[email protected] april 6, 2017 · introduced ndduring the 132 general assembly. bills are organized...

OESCA Legislative eUpdate - 1

[email protected] • April 6, 2017

This April 6, 2017, Legislative e-Update is provided by OESCA to Ohio’s ESCs, their client school districts, and other key education stakeholders.

The e-Update provides information on the education bills of interest to Ohio’s public education community introduced during the 132nd General Assembly. Bills are organized in order of bill number.

For each bill listed, the long title of the bill is included as well as the current status. There are also links to

the state bill page for users to download any bills, analyses or fiscal notes. The document concludes with the latest news from Capitol Square and recent testimony related to ESCs and HB 49.

Legislative Tracking Report

BILL MONITORING The following education bill of interest are monitored by OESCA on behalf of the membership and client districts: HB8 PUBLIC RECORDS-MINORS (HAMBLEY S, REZABEK J) To exempt from the Public

Records Law certain information concerning a minor that is included in a record related to a traffic accident involving a school vehicle in which the minor was an occupant at the time of the accident.

Current Status: 3/29/2017 - House Government Accountability and Oversight, (Third Hearing)

Recent Status: 3/22/2017 - House Government Accountability and Oversight, (Second Hearing) 3/15/2017 - House Government Accountability and Oversight, (First Hearing)

Categories: Education

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-8 HB21 COMMUNITY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT VERIFICATION (HAMBLEY S) Regarding

verification of community school enrollments.

Current Status: 2/14/2017 - House Education and Career Readiness, (First Hearing)

Recent Status: 2/8/2017 - Referred to Committee House Education and

Career Readiness 2/1/2017 - Introduced


State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-21

mailto:[email protected]://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-8https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-8https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-21https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-21


HB37 SCHOOL SAFETY-STRUCTURES (ARNDT S) To require the Ohio School Facilities Commission to establish a program assisting school districts in purchasing technology and making physical alterations to improve technology infrastructure and school safety and security.





State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-37 HB47 STUDENTS IN MILITARY (BOCCIERI J) To enact the "Students to Soldiers Support

Act (S3A)" regarding the participation of students who are serving in the uniformed services in extracurricular activities at public and nonpublic schools and public and private colleges.




Categories: Education, Military Affairs

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-47 HB49 OPERATING BUDGET (SMITH R) Creates FY 2018-2019 main operating budget.

Current Status: 4/6/2017 - Senate Finance Health and Medicaid Subcommittee, (First Hearing)

Recent Status: 4/5/2017 - Senate Finance Higher Education Subcommittee, (First Hearing) 4/5/2017 - Senate Finance Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, (First Hearing)

Categories: Budget and Appropriations

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-49 HB51 DEPARTMENT REVIEW SCHEDULE (FABER K) To require standing committees of the

General Assembly to establish a schedule for the periodic review and sunset of state departments that are currently in the Governor's cabinet, and to require that Auditor of State performance audits be scheduled to coincide with the periodic review.

Current Status: 2/28/2017 - House State and Local Government, (Third Hearing)

Recent Status: 2/23/2017 - House State and Local Government, (Second Hearing) 2/21/2017 - House State and Local Government, (First Hearing)

Categories: State Government

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-51 HB58 CURSIVE HANDWRITING INSTRUCTION (BRENNER A, SLABY M) To require

instruction in cursive handwriting.

Current Status: 3/29/2017 - House Higher Education and Workforce Development, (Second Hearing)

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-37https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-37https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-47https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-47https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-49https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-49https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-51https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-51


Recent Status: 3/1/2017 - House Higher Education and Workforce Development, (First Hearing) 2/21/2017 - Referred to Committee House Higher Education and Workforce Development


State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-58 HB80 SCHOOL FOOD-SUMMER INTERVENTION (LATOURETTE S, SMITH K) To require

school districts to allow approved summer food service program sponsors to use school facilities to provide food service for summer intervention services under certain conditions.

Current Status: 3/15/2017 - PASSED BY HOUSE; Vote 90-4

Recent Status: 3/15/2017 - Bills for Third Consideration

3/14/2017 - REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, House Education and Career Readiness, (Second Hearing)

Categories: Education, Health Care

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-80 HB87 COMMUNITY SCHOOL PUBLIC MONEYS (ROEGNER K) Regarding public moneys

returned to the state as a result of a finding for recovery issued pursuant to an audit of a community school.

Current Status: 3/29/2017 - House Government Accountability and Oversight, (First Hearing)

Recent Status: 2/28/2017 - Referred to Committee House Government

Accountability and Oversight 2/22/2017 - Introduced

Categories: Education, State Government

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-87 HB102 SCHOOL FUNDING REFORM (BRENNER A) To replace locally levied school district

property taxes with a statewide property tax and require recipients of certain tax exemptions to reimburse the state for such levy revenue lost due to those exemptions; to increase the state sales and use tax rates and allocate additional revenue to state education purposes; to repeal school district income taxes; to require the Treasurer of State to issue general obligation bonds to refund certain school district debt obligations; to create a new system of funding schools where the state pays a specified amount per student that each student may use to attend the public or chartered nonpublic school of the student's choice, without the requirement of a local contribution; to eliminate the School Facilities Commission; to eliminate the Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program, Pilot Project Scholarship Program, Autism Scholarship Program, and Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program; to eliminate interdistrict open enrollment; to require educational service centers to transport students on a countywide basis; and to permit school districts to enter into a memoranda of understanding for one district to manage another.

