Senate Finance Committee
The committee accepted its version of House Bill (HB) 166, the state budget bill. Click here for a synopsis of the changes made by the committee. The committee is expected to make additional changes to the bill early next week, followed quickly by a full vote of the Senate.
Witnesses included:
• Robert A. Hancock, treasurer, Hamilton City, whose testimony can be accessed here.
• Eric Resnick, board member, Canton City, whose testimony can be accessed here.
Senate Education Committee
The committee conducted an informal hearing on an amendment regarding academic distress commissions that is being considered for inclusion into the budget bill. Click here for a synopsis of that proposal that begins on page 62. OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) offered opposition testimony on the amendment, which can be read here.
Several witnesses testified on the proposal, including:
• Al Long, board member, North College Hill City and Great Oaks Career Campuses;
• Dr. Mary E. Rice, board member, East Cleveland City;
• Ronald Shadd, board member, Youngstown City;
• Brenda Kimble, board member, Youngstown City;
• Tina Cvetkovich, board member, Youngstown City;
• Neal Whitman, board member, Reynoldsburg City;
• Gary L. Baker II, board member, Columbus City;
• Dr. Romules Durant, superintendent, Toledo City;
• Chris Varwig, board member, Toledo City;
• Dr. Eugene T.W. Sanders, superintendent, Sandusky City;
• Deborah Marie Dunlap, board member, Reynoldsburg City and Eastland Fairfield Career & Technical Schools;
• Mark Ballard, board member, Lorain City;
• Patrick Schymanski, board member, Elida Local (Allen);
• Dr. Una H.R. Keenon, board member, East Cleveland City;
• Ryan Stechschulte, treasurer, Toledo City;
• James Gant, executive transformational leader of organizational staff and business operations, Toledo City;
• James E. Gault, executive transformational leader of curriculum and instruction, Toledo City;
• Brian Murphy, transformational leader of strategic planning, Toledo City.
House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee amended HB 239, which reduces the number of required high school state tests and requires school districts to form work groups to evaluate the amount of district-required testing and make reduction recommendations.
The first amendment reinstates the requirement for 11th-grade students to take the SAT or ACT, but allows parents to opt their children out of the test. The second amendment exempts a district from the bill’s testing staffing requirements if it does not employ staff the bill requires to be on the testing workgroup.
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 123, which requires public schools to implement certain programs regarding suicide awareness and prevention and violence prevention. Click here for a synopsis of the substitute version.
The committee conducted a second hearing on HB 43, sponsored by Rep. Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati), which eliminates the right of first refusal for charter schools, STEM schools and college-preparatory boarding schools when acquiring school district property. OSBA, BASA and OASBO testified in support of the bill, which can be read here. Additionally, Dan Hoying, general counsel, Cincinnati Public, offered testimony in support of the bill, which can be read here.
The committee conducted a second hearing on HB 111, also sponsored by Ingram, which requires schools to transmit a transferred student’s record within five school days.
House activity
The House passed HB 2 by a vote of 92-3. It permits a collaboration of school districts, among others, and multiple industry sector partnerships to act as a regional sector partnership and be eligible for state grants. It now goes to the Senate.
House Health Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 210, sponsored by Rep. Sara P. Carruthers (R-Hamilton). The bill requires Ohio Department of Education-licensed preschool programs and other entities to screen and test prospective employees for tuberculosis and to annually test certain employees for a five-year period.
House Commerce and Labor Committee
The committee passed HB 220, which permits school districts, among others, to use blockchain technology.
House State and Local Government Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), which requires the Ohio Department of Education and other state agencies to reduce regulatory restrictions by 30% by 2022.
Posted by Will Schwartz on 6/14/2019