Changing Ohio education for a changing world
Ohio Education Matters connects the dots between great innovations and the people in local communities who can propel change. A nonpartisan public policy think tank, OEM acts as a catalyst of education transformation – providing research, advocacy, engagement and policy development that inspire others to create a new system of education for Ohio’s next generation.
What's New
National event: "Digital Learning: The future of schooling?" May 17 in Columbus
Join KnowledgeWorks, the Nord Family Foundation, and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute for an important, nonpartisan event about digital learning and where it will take education in Ohio — and the nation — in the years to come. National and state-based education experts and policymakers will debate and discuss digital learning in the context of the Common Core academic standards initiatives, teacher evaluations and school accountability, governance challenges and opportunities, and school funding and spending.
Speakers include:
* Steve Dackin, Reynoldsburg City Schools
* Bryan Hassel, Public Impact
* Paul Hill, Center on Reinventing Public Education
* Senator Peggy Lehner
* Susan Patrick, iNACOL
* Susan Stagner, Connections Education
* Tom Vander Ark, GettingSmart
This event will be held 1 pm- 4:30 pm on Thursday, May 17 at the Sheraton at Capitol Square, Governors Ballroom (75 E. State Street). There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. It will also be webcast at The Thomas B. Fordham web site. No registration is necessary for online viewing.
Gov. Kasich’s budget proposal encourages schools and local governments to do more with less
Governor John Kasich's FY2013 mid-year budget proposal mirrors Ohio Education Matters' proposals on efficiency.
The budget proposal released Wednesday March 14 moves forward proposals to encourage more digital and blending learning in the classroom and to provide tools for schools and districts to share services in order to improve services and reduce costs.
“In our Ohio Smart Schools initiative, we encouraged the state to take action a year ago to help schools and districts continue academic improvements while reducing costs,” said Andrew Benson, Executive Director of Ohio Education Matters, a subsidiary of KnowledgeWorks in Cincinnati, in a statement released Thursday. “We are pleased that the governor in this budget continues to provide guidance and tools to districts to help them improve academic achievement but do so at a lower cost.”
Read OEM's full press release on the FY2013 budget proposal »
Digital Learning and an "American Spring"
Ohio Learning Unbound features a guest post from Bill Sims, President of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools. In a time of constant change and development generated by the Internet, Sims shares his thoughts about the potential of digital learning to liberate learners across Ohio, the United States and the globe.
Gov. Kasich’s focus on doing more with less sends right message
Governor John Kasich's emphasis on education in his State of the State address today appropriately drew attention to getting better results for students but doing so with fewer resources, according to a statement released by Ohio Education Matters today.
"The governor came to Steubenville today to deliver that message, but he could have been in Akron, Canton, Euclid or Ottawa-Glandorf," said Andrew Benson, Executive Director of Ohio Education Matters, a subsidiary of KnowledgeWorks. "The message is that these school districts have figured out how to do more with less, and in a time of scarce resources, we need to learn from them."
Kasich highlighted the academic success of Wells Academy by making an historic move of the annual address to a location outside of the State Capitol. Wells Academy is a public elementary charter school within the Steubenville City Schools and was the top-rated public elementary school in the state last year.
In addition, the Steubenville City School District was recognized by the Ohio Smart Schools initiative last year as being best-in-class for efficiency in central administration spending, meeting quality measures but doing so at a lower cost than its peers