May 17, 2011
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Articles of Interest...
Editorial
Charter schools are public schools; they should work together.
For the full article click here
Department of Education
Funding Opportunity:
The Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD)
For the full article click here
Department of Education
Funding Opportunity:
Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems program
For the full article click here
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Contact Us
Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools
33 N. Third Street,
Suite 600
Office: (614) 744-2266
Fax: (614) 744-2255
www.oapcs.org
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Notes from CEO Bill Sims
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I thought members might be interested in the testimony that I presented to the Senate Finance Committee last week. There are many provisions of the budget bill, Substitute HB 153, now under consideration in the Senate that impact charter schools, too many in fact to mention in one article or in one testimony for that matter. Be assured that a wide range of these matters not necessarily mentioned in this testimony have been discussed with leadership in the House, the Senate and with the administration. In a separate article below I’ve commented on the recently released report from Innovation Ohio, a frontal assault on Ohio’s e-schools; so, read on and as ever, we are always interested in your feedback.
Senate Finance Committee
Senate Finance Hearing Room
Chair: Senator Widener
Ranking Member: Senator Skindell
Public Testimony by: Bill Sims
Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Chairman Widener, Ranking Member Skindell and Distinguished Committee Members:
Thank you for this opportunity to testify on matters relating to the community schools of Ohio and the biennial budget bill, HB 153. My name is Bill Sims and I am the President of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools. The Ohio Alliance is a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization dedicated to the enhancement and sustainability of quality community charter schools. We have over 200 dues-paying members and are the largest charter school association in the state.
Since our association’s enduring goal is the development and sustainability of high-quality community charter schools, we believe that performance transparency is paramount. We commend the Governor for making this a high priority in the executive budget. Provisions of this bill that address such transparency — ranking all schools annually by performance index; by value-added gains; by percentages of expenditures for classroom and non-classroom instructional purposes; and by per-pupil operating expenditures — are all pertinent indicators that will help parents and others get to the essence of what they are looking for as they make their school-choice decisions; and, they will also make performance more visible to governing authorities, sponsors, and policymakers.
There’s more good news in this bill. Provisions of HB 153, for example, that allow for the conversion of community schools to hybrid schools, that recognize the inevitable fusion of digital learning with conventional schooling, that resolve the Catch-22 of the Schoolhouse Tax Exemption, that will allow two or more community schools to be located in the same facility and the transparency provisions of the bill make for positive improvements in Ohio’s charter school environment.
There are some provisions in this budget bill however that are not as conducive to furthering our goals of excellence. In the interests of time, I want to focus on these aspects of HB 153 that the Ohio Alliance believes have the potential to detract from Ohio’s progress with community schools.
First, let me emphasize emphatically that Ohio has many high-quality, for-profit and not-for-profit charter management companies that do a great job of managing the operations of many of our community schools. The Alliance strongly supports these EMOs and CMOs. Our concern is with aspects of this bill that break with the convention of having community schools owned by the taxpayers of the state of Ohio and represented by incorporated, non-profit boards of directors, overseen by sponsoring authorizers, and responsible to the accountability provisions currently prescribed in Ohio law.
I refer here to a provision in the bill (Sec.3314.029) that would allow an operator to contract with ODE for direct authorization while removing contract requirements mandating performance and admissions standards, exempting them from probation and suspension and the authority of the department of education to take over the school when it is not fulfilling its duties. If start-up community schools were authorized directly, without the oversight of a sponsor as we know them in this state, why would any start-up entity seek authorization from any of Ohio’s current sponsors?
For the Ohio Alliance, direct authorization of for-profit entities raises several questions of concern:
1. How would the state auditor audit private entities (taxpayer money would be used to pay for the audits of private companies)?
2. How would a private company pay into STERS?
3. Would public records laws (sunshine laws) apply to for-profit charters?
4. Would for-profits have the limited government immunity provided for under ORC 2744?
5. As wholly owned for-profit community schools, would there be no limitations lobbying?
6. Would these concerns with the passage of this provision raise the prospect of another large legal case challenging the constitutionality of community schools? We believe that it would.
Further elaboration of this concern can be found in the footnote to my testimony.
