John Kasich Joins the Crowd: 8 Things to Know About the Ohio Governor’s Education Record
Tuesday marks the conclusion of the initial phase of the 2016 primaries, as Ohio Governor John Kasich prepares to join the extensive list of individuals vying for the Republican nomination. If you want to learn more about Kasich, I recommend starting with an April profile by Molly Ball from The Atlantic, which outlines his journey from his humble background as the son of labor union Democrats to his remarkable achievement as a youth adviser to President Richard Nixon during his time as a student at Ohio State. The article also delves into his surprise run for state Senate, his years in Congress, and his eventual election as governor in 2010. Ball discusses both Kasich’s well-known prickly personality, referring to him as "kind of a jerk," and his empathy and strong Catholic faith, which have influenced his support for Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
Kasich’s concern for the disadvantaged is also evident in his education positions. Unlike many other Republicans in the race, Kasich supports the Common Core State Standards and has advocated for changes to Ohio’s school funding formula that prioritize growing districts, sometimes at the expense of more affluent ones. However, one notable setback for Kasich was when Ohio voters overturned a bill he had signed in 2011 that limited the bargaining power of teachers’ unions.
At 62 years old and having recently been reelected with a significant margin, Kasich finds himself at the peak of his political career, but also facing a crucial moment that may define his future. He has been reflecting on his purpose in life and trying to stay grounded despite the attention he has received in New Hampshire. Kasich said, "I just feel so liberated. All the things I’ve done are finally paying off."
To further understand Kasich’s education priorities, here are six additional articles:
1. The Huffington Post reports on Kasich’s strong defense of the Common Core during a Fox News appearance. He rebuts claims made by other Republicans, such as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who argue that the standards give too much control to the federal government. Kasich emphasizes that the Common Core was developed by state education superintendents and local principals, and states like Ohio have chosen to adopt higher standards. He challenges those who disagree with him to provide valid arguments, but has been met with silence.
2. The Cleveland Plain Dealer highlights Kasich’s decision to withdraw support from the PARCC testing consortium, despite his support for the Common Core standards. The change was made in response to complaints from principals, teachers, and others who felt that the tests were taking up too much class time and experiencing technical difficulties. Ohio has since awarded a new contract to the American Institutes of Research to administer the state’s science and social studies exams.
3. Ohio has undergone several changes to its teacher evaluation systems under Kasich’s leadership. NPR’s State Impact Policy explains the initial changes implemented in the 2013-14 school year. These changes were mandated by state laws in 2009 and 2011, as well as Ohio’s Race to the Top application and No Child Left Behind waiver. The new requirements included that 50% of teachers’ evaluations be based on student learning and mandated annual evaluations. The Columbus Dispatch also reports on subsequent changes made in 2014 due to complaints from districts about the burden of the original system. The revised system extended the evaluation period for top-rated teachers to every three years and reduced the evaluations for "skilled" teachers to every two years. Teachers in the bottom two categories continued to receive annual evaluations. Districts were also given the flexibility to adjust the percentages assigned to student growth, observations, student surveys, peer reviews, and other measures.
By reading these articles, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of John Kasich’s stance on education and the actions he has taken to pursue his priorities.
COLUMBUS: A top education official in Ohio resigned on Saturday after admitting that he had deliberately excluded failing grades for charter schools when evaluating their overseers. David Hansen, the School Choice director for the Education Department, confirmed last week that he had not included F grades for online and dropout recovery schools in the evaluations of charter school sponsors. He justified this decision by stating that he believed the low grades would hide the successful aspects of these schools. This omission artificially boosted the ratings of two sponsors, potentially qualifying them for additional benefits from the state. (Associated Press)
UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO FIGHT "UNSUSTAINABLE" FUNDING: During the winter, Kasich proposed a complete overhaul of the school funding formula in Ohio. This proposal involved eliminating the guarantee that schools would never receive less state funding than the previous year, even if they raised local taxes or had fewer students. Additionally, Kasich suggested increasing overall funding but ending the rebate given to wealthier districts that experienced significant losses due to the termination of a tax on local businesses. Kasich criticized the current funding formula as "unsustainable." However, the state legislature did not support these changes, leading Kasich to veto $99 million worth of aid intended for wealthier districts. Despite this, state spending on education is still expected to increase by $505 million over two years, representing a 3 percent increase. (Dispatch)
KASICH PROPOSES CRACKDOWN ON UNDERPERFORMING CHARTERS: Governor Kasich has proposed measures to address the issues associated with poorly-performing charter schools. Under his proposal, public school districts would be allowed to partner with successful charter schools, and local tax levies could be introduced to benefit charter schools. Kasich stated that he will not tolerate charter schools that fail to meet standards, emphasizing his commitment to the well-being of students rather than the preservation of a specific educational structure. (The Columbus Dispatch)
ACADEMIC DISTRESS: The Dispatch also reported on a bill signed by Governor Kasich this year that affects the "Academic Distress Commissions." These commissions take over schools that receive failing grades for three consecutive years. The new measure permits mayors to appoint school board members and introduces a new position of CEO, who possesses greater authority than a traditional schools superintendent, including the ability to override certain aspects of union contracts. These changes will initially only affect the Youngstown school district, but another district may fall under the new rules in the 2017-18 school year if it fails to improve. (Dispatch)
(Photo by Getty Images)
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