|
Click
here to go back to the LWVO Education Update Main Page
To: LWVO
From: Joan Platz
Education Update for March 12, 2007
1) 127th Ohio General
Assembly:
The Ohio House and Senate will meet in session this week.
The House and Senate will meet in joint session on March 14, 2007
at noon to hear Governor Strickland deliver the "State of the State"
address, which will outline the administration's policy and program
priorities for FY08-09. Governor Strickland will introduce
his administration's biennial budget proposal on March 15, 2007.
2) This Week at the Statehouse
MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2007
*The House Finance and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Representative
Dolan (614-644-5088), will meet at 10:30 PM in room 313. The
committee will continue hearings on HB 67 (Patton), the transportation
budget for FY08-09. A vote is possible.
TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2007
*The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Setzer,
will meet at 2:00 PM in room 116. The committee will hear
testimony on HB 27 (Wolpert) - academic performance ratings; HB66
(Collier) - minimum school year based on hours; HB2 (Webster) --
allows the governor to appoint the chancellor of the Ohio Board
of Regents and makes other changes regarding the Ohio Board of Regents;
and HB85 (Webster) -- expands the authority of the Ohio Board of
Regents.
*The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Padgett (614-466-8076),
will meet at 4:00 PM in the North hearing room and hear testimony
on SB2 (Cates) - appointment of the Chancellor of the Board of Regents;
SB57 (Coughlin) - Special Education Scholarship Program; and SB89
(Gardner) - School opening day after Labor Day.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2007
Governor Strickland delivers the "State of the State" address at
noon in the House Chambers.
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007
*The House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization
Committee, chaired by Representative Wolpert (614-466-9690), will
meet at 8:30 AM in room 018 to hear testimony on HB60 (Evans), which
authorizes boards of county commissioners to exempt from taxation
the homesteads of qualifying members of the National Guard and reserve
components of the Armed Forces who have been deployed outside the
state.
*House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Representative Blessing (614-466-9091),
will meet at 9:30 AM in room 114 and hear testimony on HB5 (Gibbs),
which implements recommendations made by the Eminent Domain Task
Force.
*The House State Government and Elections Committee, chaired by
Representative Daniels (614-466-3506), will meet at 11:00 AM in
room 122 to hear testimony on SB26 (Kearney) - February as "Black
History Month."
3) 110th Congress:
The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, chaired by Representative
George Miller, and its subcommittees have been holding hearings
on the reauthorization of the Head Start Act, the No Child Left
Behind Act (NCLB), and Higher Education Act.
On March 13, 2007 a joint meeting of the House Education and Labor
Committee and the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee will be held on the reauthorization of NCLB Act -- "Improving
NCLB to Close the Achievement Gap."
On March 14, 2007 the House Education and Labor Committee will markup
HR 1429, "Improving Head Start Act of 2007." The U.S. Senate
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved on February
14, 2007 S. 556, which reauthorizes the Head Start Act. The
Senate version would increase the eligibility for low income families;
expand services; and require states to create local partnerships
to support children and their families.
Last week on March 8, 2007 a subcommittee of the House Education
and Labor Committee heard testimony on the state of higher education
and how students access and finance a college education. The
hearing was the first in a series that will be held on the reauthorization
of the Higher Education Act. According to the opening remarks
made by the subcommittee chair, Representative Hinojosa, a new study
released by Jobs for the Future, "Hitting Home: Quality, Cost,
and Access Challenges Confronting Higher Education Today", reports
that the U.S. needs to produce an additional 15.6 million college
graduates to remain competitive in the global market. Poor
preparation in high school and the cost of higher education continue
to be barriers that prevent more students from seeking and completing
college degrees.
Chairman Miller also issued on March 7, 2007 a press release announcing
hearings in April 2007 on the investigation of the federal Reading
First program.
The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold on March 14, 2007
a hearing on the proposed FY08 budget for the No Child Left Behind
Act. The committee will hear from U.S. Secretary of Education, Margaret
Spellings, and several other witnesses. For more information
please visit http://appropriations.senate.gov/
For information about the work of the U.S. House
committees please visit http://edlabor.house.gov/committee/hearings.shtml
4) House Education
Committee Report:
The Ohio House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Arlene
Setzer and with Representative Ken Carano serving as Ranking Member,
met on March 6, 2007. This was the first time the committee
had met this session, and Representative Setzer asked members to
introduce themselves and why they were interested in being on the
education committee. When it came to Representative Thom Collier's
turn to introduce himself, he replied that he was here so much last
session that he requested a more comfortable chair.
