Education poverty task force meets

The new House Task Force on Education and Poverty holds first meetings. Read more

Safer Schools Ohio promotes positive school climate

Safer Schools Ohio encourages schools to get Off to a great start by defining and promoting a positive school climate that reflects their individual values and priorities. Read more

New Resource Explains Graduation Options for class of 2018

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) recently announced the availability of a new handout on graduation requirements for students who entered ninth grade between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015.

While ODE expects that most students will satisfy new high school curriculum requirements and meet one of the three existing graduation pathways, the recent budget bill (H.B. 49) authorizes two additional options only for students in the class of 2018.

Model Policy Outlines Alternatives to Suspension, Expulsion

The State Board of Education recently adopted a model policy for violent, disruptive or inappropriate behavior, including excessive absences.

The new policy – which stresses preventative strategies and alternatives to suspension or expulsion -- aligns with the requirements of H.B. 410 enacted earlier this year and may be adopted in part or in full to meet the needs of individual schools.

State board meetings to air on Ohio Channel

The State Board of Education recently approved a resolution to stream meetings live on the Ohio Channel website, with broadcasts to air as soon as September.

In recent years, audio recordings have been publicly available, allowing K-12 education followers access to deliberations.

“I think this furthers our mission as a state board to allow more people to know what’s going on,” said Nick Owens, who brought the proposal forward. “We make decisions that affect nearly 1.7 million school-aged children and I think the success of our educational system affects all Ohioans … and so it’s an important thing that everyday Ohioans should be able to watch.

The board typically meets the second Monday and Tuesday of each month.

Bar set higher for third-grade reading exam

At its July meeting, the State Board of Education took action to increase the score students must earn in order to demonstrate adequate reading proficiency and to advance to fourth-grade reading.

As required by state law, the board has raised the bar — by about two points — each year since 2012. As a result of the board’s most recent action, the required minimum score is now set at 672.

Nearly four out of five students who took the assessment in the spring of this year would have been promoted had the new score been in place.

Dates set for 2018 state-funded ACT & SAT

Current state law requires schools to administer the state-funded ACT or SAT to all 11th grade students in the spring of the school year. Read more

Foster care resources available

Guidance and support documents to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) are now available from ODE. Read more

ODE releases math curricular, instructional updates

The Ohio Department of Education recently released its K-8 Gap Analysis and High School Standards by Course Checklist.  Read more