The Superintendent Has Asked for Our Input. Contact him here...superintendent@education.ohio.gov

Welcome to the hot seat new Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria. He rode his bike to work yesterday for his first day on the job.

Here's a quote from the avid cyclist and new Superintendent as provided in a press release by his new charges, one of the "worst-run" state agencies (according to Ohio Auditor Dave Yost), the dysfunctional Ohio Department of Education...

“Education defines our future as individuals, as a community, as a state and as a nation,” said Paolo DeMaria, superintendent of public instruction. “It’s an exciting time for education in Ohio, and I look forward to engaging with our families, teachers, administrators, policy makers and advocates to help guide our work at the department.”

While this sounds a lot like rhetoric, I have a wild inclination to be blindly optimistic, just like when the Chair of the House Education Committee Andy Brenner, upon taking that position, told us,  "I am passionate about making sure that every child in this state has equal access to an excellent public education, and am excited to have this opportunity.” Of course Brenner is currently attempting to expand Ohio's voucher system by promoting an amendment to HB 481 that would expand the number of eligible schools through the use of scores on the current assessments. What was that about public education Mr. Brenner?

So, let's say I'm skeptical about this openness to guidance. However, in a bold move on his first day on the job, Superintendent DeMaria has doubled down. According to an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, he went on to say...

"I want to listen- to get a clear sense of what's happening out here. Share with us. Communicate with us, Tell us what we're doing well, what we're not doing well." He added, "Don't just sit back and stew if you see something you don't like."

And so once again, an educational leader with the state has asked for public input. To be honest, I was planning on offering unsolicited advice anyway, but it's nice to be asked. The issue here is not the lack of an invitation, but a willingness of those in power to act on the recommendations of other stakeholders. I'll concede that we've seen a bit of movement by those in power as evidenced by the slight changes in the assessment system, and charter regulation (however laughable in scope).

My other issue, I guess, is where to begin. There are so many systemic problems in Ohio's education system at the state level, that I'm not sure how to address them all. It might be easiest to tear it down and begin again, repeal all education law outside of the Ohio Constitution and start anew. That solution amounts to "throwing out the baby with the bathwater." No one wants to do this because it sounds terrible for the baby. I believe that depends on who, or what, the baby is in our scenario. If the baby is Ohio's charter schools, then I'm cool with that, regardless of how every well meaning diplomat who has taken campaign donations from William Lager wants to defend millions of dollars in fiscal waste by referencing "effective charters." 

Of course, if the baby is an actual baby, then we can't throw it out. What we do, then, is to teach that kid from pre-K through 12 in a neighborhood public school well funded enough to provide a wealth of programs and small class sizes that can remediate any issues (academic, economic, social) that the baby may have in order to assure an equal educational opportunity.

As it stands, the bathwater of education in Ohio has gotten so filthy with ridiculously partisan anti-public school, pro-privatization, pro-accountability (read pro-high stakes testing) policy that it has become increasingly difficult to provide children with that opportunity. 

Which brings us back to the new Super, who wants to hear what they can do better. Here's my list, which is by no means comprehensive and not in an order that I would consider "of importance." I'm just spitballing. Later this week I'll pare it down into a letter to Mr. DeMaria. I will choose those things that I find most important, that I also believe the Superintendent would be willing to discuss. I encourage you to do the same.

Problems with the Bathwater.

1) A State Superintendant should be chosen for their experience in education, as well as a commitment to quality public schools, not because of their bureaucratic or policy experience, or as an advocate of school choice.

2) The State School Board should be a 100% elected entity in order to, insomuch as possible, eliminate the partisan political agenda of the governor's office.

3) The previous Superintendent (not Lonny), along with members of the ODE, are likely guilty of fraud and should be the subject of a public investigation and criminal proceedings. The state school board and the ODE will have no credibility unless this is undertaken.

4) Ohio's school funding system is unconstitutional and creates widespread educational inequity. Urge that it be fixed immediately.

5) Charter schools, if they must exist, should be funded separately. What the Ohio Republican Party touts as increases to education funding is actually an increase in funding to charter schools because of the existing convoluted formula which takes state and local funding from public schools and redirects those funds to charters which are often ineffective.

6) Charter schools should be subject to the exact same regulations as public schools. Until this happens there should be no more bullshit rhetoric that references a "level playing field" or "apples to apples."

7) Eliminating PARCC as a vendor of assessments did NOT resolve testing issues in the state of Ohio regardless of what you may have heard from your local legislator. AIR is creating PARCC-like assessments which are too long despite being administered in a single window, use a language completely contrary to the vernacular of our students, and are not promoting student achievement, but rather a culture of failure in our schools.

8) All high stakes decisions tied to standardized tests like the 3rd grade guarantee, high school graduation, ratings of teachers, schools and districts should be eliminated as they are an inappropriate use of assessment data.

9) The Ohio Teacher Evaluation System should be eliminated in favor of local instruments for the evaluation of teachers, decided on with the input of local stakeholders. OTES is far too cumbersome and time consuming for both teachers and administrators. It takes valuable resources away from the important work of educating children.

10) Fix the damn ODE website. It is awful, impossible to navigate, and thus completely useless as a meaningful source of information for administrators, teachers, parents, students, and other members of the community. It is Alice's rabbit hole. (I know this last one may seem petty by comparison, but where are we without accurate information on the current system? Lost.)