The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools is committed to visiting Ohio's charter schools during the next few months.
If your school is hosting a activity that you would like for the OAPCS to come and be a part of, or you would just like to share a typical school day, please contact Kelly Buskirk to make arrangements for a member of the OAPCS staff to visit your school. As your state association, it is important for us to see - first hand - the accomplishments you and your team are making with students on a daily basis.
A special thanks to Bridges Community Academy and Montessori Renaissance Experience Community School for hosting our two most recent school visits.
December 2008 E-Rate Workshops
Through participation with eTech Ohio and the E-Rate program, schools can receive significant discounts on their telecommunications services and technology equipment purchases. eTech Ohio is proud to announce E-Rate workshops to be held across the State in December to provide up-to-date information on e-Rate program changes for the upcoming funding year, as well as a line-by-line review of Form 471. Recently held fall sessions addressed updates to the program, a review of the application process through Program Integrity Assurance, as well as what to expect during an audit. Since many districts will need to update their technology plan this year in order to file for E-Rate, we will also cover the E-Rate critical components of the Technology Planning Tool (TPT).
December sessions will be offered in the morning and afternoon. Morning sessions will be held from 9:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. and afternoon sessions will be held from 1:00 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. Workshop presenters will be a combination of educational technology consultants with district responsibilities and E-Rate staff. In order to most effectively manage time and travel, some components may be held via videoconference. Please contact eTech Ohio, http://www.etech.ohio.gov/programs/erate/ to be connected with your Technology Consultant and register for the workshops.
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
The Wall Street Journal editorial page took note of one of the President-elect’s and First-lady’s most important incoming decisions- where to send their girls to school in Washington, DC. It’s a place where school choice matters. According to Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokesperson for Mrs. Obama, “A number of great schools were considered. In the end, the Obamas selected the school that was the best fit for what their daughters need right now.”
The WSJ gives emphasis: “Note the word ‘selected,’ as in made a choice.” School choice has been around for hundreds of years- if that is, you have had the financial means. Not to pick on politicians, but since they set policy, why not? Many members of Congress choose schools that are “the best fit” for their children yet consistently oppose legislation that would enable school choice for all parents.
The Heritage Foundation has been tracking congressional school choice for almost 8 years. Last year 45% of senators and 37% of representatives “selected” private schools for their children. According the Heritage Foundation, that’s four times the rate for the rest of America. According to a blog by Evan Feinberg (March 16, 2008), “If all of the members who exercised school choice for their own children had supported school choice in policy, every major legislation effort in recent years to give parents school choice would have passed.”
As Ohio’s 128th General Assembly begins to plan for Ohio’s future and the Governor gins up his biennial budget, find out who your representatives are and whether or not they support school choice. If their district is charter school rich but they have a history of not supporting charter schools, call them on it. If they send their own kids to private, parochial, or charter schools, hold their feet to the fire. It’s time to open the door on “closeted” legislators. School choice matters!
Community schools encouraged to engage in Governor’s “Conversation of Education”
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) continues to solicit participants for Governor Ted Strickland’s “Conversation on Education” forums and urges charter school stakeholders to offer input through forum “watch parties.”
Gov. Strickland recently announced his plans to host six regional forums to focus on school funding. The first was held in Columbus on November 20; upcoming forums include:
Cleveland – Dec. 11, 4:30-6 pm
Toledo – Dec. 12, 4:30-6 pm
Mansfield – Dec. 18, 4:30-6 pm
Cincinnati – Dec. 19, 4:30-6 pm
Athens – Dec. 20, 2:30-4 pm
To volunteer to attend a forum as a representative of the charter school community, please submit the following information to cwest@oapcs.org:
Your name;
Your title or role;
Your school/organization name;
Your email address; and,
The location of the forum you’d like to attend.
Sponsors, schools and parent groups are also encouraged to host “watch parties.” The forums will be web cast (and some aired on local PBS TV stations), and a facilitators guide – available at www.conversationoneducation.org-- provides instructions on how to lead group discussions and submit feedback to the Strickland Administration.
For more information on charter school involvement in this important process, contact Catherine West, OAPCS, at 614-744-2266, ext. 203.
At its November meeting, the Capacity Committee of the State Board of Education reviewed a number of incidents where pupil transportation has been provided by community schools that failed to comply with one ore more regulations.
