The Columbus Dispatch - Sen. Brown: Feds Need More Oversight of Ohio's Charter Grant Spending

News Article

By Jim Siegel

In the wake of a report questioning past spending of federal funds, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown wants the U.S. Department of Education to impose special oversight before releasing $71 million in charter school grants to the state.

Federal regulators should appoint a special monitor to "ensure that all funds are being spent for their intended purpose," Brown wrote this week to Education Secretary John King.

"There exists a pattern of waste, fraud and abuse that is far too common and requires extra scrutiny," Brown wrote.

Last fall, the federal Education Department awarded Ohio $71 million in Charter School Program grant money to create new charter schools. Some, including state Auditor Dave Yost, were surprised Ohio got the highest amount in the nation, given its reputation for poor charter oversight and performance.

In November, regulators put the grant on hold after questions were raised about the accuracy of the state's application. The request was drafted by former Ohio school-choice chief David Hanson, who later resigned after it was discovered he scrubbed data of poor-performing online charter schools to aid their sponsors.

Brown wrote that he appreciated the steps the federal department was taking to verify the accuracy of Ohio's grant application, "but more must be done to provide order to the state's chaotic charter school sector."

The senator pointed to a recent report by a collaboration of the Ohio Education Association and liberal advocacy group Innovation Ohio. It found that of the 292 charter schools that got Charter School Program grants since 2006, 37 percent have closed or never opened.

Those schools received nearly $30 million. The report also found that of charter schools that received federal grants and got report card grades in the 2014-15 school year, the median performance index score was lower than all but 15 traditional districts.

"We urge federal regulators to revamp the way in which it makes grants so that the money goes to the best-performing charter schools," said Keary McCarthy, president of Innovation Ohio.

But Chad Aldis, vice president for Ohio policy and advocacy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, said the study fails to note that more than 40 percent of grant recipients that closed were sponsored by traditional districts, including Upper Arlington, Gahanna and New Albany.

The grants, Aldis said, also have helped start and grow some of Ohio's best charter schools. " Everyone wants federal grant dollars to be well spent. Fortunately, recent changes to Ohio's charter school law make that more likely than before."

After the grant was awarded, Ohio lawmakers passed a charter school law overhaul designed to bring more accountability and transparency to sponsors and operators. But Brown wrote that even with the reforms, Yost has found attendance issues and the Ohio Department of Education "still has significant weaknesses in evaluating" charter schools.

The Ohio Department of Education continues to work with federal officials to ensure the evaluation process and accountability align with grant requirements, said spokeswoman Brittany Halpin. Federal officials have not indicated when, or under what circumstances, the $71 million will become available.

"Sweeping changes to the state's charter school system are ensuring that all schools are held accountable," Halpin said. "Ohio now has one of the most transparent and comprehensive sponsor evaluation systems in the country."

Federal regulators continue to review Ohio's work on oversight and accountability, said Raymonde Charles, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Education.

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