I know I was late- but, I was there for all of the Dayton Public Schools speaker- John Carr very carefully picked his words, didn’t make any stunning announcements- and he left the moment the meeting was over- so when I picked up the Dayton Daily News this morning and read the headline:“Dayton Schools propose idea to keep students in the city” I knew that once again, someone wrote a headline without carefully reading what the writer wrote.
It’s this kind of second rate journalism that keeps the Dayton Daily News from being a credible news source. It’s also one of the reasons Blogs like this can be so important. The speaker from the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission [1], Bob Steinbach, did showcase ideas like the Peoria Promise as an idea that is being tried in another city- but DPS didn’t make that proposal. In fact, I was the one who mentioned that many students in DPS and our area schools are earning 2 year degrees at Sinclair for free through various programs- that hardly counts as a DPS proposal.
Since the DDN doesn’t keep articles available- here is what ran- I will try to get the retraction up tomorrow.
Dayton schools propose idea to keep students in the city
Incentive to complete all schooling in Dayton could result in free tuition at any Ohio public college.
By Scott Elliott, Staff Writer
DAYTON — Suppose every child who completed all their schooling and graduated in Dayton were guaranteed free tuition at any Ohio pubic college.
What effect might that have on housing patterns in Dayton?
In Michigan, where the Kalamazoo Promise makes such a guarantee, realtors report improving home values in that city and inquiries about moving there from every state.
A copycat “Dayton Promise” was just one idea for attacking suburban sprawl and the problems it creates for school districts that were discussed Thursday at a meeting sponsored by Grassroots Greater Dayton.
About 45 who attended heard John Carr, Dayton school construction chief, describe how falling enrollment in the city schools has caused the district to reduce its construction program by eight schools.
Meanwhile, Beavercreek Superintendent Dennis Morrison said exploding growth there already has the schools over capacity and are creating a desperate need for new buildings.
Dayton’s lack of wealth made it eligible for 61 percent matching funds for its $627 million building program. Beavercreek won’t be eligible until 2112 and then can only receive 9 percent state money for its projects.
The group discussed three ideas for a regional solution — allowing more students to transfer between districts, consolidating area school districts under one umbrella and a Kalamazoo-style promise.
Perhaps the least complicated option is the donor-funded scholarship program, such as that in Kalamazoo.
“It’s not really an education initiative,” said Bob Steinbach, of the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. “The people who funded it see it as an economic development initiative to stabilize neighborhoods in Kalamazoo and attract middle class families with educational aspirations for their kids.”
Sounds like Carr has is selfproclaiming to be an expert in many areas