Education Updates: October 2009
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Political Landscape Archives >
Political Landscape section is a collection of news items, updates, and essays on policy issues, state and federal legislation, academic standards, testing issues, the politics of funding, and other issues.
Updates from the League of Women Voters’ Joan Platz:
For more education updates, see National Education News and Creativity and the Arts News.
State Education News
Upcoming Legislation
Over the next few months lawmakers in the Ohio House, led by House Speaker Armond Budish, and the Ohio Senate, led by Senate President Bill Harris, are expected to continue work on legislation covering a variety of topics, including the following: Redistricting (SJR4-Coughlin, Cates and SJR5-Husted); Reauthorization of the Third Frontier Program; Election laws (HB 260-Stewart, Heard and SB8-Seitz); Campaign finance limits/gambling interests; Ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation (HB 176-Stewart, McGregor); Limits on cell phone/text messaging while driving (Six bills have been introduced: two in the Ohio Senate, and four in the Ohio House.); Limiting the prevailing wage; Revisiting payday lending (HB 209-Lundy); Budget corrections bill; and Pension system adjustments.
Senator Husted has also indicated that he intends to introduce legislation to make Ohio more competitive for the U.S. Department of Education’s “Race to the Top” program. The legislation that Senator Husted is proposing would authorize more charter schools and make adjustments to Ohio’s value-added component.
Lawmakers may also need to respond, depending on the decisions, to four court cases that could have over a billion dollar impact on the state»s budget. The cases involve the antitobacco trust fund, DIRECTV, Inc., the Commercial Activity Tax, and video lottery terminals in Ohio’s race tracks.
Economic Outlook for Ohio
Although some experts are seeing signs of a national economic recovery, Ohio’s economy continues to underperform, and the state’s credit rating has recently been downgraded by Moody’s Investors Service. (Bloomberg.com, June 15, 2009). One of the reasons given for the credit adjustment is Ohio’s recently approved FY10-11 budget, which is based on one-time funds, federal stimulus dollars, delayed debt payments, and estimated revenue from Video Lottery Terminals. The rainy day fund was also used to balance the FY09 budget and is no longer available to help balance future state budgets, and some critical state revenue sources are also being challenged in the courts, such as the Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) paid by grocers, the use of Tobacco Settlement funds, and Video Lottery Terminals.
Policy Matters Ohio recently published a study that indicates that revenue from the CAT, which took effect in 2005, will fall below expectations this biennium. The study, Not a Fat CAT, Commercial Activity Tax by Zach Schiller, reports that receipts from the CAT dropped $94.9 million or 7.4% below projections from earlier this year. Future CAT receipts may be $400 million below estimates over the FY10-11 biennium. The loss of CAT revenue could have an impact on school districts and local governments that depend on the CAT for reimbursements for the loss of the tangible personal property tax.
Policy Matters recommends that the Ohio General Assembly restore the upward trigger that was removed in 2007 and allowed the CAT rate to increase the following year when CAT receipts fall 10% or more below estimates. (A trigger that lowers the CAT rate when receipts are above 10% still exists.) The General Assembly should also take other steps to stabilize state revenues, such as restoring the corporate franchise tax and closing tax loopholes.
Supreme Court Hears Two Critical Cases
The Ohio Supreme Court heard two lawsuits that could have an impact on the state's biennial budget and school district budgets.
Commercial Activity Tax
On September 1, 2009 the Ohio Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case Ohio Grocers Association, et al. v. Levin, a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the Commercial Activity Tax and how it is applied to grocers operating in Ohio. The Ohio Grocers Association filed the lawsuit after the Commercial Activity Tax was enacted in 2005 (126-HB 66), alleging that the tax was an excise tax on food and was prohibited by the constitution. The defendants allege that the CAT is a tax on gross receipts and not on sales, and is a tax for the privilege for doing business in Ohio.
At stake is the $188 million raised through the CAT from grocers and approximately $355 million that would need to be refunded if the plaintiffs win. The loss of CAT revenue could affect schools districts and local governments, which depend on the CAT for reimbursements of the phased-out tangible personal property tax.
On September 17, 2009, the Ohio Supreme Court issued a 6-1 decision in the case. The court ruled that the Commercial Activity Tax (ORC Section 5751.02) was a tax on the privilege of doing business in Ohio and not a sales tax on food, and therefore does not violate Ohio law or Article XII Section 3(C) or 13 of the Ohio Constitution.
