Laura Hancock
@laurahancock.bsky.social
Columbus-based reporter, The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com.
https://www.cleveland.com/staff/lahancock/posts.html
https://www.cleveland.com/staff/lahancock/posts.html
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Ohio school-based health centers expand with $20 million funding boost
Ohio now has 138 centers across 49 school districts, providing health care access to students, families and school staff in underserved communities.
www.cleveland.com
The clinics are a priority for Gov. DeWine and are increasingly offering vision and mental health services.
The clinics are a priority for Gov. DeWine and are increasingly offering vision and mental health services.
Ohio school-based health centers expand with $20 million funding boost
Ohio now has 138 centers across 49 school districts, providing health care access to students, families and school staff in underserved communities.
www.cleveland.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:50 PM
The clinics are a priority for Gov. DeWine and are increasingly offering vision and mental health services.
I got this info through a public records request. Parts of the NDA remain in effect for 3 years.
CSU-Ideastream nondisclosure pact shows 6 months of secret talks led to radio station deal
Cleveland State University and Ideastream had six months of discussions over the transfer of the student radio station before the deal was inked. A non-disclosure pact signed in March kept them secret
www.cleveland.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I got this info through a public records request. Parts of the NDA remain in effect for 3 years.
In Ohio, business can pay 14- and 15-year-olds less per hour.
Ohio lawmakers want teens to work later; critic slams ‘grinding the kids’ for cheap labor
Gov. Mike DeWine is considering a bill that would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work later on school nights. Young workers can be paid less than the state's regular minimum wage. A critic blasted the ...
www.cleveland.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:25 PM
In Ohio, business can pay 14- and 15-year-olds less per hour.
This is higher than last year, and is interesting because people are unhappy with high property taxes right now.
Ohio voters backed 66% of school tax issues, up from last year
Voters across Ohio approved 66% of the school tax issues on the ballot, up significantly from the passage rate in 2024. Renewal proposals achieved a 91.7% success rate statewide.
www.cleveland.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:09 PM
This is higher than last year, and is interesting because people are unhappy with high property taxes right now.
This is the 2nd out-of-state college seeking to recruit Ohio students after state Senate Bill 1 passed.
Pittsburgh university creates scholarship for Ohio students hit by fallout of SB 1
Point Park University, a 3,500-student private, non-profit school in Pittsburgh, has created a scholarship program to lure students from Ohio public colleges where programs have been eliminated or res...
www.cleveland.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:39 PM
This is the 2nd out-of-state college seeking to recruit Ohio students after state Senate Bill 1 passed.
Two Ohio Head Starts had to close; others on a Nov. 1 funding cycle were able to scrape $$$ together to keep going another 2 weeks.
Federal shutdown forces closures at some Ohio Head Start providers, others still at risk
The shutdown of the federal government has forced closure of two Ohio Head Start providers, affecting 600 children and 150 staff members, with five more programs at risk of closing their doors.
www.cleveland.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Two Ohio Head Starts had to close; others on a Nov. 1 funding cycle were able to scrape $$$ together to keep going another 2 weeks.
There's a new panel that will look for opportunities for CSU students to participate in WCSB, now controlled by Ideastream Public Media. This comes after weeks of criticism over the station transfer.
Cleveland State launches panel to seek student activity with WCSB amid Ideastream transfer backlash
A new panel established by Cleveland State University will design student experiences for radio station WCSB 89.3 in the wake of public criticism of CSU's agreement with Ideastream over the station.
www.cleveland.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:51 PM
There's a new panel that will look for opportunities for CSU students to participate in WCSB, now controlled by Ideastream Public Media. This comes after weeks of criticism over the station transfer.
Ohio House Bill 531 would require the chaplains be volunteers.
Religious chaplains in Ohio schools? New bill sparks debate
GOP representatives say chaplains would help with mental health challenges, while some Democrats question mandatory decision timelines for school boards.
www.cleveland.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Ohio House Bill 531 would require the chaplains be volunteers.
Several of these programs run on a Nov. 1 grant cycle. So the shutdown is hurting the private sector, too, as many parents will have to call off work.
