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More state oversight of charter schools needed, candidate charges
By Denise Dick
BOARDMAN
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald is calling for more oversight of Ohio’s for-profit charter schools.
Four employees of the Dayton-area Horizon Science Academies, operated by Concept Schools, raised allegations to the state school board last week of cheating on state tests, the employment of unqualified teachers and groping of female students at the Dayton schools. There are 19 Concept Schools in Ohio including one, Horizon Science Academy, on Southern Boulevard in Youngstown.
The Ohio Department of Education is investigating only the Dayton-area schools.
FitzGerald, who was joined at a Wednesday afternoon news conference at Mahoning County Democratic Party Headquarters by Michele Lepore-Hagan, the Democratic candidate for the 58th Ohio House District, and Brenda Kimble, vice president of the Youngstown City School Board, said that $900 million in taxpayer money goes to for-profit charter schools annually. That’s money that’s leaving public schools and going to charter schools that often produce poorer academic results than the public schools from which the students leave, he said.
“It’s money that is going out without any real oversight,” FitzGerald said.
After the teachers reported the allegations to the state board of education, ODE reported them to law enforcement and Children Services officials, according to published reports. Ohio law requires teachers to report possible child abuse.
“What did the Ohio Department of Education do? They notified the teachers that they would be subjected to discipline,” FitzGerald said. “The governor has not said a word about this.”
FitzGerald said he believes it’s because charter-school operators are some of the biggest contributors to Republican officeholders across the state. David Brennan, who operates White Hat Management, one of the state’s largest charter-school operators, contributed to Gov. John Kasich’s campaign as well as that of other Republicans. White Hat operates South Side Academy in Youngstown and the Life Skills Centers in both Youngstown and Warren.
“They’ve lobbied for lack of oversight,” FitzGerald said.
Chris Schrimpf, communication director for the Ohio Republican Party, called FitzGerald’s comments insulting to everyone who has worked to improve education in Ohio.
“The fact is Republicans have improved public schools throughout the state, and funding is at a record high,” Schrimpf said in an email. “At the same time, state agencies and offices have worked to hold both traditional and charter public schools accountable. If Ed FitzGerald were to follow his own logic, he should return the hundreds of thousands of dollars that teacher unions have given to his campaign. He won’t do that, though, because then he would be left with a campaign account that is flat broke.”
FitzGerald said he’s not advocating that there shouldn’t be any charter schools anywhere. But the system has to be designed to ensure accountability, he said.
“If public money is being spent on public education, the public has a right to know how it’s being spent,” he said. “They should open the books and be subject to regular audits.”