Education News for 02-13-2013

State Education News

• CPS could lose $40M over data 'scrubbing' (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Cincinnati Public Schools could lose up to $40 million in state funding in the current fiscal year because state officials say it thumbed its nose at rules about reporting attendance…Read more…

• State report card on Columbus schools won’t come with rest (Columbus Dispatch)

With a statewide investigation of student-data rigging done, the Ohio Department of Education now will release complete versions of the long-awaited school report cards.…Read more…

• School district to fight lawsuit trying to remove Jesus portrait (Columbus Dispatch)

Rather than relent to a lawsuit, Jackson City Schools officials are going to court to defend the ongoing display of a painting of Jesus that has hung in a school hallway for 66 years.…Read more…

• School district’s report card rating, federal funding at risk (Dayton Daily News)

The state auditor on Tuesday presented his report on the statewide attendance investigation to the State Board of Education to determine whether adjustments should be made to the report card ratings of Northridge Local Schools and eight other districts…Read more…

Local Education News

• Six honored for commitment to schools (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Cincinnatus, 3-C awards honor educators, administrator, volunteer.…Read more…

• Kettering Schools to pull levy from May ballot (Dayton Daily News)

Kettering City Schools Superintendent James Schoenlein announced Tuesday that the district will withdraw its levy from the May 7 ballot due to an improved funding outlook in the new state education budget.…Read more…

• Medina City Schools refinances bonds to save tax dollars (Sun News)

The Medina City Schools recently financed a $45 million bond taking advantage of the current low interest rates. The bond was originally obtained in 1999 to finance the expansion and renovation…Read more…

• Lorain community likes plans to rejuvenate schools (Lorain Morning Journal)

A well-developed community vision is needed to change the direction of Lorain City Schools, Superintendent Tom Tucker said at last night’s special board meeting.…Read more…

• Chardon High School unveils plans to commemorate 1-year anniversary of shooting (Willoughby News Herald)

A carefully planned agenda has been arranged to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the shootings at Chardon High School.…Read more…

• Springfield High opens first school store (Springfield News-Sun)

Springfield High School opened its first school store this year with a group of students learning life and employment skills while operating it.…Read more…

• North Ridgeville Middle School students collect jeans for the homeless (Sun Newpapers)

he North Ridgeville Middle School Student Council is collecting jeans that will be given to shelters and distributed to homeless teens. The Student Council set a goal to collect 225 pairs of jeans…Read more…

Education News for 01-28-2013

State Education News

• Local taxpayers may pay heavy price for state legislature’s reading mandates (Akron Beacon Journal)

The state legislature in June invoked a “third-grade reading guarantee,” requiring school districts beginning in 2014 to keep children from advancing to the fourth grade…Read more...

• Schools brace for teacher retirements after pension reform (Canton Repository)

Even before state lawmakers passed reforms to the state’s five pension systems, North Canton City Schools Treasurer Todd Tolson watched a mass…Read more...

• Educators on edge as funding plan nears (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Gov. John Kasich is expected to release a new school funding formula this week, becoming the fourth Ohio governor to try to fix a funding system the state Supreme Court has said is inequitable and unconstitutional…Read more...

• Ohio's state tests slated to get much harder in two years (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Ohio is about to raise the bar on its state tests for students in third through eighth grade. And just about everyone is predicting…Read more...

• Local school officials brace for the worst as they wonder what Gov. John Kasich's budget will have (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Local school officials are bracing themselves for Gov. John Kasich's plan for funding schools…Read more...

• Some on state board press for special meeting over Terhar controversy (Columbus Dispatch)

Several members of the Ohio Board of Education want a special meeting to discuss the controversy surrounding Board President Debe Terhar…Read more...

• Ohio schools look at adding police officers (Columbus Dispatch)

Most Ohio high schools and some middle schools have an armed, uniformed police officer or deputy sheriff…Read more...

• Schools move quickly to boost security (Columbus Dispatch)

Within days of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting last month, officials in Ohio schools began to sign off on safety updates that had long sat on the back burner…Read more...

• Bill to get police in school (Columbus Dispatch)

Many students might not dwell on the possibility of violence erupting at their school, but some Reynoldsburg seniors say a plan aimed at encouraging off-duty law-enforcement officers…Read more...

