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Opinions differ on viability of school funding plans

In her column Sept. 24, The Vindicator editor noted an error due to the change in the enrollment calculation for school districts reported in the Cupp Report. The mistake was unfortunate and clearly unintentional. I was not aware of the change until The Vindicator brought it to my attention. I agree with your conclusion that despite the counting inconsistency, enrollment is declining and cost per student increasing. The Educational Service Center did invite the media and me to a meeting on Sept. 27. I asked for, but was not provided, a meeting agenda, so I did not attend. From ...

YSU boomerangs would bring promise

Nothing beats a homecoming weekend. As a ridiculously proud Bowling Green alumni, I always love returning to campus to be with old friends, visit our old stomping grounds and to take in a football and sometimes a hockey game. And while I didn’t go to Youngstown State, I have similar emotions toward YSU (I was very proud when former business school Dean Licata anointed me honorary business school alumni at a YSU happy hour in New York City a few years ago). YSU’s homecoming is coming up in a few weeks, and while the focus will be on the football team and the band, maybe it’s an ...

Spotlighting Ohio’s workforce progress

Across the nation, Manufacturing Day is Oct. 6. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has designated October as Manufacturing Month. From Cleveland to Cincinnati, from Marietta to Montpelier, our state’s No. 1 industry is preparing to inspire the next generation to make their careers in manufacturing. Ohio today finds its storied manufacturing sector more relevant than ever. We are the nation’s third-largest manufacturing state in terms of jobs and payroll, and Ohio manufacturers just set another record of $134 billion in annual economic output. As reshoring and foreign direct investment ...

Public health costs of oil, natural gas drilling

Oil and gas production has grown to nearly record levels in the United States. Ohio continues to be a major natural gas producing state covering both Utica and Marcellus Shales. According to U.S. Energy Information Administration, natural gas production in Ohio in 2021 was about 29 times greater than in 2010. That does not come without ramifications for our health. While there is extensive research on climate effects of oil and gas-produced methane — key contributor to air pollution — few studies measured health effects of that pollution. However, a new study led by Boston ...

A recent study from the Boston University School of Public Health — funded by a well-known anti-oil and gas group called the Environmental Defense Fund — attempts to suggest methane produced by the oil and gas industry has directly led to an increase in asthma cases. The assertion that the oil and gas industry is directly responsible for the rise in asthma cases is not only flawed but also contradicts several key facts about the state of the environment and energy production in the United States. First and foremost, the United States has experienced a significant improvement in air ...

How Ohio can implement science of reading

Carrying out Ohio’s ambitious literacy reforms spelled out in the newly adopted state budget legislation will be a heavy lift. The legislation requires Ohio districts and charter schools to adopt curricula that aligns to the science of reading starting in fall 2024. Backed by a large body of research, this approach emphasizes explicit and systematic phonics instruction, as well as knowledge-rich curricula that builds vocabulary and comprehension. To support the transition, lawmakers set aside some $170 million to replace outdated curricula and provide professional development ...