Bill Phillis of the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy reports that taxpayers will be footing the bill for “facilities” for the low-performing but politically connected ECOT (Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow). The owner of ECOT, William Lager, is a major contributor to the Republican Party. Perhaps someone inGo st or Kasich’s office could e plain why an online school that is highly profitable needs to upgrade its “facilities.” Is that Lager’s office space?
It said:
“More students drop out of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow or fail to finish high school within four years than at any other school in the country, while companies tied to its founder have been paid millions.”
To learn more about ECOT and Lager, read Jan Resseger:
Phillis writes:
ECOT is receiving $378,000 this year for facilities
The low performing online giant charter business enterprise, ECOT, is receiving $378,000 in tax money for facilities! This is beyond outrageous. It reflects on the integrity of those who made this slap-in-the-face to taxpayers possible. State officials should be guilt-stricken.
ECOT lobbyists are now leading a charge to convince legislators that online charters should be assessed by a rating scale that inflates their grades without any improvement. With ECOT’s campaign funds and stable of lobbyists, all charter favors are possible for them.
Will anyone address this matter with his/her legislators?
William Phillis
Ohio E & A
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Ohio E & A
100 S. 3rd Street
Columbus OH 43215
Sent by ohioeanda@sbcglobal.net
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What a lazy and dizzy post… All those links… So confused. Anyways- are you that dense? Yes it takes facilities to operate an online school that beams live into 17,000+ home classrooms connecting teachers to students every day. The infrastructures demands are not hard for even the most tech resistant to understand. Some day.. hopefully soon.. you will take the time to make a shred of an effort to begin to understand how the classrooms of tomorrow are operating. And here’s a relevant note for your spin zone. Unlike some other schools, 88% of ECOT funding is spent in the classroom where it belongs.
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Jeremy,
Since ECOT makes over $100 million in profits every year, why do taxpayers have to upgrade facilities of the state’s lowest performing school? Why don’t the legislators or the state education department shut it down? Uh-oh, I see by your email that you work for ECOT, so you won’t have answers to my questions. Sorry.
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Your profits equal lost opportunities for all students.
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Is the number you cite, before or after the owner’s take and, the campaign donations to Republican politicians?
What is the economic multiplier effect of ECOT, on communities?
What is the cost to community cohesion and societal values, from the privatization and corporatization of public schools?
The public deserves answers to questions like the following:
(1) Why does the 2015 charter school paper, co-written by Fordham and Columbia Teachers College (funded by the Walton and Arnold Foundations), list charter school “quality” as the last criteria and, “political support”, as the first?
(2) Why did the PUBLIC OSU, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, have a 2015 leadership conference and invite 3 representatives for charter schools and no opponents?
(3) Why do newspapers repeatedly cite Fordham quotes, for their newspaper articles, and fail to identify the organization’s funders?
And, finally, (4) Why do you disparage people’s intelligence and diligence, in your defense of the indefensible?
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Jeremy,
Upton Sinclair wrote: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”
So I will not try to convince you since you are an “ecot pal”. Some online learning/training can be okay for a very small percentage of highly motivated folks (but will never be okay for the vast majority), especially as an “alternative” means to a true K-12 education. Yes, online training can be done but certainly not in the fashion that ecot promotes. Training is not the same as the teaching and learning process that involves actual human to human contact not mediated by/through some third party internet connection. Your random numbers and figures impress no one, lest you think otherwise.
(Be careful with that “spin zone” talk you may tick off the master of “spin”, Billy O’Reilly.)
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Jeremy,
I hope you find a new career in a line of work that is more ethical than “online charters.” Even reformers are embarrassed by them. I am sorry you have the task of defending the indefensible
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Every student I’ve ever gotten back from an online “school” is extremely behind their peers when they return to real public schools. Online education is a farce.
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There’s the outrage you promised in your headline hollow blog post title! Now we’re talking. I am a parent of an ECOT student as well as 2 traditional brick and mortar students. I started organizing ECOT PALS to give a voice to real people actually affected by the slanderous media efforts towards our school. I support public school choice and my tax contributions following my kids to the best possible public option for their individual and unique needs…. and I support every other parent’s choices as well.
You can squawk about public education funding and squawk about how politics works and is paid for but please be responsible and represent this for BOTH sides of your debate… including the public ed unions. If your enemy is the system and how it works…. you’re a little off target aiming at ECOT… you may want to think bigger and blog about something like campaign finance reform.
You can regurgitate outdated performance measures designed for traditional schools (other peoples hollow headlines) and attempt to misapply them to totally different and new schools… but remember why you claim to be here. Any data scientist worth their salt or everyday blogger interested in a “better education for all” would certainly dig deeper into the data and use regression analysis to apply proper variables in determining what these stale singular stats actually mean in today’s school landscape. Further, if you really cared, you would certainly dig deeper to learn more about how this school and others like it actually work from a educational, technical and operational perspective… but you won’t so all we can assume that either you don’t really care about education or there must be something else driving your charter school outrage.
