Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
Arts On Line Education Update
December 17, 2012
Joan Platz
1) 129th Ohio General Assembly: The Ohio House and Senate completed work on pending legislation last week and are not expected to meet again this session, which ends on December 31, 2012.
The Ohio Senate approved SJR 5 (LaRose and Sawyer) Redistricting/Reapportionment and HB543 (Anielski) Suicide Awareness. The Ohio House concurred with Senate amendments to Sub. HB280 National Guard Scholarship Program (Dovilla and Wachtmann) and Am. Sub. HB555 (Stebelton and Butler) Accountability/Schools/Districts Ratings. Information about HB555 is included in #4 below.
SJR 5 is a proposed constitutional amendment to change redistricting and reapportionment in Ohio introduced in the Senate on December 11, 2012. The constitutional amendment would create a seven member redistricting commission similar to the current Apportionment Board, to develop a redistricting plan for the state. The commission would include the governor, auditor, secretary of state, and one appointee from the leader of each caucus in the House and Senate. Five votes, including at least one vote from the minority party’s representative on the commission, would be required to approve a redistricting plan. The commission must consider compactness and contiguity of voting districts, avoid splitting political subdivisions, and preserve communities of interest when developing the plan. The constitutional amendment requires that the public hearings on the proposed plan be broadcast. No action is expected on this resolution in the Ohio House this session, but it is expected to be introduced again in the 130th General Assembly.
Lawmakers also acknowledged the impact of the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program on school district budgets by adding to HB280 (Dovilla, Wachtmann) the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program and the Ohio War Orphans Scholarship Program, an amendment that offsets the cost of the voucher program for certain school districts. The amendment requires the Ohio Department of Education to reimburse school districts for those students who have never attended public school in Ohio, but are now participating in the Jon Peterson Scholarship Program. The funds, up to $3.2 million, will come from the Lottery Profits Education Fund. The amendment was added by the Senate, and concurred with by the Ohio House on December 13, 2012.
2) Ohio News
•Election News: Representative Al Landis (R-Dover) was declared the winner in the 98th House District race defeating former Representative Joshua O’Farrell (D- New Philadelphia) by eight votes. The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections announced the certified results after a recount on December 13, 2012. According to the Dover-New Philadelphia Times Reporter, former Representative Josh O’Farrell will continue to contest the results, which give the Republicans a super majority of 60 Republicans to 39 Democrats in the Ohio House. (O’Farrell, Democrats to fight GOP supermajority by Jon Baker, December 15, 2012, TimesReporter.com)
•Quinnipiac Poll on School Funding: The results of a recent Quinnipiac University survey of Ohioans found that 51 percent of respondents believe that in order to do a better job, public schools in Ohio need to spend the money they receive from the government differently, while 37 percent believe that public schools need to receive more money from government. Respondents were asked: “ When it comes to public schools in Ohio, which best represents your view: A) In order to do a better job, public schools in Ohio need to receive more money from government B) In order to do a better job, public schools in Ohio need to spend the money they receive from the government differently?” Details of the survey are available at http://www.quinnipiac.edu/institutes-centers/polling-institute/ohio/release-detail?ReleaseID=1823
•Columbus Education Commission Established: Mayor Michael Coleman and Council President Andrew Ginther met with members of a new commission on December 12, 2012 to begin discussions about the future of education in Columbus. The Mayor charged the commission to develop recommendations that,
-Enable all children to succeed in the city’s vibrant, growing economy
-Make Columbus a global leader in developing the highly skilled, creative, entrepreneurial workforce that will propel economic growth in the 21st Century, and
-Leverage the resourcefulness of the entire community to meet these goals.
The commission, appointed by Mayor Coleman, is co-chaired by George Barrett, president and CEO of Cardinal Health, Judge Algenon Marbley, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, and Kathy Ransier, partner for Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease.
Other members of the 25-member commission include
E. Gordon Gee, Ohio State University President
Carol Perkins, President of the Columbus Board of Education
David Harrison, President of Columbus State Community College
Dr. Abdinur Mohamud, Ohio Department of Education
Alex Fischer, President and CEO of the Columbus Partnership
Lolita Augenstein, Columbus Council of PTAs
Lois Carson, Columbus Schools Employee Association
Robert Chilton, Impact Community Action
Tanny Crane, The Crane Group
Rev. Otha Gilyard, Shiloh Baptist Church
Stephanie Hightower, Columbus Urban League
Mary Jo Hudson, Bailey Cavalieri
Janet Jackson, United Way of Central Ohio
Chad Jester, Nationwide Insurance
Rhonda Johnson, Columbus Education Association
Mary Lou Langenhop, Children’s Hunger Alliance
Pat Losinski, Columbus Metropolitan Library
Elizabeth Martinez, Big Brothers and Big Sisters
Jordan Miller, Fifth Third Bank
Nancy Michong Pyon, Korean American Society of Central Ohio
Chip Spinning, Franklin County Children’s Services
Priscilla Tyson, Columbus City Council
Information is available at http://reimaginecolumbuseducation.org/
3) State Board of Education: The State Board of Education, Debe Terhar president, met on December 10 and 11, 2012 at the Ohio School for the Deaf in Columbus.