The CAT is an annual privilege tax measured by gross receipts on business activities in Ohio and applies to all types of businesses. Annual CAT taxpayers (taxpayers with taxable gross receipts of more than $150,000 but less than $1 million) must pay an annual minimum tax of $150 per year. A rate of 0.26% is applied to taxable gross receipts in excess of $1 million. Revenue from the CAT currently reimburses school districts and local governments for the loss of revenue due to the phase-out of the tangible personal property tax. (Source: Ohio Department of Taxation >)
Video Lottery Terminals
On September 2, 2009 justices heard oral arguments in the case State ex rel. LetOhioVote.org v. Hon. Jennifer Brunner. The plaintiffs, LetOhioVote.org, asked the court to allow voters through the referendum process to vote on a provision that allows the Lottery Commission to operate up to 17,500 video lottery terminals (VLTs) at Ohio’s seven race tracks. The provision was included in the recently approved state budget, Am. Sub. HB1. The VLTs are expected to raise $933 million when fully implemented. Plaintiffs argued that the VLT provision is not an appropriation and not exempted by the Constitution from the referendum process and therefore should be subject to the referendum process.
Defendants of the provision, represented by State Solicitor General Benjamin Mizer, told the court that the people of Ohio have already approved the activities of the Lottery Commission to raise funds for Ohio’s schools. The defendants asked the court to agree that the Lottery Commission has preexisting authority to install the VLTs, and the appropriation included in Am. Sub. HB 1 is not subject to referendum.
On September 21, 2009 the Supreme Court issued a 6-1 ruling in the case State ex rel. LetOhioVote.org v. Brunner. The court agreed with the plaintiff, LetOhioVote.org, that a provision included in Am. Sub. HB 1, the FY10-11 budget bill, regarding the installation of VLTs at Ohio horse racing tracks by the Ohio Lottery Commission, is subject to referendum. LetOhioVote.org expects to collect the estimated 250,000 signatures needed to place the issue on the November 2010 ballot.
The ruling jeopardizes approximately $933 million in the FY10-11 state budget. Governor Strickland and lawmakers included the provision for VLTs in the state budget bill, Am. Sub. HB 1, to raise revenue to fund Ohio’s schools after reducing the budget by more than $2 billion. The Ohio Lottery Commission has currently suspended plans to adopt the rules needed to install the VLTs by May 2010. Governor Strickland released a statement saying that his administration is disappointed with the decision and is reviewing it to fully understand its impact.
State Retirement Systems Propose Changes
Several recommendations have been proposed over the summer to strengthen the state’s public employee retirement systems to ensure the availability of benefits in the future. Proposals from the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), the Highway Patrol Retirement System, the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund, and the School Employees Retirement System (SERS), will be presented to the Ohio Retirement Study Council (ORSC) on September 9, 2009. The Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) is also considering changes to reduce expenses.
After the proposals are reviewed by the ORSC they will be drafted into legislation and considered through the legislative process by the General Assembly and the governor.
The Board of the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) approved increasing the contribution rates, reducing the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA), increasing the number of years factored into the final average salary years, changing eligibility for retirement, and changing the formula for calculating benefits. Read more > (PDF)
The Board of the School Employees Retirement System (SERS) approved on August 24, 2009 making changes in retirement eligibility, and would consider other options such as increasing the contribution rates, and reducing COLA and health care adjustments. Read more >
Ohio Department of Education
State Budget Resources
The Ohio Department of Education has created several helpful documents that provide information and analysis about Am. Sub. HB 1, the FY10-11 budget, on a new website called Education Reform Plan Information >. The following information is available on this site:
- Summary of Education Provisions in HB 1. ODE has prepared this summary, which outlines the education components included in the final version of HB 1.
- District Responsibility Table. ODE compiled this table of new and/or updated requirements that school districts and other local education agencies will be responsible for implementing.
- Ohio Department of Education Simulations. ODE has prepared funding simulations for FY2010 and FY2011 based on the Evidence Based Funding Model included in HB 1. Released August 20, 2009.
- Evidence-Based Funding Model (EBM) Outline. This table explains the different components of the EBM and how they are used to calculate district funding. Released August 20, 2009.
- State Aid for Schools FY 2010 and 2011. This spreadsheet shows the estimated state aid for each school district for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, based on the Conference Committee proposal. The chart shows funding levels before and after federal stimulus dollars are included. Note that ODE did not prepare this report. Released July 13, 2009.