Current Status: 3/7/2017 - Referred to Committee House Finance Recent Status: 3/1/2017 - Introduced Categories: Education, Taxation, Transportation & Infrastructure

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-102 HB129 SCHOOL EXTERNSHIPS-GOVERNOR (SMITH K, KELLY B) To require the Governor to

complete a forty-hour externship consisting of on-site work experience in city, local, and exempted village school districts in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years.

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-58https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-58https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-80https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-80https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-87https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-87https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-102https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-102


Current Status: 3/28/2017 - House State and Local Government, (First Hearing)

Recent Status: 3/21/2017 - Referred to Committee House State and Local

Government 3/14/2017 - Introduced

Categories: Administration - Governor, Education

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-129 HB134 SCHOOL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS (HAMBLEY S, KICK D) To allow

community improvements board grants to a school district to be spent for permanent improvements outside the county so long as the improvements are within the school district.

Current Status: 3/29/2017 - Referred to Committee House State and Local Government Recent Status: 3/21/2017 - Introduced Categories: Education, Local Government

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-134 HB166 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM REVISIONS (REINEKE W, CUPP B) To revise

the laws governing the state's workforce development system, programs that may be offered by primary and secondary schools, certificates of qualification for employment, and the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Agency, and to designate the first week of May as In-Demand Jobs Week.

Current Status: 3/28/2017 - Introduced Recent Status:

Categories: Economic Development, Education, Jobs, Mental Health & Disabilities

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-166 HB170 COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION (CARFAGNA R, DUFFEY M) With regard to

academic content standards and curriculum requirements for computer science; to revise educator qualifications regarding computer science; to create a competitive technology grant program for the 2018-2019 school year; and to make an appropriation.

Current Status: 3/29/2017 - Introduced Recent Status: Categories: Education, Science & Technology

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-170 HJR3 SCHOOL DISTRICT OBLIGATIONS REFUND (BRENNER A) To conditionally authorize

the issuance of state obligations to refund pending school district obligations, to conditionally waive, beginning in 2020, the requirement that schools levy property taxes to pay debt charges on their obligations, and to conditionally authorize a treasury fund that is restricted exclusively to educational purposes.

Current Status: 3/7/2017 - Referred to Committee House Finance Recent Status: 3/1/2017 - Introduced Categories: Education, Taxation

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HJR-3

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-129https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-129https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-134https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-134https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-166https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-166https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-170https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HB-170https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HJR-3https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-HJR-3


SB3 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (BEAGLE B, BALDERSON T) To revise the laws governing the state's workforce development system, programs that may be offered by primary and secondary schools, certificates of qualification for employment, and the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Agency, and to designate the first week of May as In-Demand Jobs Week.

Current Status: 4/5/2017 - Senate Transportation, Commerce and Workforce, (Third Hearing)

Recent Status: 3/14/2017 - BILL AMENDED, Senate Transportation, Commerce and Workforce, (Second Hearing) 2/8/2017 - Senate Transportation, Commerce and Workforce, (First Hearing)

Categories: Economic Development

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-3 SB8 SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY (GARDNER R, TERHAR L) To

require the Ohio School Facilities Commission to establish a program assisting school districts in purchasing technology and making physical alterations to improve technology infrastructure and school safety and security.

Current Status: 3/1/2017 - Senate Education, (Second Hearing)

Recent Status: 2/15/2017 - Senate Education, (First Hearing) 1/31/2017 - Introduced Categories: Education

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-8 SB17 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUND ALLOCATION (TAVARES C) To increase monthly

allocations to the Local Government Fund from 1.66% to 3.68% of the total tax revenue credited to the General Revenue Fund each month.

Current Status: 2/1/2017 - Referred to Committee Senate Finance Recent Status: 1/31/2017 - Introduced Categories: Local Government, State Government, Taxation

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-17 SB34 SCHOOL YEARS (MANNING G) To generally require public and chartered nonpublic

schools to open for instruction after Labor Day. Current Status: 3/8/2017 - Senate Education, (Second Hearing)

Recent Status: 2/15/2017 - Senate Education, (First Hearing) 2/6/2017 - Introduced Categories: Education

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-34 SB36 AGRICULTURAL COMPUTATION (HITE C) To require that the computation of the

capitalization rate for the purposes of determining CAUV of agricultural land be computed using a method that excludes appreciation and equity buildup and to stipulate that CAUV land used for a conservation practice or enrolled in a federal land retirement or conservation program for at least three years must be valued at the lowest of the values assigned on the basis of soil type.

