Education News for 04-05-2013

Local Education News

• Ohio superintendent of public instruction presents banners to 3 schools (Coshocton Tribune)

Richard Ross, Ohio’s superintendent of public instruction, visited a couple classrooms during a stop in the county to present three schools with special Schools of Promise banners…Read more…

• Avon Lake City School officials receive $1,500,000 tax revenue advance (Lorain Morning Journal)

Avon Lake City School officials are relieved after being granted a $1.5 million tax revenue advance from the Lorain County Auditor’s Office yesterday after a late tax payment by NRG Energy Inc.…Read more…

• Board overturns decision to close Akron Digital Academy (Akron Beacon Journal)

A recent vote to close Akron Digital Academy, an online charter school sponsored by Akron Public Schools, was overturned Thursday…Read more…

• Charter school under scrutiny (Cincinnati Enquirer)

So many financial and student records are missing from the now shuttered International College Preparatory Academy in Bond Hill that Ohio State Auditor Dave Yost says he questions how nearly $1 million in federal funds was spent…Read more…

• Toledo Public Schools narrows interim superintendent search to 2 finalists (Toledo Blade)

The Toledo Board of Education pared further Thursday its candidate list for interim superintendent of Toledo Public Schools…Read more…

• Canal Winchester plans April 15 vote on open enrollment (Columbus Dispatch)

Canal Winchester could become the third Franklin County school system to open its doors to students living outside the district.…Read more…

• Taking advantage of a change in state law, Fostoria school administrators are seeking voter (Findlay Courier)

Taking advantage of a change in state law, Fostoria school administrators are seeking voter approval of an 8.15-mill continuing levy on May 7.…Read more…

• Three school tax issues on Seneca County ballots in May (Findlay Courier)

Bettsville School District is seeking renewal of a 1 percent, five-year income tax for operating expenses in the May 7 primary.…Read more…

• Clear Fork puts off drug test vote (Mansfield News Journal)

A vote to approve the first reading of the potential new Clear Fork Schools drug testing policy was postponed during a lengthy board meeting Thursday night.…Read more…

• Takin’ It to the Schools part of Alcohol Awareness Month (New Philadelphia Times-Reporter)

As part of Alcohol Awareness Month, Takin’ It to the Schools, a school-based alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention program…Read more…

• $27M Niles high school set to open next week (Youngstown Vindicator)

The new $27 million Niles McKinley High School will officially open to students Tuesday morning.…Read more…

Education News for 11-09-2012

State Education News

• Ohio official: Budget won't be 'business as usual' (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Ohio’s budget director says state revenues have “modestly exceeded” projections during the budget year that began in July…Read more...

• Northeast Ohio students move frequently in some school districts, study says (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

A new statewide study attaches numbers to a situation faced by many Ohio teachers every year…Read more...

• Physical fitness being added to Ohio Report Cards (Willoughby News Herald)

Wondering how area elementary and high school students are faring in terms of physical fitness? Beginning with the 2012-13 Ohio Report Cards you’ll have an idea…Read more...

• High rate of students suspended in Y’town, Warren (Youngstown Vindicator)

Ohio Department of Education records show high numbers of student suspensions in the Mahoning Valley’s two largest school districts…Read more...

• Local schools feel the pinch from loss of state funding (Youngstown Vindicator)

Cuts in state funding for pub- lic schools and the diversion of funds from public school districts to charter schools and voucher programs have been a fact of life in Ohio for years…Read more...

Local Education News

• Mansfield City Schools fiscally responsible (Mansfield News Journal)

Mansfield City Schools is on the right track, according to the school’s fourth annual Fiscal Accountability…Read more...

• Defeat of tax issue will prompt tough decisions for Toledo Public Schools leaders (Toledo Blade)

The defeat of Toledo Public Schools' levy won't result in immediate cuts, but will prompt tough decisions by district leaders…Read more...

