Buckeye State Blog uncovers an interesting bit of legislation in the Ohio Revised Code regarding required standardized testing for community schools and suggests that it’s actually intended to reduce competition among charter schools, rather than encourage it.

The leap of faith you have to make in buying the argument is, of course, the cost of standardized testing; assuming that it truly is staggeringly expensive, as BSB suggests, then I can see how this would reduce the number of new charter schools by increasing their fixed costs. Anyone have any actual data or info regarding the costs of administering standardized testing? While I’m sure it does cost the State “millions of dollars” to pay for tests for public schools, how much would it cost one private school?

Aside from some amusing anecdotes I’ve read lately, I haven’t been following the charter school kerfluffle in Ohio very well. Guess it’s time to start.