Ohio charter laws ranked 24th by CER
The Center for Education Reform recently released its National Charter School Law Rankings and Scorecard 2018 – assigning Ohio a grade of “C” and ranking it 24th among the 44 states and District of Columbia with charter school laws.  READ MORE

Manning assumes JEOC leadership role
Sen. Gayle Manning (R-N. Ridgeville) has assumed the leadership role for the Joint Education Oversight Committee for 2018, replacing Rep. Bob Cull (R-Lima). READ MORE

Report card overhaul bill introduced
Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) recently introduced H.B. 591, which calls for the creation of a new state report card system to assess public districts and schools beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.  READ MORE

New test options available for obtaining certificate of high school equivalence
The Ohio Department of Education recently announced that Ohioans now have three testing options for earning a certificate of high school equivalence: HiSET and TASC, in addition to the previously approved GED.  READ MORE

OACSA testifies before Senate Education Committee
Buckeye Community Hope Foundation Education Division Associate Director Jennifer Schorr – who recently assumed the Ohio Association of Charter School Authorizers chair position – testified before the Senate Education Committee last month.  READ MORE

Congrats!
Congratulations to Stambaugh Charter Academy and International Academy of Columbus for receiving the Auditor of State Award! 

Auditor of State Dave Yost gives the award to entities that file timely financial reports in accordance with GAAP, and receive “clean” audit reports based on financial audits that do not contain findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings or any questioned costs.

OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal webinar recording available
A recording of the Ohio Department of Education’s OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal webinar from April 6 is available online. The webinar highlights how the OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal was developed, the process a student must follow to achieve the seal, and what steps schools need to take to validate and issue the seal on transcripts and diplomas.

Video contest encourages safety
Students in grades nine through 12 can encourage their peers to drive safely and win prizes with the Ohio Turnpike’s #W82TXT video contest.  With submission of short videos, students can help spread awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.  

In addition, the Ohio Turnpike is bringing the Red Thumb Movement to Ohio, distributing red thumb bands emblazoned with “W82TXT” to serve as a visual reminder to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.  The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates new teen drivers are three times as likely as adults to be involved in a deadline crash during the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Videos must be submitted by July 4.  Learn more at: http://www.ohioturnpike.org/w82txt-video-contest

House committee amends mentorship bill
House Finance Committee hearings continue on legislation (H.B. 508) to provide mentorship opportunities for at-risk students.  The OhioCorps pilot program calls for college-age students to earn stipends for mentoring at-risk students including those whose family members struggle with opioid addiction. 

The bill has been amended to remove geographic restrictions from the program, which was originally slated to focus on southeastern Ohio.  The House also amended the bill to increase the funding for the initiative -- from $1.5 million to $2.5 – and to allow for technical college participation.

Senate cool to State Board recommendation
Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) has express concern regarding the State Board of Education’s recommendation to extend relaxed graduation requirements granted to students in the class of 2018 for two additional school years. 

“My position is we should not renew it for two more years without a really strong explanation as to why,” he said.  “If you keep re-upping it every year, eventually it becomes a permanent thing.” 

“We need some real long-term solution to this,” Obhof continued.  “We cannot simply come back every 12 months and say let’s have another temporary fix for another 12 months.” 

Bill calls for K-12 health curriculum standards
Senator Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) recently introduced legislation to require the State Board of Education to develop health curriculum standards for K-12 schools.

“This legislation would help students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” he said in a statement.  “By not having health education standards, Ohio is missing an opportunity to improve the health of its citizens.  Given our state’s ongoing opioid crisis, a more thorough health education could certainly help to prevent and curb addiction.”

According to Sykes, Ohio is the only state in the nation without K-12 health curriculum.  He cited the Health Policy Institute of Ohio’s ranking of the Buckeye State’s as second in opioid death overdoses and 43rd in a composite measure of population health. Senate Bill 287 has been referred to the Senate Education Committee for consideration.