We won’t sit idly by while you use us parents, our kids, their teachers and our school as a pawn in your propaganda. We won’t buy into your us vs. them narrative. We won’t walk party lines and won’t play politics. We support all great schools and teachers. We support “better education for all” and true innovation in public ed.. and we happen to look our evidence and motivation in their eyes every day.
I spent the day yesterday speaking directly with many families, friends and teachers of ECOT’s 2400+ graduate 2016 class. Their stories are incredible, shocking, real and not part of anyone’s political agenda. I could share but I won’t here b/c your bully gang will call their truth into question regardless. Would you believe me if I told you that the number one quote from yesterday’s chats was “this school saved my life”…. probably not…. nevermind. However, if you want a little peek into the future or If you want to learn about a better education for all, you can certainly visit the blog I’m curating at ECOT PALS to read unfiltered / audio recorded and transcribed testimony to this school by actual human beings you seem on a tear to take it away from. I have a great interview with a 22 year teaching veteran who now teaches at ECOT going live later this week. You’re definitely going to want to tune in to that one.
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What about the experiences of countless teachers, including myself, that students who return to public school from an online school are incredibly behind? What about the CREDO report from 2015 that states that online charters are “not a good fit for most students,” and that students actually lose “months of education” while attending online charters? What about the online charter scandals where students are considered to be “attending” if they log in for as little as one minute a day? Name calling withers under factual evidence.
Click to access OnlineCharterStudyFinal2015.pdf
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“new schools” ? Rewind. Convicted financier, Michael Milkin foisted the on-line school scheme, on us, after, he was barred from the securities’ market.
Let’s take the amount of money that Lager has made on ECOT, and ask, “saved my life”, if she or he would trade the money, for the schooling.
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@Threatened Out West –
You wrote:
“”What about the experiences of countless teachers, including myself, that students who return to public school from an online school are incredibly behind?””
2 things.
1. ECOT is a public school
2. Your question leads to an unfortunate generalization that goes both ways.
What about the experiences of countless ECOT teachers where their students coming from a traditional brick and mortar school and are incredibly behind? This is one of the most frustrating parts of the anti-choice us vs. them narrative because I personally have worked with great educators in all format schools… My daughter has had excellent teachers at ECOT for 4 years. My sons have had excellent teachers at traditional school for the last 3. I have traditional teachers in my family. My own dad taught in traditional high school. ECOT’s teacher population is as much as diverse, certified and experienced as any traditional school’s set of teachers if not more. But the important thing here is that they understand if a student’s needs are better served in a different format than the live online classroom… it’s a student-centered philosophy that all great teachers in all format schools subscribe to… It’s also important to note that 65% of ECOT high schoolers are already at least a year behind when they enroll there.
You wrote:
“”What about the CREDO report from 2015 that states that online charters are “not a good fit for most students,” and that students actually lose “months of education” while attending online charters?””
I can’t speak to the CREDO report because I haven’t read it. I would like to say I’ll read it and let you know but I’d be lying. So here’s a couple responses without any study of the report. The quotes you cited from do not match up with my personal experience or the experiences of those I have spoken with and interviewed (ECOT students, families and teachers). Further I have been heavily involved with distance learning technology for over a decade. Any generalization of all “online charters” is already a red flag to a potential bunk report… the differences from school to school and platform to platform in terms of tech are staggering. ECOT is truly a hybrid live/online school. It’s was innovative in 2005, 2015 and continues to innovate in ed-tech over time… Regardless of what any report says, I will always believe that all student’s, their learning styles, and their individual needs are not one in the same… I will also always believe that live/online classroom should have a prominent place in K-12 public ed. along with other options. Finally, I believe that parents and kids should have the choice in the matter.
You wrote:
“”What about the online charter scandals where students are considered to be “attending” if they log in for as little as one minute a day?””
The glorification of utterly meaningless data points including this is a common anti-choice media spin issue.
First and foremost. Logon time doesn’t mean anything. In traditional school, do you get a grade for just showing up?
But if you still want to debate logon time….. It’s important to know that the policy makers in these stories haven’t even experienced an online school day with a child like mine. She’ll be logged on for a 20 minute session live taught by her teacher with her classmates… then she’ll be logged off working on offline assignments for a hour then back to a different class. Then working with a classmate on a project via email/text or video chat etc. etc. etc. There’s a lot of offline work. It’s flexible and hard to measure… especially for those who choose to fear and lash out against technology.
The laziness of those making and trying to sway policy is astounding. Again they haven’t taken the time to understand how this modern classroom operates… Rather, they’ve chosen to attempt to apply a stale brick and mortar truancy measure to an online school. So lazy… it makes me sleepy.
