ECOT closure displaces many local students

SANDUSKY — About 12,000 Ohio students were displaced after the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), an online charter school, closed last week,Its sponsor, the Education Service Center of Lake Erie West, voted to shut down its operations due to financial issues.The school has provided "tuition-free, fully-accredited" public education for almost two decades, according to its website.Although most former ECOT students are from Ohio's largest cities, more than 50 Erie County students are displaced, the Ohio School Boards Association said. In a news release, the agency encouraged public schools to accept the former students.The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Thursday the school could reopen if it wins its court case against the Ohio Department of Education in the Ohio Supreme Court.While ECOT's interim Master is working to position the school to reopen in the future, it's unlikely this will occur during the current school semester, an ECOT statement said. All families are encouraged to identify alternate educational opportunities for former ECOT students.Area education officials gave their opinions on the school's closure:Perkins Schools superintendent Jodie Hausmann: In regards to the closing of ECOT, these are our children who need to be served so they are learning and growing along with all the children in Ohio. Though multiple learning platforms benefit children, we know from educational researcher John Hattie that one of the most impactful ways to ensure high student achievement is when students establish caring and trusting relationships with their teachers. Public school teachers are dedicated to our students, and when students learn in a classroom with a teacher who has a growth mindset, children persevere, ask for help and feel positive about their abilities because they know their teachers care about them and they flourish.Sandusky Schools superintendent Eugene Sanders: The most important conversation about ECOT closing is the impact on the students and families who no longer have this educational option. The Sandusky City Schools have contacted the families of students living in our district who were enrolled in the ECOT charter school. We are providing information to parents on the various programs we offer, and we would love to have the students back in our district. We recognize and respect the importance of choice and strongly believe in innovation and responding to parent and client needs. The closing of ECOT is one more strong example of the need to have all innovative and creative programming designed to offer choice, under the umbrella of the local school district, its citizens, and the accountable locally elected representatives. While a portion of those involved in charter schools have good intentions, the majority are involved because they see a financial gain, profit, and little accountability. In most of these charter oriented schools, it is a matter of following the money. My guess is that the Ohio taxpayers will be left on the outside looking in on this one.Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green and a former teacher: My concern is that children in the middle of the school year can't continue in the school of their choice. Families and students made choices to get their education and now they don't have that choice. No matter what your position is on school choice or ECOT, that ought to be the first area of concern. I've always supported accountability and reform, but that's my concern.How many students are displaced in Erie County because of ECOT closure?• Sandusky: 29• Vermilion: 11• Edison: 5• Perkins: 4• Margaretta: 2• Huron: 1Source: Jeff Chambers, OSBA director of communication servicesReach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodLast week, ECOT, an online charter school, closed. In this Feb. 6, 2017, file photo, Celiah Aker, a ninth grader in her fifth year of enrollment in an online charter school named the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow or ECOT, works on her business and administrative services class at her desk in her home in Medina, Ohio. Members of Ohio's State Board of Education voted Monday, June 12, 2017, to seek repayment of $60 million in funding for the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, one of the nation's largest online charter schools, in a dispute over how attendance is tracked. Aker addressed the board members Monday. Last week, ECOT, an online charter school, closed. Celiah Aker works on her business and administrative services class at her desk at home, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, in Medina, Ohio. Aker is in ninth grade and it is her fifth year at Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow , an online school. As enrollment in online charter schools exploded in recent years, states have struggled to catch up with oversight to ensure that the students taking classes at home via computers get a real education and the "cyber schools" receive the proper amount of public funding. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)Last week, ECOT, an online charter school, closed. In this file photo, Celiah Aker works on her business and administrative services class at her desk at home, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, in Medina, Ohio. Aker is in ninth grade and it is her fifth year at Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), an online school. As enrollment in online charter schools exploded in recent years, states have struggled to catch up with oversight to ensure that the students taking classes at home via computers get a real education and the "cyber schools" receive the proper amount of public funding. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)Last week, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), an online charter school, closed after its sponsor, The Education Service Center of Lake Erie West, voted to shut down its operations due to financial issues. A Port Clinton Schools classroom.