distress

Education News for 05-20-2013

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State Education News

  • Glitches follow switch from paper to computer testing (Cincinnati Enquirer)

    • Students aren’t the only ones nervous about state testing. Very public computer glitches plaguing online testing in several states in recent weeks are making educators and state leaders…Read more...

  • Charter tax plan raises questions (Columbus Dispatch)

    • A proposed state law singles out Columbus City Schools taxpayers to shoulder part of the tax burden for charter schools even though thousands of Franklin County’s charter-school students live in suburban school districts…Read more...

  • Reading help on the way for Columbus kindergartners (Columbus Dispatch)

    • Most children who came to kindergarten in Columbus schools without knowing the ABCs, which way to hold a book or other important early-reading skills remained behind when they reached third grade…Read more...

  • Former state education official pleads guilty to possessing child porn (Columbus Dispatch)

    • A fired state education official has pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of child pornography…Read more...

  • Lorain Academic Distress Commission meets (Lorain Morning Journal)

    • The Lorain Academic Distress Commission will see a draft of the district’s academic improvement plan Monday, along with data on how the schools operate…Read more...

Local Education News

    

  • Local revenue increases without ballot requests becoming more common for schools (Chillicothe Gazette)

    • For two decades, Licking Valley Local Schools have not gone to the ballot to ask for more money — but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t taken more from local taxpayers…Read more...

  • CHCA continues to broaden international student program (Cincinnati Enquirer)

    • Many foreign students study abroad in high school for a year or two as exchange students. At Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, most stay for its entirety…Read more...

  • Sheriff won’t support school levies unless districts look at armed personnel (Dayton Daily News)

    • Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones declared this week that he “won’t support a school levy again that doesn’t address school safety with armed personnel…Read more...

  • Beavercreek schools face money crisis in 2015 (Dayton Daily News)

    • Without any changes, the Beavercreek City School District would start the 2015 fiscal year with $5.2 million in the bank, not enough to open the schools for 2015/16 school year…Read more...

  • Gadgets growing on local schools: Even youngest of pupils getting involved (Lima News)

    • Temple Christian sixth-grader Anna Acklin spent this year using a school-issued iPad in class and at home. She considered herself lucky, until learning kindergartners at her school will get iPad Minis…Read more...

  • Here's who wasn't picked; Lorain Academic Distress Commission candidates uncovered (Lorain Morning Journal)

    • The names of seven candidates for the local appointments to Lorain’s Academic Distress Commission have been uncovered through an investigation by the Morning Journal…Read more...

  • Lorain County school leaders oppose expansion of voucher program (Lorain Morning Journal)

    • Lorain County’s school superintendents, as well as administrators from Sandusky City Schools, are speaking out against a proposed expansion to a state voucher program…Read more...

  • Despite hurdles local ballot issues face, system unlikely to change (Mansfield News Journal)

    • For six consecutive times, West Muskingum Local Schools had gone to the voters seeking additional financial support only to be rejected…Read more...

  • Stepp files lawsuit against Medina Board of Education (Sun Newspapers)

    • Medina City School District superintendent Randy Stepp has made good on a threat to take the district to court, filing a lawsuit against the board of education and other district officials in federal court…Read more...

  • Eager for education (Youngstown Vindicator)

    • The 2013 graduates of the Youngstown Early College didn’t talk as much about all the good times they had in high school as about their journeys, and how tough it was staying the course…Read more...

Editorial

  • A promise to our kids (Columbus Dispatch)

    • A bill pending in the Ohio House that would tweak some provisions of Ohio’s third-grade reading guarantee would make the program more workable for schools without undermining its intent…Read more...

Education News for 04-26-2013

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State Education News

  • Columbus schools auditor slows plan to expand office (Columbus Dispatch)

    • The Columbus City Schools’ internal auditor proposed a scaled-back plan last night to boost her staff and help protect the district against future problems like the data-rigging…Read more...

  • Ramos balks at recording Academic Distress Commission meetings (Lorain Morning Journal)

    • Most bylaws of the Academic Distress Commission that will oversee Lorain’s school system were approved Monday, but commission member Raul Ramos…Read more...

Local Education News

    

  • Cleveland names 'investment schools' slated for turnaround (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

    • The Cleveland school district this afternoon named 13 low-performing schools to receive intensive help next school year…Read more...