Ohio Head Start programs face November closure from federal shutdown
Several Head Start programs in Ohio involving thousands of children risk losing services if the federal government shutdown continues through Nov. 1. Closures could create sudden day care challenges f...
www.cleveland.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Several of these programs run on a Nov. 1 grant cycle. So the shutdown is hurting the private sector, too, as many parents will have to call off work.
This three-pronged theory is supposed to keep people out of poverty.
What is the ‘Success Sequence’? Ohio bill would make it required learning
A Senate bill is advancing through the legislature that would mandate teaching students a formula aimed at poverty prevention.
www.cleveland.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:02 PM
This three-pronged theory is supposed to keep people out of poverty.
Among first graders who watch educational TV/videos PBS dominates, according to OSU study. This comes as Congress cut public media.
www.cleveland.com/open/2025/10...
www.cleveland.com/open/2025/10...
PBS dominates educational TV for first graders as recent cuts threaten content: OSU study
A new analysis at Ohio State University found that PBS delivers three times more educational content than Nickelodeon, raising concerns about the impact of Congress’s $1.1 billion funding reduction.
www.cleveland.com
October 9, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Among first graders who watch educational TV/videos PBS dominates, according to OSU study. This comes as Congress cut public media.
www.cleveland.com/open/2025/10...
www.cleveland.com/open/2025/10...
New Ohio House bill known as Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act would allow teachers teach the "positive" contributions of Christianity on American history.
Ohio bill would allow teaching Christianity’s positive impact on American history
New legislation in the Ohio House would allow educators to teach about the positive impact of Christianity on American history -- something proponents say teachers now hold back on out of fear of bein...
www.cleveland.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:33 PM
New Ohio House bill known as Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act would allow teachers teach the "positive" contributions of Christianity on American history.
1 in 4 Ohio kids are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school.) The state wants the rate to be about half this. What to know about the populations most absent and a law change the state made to address this.
Ohio schools plagued with chronic absenteeism with 1 in 4 students missing too much class
Ohio law states schools must create personalized attendance plans for absent students, moving away from form letters that "have not helped move the needle" on student attendance. For 2024-2025, more t...
www.cleveland.com
October 5, 2025 at 10:37 PM
1 in 4 Ohio kids are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school.) The state wants the rate to be about half this. What to know about the populations most absent and a law change the state made to address this.
Reposted by Laura Hancock
Looking forward to an Ohio trifecta: Hudson Library on Tuesday, 10/7 at 6:30 p.m.; Joseph-Beth bookstore in Cincinnati 10/8 at 7 p.m. with @laurahancock.bsky.social and then onto OSU Law School on 10/9.
October 4, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Looking forward to an Ohio trifecta: Hudson Library on Tuesday, 10/7 at 6:30 p.m.; Joseph-Beth bookstore in Cincinnati 10/8 at 7 p.m. with @laurahancock.bsky.social and then onto OSU Law School on 10/9.
Ohio legislature passes schools bill that allows buildings to carry drug overdose meds - as well as an amendment to extend release time for religious instruction:
Legislature passes schools bill allowing for use of overdose meds and more religious-released time
What started as a unanimous effort to allow schools to carry life-saving medicine has become controversial after Senate Republicans added provisions for religious release time.
www.cleveland.com
October 2, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Ohio legislature passes schools bill that allows buildings to carry drug overdose meds - as well as an amendment to extend release time for religious instruction:
This isn't related to SB1, the school says, but part of program reviews that began in 2023.
CSU eliminates 22 programs including nursing doctorate, MBA options
Cleveland State University is permanently discontinuing 22 academic programs, suspending 14 programs for now, and reopening admissions to another four following a comprehensive review that began in 20...
www.cleveland.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
This isn't related to SB1, the school says, but part of program reviews that began in 2023.
Linda McMahon stops in Columbus, announces Ohio is getting nearly $105M to expand charter schools in the state.
Ohio to receive $105M to expand charter schools, Education Secretary Linda McMahon says
Education Secretary Linda McMahon used a visit to Columbus on Wednesday to emphasize state control over education. Ohio is to get $105 million in federal funding over five years to bolster charter sch...
www.cleveland.com
September 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Linda McMahon stops in Columbus, announces Ohio is getting nearly $105M to expand charter schools in the state.
