Study: Ohio charter schools are worst in nation

The Center for Research on Education Issues (CREDO) has just published its 2013 report, "National Charter School Study". CREDO Researchers looked at test data from charter schools in 26 states plus DC. Ohio was one of the 26 states. This study follow up on their 2009 study which garnered a lot of attention for bringing to light the poor quality of the nations charter schools.

This new study finds, despite charter schools being able to screen for the best students, only marginal improvement over the past 4 years

25 percent of charters outperformed traditional public schools in reading while 29 percent of charters delivered stronger results in math. That marked an improvement over a similar 2009 study by the same research team.

But 56 percent of the charters produced no significant difference in reading and 19 percent had worse results than traditional public schools. In math, 40 percent produced no significant difference and 31 percent were significantly worse than regular public schools.

The marginal improvement comes not from improved quality of charter schools in general, but in the closure of more poor performing charter schools lifting the over all average performance.

In Ohio, the charter school experiment is failing miserably. According to the study, Ohio's charter schools got worse over the last 4 years, and now dwell at the bottom of the performance tables. Ohio students who attend charter schools are losing the equivalent of almost 3 weeks of instruction in reading, and an entire grading period in mathematics. That is astonishingly bad news for the 5% of Ohio's students who attend charter schools.

The following table was taken from table 14 (pg 52 of the study)

State	Reading Days	Math Days
Rhode Island	86	108
DC	72	101
Tennessee	86	72
Louisiana	50	65
New York	36	79
New Jersey	43	58
Massachusetts	36	65
New York City	0	94
Michigan	43	43
Indiana	36	14
Illinois	14	22
Missouri	14	22
California	22	-7
North Carolina	22	-7
Minnesota	14	-7
Georgia	14	-14
Colorado	7	-7
Florida	-7	0
New Mexico	0	-29
Arkansas	-22	-22
Utah	-7	-43
Arizona	-22	-29
Texas	-22	-29
Ohio	-14	-43
Oregon	-22	-50
Pennsylvania	-29	-50
Nevada	-108	-137

You can see from the following graphs of performance in 2009 vs 2013 that Ohio's charters are getting worse, and in math, much worse.

It is time to reassess Ohio's 15 year, billion dollar, charter experiment in light of these results and put an end to boosting charter schools at the expense of public schools. The experiement has not only failed, it is getting worse.

May 2013 School Levy Results

The results below are preliminary. A high number of levies passed or failed by less than 2%, with some seperated by just a handful of votes (the Dispatch is reporting that a recount is likely in Groveport as their levy is now failing by 16 votes). A number of these results then, are subject to change before the results are finalized.

Based on these preliminary results, just shy of 60% of all school levies passed yesterday, with a 90% passage rate for renewals and a somewhat higher than normal passage rate for New money requests.

New renewal	Failed	Passed	Pass %
New	50	36	41.9%
Renewal	5	46	90.2%
Over all	55	82	59.9%

Here are the results of the May 7th 2013 school levy elections, currently reported