• Teacher’s Post-Election Facebook Post Leads To Investigation (WBNS)

An election-related Facebook post by a Columbus City School teacher led to an investigation after parents complained. The Linden McKinley High School teacher posted, "Congrats to those dependent on government…Read more...

• Local School Levy Passes By a Single Vote (WJW)

The final vote on an 8.1 million levy for the Massillon City Schools remains uncertain following Tuesday’s election when the levy passed by only one vote. Of 11,741 votes cast 5,870 voted against the levy, 5,871 voted in favor of it…Read more...

• Youngstown school officials work to bolster students (Youngstown Vindicator)

Using data, visiting classrooms to monitor instruction and building relationships with students are ways principals at four city schools are working to bolster student achievement…Read more...

Editorial

• Damage control (Akron Beacon Journal)

On Tuesday, the voting pattern held on school issues in Ohio: The majority of requests for new operating funds were rejected…Read more...

• With levy won, the pressure's on Cleveland schools leaders to perform (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Cleveland schools chief Eric Gordon was, quite impressively, up and running the day after a thrilling election-night victory for the schools' critical 15-mill levy…Read more...

• Guidelines necessary (Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio schools should welcome better guidance and clearer rules from the state about how and when they can use “seclusion rooms” to isolate out-of-control students…Read more...

Corporate Ed Reform a big election loser

Corporate education reformers lost big on election night in a number of states with high profile issues and races affecting public education. In no particular order, here's what went down

Florida voters defeated a measure that would have allowed the use of public funds for religious school tuition, effectively turning back an effort that was expected to lead to a state-wide voucher program. It only garnered 44% of the vote.

In Indiana, The Washington Post reports

Indiana voters tossed out controversial state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett and elected veteran teacher Glenda Ritz in his place, the Indianapolis Star reported.

The vote has resonance beyond Indiana because Bennett was a leader of the national market-driven school reform movement who pushed through a statewide voucher program and took other steps that critics said amounted to the privatization of public education.

Idaho voters voters

• Rejected plans to mandate students to take online courses and for the state to spend $180 million on laptops - a boon for the profiteers, an economic disaster for districts.
• Rejected merit pay for teachers that is linked to student standardized test scores
• Opposed limits on the collective bargaining rights for teachers.

In California, voters approved Prop 30, which calls for a $6-billion-a-year tax increase, in part to fund public education. They also rejected Prop 32, the third attempt in 14 years to prevent unions, which represent 2.5 million workers in California, from using annual dues payments to contribute to state and local candidates or campaigns for ballot measures.

The Washington Post Reports, In Bridgeport, Conn.

voters rejected an expensive effort by the mayor and his supporters in the corporate world to win mayoral control over the Board of Education. Voters retained the right to elect their own school board representatives.

Corporate education reformers and union busters spent a lot of money on issues and candidates in election 2012 and left with a lot of heavy losses.

Ohio House Dems won popular vote

Issue 2, also known as voters first was heavily defeated 63-37, under an avalanche of opposition money seeking to maintain the status quo. Had issue 2 been successful it would have given the ability of voters to pick their representatives, rather than the current gerrymandered reverse situation.

Just how bad is the current system of rigged districts? We took a look at the 99 Ohio house races. Our analysis found that despite the Democrats trailing republics in the new legislature 60-39, they actually won the popular vote.

Democrats received a total of 2,418,815 votes across the 99 house district and the Republicans only 2,362,310 - over 56,000 less. If districts were apportioned according to the weight of voters actually preference, the Democrats would have a majority of 51-48, not rendered all but impotent trailing 60-39.

The current situation is so untenable, even critics of issue 2 agree reforms are needed.

But a number of GOP critics of Issue 2 also agreed that the current redistricting process needs to be changed. So the big question now is: What happens next?

A bipartisan legislative redistricting task force has met a few times and is supposed to recommend changes to the House and Senate in December. Also, some say the Constitutional Modernization Commission should make redistricting one of its top priorities.

