Reasons/Arguments in favor of transfer of State Board of Education functions to the Governor’s office do not compute.
Low student performance has been given as a reason to give State Board of Education duties and responsibilities to the Governor. Let us unpack that one. Student performance, regardless of how it is measured, is a consequence of several demographic, personal, environmental, and opportunity factors. More specifically, family incomes, education level of parents, social standing of the families, and educational and cultural resources available to students all affect the performance of students. The notion that simply altering the governance structure at the state level will change all of these factors is doltish.
The state’s refusal to define and implement a thorough and efficient system of common schools as required by the Constitution is germane to the matter—not whether or not the Governor controls the state education agency. One recent governor decided to control the districts of Youngstown, Lorain and East Cleveland. How did that work out? Like a train wreck.
Learn more about the EdChoice voucher litigation
VOUCHERS HURT OHIO