The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) is rolling out guidance documents to help districts manage some of the changes in the 2024-25 biennial budget bill, House Bill (HB) 33. Here are some of the resources that have been issued to date:
Online day plans
ODE has issued some additional information about the HB 33 changes to the calamity day statute, Ohio Revised Code (RC) 3313.482. The new law, which will be effective Oct. 3, 2023, changes the use of blizzard bags starting this school year. Schools that do not use a blended learning model or operate an online learning school are eligible to use online instruction to make up hours when it is necessary to close schools because of:
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Epidemic.
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Hazardous weather.
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Law enforcement emergencies.
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Inoperability of school buses or other equipment necessary to the school’s operation.
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Damage to a school building, or other temporary circumstances due to utility failure rending the building unfit for use.
ODE is encouraging districts to “adopt or amend their calamity day plans” by Nov. 1, 2023. More information is available here.
Student Wellness and Success Funds
ODE’s webpage on Student Wellness and Success Funds (SWSF) has been updated to include information about new requirements. After the amended law is effective on Oct. 3, 2023, districts will be required to use at least 50% of their SWSF to fund mental health services, physical health care services or a combination of both.
There are also new provisions that require districts to develop a usage plan in collaboration with a community mental health prevention or treatment provider or a local board of alcohol, drug addiction and mental health services and at least one other community partner. More information about partners, reporting requirements and resources is available at this link.
Individualized seizure action plans and staff training
HB 33 includes a new provision, RC 3313.7117, which requires each school district to create an individualized seizure action plan for each student enrolled in the district who has an active seizure disorder diagnosis. Each plan must include a written and signed request from the student’s parent or guardian to have seizure disorder prescriptions administered to the student and a written statement from the medical provider treating the student providing information on the drugs prescribed to the student for the seizure disorder.
In addition, districts are required to designate at least one employee in each building, other than the school nurse, to receive training on the implementation of seizure action plans every two years. Each person employed as an administrator, guidance counselor, teacher or bus driver must complete a minimum of one hour of training on seizure disorders by Oct. 3, 2025.
ODE’s webpage Supporting Students with Seizure Disorders contains more information, including sample seizure action plans and training resources.