County	District	Type of issue	Result	N/R	For	Against
Allen	Apollo JVSD	Bond - School	Passed	N	58.0%	42.0%
Allen	Bluffton EV	Income Tax (Permanent	Passed	R	77.2%	22.8%
Allen	Elida Local	Permanent Improvement	Passed	R	60.6%	39.4%
Allen	Elida Local	Emergency Operating	Failed	N	46.8%	53.2%
Allen	Lima City	Emergency Operating	Passed	R	67.3%	32.7%
Ashland	Hillsdale Local	Current Expenses	Passed	R	72.1%	27.9%
Ashland	Loudonville-Perrysville	Emergency Operating	Passed	R	55.2%	44.8%
Ashland	Loudonville-Perrysville	Permanent Improvement	Failed	N	46.2%	53.8%
Ashtabula	Ashtabula City	Emergency Operating	Failed	N	48.4%	51.6%
Ashtabula	Jefferson Area Local	Current Expenses	Passed	R	58.1%	41.9%
Athens	Trimble Local	Permanent Improvement	Failed	N	48.9%	51.1%
Auglaize	St. Marys City	Income Tax (Current	Failed	N	39.7%	60.3%
Auglaize	Waynesfield Goshen	Permanent Improvement	Passed	R	64.6%	35.4%
Belmont	Bellaire Local	Emergency Operating	Failed	N	44.7%	55.3%
Belmont	Bridgeport EV	Current Operating	Failed	N	41.9%	58.1%
Belmont	St. Clairsville-Richland	Current Expenses	Passed	N	70.2%	29.8%
Carroll	Brown Local	Bond Issue (Building) &	Failed	N	49.2%	50.8%
Carroll	Carrollton EV	Emergency Operating	Failed	N	40.6%	59.4%
Champaign	Urbana City	Operating Expenses	Passed	N	75.9%	24.1%
Clark	Clark-Shawnee Local	Operating Levy	Failed	N	49.8%	50.2%
Clark	Greenon Local	Building & Current	Failed	N	46.1%	53.9%
Clark	Springfield City	Bond Issues (Building &	Passed	N	57.6%	42.4%
Clark	Tecumseh Local	Emergency Operating	Failed	N	31.0%	69.0%
Clermont	Milford EV	Current Operating	Passed	N	59.8%	40.2%
Columbiana	Columbiana EV	Bond (Building &	Failed	N	42.1%	57.9%
Columbiana	Salem City	Permanent Improvement	Passed	R	74.4%	25.6%
Columbiana	United Local	Permanent Improvement	Failed	N	41.1%	58.9%
Crawford	Galion City	Current Operating	Failed	N	33.8%	66.2%
Cuyahoga	Brecksville-Broadview	Current Operating	Passed	R	61.4%	38.6%
Cuyahoga	Brooklyn City	Bond (Building) &	Passed	N	57.6%	42.4%
Cuyahoga	Lakewood City	Current Operating	Passed	N	68.4%	31.6%
Cuyahoga	Westlake City	Current Operating	Failed	N	49.6%	50.4%
Darke	Mississinawa Valley	Building & Permanent	Passed	R	67.6%	32.4%
Delaware	Delaware City	Bond (Building &	Passed	N	60.6%	39.4%
Erie	Edison Local	Emergency Operating	Passed	N	52.0%	48.0%
Erie	Perkins Local	Permanent	Passed	R	51.4%	48.6%
Erie	Perkins Local	Emergency Operating	Failed	N	35.5%	64.5%
Fairfield	Walnut Township Local	Income Tax (Current	Passed	N	51.7%	48.3%
Franklin	Groveport Madison	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	50.2%	49.8%
Fulton	Swanton Local	Bond (Building) &	Failed	N	45.2%	54.8%
Geauga	Ledgemont Local	Operating Levy	Failed	N	40.2%	59.8%
Greene	Fairborn City	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	34.1%	65.9%
Hamilton	Forest Hills Local	Bond (Building &	Failed	N	45.0%	55.0%
Hamilton	Oak Hills Local	Operating Levy	Failed	N	45.2%	54.8%
Hancock	Cory-Rawson Local	Income Tax Current	Passed	R	58.0%	42.0%
Hardin	Ada EV	Income Tax Current	Passed	N	55.1%	44.9%
Hardin	Upper Scioto Local	Permanent Improvement	Failed	N	48.5%	51.5%
Hardin	Upper Scioto Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	55.4%	44.6%
Henry	Napoleon Area City	Income Tax Current	Failed	N	46.8%	53.2%
Holmes	West Holmes Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	67.4%	32.6%
Huron	Monroeville Local	Building &	Passed	R	51.0%	49.0%
Huron	Willard City	Permanent	Failed	N	39.4%	60.6%
Jefferson	Buckeye Local	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	34.5%	65.5%
Jefferson	Indian Creek Local	Bond (Building &	Failed	N	37.9%	62.1%
Jefferson	Jefferson County JVSD	Current Expense &	Failed	N	46.6%	53.4%
Knox	East Knox Local	Current Expense &	Failed	N	45.0%	55.0%
Knox	Mount Vernon Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	65.7%	34.3%
Lake	Kirtland Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	53.4%	46.6%
Lake	Mentor EV	Operating Expenses	Passed	R	73.2%	26.8%
Lake	Mentor EV	Permanent	Passed	R	73.1%	26.9%
Lake	Painesville City	Current Operating	Passed	R	58.8%	41.2%
Lake	Willoughby-Eastlake	Emergency Levy	Failed	R	46.7%	53.3%
Licking	Johnstown-Monroe	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	65.4%	34.6%
Licking	Lakewood Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	59.7%	40.3%
Licking	Licking Heights Local	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	38.9%	61.1%
Licking	North Fork Local	Income Tax Current	Failed	N	46.6%	53.4%
Logan	Benjamin Logan Local	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	49.5%	50.5%
Logan	West Liberty Salem	Income Tax Current	Passed	N	66.1%	33.9%
Lorain	Amherst EV	Permanent Improvement	Passed	R	61.0%	39.0%