Current Status: 3/8/2017 - Senate Ways and Means, (Fourth Hearing)

Recent Status: 3/1/2017 - Senate Ways and Means, (Third Hearing) 2/22/2017 - Senate Ways and Means, (Second Hearing) Categories: Agriculture

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-3https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-3https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-8https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-8https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-17https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-17https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-34https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-34


State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-36 SB39 COMMUNITY SCHOOL OPERATION (SCHIAVONI J) Regarding community school

operator contracts, the operation of Internet- and computer-based community schools, and performance metrics for blended learning schools.

Current Status: 3/1/2017 - Senate Education, (First Hearing)

Recent Status: 2/15/2017 - Referred to Committee Senate Education 2/8/2017 - Introduced Categories: Education

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-39 SB79 STATE DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW SCHEDULE (JORDAN K) To require standing

committees of the General Assembly to establish a schedule for the periodic review and sunset of state departments that are currently in the Governor's cabinet, and to require that Auditor of State performance audits be scheduled to coincide with the periodic review.

Current Status: 3/29/2017 - Senate Government Oversight and Reform, (Second Hearing)

Recent Status: 3/15/2017 - Senate Government Oversight and Reform, (First Hearing) 3/7/2017 - Referred to Committee Senate Government Oversight and Reform

Categories: General Assembly, State Government

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-79 SB82 SCHOOL ABSENCES-PARENTAL NOTIFICATION (WILLIAMS S, LEHNER P) To

require a public school to place a telephone call within one hour of the start of the school day to a parent whose child is absent without legitimate excuse.


Recent Status: 3/22/2017 - Senate Education, (First Hearing) 3/7/2017 - Referred to Committee Senate Education Categories: Children and Family Issues, Education, Municipal Services

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-82 SB85 OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM CREATION (HUFFMAN M) To eliminate

the Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program and Pilot Project Scholarship Program and to create the Opportunity Scholarship Program.


Recent Status: 3/22/2017 - Senate Education, (First Hearing) 3/7/2017 - Referred to Committee Senate Education Categories: Education, Higher Education, State Government

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-85 SB104 PROHIBIT SECLUSION USE-SCHOOLS (TAVARES C) To prohibit the use of seclusion

on students in public schools. Current Status: 3/21/2017 - Introduced Recent Status: Categories: Education

State Bill Page: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-104

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-36https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-36https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-39https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-39https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-79https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-79https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-82https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-82https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-85https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-85https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-104https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA132-SB-104


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Capitol Square in Review ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE House and Senate members issued a bicameral broadside against the opioid epidemic Wednesday in a joint announcement of companion legislation that would place new restrictions on the prescribing authority of physicians and dentists. The provisions of HB167 (Edwards) and SB119 (Hackett-Hottinger) would limit prescribers to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines calling for no more than three to seven days' supply of pain medication and no more than 50 morphine-equivalent doses per day, instead of the current 80 doses. The next day, Gov. John Kasich and other state officials announced Ohio licensing boards will implement stringent restrictions on the prescribing of opioids for acute pain. Opioid prescriptions will be limited to seven days for adults and five days for minors, under rules to be enacted by the State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO), Ohio Board of Pharmacy (OBP), Ohio State Dental Board (OSDB) and Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN). Providers can only exceed these limits if they provide a specific reason in the patient's medical record, according to a document provided by the Kasich administration. FY18-19 BUDGET The Senate Finance Committee kicked off its hearings on the governor's proposed budget for FY18-19, HB49 (R. Smith), Tuesday -- weeks before committee Chair Sen. Scott Oelslager (R-Canton) said he actually expects to officially receive the budget from the House. Telling the committee that the Senate may not get the budget until May, Oelslager said he plans a series of informal hearings to give the legislators a "foundation of knowledge for moving forward" when they do get the bill. CIVIL RIGHTS Rep. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) said Thursday that she will be reintroducing legislation that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing or public accommodations. It will be the sixth General Assembly in which legislation has been introduced to add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the lists of classes protected from discrimination under Ohio law. Antonio has sponsored the bill in each of her four terms but has been unsuccessful in convincing her Republican colleagues to pass it. CORRECTIONS The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) and Ohio Parole Board will have a range of new tools to grant early release and address prison overcrowding if sentencing recommendations approved by the Criminal Justice Recodification Committee Thursday are enacted by the state Legislature. The committee also approved more lenient sentencing for juveniles tried in adult court and turned back a series of proposals by the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association (OPAA) and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien for more onerous sentencing, including an attempt to return felonies to the longer sentences originally proposed to the committee. EDUCATION Delaware County lawmakers and education officials Tuesday urged the House Ways and Means Committee to pass legislation to revive a renewal levy passed easily but upended by a board of elections error and subsequent Ohio Supreme Court ruling. Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) went to the ballot in 2015 and was successful on a renewal levy request to continue its programs and


