Created for middle school teachers: A direct path to selective online resources for instruction and professional development from the National Science Digital Library. Enter each subject pathway to browse a list of topics and take an in-depth look at teachable concepts in science and mathematics.
Kimberly Lightle, principal investigator, School of Teaching & Learning, College of Education and Human Ecology, has received a $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to expand the work of the NSDL Middle School Portal. Lightle and colleagues from the National Middle School Association and Education Development Center have been funded to assume a stewardship role for middle level educators of mathematics and science by expanding the portal and sharing resources across organizations. Contact: lightle.16@osu.edu or 614-688-3485.
US Department of Education This month, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings will announce final regulations to strengthen No Child Left Behind (NCLB), including requirements that states implement a uniform graduation rate and enhance parents' leverage in accessing public school choice and free tutoring options for their children. Senior policy officials at the U.S. Department of Education will explain the final regulations on the live webcast.
This will be held on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. For additional information, please visit www.ed.gov.
Professional Development Opportunity
The Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE) in November will offer middle school teachers several professional developments providing free instructional materials and high quality curricula that spur creative instruction in citizenship. Graduate credit is available.
OCLRE empowers teachers with hands-on interactive resources that energize students and enhance the skills they need to pass state tests. The OCLRE is sponsored by the Ohio Supreme Court, the Ohio Attorney General, the Ohio State Bar Association and the ACLU of Ohio Foundation.
Standards based, free classroom textbook sets will be given to those who attend the Project Citizen professional development on November 6 in Columbus. Project Citizen, sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education, is an activity based civic education project that actively engages students in learning how to effect and change public policy and encourages civic participation. The professional development will be led by Martha Verde, a veteran Project Citizen educator. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Participants will receive a certificate for six contact hours. To register visit www.oclre.org or conta ct Addie Natalie at anatalie@oclre.org.
Youth for Justice (YFJ)is a hands-on, service-learning program teaching students ingrades 4-9to identify a problem, research the issue, propose solutions, and take action to solve the problem. Students learn the key concept of social responsibility while actively practicing citizenship skills and democratic principles. Youth for Justice can be used in multiple arenas such as school classrooms, detention facilities, after-school clubs, and church groups. Workshops are scheduled forNovember 13 in Columbusand November 20 in Cleveland.For more information, including a registration form, visit www.oclre.org or contact Tim Kalgreen at TKalgreen@oclre.org.
Professional development workshops for Youth for Justice and Project Citizen are each $10 for OCLRE members and $55 for nonmembers.
The following is the speech I delivered during the 'State of the State' general session on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008 during the OAPCS Annual Conference.
I’m here this morning to talk with you about the state of our charter movement in Ohio. The moment is opportune. A gathering of Ohio charter school leaders is a particularly good moment to have a discussion about the state of the charter school movement, both from a local as well as a national perspective. It also makes sense to take advantage of the presence of two of the best thinkers on these matters:
- Nelson Smith, President of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, and
- Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, one of our champions, the Jon Husted.
Great acts need a warm up act and so I’ll play that role this morning. What I’d like to do is to set the stage with some thoughts about where we are as a movement today in Ohio and what lies in front of us as we chart our course into the future. By attending this conference, all of you (300+) have made an important professional decision to step away from your schools, to mix it up with your colleagues, to reflect on where you are, what lies ahead, and how we can improve on what we do.
So I’d like to begin with this quote.
“Crisis conditions are encroaching today on educational systems everywhere, and already hold many countries in their grip. The essence of the crisis is the disparity between educational systems and their rapidly changing environments. Worldwide revolutions in science and technology, in demographic and social structures, and in economic and political affairs are at the root of the disparity and threaten to crack educational frameworks.”
My friends, that statement was made 40 years ago in a book by Phillip Coombs, Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs in the Kennedy Administration… and as it happens a good friend of my father’s.
