Budget conference committee take backward steps

If one had hoped that the budget conference committee would take the Governor, House and Senate education policy plans and blend them into a better product, those hopes were dashed yesterday.

The budget continues to disinvest in Ohio's public education system to the tune of $532.7 million compared to 2010-2011 funding levels. To add further insult to that injury, in order to pass along income tax cuts to Ohio's wealthiest citizens, the GOP controlled legislature is also eliminating the 12.5% property tax rollback. A homeowner would face paying an additional $4.38 per mill for every $100,000 in taxable property value on new levies - making those levies a tougher sell for struggling schools.

In other areas of education policy, the conference committee failed too. The Senate had proposed to reduce the weight of a teachers evaluation using value-added from 50% to 35%. However, the conference committee reversed that policy improvement leaving the absurd over-reliance of value-add in place at 50%. Furthermore, the Senate had proposed eliminating the scores from teachers evaluations of students who were unexcused absent for 30 days or more. This would have been down from the current law of 60 days. The Conference committee reset that to an objectionable 45 days. For reference, Ohio Revised Code states that a student is chronically truant after only 15 days of unexcused absence - so why any teacher should be evaluated based on chronically truant students can only be explained by the legislature wanting to be punitive towards educators.

According to Gongwer

Conferees did adopt some last minute tweaks to the school funding that Republicans said would steer some additional money to poorer urban and rural districts.

One amendment would shift some funding from the K-3 literacy fund for all schools to economically disadvantaged districts and charter schools, according to House Republican policy aide Colleen Grady. However, the revision would not significantly alter the bottom line on K-12 spending.

So in order to more adequately fund rural school districts the legislature decided not to add more money to the put but to shift money from their own 3rd grade reading guarantee. This isn't education policy, it is madness.

Other notable changes

• Revise the enrollment count for funding traditional school districts by switching to an annualized processed that would be updated three times a year starting in 2015.
• Remove a funding guarantee for charter schools rated "excellent" for three years consecutively.
• Subject private school students to state testing requirements if more than 65% of the population uses state vouchers, while allowing pupils not on scholarships to opt out of the exams.
• Specify that homeschooled children and students moving into Ohio could obtain for EdChoice vouchers if they live in an eligible school district.
• Ensure that students attending a STEM school can participate in extracurricular activities in their resident schools.
• Create an advisory committee to guide distribution of the Straight A grant program funds and advise the governing board.
• Cap Straight A fund awards at $5 million for a single grantee and $15 million for a consortium, while allowing the Controlling Board to approve higher amounts.

So-called "right to work" Hot Potato

The House Manufacturing and Workforce Development Committee, chaired by Rep. Schuring (R) held the first reading of HB151 and HJR5 - the anti worker so-called "right to work" legislation. They heard from the bills sponsors, Rep. Roegner (R) and Rep. Maag (R).

The hearing room was packed to capacity by opponents of the bill, indeed so many people were in opposition to this bill that they filled two additional overflow rooms, and left some standing in the hallways listening over a speaker system.

As expected, Rep. Roegner and Rep. Maag gave misleading and highly selective testimony, that failed to stand up to questions from the committee. Often they had to fall back upon "feelings", "beliefs" and ad nauseam recitation of the word "freedom" like they were auditioning for the role of William Wallace in an off-Broad St. production of Braveheart.

Rep. Tom Letson (D-Warren) said Ohio law already allows employees to choose not to belong to unions and instead contribute "fair share" payments. "It seems as though the freedom you are espousing here is already in the body of the law," he said, suggesting the proposal was redundant.

The Democrat's statement drew a roar of applause from the audience, prompting Chairman Schuring to slam the gavel and warn spectators to observe proper decorum or be ejected from the room.

Rep. Roland Winburn (D-Dayton) questioned whether the measure would allow workers who choose not to pay union dues to benefit from the union's representation and called it "a right-to-freeload law more than the workplace freedom law."