Catherine Turcer, chairwoman of Voters First Ohio, the coalition that pushed Issue 2, and Ohio State University election-law expert Daniel Tokaji, who helped draft the plan, said that at least there was agreement that the system needs to be changed.

“If we all agree that the system is broken, we should also agree that the people of Ohio should not have to wait until 2022 to fix it,” they said in a joint statement. “It’s time to put voters first and come together to agree on a solution.”

Gov. John Kasich added: “Reforms need to be considered in a thoughtful, bipartisan way to ensure that districts are competitive and fair and Ohioans’ interests are fully represented.”

These unfair districts also explain the disappointing results of races involving educators

But Stephen Brooks, a political scientist with the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, says all that probably had little to do with the way the races turned out.

“They were not in well-designed districts for Democrats to run in so I’m not sure being a schoolteacher or not being a schoolteacher had much to do with that. They were having difficult races because they were running in non-competitive districts, if you will,” he says.

The only one of the new teacher-candidates to win is John Patterson, who will represent House District 99 in Ashtabula County. Two other former teachers who were incumbents retained their seats in the Ohio House.

A system where the majority of citizens are not represented by their preferred elected leaders is not a sustainable system. The current Ohio General Assembly, and the 130th that will follow it have no mandate from the voters, and their first course of action ought to be to repair the broken redistricting system immediately.

Campaign 2012 Election Live Blog

12:09 p.m.
We're closing down the live blog. We'll be bringing all the relevant election results tomorrow, ahem, later today, - school levies, state board of ed, state legislature.

11:27 p.m.
Obama projected to win NV

11:27 p.m.
Incumbent house GOPers appear to have lost: Craig Newbold in HD5 to challenger Nick Barborak 50.44% to 49.56% and Rep. Casey Kozlowski has lost to John Patterson 52.78% to 47.22%.

11:13 p.m.
NBC calls Ohio for Obama. President Obama will be reelected to a second term.

11:10 p.m.
IA called for Obama. Romney now has to run the table to win.

11:02 p.m.
CO, CA, WA, HI called for Obama.
NC, ID, Called for Romney
Too early to call in OR

10:54 p.m.
Sadly, it looks like teachers Donna O'Connor (HD21) and Maureen Reedy (HD24) are going to narrowly lose

10:49 p.m.
MO called for Romney

10:44 p.m.
MN called for Obama

10:36 p.m.
Ohio Supreme Court Justice Yvette McGee Brown trails Sharon Kennedy 43%-57% of the vote, with 54% reporting

10:34 p.m.
As expected, Mitt Romney wins AZ.

10:32 p.m.
Teachers Tanyce Addison (SD26) and Teresa Scarmack (SD-20) are both trailing 40-60, with few precincts left to report.

10:17 p.m.
Ohio state Issues 1 & 2 both going down b y 69% and 64% respectively with 51% of precincts reporting.

10:13 p.m.
As of this time, in the race for the Ohio State Board of Education...
QB Stanley Jackson looks destined for defeat trailing 35-65
Districts 5 & 6 are close
Sarah Fowler, a 23 year old home schooler is going to win in District 7
Pro public education candidates Stephanie Dodd and Mary Rose Oakar are headed to victory
Tood Book, sadly looks destined for defeat.

9:35 p.m.
Another swing state, NH, is called for Obama.

9:26 p.m.
AP Calls Sherrod Brown reelected as Senator from Ohio

First swing state, WI called for Obama

9:15 p.m.
PA called for Obama

Education related, voters in South Dakota so far want to keep teacher tenure. 70 against repealing it, 29% for.

9:03 p.m.
All as expected...
NM, NY, MI are called for Obama.
TX, LA, KS, NE, ND, SD, WY, are called for Romney
AZ, MN, PA too early to call

8:32 p.m.
Teacher Donna O'Connor: 11,558, Duffey (Incumbent) 10,776 in early/absentee voting
Teacher Maureen L. Reedy: 12,082, Stephanie Kunze: 10,535 in early/absentee voting

8:29 p.m.
According to early vote totals Issue 2 is doing very badly. 57 of 88 counties have voted against measure.

