Ohio

Ohio was an early pioneer of school choice with statewide reach, and is home to hundreds of quality charter opportunities for students. Parent power has improved over time, though not enough to stop one now famous mom from being thrown in jail for trying to get her daughter into a better public school. Hopefully that will change with a new parent trigger law on the books. Teacher quality measures are above average, and strong online options abound despite hostile policies.

Scholarship programs vary widely in scope and size from an autism scholarship to a special needs scholarship serving up to five percent, or approximately 12,000 students with disabilities statewide to a statewide voucher program for a maximum of 60,000 students in failing schools. Cleveland also has its own voucher program for low-income students capped at $23.4 million. The state permits parents choice among public schools (often called open enrollment or public school choice), which permits students to attend any public school in the state if there is room.

SOURCE: The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice

Ohio has recently enacted new accountability provisions that are positively balancing out the previous generation of legislative changes, which opened up the authorizing process to incapable and unqualified organizations. A consequence of fixing past mistakes was the restriction of some important schooling options, like online charters.

SOURCE: The Essential Guide to Charter School Law 2013 National Ranking and Scorecard

Ohio offers a host of full-time online options for students but is limited in scope. Blended options do not exist and Ohio students would have better access to diverse options with policy updates for online course providers, such as allowing students to enroll with multiple providers simultaneously.

SOURCE: Digital Learning Now!

By July 2013, Ohio’s annual teacher evaluations will use multiple measures, and student growth must make up 50 percent of the overall score. Teachers receive tenure after five years and it does not have to be tied to performance. Consistent ineffective classroom performance is grounds for dismissal and seniority cannot be a factor in layoffs or teacher reinstatement.

In Ohio, teacher compensation is controlled by a state salary schedule based on years of experience and advanced degrees. Cleveland, and other cities that have won federal grants are allowed to implement performance pay systems.

SOURCE: National Council on Teacher Quality

Ohio’s department of education website is very parent-friendly. It takes only three clicks to find comprehensive and readable school report cards. The website also provides information about and applications to the private school choice programs as well as charter school options. School board members in Cleveland are appointed by the mayor. The other 611 local school boards are elected in November of odd-numbered years.