Rep. Patterson said he believed allowing individual workers to "cut their own deals" with management effectively undermines the efficacy of collective bargaining and asked the sponsors if they thought the measure would weaken labor unions in the state.

The true facts regarding so-called "right to work" laws and their impact on working people and the economy are clear

The hearing was more notable for what didn't happen, rather than what did. Not a single Republican questioned their colleagues about their proposed bill, despite intense questioning by the Democrats on the committee. It was also apparent that there were few, if any supporters of the bill at the hearing.

The lack of a convincing case for the bill, a lack of support in the Republican caucus, and widespread opposition led the chairman to declare the bill dead in his committee

The chairman of a House panel that heard testimony on controversial right-to-work legislation Tuesday said there would be no further hearings on the matter in his committee.

Chairman Rep. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) said after the hearing that members of the panel had unanimously agreed not to continue deliberations on the proposals.

"I've surveyed the committee and for a wide variety of reasons, the committee has determined that it would not be appropriate to have additional hearings on the legislation," he said in an interview.

"My individual thoughts are that I've been in the legislature now for 20 years and I have not had one union shop - an owner of a company that is a union shop or an executive from a company that is a union shop - has come to me and asked for this type of legislation," the chairman said.

"So I think it's something that does not need to be addressed at this point in time. There are a whole host of other issues regarding our economy and how we can improve the economic climate in this state that we need to address."

The chairman's comments reflect the radioactive nature of the issue currently for majority Republicans who saw an attempt to curb union collective bargaining thrown out by voters last session (SB5, 129th General Assembly).

With that, the Republicans in the Ohio House passed this hot potato to their Tea Party grassroots activists. Signature collection by right wing extremists now being the only route left for this legislation to move forward. With that signature collection deadline fast approaching, and reports that the Tea Party are struggling to collect those signatures, it is unlikely a so-called "right to work" amendment will find its way onto a ballot this year. This Leaves next year (when the governor and most of his legislative pals are up for reelection) as the next possible date, followed shortly afterwards by the lame duck session of 2014.

But for now, it doesn't look like anyone wants to be left holding this anti-worker, deceitful hot potato.

Substitute HB59 (budget bill) Analysis

The House finance committee moved their substitute budget bill out of committee yesterday along a party line vote. Few changes were made to the education funding and policy piece, leaving the House budget bill underfunding Ohio's public schools by about $200 million less than the Governor's widely panned funding plan.

The House budget bill continues to hand gifts to the private school and for-profit charter school movement. There is a massive expansion of vouchers, only limited by household income needing ot be below 200% of the federal poverty line (currently ~$46,000). This means that for the first time, high performing districts could lose students and dollars to private schools that likely underperform their public school counterparts.

Steve Dyer has a good run down of the giveaways to charter schools, and especially the catastrophically bad eschools.

Permits an e-school that serves at least grades one through eight to divide into two schools as long as the sponsor agrees and the division is accomplished in either the 2013 – 2014 or 2014 – 2015 school year.

My hunch is this will allow one or both of two things to happen: 1) e-Schools to separate out their higher and lower performing schools and 2) e-Schools to collect more money. I'm becoming more and more impressed with William Lager -- the head of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow. He is fast becoming the state's new David Brennan, giving big checks to politicians accompanied by nice budget carve outs.
[...]
Provides that an e-school is eligible to receive career technical education funding in addition to the core opportunity grant and special education funding.

Once again, kudos to William Lager for getting e-School hands into another pot of public money! While Career-Tech money only constitutes about $120 million over the budget cycle, it will only add to e-School profits. I mean, what better way to learn woodworking than over a computer! I know watching those YouTube demonstrations of how to cut outside mitres have really helped my carpentry. Ask my wife!
[...]
Permits a community school to charge tuition to a student who is not an Ohio resident.

The addition to the Houses's budget bill that caught the most attention however was a move to criminalize the teacher of sex education

The sex education amendment would ban instructors from endorsing anything other than abstinence as acceptable behavior.

