literacy

Education News for 07-13-2012

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Statewide Stories of the Day

  • Senate explores limits to schools’ use of restraints (Dispatch)

    • WASHINGTON — Violently restraining and secluding problematic students in small, inescapable areas actually increases assaults and behavior problems, experts yesterday told a Senate committee that is considering legislation to curtail the practice. Many schools rely on seclusion and restraint to control students with behavior problems, especially minorities and those with disabilities, according to Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Read more...

  • Officials stress literacy — by reading to preschoolers (News-Sun)

    • SPRINGFIELD — A new law requiring children to read on grade level to move past the third grade has made literacy at an early age more critical than ever for Ohio families, according to local officials. State Sen. Chris Widener, R-Springfield, and Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly visited Creative World of Learning, a local child care center, to read with preschool students and stress the importance of literacy skills Thursday morning. Read more...

  • Lisbon holding out hope for an ‘A’ (Morning Journal)

    • LISBON -While the school district is currently expected to receive a B on the next state report card, it could still earn an A by the time the report cards are issued next month. School Superintendent Don Thompson reported at this week's school board meeting preliminary results have the district receiving an "effective rating," or B, but they could end up with an A, or "excellent rating" once the value-added component is figured in, which has yet to be done. Read more...

Local Issues

  • Pay-to-play at Frontier tabled; lunch costs to increase (Marietta Times)

    • NEW MATAMORAS - The Frontier Local Board of Education tabled a proposal to charge a participation fee for sports Thursday and voted to increase student lunch prices by a quarter. The agenda for the board's regular meeting Thursday included an item to approve an athletic participation fee of $25 per sport, with an annual maximum of $50 for one student and $75 for one family. The subject was broached at the June board meeting, but Superintendent Bruce Kidder and board members said Thursday they hadn't received any input from residents about the policy. Read more...

  • Brecksville-Broadview Heights school board will continue with negotiations (Sun News)

    • In response to the July 11 announcement that the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Education Association had taken a strike authorization vote, the Brecksville-Broadview Heights school board said it will continue to negotiate with the unions on a fair and equitable contract. The vote does not mean that the union is on strike or will strike. It means that if the board forces a contract on the union, the union could give a 10-day notice and then strike. As of now, the board has not forced a contract on the union. Read more...

  • West Geauga School District earns award for financial reporting (News-Herald)

    • The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to the West Geauga School District by the Government Financial Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report. The award is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. Read more...

Education News for 05-17-2012

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Local Issues

  • Feds open bid process for Head Start program (Toledo Blade)

    • The federal government is officially soliciting bids for an agency to run Head Start in Lucas County. Head Start, a program for 3 to 5-year-olds from low-income families, is run by the Economic Opportunity Planning Association of Greater Toledo, but the agency was notified in December that it must compete against other agencies if it wants to continue receiving nearly $13 million to run the program. Read More…

  • Hamilton only public school district nationally to receive award (Hamilton Journal News)

    • The emphasis of character education within the Hamilton City School District has been rewarded. The Hamilton City School District has been recognized as a National School District of Character Award recipient by the Character Education Partnership in Washington, D.C. Read More…

  • Research shows ‘no excuses’ model for schools effective at boosting test scores (Akron Beacon Journal)

    • Former Akron City Councilman Ernie Tarle hopes to create a charter school in Akron that emulates the practices of the country’s highest performing urban charter schools. The schools are commonly referred to as following a “no excuses” approach that emphasizes a college preparatory curriculum, longer school days and years, strict discipline and conduct, intense tutoring, use of data to improve test scores and a staff of youthful, inexperienced teachers who sign on to the schools’ philosophy and typically do not belong to a union. Read More…

  • Zane Trace fails to act on school hours change (Chillicothe Gazette)

    • Proposed changes to Zane Trace's school hours, which would have allowed the district to double up on bus routes and eliminate as many as nine bus drivers, fell flat Wednesday. Board member Ralph Letsche made a motion to approve the changes, but no one seconded it, so it failed to reach a vote. Read More…

  • Expert, community leaders work to form literacy plan (Findlay Courier)

    • A literacy expert and community leaders encouraged thoughtfulness and collaboration in creating and implementing a Hancock County Literacy Plan, at a Hancock County Literacy Summit held Wednesday.
    Hosted by the Literacy Coalition of Hancock County, the "Celebrate Literacy Luncheon" portion of the daylong event drew about 55 people to Owens Community College's Community Education and Wellness Center. Read More…

Education News for 03-29-2012

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Statewide Education News

  • Kasich gets bill requiring teaching of founding documents (Dispatch)

    • Ohio students in grades four to 12 would have to be taught the original texts of the U.S. Constitution and other founding documents, and high-school students would take end-of-course exams for American history and government under a bill that won final legislative approval yesterday. The bill was sparked by a February 2011 report from the Fordham Foundation that was critical of Ohio’s history-education standards. Supporters argue that children cannot be expected to defend the rights and freedoms the Founding Fathers intended without an understanding of the documents. Read More…