Now 5.6% of Ohio kids are uninsured, mostly due to being kicked off Medicaid/CHIP. The rate is expected to increase since Congress cut $1T from Medicaid over next decade.
Medicaid unwinding leaves 30,000 more Ohio children without health insurance
Ohio's uninsured rate for children jumped from 4.5% to 5.6% between 2022 and 2024 as post-pandemic eligibility reviews disenrolled over 600,000 Ohioans. The number of uninsured children in Ohio increa...
www.cleveland.com
September 24, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Now 5.6% of Ohio kids are uninsured, mostly due to being kicked off Medicaid/CHIP. The rate is expected to increase since Congress cut $1T from Medicaid over next decade.
East Cleveland schools, which for decades had low test scores and a state takeover (it's also one of the poorest in the state, based on income tax returns), increased to 3 stars on state rpt cards. Find out how it and other improving districts did it:
How East Cleveland schools achieved 3-star rating after years of low tests, state takeover
East Cleveland is among a handful of districts in Northeast Ohio that saw gains on the district report cards.
www.cleveland.com
September 22, 2025 at 2:12 PM
East Cleveland schools, which for decades had low test scores and a state takeover (it's also one of the poorest in the state, based on income tax returns), increased to 3 stars on state rpt cards. Find out how it and other improving districts did it:
With Ohio's population projected to drop, Gov. DeWine urges college recruitment:
With Ohio population projected to drop, DeWine urges college recruitment
Gov. DeWine calls on university trustees to attract both in-state and out-of-state students as a projected demographic crisis looms.
www.cleveland.com
September 18, 2025 at 5:59 PM
With Ohio's population projected to drop, Gov. DeWine urges college recruitment:
Ohio report cards: Students math and English proficiency is still below pre-pandemic levels. In math, it is slowly crawling back:
Report cards: Ohio student math scores recovering from COVID-19, reading dips
New state report cards reveal math proficiency climbing to 55.3% from pandemic low of 48%.
www.cleveland.com
September 17, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Ohio report cards: Students math and English proficiency is still below pre-pandemic levels. In math, it is slowly crawling back:
Cleveland drops to 2.5 stars from last year's 3 stars, meaning it did not make state standards. Columbus and Cincinnati public schools also did not meet state standards.
Cleveland schools drop to 2.5 stars in 2025 state report card
A new college and career readiness measure contributed to the district's decline from last year's historic 3-star rating that met state standards.
www.cleveland.com
September 15, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Cleveland drops to 2.5 stars from last year's 3 stars, meaning it did not make state standards. Columbus and Cincinnati public schools also did not meet state standards.
Today, OH releases school and district report cards. I'm looking for 2 things: 1) Whether Cleveland was able to maintain a "meets state standards" ranking 2) how did Ohio students do in reading, now that we have this big push for the science of reading. www.cleveland.com/education/20...
Ohio’s science of reading initiative faces first test in upcoming report cards
CMSD aims for second consecutive year of meeting state standards, as the state releases annual school performance ratings on Monday.
www.cleveland.com
September 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Today, OH releases school and district report cards. I'm looking for 2 things: 1) Whether Cleveland was able to maintain a "meets state standards" ranking 2) how did Ohio students do in reading, now that we have this big push for the science of reading. www.cleveland.com/education/20...
For a list of what OU and UToledo are cutting:
September 8, 2025 at 4:01 PM
For a list of what OU and UToledo are cutting:
Over the weekend I wrote a story about how the state is requiring low-enrollment undergrad degrees to get cut. Faculty union says this undermines the concept of shared governance. SB 1 sponsor says it's necessary as enrollment has declined. www.cleveland.com/education/20...
September 8, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Over the weekend I wrote a story about how the state is requiring low-enrollment undergrad degrees to get cut. Faculty union says this undermines the concept of shared governance. SB 1 sponsor says it's necessary as enrollment has declined. www.cleveland.com/education/20...