help fund consolidation of its north and south campuses. But the Delaware County Board of Elections failed to notify counterparts in other counties that contain part of the center's territory. The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) is now taking comments on its career-technical content standards in the fields of information technology, engineering and manufacturing technology. This is part of an ongoing effort, the department notes, in updating the standards for 16 career fields "on a five-year, rotating cycle, updating the standards in three fields each year." The survey can be found online at www.ohio-k12.help/standards. The deadline for completing it is Saturday, May 6. Students in the class of 2018 would have a few more ways to earn a diploma under recommendations agreed to by a study group Wednesday. The State Board of Education (SBOE) created the workgroup on graduation requirements a few months ago in the face of warnings from local school officials that too many students were likely to fall short of new graduation requirements taking effect for the first time with next year's graduating class. In her second presentation in two days, Claudia Miner of the Utah United Preparing Students Today for a Reward Tomorrow (UPSTART) early education program testified Wednesday before the Senate Education Committee. It was the same presentation she made Tuesday to the House Education and Career Readiness Committee on this computer based, kindergarten readiness program. Reps. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) and Rick Carfagna (R-Westerville) introduced HB170 at a news conference Thursday morning, saying their bill would help adapt Ohio's standard high school curriculum to the changing needs of the contemporary economy. The sponsors said the bill would direct the State Board of Education (SBOE) to establish K-12 standards for computer science on or before July 1, 2018, but it would allow local school districts to choose whether or not to implement those standards. The Education Management Information System (EMIS) Advisory Board heard Thursday about planned improvements for the data platform that public schools in Ohio use, as well as a proposal to shift responsibility for who reports to the state on where students live. The board, revived last year after several years of dormancy, heard from Heather Boughton, data quality director for the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) and chair of the department's P12 Data Quality Advisory Council. ELECTIONS 2017 Ohio voters have until Monday, April 3 to register to vote in the upcoming May 2 primary and special election, the first election to be held since online voter registration went into effect earlier this year. Ohio voters can go online at MyOhioVote.com/VoterRegistration. They can also print registration forms from the website or obtain the forms from the local library or county board of elections office and mail them in. ELECTIONS 2018 A Republican primary for the 2018 state treasurer's race was confirmed Thursday when Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo announced he was running for the office. The announcement was expected from Mingo, who hired Swing State Strategies as a campaign consultant last year in order to help boost his statewide profile. Rep. Robert Sprague (R-Findlay) had already announced his candidacy earlier in March. EMPLOYMENT/UNEMPLOYMENT Ohio's unemployment rate ticked up slightly in February, according to figures released Friday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), but the state also added 15,200 jobs over the month, the second most in the nation. ODJFS said the state's unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in February, up slightly from 5.0 percent in January. The state's non-agricultural wage and salary employment increased from a revised 5,506,800 in January to 5,522,000 in February. ENERGY


The Ohio House of Representatives got the veto-proof majority it wanted for the energy mandate-busting HB114 (Blessing) in a floor vote Thursday, setting the stage for a pivotal referendum in the upper chamber following pending committee hearings. Should House numbers hold, Senate deliberations will determine whether the Republican General Assembly can override the promised veto of its Republican governor. The debate over renewable energy and energy efficiency lived up to expectations, running two hours and drawing no less than a dozen floor speeches led by sponsor Rep. Lou Blessing (R-Cincinnati), who called HB114 "the latest renewable energy reform bill." Similar legislation, 131-HB554 (Amstutz), was vetoed by Gov. John Kasich last December, raising the stakes for a final vote tally on HB114 should the governor refuse a putative compromise and make good on his promise. A day earlier, in the House Public Utilities Committee, the bill saw last-minute amendments and a vote to approve it nearly along party lines, with Rep. Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville) joining Democrats in opposition, saying she could support easing the energy standards but not doing away with them. A presidential executive order encouraging "energy independence" and rolling back former President Barack Obama's plans to address climate change has been panned by environmentalists and praised by coal advocates in the state. Ohio Coal Association President Christian Palich said in a statement that President Donald Trump's order on Wednesday would be effective in "dismantling the Clean Power Plan." GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE Rep. Greta Johnson (D-Akron) criticized Gov. John Kasich Friday in a public letter accusing him of not dedicating more resources toward countering the opioid epidemic in Ohio. Johnson is leaving office to serve as the deputy law director for Summit County. She specifically criticized Kasich's decisions to release emergency funds in July 2017 for the Republican National Convention and in October 2011 when exotic animals were released from the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville. She also specifically criticized the governor's proposed two-year budget, which provides an unchanged $1 billion per year toward fighting drug addiction. She said that medical professionals and law enforcement needed to be trained specifically to fight the epidemic. In a rare feat, the Controlling Board Monday approved its agenda without any members of the panel holding any of the items, making the meeting one of the shortest in memory. Of the 53 items, action was taken on just two. The Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) withdrew a request to release $2.16 million in funds for community capital assistance projects in various cities and counties statewide. DODD also deferred a request that would contract with Wiley Homes Inc. in Toledo to provide adult habitation services to residents of the Northwest Ohio Development Center. Some villages have responded to the abolition of their mayors' courts by setting up a "civil violations" system that has charged Ohio drivers as much as $1,500 for traffic violations, lawmakers said Tuesday. Reps. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) and Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) told the House Criminal Justice Committee that their HB125 would put a stop to these expensive citations by capping fines, fees and other charges that are in excess of the municipal or county court's schedule of fines and costs. The Senate overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to boost penalties for trafficking in drugs laced with the deadly synthetic opiate fentanyl, though dissenters warned the proposal would repeat mistakes of the drug war and inflate the prison population without addressing the need for treatment. Sen. Frank LaRose's (R-Copley) SB1 passed on a 27-6 vote. The upper chamber also voted unanimously Wednesday for HB9 (Koehler), which corrects a mistake from the lame duck session on vehicles at red lights, and adopted the conference committee report on HB26 (McColley), the transportation budget. The Ohio News Media Association and Ohio Association of Broadcasters presented testimony Wednesday opposing a proposal in HB8 to exempt from public records laws some information about children when they're involved in school bus traffic accidents, explaining that the crux of the question revolves not around whether they are still on school property but whether law enforcement prepares a police report. They also argued these are the kinds of events that should be reported as there were more than 1,500 accidents in 2014 involving school buses.


