Ted Strickland on Education

	Ted Strickland on Education Democratic Governor; previously Representative (OH-6)

Criticizes $71M in charter school funding for rigged report

State and federal education officials have refused to provide Ohio's application for $71 million in grant money for charter schools. Documents released by the state showed David Hansen, the state's former charter chief, resigned after admitting that he manipulated evaluations of charter-school sponsors to mask the poor performance of some of their schools.

Senate candidate Ted Strickland also has joined a growing list of critics. "If dismal charter school performance isn't enough, we now know that Ohio's State Department of Education was illegally propping them up. In July, Ohio's chief charter school oversight officer--the very person who filled out Ohio's application for your grant money--resigned when it was discovered that he deliberately tampered with charter school sponsor evaluations to mask just how horrible charter schools are actually performing," Strickland wrote. "You just awarded $71 million in taxpayer dollars to a state department of education that has been rigging the books."

Source: Columbus Dispatch on 2016 Ohio Senate race , Oct 5, 2015

State Contribution to Local Schools will reach 54 percent

The foundation funding per pupil amount will be increased by 3% in each of the next two years. The budget will focus the state's aid formulas to put the emphasis on meeting students' needs, increase parity aid by 8% over two years, and targets it to the 60% of districts most in need. The budget will increase poverty-based assistance by 22% over the biennium, and increases access to early learning opportunities by opening programs to those whose families make up to 200% of poverty. Source: 2007 State of the State Address , Mar 14, 2007

Zero tuition increase in ‘08; Less than 3% increase in ‘09

Today, the state spends less on instructional support for our universities than it did in 2001. Governor Strickland's budget proposes a Higher Education Compact in which state will increase funding for the basic instructional subsidy by 5 percent next year, and 2 percent the following year and public universities and colleges will agree to no tuition increase in 2008 and less than a 3 percent increase in 2009. Source: 2007 State of the State Address , Mar 14, 2007

Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3.

Strickland co-sponsored an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act:

recruit, train, and hire 100,000 additional teachers over a seven-year period ;
reduce class sizes nationally, in grades one through three, to an average of 18 students per classroom; and
improve teaching in the early grades so that all students can learn to read independently and well by the end of the third grade.

Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR1036 on Mar 14, 2001

Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes.

Strickland scores 100% by the NEA on public education issues

The National Education Association has a long, proud history as the nation`s leading organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. Founded in 1857 `to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States,` the NEA has remained constant in its commitment to its original mission as evidenced by the current mission statement:

To fulfill the promise of a democratic society, the National Education Association shall promote the cause of quality public education and advance the profession of education; expand the rights and further the interest of educational employees; and advocate human, civil, and economic rights for all.

In pursuing its mission, the NEA has determined that it will focus the energy and resources of its 2.7 million members toward the `promotion of public confidence in public education.` The ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position. Source: NEA website 03n-NEA on Dec 31, 2003