As of October 11, 2013, HB 14 has limited the circumstances in which a board of education may withhold the grades and credits of students who have failed to pay fees and charges. Under the newly amended provisions of RC 3313.642, boards of education are prohibited from withholding the grades, credits, official transcripts, diplomas, IEPs, or 504 plans of a student for the nonpayment of fees for materials used during the course of instruction if:
-a complaint has been filed in juvenile court alleging that a student is an abused, neglected, or dependent child; or
-a student has been adjudicated an abused, neglected, or dependent child.
A board of education must require that the grades, credits, official transcripts, IEPs, or 504 plans be immediately transferred after it has received an order from a juvenile judge, pursuant to RC 2151.272 or a request for the records from another school or district pursuant to RC 3313.672.
Under the new provisions, if a board of education is required to transfer records, it may request a copy of the order regarding the student's custody or placement issued in accordance with RC 2151.27, but may not withhold the records required to be transferred pending the board's receipt of a copy of the order.
In addition, a board of education is required to annually report to ODE the number of students that the board sends transcripts in accordance with RC 3313.642 (D) and the total amount of unpaid fees lost as a result of complying with the statute.