Ohio

Campouts begin early at popular CPS school
The Cincinnati Enquirer
November 8, 2011
The application date for Fairview-Clifton German Language School is Nov. 16, but many parents have been camping out to hold their spot in line since Sunday and the line keeps growing. Cincinnati magnet schools accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis, and it has become common for parents to camp out to secure their child’s spot. This application method has received criticism because not every parent has the ability to camp out for that length of time due to prior commitments.

Demographics suggest trouble for some schools
The Columbus Dispatch
November 7, 2011
A spokesman for the Ohio School Facilities Commission tells the Dispatch that it is predicted that Ohio’s enrollment in traditional school districts will decline. Their prediction does not include enrollment in other school types. Columbus Schools say that they expect that charter schools and the school voucher programs will attract many of the younger students who live in the district, so they do not expect dramatic growth in enrollment.

Local officials against expanding school vouchers
Cuyahoga Falls News Press
November 6, 2011
Cuyahoga Falls and Woodridge school district officials speak out in opposition to House Bill 136 in this article, saying that it would have a negative impact on their districts’ financial situation. School Choice Ohio’s Executive Director Chad Aldis counters in the article that this bill is not an attack on public education. It is simply another option for students who aren’t progressing in their current educational environment.

Area school board members struggle with smaller budgets, effects of school choice
The NewsOutlet
November 7, 2011
This article profiles Springfield Local school board member Mary Lou Dodson and Lisa Mansfield, a member of the Akron Board of Education. Both Dodson and Mansfield discuss the importance of school finance issues in the role of a local school board member.

Charter schools draw students and money from high-ranking suburban districts
The Plain Dealer
November 6, 2011
This article discusses the growing number of suburban students enrolling in charter schools, despite the fact that their home districts receive high rankings from the state. As those children leave, tax money follows the child to the charter school, which district officials say is unfair because the state says they are doing a good job. Senator Schiavoni is the sponsor of Senate Bill 175, which says students should not be able to leave their home school district for a charter school if that charter school’s state ranking is lower than that of their district. Ohio Coalition for Quality Education’s Ron Adler counters in the article that even a district that receives a high ranking may not be able to meet the educational needs of each individual student.

National

Students Flee Districts With Lower Test Scores, But Voucher Schools Aren’t Always Better
StateImpact Indiana
November 4, 2011
A report released by the state of Indiana showed that 75 percent of students now enrolled in the state’s school voucher program came from a school district with a passage rate on standardized tests of less than 70 percent. StateImpact Indiana goes on to analyze the performance data from the private schools that those students now attend.

Expand education choices
The Detroit News
November 3, 2011
This commentary by Jim Barrett, chairman of the Great Lakes Education Project, and Rich Studley, president of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, discusses Michigan’s “Parental Empowerment Education Reform” package.  They encourage Michigan lawmakers to act quickly to approve the bills in the package for the sake of the state’s children.