Again, he said: “THE ESSENSE OF THE CRISIS IS THE DISPARITY BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS AND THEIR RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS – REVOLUTIONS IN TECHNOLOGY, DEMOGRAPHICS, ECONOMICS, AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS…”
One might ask, what in the world have we done in the past 40 years that we should be faced with the same challenges four decades later. – RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS
You know the old parable that the only thing Rip Van Winkle would recognize today, after 100 years of sleep would be the American classroom. Yes… now we have computers… and were still trying to figure out their role as instructional tools in our classroom… but besides that?
Well, I’ll tell you what’s different - Charter Schools
Friends and colleagues, the charter school movement is a bright example of what political historians call “popular sovereignty.” Public school parents vote with their feet, and in Ohio, I’m very pleased to say that the parents of over 80,000 students in the state of Ohio have decided for a variety of different reasons, to place their students in our schools, in our hands.
But the charter school movement is also a bright example of the 21st century needs of parents. Many Ohio parents are no-longer satisfied to be passive in the high stakes responsibility of making sure their children have what they need to be successful in a globally competitive and rapidly changing world. Charter schools are uniquely suited to the challenges. They are highly personalized, distinctive, innovative and adaptive school environments.
The charter school movement is a direct response to market needs and a dissatisfaction with the educational status quo. A mutual friend introduced me to a member of the Columbus (Ohio) school board at a cocktail party. My new acquaintance immediately said, with only a hint of humor, “So you represent those charter schools that are taking away our students?” To which I respectfully replied, “Why are they leaving?”
Parents have become much more sophisticated and demanding consumers of their children’s public education. They are looking for safe learning environments where education can take place in the presence of reasonable order and decorum.
The Japanese have an old proverb: “The best way to cope with change is to help to create it.” Ohio charter schools are on the cusp of change, and they are creating it.
My friends, charter schools are not some kind of evil plot created to undermine traditional education systems. The birth of every charter school is an act of entrepreneurism, a progressive and innovative market response to changing parental and student needs in a shifting global environment. Parents want their children to be in schools that understand this.
But educational entrepreneurs on the cusp of change, innovation and reform have a sacred and special responsibility to meet the performance accountability standards our students and parents expect; indeed, I believe that the vast majority of our charter schools in Ohio embrace accountability because the best ones - - the ones that are meeting and exceeding expectations are not afraid of the educational marketplace. Real education change is effected by a mixture of innovation, excellence, accountability and meaningful responses to publicly perceived needs. This is the essence of the charter school movement.
So let’s take a closer look at Ohio?
1. First of all, as a movement, we are growing and we get it when it comes to quality. If chronically underperforming charter schools close under current statute and new charter schools open under high-quality operator provisions, charter schools will rise dramatically in quality over the next few years. One thing is for sure, we all understand that our future is tied to quality.
I laugh to myself sometimes when I think, and I’ve said this publicly, that all the state seems to care about is quality charter schools. Think about it. Those poor, neglected school districts. We get all the quality attention. Maybe someday they’ll care enough about traditional schools to close those dozens of district buildings that fail to meet the same closure provisions of Ohio House Bill 79. Maybe, that is, if they really cared about quality public education across the board.
2. Second, Ohio needs and is exploring new rubrics for measuring the quality for our specialty schools and I feel a growing consensus in these regards. Why would anyone suggest the same measures for performance proficiency for a specialty school with a student body that is 90% special needs children, or 100% dropout recovery students. The right accountability rubrics for the right schools only makes sense.
3. Third, as the accountability and closure consequences kick in and the mean quality of our schools rise, the State of Ohio must lift the caps and moratoriums that limit the growth of quality charter schools and specifically discriminate against e-schools. Currently, we deny school choice to thousands of students who today, by zip code, are waitlisted and locked out of school choice in Ohio.
4. Fourth, Ohio, like many other states in the Union, faces a budget crisis. As this governor prepares his biennial budget, we in the charter school movement must be resolute and unified in our voice of advocacy. The Ohio Alliance is about to embark on a significant grassroots campaign to message and promote our community interests. Budget circumstances may limit our aspirations but we must as a community mobilize our resources and our constituencies. You will soon be hearing from us about this. We must stand together.
