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ERIC Number: ED553704
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Dec
Pages: 62
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Road to Redemption: Ten Policy Recommendations for Ohio's Charter School Sector
Squire, Juliet; Robson, Kelly; Smarick, Andy
Bellwether Education Partners
In 1997, the Buckeye State embraced a new approach to public-education delivery, launching a pilot program of community (charter) schools. Since then, the state's community schools sector has grown tremendously. During the 2013-14 school year, 390 schools served approximately 124,000 students--seven percent of students statewide. Despite its remarkable growth, Ohio's community school sector continues to struggle with performance. A 2013 analysis by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) found that Ohio's community schools, on average, provided the equivalent of fourteen fewer days of learning in reading and forty-three fewer days of learning in math compared to district-operated schools. Ohio's community school statute is a big part of the problem. Since 1997, nineteen different laws have altered the charter program. The statute and the sector it governs are now so complex that many provisions work at cross-purposes with others, have misaligned incentives, have unintended consequences, or leave room for troublesome loopholes. Past changes to Ohio's community school law haven't been able to rein in low-performing sponsors and schools, grow high-performing schools, rehabilitate the sector's reputation, or provide enough disadvantaged students with the high-quality schools they deserve. In order to preserve the promise of high-quality public school choice, Ohio policymakers must reexamine the community school law. This report provides analyses and recommendations regarding the following ten policy issues that deserve immediate attention from Ohio policymakers and sector leaders: (1) Screening New Sponsors; (2) Accountability for Existing Sponsors; (3) Neutral Funding for Sponsors; (4) Management Company Accountability; (5) Governing Authority Independence; (6) Charter Termination and Nonrenewal; (7) Community School Accountability and Automatic Closure; (8) Community School Funding; (9) Transportation; and (10) Facilities.
Bellwether Education Partners. e-mail: contactus@bellwethereducation.org; Web site: http://bellwethereducation.org
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Walton Family Foundation; Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
Authoring Institution: Bellwether Education Partners; Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Identifiers - Location: Ohio
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A