• Casino money 'drop in bucket’ for schools (Lima News)

School districts will take every dollar they can get, but officials don’t want the public to confuse casino tax money expected this week to be anything more than what it really is…Read more...

• Incentive would help cops work as substitute teachers (Mansfield News Journal)

U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi wants to encourage off-duty police officers to serve as substitute teachers by giving them a break on their federal taxes…Read more...

• New online tool reports teacher, school employees’ salaries (Springfield News-Sun)

A searchable online database of 2012 salary data for every public school employee in Ohio is now available online, thanks to a right-leaning Columbus-based think tank that published the information…Read more...

• Kasich set to unveil school funding plan (Toledo Blade)

It’s been a decade since the Ohio Supreme Court issued its fourth and final ruling declaring the state’s funding of schools unconstitutional because it placed students in poorer districts at a competitive…Read more...

Local Education News

• Chillicothe schools' orchestra spared from cuts for good measure (Chillicothe Gazette)

It’s been called the “crown jewel” of the Chillicothe City Schools. The orchestra program, which is the only one of its kind in the region…Read more...

• CPS open enrollment plan meets opposition (Cincinnati Enquirer)

The Cincinnati Public Schools board of education expects to vote tonight to open enrollment to out-of-district students…Read more...

• School launches natural resources program (Springfield News-Sun)

The Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center will introduce a natural resources management program next school year, the school’s first new addition…Read more...

• Chinese students show off talents at Toledo schools (Toledo Blade)

It was Pen Tsou’s classroom, but at least for a moment, another teacher took the lead…Read more...

• Shared treasurer decision pending in Liberty, Hubbard (Warren Tribune Chronicle)

A decision will be made in May as to whether two neighboring school districts will share a treasurer…Read more...

Editorial

• Link performance to review of parents (Columbus Dispatch)

According to the Jan. 15 Dispatch article “Teachers’ pay might be linked to quality,” merit pay for teachers would be based on several things but “more on performance than experience…Read more...

"

• Teaching the teachers (Akron Beacon Journal)

Classroom teachers increasingly are feeling the heat to raise student achievement levels. It is quite appropriate that close attention is falling…Read more...

• New emphasis (Columbus Dispatch)

Mental-health care is a critical and underserved need, as was underscored in the wake of recent shootings by mentally disturbed young men…Read more...

• Protecting confidences (Columbus Dispatch)

The unfolding statewide scandal involving school districts accused of cheating on their state report cards makes abundantly clear why employees willing to blow the whistle…Read more...

• Bad bet (Findlay Courier)

Ohio school administrators say they won't rely on state casino revenues to balance their budgets. That is a wise approach, considering their cut of gamblers' wagers at the state's casinos will never make up for state funding…Read more...

Education News for 01-15-2013

State Education News

• Law allows principals to skip being teachers (Cincinnati Enquirer)

When Gilbert A. Dater High School teacher Terri Wessel heard the school’s new assistant principal didn’t have a traditional license, she was nervous…Read more...

• Teachers’ pay might be linked to quality, Kasich says (Columbus Dispatch)

Schools could tie teachers’ pay incentives to their performance as part of Gov. John Kasich’s yet-to-be-unveiled funding formula, the Republican governor said yesterday…Read more...

• Leader is re-elected by state education board (Columbus Dispatch)

A united State Board of Education unanimously re-elected Cincinnati Republican Debe Terhar to a second two-year term as president yesterday…Read more...

• STEM internship program wins state funding (Columbus Dispatch)

The state Controlling Board approved $11 million yesterday for a cooperative internship program designed to help make Ohio a leader in educating students in the high-demand fields of science, technology…Read more...

• Painesville City Schools seeks grant funds to improve literacy, team up with Fairport Harbor (Willoughby News Herald)

Painesville City Local Schools will look to partner with a neighboring district in the future to improve student reading skills…Read more...

Local Education News

• Chillicothe school board faces cuts regardless of levy approval (Chillicothe Gazette)

A number of significant changes, including the closure of Tiffin Elementary School, are on the table as Chillicothe City School officials look to cut $1 million from the district’s budget…Read more...