The measure also would prohibit handing out contraception on school property.

A parent could sue an instructor who violates the provision and receive damages and attorney fees. And a court could issue a civil fine against the instructor of up to $5,000.
[...]
Moments before taking a vote on the amended bill, committee Chairman Ron Amstutz assured the budget was not about ideology.

When asked what motivated GOP lawmakers to propose the sex education changes, Amstutz said he didn't "have much to offer," adding that he would have to take another look at the bill's language.

"There's been a lot of questions about that," Amstutz said.

The amendment's language prohibits instruction by those who endorse "non-abstinence" or "gateway sexual activity." It defines "gateway sexual activity" by citing the Ohio Revised Code's definition of "sexual contact" listed under the section on sexual offenses. It describes such activity as any touching of an erogenous zone for the purpose of sexual satisfaction.

Innovation Ohio has a good rundown of this ridiculous piece of legislation.

The language also states that class instruction in Ohio may not provide materials that condone sexual activity among unmarried students. It even allows a parent to sue if an educator violates the restrictive provisions in the law.

In short, the state budget now mandates that Ohio adopt an abstinence-only approach to sex education program.

But abstinence education doesn’t work. Research shows this. Teen pregnancies are highest in states with abstinence-only sex education. By contrast, teens who have had comprehensive sex education are 60 percent less likely to become pregnant.

In a state budget that already defunds Planned Parenthood and directs tax dollars to Crisis Pregnancy Centers that lie to women, Ohio lawmakers are moving the state in the wrong direction for Ohio’s women and young people.

Here's the Ohio Legislative Service Commissions document that compares the House version of the budget bill to that of the Governor's , in somewhat plain English

HB59 Comparison Document House

Partisan purges

Fresh of their electoral defeats that produced a large majority thanks to partisan gerrymandering, the extremists in the Ohio House are not done with their partisan purging. Now they are going after the Ohio Accountability Task Force, according to a report in Gongwer

The task force, which first met in December 2003, was tasked with examining how to implement the value-added report card measure in ways that are most useful for improving student achievement, according to ODE documents.

With its name changed to the Ohio Accountability Advisory Committee, the panel's membership would see "substantial" changes including the removal of: the ranking minority members of the House and Senate education committees, a teachers union representative, a school district board of education member, and a school superintendent, Mr. Stebelton said.

It instead includes three members of the public each appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate President, two appointed by the governor and one appointed by the state auditor, he said. The superintendent of public instruction would be a nonvoting member.

"It sounds like from this list that what's been removed from this group, from this board is representation of folks who have experience in education," Rep. Nickie Antonio (R-Lakewood) said.

When Republicans are questioning the merits of the partisan purge you know there must be something wrong. Rep Stabelton, who is sponsoring the legislation (HB555) revealed his partisan purpose when he had this to say

"This will work both ways. Someday when you get back in the majority, our people won't be on it and you folks will."

Of course, due to extreme gerrymandering, Rep Stabelton knows full well that Democrats can never be back in the majority no matter how many Ohioans vote for them. The other real problem with this ridiculous proposal was also repeatedly noted

She (Rep. Denise Driehaus) also raised issues with the lack of presence of local education officials on the panel. "As the committee stands now there are some guarantees that some local representative and folks with education backgrounds, people that are participating in our system now" will be on the committee.

The Ohio General Assembly needs more not less expertise advising it, they have been making an awful mess of education policy these last few years listening to partisans with no education expertise like Rep Stabelton.