Second, there is a misconception among some people that the state’s charter school association and its members are always looking for less accountability. We are content with the original proposition that promises autonomy for accountability. We are confident that our members can stand up to the state’s current accountability provisions which are some of the toughest in the nation. Sec. 3314.04 of this bill attempts to change some of these accountability provisions by exempting community schools from complying with any education rules or laws not explicitly prescribed in Chapter 3314 of Ohio revised code. To do so would presumably exempt community schools from such things as the Ohio Achievement Assessments, teacher certification, and aspects of No Child Left Behind.
Finally, the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools believes that this bill can be strengthen with the addition of a partial lifting of the geographic caps on community schools. While maintaining accountability, the Alliance supports a partial lifting of the geographic caps on community schools by expanding the geographic footprint from the “Big-Eight” urban districts to Ohio’s “Urban 21” districts* as defined in 1999 in HB 282 and in division (O) of section 3317.02 of the Revised Code as that section existed prior to July 1, 1998. The Alliance proposes that Ohio once again allow charter schools to open in any of the “Urban 21” districts. Parents and children in these greater Ohio urban districts also deserve access to quality public school options.
Thank you for your attention to these critical concerns. Chairman Widener, I am happy to take questions from committee members at this time.
William J. Sims
President and CEO
Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools
*Urban 21 Districts – Akron; Canton; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus; Dayton; Toledo; Youngstown; Cleveland Heights; East Cleveland; Elyria; Euclid; Hamilton; Lima; Lorain; Mansfield; Middletown; Parma; South-Western; Springfield; and Warren.
The Innovation Ohio Report: A Frontal Assault on Ohio’s E-Schools by a Highly Partisan “Think” Tank
Ohio is one of America’s leading states when it comes to e-learning. Some of this country’s most cutting-edge innovations in the delivery of K-12 e-Learning are happening in Ohio, thanks to e-school management companies that have made massive investments into their products and services; these are not low-cost enterprises. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to come to the conclusion that digital learning will be a huge part of education reform and the future of public education across the globe. Fortunately, these innovators are here and very much a part of school choice options in Ohio.
Context is important. Innovation Ohio’s report: “Ohio’s E-Schools: Funding Failure; Coddling Contributors” was researched by Steve Dyer, a former House member who earned a reputation for attacking charter schools. Ohio’s three largest e-schools in Ohio are currently operating either at “Continuous Improvement” or “Excellent.” So when the report concludes that “Ohio’s e-schools are nothing short of a disaster,” suspicion of an attack report transcends hope for a reasoned report. Examples of the ad-hominem approach are plentiful.
The report states: “In the absence of strict accountability and oversight, E-schools can be a cruel hoax on the children, parents…” The fact is that e-schools have exactly the same academic, operational and fiscal accountability as all other district and charter schools. In fact they have more. If they wind up in academic emergency for consecutive years as prescribed in Ohio law, they get shut down, as is the case with all charter schools. Not so for district schools.
The report states: “E-schools will continue to operate and grow as they have in the past, but without specific e-school standards or accountability measures governing their operations.” Again, the fact is, e-schools have exactly the same academic, operational and fiscal accountability as all other district and charter schools. The schools are subject to regular audits by the state auditor. Students take the same required tests as any other public school student in the state. The schools are subject to all the same performance indicators and receive the same report cards as every other school in the state. The report's call for “separate standards” bumps up against the reality of the wall of accountability for all public schools in Ohio, including all e-schools.
The report states: “Charter schools generally have far lower costs than traditional public schools.” The fact is that the Ohio General Assembly studied this question in 2004-2005. Its bi-partisan Legislative Office of Education Oversight (LOEO) in 2005 issued a report that analyzed the cost structure of e-schools. The report included several recommendations for legislative action. Most significant among them was a recommendation "to continue to provide eCommunity Schools with the same amount of state funds as other community schools and other school districts.” There is no indication that Innovation Ohio’s report considers or comprehends that report or the enormous costs of developing digital curriculum, maintaining the software, logistics and networks necessary to keep online schools functioning with 99.9% availability.
