The State of Ohio announced its winners for nearly $100 million in Straight A Innovation Fund grants on Friday.  Among the winners:

Cincinnati and Milford:  Cincinnati and Princeton “will receive $14.5 million to train 900 teachers better ways to teach students who are learning English…(Milford) also was recommended for $1.1 million to train teachers to better team science, math and technology in 18 elementary schools in Cincinnati and Milford. The teaching method relies on technology, financial literacy and business development.”

 

Trumbull CTC “will focus on improving students’ overall health and wellness to raise achievement with a $297,841 grant.”

North Canton “North Canton’s proposal, entitled “Viking21: Real Life Learning for the 21st Century,” focuses on improving student achievement while reducing district spending, the release said. The plan includes a joint effort with Walsh University for professional development, training and student field experience.”

Reynoldsburg and Groveport-Madison: “Reynoldsburg will receive $14.4 million for the Pathways to Prosperity Network, a collaboration which will give students an opportunity to earn college credit and get workplace experience to assure youngsters complete high school and earn a college degree. Groveport Madison will get $1.8 million for an Internet-based literacy program aimed at improving instruction and student reading.”  Article also includes Northern Local/Ohio Appalachian Collaborative, Fayette Local, and Marysville applications but we can get better coverage for those in their more-local papers, can’t we?

If your school district or partnership’s successful grant makes the news, please tweet to @TheHarlowReport or email michael *dot* harlow *at* fuse *dot* net and we will gladly include in our continuing coverage. 

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Online learning innovator named one of the best places in Baltimore to work.  I was surprised this place didn’t make it.

 

Cheeseheads go long on Competency- no, not my beloved Green Bay Packers, who are struggling after its QB got injured. The University of Wisconsin system is expanding its reach into competency-based learning. (PS- the Packers squeezed out a win over Atlanta on The Frozen Tundra yesterday.)  Along the same lines, Cincinnati-based KnowledgeWorks offers a hub page on competency-based learning resources. (Bengals also won.)  As a reminder, Competency-Based Learning has taken major leaps in New Hampshire. (Guess what? Patriots won too.)

Why it’s Important for Students to Learn to Focus. In all seriousness, I meant to post this story on Friday but er, lost focus.  Squirrel!

Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, advocates for portable student funding, essentially money following the student within the school district.  (They’ve also supported many follow-the-child models across districts, but this study looks at within-district portability.)  Cincinnati Public Schools ranks third-best among the 14 school districts studied. Here is their weighted-student-funding yearbook.

BONUS LINK- not the usual light-hearted fare here.  National news and the National Football League collided when “an unspeakable tragedy” took place 33 years ago yesterday on a cold Monday night.  Much before 1980, the networks would have broken in and cut away from the game.  Much after 1980, there would be so many other news outlets they might not have mentioned it during the game at all. A documentary look at the decision-making that went into the decisions ABC made that night.