Category: About Voices of Change

report cards
Why Ohio’s Report Card System Is Failing to Make the Grade

Guest Blog By Julie Holderbaum, Minerva EA/OEA | Ohio’s taxpayers want our schools to produce flourishing young adults who will contribute in meaningful and healthy ways to our society, and they spend a lot of money to ensure that this happens.

#OEA2020
OEA Pres. DiMauro: Your Feedback on State Report Cards Needed

This week, I have an important ask for feedback to help guide us in our efforts to design a plan for a better state report card system. I also have information to share regarding the 21 days we have left before the 2019 election as well as updates on how we’re preparing for 2020.

OEA Pres. Scott DiMauro: Pledge to be an Education Voter

October 1, 2019 | VBlog By OEA President Scott DiMauro: Reflections on a new Ohio State University study on student learning, early opportunities to support pro-public education candidates from both parties in 2020 (including as convention delegates), pledging to be an Education Voter 20 2020, and a reminder on OEA-RA delegate election deadlines.

Image: OEA Fund for Children and Public Education
Weekly Message from OEA Pres. Scott DiMauro

September 24, 2019 | VBlog By OEA President Scott DiMauro: This week’s message includes an explanation for why I’m in DC, a shout-out to our hard-working NEA Directors, takeaways from last weekend’s OEA Board meeting, including relevant issues our committees will be working on this year, and a few time-sensitive reminders for local leaders.

Image: Vintage Wooden Desk
OEA President’s Message: Time For New State Report Cards

September 17, 2019 | This week’s video includes thoughts on the state report cards that came out last week, appreciation to our members and staff who attended last weekend’s NEA Educator Voice Academy in Atlanta, important membership and delegate election reminders, and an expression of solidarity for our striking UAW brothers and sisters.

Image: Scott DiMauro
Weekly Message from OEA Pres. Scott DiMauro

September 10, 2019 | VBlog By OEA President Scott DiMauro – input from UniServ Leadership Council meetings, a reminder on New Educator Cards, reflections on Ohio’s latest “Quality Counts” ranking and ongoing efforts to fix school funding, the latest news on legislation to repeal the state takeover law, important information on the need for all locals to conduct delegate elections, and a shout-out to a very special member at the Ohio School for the Blind.

Image: Broken Promise
A Seat at the Table or a Broken Promise?

Ohio’s 612 public school districts are quite diverse. This summer, the legislature ripped off the band-aid and passed into law what they call a permanent solution. Ohio Excels, a group primarily consisting of business leaders, created a new concoction of graduation requirements and the Ohio legislature gobbled it up.

Average Classroom Educators
Dear So-called Average Teacher

Guest Blog By Julie Holderbaum, Minerva EA/OEA | Now that summer is here and you have time to breathe and reflect on the school year that just ended, maybe you’re feeling that your year was just, well, average. We don’t always see, in immediate hindsight, the seeds that we have planted and the impact that we have had…

Image: Self-harm wrist covered with bandage
When Anxiety Over Takes a Test

Guest Blog | My son is an excellent student who is high achiever…I do know that he verbally and physically showed signs of severe stress in the weeks up to taking the tests that spring. But what his teacher who was proctoring the test told me left me heartbroken for him.

Image: Computerized Testing
Computerized Testing — A Revolution That Wasn’t

Guest Blog By Kim Snyder, OEA/Wadsworth E.A. | “We have now lived through the Ohio Achievement Test (OAT), the Ohio Achievement Assessment (OAA), the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) — and now, the worst of them all — the AIR tests.Imagine what we could do with at least a month added back to our teaching plans.”

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