The mission of the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign is to organize and advocate for high quality public education opportunities for all Ohio children wherever they live, whatever their race and whatever their family background.
TO:      LWVO
FROM:      Joan Platz
Education Update for October 15, 2007

***Give Kids Good Schools Week!!: Celebrate public education during "Give Kids Good Schools Week", October 15 - 21, 2007.  This campaign, sponsored by the Public Education Network (PEN), highlights the value and challenges of our public education system, and encourages citizens and public officials  to become more involved in their public schools.

According to PEN president, Wendy D. Puriefoy, "Every American needs to understand the inherent value quality public education plays in ensuring the vitality of their communities and the prosperity of our democracy and our economy."

For more information about events in support of "Give Kids Good Schools Week", please visit http://www.publiceducation.org/.

1)  127th Ohio General Assembly: 
The Ohio House and Senate will hold sessions and committee meetings this week.

Last week Bill Seitz took the oath of office in the Ohio Senate to become the representative of the 8th Senate District, replacing Senator Patricia Clancy who resigned from the Senate on October 9, 2007.  The Senate also approved SCR 19 (Niehaus) - State Children's Health Insurance Program, which urges Congress to reauthorize the SCHIP program in a way that enables Ohio to expand its program, per HB 119 (Dolan).

In the Ohio House, Cincinnati attorney Robert Mecklenborg took the oath of office to become State Representative of the 30th House District, replacing Bill Seitz.

2)  This Week at the Statehouse:

*The Ohio Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Cates, will meet on October 16, 2007 at 10:00 AM in the South Hearing Room.  The committee will hear testimony on several bills, including SCR9 (Stivers) - Community Theatre Month, which would proclaim April as Community Theatre Month, to recognize the importance of community theatre in our society.

*The House Finance and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Representative Dolan, will meet on October 16, 2007 a 1:00 PM in room 313.  The committee will hear testimony on several bills, including testimony on HB133 (Hughes) - Business Internships.  This bill grants tax credits to businesses that provide internships to students in Ohio colleges.

*The Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee, chaired by Senator Carey, will meet on October 16, 2007 at 2:30 PM or after session in the Senate Finance Hearing Room.  The Committee will consider the appointment by Governor Strickland of Tom Fries, Sr., Dublin, to the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board and Barbara Gould, Cincinnati, to the Ohio Arts Council.

*The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Setzer, will meet on October 16, 2007 at 4:00 PM in room 116.  The committee will hear testimony on the following bills:

-HB 348 (Peterson) - Special Education Scholarship Pilot.  Creates a pilot voucher program for certain students who participate in special education programs.
-HB 347 (Setzer) Professional Educator License.  Replaces the Praxis III assessment as a condition for a professional educator license.
-HB326 (Gerberry) Higher Education.  Requires state institutions of higher education to include coursework in government as a condition of awarding an undergraduate degree.

*The Senate Education Committee chaired by Senator Padgett will meet on October 16, 2007 at 4:00 PM in the North Hearing Room.   The committee will hear testimony on SCR 18 (Padgett) - changes for Ohio's school accountability system, and HB190 (Hite) - elementary achievement tests, which would provide additional time for school districts and charter schools to administer state achievement tests. A vote on a substitute bill is possible.

SCR 18 (Padgett) includes a recommendation of the Ohio Department of Education to change Ohio's accountability system for public schools. It allows districts and schools to apply a growth model of targeted proficiency to the standards for meeting federal adequate yearly progress (AYP), and establish a standard minimum subgroup of 30 students for calculating the proficiency rate component of AYP.

*The Senate Judiciary-Criminal Justice Committee, chaired by Senator Grendell will meet on October 17, 2007 at 10:15 AM in the North Hearing Room to hear testimony on HB142 (Batchelder) - School Threat -- requires the Highway Patrol to provide emergency assistance to schools confronted with a bomb threat, and HB181 (Setzer) - School Records -- requires public and nonpublic schools to mark the records of students identified as missing children, and notify law enforcement of requests for those records.

*The Senate Health, Human Services, and Aging Committee, chaired by Senator Coughlin, will meet on October 17, 2007 at 2:30 PM in the South Hearing Room.  The committee will hear testimony on SB232 (Stivers) Child Care - Revises the law governing child care.