- Frequently Asked Questions
Updates from ODE
New documents Added to Resident Educator Web page
The Mentor Selection Guidance, Sample Mentor Application, and Guidance for Beginning Teachers documents have been posted on the Ohio Transition Resident Educator Program web page. Information about regional Instructional Mentoring Training Sessions will be available over the next few weeks. An informational session on the Transition program was held in August 2009, with more than 500 representatives attending. A PowerPoint from the informational sessions is posted on the Transition Resident Educator Program page >
PASS Form
As set forth in Am. Sub. HB 1, the ODE is required to develop a new way to report information about state financing for school districts through the new Evidence-Based Model. The new format, called the PAthway to Student Success (PASS), will replace the SF-3 form. A proposed PASS form is now available for preview. See “Evidence-Based Funding Model Information” on the ODE website >
Update on Gifted Education
Am. Sub. HB 1, the FY10-11 budget bill, changed the method for funding gifted students in Ohio's school districts effective July 17, 2009. The previous school funding system for gifted education based on unit funding for gifted intervention specialists and gifted coordinators has been replaced by the new Evidence-Based Model (EBM), which determines state levels of funding in four areas for gifted education support:
- Gifted Identification Factor
- Gifted Coordinator Factor
- Gifted Intervention Specialist Factor
- Gifted Intervention Specialist Professional Development Factor
The Ohio Department of Education has prepared responses to frequently asked questions regarding gifted education and the EBM funding for gifted education. This resource answers the following questions:
- Does my district have to spend on gifted education at the level provided through the Evidence-Based Model (EBM)?
- How does the gifted education support provided under the Evidence-Based Model (EBM) have to be used?
- What level of staff FTE are districts required to employ under the gifted coordinator factor and gifted intervention specialist factor?
- What consequences are there for my district if we do not maintain at least the level of spending from FY09’s gifted education units?
It is available on ODE’s Education Reform website >
OEM Report on Dropouts in Ohio Schools
Ohio Education Matters (OEM), Andy Benson executive director, issued in August 2009 a policy report called The Pursuit of High-Quality High Schools: A Progress Report on Ohio’s Quest to Graduate More Students Ready for College and Career. The report looks at changes in dropout rates in Ohio’s schools since 2004 when the State Board of Education’s Task Force on Quality High Schools for a Lifetime of Opportunities released their recommendations in a report called High-Quality High Schools: Preparing All Students for Success in Postsecondary Education, Careers, and Citizenship.
The OEM report provides an update on the number of students who left traditional public high schools before receiving their diplomas in 2004-05 and 2007-08, focusing on the 30 high schools that have the highest numbers of students who have left school. The study reviewed the data of a cohort of 608 out of a possible 790 traditional high schools in Ohio. The cohort high schools were selected based on criteria that included enrollment, grade levels, graduating seniors, and sufficient data.
The study does not include charter schools, because so few met the criteria for the study, although some data about dropouts from charter schools is included. The report notes: “Given those limitations, though, it is worth noting that charter high schools experienced some of the state’s highest dropout rates during that time. In fact, when we looked at the 30 worst-case schools for dropout rates in 2004-05 without excluding charter schools, we found that 13 of those schools were charters. The remaining charter school for which we had data ranked 31. It is also noteworthy that 9 of the 10 schools with the highest dropout rates were charters” (p. 15).
Ohio’s dropout rate has increased from 13.8% (18,702 students) in 2004-05 to 15.2% (21,664 students) in the 2007-08 school year. The report states, “Among the 30 schools with the biggest dropout problem in 2004-05, the dropout rate fell from 38.5% to 33.6% over 4 years, a decline of almost 5 percentage points. That compared to a drop of 1.8 points for the cohort overall. Graduation rates changed similarly. So while dropout rates remained very high in the 30 worst schools, they improved at a faster rate than schools with lower dropout rates.”
The report recommends that Ohio establish a comprehensive plan and targeted strategy for “turning around its dropout problem.” More information is also needed to understand the scope and causes of the dropout problem, including how factors such as economic disadvantage, school budget cuts, school size, and student mobility impact the dropout rate. More needs to be known about successful strategies and interventions that help keep students in school and earn their diplomas. School districts should be provided assistance to implement new school designs to help retain students.
According to the report, “Ohio has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve its high schools, an opportunity the state must not fail to seize.”
Ohio Education Matters is a nonpartisan public policy think tank that acts as a catalyst of education transformation, providing research, advocacy, engagement and policy development that inspire others to create a new system of education for Ohio’s next generation.
State Board of Education
The State Board has a new home page and Web address, www.sboe.ohio.gov. This page provides access to information about upcoming and past Board meetings, reports, bios, and contact information for board members.