  • Ohio lawmakers hoping for compromise before introducing Cleveland schools plan (Plain Dealer)

    • COLUMBUS - Despite pressure from Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's office, the Democrat's sweeping plan to transform Cleveland schools didn't reach the Statehouse launching pad Wednesday. For Statehouse Democrats, the main sticking points holding up introduction of the legislation were a pair of provisions fiercely opposed by the Cleveland Teachers Union and the Ohio Federation of Teachers. A so-called "fresh start" provision would begin future contract negotiations without carryover items from previous contracts. Read More…

  • Bill shortening school year revised to give districts flexibility (Dispatch)

    • Sorry, kids, but it doesn’t look like you’re going to get a longer summer break after all. A state legislator has dropped a proposal to require school to start after Labor Day and end before Memorial Day. Instead, a new version of the legislation unveiled today would give school districts more flexibility with their school calendars. House Bill 191, introduced by Rep. Bill Hayes, R-Harrison Township, would change state laws regarding the minimum time that students must spend in school: from 182 days to 1,001 hours for grades seven through 12. Read More…

  • Lawmakers honor Chardon ‘heroes’ (Dispatch)

    • Just a month after a high-school shooting in Chardon left three dead and two seriously wounded, Gov. John Kasich and the General Assembly honored law-enforcement, firefighters, school officials and other first responders for their efforts. Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said the governor wanted the 47 men and women, whom Kasich called “ real heroes” in a tweet yesterday, to share their experiences with his cabinet. After the emotional meeting, Nichols said, the group had lunch with the governor, before receiving commendations from the Ohio House and Senate. Read More…

Local Issues

  • Tax panel seeks info on Columbus schools employee salaries (Dispatch)

    • A citizens committee looking at whether Columbus City Schools should ask voters for more property-tax money wants a wide range of detailed financial information, including how employees’ salaries and benefits size up in today’s jobs market. Committee member Alex Fischer urged Superintendent Gene Harris to “dream big,” not only on what she wants to preserve but also on what should be cut. Fischer is president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, a group representing the leaders of about 30 local businesses. Read More…

  • Rachel's Challenge event coming to Perry Schools (News-Herald)

    • In the wake of the deadly Chardon school shooting, Perry Schools will bring Rachel’s Challenge to the district on Thursday. The presentation, which promotes positive change in treating others, is named after Rachel Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine school shooting in 1999. Shortly after the event, her family began speaking about the incident using drawings and writings from Rachel’s diaries to help spread positive messages. Read More…

  • Ohio Federation of Teachers says Cleveland reform plan lacks any proven methods for success (Plain Dealer)

    • When Mayor Frank Jackson introduced his plan to radically reshape Cleveland public schools, it was almost inevitable that the union representing Cleveland teachers would push back. Condemning the proposal as a crackdown on the collective bargaining rights of teachers akin to last year’s controversial Senate Bill 5, both the Cleveland Teachers Union and the larger group they belong to — the Ohio Federation of Teachers — spoke out. Read More…

  • Literacy program seeing results (WKYC 3 NBC)

    • CLEVELAND - The Literacy Cooperative has received and analyzed data measuring the first year pilot of SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) in Cuyahoga County and the results are very promising. As part its mission to improve lives by enhancing literacy, The Literacy Cooperative is piloting SPARK in selected communities in Cuyahoga County as a model for increasing early childhood literacy and school-readiness. Read More…

  • 3 elementary schools would merge in Buckeye Valley tax plan (Dispatch)

    • RADNOR — School officials in the Buckeye Valley School District are capitalizing on the attention elementary schools are receiving in a budget crisis as the district prepares to ask voters to pass another income-tax increase and bond issue. Tonight, Superintendent Jamie Grube presented the board with a plan to tear down not only the previously targeted Buckeye Valley North Elementary School, but also the other two elementary schools in the Delaware County district. Read More…

  • Field Trip Helps Students Think About the Future (WJW 8 FOX)

    • ASHLAND – Forget recess and finger paints. Garfield Elementary students ditched their schoolbooks for a taste of higher learning. “We’re visiting Ashland University to mostly to visit our pen pals and mostly to know what it’s like at Ashland University,” said fourth grade student Kristen Lyons. Kristen was one of 70 fourth grade students touring campus. The biggest highlight, for many, was meeting their college pen pals. Read More…

  • Chardon heroes welcomed home after visit with state leaders (News-Herald)

    • The Chardon Walmart parking lot was populated by many community members wearing red and black on Wednesday afternoon. Hundreds lined up to shake hands, hug or simply say thanks to the first responders who worked to save lives and limit bloodshed during the Feb. 27 shootings at Chardon High School. Leadership Geauga and United Way Services of Geauga County helped organized the event dubbed "Hearts for Our Heroes," which welcomed home the heroes after they were honored earlier Wednesday at the Ohio Statehouse. Read More…

