The Legal Ledger

A consent agenda is a parliamentary procedure tool that allows boards to streamline the approval of routine, non-controversial items that typically do not need discussion or debate. The general idea is to save time by grouping self-explanatory items together and approving them in one motion, instead of handling each one individually. Common items on a consent agenda might include the approval of meeting minutes, routine financial…

This past July, the Supreme Court of Ohio issued an important decision in the case known as Look Ahead America v. Stark County Board of Elections. The ruling clarifies Ohio Revised Code (RC) 121.22(G)(2) in a way that may limit the ability of boards of education…

Last week, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) rolled out resources for school districts as they work to meet the new requirements for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in school buildings.

Ohio Revised Code (RC) 3313.717 was amended in House Bill (HB) 47, and the new…

In Ohio, boards of education are required to seek formal bids from potential vendors before they “build, repair, enlarge, improve or demolish a school building” if the cost of the work is over a certain threshold amount. Currently, state law sets the…

Here in the Legal Division, we answer a lot of questions about board meeting agendas. Agendas are an important tool boards use to conduct efficient meetings and keep discussions at meetings on track. Given how commonly boards of education use agendas, it may be surprising to learn that the Ohio Revised Code (RC) has nothing to say about them.* This means that the creation and use of agendas are governed almost entirely by board policy.

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Ohio law prohibits the governing body of a political subdivision from using public funds to support or oppose the passage of a levy or bond issue or to compensate any employee for time spent on an activity intended to influence the outcome of a levy or bond issue. In the most recent OSBA Legal Ledger Sidebar, Sara Clark and Jennie Hardin provide information to help your district navigate the legal landscape when a levy or bond issue is on the ballot.

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On Aug. 6, the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas issued a decision finding that House Bill (HB) 68, legislation banning the use of certain medical interventions for transgender youth and barring the participation of transgender girls in girls’ and women’s sports, was constitutional. The court vacated the temporary restraining order which had been blocking its enforcement since the spring. This means that the bill in its entirety has gone into immediate effect.

The bill contains two separate provisions related to transgender youth, both of which impact schools. The first…

This week’s blog post focuses on some of the more frequently asked questions we receive about released time for religious instruction. “Released time” is a period of time during which a student is excused from school to attend a course in religious instruction conducted by a private entity off school district property. Released time programs require districts to balance students’ First Amendment rights to religious expression with the…

This month, the legal division is using the Sidebar discussion to tackle the “Question of the Month.” The question is: “Can a school district official or employee hire their family members?” Jennifer Hardin and John Price discuss Ohio’s law prohibiting nepotism, including who is covered by the law, what the law actually prohibits, and who is an official's family member.

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Last week,  the state of Ohio launched a new program aimed at encouraging school districts to recruit members of the military, military spouses and veterans as employees. The program, called the Military Recruit Award program, was announced by Gov. Mike DeWine and the Directors of the Ohio Department of…