  • LCC will issue all students iPads (Lima News)

    • Lima Central Catholic High School students will be handed an iPad when they arrive to school next year. They will keep the devices all year, which school officials believe will improve their education…Read more...

  • Lima schools promise free lunch for all (Lima News)

    • Come next school year, every pupil in the Lima schools will be eligible for free lunches…Read more...

  • Hilliard officials rip schools deal to sell land for homes (This Week News)

    • Hilliard city officials say the Hilliard school board acted hypocritically when it approved selling 124 acres to Rockford Homes for almost $5 million, given the district’s past complaints…Read more...

Education News for 01-25-2012

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Statewide Education News

  • New voucher effort serves special-needs students (Dispatch)

    • Ohio is about to launch its fourth tax-funded education-voucher program, this one for students with special needs. The application process is expected to begin in early February for the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship, named after the former state representative from Delaware who pushed for the program. The vouchers — up to $20,000 a year — will be available for the 2012-13 school year. Supporters say the program will give students with disabilities access to services tailored to meet their needs. Read More…

  • Cloverleaf school district placed in fiscal emergency, state oversight (Beacon Journal)

    • Ohio Auditor Dave Yost placed Medina County’s Cloverleaf school district in fiscal emergency Tuesday because the district cannot overcome a nearly $600,000 deficit this June. The following year, the deficit will balloon to $2.6 million. The declaration means the district can borrow money from the state, but must submit all financial decisions — including whether to put a levy on the ballot — to a state commission for approval. Within the next 15 days, a five-member commission will be formed to oversee Cloverleaf’s finances. Read More…

  • Ohio schools boost ranking in 2 U.S. studies (Dayton Daily News)

    • Ohio ranked 10th and 21st for its K-12 education performance and policy as compared to all other states and the District of Columbia for 2011, according to two national studies released this month. In a third study, released today by the National Council on Teacher Quality, the state’s teachers tied for fifth in the nation. According to the NCTQ, Ohio teachers earned a “C+” for 2011 in biennial report. The state had received a “D+” two years ago, making it one of the most improved states according to the most recent study. Read More…

Local Issues

  • Youngstown schools distress commission gets another new leader (Vindicator)

    • Youngstown - The commission charged with developing a plan to move the city schools out of academic distress has a new leader for the second time in three months. Richard Ross, retired superintendent of Reynoldsburg Schools near Columbus, announced his resignation as commission chairman this week. Adrienne O’Neill, a commission member, will take his place. Stan Heffner, state superintendent of public instruction, had appointed Ross last November to lead the academic distress commission, the only one in the state. Read More…

  • Riverside Schools to cut 25 teachers (News-Herald)

    • In a situation becoming quite common in the area, another school district announced teacher layoffs to help balance the budget. At a school board meeting Tuesday night, Riverside Schools announced the district will cut 25 teachers to help make up lost revenue after three failed levies. The elimination of the teaching positions will save the district about $1.5 million of the $3.1 million deficit, Superintendent James Kalis said. Read More…

  • Youngstown board resolves union issues (Vindicator)

    • Youngstown - The school board has resolved two unfair-labor practice charges filed by the teachers union. The Youngstown Education Association filed a charge last April with the State Employment Relations Board after the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission returned management rights to the school district. Some management rights had been relinquished in collective- bargaining agreements. But because the district was in academic emergency last year and under the commission’s control, the law allows the commission to restore those rights to the district. Read More…

  • Richmond Heights School Board terminates contract with lawyer investigating superintendent (News-Herald)

    • The Richmond Heights School Board voted 3-2 Monday to terminate the services of Charles Tyler, the attorney who had been working on the investigation of Superintendent Linda T. Hardwick. Hardwick was relieved of her duties with pay in November pending the investigation of her alleged misappropriation of district property, specifically confidential documents and emails. That investigation has come to a close, but pending issues still exist, and information from Tyler’s report has not been made public as of yet. Read More…

Editorial

  • Expert panel could revamp education in Ohio (Dispatch)

    • Albert Einstein told us that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Sound like our educational system? More and more money, a lot of tinkering, constant reforms and so little change. The recession and state budget woes set off alarms, warning that many education needs can’t be met if we keep this up. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan now talks about the New Normal. Read More…