Senator Fedor says new State Peer Assistance Review Program modeled after Toledo
This in via e-mail from the office of State Senator Teresa Fedor, the video of this press conference is also included:
Senator Teresa Fedor Shares the Governor’s Vision for Academic and School-Funding Reform
COLUMBUS – Governor Strickland had state legislators and education stakeholders waiting with bated breath as he outlined his vision for Academic and School-Funding Reform at the Statehouse today. Senator Fedor, a former educator, along with Mike Zalar, Superintendent of Oregon City Schools, were two stakeholders awaiting the Governor’s plan.
“Ohio has a unique opportunity to create a world class education system and develop the full potential for all our children to be ready for the 21st century,” said Senator Fedor after the State of the State Address. “I truly believe building schools that work for every child is the cornerstone for our economic recovery.”
Part of the Governor’s plan for well-prepared teachers includes a teacher residency program requirement, similar to the medical field and a peer assistance review program modeled after Toledo’s. “By recognizing teachers based on student success, this approach will retain and reward our best teachers with career advancement,” Senator Fedor said.
“In this economic downturn, we can’t afford not to fix school funding and implement transformative academic reform,” she said. “It is critical our k-12 public education system have a reliable and sustainable school funding stream,” Senator Fedor said, “and I believe this proposal accomplishes this.”
Superintendent, Mike Zalar of Oregon City Schools said, “Government has taken a band-aid approach to funding our schools, pushing the burden back on the local property owner. I am hopeful that the Governor’s plan will relieve some of this pressure.”
“By incorporating educators, researchers, students, parents and communities into Ohio’s education transformation – our students will enter the world armed with a world-class education, prepared to succeed in the modern economy,” Senator Fedor said.
Now they will bring the teacher union member farm program to the State? This is a regression. Teacher prep should stay at the University level. If teacher quality is an issue address it with the Universities; don’t make another program. And it should never be run by the unions. There is a conflict of interest there. So we have a union run program that tries to address a problem that an educational system could fix? Oh, look who is supporting it and proposing it. No surprise here.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:56 pmSenator Fedor:
How much should it take to educate an Ohio child? $8,000? $10,0000? $20,000? Just give us an answer. We’re already around 10k, but that’s seriously not enough?
January 28th, 2009 at 7:00 pmMr. Myers – I think you say it well. And when I hear canned talk like the quote below by Ms. Fedor, it just seems like feel good talk.
“Ohio has a unique opportunity to create a world class education system and develop the full potential for all our children to be ready for the 21st century,” said Senator Fedor.”
Didn’t she lose her leadership position in Columbus? She got kicked out by her own party. How can we believe this?
January 29th, 2009 at 10:07 pmPersonally not being in a leadership position could be viewed as not a bad thing considering the way that whole thing was done.
She’s agreeing with what she knows of the Governor’s plan, which to be honest, is so complex I’m not sure exactly how I feel about it or what it will look like after it is in the hands of the General Assembly. I’m reserving judgment until I see how all of this is going to be funded.
January 29th, 2009 at 10:11 pm