JUDICIAL A federal judge has declined the state's request to throw out a lawsuit alleging people with developmental disabilities are being denied their right to live and be served in community settings. Judge Edmund Sargus of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio issued a ruling Thursday largely denying motions by Gov. John Kasich, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) to dismiss the lawsuit. PENSION FUNDS The Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) announced it will start giving its retirees a stipend to pay for health care costs in 2019, rather than continue to offer its own health care plan. That decision will extend its ability to provide health care funding for up to 15 years, OP&F said in a release. POLLS/STUDIES A new poll of Ohio registered voters by Baldwin Wallace (BW) University finds Ohio voters continue to be divided along partisan lines, and that 94 percent would not have voted differently knowing the outcome of last year's presidential election.

actionTRACK - Hannah News Service, Inc.

This report is intended to provide updated information on the legislative issues of interest to Ohio's Educational Service Centers, their client OESCA members & interested parties.

NORWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTROB AMODIO, SUPERINTENDENT

www.norwoodschools.org 2132 Williams Avenue

Norwood, OH 45212 (513) 924-2500

Fax: (513) 396-6420

Inspire, Motivate, Achieve

Go Indians!

Testimony to the House Finance Committee

Rob Amodio, Norwood City School Superintendent

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Chairman Smith, Vice Chair Ryan, Ranking Minority Member Cera and members of the House Finance Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on HB 49. Today I want to focus my comments on funding for Educational Service Centers.

Norwood is an urban Hamilton County school district of 1,980 students with an excellent report card rating. Of

our graduates, 83% go on to college, certification programs or the armed forces. We are aligned to and receive

services from the Hamilton County Educational Service Center.

Educational Service Centers are shared services. That is their delivery model. They allow districts to share

specialists and expertise. ESCs broker people. Our district needs speech language pathologists, occupational

therapists, physical therapists and special education supervisors. But I don’t need these people as full time staff

nor could we afford them on our payroll full time. Hamilton County ESC employs these professionals and I am

able to obtain these services as needed.

ESCs also have the capacity to identify, develop, and replicate successful programs that small districts might

otherwise be unable to offer on their own. Three years ago Hamilton County ESC was the lead for a four

district Straight A grant targeted towards struggling students. Norwood City was one of those districts and our

results are truly innovative. Other services we receive from HCESC include technology support specialists,

computer network support systems, student intervention services, instructional professional development

support services and child nutrition management services.

It’s a partnership and it works. What doesn’t work is the state continuing to cut ESC funding. Norwood City

Schools needs these services and we will continue to rely on our ESC for these services, but if the state reduces

the operating subsidy for ESCs, my taxpayers will now have to foot the bill. Norwood City School District is

slated to receive a 0.8% increase in the executive budget. The math does not work.

I urge you to restore the ESC operating subsidy to the current level of $41.6 million. However, as the Buckeye

Association of School Administrators pointed out in its testimony, this is over a 33% cut from when ESCs were

created. Districts need ESC services and we need to remember that ESCs roll out Ohio Department of

Education initiatives concerning school improvement, the Ohio Improvement Process and professional

development. Initiatives that the state has neither the capacity, nor the expertise to provide to the field.

I also ask you to remove the language giving the State Superintendent of Public Instruction the authority to

determine how ESCs spend their subsidy. It’s my understanding that Superintendent DeMaria did not ask for

this authority and I am grateful that he realizes that locals know what services they need more than the state

does.

http://www.norwoodschools.org/

NORWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTROB AMODIO, SUPERINTENDENT

www.norwoodschools.org 2132 Williams Avenue

Norwood, OH 45212 (513) 924-2500

Fax: (513) 396-6420

Inspire, Motivate, Achieve

Go Indians!

Quite frankly, I need our ESC. We work well together. Small districts cannot do all the work required of us on

our own. It just doesn’t make sense to cut ESC funding.

Thank you for your time and attention and I am happy to answer your questions.

