Last month, NIEER gave a detailed look at preschool education access, funding, and quality
standards in all 50 U.S. states. Then early this month, the Center for American Progress (CAP)
released an issue brief about the United States’ standing on similar measures of preschool
enrollment, investment, and quality compared to other countries in the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development.
HEAD START CENTERS FEELING 'SEQUESTER' PAIN EDUCATION WEEK
When the automatic federal budget cuts known as sequestration went into effect in March,
Margaret Molloy and her staff at a Head Start agency in the Tucson, Ariz., area started looking
for places to make cuts. Child-Parent Centers Inc., which oversees 40 centers serving nearly
2,800 children in the southeastern part of the state, made plans to scale back on classroom
supplies, learning materials, and conference travel. Some center maintenance, such as
painting, would be deferred the upcoming school year.
STUDYING HOW TO TEST WHAT MATTERS IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION WEEK
As federal and state focus on early childhood education heats up, researchers like Stephanie
Carlson of the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development are trying to measure
the skills that form the foundation of young students' academic success. Skills teachers report
students need to be successful in the school transition, Carlson said, aren't related to knowing
the alphabet or counting to 100, but to executive functions: the ability to concentrate and ignore
distractions, remember and follow rules, transition from one activity to another, suppress
aggression and get along with other students, and wait for turns or rewards.
RESEARCH
ED. FUNDERS GIVING MORE TO SAME FEW, STUDIES SHOW EDUCATION WEEK
As more and more foundation money floods into K-12 education, it is being channeled to fewer
and fewer groups, according to new research presented at the American Educational Research
Association meeting here last week. Researchers also found that foundation money is moving
away from traditional public schools and toward "challengers to the system"—primarily charter
schools—and that the funders in general are becoming much more active in shaping how those
challengers develop.
ANALYSIS: YOUNGEST ELLS BENEFIT FROM DUAL-LANGUAGE PROGRAMS EDUCATION WEEK
The analysis, released today, also underscores that dual-language learners develop language
skills differently than their monolingual, English-speaking peers. Young dual-language learners,
who are using two separate language systems, will take longer to reach proficiency in both
languages than their peers learning only one.
SUPPORT RISES FOR EXPANDED LEARNING EDUCATION WEEK
More than 80 percent of the respondents in a recent survey said more time in school could help
improve students' college and career readiness, according to a new report from the National
Center on Time & Learning and the Education Commission of the States. Findings from the
survey, which sampled 1,000-plus American adults, are included in the report that examines the
current and recent federal, state, and district expanded learning policies and developments.
Chicago's shift to longer school days districtwide and federal School Improvement Grants that
can be used for expanded learning at the local level are two such examples the report cites to
highlight a growing interest in using ELT as a strategy for school reform.
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
PRIVATE
DOLLAR GENERAL LITERACY FOUNDATION ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR YOUTH LITERACY
GRANTS DOLLAR GENERAL (DEADLINE: MAY 23, 2013)
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation provides grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations in
the forty states where Dollar General stores are located. The foundation's Youth Literacy Grants
provide funding to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations working to help students
who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading.
USA FUNDS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR KEY TRANSITIONS IN POSTSECONDARY
EDUCATION INITIATIVE USAFUNDS (DEADLINE: MAY 24, 2013)
USA Funds is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations working to provide education
support services that help students and adult learners complete college. Through its Key
Transitions in Postsecondary Education initiative, the organization will award grants of between
$400,000 to $800,000 to three organizations for programs that support recent high school
graduates, adult learners transitioning into a postsecondary education environment, and
students transitioning between the first and second year of college, particularly at the
community college level.
NATIONAL CENTER FOR FAMILY LITERACY INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR FAMILY LEARNING
LITERACY PROGRAMS NATIONAL CENTER FOR FAMILY LITERACY (DEADLINE: JUNE 24, 2013)
The National Center for Family Literacy is accepting applications from organizations and
educational institutions for projects that engage families in literacy and mentoring. Through the
Toyota Family Learning initiative, NCFL will award five three-year grants of $175,000 each, as
well as a wide range of NCFL training and communications support, to implement services that
engage families in learning together, mentoring other families in learning together, and family
service learning projects.
GTECH SEEKS PROPOSALS TO CREATE AFTER-SCHOOL COMPUTER LABS FOR AT-RISK
YOUTH GTECH (DEADLINE: ROLLING)
GTECH's After School Advantage Program provides nonprofit community agencies and public
schools with state-of-the-art computer labs designed to give inner-city children between the
ages of 5 and 15 a safe, meaningful, and fun learning experience during afterschool hours. The
program provides up to $15,000 in computers, online technology, computer software, and
volunteer hours to afterschool programs in inner-city communities where the online gaming
company has an office. GTECH employees will work with each agency and school to design
and develop a fully operational computer center.
NORTHEAST OHIO SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS FARED "BETTER THAN NORMAL" IN SPECIAL ELECTION, EVEN THOUGH MANY HAD
LOSSES OHIO PUBLIC RADIO
CHARDON SUPT. RETIRES AFTER STAYING EXTRA YEAR FOX 8
BEREA
BEREA, MIDPARK HIGH SCHOOLS CLOSE FINAL CHAPTER OF SEPARATE PROMS SUN NEWS
BEREA, MIDPARK, ROEHM SCHOOLS PLAN CLOSING CEREMONIES SUN NEWS
CMSD
CLEVELAND SCHOOL DISTRICT, CLEVELAND TEACHERS UNION REVAMP SALARY SYSTEM TO
REWARD BEST TEACHERS THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
CLEVELAND SCHOOL BOARD OKS NEW TEACHERS CONTRACT, WILL USE MONEY FROM SALE OF
HEADQUARTERS FOR DOWNTOWN SCHOOL THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
CLEVELAND: HOW SCHOOL CRISIS TEAM HELPED STUDENTS WKYC
FAIRVIEW PARK
FAIRVIEW SCHOOLS MAY DROP LEVY TRY IN NOVEMBER SUN NEWS
NORTH OLMSTED
NO DECISION REACHED YET FOR NEW NORTH OLMSTED CITY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT
LORAIN MORNING JOURNAL
WESTLAKE
WESTLAKE SCHOOLS LOOKS TO STAVE OFF FUTURE DEFICIT LORAIN MORNING JOURNAL
WESTLAKE SCHOOLS PREP FOR POSSIBLE $1M CUTS FOX 8
TEMPERS FLARE OVER HOUSE BILL 59 AT WESTLAKE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING LORAIN
MORNING JOURNAL
WHAT'S NEXT FOR WESTLAKE CITY SCHOOLS AFTER 5.9 MILL LEVY FAILED NEWSNET5