3)  State Board of Education (SBE):  
The State Board of Education, Jennifer Sheets president, met on October 8-9, 2007 at the Ohio School for the Deaf, 500 Morse Road, Columbus, OH.

The State Board's Quality Middle and High Schools and School Funding subcommittees, met on October 7, 2007 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbus.

*The Quality Middle and High Schools Subcommittee, chaired by Carl Wick, discussed the following topics:

-Non-test indicators for high school on the Local Report Card (LRC). The non-test indicators that are now being reported on the LRC provide some additional information about the rigor of the high school education program.  According to the 2006-07 data, 39.1 percent of schools have no students participating in Advanced Placement courses and 14 high schools have between 1-30 students taking the ACT exam.

-Proposed new rule for nonpublic student participation in the Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program.  This draft rule - Ohio Administrative Code 3301-44-09 - outlines the process that students attending nonpublic schools would follow to participate in the Post Secondary Enrollments Options Program.

-Ohio Schools to Watch, Reaching for the Stars program.  This is a recognition program for middle grade schools.  Applicants must meet Adequate Yearly Progress requirements and contain at least one of the grades 6,7, or 8.  Fourteen schools have been recognized in Ohio to date.  For more information please visit www.ode.state.oh.us and search "Ohio Schools to Watch."

*The School Funding Subcommittee, chaired by Virgil Brown, discussed the components of the SF-3 Report in addition to base cost, such as poverty based assistance, parity aid, special education and career tech weights, gifted education, transportation, etc.  The committee also discussed options for determining the state and local shares of funding schools in Ohio.  The following options were discussed:

A. Make no change in the system.  Keep the charge-off at 23 mills.
B. Eliminate shared responsibility.  Send the same amount per pupil in state funds to every district. (100 percent state funded.)  A state-wide property tax may need to be implemented to replace local property taxes.
C.  Use income as the measure of local fiscal capacity rather than property valuation.  The wealth of business, industry, etc. would need to be considered.
D.  Adjust property value by income.
E.  Divide the chargeoff into a business component and residential component.
F.  Tier the chargeoff so that higher wealth districts contribute more.
G.  Incorporate multiple factors into the chargeoff.  These factors could include property valuation, income capacity, tax effort, or other variables to make the calculation of the local contribution fairer.
H.  Fix the dollar amount of the chargeoff for each district and increase the amount by an inflator.

On October 8, 2007 the State Board of Education's Executive Committee, Capacity Committee, Rob Hovis and Jane Sonenshein co-chairs, and the Achievement Committee, Michael Cochran and Ann Womer Benjamin co-chairs, met at the Ohio School for the Deaf.

*The Capacity Committee discussed Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Rule 3301-23-44 (Temporary Licenses); Rule 3301-24-09 (Performance Based Licensure for Administrators); Rule 3301-44-09 (Non-Public Schools - Post Secondary Enrollment Options); Rules 3301-48-01 and 02 (Open Enrollment).  The committee also discussed an evaluation system for principals, the definition and criteria for Master Teacher, and heard an update on Board Approved Priority 7 - Creating a World - Class Education System.

*The Achievement Committee discussed and approved a resolution of intent to adopt Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Rule 3301-04-01, (State Board Meeting Notice), a resolution of intent to adopt Rule 3301-51 (Operating Standards for Children with Disabilities), discussed Rule 3301-51-15 (Gifted Education); discussed Chapter 3301-17 (accurate reporting of data), and received an update on Physical Education Standards and Board Approved Priority 7 - Creating a World Class Education System.  The following are highlights of the discussion:

-The full Board will have a discussion about the proposed changes in the Rules for Gifted Education at their November 2007 meeting.

-During the discussion about the proposed Special Education rules, Mr. Greg Maloney explained that paragraph (I)(2)(g)(iii) of rule 3301-51-09 - Delivery of Services had been removed.  This paragraph describes the disability categories that may be served by an intervention specialist serving multiple categories of children with disabilities.  The proposed language in this paragraph had raised some concern among stakeholders, and so it was removed.  This issue will be included in a working group that will also look at case loads and ratios.

