Ohio
State sets Race to the Top pace
The Columbus Dispatch
January 11, 2012
According to an assessment of Race to the Top grants, Ohio is on track to make major reforms to the public-school system. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan tells the Dispatch that “Ohio is in really good shape.” He also states that his team is encouraged by the state’s commitment and the progress. The grant is helping prepare for 2014, when the state will begin requiring that students are prepared for college or a career when they graduate.
Biden, Duncan discuss college affordability at Gahanna school
The Columbus Dispatch
January 12, 2012
Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan held a town hall meeting at Gahanna Lincoln High School today to discuss college affordability. The Dispatch reports that Ohio ranked 12th highest nationally when looking at the cost of a four-year public university education in the 2009-2010 school year. The average cost for Ohioans is nearly $19,000 to attend the main campus of a state public university.
Open enrollment allows students to cross school district boundaries — in some cases
The Plain Dealer
January 7, 2012
Half of the school districts in Northeast Ohio are open only to residents of their district. The Plain Dealer reports that open enrollment has been an option for schools since 1989, but there has not been much research on its effectiveness. State Senator Tom Sawyer (D-Akron) focuses on this issue with Senate Bill 220, which is currently in the education committee. His bill calls for the state to study the open enrollment policy. Then, lawmakers would be able to renew the program. If they do not, it would be repealed in 2015.
Education law’s promise falls short after 10 years
Dayton Daily News (Associated Press)
January 7, 2012
This article discusses the No Child Left Behind education law. This week marked the 10-year anniversary of the day that it was signed into law. Initially, the law received bipartisan support, but now critics argue that it holds schools to unrealistic expectations with too much focus on tests as opposed to a well-rounded education. This article reports that a majority of states have said they will seek a waiver around the law’s proficiency requirements.
National
Another Fla. school voucher expansion planned
The Miami Herald (Associated Press)
January 9, 2012
Florida’s Senate Prekindergarten-12 Committee recently approved a bill that would expand the state’s tax credit scholarship program for low-income children. The bill would increase the program’s cap to $250 million. This would allow for an additional 6,500 students to receive a scholarship.