The State Board of Education, Debbie Cain president, met in Columbus at the Ohio School for the Deaf on September 14-15, 2009.
September 14, 2009
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee, chaired by President Debbie Cain, discussed the proposed National Association of State Boards of Education by-law changes, the election of the NASBE Board of Directors, and State Board recognitions for 2009-2010. The Board also discussed the evaluation of its July 2009 retreat and a resolution to adopt the State Board of Education’s vision document, Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century: A Vision for Transforming PK-12 Education in Ohio. Members recommended that the board receive in the spring an update that assesses the progress made in implementing the strategies outlined in the vision document.
Achievement Committee
The Achievement Committee, chaired by Mike Collins, approved a Resolution of Intent to Amend Rules 3301-32-01 to -13, School Age Child Care. These rules govern programs, such as latchkey programs, operated by district boards of education for students ages 5-15.
The committee also received an update on the revision process for academic content standards (ORC Sec. 3301.079). According to Stan Heffner, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Assessment, ODE staff began the process of revising the academic content standards in English language arts, math, science, and social studies in 2008. Am. Sub. HB 1, the FY10-11 budget, requires the State Board of Education to adopt no later than June 30, 2010 statewide academic standards, followed by model curricula in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and then adopt revised academic content standards and model curricula for fine arts, foreign languages, computer literacy, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.
Debbie Roshto, Executive Director for Curriculum and Assessment, and Denny Thompson, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, reviewed the proposed changes in the academic content standards, the new format for the standards, the status of the process, and next steps. The following points were made in the update:
- The draft academic content standards are based on many sources including international benchmarking work, national experts, exemplary models, college and career-readiness expectations, and information gathered from Ohio educators.
- The draft standards have been streamlined. The amount of content in each grade is reduced, but the standards will provide a greater depth of learning. Content areas will be organized around themes and topics across grade levels. English language arts is the exception; it will be organized around three strands: reading, language, and writing. Strategies to infuse 21st century skills and ways to integrate the topics will also be included.
- The standards will be presented in a web-based format that allows teachers to manipulate them in ways to fit instruction, and download additional resource materials for classroom instruction.
Chris Woolard, ODE Office of Policy, Research, and Accountability, presented findings of his study of the cognitive expectations found in Ohio’s content standards and assessments in math and science compared to TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment; assessments in high performing countries, and national tests such as ACT and SAT. The study, called Benchmarking Ohio to International Assessments and High Performing Countries, not final, but an executive summary was presented to the board.
According to the report, Ohio’s math content standards cover significantly more topics than some high performing countries such as Japan and Finland, and Ohio’s math standards are not particularly aligned to TIMSS or PISA. In science, for example, Ohio's content standards fall in the middle in terms of number of topics. Ohio's science standards have good topic alignment to TIMSS and PISA, but at a much lower cognitive level.
When examining Ohio’s assessments and standards for depth of knowledge, the study found that for math the state’s benchmarks are the highest ranked, but the indicators are ranked much lower. “The Ohio and international assessments are relatively well aligned at the course grain, topic level, but often ask different things at the fine grain, subtopic level.”
Ohio’s science benchmarks and indicators rate very highly compared to other countries when specifically examining cognitive demand, but there is little topic alignment between TIMSS, PISA, and Ohio's tests. “They [Ohio’s assessments] tend to focus on different subject matter.”
Over the next months the board will be updated on the standards revision process according to the following timeline: June 2009: Stakeholder and teacher meetings to review a framework for revising content standards in English Language Arts, math, science, and social studies; July 2009: Feedback collected on the revision process; July 2009: Advisory committee meetings held to gather perspectives on key provisions; August- September 2009: Working groups prepare draft standards; November 2009: Draft standards available to the public; November-December 2009: Focus Groups react to publicized drafts; November-December 2009: Open public comment on the Web; January-February 2010: Revisions made to the drafts based on input; March-April 2010: State Board begins process to approve standards; May-June 2010: State Board of Education reviews and provides guidance regarding the standards; May 2010: Senate and House Education Committee presented final version of standards; June 30, 2010: Standards approved.
Up-to-date information on the standards revision process, including how to provide feedback, can be accessed on ODE’s website > (keyword: revision).
Capacity Committee
The Capacity Committee, chaired by Rob Hovis, approved an Intent to Adopt Rules 3301-25-01 to -05, -07 and -08, Educational Aide Permits. These rules were due for a 5-year review, and the proposed changes are technical. The committee also approved the proposed Teacher Residency Transition Plan, which the full Board will now consider. This plan provides beginning teachers a way to demonstrate mastery of Ohio Standards for Teachers until the ODE can issue the new resident educator license in 2011, as required by Am. Sub. HB 1.