-New rules are also being proposed for reporting data:  Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapter 3301-17.  These rules are required through division (L) of section 3301.0714 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) in Am. Sub. HB 119.  These rules outline a sanctioning process for districts and entities, such as community schools, that fail to report required educational data to the ODE.  The progressive sanctions, including fiscal sanctions, can be applied for those that report incomplete or inaccurate data; report data that do not conform to data requirements and descriptions published by the Department; fail to report data in a timely manner; or otherwise do not make a good faith effort to report the required data. The burden of proof shall be on the school district or educational reporting entity to demonstrate that it made a good faith effort to report data as required by section 3301.0714 of the ORC.

These rules will be presented on November 2, 2007 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the Bethel United Methodist Church, 1220 Bethel Rd. in Columbus, and are available at http://www.ode.state.oh.us./gd/templates/pages/ODE/ODEGoogleSearch.aspx?page=221&query=proposed%20data%20integrity%20rule&start=0&OriginatingURL=/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDefaultPage.aspx?Page=1

-Dr. Stan Heffner, Association Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, provided an update to the committee about the development of an end-of-course Algebra II exam.  Ohio has joined fourteen states in developing a common core of learning objectives for Algebra II and developing an exam.  The exam was field tested last week in Ohio among 36,974 students from 203 districts, and participants from the other fourteen states.  The next step includes the development of a standard and cut score for the exam.   An operational version of the exam will be available for use in 2008.

*The State Board also heard a presentation on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) presented by David Burns, Director of Secondary School Reform; Stan Heffner, Associate Superintendent; Bradford Findell, Director of Mathematics Initiative; and Constance Barsky, Director of Science Initiative.  The presentation included information about the following:

-Policy considerations:   Some of the policy decision discussed included equity and access for all students to learning opportunities in STEM; improved curriculum; economic and workforce development; and informed citizenry.  One of the issues to be debated is how Ohio's standards compare with international standards.

According to David Burns, STEM needs to be open and accessible to all students, and there must be multiple pathways to access STEM.  This "...opens the door for the arts to be a part of the education process."

-Funding for STEM initiatives at the state and federal levels:  The America COMPETES Act, recently approved by Congress, provides $33.6 billion for STEM research and education programs; $22 billion is available nationally from the National Science Foundation; and $2.7 billion from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

At the state level funding for STEM is available through STEM Programs of Excellence ($3.2 million); STEM Grants ($3 million); Mathematics Initiatives ($2.6 million), and other initiatives.  Also available are foundation grants (Gates-Battelle); private grants (National Governors Association STEM grant); and 3rd Frontier cluster grants.

-Performance of Ohio students in math and science: 38 percent of first year college students took remedial courses in math or English in FY2003-2004.

-Student enrollment in math and science courses: More than 20 percent of Ohio high school seniors do not take a math course.  In 2005-2006 30 percent of high school students took biology; 15 percent chemistry; 6 percent physics; and 3 percent Advanced Placement.

-Strategies for improving student achievement in math:  Analyze the challenges, clarify the standards, and emphasize access for all students; improve the curriculum through the program models; provide professional development; and improve assessments, such as the Algebra II end of course exam.  Examine, for example, the 5th grade dip in student scores on the Ohio Achievement Test in math, and look at instruction, the content of 5th grade standards, and the difficulty of the exam.

-Strategies for improving student achievement in science:  Enhance teacher competence; improve classroom instruction through the Instructional Management System, a toolkit, and science program models; and promote inquiry-based science. The complexity of the science disciplines, which include distinct content areas of biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, etc., adds to the challenge to improve student results in science.  Partnerships have been developed with institutions of higher education to help improve teacher content knowledge and classroom instruction, especially in inquiry based instruction.

-Critical Transition:  National Governors Association grant to create STEM centers in Ohio; and an application of the federal Perkins Act, which includes incentives for secondary schools to redesign curriculum to provide students with skills for the 21st Century.

*Legislative liaison Carl Wick provided an update on state and federal legislation.  The ODE legislative staff shared with the SBE fourteen legislative recommendations that address certain accountability issues regarding community schools.  These recommendations could become part of SB 141 (Padgett) which focuses on community school accountability.  The State Board also discussed a legislative recommendation regarding tuition payments for all day Kindergarten; adding the growth model and minimum class size to Ohio's accountability system (SCR 18 - Padgett); and adjusting Ohio's current system of ranking districts, which could be included in HB 190 (Hite) - Achievement Tests.

