Honesty for Ohio Education

Mt. Healthy Schools may cut sports funding if it can't pass a levy The superintendent told community members the district can't make any more cuts to staffing or transportation, and will need to consider cutting funding for athletics.

Mt. Healthy Schools may cut sports funding if it can't pass a levy
by Zack Carreon
www.wvxu.org/education/20...

Disillusionment: The Charter School Dream Has Utterly Collapsed Launched in the mid-1990s, charter schools—publicly funded but privately operated—have been authorized to operate in 44 states with a mixed academic record and an appalling absence of p…

Opinion by Jan Resseger
Disillusionment: The Charter School Dream Has Utterly Collapsed
“Once heralded as a bold experiment in innovation and opportunity...(the charter school sector) is now characterized by stagnation, retrenchment & rising school closures"
janresseger.wordpress.com/2025/12/09/d...

The U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 8 declined to hear an appeal by a group of Texas residents challenging a local decision to remove more than a dozen books from public libraries, allowing the disputed books to remain off shelves.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

Hundreds of Ohio prisoners could lose access to education under House-passed prison reform bill Several hundred inmates in Ohio’s high security prisons would lose access to Sinclair Community College’s educational offerings if a GOP prison reform bill makes it way into law, and many more of the ...

Several hundred inmates in Ohio’s high security prisons would lose access to Sinclair Community College’s educational offerings if a GOP prison reform bill makes it way into law, and many more of the college’s 2,600 incarcerated students could be unenrolled.
www.daytondailynews.com/local/hundre...

It’s past time for alumni to step up in the fight to defend academic freedom • Ohio Capital Journal Because the assaults on academic freedom are well underway within state capitals and inside university administrations — in Ohio and across the nation — few institutions will be spared. But alumni hav...

Opinion
It’s past time for alumni to step up in the fight to defend academic freedom
by Caitlin Johnson
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/12/09/i...

How Senate Bill 1 impacted one YSU alum's donation plans The move shows another way Ohio’s new higher education law continues to ripple across public campuses.

A Youngstown State alum planned to leave the university $100,000. Senate Bill 1 changed his mind
The move shows another way Ohio’s new higher education law continues to ripple across public campuses.
by Amy Morona
signalohio.org/youngstown-s...

Pls know this is not just one person making one donation. I also pulled my scholarship fund from Ohio State. Switched to funding more MS summer jobs programs and HS career exploration programs.

How Florida lost track of 30,000 students, a ‘cautionary tale’ for vouchers The state’s auditor general found “a myriad of accountability problems” in the nation’s largest voucher program.

How Florida lost track of 30,000 students, a ‘cautionary tale’ for vouchers
The state’s auditor general found “a myriad of accountability problems” in the nation’s largest voucher program.
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

How Senate Bill 1 impacted one YSU alum's donation plans The move shows another way Ohio’s new higher education law continues to ripple across public campuses.

A Youngstown State alum planned to leave the university $100,000. Senate Bill 1 changed his mind
The move shows another way Ohio’s new higher education law continues to ripple across public campuses.
by Amy Morona
signalohio.org/youngstown-s...

Ohio School Boards Association conference reveals growing reaction against vouchers and lawmakers • Ohio Capital Journal The top issue facing Ohio schools isn’t a shortage of bus drivers or scarce substitute teachers. It’s the expanded universal private school voucher program that is devastating the long-range viability...

Commentary
Ohio School Boards Association conference reveals growing reaction against vouchers and lawmakers
by Denis Smith
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/12/08/o...

More than 100 Ohio school districts add LifeWise Academy in 2025 after religious release law passed • Ohio Capital Journal LifeWise Academy, a controversial Hilliard-based religious instruction program, is currently operating in more than 260 Ohio school districts.

More than 100 Ohio school districts add LifeWise Academy in 2025 after religious release law passed
by Megan Henry
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/12/08/m...

Education Dept. asks hundreds of fired employees to temporarily return
The agency is asking laid-off staffers in the Office for Civil Rights to come back and pitch in to help handle school discrimination cases.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

Cost of childcare in Ohio is skyrocketing. What can be done about it?
The average cost for an infant and a four-year-old in an Ohio childcare center was $25,532 in 2024, a 16.4% increase from the prior year
by Jessie Balmert
www.dispatch.com/story/news/2...

Hicks-Hudson says state policies helped create school funding crisis affecting Toledo, other public districts The state senator argues that vouchers and property taxes are placing a strain on budgets, causing lawmakers to fall short of obligations to students.

Hicks-Hudson says state policies helped create school funding crisis affecting Toledo, other public districts
The state senator argues that vouchers & property taxes are placing strain on budgets, causing lawmakers to fall short of obligations to students
by Brian Dugger
www.wtol.com/article/news...

Florida: School Board Leaders Boo State Commissioner of Education Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas told school board members and superintendents from around the state on Thursday to get over their complaints about Schools of Hope seeking t…

Florida: School Board Leaders Boo State Commissioner of Education: Diane Ravitch's blog
dianeravitch.net/2025/12/05/f...

Toledo Public Schools weighing job cuts amid state and federal budget reductions The president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers said that over 100 teachers represented by the union would be laid off before the next school year in August.

Toledo Public Schools weighing job cuts amid state and federal budget reductions

The president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers said that over 100 teachers represented by the union would be laid off before the next school year in August.
by Troy Gingerich
www.wtol.com/article/news...

