Statewide Education News

Mansfield schools develop new mathematics program (News-Journal)

MANSFIELD - Mansfield City Schools has begun reshaping the way mathematics is taught at the elementary, intermediate and middle school levels in preparation for state common core academic standards that will be required for the 2014-15 school year. "The Ohio Department of Education's revised common core standards will be in effect in 18 months, but we aren't waiting," said Superintendent Dan Freund. "We have begun embedding new strategies in classroom math instruction in conjunction with coaching from Ohio State University-Mansfield. Read More…

Private schools spared tragedy of shootings (Blade)

In the past 45 years, of the dozens of school shootings across the country, almost all of them have taken place at a public institution. People who study school shootings seem to agree that there isn't a large enough sample of cases -- thankfully, they add -- to say with certainty that most of the incidents happen at public schools and, if true, why. "I'm skeptical if that's a valid enough conclusion," said Eric Dubow, a psychology professor at Bowling Green State University. "Thank God there are not that many school shootings. It's not a large enough sample size to make that claim yet." Read More…

School districts face tough choices if ballot issues fail (Beacon Journal)

The Woodridge school district covers nearly 43 square miles of hilly terrain from North Akron and Cuyahoga Falls deep into the Cuyahoga Valley National Park beyond Peninsula into a sliver of Brecksville on the north side. So the district spends $1.6 million a year to provide bus service to every student from kindergarten to high school. “We have the national park sitting right in the middle of the district,” said Superintendent Walter Davis. “We have school buses that are 22 and 20 years old with 300,000 and 400,000 miles on them.” Read More…

School Officials: Rumor Control Most Difficult During Lockdowns (WBNS 10 CBS)

POWELL - Two days after eight schools in the Olentangy Local Schools district were placed under lockdown, administrators on Thursday explained the events that led to their decision. School officials said that fast, accurate information was key to responding appropriately. "They were in pursuit, but they weren't sure where they were," said Mark Raiff, the district's executive director of academics. "At that point in time, the decision was simple - the entire west side is going into lockdown." Read More…

Repayment would ‘force bankruptcy’ (Vindicator)

YOUNGSTOWN - The Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership has mounted a multifaceted campaign to persuade the United States Department of Agriculture to review a demand for nearly $900,000 by the Ohio Department of Education. If the state education department demand stands, MYCAP says it would be forced into bankruptcy and out of business. The anti-poverty agency provides assistance to low-income residents through programs such as Head Start. Read More…

Local Issues

Teacher shuffling by Columbus schools upsets parents (Dispatch)

The Columbus school district is changing its gifted and talented programs, and also shifting about 160 math and science teaching positions to reading jobs. The district on Tuesday notified a group of teachers who work with gifted students and the 160 specialists who worked to improve students’ understanding of math and science that their positions would be “staff reduced” at the end of the school year. The teachers aren’t being laid off, but they will have to apply for another job within the district. Read More…

Chardon community unites during march to High School (News-Herald)

One heartbeat. That was the message more than a thousand people wanted to send Thursday morning as they walked from Chardon Square to Chardon High School together. It was an emotional show of unity as students, parents and other members of the community made their way back to the scene where five students were shot Monday morning, three fatally. A sea of black and red made its way down the street during the more than 3/4 mile walk. Read More…

Phila school district hopes to save $2.9M with retirement incentives (Times Reporter)

NEW PHILADELPHIA — Facing nearly $7 million in red ink by 2016 in its five-year fiscal projection, New Philadelphia City Schools is offering veteran teachers a retirement incentive plan to help cut the district’s expenses. If two-thirds or 20 of the 30 eligible teachers agree to the plan, it would save the district a projected $2.9 million over the next five years, covering a portion of the projected deficit. Superintendent Bob Alsept said the district has been working on the plan for about a year. Read More…

Program helps students think about future (Newark Advocate)

HEBRON - The Lakewood Education Foundation started with $10 in the bank and a group of community members looking to make a difference. It is paying off in its first year with the Get On Track program, a college and post-secondary access program for Lakewood High School students. "We want to say it's getting on track to something beyond high school," said Holly Graham, a parent of three district students who leads the Get On Track program. Read More…

TPS presents transformation plan to public (Blade)

A year ago, Toledo Public School administrators presented a blueprint for change in the district, a transformation plan. Middle schools and elementary schools would be dropped, and K-8 neighborhood schools adopted. Special education students would leave self-contained classrooms and join their peers in traditional settings. Students in seventh- and eighth-grade would be eligible for high school level courses. Now, administrators say they’ve kept the promises they made, and there’s more changes to come. Read More…

School-levy win won’t mean end of cuts in London (Dispatch)

The London school district has cut more than $4million from its operating budget in the past year, and the board of education recently approved cutting $500,000 more. This latest round of cuts, which include four teaching positions and nearly two-dozen supplemental contracts, likely will happen even if voters approve the district’s property-tax request in Tuesday’s primary election. The operating levy isn’t about restoring services or jobs; it is about balancing the district’s $19.5 million operating budget, said Tom Ben, the interim superintendent. Read More…