Blogs

Effective April 26, 2013, any individual applying for a first-time pupil-activity program permit or permit renewal is required to complete certain training programs related to concussions and head injuries in order to coach interscholastic activities.

Individuals applying for a first-time permit must successfully complete a training program that focuses on brain trauma and brain injury management (RC 3319.303). In addition, individuals applying for a permit renewal must have successfully completed a training program that recognizes the symptoms of concussions and head injuries or a…

As of September 10, 2012, applicants for licensure or public employment no longer are required to complete Declaration of Material Assistance/Non-assistance (DMA) forms. These forms were required to be completed by certain applicants to certify that they had not provided "material assistance" to a terrorist organization. HB 487, which became effective on September 10, 2012, repealed statutory provisions requiring the completion of these forms. As a result, districts no longer should require applicants to complete these forms and should remove them from hiring packets, online forms, and any…

On January 1, 2010, changes became effective regarding background check requirements for licensed educators in Ohio. For initial applicants for a license, the requirements are the same: initial applicants for a license must complete both an Ohio criminal background check (BCII) and an FBI criminal background check. These checks need to be less than 365 days old to be considered valid for licensing purposes.

However, HB 1 modified the requirements for educators who need to renew a…

In June 2008, the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Board of Directors approved a recommendation that coaches in Ohio be required to take the National Federation of State High School Associations Fundamentals of Coaching course. All interscholastic coaches in grades 7-12, whether certified to teach or not, paid or volunteer, are required to take the course as a one-time fulfillment. All coaches without a current pupil activity permit are required to complete the course by January 1, 2010. All coaches renewing pupil activity permits after January 1, 2010 are required to complete…

The State Board of Education has filed new draft rehabilitation rules with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). This act begins the formal rule-making process and triggers a public hearing before the State Board. The hearing on these rules is June 18 at 11:00am.

HB 428, enacted in 2008, prohibited boards of education from employing, and required them to release, employees who committed certain crimes. Under prior law, the State Board adopted a rehabilitation rule that allowed educators who committed some less serious crimes to be rehabilitated and thus…