Tuesday, May 29, 2012

May 29


Deal reached to press reform of Cleveland schools

By Thomas J. Sheeran
Associated Press

Published: May 25, 2012 - 11:18 PM Deal reached to press reform of Cleveland schools May 26,2012 03:18 AM GMT Thomas J. Sheeran Associated Press Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,broadcast, rewritten or redistributed..

CLEVELAND: Gov. John Kasich and top legislative leaders on Friday endorsed a compromise Cleveland school improvement bill to help the city’s struggling public schools and high-performing charter schools co-exist.

The deal outlined at a City Hall news conference by the governor, Mayor Frank Jackson and a bipartisan group of lawmakers would create a coordinating panel to sanction new and renewing charters in the district. The panel, appointed by the mayor, would include school officials, parents and community groups.

Charter schools would choose from a list of sponsors cleared by the panel, such as nonprofit groups, and would have to meet standards based on national guidelines. Some Cleveland charters could see a share of district property taxes.
http://www.ohio.com/news/education/deal-reached-to-press-reform-of-cleveland-schools-1.309646





University of Dayton helps student interns


Students work as interns at Statehouse. Program provides housing and $1,000 stipend for 12 students.

By Meagan Pant, Staff Writer 9:01 PM Monday, May 28, 2012

DAYTON — The University of Dayton is removing the financial barrier this summer for students participating in unpaid internships at the Statehouse in Columbus.

UD’s Statehouse Internship Program provides housing and a $1,000 stipend to 12 students working eight-week unpaid internships in Columbus. The program helps students, who are seeking experience in positions, cover their cost of living expenses while they earn college credit.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/university-of-dayton-helps-student-interns-1382711.html




Cleveland schools plan wins legislative support as Mayor Frank Jackson agrees to less control over new charter schools than he sought

Published: Friday, May 25, 2012, 10:15 PM     Updated: Saturday, May 26, 2012, 4:23 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio — Mayor Frank Jackson scaled back his push to empower a local panel to approve new charter schools to win approval of his far-reaching Cleveland schools plan in the state legislature.

Instead the new Transformational Alliance will only be advisory and will review charter school sponsors, or authorizers, and make a recommendation to the Ohio Department of Education, which will have final approval.

That agreement, reached Thursday night and announced Friday at Cleveland City Hall, removes the last major objections to the plan that Jackson and school officials have pushed since February.








Speedy Ohio House passage for pension bills: editorial

Published: Monday, May 28, 2012, 7:29 PM


In admirably bipartisan votes, the Ohio Senate has approved much-needed bills to bolster Ohio's public pension funds. The Ohio House should swiftly forward the Senate's package to Gov. John Kasich.

Speaker William Batchelder, a Medina Republican, has indicated the House may await further financial data -- expected arrival: sometime this summer.

That's a mistake. In an election year, the further delayed any legislation is, the bleaker its prospects. On top of which, every day these reform bills languish costs the pension funds, and potentially taxpayers.
http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/05/speedy_ohio_house_passage_for.html





Hard-won legislative accord on Cleveland school reform should galvanize local officials to push for a levy: editorial

Published: Saturday, May 26, 2012, 8:17 PM


Give Cleveland a chance to reform its struggling schools, which could mean a chance to remake the city. That's all that Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Cleveland Schools CEO Eric Gordon have been asking for as they seek legislation in the Ohio General Assembly that would, among other things, give a review panel oversight of city charter schools.

Fortunately, despite some last-minute controversy about the Transformation Alliance, the mayor's proposed vehicle to monitor Cleveland charters, a deal was finally struck last week that enhances the accountability of both charter schools and traditional public schools.

By tweaking the Transformation Alliance language, Jackson got almost everything he wanted. For instance, the panel will recommend, not authorize, which charter sponsors can start schools in the city, with the final say going to the Ohio Department of Education. Traditional public schools will have to be on their toes, as well. The plan aims to overhaul the district's weakest schools.
http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/05/hard-won_legislative_accord_on.html







5/25/2012 10:22:00 PM 

The People’s Defender

  

State Representative Terry Johnson (right) receives congratulations for his Legion of Honor award from Major General Deborah Ashenhurst, the Adjutant General of the Ohio National Guard. At the far right is Johnson’s wife Jennifer. 



