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Reporting on the state of education in your community and across the country.

Charter School Loophole Will Be Fixed in State Senate

Republican State Sen. Peggy Lehner/ohiosenate.gov

  Dayton area Republican State Senator Peggy Lehner, says she’s ready to fix a provision allowing a failing school to continue operating by changing sponsors, who wouldn’t be punished for the schools performance. Because the state’s Legislative Services Committee drafted the amendment, the problem is fixable, Lehner says.   

"Drafting errors on the part of LSC are very rare, but they’re easily corrected. It may well be in the form of a technical correction from LSC, but just to make sure, I do have an amendment ready to go that strikes the language."

Lehner says the correction will be inserted in the budget bill, which is expected to be voted on in mid-June.

The problem came to light when state representatives learned the budget contained a loophole that would have benefitted ECOT – The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow. The school is fighting over repaying $60 million of the $106 million it got from the state two years ago. State funding for ECOT is based on student attendance. During an audit, the school could only verify 6,300 full-time students - far short of the 15,300 reported the state.