I generally like Mark Naymik's political coverage, but I wish the PD had sent Henry Gomez with him to Ted Strickland's press conference at Rainbow Terrace yesterday. I don't think Henry would have missed part of Strickland's proposal that Naymik's story ignores completely. From the Strickland website:
Establish the Ohio Community Learning Centers Initiative, to boost the use of online and distance education services through Ohio's network of community technology centers.Strickland spoke about this part of the proposal at length, but more important, he held the press conference at the Rainbow Terrace Learning Center to underline the point that digital inclusion is as much about training as about physical network access.
Modeled on successful programs such as the Cuyahoga Community College's project at Rainbow Terrace, and over 300 community technology centers (CTCs) statewide, this program will mobilize CTCs with hands-on staff support and join them with the online learning resources of the Ohio Learning Network and the Ohio College Access Network. Using the base program E4ME, a free online course, this program will in its pilot phase serve 10,000 learners statewide with life skills coaching, basic computer and GED classes, while channeling successful learners into pathways for further advancement through community and technical colleges and other career training enterprises. It will provide individuals with hands-on counseling to take them from the informal learning environment of a CTC to open doors to higher education and formal certification. Implementing this program is estimated to be an annual investment of at least $5 million. The program will be paid for with savings gained by reforming state procurement of network connectivity.
Apparently Naymik didn't get it. I'm glad Strickland does.
(Don't get me started on Blackwell.)