*The subcommittee for Education in the New Global Economy (EDGE), chaired by Colleen Grady and Steve Millett, discussed their workplan and next steps to gather information about the knowledge and skills that Ohio students will need to be competitive in the 21st Century. The subcommittee also began a discussion about the definition of global economy, globalization, and competitiveness for the global economy.

On October 9, 2007 the State Board participated in a policy discussion on the topic,  "Higher Achievement for All Students" led by Mitch Chester, Senior Associate Superintendent for Policy and Accountability; Stephen Barr, Associate Superintendent, Center for School Improvement; and Mary Lou Rush, Executive Director, Center for Students, Families and Communities.

Also participating in the presentation were Don Washburn and Bob Reece, who provided information about "Measure Up", which is an online web site, that provides a more in-depth analysis of data included on the Local Report Card for school buildings and districts. "Measure Up" was developed by the Ohio State Center for Special Needs Populations in collaboration with the ODE, Office for Exceptional Children; the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators; and the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators.

The presentation was divided into three parts:  a review and analysis of the data; research-based effective intervention initiatives, tools, and strategies; and personalized education plans.

Mitch Chester provided an overview of student achievement in Ohio starting in 2004 for math and reading at the 3rd and 8th grade levels.  Even though the data shows some stagnation, progress is being made in closing the achievement gaps for subgroups of students. However, 429 districts did not meet adequate yearly progress (AYP) in 2006-2007 school year, compared to 417 districts in 2005-2006.  This may be due to an increase in the number of tests that now count toward AYP.

Two studies have recently been published that analyze and compare state accountability systems for education.  "The Proficiency Illusion" published in October 2007 by the Fordham Foundation, concludes that Ohio's proficiency standards are among the lowest of 26 states studied.  According to Mitch Chester, there are some concerns regarding the methodology that was used to make the comparisons, because it is based on the results of a test that few school districts in Ohio use.

The other study published in June 2007 by the National Center for Educational Statistics, "Comparing State Proficiency Standards Using NAEP", places Ohio in the middle of comparisons of state standards compared to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standards in 4th and 8th grade reading and math.  This analysis of state standards in reading and math compared to state results showed that state standards are not related to students' performance on NAEP.

The results for the NAEP in 4th and 8th grade reading and mathematics were released on September 25, 2007.  Ohio students performed better than the national average on the NAEP in both fourth-and eighth-grade reading and mathematics, and Ohio's overall scores increased in each of the four assessments.

Stephen Barr presented information about the strategies and resources that are available to Ohio schools and districts to increase student achievement.  A Tri-Tier Model of School Improvement Support is currently used by the ODE to provide school districts with supports to improve student achievement based on their report card status, such as academic emergency, watch, school improvement, effective or excellent.  All districts receive Tier 3 supports and resources, such as Data Driven Decisions for Academic Achievement (D3A2), Comprehensive Continuous Improvement Plans (CCIP), Comprehensive System of Learning Supports, Measure Up, and more.  Additional supports and resources are provided to districts and schools through Tier 2 targeted services, such as assistance to build leadership capacity, professional development, and technical assistance. Intensive services through Tier 1 are provided to schools and districts in "school improvement status". These services include frequent onsite technical assistance focusing on data analysis, planning, research-based practices, resource management, professional development, and monitoring progress.

Mary Lou Rush provided more information about the guidelines for a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports (CSLS), which were adopted by the State Board in July 2007, and help schools and districts focus services and resources on individual students who are not making progress.  These voluntary guidelines call for the development of individual learning plans based on value-added data for students. The Akron Public Schools are using these guidelines to develop individual plans for students.  Academic and nonacademic barriers are to be addressed in the individual student plans, and schools and districts are encouraged to engage social service and health agencies in their communities to help address individual student needs.  A model system that links academic and nonacademic services to help students achieve in school has been developed in Scotland.

State Board members expressed a variety of opinions and suggestions during the two and a half hour presentation.  One discussion focused on whether or not the Comprehensive System of Learning Supports addresses the needs of students who are already performing above proficient.  A component must be included in the overall framework in order for schools and districts to pay attention to students who are already proficient, and should be accelerated.

