Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

ECOT Wants To Be Dropout Recovery School, With Easier Standards

Karen Kalser
/
Ohio Statehouse News Bureau

The embattled online charter school operators that’s had funding pulled back several times because of attendance and participation discrepancies is making a change. The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow plans on becoming a dropout recovery school. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow reports.  

Along with its enrollment and student participation records falling under scrutiny, ECOT is also struggling with student achievement. The online charter school received an “F” grade on its state report card in every category.

 

Another year with similar results would put the school in jeopardy of losing its sponsor. Now ECOT can go from an “F” to an “A” by changing its designation to a dropout recovery school.

 

Chad Aldis with the pro-charter Fordham Institute says this will shine a light on lingering questions people have about those looser standards.

 

“What’s good in a dropout recovery space? You can exceed expectations with a four-year graduation rate of 36%.”

 

ECOT’s spokesperson did not return a request for comment.

 

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
Related Content