by Nicole Piscitani • March 22, 2024
The Ohio legislature is on break following the March 19 primary election and is expected to return to Columbus the second week of April to resume committee and floor sessions. Gov. Mike DeWine will hold his State of State address on April 10 when he will discuss accomplishments and announce new areas of focus. This will be the first State of State address since the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce moved from oversight by the State Board of Education (SBOE) to the governor. DeWine could provide an update on the transition and announce new department initiatives.
The 135th General Assembly commenced on Jan. 2, 2023, and since then only 17 bills have become law. Typically, over 100 bills are passed during a General Assembly. In April, several big items will consume the legislature’s time, one being the Capital Budget, which includes funding for school buildings that is managed by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee and Senate Education Committee are working on numerous bills that have already passed the originating chamber. The legislature isn’t expected to be at the Statehouse very much in April, May and June, with only two session days planned each month before the legislature leaves Columbus for summer break. Additionally, due to disagreements between the two chambers, it’s unclear how many bills will pass during the next three months. While the work will continue in committees on education-related bills, several new bills have been introduced during the legislature’s March break.
House Bill (HB) 432, sponsored by Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport), would make changes to the alternative resident educator license for teaching career-technical education by requiring that the SBOE issue an initial license to an applicant upon their request. Current law only allows the superintendent to make the request. The bill also makes changes to the career-technical workforce development educator preparation program by developing additional programs that a school district can use to provide the required educator preparation course work.
HB 436, sponsored by Reps. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna) and Sara P. Carruthers (R-Hamilton), would allow an individual who holds an educational aide permit or intervention specialist license to use synchronous or asynchronous information and communication technology to provide remote services to students within the individual’s scope of practice.
HB 440, sponsored by Reps. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and Beth Lear (R-Galena), would allow services prescribed in the finalized individualized education program (IEP) of a student receiving a Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship or an Autism Scholarship to be provided remotely. The bill requires that the remote services be provided by qualified credentialed providers in the same manner that telehealth services are provided to patients by specified health care professionals under continuing law. All services provided remotely must be specified under the student’s IEP or education plan. Additionally, the bill requires that certain credentialed professionals be included on the list of those that may provide services under the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program.
HB 445, sponsored by Reps. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) and Gary Click (R-Vickery), would make changes to current law regarding school district policies for released time courses in religious instruction. Current law does not require that a school district have a policy or that a district allow a student to be released for religious instruction. The bill would require all school boards to not only have a policy but also authorize a student to be excused from school to attend a released time course in religious instruction.
The bill does not change the following provisions that are currently required in law:
- The student's parent or guardian gives written consent.
- The sponsoring entity maintains attendance records and makes them available to the school district the student attends.
- Transportation to and from the place of instruction, including transportation for students with disabilities, is the complete responsibility of the sponsoring entity, parent, guardian or student.
- The sponsoring entity makes provisions for and assumes liability for the student.
- No public funds are expended, and no public school personnel are involved in providing the religious instruction.
- The student assumes responsibility for any missed schoolwork.
- No student may be released from a core curriculum subject course to attend a religious instruction course.
Committee hearings for these bills, in addition to the other education-related bills pending in committees, will be determined by the chairs.
Editor’s note: This information is current as of March 22, 202