The report states: “Only two of the seven statewide e-schools… have graduation rates higher than Cleveland Municipal Schools, the lowest rate of all traditional school districts in Ohio.” The fact is that many students who attend e-schools do so for the flexibility the program offers. Hence, e-schools typically experience greater enrollment mobility than “bricks and mortar” schools. Nick Wilson of Ohio’s Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) addresses this point well: “ECOT has graduated more than 6,000 Ohio graduates since it opened in 2000. Many would not have earned their diploma without ECOT and often have taken longer to graduate after being behind in their former school. The state’s calculated graduation rate does not include 5-year, 6-year and 7-year graduates, which ECOT considers among its greatest success stories.”
As the state of Ohio prepares for the future of its public education system it will benefit substantially from the powerful e-Learning systems currently functioning in Ohio, thanks to our state’s pioneering e-school management companies. As other states are now trying to figure out an e-Learning strategy, Ohio has a 10-year advantage. These organizations are no funding failure; they are a funding success for the state.
Bill Sims
President and CEO
Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools
(614) 744-2266
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OAPCS Lobbies Federal Lawmakers During National Charter Schools Week
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Stephanie Klupinski, OAPCS’ vice president of government and public affairs, traveled to Washington, D.C., during the first week of May for National Charter Schools week, where she joined other charter school advocates from across the country. She met with a variety of Ohio legislators and/or their staff, including Senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and Representatives Marcy Kaptur and Steve Chabot. Ms. Klupinski provided updates on what was happening with charter schools in Ohio, and she asked the lawmakers to work in support of public charter schools on the federal level. In particular, she asked members to sponsor a forthcoming proposal from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools that updates federal charter policies by incentivizing positive state policy changes and supports the replication and expansion of the best charter school models.
While the majority of charter school funding comes from the state level, there are three important federal programs that support charter schools: The Charter School Program, the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant Program; and the Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities Program.
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OAPCS awarded Walton Family Foundation Performance Management Grant to increase services to schools
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OAPCS is pleased to announce that it has been awarded start-up funding to expand services to Ohio’s charter schools. This seed money provides OAPCS with the critical resources needed to support and increase high-quality charter school options in Ohio. Ohio charter schools can benefit in several key areas:
New School Development: Similar to work in other state charter school organizations across the nation, OAPCS will offer modules containing key information needs for new school developers. Modules will include topics and resource referrals in the following areas:
• Orientation to Ohio Community Schools
• Ohio Charter Laws, Policies, and Ethics
• Charter School Governing Boards
• Understanding School Finance, Fundraising, and Sustainability
• Educational Program Design, Including Assessment, Special Education, and Accountability
• Charter School Facilities and Operations
• Human Resources: Staffing for Success
• Selecting and Implementing a SIS and Understanding SOES and EMIS
• Dealing with the Media and Promoting Community Engagement
• Implementing Performance Management Frameworks and Tools
• The Charter School Contract
Services can be packaged or a la carte – providing for those brand new to charter schools, and those perhaps already in operation but seeking reinforcement.
Student Assessment for Achievement: OAPCS is in contract negotiations with two companies with proven success, yet new to the Ohio school market – Illuminate Education’s “Data and Assessment” and Intel-Assess. Through an extensive vetting process, we have found a cost-effective, web-based, state-of-the-art solution that we believe can help schools and teachers manage student performance data and easily move data into analysis. Data and Assessment allows schools to integrate results from all types of test instruments: state, vendor, and classroom-created. Reports provide information on student growth to standards and content clusters. Schools can choose to add Intel-Asses, which is a standards-aligned formative assessment bank with “rationales” that explain why a child answered a question wrong. The GradeCam software replaces expensive scanners, allowing instant scoring, recording, and reporting. These tools provide immediate feedback to inform next steps, analyze trends, and shape curriculum. OAPCS will provide implementation support and curriculum and assessment coaching and data teams facilitation to participating schools.
Additionally, we will undertake an effort to build consensus on Ohio’ Charter School Quality Indicators. Our goal is to work in partnership with school leaders from all types of Ohio’s charter schools, along with the CREDO staff from Stanford University, to operationalize the Building Charter School Quality (BCSQ) Framework. BCSQ is endorsed by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) and the National Association for Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), and provides a way for schools to internally measure how they are doing in the areas of academics (student achievement, student progress over time, postsecondary readiness and student engagement), and operations (financial performance and sustainability, board performance and stewardship, and parent and community engagement).
