Ohio lawmakers tackle charter school bill after scandal, ruling

COLUMBUS (AP) — Recent charter school developments have put additional pressure on Ohio lawmakers trying to tighten regulation of the schools via pending legislation.

Last month, Ohio’s charter schools director was ousted after he acknowledged manipulating poor-performing schools’ evaluations, an admission that drew the attention of state authorities.

On Tuesday, some state school board members sought unsuccessfully for an independent investigation of the state’s charter schools oversight office because of the manipulation and other charter school scandals.

Board member A.J. Wagner, a former judge, said backers of the nonpartisan probe have watched as a string of unsettling revelations at Ohio’s charter schools have been turned back over to the schools’ sponsors to be reviewed as Ohio law directs.

Board member Pat Bruns said she perceives the state Department of Education as hard on traditional public schools while giving charter schools a pass.

“Somehow, charter schools don’t have any oversight and they’re stated that they are innovative and we need to expand these kinds of opportunities,” Bruns said, adding she’s not seeing the evidence for that approach.