Earlier this week, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education issued new guidance documents on Section 504 (Sec. 504) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Sec. 504 prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities by public schools and other institutions receiving federal funds. The four new guidance documents provide assistance to school districts on Sec. 504 rights of students with specific conditions.
…Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
The June issue of Journal, OSBA’s award-winning magazine, features an entire section on hot topics for school districts. The articles, written by six members of the Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys (OCSBA), discuss five topics of critical interest to Ohio school board members and administrators.
…Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
In the wake of 17 deaths in the shooting at Marjory Stoneham Douglas High School on Feb. 14, students across the country are organizing public statements, letters to the editor and planned walkouts to protest what students perceive as a lack of effective response by leaders.
One planned walkout will occur next Wednesday, March 14, when some students will…
Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, which was created with the goal of transforming a society that accepts bullying into one that recognizes that bullying can be addressed through education and support. It’s a great time for your school community to raise awareness of bullying and its consequences, and to promote your bullying prevention efforts.
Ohio law defines “harassment, intimidation and bullying” in RC 3313.666 as either…
Posted by Megan Greulich on
Restraint and seclusion reporting
Dec. 16 is the deadline for schools to submit annual reports of student restraint and seclusion incidents to the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). Districts are asked to complete an online survey to fulfill their annual reporting obligations set forth under Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3301-35-15. In an effort to improve statewide reporting accuracy, ODE has created additional guidance documents and sample reporting forms.…
Posted by Jennifer Hardin on
This week's blog post focuses on three tidbits of educational news involving Ohio’s truancy laws, the new reading tests required for some teaching licenses, and a policy brief on the educational use of technology for young children.
Senate education committee to focus on truancy
Hannah News has reported that Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering), Chair of the Senate Education Committee, announced that the committee’s focus during the lame duck session will be pending legislation to revise the state’s truancy laws. She plans to hold multiple…
Posted by Sara Clark on