Education News for 01-03-2012

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Statewide Education News

  • Commission continues its work on Youngstown schools' academic recovery (Vindicator)

    • Youngstown - There’s no set time line for development of a new academic recovery plan for the city school district. “As much as I would like to have it soon, it’s more important to do it well,” said Richard Ross, chairman of the newly organized Youngstown City Schools Academic Distress Commission. Superintendent Connie Hathorn said the district will continue to work to move forward while the next version of the plan is developed. Ross was appointed to the academic distress commission in November by Stan Heffner, state superintendent of public instruction. Read More…

  • Literacy today means more than reading, writing and a high school diploma, report says (Plain Dealer)

    • CLEVELAND - Traditionally, being literate has meant being able to read and write. That definition is too narrow for today's economy, according to the Literacy Cooperative, an umbrella group helping to guide and inform many of the scattered literacy efforts in Northeast Ohio. Read More…

  • Ohio educators still waiting for funding plan (Marietta Times)

    • It may now be at least 2013 before Ohio schools have a new funding plan from Ohio Gov. John Kasich, which leaves Ohio school districts in a familiar position - waiting and wondering. A deadline of January had been set by the administration to unveil the plan but will not be met, according to his office. "We've been dealing with different funding systems for the last couple years," said Marietta City Schools Treasurer Matt Reed. Read More…

  • Ohio teachers to be watched and graded on classroom performance -- and many are OK with that (Plain Dealer)

    • CLEVELAND - Teachers across Ohio should expect a lot more criticism of their classroom work in the next few years. Their principals will be in their classrooms more. Or their assistant principals, or even outside evaluators, all watching them, taking notes and essentially grading the teachers. Read More…

  • Student transfers not just from public schools to charters (Dispatch)

    • More students moved between the Columbus City Schools and neighboring districts in recent years than transferred with charter schools, new research shows. In the past three academic years, 20,745 students spent some time at a Columbus school and some time elsewhere in Franklin County — either another district or charter school. Of those, roughly 13,000 went between Columbus and another traditional school district. Read More…

Local Issues

  • Jackson High School library goes digital (Repository)

    • JACKSON TWP. — The Jackson High School Library shifted into OverDrive this school year. “For a couple years, it’s been ‘should I or shouldn’t I?’ ” explained Library/Media Specialist Christina Conti. “We’d been looking for the right platform ... and this is it.” Although it probably remains a secret to some students, the school library has gone digital. It’s the first school library in Stark County, and only the third in Ohio, Conti said, to offer students a selection of downloadable e-books — about 525 titles so far. Read More…

  • Pesticide cleared in students’ sickness (Middletown Journal)

    • TRENTON — It is unlikely that a pesticide application applied by a lawn care company on athletic fields at Edgewood Middle School caused students to become sick, according to a report by an investigator with Ohio Department of Agriculture. Laboratory analysis confirmed that Momentum FX2 was applied to the field in question on Oct. 11 by BCF Lawn and Landscape. Laboratory analysis for the active ingredient in Momentum FX2 was completed on a swab sample that was collected from the classroom window where students complained of an odor. Read More…

  • Principals’ raises resented (Dispatch)

    • Some educators at Northridge schools in Licking County are upset that a group of administrators will make more money next year after teachers gave up raises for the next two years because of the district’s financial situation. The most-recent two-year contract calls for teachers to receive no raise in their base pay and no step increases based on seniority and education because the district successfully argued that it could not afford any wage increases. Read More…

  • TPS students miss fewer days from suspensions, expulsions (Blade)

    • When Toledo Public Schools leaders pitched the move to K-8 schools, the possible impact on school discipline was near the top of the list of perceived benefits. Middle schools were havens of misbehavior. More focus could be given to individual students if officials split seventh and eighth-grade students up between neighborhood schools. Parents and students could develop better relationships with teachers and principals. Read More…

  • Literacy program benefits tutors, students (Times Recorder)

    • ZANESVILLE - Charles and Phyllis Cerney's grandchildren live out of town, but they are eager to step in as "substitute grandparents" and mentors to children who need them. "We like to read, we're interested in children and are willing to work with them," Phyllis said. "The kids work hard and they teach us a lot." For the past couple of months the retired couple has spent an hour each Tuesday at John McIntire Elementary School for a literacy-based effort to expand their minds and those of the students. Read More…

Editorial

  • A better start (Dispatch)

    • Another Ohio win in the federally funded Race to the Top education-grant challenge could boost future school performance in Ohio by giving more children a better start before they even start elementary school. The state is one of nine that will share in a $500 million pot to fund programs that prepare children for kindergarten. That means, among other things, creating higher-quality preschool programs for poor children and developing a test that more accurately assesses how ready a child is for kindergarten. Read More…