It has been said many times: 2020 has been an extraordinary year. Given the multitude of unique challenges that schools have met since the beginning of the year, it is sometimes difficult to focus on those laws that were in place before March 2020 and still affect school board members and staff.
Education funding proposal
Sens. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) and Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) are expected to introduce companion legislation for House Bill (HB) 305 in the coming weeks. The companion bill will be the substitute version of HB 305 that Reps. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and Gary Scherer (R-Circleville) will also release in the coming weeks.
At its Oct. 2 meeting, the Ohio Ethics Commission issued formal Advisory Opinion No.
Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 17. The bill allows an enhanced homestead exemption for surviving spouses of public safety personnel killed in the line of duty. Click here to read an analysis of the bill.
The Black Caucus is inviting all school board members to participate in a book study of Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools.
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools
by Monique W. Morris
Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine announced that he has authorized a study that will focus on K-12 students who are quarantined due to meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The study is in response to school district superintendents expressing concerns about the number of students being quarantined.
We know it may be difficult to travel for professional development opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Don’t forget that OSBA has many resources that allow you to learn on your schedule, at your pace and from the comfort of your home. These include:
Ohio Controlling Board
The Ohio Controlling Board approved a request to use $6 million from the CARES Act’s Coronavirus Relief Fund for K-12 mental health assistance to support capacity development, connection to community resources and implementation. The funding will be provided to ESCs that received funding through a competitive grant opportunity for preventive education funding in House Bill (HB) 166. Click here to read the application.
Save the date: Feed and Fuel Your Future Career virtual learning series
The Supreme Court of the United States Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Sept. 18, 2020. Appointed in 1993, Justice Ginsburg served on the court for 27 years. Justice Ginsburg will be remembered for her colorful dissents and ardent support of statutes to provide equal rights for women and men.
