Senate Education Committee bills to watch

by Nicole Piscitani • April 7, 2025

The Ohio Senate has been active with committee hearings, particularly the Senate Education Committee, which has routinely held weekly hearings as the members consider several bills.

The bills are important to watch due to House Bill (HB) 96, the biennial budget bill, which is moving quickly. The Ohio House is expected to finish up its version of HB 96 on April 9. The legislature will then take a two-week break and return to the Statehouse the week of April 28. This budget has been moving faster than normal, and the Senate has already indicated that it plans to finalize its work by the end of May.

When the Senate Education Committee returns, it will focus on hearing budget testimony. The committee has been working diligently since the beginning of the year, and many of the Senate education bills are expected to be amended into the Senate version of HB 96. The following are the education bills to watch.

Senate Bill (SB) 7
Sponsored by Sen. Terry Johnson (R- McDermott), this bill would require that all types of school districts provide annual instruction to K-12 students on the effects of short-term and chronic substance use in a manner determined by the local school board. Additionally, the bill would require instruction in the harmful effects of and legal restrictions against using drugs of abuse, specifically marijuana, opioids and opiates. The bill would also require that the instruction include bullying and hazing curriculum. Finally, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) would be required to collaborate with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services on a list of evidence-based curricula, materials, programs and instructional strategies that schools can use for instruction. ODEW would also be required to survey public school compliance on this instruction.

SB 19
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Delaware) and would require that districts and schools develop a mathematics improvement and monitoring plan for each student who qualifies for math intervention services, beginning with the 2025-26 school year. A student would qualify if they received a limited level score on the math Ohio State Test. Additionally, beginning with the 2025-26 school year, the bill would require that each district or school develop a mathematics achievement improvement plan if 51% or less of the district or school’s students who took the third-grade math achievement assessment attained at least a proficient score on the assessment.

The bill also requires that ODEW randomly select 5% of districts and schools and review their academic intervention services. ODEW would be required to create a universal K-three diagnostic assessment for math and reading and create a list of high-quality materials.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) would be required to assess the math proficiency of new applicants for education licenses. If an applicant does not demonstrate proficiency, they could be issued a license but would be barred from providing math instruction until they demonstrate proficiency.

Finally, seventh graders who score “accomplished” or “advanced” in math achievement are required to be enrolled in eighth-grade algebra I, starting with the 2026-27 school year. A parent could opt the child out of the requirement.

SB 34
Sponsored by Johnson, this bill would require that public school boards select, by July 1, 2026, at least four of the bill's listed historical educational documents to display in each social studies or history classroom in which students in grades four-12. The list of historical educational documents includes:

• the Mayflower Compact;
• the Declaration of Independence;
• the mottoes of the United States and Ohio;
• the Ten Commandments;
• the Magna Carta;
• the Bill of Rights;
• the U.S. Constitution;
• the Articles of Confederation.

SB 127
Sponsored by Brenner, this bill would alter the closure requirements for poor-performing public schools. A public school building would be subject to closure if it meets all three criteria for the three most recent school years. The criteria are:

• The school offers a grade level higher than three;
• In its performance index score, the school has been ranked in the bottom 5% of all rated school buildings in the state;
• The school has been ranked by the effect size under the value-added progress dimension in the bottom 10% of all ranked school buildings in the state.

The bill indicates that data will not used from the 2024-25 school year report card or any report card prior to 2024-25.

If a school building meets the above criteria for three consecutive years, the bill requires the administration of the school to do one of the following:

• Close the school.
• Contract with one of the following to operate the school:
  • An education or charter management organization that is approved by ODEW and either:
    • has experience in school improvement;
    • manages schools that received an average of at least three stars in the achievement and progress components ratings on the most recent state report card.
  • A school district that has received an overall rating of at least four stars on the most recent state report card, has experience in school improvement and does not operate any school subject to the public school closure law;
  • Any of the following entities that has experience in school improvement and meet criteria established by ODEW:
    • an ESC;
    • a private college;
    • a state institution of higher education.
• Replace the principal and at least a majority of licensed school staff, though this option only prevails over conflicting collective bargaining agreements or employment contracts entered into after the bill’s effective date.
• Work with an ODEW-approved external service provider with expertise in school improvement.
• In the case of a school building operated by a school district, consolidate the school district in control of the school building into another school district. If a district does so, SBOE must approve any resulting territory transfer.

If the school building implemented one of the above alternative measures and continues to meet the poor performance criteria for the next three consecutive years, the building would be required to close.

Next steps
As indicated above, the House is finalizing its work on HB 96, and the Senate will begin work the week of April 28. It will be important to watch the Senate Education Committee as it deliberates the education-related items in the budget.