Update on HB 1: The State’s Biennial Budget
Kelly Weir, Director of Office of Budget and Planning, and Superintendent Delisle presented to the board an overview of the education provisions included in Am. Sub. HB 1, the FY10-11 budget. According to the presentation, the Department of Education’s overall budget (minus tax relief) totals $6.45 billion in general revenue funds (GRF) in FY10 and $6.15 billion in FY11. Included in the GRF is $845 million in State Fiscal Stabilization Funding (SFSF). Lottery profits for education total $990.2 million in FY10 and $1.28 billion in FY11. The lottery profits total includes $933 million from video lottery terminals.
State reimbursements for lost revenue as a result of the phase-out of Tangible Personal Property (TPP) and utility deregulation total $1.24 billion a year. This revenue will be reimbursed at 100% through FY13 rather than FY11. Some members of the General Assembly have expressed interest in extending these reimbursements.
The Ohio Evidence-Based Model (EBM) replaces the Foundation Program funding methodology for school districts, although funding for community school students will still be deducted from state aid to school districts, and community school students will still be included in the resident school district’s average daily membership (ADM). Statewide funding for school districts is projected by the Legislative Service Commission to decrease by 0.24% each year of the biennium. Full funding for all of the EBM's components will not be realized for 10 years.
EBM components are allocated in one of the following ways:
- Per the number of teachers needed to address different student needs, as determined by the number of students and student/teacher ratios (e.g., teachers for regular, special education, limited English proficiency, and economically disadvantaged students)
- Per pupil (e.g. instructional materials, operations and maintenance)
- Per district (e.g. district administration)
- Per organizational unit. Organizational units may not be an actual building, but the prototypical size of a school for students in different grade bands (elementary, middle and high schools), with allowances made for small rural districts.
Some of the funding components of the EBM are adjusted by the new Educational Challenge Factor (ECF). The ECF is an index that adjusts the funding of certain factors to account for student and community socioeconomic factors, including district wealth, poverty, and local college attainment. The ECF ranges from a low of .76 (applied to Upper Arlington) to a high of 1.64 (applied to Youngstown).
The presentation also included information about the new formulas for transportation, gifted education, special education, early childhood education, career-technical education, transitional aid, and the gain cap, Educational Service Centers, etc.
Am. Sub. HB 1 also requires the Superintendent to develop expenditure and reporting rules for the EBM components. Except for gifted education, which will go into effect July 1, 2011, the reporting standards will not be effective before FY11, and expenditure standards will not be effective before FY12. The ODE is required to develop a Formula Accountability and Transparency (FACT) form, which will show EBM allocations compared to districts spending plans. The State Board is also required to develop rules for granting waivers to school districts for some of the components. The State Board of Education, Ohio Department of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents are all required to develop rules, guidelines, frameworks, etc. for implementing various provisions of Am. Sub. HB1. Superintendent Delisle reviewed with Board members two charts that include some of the mandates required in Am. Sub. HB 1.
Outline (and time frame) of HB 1 provisions that the Achievement Committee will address:
- Harmon Commission: SBE shall adopt guidelines for considering applications for creative learning environments. Immediate.
- Harmon Commission: SBE shall adopt rules for accepting gifts on behalf of the commission. Est. 6/30/2010.
- Center for Creativity: Superintendent may create the Center for Creativity, and the SBE shall adopt rules for bequests and gifts.
- Report Card: SBE shall establish a performance indicator reflecting the level of services provided to and the performance of gifted students. 12/31/2011 -Report Card: SBE shall update performance indicators 1 year after rules for the new assessment system, timeline, and plan are adopted.
- Standards: SBE shall revise academic content standards in math, ELA, science, and social studies. 6/30/10.
- Standards: SBE shall revise model curricula. 3/31/11.
- Standards: SBE shall adopt minimum academic content standards for business education. Est. 6/30/12.
- Standards: SBE shall adopt academic content standards and model curricula for computer literacy, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, fine arts, and foreign language in grades K-12. Est. 6/30/12 and 6/30/13.
- Operating Standards: SBE shall revise minimum operating standards.
- Assessment: The State Board, Superintendent, and Chancellor shall develop a new assessment system to replace the OGT, including end of course exams and scoring rubrics. Est. 6/30/2013.