The committee includes twenty three members, and with the increase
in the number of Democrats elected to the 127th Ohio House, the
Republicans have a one member majority: 12 Republicans and
11 Democrats.
A majority of the members of committee are new to the Education
Committee. Returning lawmakers include Representative Setzer
as chair, Representative Carano as Ranking Member, and Representatives
Evans, Garrison, Peterson, Reinhard, Schlichter, Wagner, Webster,
and B. Williams.
Members of the Education Committee who are also newly elected to
the General Assembly include Representatives Adams, Brady, Celeste,
Dyer, Heard, Luckie, Lundy, Okey, Stebelton, and Sykes.
Re-elected lawmakers who are new to the Education Committee include
Representative Widowfield, who is Vice Chair, and Representatives
Collier and Patton.
Representative Shawn Webster addressed the committee as sponsor
of two bills on the same topic: HB 2 and HB 85.
HB2 enacts section 3333.031 of the Revised Code to transfer appointment
of the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents to the Governor with
the advice and consent of the Senate; makes the Board of Regents
an advisory board to the Chancellor; and transfers the Board's duties
and powers to the Chancellor.
HB85 expands the authority of the Ohio Board of Regents to regulate
the programs and tuition of state institutions of higher education;
requires the Governor's approval of the Board of Regent's selection
for Chancellor; restructures the terms of members of the Board of
Regents; and establishes the Ohio Higher Education Purchasing Commission.
Representative Webster told the committee that the state of Ohio
needs a higher education system that meets the needs of its citizens
and the state rather than meeting the needs of the institutions,
and that is why he has introduced two bills that address the issue
of governance and the Ohio Board of Regents in two different ways.
HB2 reduces the authority of the current Board of Regents by giving
the governor authority to appoint a chancellor, who will have more
powers over decision making for higher education.
HB85 is more prescriptive. The Board of Regents would still
appoint the chancellor, but the governor would be able to approve
the appointment, and the chancellor would serve on the governor's
cabinet. The Board of Regents would be required to create
a master plan that would address collaboration, duplication of programs,
degree attainment, etc. and create a more standardized community
college system.
The committee also heard sponsor testimony on HB66 presented by
Representative Collier. HB66 establishes a minimum school
year for school districts and chartered nonpublic schools based
on hours rather than days of instruction.
Currently in statute and administrative
code school districts are required to provide 182 days of instruction,
which becomes 173 days after deducting allowed exceptions; five
days per week; five hours for grades 1-6 and 5.5 hours for grades
7-12. Five hours are required in law for grades 7-12, but
the State Board of Education has set 5.5 hours in rule for grades
7-12 for school districts.
The bill eliminates the number of days, and establishes instead
required number of hours of instruction with certain parameters.
The bill would require schools (school districts and chartered nonpublic
schools) to provide 455 hours of instruction for half-day kindergarten;
910 hours for full day kindergarten and grades 1-6; and 1001 hours
of instruction for students in grades 7-12.
School districts and chartered nonpublic schools would be able to
develop their own attendance schedule within certain parameters
outlined in the bill. Current law regarding calamity days
(five days schools can close due to public calamity) is eliminated
in this bill.
Community schools are not affected by this bill. Currently
community schools are required to provide a minimum of 920 hours
of instruction for all grade levels.
This recommendation was approved by the General Assembly last December
(it was included in SB 311), but former Governor Taft later vetoed
this provision.
5) State Board of Education to Meet:
The State Board of Education, Jennifer Sheets president, will meet
on February 12-13, 2007 at the Ohio School for the Deaf, 500 Morse
Road, Columbus, OH. The Quality Middle and High Schools Subcommittee,
chaired by Carl Wick, and the School Funding Subcommittee, chaired
by Virgil Brown, met on March 11, 2007 at the Embassy Suites Hotel,
Columbus, OH.
The Executive Committee, chaired by Jennifer Sheets, will meet on
March 12, 2007 at 8:30 AM. The committee will review the agenda
and receive updates from the School Funding Subcommittee; the Achieve
Report Public Engagement Subcommittee; and the Quality Middle and
High Schools Subcommittee, and discuss recommendations regarding
school bus driver records.
The Capacity Committee, Sue Westendorf and Carl Wick co-chairs,
and the Achievement Committee, Michael Cochran and Steve Millett,
co-chairs, will meet at 9:30 AM.
