Statewide Education News

Money questions surround Kasich's education reform plan (Dayton Daily News)

COLUMBUS - So many third-grade students are reading below grade level that Ohio Gov. John Kasich is proposing requiring school districts to provide summer school or retain struggling students. But some lawmakers and educators had one question: Where’s the money to pay for the changes? Read More…

Local Issues

Schools chief: ‘This is about kids’ (Tiffin Advertiser Tribune)

The leader of Ohio's public school system visited Tiffin Wednesday to introduce a new phase of school improvement set to begin in the 2014-15 school year. Stan Heffner, superintendent of public instruction for Ohio Department of Education, spoke during Rotary Club of Tiffin's meeting Wednesday afternoon. "This is about kids," he said. "My goal is to put kids ahead of institutions." Read More…

Backers of e-schools protest state’s new grading system (Dispatch)

About 100 parents and students of Ohio e-schools relayed a message to lawmakers today that they should oppose Gov. John Kasich’s proposed school-grading system “until it is fair for all schools.” Instead of the current grading system, in which 92 percent of traditional schools get the equivalent of an A or B, Kasich proposed tougher accountability standards that measure performance on state tests, graduation rates, student progress and how well certain categories of students are doing. Read More…

CMSD Proposes Cuts to Reduce Budget Deficit (WJW-Cleveland)

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is considering laying off teachers as one of several ways to reduce its $66 million deficit. At least 600 teacher and 50 staff member positions are at stake under the proposed cuts, as well as implementing an employee separation incentive program. Selling district owned buildings no longer needed is also under consideration. Read More…

Teays Valley principal was fired illegally, Ohio Supreme Court rules (Dispatch)

The former principal of a Teays Valley Local elementary school must be rehired because school-board members denied her the opportunity to meet with them before she was fired, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled yesterday. The 7-0 decision, written by Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, said the Pickaway County school district broke state law in 2008 by improperly firing Principal Stacey Carna of Ashville Elementary School. Read More…

Disputed schools legislation filed in Columbus as Cleveland Teachers Union and Mayor Frank Jackson plan to continue talks tonight (Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Teachers Union and Mayor Frank Jackson plan to resume negotiating a deal on Jackson's school improvement plan tonight, even though legislation that the union objects to was filed at the Statehouse today. CTU and Jackson had planned to meet after Easter, both sides said yesterday, but they have called a meeting at 7 p.m. tonight at City Hall. If they can reach agreement on one of two remaining sticking points - how to handle staffing at struggling schools - Jackson has hinted that he may not see a need for the other disputed point - his push to start contract negotiations from scratch, throwing out all previous contracts. Read More…

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, teachers union make progress on school reforms plan but don't reach final deal (Plain Dealer)

The Cleveland Teachers Union and Mayor Frank Jackson met for more than seven hours in a last-minute negotiation session Wednesday night trying to reach agreement on the last two disputed points in Jackson’s school improvement plan. The sides broke up about 1:30 a.m., saying they continued making progress and that lawyers would work on language for them to review early next week. Read More…

Students learn science to a different beat (Beacon Journal)

Sitting on the floor in Karen Grindall’s room at Portage Path elementary school on Tuesday afternoon, two cheery first-graders tapped an iPad with enviable ease and laid down their own hip-hop beats. Jullian Lopez and Claire Haidet grinned widely listening to their songs with headphones. They were eager to share them with their teacher, John Bennett. The next step was to write lyrics expressing science concepts in their own words. Read More…

Sheriff: Olentangy H.S. Student Told Others Bomb Would Be Set Off Thursday (WBNS-Columbus)

A student who told another student that a bomb would be set off at Olentangy High School Thursday was being sent to a juvenile detention center, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Walter Davis said Wednesday. The freshman student said that he was leaving the country for the Middle East and that a bomb would be set off at the school at 11 a.m. Thursday, Davis said. Read More…

Green athletic director, attorney still considering course of action (Beacon Journal)

GREEN: Canton attorney Randolph Snow and Green schools Athletic Director Mark Pfaff said they still are considering their next moves following the nonrenewal of Pfaff’s contract last week. “We’re still reviewing the matter to determine what course of action we’ll take,” Snow said in an interview Wednesday. Snow said there is nothing in Pfaff’s personnel file to suggest that the recommendation of Green High School Principal Cindy Brown that Pfaff receive a two-year contract renewal “shouldn’t happen.” Read More…

Lancaster teacher accused of hurting girl, 6 (Dispatch)

A first-grade teacher accused of slamming a student against a locker over homework has been charged with assault and removed from the classroom. Tara W. Graham, 42, pleaded not guilty to the first-degree misdemeanor on Friday in Fairfield County Municipal Court. She teaches at West Elementary School in the Lancaster district. Read More…

Editorial

Building block (Dispatch)

Gov. John Kasich is right to resurrect the idea of the so-called third-grade reading guarantee, this time with more help to prevent kids from falling behind. Lawmakers who are fretting about its cost should work with the administration to develop a plan and then figure out how to fit it into state and school-district budgets. Few academic goals are as important as having children reading at grade level by the end of third grade, because that’s roughly the point at which lessons become complex enough that children can’t master them without good reading-comprehension skills. Read More…