WHERE THE GOVERNOR CANDIDATES STAND ON SCHOOL ISSUES

Information from candidates’ answers to Dayton Daily News voters guide, interviews and their posted platforms.

ON CHARTER SCHOOLS:

Richard Cordray: Prohibit for- profit companies from operating charter schools. Increase regulations on charter schools to bring them more in line with the requirements for Ohio’s traditional public schools. Fund charter schools directly fromthe state, instead of passing them through local public school districts in a process that costs some local districts money.

Mike DeWine: Establish a pay- for- performance model for electronic schools requiring course completion testing and competency before the school is paid fora student.

ConstanceGadell-

Newton: Enact a moratoriumon forprofit charter school management companies to begin a statewide performance review and transition schools to using nonprofits. Work with groups such as the state teachers union to develop professional accountability standards for charter schools. Travis Irvine: Provide a property tax credit for parents who utilize private schools or home school to help offset the cost of their child’s education. Increase auditing of charter schools.

ON HELPING VULNERABLE STUDENTS:

Cordray: Offer services like mental health, dental, after- school, and parent support programs at neighborhood schools. Increase state support for hiring education professionals like librarians, nurses, guidance counselors, and social workers.

DeWine: Ensure every school has access to a mental health professional. Implement age- appropriate drug prevention. Modernize classrooms with technology andvocational training. Gadell- Newton: Allow schools to turndown money for school resources officers and provide alternative programming to break the school- to- prison pipeline. Address environmental factors such as lackof proper nutrition and exposure to lead.

Irvine: Cut spending from other parts of Ohio’s state educations system and direct that funding toward helping disadvantaged students. Relieve economic pressure on low- income families by addressing the state’s economy and drug crisis.

ON SCHOOL FUNDING:

Cordray: Address Ohio’s school funding formula, which he calls unconstitutional. DeWine: Create a more equitable funding system that directs state resources toward support services forchildren in need.

Gadell- Newton: Reform Ohio’s property- taxbased school funding formula. Irvine: Says school funding shouldn’t be based just on property taxes.

ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION:

Cordray: Raise the eligibility limit for subsidized child care from 130 percent of the federal poverty level to 150percent. Establish an office in state government to ensure high- quality early education programs. Expand Ohio’s home visitation program for new parents.

DeWine: Raise the eligibility limit for subsidized child care from 130 percent of the federal poverty level to 150percent. Ensure early childhood education centers are highquality. Increase home visits for at- risk, first- time mothers. Name a director of Children’s Initiatives to coordinate children’s programs statewide. Gadell- Newton: Increase funding for preschool activities. Ensure an environmentwhere the state’s youngest children aren’t exposed to toxins such as lead, andmake sure kids have access to nutrition.

Irvine: Cut spending to inefficient areas of the state’s education system and invest what we can afford into these programs in thedistricts that need them.

ON STANDARDIZED TESTING:

Cordray: Reduce required testing to federally mandated minimums. DeWine: Reduce required testing. Refine the state report card system to focus on student progress instead of meeting benchmarks.

Gadell- Newton: End teaching to the test. Irvine: Evaluate schools basedon student advancement rather than “one size fits all” standardized tests.

STATE TAKEOVER OF LOW- PERFORMING SCHOOLS:

Cordray: Endstate takeovers of lowperforming school districts, instead providing additional resources while maintaining local control. DeWine: Consider revising takeover lawto provide help to struggling schools while keeping the community involved in the process.

Irvine: End any effort to bring control of schools under the state.