8:03 p.m.
DC, DE, RI, ME, CT, MD, MA and IL are called for Obama.
MS, TN, AL, OK are called for Romney
Still too early to call in PA, NJ, MO, OH, NC, VA, FL

7:42 p.m.
Folks are still in line to vote in a number of locations around Ohio, including OSU

7:37 p.m.
SC called for Romney as expected.

7:32 p.m.
As expected so far. CNN calls WV, IN, KY, for Romney. VT for Obama.

A CNN exit poll has Obama 51, Romney 48 in Ohio. Exit poll in NC was 49-49 which was supposed to be Romney +4%

7:30 p.m.
The polls in Ohio are closed, and is being categorized as "too close to call" by NBC.

7:16 p.m.
Here's the times for poll closings:
7:00 pm: GA, IN, KY, SC, VT, VA
7:30 pm: NC, OH, WV
8:00 pm: AL, CT, DE, DC, FL, IL, ME, MD, MA, MS, MO, NH, NJ, OK, PA, RI, TN
8:30 pm: AR
9:00 pm: AZ, CO, KS, LA, MI, MN, NE, NM, NY, ND, SD, TX, WI, WY
10:00 pm: IA, MT, NV, UT
11:00 pm: CA, HI, ID, OR, WA
1:00 am: AK

An AFL poll of Ohio union members has found that SB5 has had a significant effect on union members

Ohio union members are energized and overwhelmingly supporting President Obama and Senator Brown for reelection.

By a 41-point margin, Ohio union members are voting for President Obama (70%) over Mitt Romney (29%) in the presidential race. The early vote among Ohio union members tilts even more heavily in President Obama’s favor (79% to 21%).

Obama’s support among Ohio union members has increased by five percentage points since 2008. Our Election Night and post-election polling in 2008 showed Obama winning 65% of the Ohio union vote, so even accounting for each poll’s margin of error, Obama currently is performing at least as well among Ohio members, if not better, than he did in 2008.

Senator Sherrod Brown also is in a strong position to win Ohio thanks to strong support among the state’s union members, among whom he leads Josh Mandel by 70% to 29%.

According to an NEA poll, 8 out of 10 people had education as a top priority.

The NYT has an interactive tool that will show you who needs what states to win.

Official live results can be seen at the Secretary of States website, here.

Where the polls stand - the last look

Here's our last look at the state of the polls before we know the result tomorrow.

After months of campaigning, millions spent on advertising and mail, the campaign has settled in to where it always looked destined to, a narrow lead for the president, creating an even narrower path for Mr Romney to achieve 270 electoral college votes.

The most conservative of the polling analyst, Real Clear Politics, has the race for electoral college votes almost neck-and-neck

One of the states they have in the toss-up column naturally being Ohio. However, their state-by-state look at the polling shows President Obama with a lead averaging 2.9%, one of his largest in some time, right at the moment he would want to be leading.

Meanwhile, 538, the NYT poll analyst has the President winning the electoral college vote 307.2 - 230.8, a margin that has been increasing since the first debate

583 has the probably of President Obama winning Ohio at 86.8%.

If you just want to settle in an watch the results, BuzzFeed has created a "Viewer's Guide To Who Won The Presidential Election"

This (probably)* doesn't have to be all that complicated. Obama has several paths to victory. Romney has fewer. And these are the main ones, organized by the time (EST) that polls close.
*The New York Times counts 512 possible outcomes — but the paths above are the likely ones.

As you can see, Romney has to run the table of swing states in order to prevail.

Of course, all of this only matters if you vote. Don't forget to check our our voters checklist of what you might need, and what your voting rights are in Ohio.