By Miesha Headen, DFER Ohio State Director
Congratulations to Democratic Mayor Frank Jackson of Cleveland and Eric Gordon, the new CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), for their courageous stance in support of the educational achievement of students!
As reported in the Plain Dealer, Mayor Jackson wrote a letter to Republican Governor John Kasich, Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus, and Republican Speaker of the House William Batchelder urging them to support these important educational reforms:
• Annual evaluations of teachers based at least 50% on student performance and growth measures;• The end of reduction in force legislation that compels districts to lay-off teachers based solely on seniority;• The establishment of merit pay for teachers; and,• The fostering of collaboration between district and charter schools by having the enrollment numbers and test scores of district-sponsored charter schools count toward the overall district on the state report card.
The Republican controlled House of Representatives wrote these reforms into the Ohio bi-annual budget, known as House Bill 153. However, the Republican controlled Senate stripped out the amendments.
It is rumored that the Republican Senators fear reprisals from the unions and do not want to doubly anger them after their vote on Senate Bill 5.
Mayor Jackson is advocating for the reforms to be re-inserted during the joint caucuses.