Rob Amodio

Superintendent

Norwood City School District

http://www.norwoodschools.org/

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House Finance Committee Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Testimony on House Bill 49, the FY 2018-2019 Biennial State Operating Budget

Craig E. Burford, Executive Director, Ohio Educational Service Center Association

Introduction

Chairman Smith, Vice Chair Ryan, ranking minority member Cera, and members of

the House Finance Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you

today on HB 49 and the impact of the Executive Budget proposal on Ohio’s 52

Educational Service Centers (ESCs) and the districts we serve.

Background: What are ESCs?

Ohio’s ESCs employ more than 16,000 education and education support personnel

statewide. ESCs are large-scale, regional service providers offering

administrative, academic, fiscal and operational support services, often in

partnership with the state, to traditional school districts (612), community schools

(107), chartered nonpublic schools (166), STEM schools, and a wide range of

community based organizations. Under current law, every school district in the state

under 16,000 ADM is required to align to an ESC. Of the 8 districts over 16,000

ADM, all but 1 have voluntarily aligned to their respective ESCs.

Chapter 3312 of the Ohio Revise Code, stipulates that “[i]n addition to implementing

state and regional education initiatives and school improvement efforts under the

educational regional service system, educational service centers shall implement state

or federally funded initiatives assigned to the service centers by the general assembly

or the department of education.” ESCs support state and regional education

initiatives and efforts to improve school effectiveness and student

achievement including the State Support Teams (SSTs), which intervene and

provide technical assistance to the lowest-performing schools and districts.

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By statute, ESCs are the conduit for the roll-out of statewide education

initiatives.

This is an important function ESCs serve on behalf of the state to insure school

districts are receiving the supports they need to be successful. The importance of this

role is accentuated by the requirement to implement the state’s plan under the federal

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in the 2017-2018 school year – a feat that neither

the state nor many districts have the capacity to do on their own. Now is not the

time to diminish the role of ESCs.

ESCs are local political subdivisions and defined as school districts or LEAs in

both state and federal law. However, unlike school districts ESCs do not have

taxing authority. The ESC state operating subsidy plays an important part in

supporting our organizations and is to be utilized, “for the operation of (the) service

center and any services required under Title XXXIII of the Revised Code” (ORC

3313.843(G)(1)). It is not, as some suggest, such a minor part of our funding as to be

irrelevant. In fact, it provides capacity building for the state system of support and

affords ESCs the ability to have a foundation of leadership expertise, instructional

expertise, administrative support, to serve as thought leaders with their client

districts, and to be readily available when the state needs to advance new education

policy priorities.

Why Invest in ESCs?

ESCs are the primary providers of educational support services to school

districts. As such, we must continue to identify ways to leverage existing assets and

determine how to best support the regional education delivery system. Why is this

important? Because school districts continue to need support and assistance in the

implementation of education reform initiatives including many of those contained

within the Executive budget. For example, ESCs can play a significant role in

supporting regional workforce collaboratives connecting education with the business

community; now is not the time to cut ESCs.

Additionally, the state of Ohio has a significant shortage of special education related

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services personnel that is particularly acute in the rural parts of the state. ESCs hire

and share these staff across multiple districts; now is not the time to cut ESCs.

Many districts also have difficulty recruiting and attracting teaching hard to staff

subject area professionals in math and science and ESCs can share these staff across

multiple districts; now is not the time to cut ESCs.

And, as we are all painfully aware, Ohio is caught in the grips of an unforgiving opiate

addiction crisis and we are anticipating a significant increase in preschool students

having been born addicted to drugs entering our schools. ESCs are a significant

preschool and preschool special education provider; now is not the time to cut

ESCs.

Ultimately, the state of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Education need a

statewide system of support to provide universal access to school improvement,

special education and other required support services. ESCs are uniquely

positioned to support these efforts and have been for over 100 years.

Finally, ESCs provide a tremendous return on investment. In 2016, the state of Ohio

provided $41.6 million in funding to ESCs. In addition to supporting the role out of

statewide initiatives and meeting their statutory requirements, ESCs saved districts

over $52 million dollars and identified and secured another $153.9 million in grants.

That means for every $1 received in state subsidy, ESCs generated an

additional $5 for schools in costs savings and addition grant opportunities.

House Bill 49

House Bill 49, as introduced, would cut ESCs by more than 25% and reduce the

ability of publicly-elected ESC board members to make strategic financial decisions

about the use of operating funds to serve their client school districts. As introduced,

the bill undercuts the legislative intent and design of the ESC network to “…reduce the

unnecessary duplication of programs and services and provide for a more streamlined

and efficient delivery of educational services without reducing the availability of the

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services needed by school districts and schools,” as expressed in Chapter 3312 of the

Ohio Revised Code.

ESC Operating Subsidy. The ESC earmark in the 200550 line item is reduced by

$10.6 million or 25% in FY 2018. This lowers the ESC appropriation from $41.6

million to $31 million. Under this proposal, the per pupil allocation is reduced from

$27 per student to $20/student in each year. OESCA opposes this reduction. Over

the past decade, ESCs have seen a +13% increase in the number of students

served, but -24% decrease in state support. Under the executive proposal, the

decrease in state funding would jump to -40% (as compared to 2008).