We are seeking talented and enthusiastic staff to join our Performance Management team. Position descriptions are posted on the OAPCS website. Cover letters and resumes should be sent to resumes@oapcs.org. If your school is interested in learning more about the performance management products and services we will be offering, please contact Marianne Lombardo at mlombardo@oapcs.org.
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Citizens Academy Bids a Heartfelt Adieu to Perry White
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On May 12, teachers, parents, students, and charter supporters gathered at Citizens Academy to celebrate its founder, Perry White, who will be moving to New York City at the end of the school year. Perry founded the school to help prove that it’s not the families failing students—that it is the system. And Citizens Academy has proved just that: It is one of the top-performing urban schools in the state and has received national recognition its academics.
As Perry noted in his address to the large audience at the send-off, it has not always been that way. The cofounder quit within the first couple of weeks of the school’s opening, and by that December, three of the school’s six teachers had quit.
Perry also shared some horrifyingly hilarious memories from the school’s early times. “Teachers would come up to me and complain that we didn’t have a curriculum,” he recalled. “I would tell them, ‘Of course we have a curriculum.’ But I would walk away thinking to myself, ‘I don’t even know what a curriculum is.”
During an important visit to the school from an outsider during Citizens’ open days, Perry tried to show the visitor a few different classrooms, but all were inexplicably empty. Only after the visitor left did Perry learn from someone in the office that all of the students were in a school wide assembly. “Good news!” Perry said when he called the visitor after she had returned to her office. “I found the students!”
Citizens has come a long way since its opening years, rising from Academic Emergency to being one of the top schools in state. Perry explained that part of the school’s success was its hiring approach. Citizens, he said, does not hire on experience as much as values and traits. The school depends on staff members who work well together: “From a child’s perspective, what does it matter who had the good idea?” And he explained that at Citizens, love is not a four-letter word. “We tell the students, ‘I love you too much to put forth anything but your best.’”
The party raised over $10,000 for the school. Perry assured the crowd that he was leaving the school in great hands under its new executive director Margie Hirschfield (currently director of academics) and with the help of the many staff members who will continue working to make Citizens Academy an even better school.
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OAPCS Membership News
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Membership at OAPCS continues to grow
As the summer months are creeping up toward us, OAPCS continues to grow their membership. Over 171 School Members of OAPCS and there are now over 51 Associate Members. We are excited that we continue to have the support of many of our existing members and we hope that you can help us welcome many of our new members.
Be sure to check out our newest associate members and what benefits they can offer you as members of OAPCS
Attention Authorizers! Free Membership in the Ohio Alliance?
For authorizer/sponsors whose schools are all members of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools, your membership is FREE! If you are currently a member, you will receive a certificate for your renewal in the upcoming year. Please contact our offices to be notified of how many of your schools are currently members of OAPCS and how many of are still ready to join. We look forward to hearing from each of you shortly.
K-12 School Furniture Auction!
Mike Reindel of Reindel Auction Service
Leipsic school :June 4th 2011 9:00 AM
View @ auctionzip.com & click on Reindel Auction Service
K thru 12 school desks ,teacher desk, four wheel carts, Game Time playground Equipment, file cabinets & closets, overhead projector, computers, etc.
OAPCS is now on Twitter, be sure to follow us to receive the latest news and updates!
Please contact Jennifer Wall at jwall@oapcs.org or at (614) 744-2266 ext. 205 to become a Parent Member or for any other membership questions.
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Politics Notebook: Kasich To Watch Charter Film With Supporters
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Gov. John Kasich asked supporters Wednesday to host house parties for an online redux of his screening a pro-charter school movie and discussion with the former school district official who is featured in the documentary firing ineffective teachers.
The May 19 webcast screening of Waiting For Superman and panel discussion with Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of Washington D.C. public schools, is the second time the governor will use movie to tout his efforts to improve teaching.
“I hope you’ll consider hosting a house party, invite your friends and family to join the discussion,” he said in a video message. “Waiting For Superman is a powerful documentary about changing the way we educate our kids to ensure that they have the best opportunities and can compete in the global economy.”
