Bill Phillis, retired deputy superintendent of education inland founder of the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy, wonders if the Ohio Legislature will act to stop state takeovers of fiscally ailing districts.
He writes:
“Youngstown and Lorain City school districts are in the clutches of HB 70. This legislation transfers the powers of the elected boards of education to a CEO; hence, local citizens, school personnel and students are at the mercy of the CEO.
“Former State Superintendent Richard Ross and the governor’s office brewed this poison stew in collaboration with a half-dozen private citizens in the Youngstown area.
“The proposed legislation would halt the takeover of additional districts until 2021. Possibly, by that time, the state will craft a way to actually help academic distressed districts to improve instead ripping governance from elected boards of education.”
If you want to get on his mailing list, contact him at:
William L. Phillis | Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding | 614.228.6540 | ohioeanda@sbcglobal.net| http://www.ohiocoalition.org
Diane Ravitch's blog 
HB 70 is a toxic stew brewed by special interests designed to suppress democratic participation by creating a mechanism for placing “failing districts” into receivership by bypassing the local boards of education. Pro-public education groups have resisted by filing an injunction to block the implementation the law. While the supporters of local rule have lost in the early rounds of the court battle, the case is expected to go to the Ohio Supreme Court.
This is so typical of so-called reform. The laws they bribe politicians to get are all a smash and grab by special interests that seek top down rule while suppressing the voice of the local communities and citizens. This type of strong arm politiicking may very well be one of the reasons that “reform” has lost momentum and credibility.
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The whole concept of failing districts should be modified to show that accountability outside of schools has failed. The system for designating schools and districts as failing is a sham with metrics that are slammed together and not really credible. They are the product of the smashers and grabbers.
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