While the Administration states it supports ESCs as shared service providers

promoting efficiency in operations, it has advanced a policy goal of de-funding ESCs

and providing only targeted funding on a competitive or “as needed” basis.

Unfortunately, this approach is problematic for several fundamental reasons:

1) It favors an intervention rather than a prevention model;

2) It fails to recognize the work that ESCs do on behalf of the state and the

need to have a statewide system of support for school improvement;

3) It does not recognize the fact that ESCs have no taxing authority and rely on

the subsidy to simply open their doors and to provide “seed” money for the

development of innovative, cost-savings programs and services - without

state support many ESCs may not be there when ODE needs assistance;

4) It demonstrates that while the Administration supports shared services as a

tool that local governments can utilize on their own, they do not support

shared services as a matter of state policy; and

5) Finally, this approach fails to recognize that cooperative agreements for the

identification, location, and evaluation of children with disabilities; special

education and related services for such children; and for the transition of

children with disabilities at age three must be approved by the ESC that

serves the school district. This fact alone should require the ESC subsidy to

be included in the state’s maintenance of effort (MOE) calculation to the U.S.

Department of Education.

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As such, we request restoration of the ESC subsidy at $41.6 million (flat

funding).

Unrestricted Aid. Under temporary law in the bill as introduced, the Superintendent

of Public Instruction must establish criteria and guidelines regarding the use of the

ESC operating subsidy funds to reduce client school district expenditures and support

improvement of student achievement at schools and districts identified by the

Department. OESCA opposes this provision. This provision conflicts with

permanent law, which indicates the ESC operating funds are for the operation of the

ESC and any services required under Title XXXIII of the Revised Code. Additionally,

ESCs are already required to demonstrate cost savings under the high performing

application process. Last year, average savings across only 5 service areas exceeded

32% and saved districts more than $54 million. ESCs will still be required to go

through the high performing ESC designation process as determined by ODE. In

addition to the high performing application process, ESCs are also required to undergo

a 3-year operational study by the Auditor of State as required under SB 3 (131st GA).

Consistent with the statement above, having met and exceeded the standards set by

the state, OESCA supports maintaining the ESC subsidy as unrestricted aid and

flat funding of $27/student in FY 2018 and FY 2019.

ESC Gifted Units. ESC gifted units are flat funded at $3.8 million per year in each

year. It is important to note that at flat funding, these units are only funded at half

value. OESCA supports continued funding for gifted units within ESCs. The

State Board of Education recently rolled out new gifted operating standards as well as

gifted components of the state report card – districts will undoubtedly need ESC gifted

coordinator assistance in understanding and meeting these new standards and

measures.

School Improvement. School Improvement funding of $3.5 million in FY 2017 is

increased to $10 million in each year of the biennium. This is, however, misleading.

The executive proposal diverts $10.6 million from the ESC operating subsidy - $6.5

million of this goes to school improvement, while $4.1 million is allocated elsewhere in

the budget. The budget language allows ODE to distribute these funds on a

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competitive basis. In the current fiscal year, $3.5 million in GRF funding is

appropriated for school improvement to the State Support Teams (SSTs) through 16

ESCs. OESCA supports continued funding for school improvement. However, OESCA

opposes the diversion of ESC operating funds for school improvement. School

improvement funding should not be done on a competitive basis but rather based on

need and with the goal of providing a statewide system of support. Therefore, OESCA

supports flat funding of $3.5 million for school improvement and restoration of

$10.6 million to the ESC operating subsidy. Federal Title 1 and other funding

should be leveraged along with state funding for school improvement.

Regional Literacy. Regional Literacy through ESCs is flat funded at $750,000 in FY

2018 but increases 67% to $1.25 million in FY 2019. OESCA supports funding for

regional literacy improvement through ESCs.

Other Areas of Opportunity. As you continue budget deliberations, we encourage

you to explore other opportunities to leverage the regional network to support:

• Professional development on academic standards and model curriculum;

• Training tools and professional development on value added, the state

report card, and data-driven decision making;

• Special education transition services; and

• Educator preparation

In closing, the executive budget proposals aimed at ESCs appear to be inconsistent

with the needs of Ohio’s school districts, inconsistent with the needs of the Ohio

Department of Education, inconsistent with the recommendations of the state board of

education and inconsistent with the requirements that Ohio have a state system of

support under both federal and state law. We encourage you to restore ESC

funding, maintain the ESC subsidy, enhance the role of ESCs in partnership

with the Ohio Department of Education, and seek to leverage federal education

dollars to maximize the impact for students and schools.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today and I would be happy to

answer any questions you might have.

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Attachments

1) ESC Return on Investment

2) ESCs and Student Achievement

3) ESCs and Work with the State of Ohio

4) ESC Funding Changes

In 2016

The Ohio General Assembly provides for and supports a statewide network of Educational Service Centers or ESCs. So what are ESCs and what does the state get for its investment?