Now should we be able to measure more than one minute a day for online students from a technical perspective… of course. But don’t be fooled by the headlines you read… and lastly, please don’t subscribe to 5 hours logged on equals an education…. because it doesn’t.
You wrote:
“”Name calling withers under factual evidence””.
I did’t call anybody anything they weren’t openly displaying themselves as. The evidence is all there.
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Jeremy,
ECOT has made William Lager a billionaire
Some public school
I hope you get a job with an ethical employer next time
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Linda.
I didn’t come here to comment on anyone’s assumed net worth. I came here to respond to the out of touch blog about what may be facilities costs at a large progressive live online school as well as the intentional misrepresentations you regurgitated…. like this one.
“More students drop out of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow or fail to finish high school within four years than at any other school in the country”
I mean what exactly is that? You conveniently (purposefully) left out the most important fact that 65% of ECOT high schoolers start off ALREADY A YEAR BEHIND WHEN THEY ENROLL!!!
Don’t you think that is an ultra-important note to include for your dear readers? Just an oversight I’m sure… or maybe you think you’re in the clear because you quoted someone else… right?
Uh uh.
C’mon now Linda.
And you want to give advice on ethics?
Not only is it irresponsible.. but it’s just sad for all of us real people on the other side of your agenda.
I did “get jobs” in corporate america for a long time. I actually trained on topics like ethics and diversity. Today, I own my own businesses. I “got a job” with myself and my clients hire and continue to work with me because of my integrity. So I guess your wish for me has already been granted!
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Correction. My last comment was directed at Diane not Linda.
Have a good night y’all!
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When this privatization effort started in Ohio we were told that charter schools wouldn’t get local funding because they don’t have locally elected governance. They are a STATE school system, so they get state funding. What lawmakers in Columbus didn’t tell is was they would be doing some accounting tricks to shuttle local funds to charters by cutting the state share that goes to public school students.
In fact, Ohio voters expressly rejected local funding with no local representation:
“Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman has repeated over the past several months that business, labor, civic and faith leaders were aligned behind Issue 50, the Columbus City Schools’ levy.
But voters weren’t behind it. They defeated the 23.5 percent property-tax increase yesterday that would have shared local money with charter schools for the first time.
The measure went down 69 percent to 31 percent, with all precincts reporting, despite the months-long work of Coleman’s Education Commission, a new state law and a multimillion-dollar campaign.”
Is this a problem for the “movement”? Or are they planning on just rolling over democratic process again? Who represents the interests of Ohio citizens on the ECOT corporate board?
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2013/11/1105-columbus-school-levy-defeated.html
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Public school parents should also be aware that there’s an enormous push among ed reformers to push this garbage into public schools-
get ready for ed reformers to replace teachers with screens in low and middle income schools. Our kids will get cheap commercial garbage under the guise of “21st century learning!”
It’s another rip-off out of ed reform but it has the potential to be very profitable for the government contractors who will be lining up at the trough. Lower income rural schools will end up with real teachers for English and math and screens for everything else. It’s already happening.
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If ed reformers in Columbus have cut your public school budget to make field trips and science labs and foreign languages impossible, don’t worry! They have a plan to make big bucks sticking low and middle income kids in front of screens for those “extras”!
It’s a win/win! The state saves money on education and the politicians fill up their campaign coffers!
Don’t fall for it. It’s a rip-off.
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Is there some reason the US Department of Education continually portrays public school children sitting in front of a screen?
https://twitter.com/usedgov?lang=en
I don’t know what this looks like in elite circles, but to a normal person it looks like they’re taking orders at an Amazon call center.
If this is the ed reform “vision” for public ed, thanks but no thanks. I prefer a human being as a teacher, although I’m aware this certainly saves on wages andhealth insurance!
Put this into your own schools, in wealthy areas. Conduct your experiments on YOUR kids.
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This week, Gov. Kasich appointed, former State School Superintendent, Richard Ross, as a Bowling Green State University Trustee.
Ross’ controversies (1) employee-“David Hansen’s resignation after admitting he withheld poor scores for online charter schools on sponsor evaluations”. (Toledo Blade)
(2) involvement with Youngstown Schools takeover (despite claims otherwise), which was done without the state board’s knowledge. (Dayton Daily News)
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They deserve him. Public universities have backed the privatization of Ohio public schools every step of the way. They deserve a taste of their own medicine. They can outsource the whole system to White Hat as far as I’m concerned. If it’s good enough for K-12 it’s good enough for higher ed.