• Ross County sheriff suggests deputy presence in schools (Chillicothe Gazette)

As schools across the nation continue to look for ways to boost their security, Ross County Sheriff George Lavender has proposed having deputies make daily appearances at all of the county schools…Read more...

• CPS board puts open border policy on hold (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Cincinnati Public Schools on Monday delayed a vote on a policy that would for the first time allow it to open its borders to out-of-district students…Read more...

• Berea, Midpark wrestlers grappling successfully with schools' imminent merger (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Imagine the carnage if St. Edward and St. Ignatius held a joint hockey practice, or if Massillon and McKinley tried to do anything together, even a clambake…Read more...

• Phila schools seek $4 million levy to help boost security (New Philadelphia Times)

The New Philadelphia Board of Education has taken the final step to place on the May primary ballot a 9.6-mill, five-year emergency operating levy, which would pay for…Read more...

• Columbus City Schools Book Purchases Come Under Fire For Alleged Conflict Of Interest (WBNS)

At Marion Franklin High School, questions are not coming from school books but instead are about school books…Read more...

• Teachers institute ‘work to rule’ plan (Youngstown Vindicator)

School officials are responding with a little surprise and a little understanding to Austintown teachers’ new efforts to have their grievances heard…Read more...

• Poland schools beef up security (Youngstown Vindicator)

The board of education agreed Monday to allow a Poland Township police officer in all school buildings and to spend up to $80,000 in security upgrades district-wide…Read more...

Editorial

• Preventable tragedy (Columbus Dispatch)

Parents who are undecided about getting their children vaccinated against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV, might look at the statistics and heed the experience of a surgeon…Read more...

Education News for 01-04-2013

State Education News

• Ohio Lottery Commission reinstates spelling bee funding (Akron Beacon Journal)

After discontinuing funding and considering a reduction in program support, the Ohio Lottery Commission has reached an agreement with Scripps National Spelling Bee…Read more…

Local Education News

• School officials: Journey is safe (Ashtabula Gazette News)

Crossing guards, school resource officers, teachers, administrators and two additional police officers were on duty Thursday at Ashtabula Area City Schools to assist students on their way to and from school.…Read more…

• Stark schools beef up security after Conn. Shootings (Canton Repository)

Shala Brown popped into Warstler Elementary School on Thursday to drop off the hat and gloves her daughter had forgotten that morning. As expected, she found a locked main door and a new doorbell outside.…Read more…

• Focus group date set for Winton Woods schools superintendent search (Cincinnati Enquirer)

The Ohio School Boards Association will host a community focus group to discuss the search for the next superintendent for the Winton Woods City School District.…Read more…

• Deer Park schools' scores fall short, district looks ahead (Cincinnati Enquirer)

After preliminary results of the state’s report card revealed lower scores and ranking, Deer Park Community City Schools officials are looking for changes to improve for next year.…Read more…


• Finneytown to find superintendent by March 11 (Cincinnati Enquirer)

The Finneytown Local School District is one step closer to finding a permanent superintendent to replace Alan Robertson who will retire Jan. 3.…Read more…


• Parent widens claim against Columbus schools over data rigging (Columbus Dispatch)

The Columbus school district admits in a court filing that its employees made errors that could have resulted in bogus student-achievement gains on state report cards, and that they must stop.…Read more…

• Mansfield school board elects officers (Mansfield News Journal)

Chris Elswick was re-elected president of the Mansfield City Schools Board of Education and Cliff Crose was elected vice president Thursday evening.…Read more…

• New TPS board leader puts levy atop agenda (Toledo Blade)

Passing a new levy for Toledo Public Schools will be a top priority this year, the Toledo Board of Education’s new president said after her election Thursday evening.…Read more…

Editorial

• Concussion rules to protect athletes (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Belatedly, Ohio has joined the ranks of states requiring extra caution for young athletes who may suffer head injuries.…Read more…

• Graduation rates make poor measure of education levels (The Lantern)

In September, Gov. John Kasich gathered the presidents of Ohio's public universities and tasked them with determining how the state’s aid would be distributed.…Read more…

• How school improved by 2 letter-grades on Ohio report card (Cincinnati Enquirer)

The rising voices of about 70 middle-schoolers echo in the cafeteria at CSR Academy. “People, people, can’t you see?” the students shout in a sing-song chant. “CSR is building me!”…Read more…

• Colleges set bar for remedial classes (Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio’s public colleges and universities have agreed to minimum ACT and SAT scores that will guarantee students don’t have to take remedial courses that cost them money but don’t count for credit.…Read more…

Education News for 10-11-2012

State Education News

• Yost has found evidence of deceit in some schools (Columbus Dispatch)

As members of the Columbus Board of Education listened from the audience, state Auditor Dave Yost said that interviews have produced evidence of “mal-intent” behind the changing of student data…Read more...

