Week in Review – 03/06/2020

Week in Review > Week in Review – 03/06/2020

Posted by BASA on March 06th, 2020

EDUCATION

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) reports that its testing assessment vendor, the American Institutes for Research (AIR), has been acquired by Cambium Learning Group so AIR Assessment will now be known as Cambium Assessment, Inc.

State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria chose cut scores slightly above the “basic” performance level as the new “competency” threshold for Algebra and English assessments under Ohio’s new graduation requirements for the classes of 2023 and beyond.

Families and schools suing over delay in the state’s EdChoice application window on Monday again urged the Ohio Supreme Court to expedite their case.

Emergency plans that schools are required to submit to the state should include responses to flu and other disease outbreaks as a best practice, and the Ohio Department of Education is encouraging schools to review their plans in light of the spread of coronavirus.

Preschools set in the natural environment should be licensed separately from traditional preschools, Cleveland Metroparks Preschool Administrator Beverly Walborn said Wednesday. “Right now, all the licensing policies refer to indoor preschools, and not to outdoor preschools,” Walborn said during the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) 2020 Wildlife Diversity Conference on Ohio State University’s campus. Her organization, called Ohio Nature-Based Early Childhood Education, is a group of educators that either currently participate in a program or would like to do so.

An Ohio Department of Education (ODE) panel assigned to establish a framework for how to educate the “whole child” held a broad discussion Thursday morning, with members discussing what supports schools and community partners can provide to keep students engaged and willing to challenge themselves in the classroom. The Whole Child Advisory Group brought together more than 40 teachers, administrators, school counselors, educational service center officials and other service providers to provide input on high-level concepts to guide the work of the department until a June meeting where members will discuss how to implement services.