LightNews — News, ranked by scholars

Trump Administration Dangerously Reshapes U.S. Public Schools by Mandating Bias and Ideology

September 15, 2026 at 10:29 PM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Opinion by Jan Resseger:
Trump Administration Dangerously Reshapes U.S. Public Schools by Mandating Bias and Ideology
janresseger.wordpress.com/2026/09/15/4...

When, in Saturday’s NY Times, I saw Jim Rutenberg and Maggie Haberman’s extensive discussion of the Trump administration’s attack on First Amendment freedom of the press, How Trum…

janresseger.wordpress.com

September 15, 2026 at 12:37 PM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Parents of students with disabilities find private school vouchers come with a catch
Federal protections for students in special education don’t apply to private schools, but parents aren’t always informed.
by Pepper Stetler
www.wvxu.org/education/20...

Parents of students with disabilities find private school vouchers come with a catch

Federal protections for students in special education don’t apply to private schools, but parents aren’t always informed.

www.wvxu.org

September 15, 2026 at 10:54 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - Barberton City School District has requested the state place it on fiscal emergency – the most severe level of state oversight – based on projections showing it will run a $6.7 million deficit this year.
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/09...

Barberton school district asks state to designate a fiscal emergency, wants greater oversight

Barberton City School District has requested the state place it on fiscal emergency – the most severe level of state oversight. The district is running a deficit, even after layoffs.

Columbus Schools touts its best graduation rate since tracking began in 2000

September 15, 2026 at 10:41 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Columbus Schools touts best graduation rate this century ahead of report card
by Cole Behrens
www.dispatch.com/story/news/e...

Columbus City Schools said it had a record-high graduation rate among 2026 high schoolers but that won't show in state report card coming Sept. 15.

A Columbus charter head used school cash to buy a house. He's still running it.

September 15, 2026 at 10:39 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

@honesty4ohioed.bsky.social

State test report cards come out tomorrow... according to our Strong Ohio Schools research, most Ohioans do not believe standardized test scores are important or that they provide good information about the quality of the school.

See the full research report at bit.ly/sosfindings

Line of students doing focused writing with a dark blue overlay with white text: "State test report cards come out this week, but what do Ohioans really think about state testing?"
with logos at the bottom for Strong Ohio Schools and Honesty for Ohio Education

Survey results from 1,690 Ohioans show most disagree that standardized tests are important, with 661 disagreeing and 233 strongly disagreeing.

Survey results show most respondents disagree that standardized tests reflect school quality, with 733 disagreeing and 360 strongly disagreeing.

Children focused on writing in a classroom with text urging to read the full Strong Ohio Schools report at bit.ly/sosfindings.

September 14, 2026 at 8:00 PM

Honesty for Ohio Education

@honesty4ohioed.bsky.social

A charter school operator who pleaded guilty in 2024 to using a quarter-million dollars of charter school money to buy his house is still running the same charter school.
by Cole Behrens
www.dispatch.com/story/news/e...

One of the operator's charter schools was flagged as having anomalies on state test results.

School and district early literacy scores may fall in Tuesday’s state report cards

September 14, 2026 at 10:48 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - State report cards are expected to come out on Tuesday, and at least one school district is already warning its score will decrease after changes to how Ohio evaluates one area of the report card.
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/09...

A revised formula for calculating fourth-grade promotion rates could lower report card scores across the state.

What Ohio’s ‘free-range parenting’ bill would change — and what it wouldn’t

September 14, 2026 at 10:45 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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What Ohio’s ‘free-range parenting’ bill would change — and what it wouldn’t
by Michael Johnson
www.cleveland.com/metro/2026/0...

Ohio Senate Bill 277 would protect certain independent childhood activities from being treated as abuse or neglect, but it would not amend the state’s separate criminal child-endangering law.

Ohio's next governor could reshape higher ed — here's where the candidates stand

September 13, 2026 at 1:34 PM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Where Ohio’s governor candidates stand on higher ed, from affordability to SB 1
by Jeremy Pelzer
www.cleveland.com/news/2026/09...

Amy Acton, Don Kissick, and Vivek Ramaswamy each have distinct ideas about how to keep college affordable, fill in-demand jobs, and respond to Senate Bill 1.

Schools, libraries sound alarm over potential changes to federal internet program • Ohio Capital Journal

September 12, 2026 at 11:28 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Schools, libraries sound alarm over potential changes to federal internet program
by Robbie Sequeira
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/09/11/r...

A multi-billion-dollar federal program that helps schools and libraries afford broadband internet is under review by the Trump administration, leaving education officials and advocates worried about p...

Ohio governor's race: Where the candidates stand on education issues • Ohio Capital Journal

September 11, 2026 at 11:06 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Ohio governor’s race: Where the candidates stand on education issues
by Megan Henry
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/09/11/o...

Ohio’s candidates for governor have differing ideas when it comes to the future of education — from funding public schools to school vouchers and teacher pay.