Johnson receives Legion of Merit

State Representative Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) was awarded the prestigious Legion of Merit during Thursday's session of the Ohio House of Representatives, according to Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina).



The Legion of Merit is awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces or a friendly foreign nation who has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.











Friday, May 25, 2012

Agreement reached on Frank Jackson's school plan

Details revealed at City Hall briefing.

Ken Robinson, Newsradio WTAM 1100


(Cleveland) - Cleveland's struggling public schools and high-performing charter schools, created as an alternative, have found a way to co-exist under a compromise agreement on required state legislation.



State legislators and city leaders met outside Mayor Frank Jackson's office to praise the deal.



Governor John Kasich called it a great achievement, and credited Jackson for bringing all sides together for the good of Cleveland's children.



Kasich promises that the legislature will pass the deal on June 12th.








Cleveland Mayor, State Leaders Unveil Additional Details on Cleveland Schools Agreement

Hannah Report 5/25/12

State leaders including Gov. John Kasich and Speaker of the House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) and companion bills' sponsors Sens. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) and Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) and Reps. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) and Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) joined Mayor Frank Jackson at a news conference in Cleveland late Friday afternoon to announce further details of the latest agreement on transforming Cleveland schools that had been negotiated Thursday.

Also attending were Cleveland Metropolitan School District Board Chairperson Denise Link and Cleveland Teachers Union President David Quolke.

Jackson had hoped his plan to transform the Cleveland schools, introduced as HB525 and SB335, would have passed before legislators left for the Memorial Day holiday but charter schools reportedly lobbied heavily to weaken the authority of the Transformation Alliance, thus slowing the bills' progress and necessitating Thursday's negotiations. (See The Hannah Report, 5/24/12.)






Hannah Report 5/25/12

Week in Review for Friday, May 25, 2012



EDUCATION

The Buckeye State earns some top marks in Newsweek's "America's Best High Schools" for 2012, placing two Big 8 members with 20 other Ohio school districts in the top 500. Ohio had a total of 34 high schools in the magazine's annual top 1,000, and high-wealth suburbs were not always among the leaders.

House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) confirmed late Thursday that he and Senate leaders had reached a deal on Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's school overhaul plan in HB525; details were to be discussed at a Friday press conference. Batchelder said he expects that bill and the general education MBR legislation, SB316, to be taken up when the General Assembly returns to wrap up business in mid-June. The House informally passed SB316 at its Thursday session.
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=189534







Late-Session Legislative Rush Leaves Loose Ends For June

Gongwer 5/25/12



This week's fast and furious lawmaking was supposed to be the last before the election year summer recess kicked off, but legislators still face a little heavy lifting during a final stretch of sessions now planned for mid-June.

In fact, a couple of committees plan to meet next week following Memorial Day to keep working on issues that are expected to move through the General Assembly next month.

One of the biggest tasks facing legislators is final action on Gov. John Kasich's education budget update (SB 316 ), which is the subject of ongoing disagreements between the two Republican-led chambers and the administration over the third-grade reading guarantee, school district report cards and other issues.

The bill cleared committee this week but a House floor vote planned for Thursday was delayed to allow more time for negotiations that could avert a conference committee.










Deal On Cleveland Plan To Incorporate ODE In Transformation Alliance's Approval Of Charters

Gongwer 5/25/12



Legislative and local leaders gathered in Cleveland Friday to announce an agreement on portions of the Cleveland educational overhaul plan that had been stalling Statehouse action to implement the proposal.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, who authored the plan, jointly announced the agreement with Gov. John Kasich, House Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) and the bipartisan group of bill sponsors.

The bill to implement the Cleveland Plan (HB 525 ) has had seven hearings in the House marked mainly by a large show of support from local officials, parents and students, but the momentum petered out this week as the House Education Committee waited for a deal on changes.

No comments:

Post a Comment