Good news: Charter enrollment and financial deductions from school districts are down—Bad news: HB 166 is very charter friendly
The
table shows that charter enrollment has dropped from 122,129.74 in FY 2014 to 106,216.73 in FY 2019 and is at 104,754.75 this fiscal year (current year could change substantially.) The 2018-2019 charter deduction from school districts was $68 million less than the deduction in school year 2014-2015.
HB 166 loosened charter regulations that potentially saved about 60 charters from closing and appropriated a huge bundle of money for “high performing” charters.
For-profit charter operators are on the prowl for more tax money via charters. For one, Ron Packard, the former CEO of K12 Inc. online charters (Ohio Virtual Academy in Ohio), is expanding his operation. When Packard left K12 Inc., his annual salary was over $5 million. Charters really do enrich adults.
It is disheartening that the 133rdGeneral Assembly tossed more money at charters and loosened regulations. Sad.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I don’t think they “turned against them” so much as they were WILDLY oversold by ed reformers and after a decade of an exclusive focus on charters and vouchers the public is (reasonably) asking that someone they’re paying in state government put some work and effort towards the public systems 90% of families use.
Along with the ed reform zeal for charters and comes complete and utter neglect of the unfashionable public schools. That starts to show, and eventually people notice.
So state legislators are quietly returning to the public schools they’re paid to serve. Even the most ideologically committed to “choice” now run on their support for public schools. A lot of it is puffery- they don’t actually deliver any value for public schools or public school students- but they figured out they at least have to adopt less hostile rhetoric, given the fact that 90% of their constituents use the schools they oppose.
It was always true on the local level. Ed reformers in Columbus would attack public schools regularly, and vote against them, but sing a different tune when they were campaigning in their districts. They’re relying on the public not knowing what they’re up to down there, but there’s only so long that can go on before people notice.
Other states could avoid Ohio’s failed experiments – we’re really the leader in adopting dumb ed reform ideas without any analysis or thought at all and pouring money into them. We’re a “good, bad example”. Learn from us! Go the other way!
There’s still too much influence by ed reform lobbyists in Ohio. I don’t think Fordham should be writing graduation requirements for every public school student in the state.
They don’t even support our schools. Why do they set policy in them?
I want actual advocates – people who are committed to public schools and public school students and are invested in their success. Professional critics of our schools should not be running them. Ed reformers would never accept that in the charter and private schools they promote and support. Why should I accept it?
Are the Fordham affiliated schools in Ohio still promoting themselves as public even though the Ohio Supreme Court ruled they’re not?
Too bad the attorney general is such a “go along guy” with the party whether it benefits Ohio taxpayers or not.
Is Ron Packard really an adult and/or human?
When he ran K12 Inc, he was paid $5 million a year to run that chain of troubled, low performing virtual charters, so I assume he is an adult.
An adult, yes, but do people like him deserve to be called human? They must be a mutation. I’m sure Trump is a mutation. a genetic freak of nature.
The charter schools could buy more Maserati’s with taxpayer money and have them drive around neighborhoods picking up kids for school or other outings. I’ll recommend the idea to one of the Arnold-funded ed centers at universities like Michigan State and Tulane, who have federal money from DeVos to make charter schools more appealing.
Charter enrollment falling is the best news of the day. Charter Goliath is falling down, falling down, falling down, charter Goliath is falling down, blog fair lady!
Perfect, LCT.
It would be a great chant at the next rally
Your stanza could alternate with another,
contract schools falling down…