© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

More Ohio School Districts Want to Join ECOT Lawsuit

ANDY CHOW
/
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
Former ECOT headquarters in Columbus.

Two more Ohio school districts want to join in the court case against the now closed online charter school, ECOT. The districts say they don’t trust Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to fight for their best interest. 

Lake Local Schools in Wood County and Springfield City Schools in Clark County are the latest districts trying to join the fight against ECOT’s founder Bill Lager.

Ellen Kramer, an attorney representing them, says AG DeWine has too many close ties to Lager and charter schools. “The attorney general knew years ago that ECOT was not operating on the up and up and he didn’t do anything until August,” Kramer said. 

ECOT still owes Ohio money for overbilling the state. DeWine wants to force Lager to cover those costs.

DeWine opposes the districts' intervention effort, saying they lack standing, their interest is substantively remote, and their claims are different from the state's. 

Ohio Attorney General's... by on Scribd

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.