U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced that Toledo School for the Arts will receive an NCLB Blue Ribbon Schools Award for helping students achieve at very high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap.
Toledo School for the Arts is one of 320 schools announced as a 2008 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon School.
Nov. 18 Board Governance Training (more information to follow)
Poetry Out Loud
The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) in partnership with Thurber House, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation is offering the national recitation contest Poetry Out Loud again in 2008-2009. This initiative provides a great avenue for high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. The program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Free teacher toolkits, artist workshops, and coaching are available through the Ohio Arts Council. The OAC will host a workshop on October 18, 2008 for high school teachers interested in implementing the program. Participation for students can take place in the fall and winter at the school level with winners advancing to the state-capital competition on March 14, 2009. Cash prizes are awarded and Ohio’s student winner will win an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the national finals on April 28-30, 2009. Additional information is available.
Late last year, former Attorney General Marc Dann attacked Ohio charter schools with a novel, if not bizarre legal offensive to give the Attorney General’s office an unprecedented role in closing down charter schools. If he could prove charter schools were in violation of their alleged charitable trust, he could singlehandedly close down charter schools. His move was legally unprecedented and the consequences of such self-deputization would be momentous. The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools made a decision to intervene by assembling a legal defense fund from community school constituents, to support the defense of New Choices Community School, the lead case in the AG’s attack, because the stakes are so high in this case - and not just for Ohio. The case has national implications for charter schools and non-profits alike.
The question at hand was whether or not charter schools were in fact charitable trusts and did the AG have authority over schools in these regards. The answer, unequivocally, is no. On Monday of this week Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Michael Tucker released his decision. Charter schools are political sub-divisions of the state of Ohio, and as such, they cannot be charitable trusts. Further, he said in his decision that any sense that articles of incorporation of non-profit charter schools represent an “intent” to create a charitable trust is a spurious argument.
The power to close under-performing charter schools rests with the state legislature and the evolution of statute in these regards is clear. The OAPCS supports these statues and the legislature’s intent to prescribe performance criteria for closing underperforming charter schools.
Acting Attorney General Rogers has until October 27, 2008 to appeal the case. In our view the case leaves little room for various interpretation.
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) is proud to present the OAPCS Annual Conference on October 14-15, at the Crowne Plaza - Columbus North.
Leaving your work for a two day conference feels impossible during this time of test preparation and settling in, but this conference is important for the movement. The program will meet your needs in terms of achieving fiscal accountability, building school enrollment, crisis management and working with governing boards. General sessions (descriptions below) will prepare you for your daily work with children and what the future holds politically.
Success Against the Odds - Rita Pearson
As challenges within the school arena become more complex for both students and teachers, it has often become difficult to remain positive and hopeful. "Success Against the Odds" will address how educators can address the social and academic needs of students who seem to be faced with overwhelming circumstances, without sacrificing their own sanity to do so. Resources and coping strategies for success will be discussed, as well as how to implement and supplement those resources and coping skills that are not present or available.
Moral Obligations of Education Reform: Where's the Democratic Party? - Joe Williams
For education reform to be transformative, there has to be consensus and a broad base of political support. In Ohio, the charter movement has elicited an unusual amount of partisanship. Complementing a Wednesday morning session featuring Ohio Speaker of the House Jon Husted, Nelson Smith and Bill Sims' views on the state of the charter school movement locally and nationally, Joe Williams, executive director of Democrats for Education Reform, will share his views and trends on matters of education and reform consensus.
A Charter School "State of the State" and "State of the Nation" Session - Bill Sims, Nelson Smith and the Honorable Ohio Speaker of the House Jon Husted
Ohio Speaker of the House Jon Husted, Nelson Smith, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, and Bill Sims, president of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools will give their perspectives on the national and local state of public charter schools. They will also address the challenges facing charter schools across the nation in the context of American Education reform and through the lens of required 21st century skills.
Register today (don't forget the code MBR1014) - the early bird discount ends tomorrow! Your support of this year's conference is the key to its success, and will impact future offerings by the OAPCS.
Five finalists have been named in the search for a state superintendent to replace Susan T. Zelman, who will leaves the Ohio Department of Education on Oct. 31 after 10 years of service. The State Board were scheduled to interview the candidates Sept. 29-30.
The Ohio Department of Education has upgraded its Web site. If you haven't had a chance to review the site - take a few moments to explore the changes.
Annual Reports are due to the Office of Community Schools on or before Nov. 30, 2008. In their most recent e-newsletter, the Office of Community Schools has outlined important dates, transportation insights, fall professional development, and new special education operating standards.
In 1995, America’s college graduation rate was first in the world. Ten years later, it ranked 15th. As so many nations around the world continue to improve their systems of education, America can no longer afford to maintain the status quo. In an ever-changing, increasingly competitive global economy, is the U.S. doing all it can to prepare its students to win jobs and maintain a robust economy? WHERE WE STAND: America’s Schools in the 21st Century presents a frank evaluation of our educational system’s strengths and weaknesses. Hosted by Judy Woodruff, Senior Correspondent for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, the documentary visits schools throughout Ohio, an important swing state that represents a range of socioeconomic and geographic school districts. The program features schools in urban Cincinnati, suburban Columbus, and rural Belpre. WHERE WE STAND introduces students, parents, teachers and administrators whose stories illustrate the overwhelming odds and shining successes of education in America. They include Bin Che, an educator from mainland China who teaches Mandarin in rural Ohio; Cherese Clark, principal of a high-poverty school struggling under the pressure of low test scores; Guadalupe Medina, a student at a STEM school (which focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), who, at age 16, has completed all of her high school requirements; and Anne Kuittinen, a Finnish exchange student who earned straight A’s but is now redoing her junior year at home in Finland because the Finnish school system doesn’t accept credits from America. For information and videos on Globalization, Teaching, Achievement, Testing: No Child Left Behind, Finance, Election 2008, and Special Features, please visit the Web site.
