Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law House Bill (HB) 99, which expressly states that its intent is to overrule the decision of the Ohio Supreme Court in Gabbard v. Madison Local School Dist. Bd. Of Edn. The bill establishes the Ohio Mobile Training Team and creates the Ohio School Safety and Crisis Center (Center) within the Ohio Department of Public Safety to be operated by the Ohio Mobile Training Team. The bill also requires a person a school board authorizes to have weapons in such a zone to submit to an annual criminal records check, complete no more than 24 hours of initial training established under the bill, and complete no more than eight hours of annual requalification training. Additionally, the bill permits a school board to adopt alternate curriculum, instruction and training, with center approval, and allows school boards to require additional training to those authorized. Finally, the bill requires each school district to provide the center a current list of the qualified personnel authorized to convey deadly weapons or dangerous ordnance into a school safety zone and requires the school board to notify the public in a specified manner that the board has authorized one or more persons to go armed within a school it operates.

DeWine signed into law HB 140, which modifies the form of election notices and ballot language for property tax levies.

Finally, DeWine signed into law HB 687. The bill makes capital appropriations for fiscal years 2023 and 2024, including $600 million for Ohio Facilities Construction Commission and $100 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds for school safety grants, among other provisions.

HB 583, which would extend the current temporary flexibility for school districts regarding the educational requirements of substitute teachers until June 30, 2024, among other provisions, is pending DeWine’s signature.

State Board of Education
The State Board of Education unanimously approved Dr. Stephanie K. Siddens to serve as the interim state superintendent.

The State Board approved a revision to the preschool children eligible for special education rule. The revised rule increases the maximum number of students with disabilities from six to eight and changes language to allow for 50% or fewer students with disabilities in a public school preschool general education or integrated classroom. Click here to read the rule.

Finally, the State Board’s Performance and Impact Committee approved a resolution to increase the Third Grade Reading Guarantee promotion score from 683 to 685 for the 2022-23 school year.

2021-22 school year data
The Ohio Department of Education released updated statewide data regarding student enrollment, kindergarten readiness assessment and the Fall Third Grade English Language Arts test. Click here to read the report.

Ohio Department of Education
ODE has the following proposed rules open for public comment:

  • OAC 3301-69-02 Excuses from school attendance.
  • OAC 3301-16-02 Establishing criteria for awarding the diploma with honors.

Click here to view the rules open for public comment.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 6/17/2022