This weekend in Columbus: Network for Public Education National Conference

April 1, 2025

The Network for Public Education (NPE) is holding its National Conference in Columbus this weekend at the Hyatt Regency.

Founded in 2013 by Diane Ravitch and Anthony Cody, the NPE is an advocacy group dedicated to preserving, promoting, improving and strengthening public schools.

It has also been a leading group shining a bright hot spotlight on the harmful private school voucher scheme in state after state, and the conference is in Ohio this year because we have the reputation as the Wild West of vouchers.

Vouchers Hurt Ohio (VHO) will take part in two conference workshops.

Vouchers Hurt! The Ohio Story Part One: WInning In the Court of Law, will be held on Saturday, April 5 beginning at 3:40 p.m. in the Madison Room at the Hyatt.

The panel includes Eric Brown, former Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice and VHO Steering Committee Chair, who will be joined by Miriam Fair, one of the lead attorneys in the VHO lawsuit, and William L. Phillis, Executive Director for the Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy in School Funding.

Also, Steve Dyer, former Chairman of the Ohio House Education Finance Committee, Charlie Wilson, Ohio State University Professor of Law Emeritus and Dan Heintz, a Cleveland Heights-University Heights board member will talk about our court case, and the reasons we believe the $1 billion EdChoice private school boondoggle is unconstitutional.

The two days are jam packed with great workshops featuring speakers and experts from across the country.

Vouchers Hurt! The Ohio Story Part 2: Winning in the Court of Public Opinion will feature Jeanne Melvin, President, Public Education Partners, Ohio, Dan Greenberg, President, Sylvania Education Association, and Maureen Reedy, Local Districts Coordinator for VHO.

They will be joined by Betsy O’Brochta, VHO Local Leader, Andrew Wilson, a VHO steering committee member, and Dennis Willard, VHO Communications Director.

This group will address VHO’s effort to raise awareness across the state, district by district, about the harmful impact of private school vouchers on public schools, public school children, parents, homeowners, communities and others.

The weekend kicks off on Friday night with Diane Ravitch and Josh Cowen in a special session entitled “Privateers Exposed.”

Keynote speakers include Tim Walz, Minnesota Governor, Kurt Russell, 2022 National Teacher of the Year, Gina Hinojosa, Texas State Representative, John H. Jackson, President and CEO Schott Foundation, and Jess Piper, Rural Communities and Public Schools Advocate.

For more information on the NPE Conference, please check here.

Sincerely,

Vouchers Hurt Ohio