ESCs are student-focused, customer-driven educational service providers that maximize federal, state and local dollars. ESCs provide innovative educational and operational support services that

improve teaching and learning for all kids of all abilities regardless of where they live and attend school.

So what is the state’s return on investment? Significant. Ohio ESC services impacted more than 1.75 million students while saving

districts money and leveraging other resources to drive improvement.

A Sound Return On Investment.

EFFICIENT. EFFECTIVE. ESCS.

ESCs saved districts 32.57% as compared to districts providing the services themselves or purchasing from a

private provider.

ESCs provided $1.37 billion in

services to Ohio’s schools.

ESCs spent 96% of expenditures on direct

services, spending only 4% on overhead

costs.

ESCs identified and secured an additional $3.70 in federal and

state grants on average for every $1 received in state

operating subsidy.

96%

32.57%

$1.37B

$153,920,000

ESCs and Student Achievement

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS: ESCs contract with school districts to offer programs to students with special needs. Students are provided direct instruction by a multi-district ESC teacher supported by ESC classroom aides and related service personnel. These ESC staff implement and monitor the progress of individual education program (IEP) goals for each student.

Direct Responsibility for Student Achievement: • Direct instruction provided • IEP development, implementation, and monitoring • Parent engagement

Direct Accountability for Student Achievement

• Ohio Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities results • Highly Qualified Teacher status (reported through EMIS) • Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) rating (reported through eTPES)

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS: ESCs provide a structured opportunity for students who are unable to adjust to programs in regular classrooms. The goal is to provide each student with a safe learning environment that enhances self-esteem and strengthens academic and social skills.

Direct Responsibility for Student Achievement: • Direct instruction provided • Assisting students earn credits toward a high school diploma or GED • Parent engagement • Social and behavioral intervention provided

Direct Accountability for Student Achievement:

• Students are included in resident district local report card data o Ohio Achievement Assessments o Ohio Graduation Test/End-of-Course Exams o Achievement Gap Measures (AYP/AMOs) o Value-added Scores o Graduation and Dropout Rates o Attendance Rates

OTHER ESC PROGRAMS WITH DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT:

• Specialized Contracted and Related Services • Attendance Services • Substitute Staffing Services

ESCs & the State of Ohio: Supporting Education Reform Efforts

On behalf of, and in partnership with, the state of Ohio, ESCs have been instrumental in deploying initiatives from the state and federal levels, communicating the most recent data and information regarding the need for change, and providing the professional development, technical assistance and support to bring about the necessary changes. ESCs provide support in a number of different ways in partnership with the state including, but not limited to the following:

510 ESC personnel have been trained in the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP) to

provide a network of school improvement services for school districts and charter schools.

16 ESCs hold contracts to serve as State Support Teams (SSTs) and intervene with the lowest performing school districts and charter schools and ensure universal access to special education-related support services. The 16 ESC-led SSTs serve 223 districts and 84 Community Schools in Differentiated Accountability and 548 Improvement Schools, 46 Alert Schools, 232 Focus Schools & 157 Priority Schools under Ohio’s ESEA Waiver.

Over 100 ESC personnel have been trained to support all school districts and community schools in implementation of the standards, Student Growth Measures (SGMs) and Student Learning Objectives (SLOs).

More than 185 ESC and SST personnel have been certified as Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC) trainers.

ESCs have support state work through contracts with the Department of Education around the Resident Educator program, Student Growth Measures and Student Learning Objectives, OTES, OPES, eTPES, TeachOhio, Standards and Instruction, and Race-to-the-Top among other initiatives.

ESCs have evolved from County Boards of Education and monitoring state mandated requirements in local school districts to providing professional development, technical assistance and in-depth support for statewide initiatives to all districts and specific district requested services to enable them to be more effective, efficient and accountable to students, parents, communities and taxpayers.

ESC Funding Trends

ESCs serve more districts today than ever before

Evolution of ESC Finances

ESC Funding Sources1990-1991 1996-1997 2012-2013 2016-2017

Federal FundingMedicaid in Schools (Formlery CAFS or Community Alternative Funding Support) X X

State Funding State Per Pupil Subsidy X X X XPreschool Special Education Units X X XCategorical Units

vocational education X Xspecial education X Xgifted education X X X X*

child study X Xoccupation or physial therapy X X

speech and hearing X Xadaptive phsical dvelopment X X

special education supervisors and coordinators X XExcess Cost Reimbursement X X XSmall County Guarantee X X

Local Funding $6.50 Local Deduct X X X XSupervisory Units X X XExtended Service (Paid for by Disricts) X X XFee-For-Service Contracts X X X X

Other FundingFacilities Support & Facilities Maintenance (Provided by Boards of County Commissioners) X X

NOTES

*State funded gifted units were reduced by 50% for FY 2014 and FY 2015

HFC_Burford_04052017.pdfESC_Funding_Evolution.pdfESC Funding TrendsEvolution of ESC Finances

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