- Assessment: SBE shall adopt rules that designate at least three ranges (advanced, proficient, and limited) of scores on each achievement assessment. Est. 6/30/2013.
- Assessment: SBE shall adopt rules prescribing a timeline and implementation plan for the new assessments. Est. 6/30/2013.
Outline (and time frame) of HB 1 provisions that the Capacity Committee will address:
- Community Schools: Update rules regarding oversight of all community school sponsors. (Immediate)
- Finance: ODE shall implement the Evidence Based Model. 12/2009.
- Finance: ODE shall develop rules regarding the expenditure and reporting of funds for the gifted education support component. 7/1/2011.
- Parent Involvement: SBE shall develop a list of best practices for improving parental involvement in schools. 1/29/10.
- Spending Rules: SBE shall adopt standards for reporting building-level annual financial information. Est. 7/1/2011.
- Waivers: SBE shall adopt standards for the approval/disapproval of waivers for spending/reporting standards, and waivers for any of the new minimum operating standards. Not before 7/1/2010 and after the rules for reporting and expenditure requirements are developed.
- Teaching Profession: SBE shall adopt rules establishing standards and requirements for obtaining alternative resident educator license. Fall 2010.
- Teaching Profession: SBE shall adopt new rules for issuance of new teacher licenses that align with the standards and qualifications recommended by the Education Standards Board. 12/31/10 -Teaching Profession: SBE shall establish standards for school nurses and school nurse wellness coordinators. Est. 12/31/10.
The following responsibilities are also required by Am. Sub. HB 1:
- 10-Year Strategic Plan: The Superintendent shall develop a 10-year strategic plan to provide a framework to align K-12 expectations with higher education; promote collaboration; promote professional, innovative, fiscally effective, 21st century learning environments. ORC 3301.122. December 1, 2009. Superintendent Delisle noted in the presentation that she may ask for an extension to complete this provision.
- Evidence-Based Model: The Ohio School Funding Advisory Council, a 28-member council appointed by the governor, House Speaker, and President of the Senate, shall present to the State Board of Education, the General Assembly, and the public by December 2010 recommendations for revising the educational adequacy components of the evidence-based model (EBM), including the following: special education, gifted, career-technical, fine arts, and LEP education, Early College High Schools; student-centered EBM based on existing per-pupil level of funding; Educational Service Centers; Joint vocational school districts and comprehensive career-technical schools; existing compensation and retirement benefits for teachers; subjecting charter and STEM schools to expenditure and reporting standards and accountability requirements; the effect of open enrollment on students and school districts; etc.
- Community Service: The Superintendent shall develop guidelines and rubrics to evaluate community service programs. The Superintendent shall adopt rules for granting a student a special certificate and recognition for completing a community service program. 2009-2010 school year.
- Value Added: The Educator Standards Board shall develop model teacher and principal evaluation instruments based on the standards and a method of measuring the academic improvement of individual students over a 1-year period and make recommendations for incorporating the measurement into the evaluation criteria for eligibility for teacher and principal licenses, the Ohio Teacher Residency Program, and the Board’s model teacher and principal evaluation instruments. ORC 3319.60-3319.612
September 15, 2009
21st Century Learning Subcommittee
The 21st Century Learning Subcommittee, chaired by Steve Millett and Ann Womer Benjamin, discussed the Board’s July 2009 retreat and the vision document. Members expressed the need to communicate to the general public the role that preK-12 education has in efforts to improve Ohio’s economy and future. The subcommittee requested to review a communication plan in October 2009. The subcommittee also discussed a draft proposal that was being developed by the ODE to join the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Advocacy and Outreach Subcommittee
The Advocacy and Outreach Subcommittee, chaired by John Bender and Mary Rose Oakar, discussed how it intends to review and make recommendations regarding pending legislation in the Ohio General Assembly. The subcommittee also discussed an outreach plan to establish Board liaisons with education organizations.
Educator Recognitions
The State Board recognized the following outstanding Ohio Administrators:
- Elementary School Principal of the Year: Diane L. Kittelberger, Genoa Elementary, Perry Local School District
- Middle School Principal of the Year: Felisha Cheatem, formerly Perkins Middle School, currently Akron East High School
- Secondary Principal of the Year: James Schoenlein, formerly Kettering Fairmont High School, currently Kettering City Schools superintendent
- BASA Betsy Cowles Award: Sarah Zatik, Parma City Schools superintendent
- Superintendent of the Year: Harry Eastridge, ESC of Cuyahoga County superintendent (retired)