Education News for 01-11-2012

Statewide Education News

• State sets Race to the Top pace (Dispatch)

Despite a change of administration and decisions by some districts to abandon the effort, Ohio is on track to implement sweeping reforms to its public-school system, according to an initial assessment of $4 billion Race to the Top grants. In first-year progress reports, the U.S. Department of Education was largely complimentary of the efforts made by the 11 states and District of Columbia to meet individually set goals for improving student and teacher performance. Read More…

• Niles schools edge toward fiscal emergency (Vindicator)

NILES - The Ohio Department of Education may place the Niles schools under fiscal emergency by the end of this month unless the district can produce a plan to eliminate its projected deficits. Niles schools have been under fiscal watch since 2003. A letter to Superintendent Mark Robinson from the finance office of ODE warns that “under the current Fiscal Watch guidelines, your district could be placed in Fiscal Emergency for failure to submit an acceptable financial recovery plan.” “If they aren’t happy with what I give them, they could place us in fiscal emergency by the end of January,” Robinson said. Read More…

• Anti-bullying bill clears Ohio Senate committee (WTOL 11 CBS)

COLUMBUS - An Ohio House bill that would expand policies against bullying in schools and online has cleared a Senate committee. The Senate Education Committee on Tuesday approved House Bill 116 known as the Jessica Logan Act. The proposed legislation is named for a Cincinnati teenager who hanged herself in 2008 after weeks of bullying at her school. State Sen. Joe Schiavoni says the bill includes several concepts from a similar bill he has proposed to address bullying. Read More…

• Wanted: 2,000 tutors (Enquirer)

Education groups Thursday will kick off the second year of a massive campaign to recruit 2,000 volunteer tutors – enough to help every child in Cincinnati Public Schools improve reading and math scores. The Be the Change campaign and volunteer celebration kicks off 11 a.m. Thursday at Rothenberg Academy in Over-the-Rhine. Volunteers do not have to attend the kickoff to apply; they can also apply online, by email or phone. Tutors are asked to commit to one hour of tutoring a week. Training is provided. Read More…

Local Issues

• Hamilton school district looks to focus on improving academics through technology (Journal News)

HAMILTON — At the 2012 organizational meeting of the Hamilton City School District Board of Education, Superintendent Janet Baker said that with the district’s master facilities plan winding down, the district will be able to focus more on improving academic achievement. “A district committee is working with a technology and planning consultant with the goal of creating a comprehensive five-year technology plan,” she said Tuesday night, reporting that a committee met last week for the second time to work on the plan. Read More…

• Accounting error might lead to more cuts (Newark Advocate)

GRANVILLE - Granville's new board of education got some grim news Monday night at its first meeting. Board members learned the district's funding shortfall is worse than projected, although not enough to seek another new property tax levy sooner than expected. District Treasurer Mike Sobul said because of an accounting error in 2011 resulting from a keyboarding mistake in the district office, $396,000 in property tax revenue mistakenly was reflected in the general operating fund instead of the debt service fund, where it was supposed to be. Read More…

• West Carrollton school district reallows non-school activities (Dayton Daily News)

WEST CARROLLTON — School buildings, closed after school to non-school programs following a Nov. 8 levy defeat, have reopened in the West Carrollton school district. District officials agreed to reopen the buildings after determining it was illegal to close them to recreational sports organizations and other non-school groups, officials said Tuesday. “Basically you have to keep your buildings open,” Superintendent Rusty Clifford. Read More…

• Little Miami schools get back on financial feet (Enquirer)

HAMILTON TWP. — Buses will soon begin rolling again in Little Miami Schools, but restoration of other student services and programs – after years of historically deep budget cuts – are farther down the road, school officials said during Tuesday evening’s board meeting. The dubious distinction for the Warren County school system as the most financially distressed in Southwest Ohio will continue through 2012 despite voters in November approving a long-sought tax hike. “We’re sort of standing in a hole right now,” Little Miami Interim Superintendent Greg Power said. Read More…

• Amherst schools cut jobs, close Shupe (Morning Journal)

AMHERST — The Amherst school board agreed to close Shupe Elementary School as a part of its plan to cut $2.5 million from its budget. The board approved cutting $1.55 million from the budget to help deal with the deficit predicted for 2012-2013 school year. With the closing of the elementary school, the district will have to restructure its lower grade levels, according to Superintendent Steve Sayers. Powers Elementary will have pre-kindergarten through second grade, while Harris Elementary will house the third and fourth grades, according to Sayers. Read More…