The Capacity Committee will discuss legislative recommendations
concerning school bus drivers and Educational Service Centers, and
the following rules:Rule
3301-21-01 colleges and universities preparing teachers;
Rule 3301-24-01
licensing and education programs; Rule
3301-27-02 pupil activity programs; and Rules
3301-83-06, 3301-83-07 and 3301-83-20 concerning school bus drivers.
The
Achievement Committee will discuss financial literacy initiatives;
preview the Perkins Transition Plan; and consider a resolution of
intent to adopt standard scores for alternate assessments in science
and social studies in grades 5 and 8, and grade 7 in writing.
During lunch the Achieve Report Public engagement subcommittee,
chaired by Steve Millett will meet. Members of the committee
include Deborah Cain, Lou Ann Harrold, Eric Okerson, Sue Westendorf,
and Ann Womer Benjamin.
At 12:30 PM the board will hear an update on School Readiness and
Early Learning from Eric Okerson and Carl Kohrt, CEO from Battelle.
The Board will also review the Perkins Transitions Plan; hear a
presentation on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
initiatives (STEM); and hear updates on state and federal legislative
activities.
At 3:15 PM Board members will present committee and individual reports,
and the Board will discuss written reports and the consent agenda
for the business meeting.
At 4:00 PM a 119 hearing will be held to consider rescinding Ohio
Administrative Code Rule 3301-54-01 - determining the amount of
payment for contracted special education units, and to amend Rule
3301-51-11 - funding for preschool special education.
The Board will then adjourn. The Appointments
Team will meet at 5:30 PM at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbus
to discuss appointments to the Foreign Language Advisory Council
and Educator Standards Board, and the Territory Transfer Subcommittee
will meet at 7:00 PM at the Embassy Suites Hotel to hear a presentation
from citizens regarding a proposal to deconsolidate the Switzerland
of Ohio Local School district.
On March 13, 2007 the State Board of Education will meet and begin
its business meeting at 9:00 AM and immediately convene into executive
session. The Board will reconvene at 10:45 AM to hear the
report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Susan Tave
Zelman, public participation on agenda items, and take action on
nine personnel items, four territory transfers, and the following
resolutions:
#5 Intent to adopt standard scores indicative of advanced, accelerated,
proficient, basic, and limited skill levels on the fifth grade science
and social studies achievement alternative assessment for students
with disabilities; advanced, accelerated, proficient, basic, and
limited skill levels on the seventh grade writing achievement alternative
assessment for students with disabilities; advanced, accelerated,
proficient, basic, and limited skill levels on the eighth grade
science and social studies achievement alternative assessment for
students with disabilities.
#6 Adopt report only indicators for the local report card for 2006-07
and beyond
#7 Adopt the document entitled "Poverty Based Assistance:
Findings and Recommendations"
#8 Adopt appointments to the Educator Standards Board
#9 Adopt a resolution to establish a Foreign Language Advisory Council
to propose a statewide foreign language implementation plan
#19 Rescind OAC Rule 3301-24-02, Performance -based Licensure.
#20 Amend OAC Rule 3301-24-03, Teacher Education Programs
The Board will then adjourn. For more information about the
State Board of Education, please visit http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEPrimary.aspx?page=2&TopicRelationID=574
6) Bills Introduced the Week of March
5, 2007:
HB93 (Koziura) Requires a separate bill for education agency appropriations.
HB94 (Koziura) Requires universities to guarantee undergraduate
student can complete study in specified time.
HB97 (Fessler) Modifies the laws governing child care providers.
SB98 (Schuler) Creates the Autism Diagnosis Education Pilot Program.
7) Grant Opportunities:
*The National Education Association's Foundation Student Achievement
Grants provide funds to improve the academic achievement of students
in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions
in any subject area(s). The grant proposal should engage students
in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge
of standards-based subject matter, and should also improve students'
habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection.
The maximum award is $5,000. K-12 public school teachers,
education support professionals, and higher education faculty and
staff at public colleges and universities are eligible to apply.
The deadline is June 1, 2007. For information please visit
http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/StudentAchievement_Guidelines.htm
*The Charles Lafitte Foundation Grants Program awards funds to help
groups and individuals foster lasting improvement on the human condition
by providing support to education, children's advocacy, medical
research, and the arts. The maximum amount of the awards varies.
501c-3 institutions are eligible to apply. For more information
please visit http://www.charleslafitte.org/education.htm
|
