Opening Up the Conversation
Submitted by Nick D on Wed, 07/02/2008 - 7:47pm.
Gov. Ted Strickland is doing the same thing for education funding that his administration has already done for transportation funding: reaching out to Ohioans for their ideas and priorities before shaping policy.
The Ohio Dept. of Transportation recently concluded a series of seven town hall meetings around the state in locations from Dayton to St. Clairsville, highlighting the challenges to Ohio's transportation funding (if ODOT completed all projects it had previously committed to work on, it would be about $3.5 Billion in the red) and asking Ohioans to outline their priorities and give ideas for funding. Now Gov. Strickland is taking the same approach to collect idea about education funding.
This is a very smart move, as it invests all Ohioans in the process of finding solutions. The education town hall meetings are listed after the jump
Tuesday, July 22nd FRANKLIN COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM WHERE: COSI Studio 333 W. Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215 Wednesday, July 23rd SUMMIT COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM WHERE: Akron North High School 985 Gorge Blvd. Akron, OH 44310 Monday, July 28th HAMILTON COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM WHERE: CET Studio 1223 Central Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45214 Tuesday, July 29th MONTGOMERY COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM WHERE: University of Dayton Boll Theater, Kennedy Union 300 College Park Dayton, OH 45469 Wednesday, August 6th CUYAHOGA COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM WHERE: Idea Center at Playhouse Square Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre 1375 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44115 Monday, August 11th MUSKINGUM COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM WHERE: Ohio University Zanesville Elson Hall Auditorium 1425 Newark Rd. Zanesville, OH 43701 Tuesday, August 12th ROSS COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM WHERE: Ohio University Chillicothe Bennett Hall Auditorium 101 University Dr. Chillicothe, OH 45601 Friday, August 15th ALLEN COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM WHERE: Rhodes State Community College Science Building, Room 100 4240 Campus Dr. Lima, OH 45804 Monday, August 18th WASHINGTON COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM WHERE: Marietta College McDonough Auditorium 215 Fifth St. Marietta, OH 45750 Wednesday, August 20th LUCAS COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM WHERE: Rogers High School 222 McTigue Dr. Toledo, OH 43615 Wednesday, September 3rd MAHONING COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM WHERE: Youngstown State University Kilcawley Center, Chestnut Room One University Plaza Youngstown, OH 44555 Monday, September 15th RICHLAND COUNTY WHAT: Governor’s Conversation on Education WHEN: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM WHERE: Ohio State University Mansfield Ovalwood Hall, Founders Auditorium 1680 University Dr. Mansfield, OH 44906
C&C Posting on this too ...
Submitted by Pelikan on Thu, 07/03/2008 - 9:17am.
I posted on this at clipsandcomment:
Strickland's Education Forums - Columbus Dispatch
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has announced a series of 90-minute forums on reform of the state's education system. You can find more information from Strickland here. Some may deride Strickland's holistic look at education - but it's not just about funding. Oftentimes, derision is simple small-mindedness cloaked in "knowing" sarcasm. After all, in Ohio we've gone basically a generation knowing we need reform of school funding. In that time one thing has been addressed well: school building, through the Ohio School Facilities Commission. Other than that, previous administrations and legislatures are rolling snake eyes.
When Ted Strickland holds a statewide conference on innovation and creativity in education, it's not psychobabble it's part of a different approach. This latest move to hold forums, open to the public, throughout the state is another part of a different approach. The forums are also classic Strickland - public involvement and transparency of government process.
About the only thing naysayers have to hit Strickland with is what they seem to believe is foot-dragging on education. It's not foot-dragging, it's also classic Strickland: a careful, reasoned, studied approach that includes stakeholders. I can't wait to see what he comes up with.
Pelikan
Watch parties
From today's Dispatch:
Educators, business leaders, parents and students will be among those asked to attend each 90-minute forum. The governor is encouraging those not invited to organize "watch parties" and give feedback through a Web site, www.conversationoneducation.org.
I think these "town hall" meetings are actually by invitation only, which is a shame because this really leaves out populations who do not have internet access. I would have liked to have seen these held in HS gyms during the school year so the communities could really participate.