All About Charter Schools inOhio: Charter Legislation and Law, Charter School Numbers, Enrollment and Academic Achievement, and Charter School Resources and Support Organization Contacts, as well as Ohio Department of Education Charter School Offices

Charter Schools in Ohio

Law:   Passed in 1997

Rank:   11th strongest of the nation's 40 charter laws

CER Grade:   B

Schools:   131

Students:   28,446

DEVELOPMENTS:

CELEBRATE: Representative John Boehner of Ohio is one of eight U.S. Congressional leaders serving as honorary co-chairs of the Congressional Salute to Charter Schools in conjunction with the fourth annual National Charter Schools Week, April 28-May 2, 2003. The co-chairs will participate in various events showcasing the importance of charter schools in improving all schools.

DISMISSED: Yesterday, Franklin County Judge Patrick McGrath dismissed, without a hearing, the major elements of a constitutional challenge to Ohio's charter school law. The suit had been filed two years ago by a group calling themselves "Ohio's Coalition for Public Education," whose membership includes: the Ohio Federation of Teachers, the Ohio School Boards Association, the Ohio League of Women Voters, the Ohio PTA and the Cleveland Teachers Union. While minor elements of the case remain, the Judge also dismissed a claim that local tax dollars were illegally being diverted to charter schools. From CER Newswire April 22, 2003.

UNRULY REGULATIONS: While charter schools in the Buckeye State are serving predominantly poor children in the state's most troubled districts, it seems that state education leaders are interpreting the law in such a way that will undermine the integrity of the legislation. Despite passage of a stronger law for charters this year, the Ohio Department of Education released onerous draft regulations this week that, if adopted, will no doubt stall the growth of charter schools in the state. More details in CER's April 8, 2003, Newswire.

CHARTER WATCH: Fans of charter schools in Ohio recently got a huge boost when the legislature passed a bill allowing for both more accountability as well as more schools. Thanks to the efforts of charter schools and Representatives Jon Husted and Randy Gardner, Ohio now allows any non-profit organization to sponsor charters, and allows for charters not just in the Big Eight school districts, but in any district on "academic watch." Funding is streamlined, as is the accountability of schools to the standards set by the state and the feds. Prior to the passage of this bill, hostilities were high over charters. Read more in the CER December 2002 Monthly Letter.

REVITALIZATION: Lawmakers have compromised on a charter school bill that, while not as expansive as its original version, will most definitely revitalize the state's charter school movement. The bill calls for several improvements to the current law, including the unique and unprecedented opportunity for all private, non-profit education organizations to authorize charter schools. Additionally, charter schools can now be created solely to serve gifted students and to provide single-gender instruction. A revolving load fund will be created to help charter leaders secure suitable facilities, and charters can now be created not only in the 21 urban districts, but also in 100 additional "watch" districts. Charter opponents fought hard to restrict the current law even further, by limiting sponsorship only to local districts and by tightening the cap. Despite the current lawsuit pending against the charter school law, it's encouraging to see that changes were made that will enable the further development and success of many more charter schools in Ohio. From CER Newswire November 26, 2002. See also CER Newswire December 3, 2002.

OPPOSITION: Starting a "campaign" masquerading as a Coalition for Public Education, the group of School Board, PTA and even League of Women’s Voters leadership are waging a campaign against a bill that would actually provide more help for charters, particularly when it comes to accountability. But the group believes that any amount of charters is too many, so they’re on the move. (For more see WHAT OHIO'S COALITION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ISN'T TELLING YOU ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS and CER's Monthly Letter, Back to School 2002.) Update: April 21, 2003: Major elements of the suit have been dismissed. See DISMISSED, above, and CER Newswire April 22, 2003.

HEY 19: Dayton, Ohio may have as much as 20 percent of its student population in charter schools this fall, as the city prepares for 19 new charter schools with the capacity to serve as many as 5,500 students. The move toward charters was spurred by parents and the business community who were frustrated with the district's lack of academic progress and overspending, and was aided by the startup efforts of the Fordham Foundation. The district, which had been losing enrollment for a decade, had allowed its spending on operations to outpace its spending on instruction, creating a $16 million deficit. The infusion of charter schools changed that focus. In the past two years the district has closed eight schools and improved its fiscal operations, including a return to spending a majority of its budget on instruction. The business community is now pushing the district to allow a charter high school that serves the general population and to make a building available for that school. Unfortunately, this proposal has met its share of obstacles. From CER Newswire July 30, 2002.

RESOURCES:

SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:

Alliance for Education
1595 Kettering Tower
Dayton, OH 45423

Contact: Mary Karr
Telephone: (937) 222-2934
Fax: (937) 222-0636

The Ohio Community School Center
21 East State Street, Suite 1120
Columbus, OH 43215

Contact: Clint F. Satow
Tel: 614-224-2647
Fax: 614-469-7163
Email: CFSatow@aol.com

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

Ohio Community Schools
Ohio Department of Education
65 South Front Street, Room 408
Columbus, OH 43215

Contact: John Rothwell
Tel: 614-466-2937

Website: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/oso/cs/default.htm