• More state report card concerns (WKYC)

Cleveland School officials were able to see firsthand more state report card data today. As expected, the district is in academic emergency and could face falling under an academic distress commission's control…Read more...

Local Education News

• Grades mixed on CPS school-choice push (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Cincinnati Public Schools has been working for more than two years to bring successful charter schools into its portfolio. But to date it has zero partnerships to show for it…Read more...

• Frank Jackson and Eric Gordon campaign for tax increase; opponents raise objections (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Mayor Frank Jackson and schools chief Eric Gordon continue pushing their message that the proposed new school tax is needed to help the schools and, in turn, the city and region…Read more...

• Newark high-schoolers on edge (Columbus Dispatch)

Officials continued to keep a close watch yesterday after a Newark High School student reported that she had been raped before school on Tuesday morning…Read more...

• Children Told To Leave School After District Said They Did Not Prove Residency (WBNS)

Family members said that they provided the Westerville City School District everything it needed for their children to attend. Just more than a month ago, a teacher sent the siblings home with all of their books…Read more...

• CMSD Report Card’s Property Value Implications (WJW)

It is almost report card time for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. A second round of preliminary report card data will be released next week. “(Tuesday) night, the State Board of Education voted to release the spread sheets…Read more...

• TCTC studies land deal for solar project (Youngstown Vindicator)

By the middle of this winter, a crop of solar-collection panels could begin to emerge on 10 of the 30 acres of farmland between the state Route 5 bypass and the Trumbull Career and Technical Center…Read more...

Editorial

• Role reversal (Columbus Dispatch)

Recent developments in Ohio’s public schools make it clear that school boards should be more independent and watchful, not less, to guard against potential problems. More diligence by board members…Read more...

Education News for 09-20-2012

State Education News

• Little Miami to appeal state ruling on transfers (Cincinnati Enquirer)

The financially troubled Little Miami Schools will appeal a state board ruling that may clear the way for a portion of its Warren County district to transfer…Read more...

• 37 state schools to brainstorm on saving (Columbus Dispatch)

Officials from all 37 Ohio public colleges and universities are to meet today to discuss how they can reduce costs to students and taxpayers and improve efficiencies…Read more...

• District warned of fiscal emergency (Youngstown Vindicator)

Nearly 100 residents, teachers and other school employees packed Mathews High School cafeteria Wednesday evening to hear an Ohio Department of Education official warn about the consequences…Read more...

Local Education News

• Revere reaches contract with workers (Akron Beacon Journal)

The Revere school board has reached a new contract with one of its unions…Read more...

• CPS approves teacher evaluation system (Cincinnati Enquirer)

The Cincinnati school board Wednesday unanimously approved a new teacher evaluation policy that grades teachers on their students' academic growth…Read more...

• Cleveland parents get lessons in truancy and curfew dangers (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Missing curfew and being truant might seem like small violations, but if students aren't where they are supposed to be, they're more likely to be in a place where they'll get into trouble…Read more...

• School building study discussed (Findlay Courier)

The Arcadia school board was given a homework assignment Wednesday to study an analysis of its school facilities…Read more...

• Drug test program is for volunteers (Warren Tribune Chronicle)

The new voluntary random drug testing program at the high school provides students with one more avenue for saying no to drugs, Principal Mary Walker said…Read more...

Editorial

• A flawed attempt at an in-school seclusion policy for Ohio (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Thank goodness the Ohio Board of Education's first crack at outlining the appropriate use of restraints and seclusion to isolate troubled youngsters is just an ill-conceived draft…Read more...

• Third-grade goal (Columbus Dispatch)

With a recent vote to set a cut-off score for Ohio’s new “third-grade reading guarantee,” the state Board of Education has drawn a reasonable line for determining which children are struggling…Read more...