Trump Administration Intensifies Attack on “DEI” in Public Schools and Private Educational Institutions

September 11, 2026 at 11:05 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Join Honesty for Ohio Education and the Columbus Education Justice Coalition for a Big Table Conversation about our public schools: what's happening locally, what's at stake, and how we can take collective action to build strong Ohio schools. Register here: bit.ly/bigtable26

Announcement for Big Table Conversation event on Sept 29 at 6pm in Columbus focused on building strong Ohio schools.

September 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

@honesty4ohioed.bsky.social

Opinion by Jan Resseger
Trump Administration Intensifies Attack on “DEI” in Public Schools and Private Educational Institutions
janresseger.wordpress.com/2026/09/10/4...

In the ongoing battle between the Trump administration and the nation’s public school districts over protecting students’ civil rights, there was one bright spot two weeks ago. The Chi…

janresseger.wordpress.com

September 10, 2026 at 11:50 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

@honesty4ohioed.bsky.social

The chair of the Ohio Senate Education Committee said the legislature could take a look this fall at increasing oversight after dozens of charter and public schools had anomalies on state testing.
by Cole Behrens
www.dispatch.com/story/news/e...

Ohio lawmaker says state testing 'anomalies' could spur law changes

The chair of the Ohio Senate Education Committee said the legislature could increase oversight after dozens schools had anomalies on state testing.

Federal grant to embed advisers in 130 Ohio schools to help bolster college readiness

September 10, 2026 at 10:44 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Ohio received a $50 million federal grant to embed advisers into middle and high schools who will help low-income students prepare for higher education.
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/education/20...

The federal Talent Search program will serve 20,000 middle and high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds, bolstering college readiness.

Ohio to announce which charter schools will share $100M+ in federal grants

September 10, 2026 at 10:39 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Ohio education officials are expected to soon announce which charter schools will receive grants for expansion and building costs. U.S. Education Sec. Linda McMahon recently announced more than $100 million for Ohio charter schools over five years.
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/09...

Nearly $105 million in federal money is being split between two grant programs that benefit charter schools: one for expanding schools designated as high-quality and one for building improvements.

State gives Parma City Schools deadline to fix projected $16M deficit

September 10, 2026 at 10:35 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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PARMA, Ohio -- Parma City Schools must submit a board-approved plan by Nov. 30 explaining how it will eliminate a projected $16 million deficit, after the district received a formal deficit-notification letter from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
www.cleveland.com/news/2026/09...

Parma City Schools must submit a state-required financial plan by Nov. 30 outlining how it will prevent a projected $16 million deficit.

New Trump rules upend legal student visas. The consequences for Ohio will bring lasting pain • Ohio Capital Journal

September 9, 2026 at 11:36 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Commentary
New Trump rules upend legal student visas. The consequences for Ohio will bring lasting pain
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/09/09/n...

Ohio is a state whose international students contribute an estimated $1.3 billion a year to the overall economy, and support almost 11,000 jobs. New Trump rules against student visas are a self-impose...

Columbus City school board OKs making $50M in more cuts by December

September 9, 2026 at 11:22 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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The Columbus City Schools Board of Education has voted to approve making an additional and "deeper" $50 million in cuts by December which would bring the total budget cuts for the district to $100 million.
by Cole Behrens
www.dispatch.com/story/news/e...

Columbus City school board board voted Sept. 8 to approve making another $50 million in cuts, which would bring total budget cuts to $100 million.

Charters As Well As Vouchers Continue to Threaten Public Education in Ohio

September 9, 2026 at 1:26 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

@honesty4ohioed.bsky.social

Opinion by Jan Resseger
Charters As Well As Vouchers Continue to Threaten Public Education in Ohio
janresseger.wordpress.com/2026/09/08/4...

School privatization poses enormous problems for Ohio’s system of traditional public schools. In June of 2025, Ohio’s legislature failed fully to fund a well-designed and fair new schoo…

janresseger.wordpress.com

September 8, 2026 at 12:09 PM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Dolly Parton books, phonics credited with Ohio kindergarten readiness test gains
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/09...

Dolly Parton books, phonics credited with Ohio kindergarten readiness test gains

Science of reading curriculum in childcare centers likely helped boost Ohio kindergarten readiness scores. Exposure to books through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library also likely paid benefits.

Ohio State non-tenure faculty demand higher pay, job protections

September 8, 2026 at 10:49 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Ohio State non-tenure faculty demand higher pay, job protections. They make up about a third of Ohio State University's instructional workforce
by Sheridan Hendrix
www.dispatch.com/story/news/e...

More than 1,000 non-tenure Ohio State faculty are pushing for a $65,000 salary floor and longer contracts amid concerns about pay and job security.

Ohio has a 15% daily school bus driver shortage as Columbus City Schools work to fill vacancies • Ohio Capital Journal

September 8, 2026 at 10:47 AM

Honesty for Ohio Education

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Ohio has a 15% daily school bus driver shortage as Columbus City Schools work to fill vacancies
by Megan Henry
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/09/08/o...

Ohio public schools are experiencing a 15% day-to-day bus shortage, according to the National Association of Pupil Transportation.