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School Leader Consortium
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Friday, May 20, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Columbus Main Library 96 S. Grant Avenue Columbus, OH 43215
56 SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY REGISTERED WITH OVER 80 SCHOOL LEADERS IN ATTENDANCE.
OAPCS School Leader Consortium is an informal gathering of professionals. Its agenda is the product of its members. The OAPCS provides meeting facilities and a conference bridge for those interested in participating by phone. There are no costs with consortium membership other than membership in the OAPCS.
OAPCS School Leader Consortium was created to provide a forum for charter school operators to discuss common advocacy, operational, technical, and academic issues. It is also a forum for sharing best practices and school innovation.
Contact Jennifer Wall at jwall@oapcs.org for the registration form.
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Over Eighty Proposals Received for Fifth Annual State Conference
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Plans for the Fifth Annual State Conference are well underway. Actually, we’ve been hard at work now for several months putting plans into motion to ensure this year’s event is the biggest and best yet.
The Conference Planning Committee is currently reviewing breakout session presentation proposals. Last year we had a pool of 65 proposals submitted and are happy to report that this year we have well over eighty. “The number of submissions isn’t as important as the quality of submissions,” states Becky Leija, Conference Coordinator. “However, this year we are thrilled to report that we have both!” The Conference Planning Committee will be meeting on May 23rd to begin their official selection process.
The conference will be held December 6-7, 2011 at the Columbus Convention Center. Registration for the conference is expected to open later this month. Check our website for updates. www.oapcs.org
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Toledo School For Arts Patron Honored
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Mary Wolfe of Perrysburg, Ohio, was one of only seven recipients out of more than 70 people nominated to receive a 2011 Governor’s Award for the Arts. She was recognized in the category of Arts Patron at a ceremony held on May 11 at the Columbus Athenaeum. Over 800 people attended the ceremony, including teachers, students, and a handful of Ohio lawmakers.
Ms. Wolfe has been a generous contributor to the arts in Toledo for many years. Along with her husband, Fritz generally, she has been a strong supporter of the Toledo Museum of Art, the Valentine theatre, the Toledo Symphony, and the opera, in addition to her support of the Toledo School For the Arts.
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Bullying and Civil Rights: An Overview of School Districts' Federal Obligation to Respond to Harassment
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A webinar hosted by the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention
June 3, 2011 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Note: You must register for the webinar. Click here to register.
For registration questions, contact Michelle Duhart-Tonge at MDuhart-Tonge@nttac.org or 703-225-2103.
Participants will gain or enhance their understanding of the following:
• When bullying triggers obligations under federal anti-discrimination laws
What conduct constitutes harassment (including the type of conduct and protected classes) and Examples of harassment
• The obligation of school districts to respond to allegations of harassment in a prompt, thorough, and effective manner
Examples of appropriate and inappropriate responses
• What to do if the harassment continues
Resources available through the Departments of Education and Justice
Submit questions for the webinar panel by May 20th to Deb Temkin Deborah.Temkin@ed.gov.
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OSU summer economic workshop for high school students
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Play Games. Learn Economics. Get Paid.
What: One-day workshop on “experimental economics” at Ohio State for high-school students.
When: Monday, June 27, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. OR Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Please specify for which of the two dates you are available. Parking & lunch will be provided.)
Where: Arps Hall Room 318, 1945 N. High Street, Ohio State Campus, Columbus, OH 43210
Who: Any local high-school student currently in their freshman, sophomore, or junior year. Economics isn’t just about GDP and interest rates… it’s also about how to bid in an auction, the best way to sell a used car, why people give money to charities, optimal strategies for small businesses, and even how to use stock prices to predict the future! Over the last 40 years, economists have used laboratory experiments with real people to understand how these economic interactions work.
Professor Paul J. Healy invites YOU to come to Ohio State’s campus for a one-day workshop where you’ll play economic “games” in our research laboratory, learn about current topics in economics and “game theory”, and — best of all — get paid based on how well you play! Earnings will be between $40 and $100 per person, depending on performance. You’ll also get a taste of what life is like in a college classroom … and maybe even discover your future career!