5. Fifth – I’m happy to report that charter schools had a major WIN in Ohio this past month when former Attorney General Mark Dann’s attack on charter schools was squelched by a Montgomery County Common Pleas Court in the State v. New Choices Community School. The Ohio Alliance organized the legal defense fund that paid for the school’s defense and I promise you that if the Attorney General appeals this case, we will step to the plate again.
In these regards, I am very pleased to announce that the Walton Family Foundation will be establishing a permanent legal defense fund for members of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools. This will be a major benefit to our members and our movement.
6. Finally, let me say that after several years of every school and management company looking out for their own defenses, without organized opportunities to come together, to speak together, I have a distinct sense that Ohio’s charter school movement is finally unifying. We’re communicating with one another, we’re sharing ideas and we are feeling the empowerment of our collective strength. My friends, make no mistake about it… united we stand, divided we fall.
This conference is an opportunity for regrouping and renewal. This conference is a demonstration of our commitment to each other, to quality, to innovation, and a commitment to stand for our beliefs in the importance of the charter school movement. In closing, let me borrow a phrase or two from John F. Kennedy.
“Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead.”
What is different about education today is charter schools, and charter schools make a competitive difference. My friends, we are here to stay. We embrace the challenge of education reform. We embrace excellence and accountability. We intend to grow from these challenges.
You are the vanguard of this movement. Thank you for your work and thank you for being here today with your colleagues.
Overseeing the academic, fiscal and operational performance of a charter school presents both great opportunities and significant challenges. Thus, we commend charter school board member's commitment to serve Ohio’s charter schools and improve the academic prospects of the state’s children, many of them from the state’s toughest neighborhoods. We are also keenly aware that many governing board members need additional support and access to critical information, particularly in the areas of charter school law and potential legal liabilities, Ohio’s academic accountability system, and complicated compliance issues.
To assist in the efforts, the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools is pleased to invite you to a Charter School Board Governance 101 training program, to be held Tuesday, Nov. 18th, 2008 at Veterans Memorial in Columbus. Participants will learn the ins-and-outs of sound school governance and have ample opportunity to ask questions and glean practical information for use at their schools. On hand will be individuals and resources that can help you and the schools you serve.
Our featured presenter is Dr. Brian Carpenter, CEO of the National Charter Schools Institute in Michigan and author of many books on charter school governance, including Charter School Board University, a comprehensive “how-to” guide for governing board members, and The Seven Outs: Strategic Planning Made Easy for Charter Schools. Dr. Carpenter will provide participants with a set of best practices for effective charter school board governance, including fiscal oversight.
Also speaking are:
Ø Chas Kidwell, partner at the legal firm Porter, Wright, Morris and Arthur, LLC, who will offer guidance on charter school law and potential legal liabilities for board members.
Ø Marianne Lombardo, director of school performance and accountability at the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS), who will help board members interpret Ohio’s academic accountability system and the federal No Child Left Behind Act, and what both mean for the state’s charter schools.
Ø Kim Blake, from the State’s Auditor’s Office, who will be speaking on preparing for financial audits.
In addition, participants will have the opportunity to hear from charter school sponsors.
Charter School Board Governance 101 is sponsored by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. Attendance at the event is free, but registration is required and limited. Included with registration are a continental breakfast, lunch and a notebook filled with valuable information. OAPCS members will also receive a free copy of “Charter School Board University: An Introductory Course to Effective Charter School Board Governance.” In addition, we will have copies of “The Seven Outs: Strategic Planning Made Easy for Charter Schools,” for purchase at a deeply discounted price.
Save the Date for Next Year’s Conference: November 16-17, 2009
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ 2008 State Conference drew over 300 participants to the Columbus North Crowne Plaza Hotel October 14 through the 15th. Speakers included Nelson Smith, President of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Joe Williams, Executive Director of Democrats for Education Reform, Rita Pierson, national authority on the impact of poverty on classroom performances, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Jon Husted, and Bill Sims, President of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools. The conference, sponsored by19 state and national organizations included over 35 breakout sessions during the two-day period with continuing educational units (CEUs) for Ohio teachers.