Monthly legislative update for educators held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 4pm with a registration link provided.

❄️ Educators, stay in the loop! ❄️
Join us Thursday, December 11, for a virtual legislative update on the latest education policy developments at the Statehouse.

Learn what’s happening, what’s coming next, and how it impacts your classrooms and communities.

🗓️ Dec. 11 at 4pm
🔗bit.ly/Update4Ed

Financial literacy now required in 30 states, including Ohio, for high school graduation A rise of financial education for high schoolers reflects the growing concern across the country about young adults' preparedness for complex financial decisions.

Financial literacy now required in 30 states, including Ohio, for high school graduation
A rise of financial education for high schoolers reflects growing concern across the country about young adults' preparedness for complex financial decisions.
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/education/20...

U.S. reinstates all canceled library grants after court order A court ruled that Trump’s effort to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the only federal agency dedicated to funding libraries, was unlawful.

U.S. reinstates all canceled library grants after court order
A court ruled that Trump’s effort to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the only federal agency dedicated to funding libraries, was unlawful.
www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...

First Focus on Children’s Bruce Lesley Decries Trump’s Abandonment of Our Society’s Vulnerable Children In a profound and important Thanksgiving reflection, the President of First Focus on Children, Bruce Lesley considers our society’s abandonment, in this Trump era, of the institutions that pr…

Opinion by Jan Resseger:
“It’s a moment to ask: what kind of nation are we building for the next generation?"
janresseger.wordpress.com/2025/12/04/f...

House backs Ohio Rep. Dave Joyce’s bill to block Chinese funding in schools The CLASS Act, sponsored by Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio, would prohibit K-12 public schools from accepting money from the Chinese government or contracting with entities tied to the Chinese Communist Part...

House backs bill to block Chinese funding in schools
The CLASS Act, would prohibit K-12 public schools from accepting money from the Chinese government or contracting with entities tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
It now moves to the Senate for consideration.
www.cleveland.com/news/2025/12...

DeWine vetoes bill to allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work longer hours on school nights Republicans said it would help with staffing shortages in Ohio, but Democrats opposed the longer hours and said it wouldn’t do much to fill the most in-demand jobs.

DeWine vetoes bill to allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work longer hours on school nights
by Karen Kasler
www.statenews.org/government-p...

50 years after the birth of special education, some fear for its future under Trump The Trump administration has fired, or tried to fire, many of the federal staff who manage and enforce federal disability law in schools.

50 years after the birth of special education, some fear for its future under Trump
by Cory Turner
www.ideastream.org/2025-12-03/5...

The Columbus City school board voted to cut hundreds of jobs, district programs and close four buildings to patch a $50 million hole in its budget. However, the board did not vote to remove school bus transportation for high school students
by Cole Behrens
www.dispatch.com/story/news/e...

Graphic with a photo of a classroom and blue lockers. The graphic is promoting the Voucher Campaign Orientation hosted by Honesty Teams. The event date is Monday, December 8th, at noon and 7pm. Both are virtual.

We cannot stand by as vouchers are systemically defunding our schools. Join organizers and campaign leaders from around the state in a casual Zoom environment to get the rundown on the Voucher Campaign.

📅 Monday, December 8th
🕰️ Two Sessions: Noon and 7pm
🔗 Register at bit.ly/OHvouchers101

Ohio GOP to schools: Thou shalt add the Ten Commandments Ohio Republican senators have passed a bill that would allow and put a display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

COLUMBUS OH — Ohio Republican senators have passed a bill that would allow and put a display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. This is just one of the recent pieces of legislation that would add more Christianity to the education system.
www.news5cleveland.com/news/politic...

These parents are fighting for one of Cleveland's smallest schools CMSD has proposed merging Louisa May Alcott with two other schools next year. These parents and teachers say that would be a mistake.

‘It changed my boys’ life’: These parents are fighting for one of Cleveland’s smallest schools
CMSD has proposed merging Louisa May Alcott with two other schools next year. These parents and teachers say that would be a mistake.
by Franziska Wild
signalcleveland.org/parents-figh...

LifeWise’s big red bus is driving thorny questions about church and state • Ohio Capital Journal The $35 million, Ohio-based LifeWise Academy expects to serve close to 100,000 kids in 34 states this school year, spreading off-campus religious instruction during the school day. But tensions are gr...

LifeWise’s big red bus is driving thorny questions about church and state
by Linda Jacobson
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/12/02/l...

4-day school weeks are growing in popularity, despite a lack of data on the effects • Ohio Capital Journal Rural K-12 public schools have struggled to find teachers. Some now see a four-day week as a useful recruiting tool, also looking to curb student absences, which tend to spike on Mondays and Fridays.

4-day school weeks are growing in popularity, despite a lack of data on the effects
"Ultimately, the ‘why’ behind the four-day school week came down to staff recruitment and retention."
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/12/02/r...

Toledo Public Schools suspending 'Head Start' programs starting Monday The district made the decision after continued delays in receiving the latest federal funding notification. The plan was initially announced on November 12.

TOLEDO OH — Toledo Public Schools is proceeding with its plan to temporarily close a majority of its Head Start and Early Head Start programs beginning on Monday, December 1 after continued delays in receiving its award notification for the upcoming federal funding cycle
www.wtol.com/article/news...