House activity
The House passed House Bill (HB) 166 by a vote of 85-9. The bill makes appropriations for the state operating budget for fiscal years (FY) 2020 and 2021, including the school-funding formula. The House made many changes to the bill, including:
• Guaranteeing school districts receive the aggregate amount of funding they received in fiscal year (FY) 2019.
• Increasing the proposed Student Wellness and Success Funding to $275 million in FY 2020 and $400 million in FY 2021.
• Providing $20 million for school bus purchases.
• Providing $50 million for industry-recognized credentials.
• Incorporating HB 154, which dissolves all current academic distress commissions, repeals the laws regarding academic distress commissions and requires school districts to assemble an improvement team and create an improvement plan for low-performing school buildings.
• Incorporating HB 75, which requires school boards to pass a resolution approving a property valuation complaint or counter-complaint prior to filing that complaint and send written notice to property owners indicating intent to file complaints.
• Incorporating HB 149, which exempts from property tax the increased value of unimproved land that has been subdivided for residential development for eight years or until construction begins or the land is sold.
• Incorporating HB 187, which prohibits tax levy items from appearing on the August special election ballot.
• Maintaining the use of the overall report card grade for EdChoice Scholarship Program eligibility and challenged school district designations, despite the bill’s changes to report cards. 
• Permitting a district that already has participated in the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission Classroom Facilities Assistance Program and has divided its project into segments to participate in the Expedited Local Partnership Program.
• Increasing the state’s minimum teacher salary from the current $20,000 to $30,000. 
• Requiring public schools with at least 70% of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals to participate in the federal school breakfast program; reduces the participation threshold to 60% in the second year and 50% in the third year and each subsequent year.
• Prohibiting school districts from reducing the transportation they opted to provide students after the first day of the school year.
• Permitting ESCs to participate in the Ohio Medicaid Schools Plan.
• Authorizing districts to drop off students at private and community schools up to 30 minutes before the start of the day for that school and pick up students up to 30 minutes after the end of the school day.
• Permitting districts to allow students to use two full seasons of show choir to fulfill high school physical education requirements.
• Allowing school districts proposing a safety and security levy to share the proceeds from the levy with the private schools located within the boundaries of the district.

Click here for a comparison document of the changes between the governor’s version and the House version of the bill. 

The bill goes to the Senate where testimony will take place the week of May 13. Contact OSBA if you would like to provide testimony.

Senate activity
The Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 26 by a vote of 32-0. The bill permits teachers to deduct from their state income taxes up to $250 for out-of-pocket expenses for classroom supplies and professional development. It now goes to the House for consideration.

The Senate also passed SB 1 by a vote of 24-8. The bill requires the Ohio Department of Education and other state agencies to reduce regulatory restrictions by 30% by 2022. It now goes to the House for consideration.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee passed SB 4, which adds $100 million to the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission budget for eight districts with shovel-ready projects. The bill now goes to the House for a full vote.

Senate Education Committee
The committee conducted a third hearing on SB 89, which revises the law regarding career-technical education and joint vocational school districts. OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials testified in support of the bill, a copy of which can be accessed here. 

The committee conducted a fifth hearing on SB 34, which revises school employment policies and revises procedures regarding educator licensure and conduct.

The committee conducted a second hearing on SB 102, sponsored by Sens. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell) and Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering). The bill creates the Dyslexia Screening Program that would require public schools to conduct screenings of all children six years old or younger and provide intervention services for those displaying risk factors for dyslexia, and to provide parents of identified children with information about dyslexia, certain treatments and services, and to offer services.

The committee conducted a first hearing on SB 121, sponsored by Sens. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) and Stephanie Kunze (R-Hilliard). The bill requires the State Board of Education to develop K-12 health education standards and to revise the law regarding venereal disease education standards and curriculum.

Senate Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education
The committee continued to hear informal testimony on HB 166. Testimony included remarks from Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria. 

Posted by Will Schwartz on 5/10/2019.