Some members expressed opinions supporting the personalized learning plan for students, while others expressed caution before going forward.  The State Board has embraced this concept already through its priorities, but the concept needs to be discussed in the community, and schools and districts must have the capacity -- resources, personnel, and professional development -- to make it work.  In addition, in order for the plans to be successful, schools and communities must work together to link social and health services to families when needed.  This will take a new way of doing business for agencies and their funders.  Concerns were raised about privacy and intrusiveness, and the harm that could happen if students are categorized.

Future Board policy discussions have been scheduled for November - Value Added; December - Early Childhood Education; January - community schools; February - educator quality and effectiveness; March - high achieving middle and high schools; April-modernization of school funding and resource management; May - education in the new global economy.

The Board convened its business in the afternoon.  After hearing the report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Board took action on 13 personnel items and the resolutions included below.

State Board of Education Agenda for October 9, 2007.

Approved #4 - Resolution of Intent to amend Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Rules 3301-02-01-03; 05; 09; and 11 (Personal Information Systems) and adopt Rules 3301-02-13 (Contact if Unauthorized Access of Personal Information Occurs).

Approved #5 - Resolution of Intent to amend OAC Rule 3301-04-01, (Notice of Meeting).

Approved #6 - Resolution of Intent to amend OAC Rules 3301-24-05 (Licensure).

Approved #7 - Resolution of Intent to rescind and adopt new OAC Rules 3301-51-01 and 3301-51-09 and rescind and adopt new Rule 3301-51-11 (Operating Standards for Children with Disabilities).

Approved #8 - Resolution to adopt Master Teacher Definition of Section 3319.61 (F) (5) of the Revised Code.

Approved #9 - Resolution to adopt a recommendation to the General Assembly to eliminate the January 1, 1997 deadline for city/county educational service centers' contracts to be in effect, thereby allowing funding for agreements that have been in place since that date.

Approved #17 - Resolution to approve the 2002 EHOVE Joint Vocational District Board of Education's Resolution modifying its plan to reflect the merger of the Erie, Huron, and Ottawa County Boards of Education into the Erie, Huron, Ottawa Educational Service Center, and reallocate the seats on the EHOVE Board of Education.

Approved #18 -  Resolution to adopt a Public Records Policy pursuant to Section 149.43(E)(1) of the Ohio Revised Code.

The next State Board of Education meeting is November 12-13, 2007. For more information about the State Board of Education meetings, please visit http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE ODEPrimary.aspx?page=2&TopicRelationID=574

4)  New Poll Released on Voter Attitudes toward Schools:

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Ken Kay president, released on October 10, 2007 the findings of a new poll on the attitudes of registered voters regarding education.  This national poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Peter D. Hart Research Association on September 10-12, 2007, and included responses from 800 registered voters.

Researchers found that most of the respondents believed that their schools deserve an A or B grade.  12 percent give their local schools a grade of "D" or "F".  50 percent believe that schools are headed in the wrong direction when it comes to preparing students to complete in the global economy.  80 percent believe that students need to learn different skills to be prepared for the future.  In fact, 66 percent believe that students need more than basic skills in reading, writing, and math.  29 percent believe that there should be a stronger focus on the basics.

Respondents were also asked to rate the importance of 14 skills that have been identified by researchers as important to the future success of students, and rate how well schools are preparing students in those skill areas.  Computer and tech skills were rated the highest (87 percent) and science the lowest (66 percent) among the 14.  Creativity and innovation were rated important by 73 percent of respondents.

The results of this latest poll are similar to a study released in 2006 called "Are They Really Ready to Work", which was conducted by The Conference Board, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Families, and the Society for Human Resource Management.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills will launch on November 7, 2007 a new feature on its web site called Route 21, which will provide skills-related information, resources, and tools to support learning environments for the 21st century.

This poll was supported by Blackboard Inc., KnowledgeWorks Foundation, National Education Association, Pearson and SAP.  For more information and a summary of the results, please visit http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=369&Itemid=64

5)  Private vs Public Education Compared: 
The Center on Education Policy, Jack Jennings, president, published on October 10, 2007 a study called "Are Private High Schools Better Academically than Public High Schools?" by Harold Wenglinsky.

