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OAPCS is a nonprofit advocacy organization that proactively educates and informs the public, families, stakeholders, policymakers and thought leaders about the importance of educational choice and charter schools. In this capacity, OAPCS serves as a clearinghouse of charter school data, research and stories pertaining to the charter movement, quality in education, state and federal school legislation and other topics that affect student equity.
For the Media:
Inquiries, information and interview requests and questions should be directed to Julie Conry, OAPCS Director of Communications, at jconry@oapcs.org or 614-744-2266, ext. 203.
In the News:
Governor Kasich Signs Charter School Reform Bill Into Law
November 2, 2015
On November 1, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed House Bill 2 into law. Commonly known as the Charter School Reform Bill, the bill was passed with broad bipartisan support by the Ohio House and Senate on Wednesday, October 7, 2015.
House Bill 2 provides for greater oversight of sponsors, also known as authorizers, increased transparency in charter school operations and greater accountability in board governance. It also aims to eliminate conflicts of interest in charter schools and tightens the law around the practice of “sponsor hopping,” whereby low-performing…
Read More +Report Finds Lagging Performance for Online Charter Students
October 30, 2015
Students at online charter schools make substantially less progress on math and reading than their counterparts at traditional district schools, according to a study released this week by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). The analysis is based on data from Ohio, 16 other states and Washington, D.C.
The report says the academic gap between online charter students and traditional school students equates to 72 days’ worth of learning in reading and 180 days’ worth in math. That trend generally holds across subpopulations, the…
Read More +OAPCS Responds to CREDO National Study of Online Charter Schools
October 28, 2015
A new report examining online learning programs in 158 charter schools across 18 states generates broad debate in its recommendations and findings. Read the OAPCS statement here.
The full CREDO report is available here.
Read More +Facilities Panels Outline Process for Charter School Grants
October 23, 2015
The Ohio School Facilities Commission approved guidelines Thursday for a new grant program created in the budget to help finance charter school buildings. Commission staff described plans for opening applications in the new year and gaining final approval of awards by the end of the fiscal year.
The biennial budget, HB64 (R. Smith), appropriated $25 million to construct buildings for high quality charter schools, with the state grants financing up to half of the total project costs.
Jeff Westhoven, chief of facility and program services for the…
Read More +Special Audit Finds No Evidence to Support Testing Allegations at Charter Schools
October 22, 2015
Auditor Dave Yost’s office said Tuesday it couldn’t substantiate claims former charter school teachers brought to the State Board of Education last year about manipulating state assessments, though he did flag the schools’ lack of clear, written policies on test administration.
Yost initiated a special audit in July 2014 on adherence to testing requirements after receiving a letter from the Ohio Education Association (OEA). That same month, former teachers of a Horizon Science Academy in Dayton spoke to the school board about their experiences at the school,…
Read More +OAPCS Statement on Passage of Charter Reform Legislation
October 8, 2015
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) commends yesterday’s action by the Ohio General Assembly to pass House Bill 2. The bill was passed in a final vote by a majority in both the House and Senate and will now be sent to the Governor’s office. Click here to read the full Omnibus Amendment.
Click here to read the OAPCS statement. …
Read More +House, Senate Easily Pass Final Charter School Legislation, though Pension Changes Worry Some
October 7, 2015
Compromise charter school legislation drew broad support in final votes Wednesday, passing the Senate unanimously and the House with just six dissenters. Late-breaking pension system changes caused some grumbling and a handful of no votes, but lawmakers overall lauded the conference committee’s version of HB2 (Dovilla-Roegner) as likely to promote quality schools and rein in abuses.
The conference report on HB2 passed the House 91-6 and the Senate 32-0 and now heads to the desk of Gov. John Kasich, whose office indicated he supports it.
“We applaud the…
Read More +Families, Charter Groups Advocate for Online Learning at Statehouse
October 7, 2015
Families of eschool students rallied Wednesday morning at the Statehouse then fanned out on Capitol Square to visit lawmakers. General Assembly leaders encouraged them to press their rights to make their own educational decisions, including the use of online learning.
“Online learning is an important part of the formula. You know all kids don’t learn in the same way. One size does not fit all,” said Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina), who criticized a few “special interests” trying to shutter eschools.
“Those people are wrong, and they don’t have my…
Read More +Conference Committee Approves Omnibus Amendment Today on Charter School Reform and Sends HB 2 for Final House and Senate Vote Wednesday
October 6, 2015
The HB 2 House and Senate Conference Committee today unanimously approved the conference report on the charter school reform bill after accepting the Omnibus Amendment. The Committee also voted unanimously to send HB 2 to the House and Senate for a final vote tomorrow, October 7.
To read the detailed list of 32 amendments as passed in the Omnibus Amendment, click here.
Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools Issues Statement on House Bill 2 Non-concurrence Vote to Send Pending Legislation to Conference Committee
October 1, 2015
