by Jason on March 4, 2010
According to an article in today’s Columbus Dispatch, Ohio is among the top finalists to receive money from the federal government through the “Race To the Top” program to increase achievement in our state. In the application, Ohio states that it will:
The state’s goals include: increasing the high school graduation rate to 88 percent, up 2 percent; reducing graduation rate gaps between minority and majority students by 50 percent; reducing performance gaps on state and national assessments by 50 percent; and reducing by half the gap between Ohio and the best performing states in the nation on national reading and math tests.
As an educator at the secondary and post-secondary levels, it is my opinion that we must focus most of our energy on reducing the achievement gap between majority and minority students. As we all know, there are a plethora of reasons for which this gap exists, but that does not mean that we should ever rest in our efforts to erase this gap.
More research must be done to develop new and innovative ways to reach all of our students. Until we can claim that our minority students score equal to the Caucasian students on measures such as grades, graduation rate, and standardized testing, then we continue to fail those students that need the most help.
by Jason on November 18, 2008
I wish that I could redirect you to previous posts that I have written on school funding in Ohio. In case you are not from Ohio and do not have the background on our school funding system, it has been ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court. In Ohio, we fund our schools mainly through property taxes. This creates the unfortunate situation that force our school systems to go to the voters and ask for money to build new buildings or for operating those that exist.
In our latest election, three local school districts were unsuccessful with their levy initiatives. These districts include Canal Winchester, Groveport Madison, and Southwestern City Schools. According to the Dispatch:
The Canal Winchester, Groveport Madison and South-Western districts ruled out February for a special election, but they likely will approach voters sometime next year.
I have always said, and will continue to say that we should not take out our frustrations with Ohio lawmakers that continue to ignore their duty to fix this funding system on our students. Withholding funds that are necessary to educate the leaders of tomorrow is not the way to send a message. Write letters, make phone calls, volunteer on political campaigns, but don’t disadvantage students in our every growing and competitive economy.
I encourage to you to check out this site by the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign. Their pinciples include:
1. All Ohio children should have quality public education opportunities as a fundamental right, wherever they live, whatever their race, and whatever their family background.
2. The success of a system of local public schools derives from the commitment and engagement of the citizenry of the local community that the schools serve.
3. A system of well-funded public schools is necessary for the public good.
4. Paying a fair share of taxes for essential public services such as education is a civic responsibility for individuals and businesses.
5. The current system for funding public education in Ohio needs complete reform.
6. Ohio’s system for funding public education must be fair and equitable, and it must be understandable.
7. The solution should not involve taking funds from presently well-funded schools or leveling down.
And their goals include:
1. Establish public education as a fundamental right for all Ohio children.
2. Require lawmakers to define the services and resources needed to enable all children to meet the state’s educational standards.
3. Determine the actual cost of providing constitutionally mandated educational opportunities and fully fund this program.
4. Distribute funding equitably by significantly increasing the role of state revenue and reducing local property tax.
5. Require that the State fully fund all state education mandates.
6. Address concentrated family poverty (rural and urban) through adequate additional state support for districts serving children in poverty.
7. Provide for financial stability for all districts by reducing the need for frequent levies.
8. Repair or replace worn facilities without over-reliance on the local match.
9. Rebuild participation and local control and governance of local schools.
10. Require all schools funded with public money to meet and be accountable to the same state standards.
11. Require that local school district resources be used solely for schools fully accountable to locally elected public school boards.
There are real solutions to our funding crisis. I just hope the knee-jerk reaction is not to deny our students first class opportunities.