How to Apply:
Apply to Professor Paul Healy by email to healy.52@osu.edu or by “snail mail” to:
Professor Paul J. Healy
OSU Department of Economics
Arps Hall, Room 410
Columbus, OH 43210
Please include the following information:
1. Your name (first & last)
2. Your school
3. Your current year for 2010 – 2011 (freshman, sophomore, or junior; no graduating seniors please)
4. Contact information: Your email address OR a phone number OR both.
5. For which of the two dates you are available (6/27 or 6/28), and if you prefer one or the other.
6. A copy of your high school transcript (it doesn’t need to be an official copy)
Applications must be received by Friday, June 3rd at 5:00 p.m.
Questions? Contact Professor Healy at (614) 247-8876 or by email at healy.52@osu.edu
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SLIYS '11: Summer Linguistic Institute for Youth Scholars
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The OSU Department of Linguistics will be holding a Summer Linguistics Institute for Youth Scholars (SLIYS, pronounced "slice") for high school students. This is a week-long summer event designed for students interested in the study of language. There will be two sessions held on OSU's main campus during July 2011.
SLIYS '11 is open to high school students from entering sophomores to seniors who are interested in foreign languages. An exciting program has been developed filled with activities aimed at helping participants become better students of language.
The deadline for applications is May 31. For cost and more info visit the SLIYS website at http://linguistics.osu.edu/SLIYS/ or contact Dr. Julia McGory at mcgory.1@osu.edu.
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Sal Khan Academy - Free Online Classroom Lessons and Assessments
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In his testimony to the House Budget Committee, Bob Sommers, Director of the Governor’s Office of 21st Century Education, talked about the Sal Khan Academy. The Sal Khan Academy is an online resource — http://www.khanacademy.org — providing thousands of FREE lessons in Algebra, Biology, Chemistry, Humanities, and other subjects. Mr. Sommers notes this site as an example of how online learning and shared resources will benefit Ohio’s schools and schoolchildren. Check out this awesome resource and share with your teachers!
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Jennings Educator Institute
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The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation intends to offer its second Jennings Educators Institute, at no cost to you, on three Saturdays, September 17, October 15, and November 12, 2011 at Capital University in the Harry C. Moores Campus Center from 8:00 a.m. – 12 Noon. Parking is available in front of the Campus Center. Each session will begin with breakfast.
The title of the Institute will be Teacher Effectiveness to the Nth Power: Moving from “Good to Great”. The Institute will focus on the intersection of solid curriculum, quality instruction and sound assessment practices. The enclosed handout provides a detailed description of the three sessions and the overall Institute objectives and framework.
The Foundation has asked the following professional educators to facilitate the sessions:
Dr. James Connell, Superintendent of the Berea City Schools (1998—2005, Retired) and Assistant Professor, Ursuline College (September 17)
Dr. Thomas Lasley, Executive Director, Learn to Earn and Professor at the University of Dayton (October 15)
Dr. James Mahoney, Executive Director, Battelle for Kids (November 12)
You will be required to read a few articles prior to each session in order to enhance the discussion, complete a paper/project, if you wish to earn one graduate credit from Capital University, and attend all three sessions. You may enroll as a three to four person team from your building or district or as an individual participant. We hope that a school/district administrator would be a member of the team, but it is not a requirement. The Institute will be limited to 100 participants based on a committee review of the applications. You will be honored as a “Jennings Institute Educator” at the conclusion of the last session.
The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation is excited about this professional development opportunity. We hope that the Institute will energize you, promote networking opportunities, and enhance your classroom instruction. The application should be mailed to Dr. Tobie R. Sanders, Professor, Capital University, Learning Center 214, 1 College and Main, Columbus, Ohio 43209 by May 27, 2011. Her e-mail address is tsanders@capital.edu, telephone (614) 236-6321.
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BETA Survey: Please complete so that Charters are equally represented!
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Just a reminder that the BETA survey deadline is May 27, and eTech is counting on every school to complete both building and teacher surveys. BETA data gets more and more comprehensive with each survey submitted, so 100% completion of these surveys is of great importance to school districts and leaders for technology planning and training purposes.
