Statewide Education News
- Ohio State Board Of Education president pays visit to Steubenville schools (WTOV 9 NBC)
STEUBENVILLE - Members of the Ohio State Board of Education visited Jefferson County on Monday to take a look at Steubenville City Schools. Debe Terhar, president of the Ohio education board, spoke to Steubenville City Schools Superintendent Mike McVey about the school district's achievements. Wells Academy is ranked one of the best schools in the state. Terhar said she plans to help other schools improve by putting in place common core standards. Read More…
- Teachers at low-scoring schools to take new test (Dayton Daily News)
This fall, thousands of teachers in Ohio’s lowest-performing schools will be required to take new licensing tests. The requirement — a provision of the state budget law — likely would make Ohio the first state to take this step. It would impact teachers in core subject areas whose schools are in the bottom 10 percent based on Performance Index scores and are in “Academic Watch” or “Academic Emergency.” The rankings would be based on Performance Index scores on the next state report cards which come out in August. Read More…
- Local school districts exploring using solar power energy (Newark Advocate)
HANOVER - A handful of Licking County school districts are exploring using solar energy to provide a portion of their electricity. The solar fields, which still are under negotiation, would supply a portion of electricity to one to three schools in the Lakewood, Licking Valley, Northridge and Southwest Licking school districts. Granville also has been exploring using solar power since at least 2010. "Obviously, you look at every possible way to cut costs you can," Lakewood Superintendent Jay Gault said. "It was going to be huge money we were going to saving over a 20-year period." Read More…
- Senate GOP ready to act on pension fund issues (Dispatch)
Although a $240,000 study likely won’t be finished, years of talking about major changes to Ohio’s five public-pension systems could quickly turn into action this spring in the Ohio Senate. Senate Republican leaders say they expect to act before summer break on plans the pension systems have already proposed to address their long-term solvency issues — if their boards prove that they and their members support the changes. Read More…
Local Issues
- Another 50 jobs could go in Lakota (Enquirer)
LIBERTY TWP. — When Lakota school officials began to comb through the district for cost savings, they said everything was on the table for possible elimination. Now after Monday evening’s final school board meeting reviewing a series of historically deep budget cut proposals, members will soon decide what stays and what goes – including the fate of more than 150 school jobs. Lakota officials presented the latest round of cuts – about 50 positions – to the board during its meeting at Lakota East High School before an audience of more than 120. Read More…
- Remediation high among district grads (Vindicator)
Youngstown - A report from the Ohio Board of Regents shows a high percentage of city school graduates who attended college had to take remedial college courses. The report, from 2009 but released last August, shows that 72 percent of Chaney High School graduates, 83 percent of East graduates and 38 percent of Youngstown Early College graduates took either developmental math or English in college. The percentages were highlighted in February during a city schools Academic Distress Commission meeting. Read More…
- School district expected to save with change in special education service provider (Chillicothe Gazette)
CHILLICOTHE - This past week, Chillicothe City Schools switched providers for special education services, a move expected to save the district money at a time when budget cuts are imminent. The board of education on Feb. 27 approved a contract with the Ross County Board of Developmental Disabilities, better known as the Pioneer Center, to provide special education services to students with multiple disabilities and preschoolers with disabilities for the 2012-13 school year. Read More…