The study is based on an analysis of the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988-2000.  Researchers found that once family background characteristics were taken into account,  "... low-income students attending public urban high schools generally performed as well academically as students attending private high schools.  The study also found that students attending traditional public high schools were just as likely to attend college as those attending private high schools.  In addition, the report also finds that young adults who had attended any type of private high school were not more likely to enjoy job satisfaction or to be engaged in civic activities at age 26 than those who had attended traditional public high schools."

According to the press release, "Parents assume that private schools will improve the academic preparation of their children," said Harold Wenglinsky, author of the study. "But the higher performance at private schools is more likely a reflection of the collective resources and support that these parents bring to the school than to factors intrinsic to the school setting."

The overall results of the study contradict long held assumptions by supporters of vouchers for low income students.  "In fact, private school students were no more likely to go to college or be satisfied with their jobs by age 26. The study also seems to signal that forcing public and private schools to compete for taxpayer-financed vouchers is merely a "diversion" from a more substantial education debate."

"These findings suggest a need to maintain the focus on improving schools while also bolstering supports for low-income families, such as providing adequate health care and preventive care, better wages, and high-quality child care and preschool programs.  Although families do make a considerable difference, the good news is that concerned parents are not unique to any race, religion, geographic region, or social class, and there are as many of them in urban areas as suburban areas. But families need a combination of economic and social supports, as well as high-quality public education, to ensure that their children can take advantage of the social contract our society makes through the institution of public schools-to give every child a chance to rise higher than his or her parents."  p. 21 of the report.

This study also includes background information on previous studies of voucher programs and private schools.  The study is available at http://www.cep-dc.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=document.showDocumentByID&nodeID=1&DocumentID=226

6)  Educating Children in the New Millennium: 
Dr. Steve Webb, Deputy Superintendent, Vancouver School District, WA, provides an excellent overview of the importance of a holistic education in an article entitled "Educating Children in the New Millennium:  Child's Play". This article was published in the October 10, 2007 issue of Education Week, but a more extensive version is found online at http://portalsso.vands.org/portal/page?_pageid=153,1944989&_dad=portal&_scema=PORTAL.

The article cites the many reasons for supporting a comprehensive education that includes the arts as a way to prepare students for life and work in the 21st Century.  According to the author, "Increasingly, a significant body of neuroscience research suggests that the arts (and play) significantly impacts students' cognitive, social, and emotional development."  The following quotes are also from the article:

-"Play, the arts, and physical education have inherent value, yet new technologies demonstrate a significant link between artistic and cognitive development."

-"Much of what young children do as play -- singing, dancing, painting, drawing, acting -- are natural forms of art."

"As Dr. Bob Sylwester, professor emeritus at the University of Oregon writes, 'The arts are not just expressive and affective, they are deeply cognitive.  They develop critical thinking skills--pattern recognition and development; mental representations of what is observed or imagined; symbolic, allegorical, and metaphorical representations; careful observation of the world; and abstraction from complexity.'"

"What type of worker will thrive in the new economy?  According to Pink and other leading authors, the most successful workers will be members of the 'Creative Class.'"

7)  Bills Introduced

SCR 19 (Niehaus) Urges Congress to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program in a manner that enables Ohio to implement an expansion authorized by Am. Sub. HB 119 of the 127th General Assembly and the President of the United States to sign the reauthorization into law.

SCR 20 (Boccieri) Urges Congress to override President Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2007.

HB 350 (Wolpert) Permits a student at an Ohio institution of higher education to serve as a precinct election official in the county where they attend schools, and to permit up to two high school seniors to service as precinct officers at a polling place with six or more precinct officers.

HCR 29 (Beatty) Urges Congress to override the President's veto of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007.

HB 347 (Setzer) Replaces the Praxis III assessment as a condition for a professional educator license with assessment systems developed by school districts, community schools, STEM schools, and chartered nonpublic schools.

HB 348 (Peterson) Creates the Special Education Scholarship Pilot Program to amend the version of section 109.57 of the Ohio Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2008, to continue the provisions of this act on and after that effective date.
Ohio Fair Schools Campaign, 94 Columbus Road
Athens, Ohio 45701
Tel. (740)592-2866 Fax (740)593-5451