Take a look at just a few of the many reasons that every survey matters to the outcome of BETA 2010 – 11:
Data from the 2010-11 BETA surveys…
• Offers a 10-year snapshot of your school's BETA data — and it's one of the only sources of information that provides a statewide, longitudinal view of educational access and use in all of Ohio's schools.
• Serves as a primary source of information for state policymakers considering current and future educational technology needs of Ohio's school districts — helping inform budgets and policies at a state level.
• Populates online data comparison tools that help schools provide a measurable case for technology investment and professional development. These comparison tools are available to anyone, anytime at www.etech.ohio.gov.
• Provides essential assessment and evaluation data as schools pursue federal E-Rate funding opportunities and develop district-level technology plans.
• Presents insights on teacher readiness for new and emerging technologies — facilitating decision-making for needed professional development.
To those of you who have already mobilized in completing the BETA 2010-11 survey – eTech thanks you!
For those of you who haven't, don't miss your opportunity to be counted. Visit www.etech.ohio.gov/beta for more information or to have teachers and building designees start their surveys today!
PS—If you need technical assistance, or access to your building codes, please consider the following:
• You need BETA TOOL ACCESS in your eTech Ohio Hall Pass Profile to retrieve your building codes.
• The Building Authorization Code Look Up is located on the eTech Ohio BETA Website – www.etech.ohio.gov/beta.
• If any of your buildings DO NOT HAVE an access code, please contact us at customerservice@etech.ohio.gov or (877) 383-2406. We will need the building name, building IRN, district name, and district IRN to expedite the process.
Please contact Quentin M. Briggs, Program Director, Educational Technology Resources, eTech Ohio Commission
Office#: (614) 485-6611, quentin.briggs@etech.ohio.gov if you have any questions.
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Biennial Educational Technology Assessment (BETA)
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The FY10-11 Biennial Educational Technology Assessment (BETA 10-11) is a K-12 public school census comprised of two surveys – The Teacher Survey and The Building Survey. The BETA is used to collect data regarding technology accessibility and usage in Ohio's public schools. The BETA serves as a state-wide resource for policymakers for considering the future needs of educational technology initiatives within the State of Ohio. Both surveys are due May 27, 2011.
It is VERY important that we use this opportunity to communicate the current state of technology in Ohio’s community schools. State Achievement Assessments are to be delivered online by 2014, and we want to be sure that charter schools have the adequate infrastructure and equipment to fully participate. Please assure that your school is included so that we can advocate on your behalf!
Quentin Briggs is an eTech Consultant for many of Ohio’s Charter Schools. His contact information is: quentin.briggs@etech.ohio.gov, (614) 485-6611. He will be happy to offer his assistance, or provide you with the contact information of the eTech Consultant responsible for your school. More information and a link to BETA can be found at: http://www.etech.ohio.gov/beta/
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eTech Ohio to host the Annual Technology Spring Institute
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On May 6 and May 13, 2011 eTech Ohio will host the annual Technology Spring Institute. This year, TSI is going regional with five separate events planned at locations around the state. You are invited to register for the TSI at www.etech.ohio.gov/tsi2011.
Many of Ohio’s talented technical leaders in P-20 education are slated to present at the regional events. Each TSI event will include bring-your-own technology sessions and roundtable discussions covering topics critical to K-12 and higher education communities. Blended, face-to-face, video conferencing, and webinar training will all be incorporated to leverage regional expertise and increase just-in-time collaboration.
The Technology Spring Institute will take place at the following locations:
May 6, 2011
Northwest: Bowling Green State University, Levis Commons
Central/West: Clark State Community College (Downtown Springfield), Brinkman Center for Education and Innovation
May 13, 2011
Northeast: Ohio State University - Wooster, Shisler Center
Southwest: Miami University, Voice of America Center
Southeast: University of Rio Grande, Bob Evans Farm Hall
The cost to register for the 2011 TSI is $40.00 per participant, and covers attendance at any of the locations on both event days (May 6 and May 13).
To register for the event, go to www.etech.ohio.gov/tsi2011.
Further details about the event, agenda, and session content may be found at www.etech.ohio.gov/tsi2011. For additional questions, contact Quentin Briggs at quentin.briggs@etech.ohio.gov.
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