Lorain	Amherst EV	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	62.0%	38.0%
Lorain	Avon Lake City	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	52.2%	47.8%
Lorain	Columbia Local	Current Expenses	Failed	N	44.3%	55.7%
Lorain	North Ridgeville City	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	64.4%	35.6%
Lucas	Oregon City	Building & Permanent	Passed	R	61.0%	39.0%
Madison	Madison-Plains Local	Permanent	Failed	N	43.9%	56.1%
Mahoning	Boardman Local	Permanent	Passed	N	50.1%	49.9%
Mahoning	Boardman Local	Current Operating	Passed	R	60.5%	39.5%
Mahoning	Jackson-Milton Local	Permanent	Passed	R	57.4%	42.6%
Mahoning	Jackson-Milton Local	Operating Expenses	Passed	R	57.3%	42.7%
Mahoning	Poland Local	Emergency Operating	Passed	R	65.4%	34.6%
Mahoning	Springfield Local	Building & Permanent	Passed	N	61.1%	38.9%
Medina	Black River Local	Emergency Operating	Passed	N	51.1%	48.9%
Medina	Cloverleaf Local	Emergency Operating	Failed	N	49.3%	50.7%
Mercer	Celina City	Income Tax Current	Passed	R	67.4%	32.6%
Mercer	Marion Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	61.2%	38.8%
Miami	Covington EV	Building & Permanent	Passed	N	51.6%	48.4%
Miami	Milton-Union EV	Current Expenses	Passed	R	58.2%	41.8%
Miami	Piqua City	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	64.5%	35.5%
Miami	Tipp City EV	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	51.4%	48.6%
Monroe	Switzerland of Ohio	Operating Expenses	Failed	N	48.9%	51.1%
Montgomery	Brookville Local	Current Expenses	Passed	R	68.8%	31.2%
Montgomery	Brookville Local	Current Expenses	Passed	N	50.0%	50.0%
Montgomery	Centerville City	Current Expenses	Failed	N	49.3%	50.7%
Montgomery	Jefferson Township	Bond Issue (Building) &	Failed	N	23.8%	76.2%
Montgomery	Valley View Local	Current Expenses	Passed	N	54.8%	45.2%
Morrow	Cardington-Lincoln	Income Tax Current	Failed	N	49.1%	50.9%
Muskingum	East Muskingum Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	76.8%	23.2%
Muskingum	West Muskingum Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	55.9%	44.1%
Noble	Caldwell EV	Replacement and	Passed	N	57.3%	42.7%
Portage	Kent City	Current Expenses	Passed	N	61.0%	39.0%
Preble	Twin Valley	Income Tax Current	Failed	N	48.4%	51.6%
Richland	Mansfield City	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	72.2%	27.8%
Ross	Chillicothe City	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	50.6%	49.4%
Sandusky	Clyde-Green Springs	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	38.4%	61.6%
Sandusky	Gibsonburg EV	Income Tax Current	Failed	N	47.5%	52.5%
Seneca	Bettsville Local	Income Tax Current	Passed	R	53.3%	46.7%
Seneca	Fostoria City	Necessary Requirements	Passed	N	59.0%	41.0%
Shelby	Fairlawn Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	66.4%	33.6%
Stark	Canton Local	Bond Building &	Failed	N	49.6%	50.4%
Stark	Fairless Local	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	39.0%	61.0%
Stark	Louisville City	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	62.0%	38.0%
Stark	Marlington Local	Bond (Building) &	Failed	N	43.8%	56.2%
Stark	North Canton City	Permanent	Passed	N	57.8%	42.2%
Summit	Barberton City	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	54.6%	45.4%
Summit	Coventry Local	Bond (Building) &	Passed	N	55.2%	44.8%
Summit	Cuyahoga Falls City	Permanent	Failed	N	42.8%	57.2%
Summit	Manchester Local	Current Expenses	Passed	R	72.0%	28.0%
Summit	Mogadore Local	Current Expenses	Failed	R	40.6%	59.4%
Trumbull	Brookfield Local	Current Expenses	Passed	R	50.1%	49.9%
Trumbull	Champion Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	51.6%	48.4%
Trumbull	Girard City	Emergency Levy	Passed	N	62.1%	37.9%
Trumbull	Lakeview Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	61.6%	38.4%
Trumbull	Maplewood Local	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	65.0%	35.0%
Trumbull	McDonald Local	Operating Expenses	Passed	R	63.5%	36.5%
Trumbull	Newton Falls EV	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	37.9%	62.1%
Trumbull	Niles City	Emergency Levy	Failed	N	29.9%	70.1%
Trumbull	Niles City	Permanent	Failed	N	30.6%	69.4%
Union	Marysville EV	Current Operating	Passed	R	78.8%	21.2%
Van Wert	Van Wert City	Income Tax Current	Passed	N	59.7%	40.3%
Warren	Carlisle Local	Operating Levy	Passed	N	53.4%	46.6%
Wayne	Orrville City	Current Expenses	Failed	N	40.6%	59.4%
Williams	Millcreek West Unity	Emergency Levy	Passed	R	70.2%	29.8%
Wood	Bowling Green City	Current Expenses	Failed	R	34.6%	65.4%
Wood	Elmwood Local	Income Tax Current	Failed	R	41.5%	58.5%
Wood	Elmwood Local	Income Tax Current	Failed	R	41.7%	58.3%
Wood	North Baltimore Local	Current Expenses	Passed	R	53.0%	47.0%
Wyandot	Carey EV	Bond (Building) &	Passed	N	64.4%	35.6%

