Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is calling on federal regulators to examine how Ohio charter schools that received money through a charter-school grant program size up against their counterparts in other states.
In a letter Monday to Education Secretary John King, Brown said despite some positive steps he remains concerned Ohio charter schools lack adequate oversight. Brown wants the U.S. Department of Education to see whether Ohio grant recipients are failing or closing at higher rates than in other states and whether their academic performance stacks up. Federal regulators postponed disbursement last year of a $71 million grant to Ohio following concerns over the state Education Department's alleged rigging of charter school evaluations. Brown said once the money is released, a monitor should be appointed to oversee it.
