The orange bar shows how many schools have the grade currently, the blue bar shows the new grading system

If the new school evaluation system outlined in Senate Bill 316 is approved, most of Ohio’s school districts will be downgraded. In Montgomery County, under the current system nine public school districts are rated “Excellent” or “Excellent with Distinction.”

With the new system, only Oakwood will receive the top grade of “A.” All other Montgomery County schools that now post banners declaring that they are “Excellent,” or “Excellent With Distinction” will be graded “B.” And Vandalia Butler, which now is judged “Excellent” will fall to a grade of “C.”

The new system is based on four components. Each component is graded “A” through “F,” with an “A” worth 4 points, and “B” worth 3 points, etc. For a district to get the “A” grade the total average must be 3.75 or above — meaning 3 “A’s” and 1 “B,” or all “A’s.”

The four components: 1) Percentage of State Indicators Met, 2) Performance Index, 3)Achievement and Graduation Gap and 4) Value-Added.

The huge increase in productivity has created great wealth for the 1%, but, with the decimation of the unions, the U.S. has failed to create public policies that would find a way for the middle class and working class to have a fair share. This graph stops at 2006, but since then the gap has grown even larger.

Those who pay the fiddler call the tune and the tune we keep hearing again and again is that if only corporations had more freedom, less taxes, things would be better. And, we keep hearing that the main problem with our economy

…continue reading the article “Workers Face A Wage Deficit, Not A Skills Deficit” — Says Lawrence Mishel Of Economic Policy Institute

The political scene is full of phoney arguments about how to build prosperity. A realistic discussion of the future of the economy is needed and a good beginning point would be an agreement on some basic facts. Agreeing on the data provided in this little chart produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics would be a good start.

In 2010, 25.9% of U.S. jobs had a very low educational requirement — less than high school — and by 2020 the proportion of jobs with such a low educational requirement will be even more — 29.5%.  By 2020, 39.7% of jobs

…continue reading the article Let’s Reject Phoney Ideas About Prosperity And Start Discussing The Future Of The Working Class

Senate Bill 316, now being discussed in the Senate Education Committee, outlines a big change in the evaluation system of Ohio’s schools. If approved, by downgrading district evaluations, SB-316 will make many more communities eligible for charter schools and more students eligible to receive “Ed Choice” vouchers to attend private schools.

Currently, a student may receive a “voucher” to attend a private school if he or she is living in a district rated either “Academic Watch” or “Academic Emergency.” And, in these low scoring districts, charter schools may be started. Right now, 134

…continue reading the article SB-316 Will Increase Number Of Communities Eligible For Private School “Vouchers” And Charter Schoolsrrell fairchild

Former Dayton congressman Tony Hall was the featured speaker at Montgomery County Democrats annual “Frolic For Funds” fund raiser last Thursday, March 29. Hall said that in his work addressing world hunger, he had eight opportunities to meet Mother Teresa. He said the first time he met her, Mother Teresa explained her mission. Asking the congressman to stretch out his hand, she took his hand and counted these five words on his thumb and fingers: “For the least of these.”

Hall said he has always been proud to be a Democrat because Democrats care about the poor.

Hall said that he

…continue reading the article Tony Hall Tells Democrats To Remember Mother Teresa’s Words: “Do The Thing That Is In Front Of You”

On the eve of resuming contract negotiations, 50, or more, members of The Dayton Newspaper Guild yesterday marched in front of the Dayton Daily News building, 1611 South Main St. The Guild is protesting that the owner of DDN, Cox Media, is outsourcing jobs and is eliminating seniority rights.

In an e-mail message, the Guild wrote: “The newspaper wants to end job security for its most experienced workers by eliminating seniority-based layoffs. And even while the company gives nonunion newsroom managers raises and bonuses, it continues to deny small merit raises for hard-working union employees who kept the newspaper profitable

…continue reading the article Dayton Newspaper Guild Protests DDN’s Move To Outsource Jobs And To Eliminate Seniority Rights

For the first time in Ohio history the Ohio Assembly is set to repeal a law that is subject to a referendum. The Ohio Senate today will vote to repeal HB-194.

In protest to the Republican voting suppressing law, HB-194, Democrats worked to place a referendum on the November ballot to repeal the measure. Over 300,000 signatures were certified. The Obama campaign is urging Ohioans to protest this move by Republicans to frustrate the referendum process.

Friend –

We’ve all spent the last year fighting for our voting rights, so you need to hear this:

Republican state legislators are planning to quietly bypass Ohio’s

…continue reading the article For First Time In History, Today Ohio Senate Seeks To Cancel Referendum By Repealing Law

A recent Dayton Daily News article says, in Ohio, signs point to a future where extracting natural gas by hydraulic “fracking” will generate $500 million, or more, each year in additional tax revenue from Ohio’s natural gas industry.

How should Ohio use this new revenue?

The DDN reports that Governor Kasich wants to use this windfall to make an “across-the-board” tax cut. The Kasich plan would give most of this revenue to wealthy incomes and very little to middle or low incomes. As Zach Schiller says in a Policy Matters Ohio article, “Middle-class Ohioans wouldn’t get enough for a tank of

…continue reading the article Kasich’s Plan — To Use Ohio’s “Fracking” Windfall For Tax Cuts — Is A Give-Away To Wealthy

Ted Strickland last night, in his speech at the Ohio Democratic Party’s “Legacy Dinner,” blasted Republican senate candidate, Josh Mandel.

Strickland says that Mandel, in his contest last year against Kevin Boyce, ran a bigoted race — “racially, ethically, religiously bigoted.” Strickland said, that this year, as Mandel seeks election to the U.S. Senate, he will not forget how Mandel revealed his bigoted outlook. Strickland said, “I will not forget, and the people of this state should not forget — because it says something about Mandel’s character.”

Strickland says Sherrod Brown, Ohio’s Democratic senator seeking reelection this year, fights for ordinary

…continue reading the article Ted Strickland At “Legacy Dinner,” Blasts Josh Mandel, Says “Bigoted” Campaign Reveals His Character

At last night’s “Meet the Candidate’s Night,” at Stivers School For The Arts, I was glad to have a chance to speak with one of the Republican candidates for Montgomery County Commissioner, Harold Robinson.

I told Harold that I’ve been seeing his picture on a lot of billboards, and he laughed and said that it is a type of advertisement that seems to be working well.

I haven’t spoken with Harold for a while, but, when I taught at West Carrollton High School, and served as an officer in the teachers’ association, Harold was a member of the West Carrollton School

…continue reading the article Republicans Harold Robinson And David Vore Compete In Primary To Run Against Judy Dodge For Montgomery County Commissioner