HB555 FAQ for teacher evaluations

We've just got our hands on this document put out by the Ohio Department of Education. It's an updated framework for teacher evaluations based on the changes that were slipped into HB555 in the dead of night.

Is there a more ridiculously convoluted and complex framework for evaluating any other professions job performance? How is any teacher expected to understand all this enough to know where to focus improvement efforts, especially since the Value-added formula itself is secret and proprietary.

HB 555 FAQ with regard to teacher evaluations by

Straight Talk on Teaching Quality

The Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University recently published a paper titled "Straight Talk on Teaching Quality: Six Game-Changing Ideas and What to Do About Them" , described this guide as being "about game-changing strategies for improving teacher effectiveness".

The six headlines (organized around "The problem, what needs to happen, who is doing something good, and what can I do) are:

• Follow Your Bliss: Career Pathways for Teachers
• Evaluation Nation: Multiple Ways of Measuring Performance
• Support for Teachers, Not Just Rewards and Sanctions: Why Firing Teachers Won't Lead to Large-Scale Improvement
• Environmentally Friendly: Why School Culture and Working Conditions Matter
• No Teacher is an Island: the Importance of In-School Partnerships and Teacher Collaboration
• No School Is an Island: Partnerships with Parents and Community

It's a short read, and worth the time.

Straight Talk on Teaching Quality: Six Game-Changing Ideas and What to Do About Them

Money Matters

In a topical follow up to our article on Ohio's lack of a school funding formula, The Shanker Institute adds this weight of evidence to the funding debate. We'd like to draw specific attention to the areas we have bolded.

Our new report, written by Rutgers professor Bruce Baker and entitled “Revisiting the Age-Old Question: Does Money Matter in Education?” reviews this body of evidence.

Contrary to the canned rhetoric flying around public discourse on education finance, high-quality research like that discussed in Baker’s review does not lend itself to broad, sweeping conclusions. Some things work and others don’t, and so the strength and consistency of the money/results relationship varies by how it’s spent, the students on whom it spent, and other factors. Sometimes effects are small, and sometimes they’re larger.

Nevertheless, on the whole, Baker’s review shows that there is a consistently positive effect of higher spending on achievement. Moreover, interventions that cost money, such as higher teacher salaries, have a proven track record of getting results, while state-level policies to increase the adequacy and equitability of school finance have also been shown to improve the level and distribution of student performance.

Finally, and most relevant to the current budget context, the common argument that we can reduce education funding without any harm to (and, some argue, actual improvement of) achievement outcomes has no basis in empirical evidence.

Without question, there is plenty of room for improvement in how we finance our public education system, and much to learn about how spending affects short- and long-term outcomes. But the fact that some people are not only arguing that money makes no difference, but also that reducing funding will cause no harm (and might even help), can only be described as a fantasy, dressed up with misleading graphs, unproven “off the shelf” cost-cutting measures and gigantic misinterpretations of the impressive body of evidence on this topic.

More funding will not solve all our problems, but, as Baker puts it, “sufficient financial resources are a necessary underlying condition for providing quality education.”

In other words, money matters.

Analysis shows charters underperform in Ohio's big 8

Every year, the state of Ohio releases an enormous amount of district- and school-level performance data. Since Ohio has among the largest charter school populations in the nation, the data provide an opportunity to examine performance differences between charters and regular public schools in the state.

Ohio’s charters are concentrated largely in the urban “Ohio 8” districts (sometimes called the “Big 8”): Akron; Canton; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus; Dayton; Toledo; and Youngstown. Charter coverage varies considerably between the “Ohio 8” districts, but it is, on average, about 20 percent, compared with roughly five percent across the whole state. I will therefore limit my quick analysis to these districts.
[...]
In short, there are significant differences between charters and regular public schools in the likelihood that they receive different ratings, even controlling for the student characteristics mentioned above. To make things simpler, let’s take a look at how “being a charter school” affects the predicted probability of receiving ratings using three different “cutoff” points: The odds of schools receiving the rating of “continuous improvement” or better; “effective” or better; and “excellent” or better. The graph below represents the change in probability for charter schools.

The difference between the two types of schools in the probability of receiving “excellent” or better (-0.02, or two percent) is small and not statistically significant. The other two differences, on the other hand, are both large and significant. Charter schools are 13 percent less likely to receive a rating of “effective” or better, and they are 22 percent less likely to receive “continuous improvement” or better.

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