Huge thanks to the Arts and College Preparatory Academy of Columbus to the student performances and entertainment.
Congratulations are in order:
·OAPCS Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Susan T. Zelman, immediate past Ohio State Superintendent for Public Instruction, was presented with this year’s award.
·OAPCS Teacher of the Year Award: Jim Melko, sixth-grade teacher in the Mound Street Health Careers Academy.
·OAPCS School Leader of the Year Award: Cengis Karatas, Director of the Horizon Science Academy Cleveland High School.
·OAPCS Charter School Best Innovative Practice Award: Par Excellence Academy
The following schools were recognized for their achievement excellence in the following categories:
Excellence Awards - For a report card designation of “Excellent” or “Excellent with Distinction” for the past two years: Aspire Academy, Lorain Academy for Gifted Students, M.O.D.E.L. Community School, Old Brooklyn Community School, Toledo School for the Arts and Upper Arlington International Baccalaureate High School
Constant Quality Awards – For maintaining a rating of “Effective” or “Effective with Distinction” for the past three years: Arts & College Prep, Aspire Academy, Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy, Horizon Science Academy - Cleveland, The Intergenerational School, Lorain Academy for Gifted Students, MODEL Community School, Oakstone Community School, Oakstone Community School, Old Brooklyn Community School, Parma Community, T.C.P. World Academy, Toledo School for the Arts and Upper Arlington International Baccalaureate High School
School Improvement Awards – For increasing state ratings by two or levels over the past two years: Academy of Arts & Sciences, Heir Force, Madison Community School, Marcus Garvey, Horizon Science Academy, Horizon Science Academy and King Academy
We are looking forward to next year's conference on November 16-17, 2009. If you are interested in participating, please feel free to contact us.
How Will Your School Celebrate International Education Week?
International Education Week will be celebrated from November 17-21, 2008. It is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of State to highlight the importance of international education and international exchange. In Ohio, Governor Strickland will be issuing a proclamation for International Education Week to highlight the importance of global experience for today’s students. The official Web site for International Education Week http://www.iew.state.gov provides ideas for activities and offers the opportunity to post information about your school’s events. Other ideas are contained in the articles below. Please forward information about your school’s International Education Week events to Donna.Nesbitt@ode.state.oh.us
International Connections to Mathematics and Science
Space exploration is an area where international cooperation is vital. The space station was built cooperatively by nations on four continents and has hosted astronauts from 16 countries. ARISS is an international program designed to inspire students worldwide to pursue careers in science, engineering and mathematics. Through amateur radio students can have the opportunity to communicate with the in-orbit crew. For more information about how your school could participate please visit www.ariss.org.
Spring 2009 OAT and OGT
Beginning with the Spring 2009 test administration, Form SV will be used for those students using an English audio, foreign language or needing a read-a loud administration. Form 1 and Form A, used for OGT and OAT respectively, will no longer be the designated form for the read-a loud. Districts will need to order Form SV in Tide for the OGT and Schoolhouse for the OAT for read-a-loud administrations. More information will be forthcoming.
New OGT Calculators
The fall administration of the Ohio Graduation Test will begin on October 27, 2008. By now all school districts should have received their fall shipment of the new OGT Calculators. The new TI-30XIISR is the only calculator to be used on the OGT. The unique red color is to assist proctors in identifying the approved calculator. Provide your students with the opportunities to become familiar with the functionality of the new OGT calculators through regular use in classroom settings and testing situations. The new calculators are believed to be more durable than their predecessor.
The TI-30XIISR has a memory feature that must be cleared beforeeach testing use. Either of the following methods will clear the memory.
Press the “ON” button and the “CLEAR” button simultaneously; or
Press the “RESET” on the back of the calculator with a pen or other pointed object.
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ 2008 State Conference drew over 300 participants to the Columbus North Crowne Plaza Hotel October 14 through the 15th. Speakers included Nelson Smith, President of the 