• East Holmes BOE outlines ways to cut costs (Times Reporter)

BERLIN — About 75 people attended the East Holmes Board of Education meeting Monday, in which a proposal to cut about $1.1 million in spending was outlined. The plan included $600,000 in cuts that were necessitated by the defeat of an emergency operating levy last November and another $500,000 in cuts that will take effect if a 3.77-mill emergency levy is defeated March 6. Read More…

Editorial

• Troubled kids (Dispatch)

Any seasoned teacher can attest that the school struggles of many kids are rooted in emotional and behavioral problems. The longer those problems go unaddressed, the worse everything else is likely to get. That makes two central Ohio programs promising: One requires bullies — and their parents — to confront the ugliness of their actions. Another offers intense therapy for preschoolers, whose behavioral issues are derailing their school careers before they start. Both programs, if successful, would provide a major collateral benefit, as well: making school better for everyone else. Read More…

• Test in November (Beacon Journal)

The Akron Board of Education acted wisely in pulling its request for a property tax increase off the March 6 ballot. The school board has opted instead to place the tax request on the ballot for the general election in November. The decision to wait carries some risk, to be sure, because it gives the board only one shot this year to raise new money that would be collected beginning in 2013. With all that is at stake in the district, school officials need time to ensure they have their ducks in a row if they hope to succeed in persuading voters to raise their property taxes. Read More…

What teachers didn't tell the governor

The Governor's education Czar, Robert Sommers, and his assistant Sarah Dove have finally published their report based upon feedback received via a web form regarding their corporate education reform proposals. The report can be read below.

We don't need to mention how this report lacks any scientific validity, because the reports authors do that for us

This summary is not meant to be a scientific compilation of the information. It is intended, rather, to present the general sentiment of the productive comments received. It is acknowledged that in any particular category, comments were received that would range across the entire spectrum of pros and cons.

It's one of the few honest things said in this highly charged and political document. Despite admitting that the methodology of this study is not sound, almost every single section of this document begins with the phrase "Teachers believe". In many cases what is asserted that teachers believe is not even supported by the actual feedback teachers provided. Earlier in the year, in a 5 part series, we published many of the actual comments teachers provided as input to this process. You can find that series here:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4
• Day 5

The report concludes with recommendations from a "steering committee". But we're never told who served on that committee, only that

"Robert Sommers, Director of the Governor’s Office of 21st Century Education, and Sarah Dove, Ohio’s Teacher Liaison, assembled a steering committee consisting of a cross-section of teachers representing schools and educators across the state.

When a document presents recommendations, do readers not deserve to know who exactly are making these recommendations, what the process for approving them was, and if there was any dissension?UPDATE: Commitee list is burried at the end of the document in the appendix, with no mention of who each person is, or who they represent.

Furthermore, for a process that had very little stakeholder input at all, this recommendation stood out for its audacity

The Ohio Department of Education must commit to providing increased communications with teachers about new evaluation and compensation models.

Little effort has been expended by the Department of Education in educating teachers on where the state is and where it is headed in the areas of evaluation and compensation. By providing teachers with a “big picture” version of the state’s evaluation framework, the state can lay the groundwork for educated and committed teachers. The Department of Education must reach out and collaborate with key stakeholders to assist with getting the needed communications to teachers and leaders across the state. ODE should develop and implement a strategic communications plan to identify key messages, important milestones and identify who is responsible for sharing information.

We agree, but are left wondering why this wasn't done during the preparation of this document?

At the end of the day however the biggest question we are left with is this, what is the point and purpose of this document from the governor's office? The Department of Education has already released its framework for evaluations. The ESB has worked for 2 years on the details of an evaluation system and local school districts and education associations have been working together on developing systems to meet RttT requirements. This flimsy, unscientific, political document, developed by an unnamed steering committee has added nothing to any of these efforts.

Ohio Evaluation Comp Reform