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Full-time faculty are a small percentage of teachers on campus (approx. 25%). Universities have already been transmuted by the business model. Administrators make their paychecks, by bringing in revenue and cutting costs. IMO, accrediting boards have done nothing to protect the mission of higher ed, which explains the Columbia Teachers College President, as the subject of “Students Urge President to Cut Ties with Pearson”, the Koch proliferation, documented at UnKochMyCampus.org, a professor’s charter school paper, co-written with Fordham and, funded by the Waltons and John Arnold, the accreditation of Relay Graduate School of Education, the resignation of a Wright State Trustee and its President, after reporting by Dayton Daily News’, Josh Swigart…..
Some time ago, we should have had a R.I.P. ceremony, just to make sure no one thinks it is otherwise.
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Destroying the state’s reputation and attracting fewer businesses- Arbitrarily-set, Common Core cut scores, show only a fourth to a fifth of Ohio students are “proficient”.
State School Board member, A.J. Wagner describing the system- “It’s a train wreck. (adding, sarcastically) That’ll show the world how tough we are….it’s a war against the poor., denying them graduation.”
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Linda,
Never forget that the cut scores on Common Core tests were designed to fail a majority of students, especially those who are already disadvantaged by race, income, ethnicity, disability. It is working.
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Meanwhile, the huge group of public employees we’re all paying in Columbus continue their laser-like focus on promoting charter schools:
http://edexcellence.net/articles/auditor-yost-visits-high-performing-united-preparatory-academy
To read about the activities of this crowd one would never know 93% of kids of ALL income levels attend public schools in this state. Maybe we could familiarize them with some strong public schools? I know our public schools are unfashionable but this is ridiculous. Presumably they knew the job involved public schools when they took it
Why do we only hear from ed reformers when they’re imposing an unfunded mandate, cutting funding or scolding us on testing?
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Going once … Going twice … Gone!… to the highest bidder!
Fess up! Who’s really surprised that schools are the next gold-mine for drooling hedge-funders and tech magnates? Big Banks, Big Pharma, and Big Oil … move on over. It’s Big Education’s turn.
The lure of charter schools … with the ever-repeating money stream via taxes … was just too, too lucrative to ignore. And now the sharks are just fattening their odds and slimming their risks by ruining the long-standing public school system.
These charters are ostensible saviors of the last resort for children stuck in failing, inner-city educational mills. But the inner cities are the starting blocks. They see education in an entirely new structure and with an outcome never before considered … profit.
To cull some schools from the system … a few at a time for now … sets the pattern. Profiteers hard-sell the “success” story and entice others to sign on … and the money siphoned from public schools further cripples already crippled schools. It’s a classic business “build and destroy” mission.
Combined screecher resources and skewered assessment results … think Common Core! … and more and more schools become ripe for take-over. Charter operators bully their way into new situations … which, in turn, allow others to come forward to reap profits from arming these new schools swimming in redirected taxpayer monies. Everyone is in on the action. … from software providers to textbook pushers. Even the tutoring industry gets a booster shot.
So the spigots are open and the tax monies now drain into the pockets of entrepreneurs who are more about flash than about substance. Classroom performance is now superseded by the bottom line.
Charter schools will come to dominate the scene. And in true entrepreneurial form, schools will become more and more like race cars … covered with product logos and insignias of all sorts.
Expect sport scoreboards with product info flashing all game long. Campuses will be decorated by signage that speaks to the generosity of business X and Y. We might not get a Whopper High School, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get something called the MicroSoft Magnet School for Technology. You know … something extra sexy that would awe the ordinary taxpayer into a state of silly gratefulness.
Sports’ uniforms will look like those patchy outfits race car drivers wear … with logos all over the place. Cafeteria foods will be franchised out … even transportation will be “Uberized” in some fashion because … well … if there’s money to be made, they’ll make it.
Teachers will be properly orientated company men and women … and students will be the product. The goal is to spit and polish the product just well enough to get by quality control and then … then it’s off to the bank.
Older teachers will run to retirement hills, and those too young to retire will simply quit because they will not have the intestines for what is unfolding.
So, there you have it. Schools will have new ownership, but the same funding … your tax dollars. The faculties will have been rinsed free of old blood and new, conforming teacher-bots will read from the curriculum scripts exactly as they are written … and nod their heads like bobblehead dolls.
Phony civic-minded entities that wish to maximize their exposure in order to maximize their advertising clout will pay for the privilege to be associated with the scam-school. And politicians will share in the looting of the public schools by getting loot from the looters. I’m sure you can follow that.
Taxpaying parents will have zero control over their tax dollars, and their children will be short-changed not for a few years … but for as long as they might live.
That’s the future. More and more control by fewer and fewer powerful people who control powerful mechanisms to become more powerful every day. Sounds like a tongue-twister, but it ain’t. It’s real. Real real.
Going … Going …
Denis Ian
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Isn’t this why Thoreau went off to live in that cabin by the lake….to quit paying taxes to a corrupt system? (And aren’t we all at least a little bit in collusion with the government when we keep seeking bigger and bigger houses along with bigger and bigger salaries?)
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