COMMENTARY | John Kasich again proves he deserves to be on the list of Ohio's best governors. Kasich delivers on another campaign promise as the first wave of Teach for America participants prepare to help students in low-economic areas next school year.
The program has been successful in a multitude of other states, yet the trained professionals were unable to serve Ohio youngsters because of certification red tape and likely behind-the-scenes maneuvering by teachers unions. The nonprofit organization places recent university graduates in subject areas that match their field of expertise for terms of at least two years, according to NewsNet5.
Concerns about proper motivation and training of Teach for America instructors voiced by educators are unfounded. In Tennessee, Teach for America participants have outperformed the average new teacher in all subjects and grade levels, according to the Middletown Journal.
A total of 94 percent of principals from across the nation evaluating participant performance at their buildings feel the young professionals had a positive impact in the classroom. There is no logical reason to think the academic results in Ohio will vary from the success achieved in other states.
Ohio students in poor urban or rural areas often have little exposure to the outside world and are unaware of the types of careers open to them if they work hard and stay away from the drugs and gangs that surround them.
Although it might be hard for residents in affluent or suburban areas to fathom, there are thousands of children in Ohio who have never ventured farther than a few miles from home. Teen pregnancy rates in rural areas are alarming. Any viable option should be explored to improve the academic progress of disadvantaged students in all states.
Kasich should be applauded for his willingness to explore all reasonable options to save Ohio's failing educational system. Kasich is proving to be a champion of education not only by paving the way for Teach for America, charter schools and online learning academies, but through sincere requests for public school teacher input on ways to enhance the educational process.
The changes Kasich has made in just a short amount of time confirm the right man is at the helm in Ohio. The economy is growing, unemployment is down and we are now on the verge of a bright new era in education.
