Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
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Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Hey kids: Huber may settle after all
I just spoke to my colleague Laura Bischoff at the State Employment Relations Bureau in Columbus. Talks are ongoing between the Huber Heights school board and the union representing teachers and support staff. But the reporters still hanging around have been told not to go anywhere, that there could be an announcement soon. This is a strong indication that there may be a settlement after all. That’s quite a welcome turn of events given how bleak things looked earlier today.
Among the things I am not sure of is whether the district would have school tomorrow if they settle this late tonight. If I hear anything in the next couple of hours, I’ll post an update.
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Huber strike — It’s not looking good
I just left the offices of the State Employment Relations Board where negotiators for Huber Heights teachers and staff and the school board are in marathon talks.
Well, sort of.
Talks would imply two sides talking to each other. I spent most of the day watching them huddle in separate conference rooms. Mediators did go back and forth, but not nearly as often as you’d expect if a settlement were near.
If I had to lay a bet on the outcome right now, I’d say they will not make a deal tonight and will end up before the SERB board tomorrow for a hearing on the school board’s complaint that the union did not follow required procedures before going on the picket lines. I hope I am wrong.
On the other hand, even some progress from these talks is better than no talks at all, which is where we’ve been since the strike began Friday.
Laura Bischoff, one of the paper’s Columbus bureau reporters, is going to keep watch on the talks the rest of the night. Keep an eye on DDN.com for any updates and I’ll try to post more here if there’s any news. So check back.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Schools and Politics
The Huber Heights strike standoff
I’m in Columbus today waiting to see if a day-long marathon bargaining session between Huber Heights teachers and support staff and the administration will pay off with a settlement before the two sides end up in a hearing before the State Employment Relations Board tomorrow.
SERB ordered these talks to try to end the strike before ruling tomorrow on a school board complaint. They have two mediators running back and forth between the negotiating teams — Superintendent William Kirby and an attorney for the board, union President Becky Whited and Ohio Education Association negotiator George Bozovich for the union.
Now we wait and see if they can work anything out. No wireless Internet connection near the SERB office. I’m posting right now from the DDN’s Columbus bureau. But if news breaks, check DDN.com first for the latest. I’ll post something here as soon as I can.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Schools and Politics
Cheating on state tests
Education Week reports Texas is launching a major investigation into cheating on its state tests. (Sorry. EdWeek subscription required to read the story).
This just got me thinking. Texas is a big state with a high profile testing program. Ohio is a big state with a high profile testing program. Texas is very worried about cheating and is taking serious action. I wonder how worried Ohio’s state education officials are about cheating and what steps have been taken here to ensure testing is above board?
I’ll be talking to state education officials later this week about the testing program. I’ll ask and let you know what they say.
Here’s an excerpt from EdWeek’s story:
“The Texas Education Agency is launching an investigation next month to determine how widespread test cheating is throughout the state. In a letter to school administrators earlier this summer, state Commissioner of Education Shirley Neeley said the agency would also create an independent task force to lead the investigation, use on-site monitors to oversee future administrations of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, and impose sanctions against schools or districts where cheating is exposed. The five-member task force, which has been created, includes business and education leaders. The agency is also putting some muscle behind the investigation and has assigned 15 people to work on the project—tripling the size of the staff that had been in charge of looking into allegations of testing improprieties.”
What do you know about cheating on state test in Ohio? Ever seen evidence of it?
(Image credit: www.lazymotivation.com)
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Testing
