Ohio Revised Code (RC) 3313.82 requires every school district and educational service center (ESC) to assemble a business advisory council. As part of the most recent budget bill, the Ohio General Assembly enacted RC 3313.821, which directs the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the governor’s executive workforce board, to establish standards for the operation of business advisory councils. Those standards recently were published on The Ohio Department of Education’s (ODE) website.
The standards offer information on the following topics:
- Role and purpose of business advisory councils
- Establishment, organization and operation of business advisory councils
- Development of business advisory council plans
- Annual joint statement submission
RC 3313.821 requires each business advisory council to develop an annual written plan that provides the board of education or ESC governing board with information on:
- Delineating employment skills and developing curriculum to instill these skills;
- Changes in the economy and job market, and the types of employment in which future jobs are most likely to be available; and
- Suggestions for developing a working relationship among businesses, labor organizations and educational personnel.
Although state law doesn’t identify specific events, activities or programs that are required to meet these objectives, the standards document offers a list of elements that business advisory councils are encouraged to consider incorporating into their plans.
State law also requires each business advisory council and its district board or ESC governing board to issue a joint statement annually by March 1. The standards document identifies a list of items the joint statement should include, including information on meetings conducted by the council, and how the district or ESC and its business advisory council has fulfilled their statutory responsibilities.
ODE has also produced a document that summarizes next steps for districts and educational service centers, which includes a timeline for deliverables.
For additional information and resources, visit education.ohio.gov and search keywords: Career Connections. You also can contact the Career Connections team at CareerConnections@education.ohio.gov.