As noted by Pete Japikse, associate director of the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Pupil Transportation Office, all pupil transportation in Ohio is regulated by the same requirements in administrative code and law. These requirements apply to all providers of transportation services, with no exceptions made for different owners or operators, to maximize student safety.
All drivers of school buses are required to comply with federal requirements for commercial drivers that apply for school buses, including maintaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with school bus and passenger endorsements, and participating in drug and alcohol testing as administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Schools that provide pupil transportation are required to submit to ODE evidence of regulatory compliance for each driver including proof of a satisfactory physical exam, proof of driving history checks and criminal background checks, and proof of annual in-service training. Drivers are also required to complete a course administered by ODE that includes a renewal training component every six years. In addition, entities other than traditional school districts are required to maintain a license for pupil transportation with the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
State Board Capacity Committee members expressed concern regarding community school noncompliance and ODE’s report of three community school violations revealed over the last 60 days.
ODE staff were instructed to identify and present to Capacity Committee members enforcement options for their consideration, including withholding funds from schools found to be in violation of transportation laws and regulations.
All community schools that offer student transportation are encouraged to review relevant state laws and rules in an effort to ensure compliance, and to contact ODE’s Pupil Transportation Office for any needed clarification.
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) is already taking steps to ensure that the voices of charter school stakeholders are heard in the ’09 state biennial budget bill process.
Working under the assumption that Governor Strickland will incorporate his education reform proposal into the state budget bill, OAPCS continues to engage in the process and to spearhead charter school participation in the “Conversation on Education” forums.
OAPCS is also developing communications tools for use by various charter school advocates to ensure consistent, effective messaging to legislators and the Strickland Administration.
The next step will be to launch a grassroots campaign to bring school leaders, administrators, teachers, students and parents into the discussion. Again, OAPCS will rely on strong, consistent messaging to demonstrate unity around our shared commitment to providing quality options to tens of thousands of Ohio students who choose to attend charter schools. OAPCS will also provide on-line tools to simplify the process of communicating with policy-makers on charter school issues through its “Voter Voice” advocacy tool.
Stay tuned for additional information as the grassroots initiative is unveiled, but make plans now to be a part of this important campaign.
Regional Value-Added Specialists (RVAS) and District Value-Added Specialists (DVAS)* are available to provide training sessions for districts and/or schools, and are able to help you interpret and use your value-added information. Registration for all regional trainings are being handled through STARS, ODE’s online system for educators to register themselves for statewide professional development opportunities.
*DVAS exist in most community school sponsoring organizations as well. They are referred to as Value-Added Specials (VAS or CVAS). Contact Joanne Geiler at jgeiler@BattelleforKids.org to find out who your trained Community School VAS is.
New! You can now access the name(s) of your RVAS/DVAS online.
Visit: www.BattelleforKids.org/Ohio > Ohio Value-Added.
Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Web Site
Click on the Accountability tab, then choose either the Value-Added or Local Report Card (LRC) tab. www.ode.state.us
From the ODE Web site you can access the login screen for your EVAASÒ value-added reports, https://ohiova.sas.com/evaas/login.jsp. If superintendents don’t remember their login information, use the “Forgot Your Password” or “Contact Us” features and SAS will provide assistance.
Understanding & Using Value-Added Analysis Toolkit
This toolkit, with four easy-to-navigate interactive learning modules, is designed to help school leaders improve their understanding of value-added analysis and learn how to share this important information with others. Two copies of this toolkit were provided to each district office in Ohio in fall 2006. Each Community School VAS also received this toolkit. Ohio educators on the K-12 Network can download toolkit resources from the Value-Added section of the ODE Web site.
Understanding Value-Added Analysis & Ohio’s Accountability System Toolkit
New! This toolkit, developed through a partnership between ODE and Battelle for Kids, was designed to help school administrators talk to teachers about the value-added progress measure, how it fits into Ohio’s accountability system, and the new design of the Local Report Card. It includes a DVD and support resource materials that use easy-to-understand language and examples to explain the complexities of value-added analysis and Ohio’s accountability system. The Toolkits were provided to community school sponsors and building principals (grades 4-8) in Ohio. All toolkit resources are available online. Visit: www.BattelleforKids.org/Ohio > Ohio Value-Added.