Monday, December 10, 2012 Meeting
Draft Restraint and Seclusion Policy Rules 3301-35-15
Senior Executive Director Sasheen Phillips of ODE’s Center of Curriculum and Assessment and Sue Zake, Director of the Office of Exceptional Children, presented an update to the Achievement Committee and the State Board regarding a draft policy and rule language of the proposed new Restraint and Seclusion Policy.
The rules are being developed in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 2009-13S, the State of Ohio Policy on Restraint and Seclusion Practices dated May 17, 2010, and in accordance with guidance from the United States Department of Education.
An external committee of stakeholders has been working with the ODE to develop the policy and rules, which were posted on the ODE web site in October 2012 for comment. In addition to the stakeholder group, there have been extensive meetings with other education organizations, other state agencies and partners about the proposed policy and rules.
The purpose of the proposed policy is to “create a learning environment that promotes the use of evidence-based behavioral interventions, thus enhancing academic and social behavioral outcomes for all students.”
The following are the key components of the draft policy and rule as presented:
-Creates a statewide policy regarding seclusion and restraint that applies to all school districts
-Addresses the use of a non-aversive effective behavior system based on multi-tiered systems of supports through positive behavior intervention support (PBIS)
-Prohibits the use of restraint and seclusion in behavior management, including “mechanical” restraints, corporal punishment, prone restraints, etc.
-Restricts the use of restraint and seclusion unless there is an immediate threat of physical harm to students and others. “Physical restraint may be used only when there is an immediate risk of physical harm to the student or others and no other safe and effective intervention is possible, and only in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate.”
-Requires documentation and reporting of incidents of restraint and seclusion. A report on restraint and/or seclusion must be forwarded to parents within 24 hours of any incident.
-Provides guidance for training. The ODE is preparing guidance for training of staff, because at this time the ODE does not have funding to provide training.
According to the presentation, the external stakeholder committee has received 293 online comments, 53 form letters, and other letters regarding the draft policy and rules, and is now focusing its work on addressing the following areas: the definition of seclusion; permissible and restrictive practices; training, supports, and costs; the complaint and whistle-blower language; data collection and reporting; and the tiered system for training and prevention.
The ODE continues to work with stakeholders and cross-agency partners on the following issues:
-What needs to be reported and to whom? What kind of supports will schools/districts need? ODE has been working with EMIS about the reporting of incidents at the district, building, and state levels and what kind of supports will be needed.
-How will compliance with the rules be ensured? What will be the whistle-blower language? The reporting requirements of incidents involving children in the draft policy do not change other reporting requirements in law to Children’s Service agencies, law enforcement agencies, or the Office of Professional Conduct.
-What are the communication and outreach plans for school districts/schools?
-What kind of supports, training, and guidance are needed, and what are the costs?
The ODE is developing a training guidance chart for the field; will host in January meetings with education organizations to present the policy and rules and discuss the impact of the policy and rules; and is considering language for functional behavioral assessment, and what that means beyond the use of it in IDEA and with a broader range of students.
To establish a statewide baseline, the ODE will survey in December 2012 local districts, county boards of Developmental Disability, and ESCs about the use of PBIS, crisis management, and restraint and seclusion.
In response to the presentation State Board members asked for clarification of some definitions and terms in the policy, and asked for more information about the cost to implement the policy (will additional staff be needed?) and the cost for training staff.
An intent resolution will be brought forward in January 2013 for the Achievement Committee and the State Board to consider.
Committee Reports:
The Achievement Committee, chaired by Angela Thai Bennett, discussed three items:
-The committee discussed changes to the draft Restraint and Seclusion Policy and Rules
-The committee also received a presentation regarding proposed amendments to Rules 3301-51-01 to -09 and -11, Operating Standards for Children with Disabilities. The rules are being updated pursuant to five-year review requirement. The State Board of Education will consider a resolution of intent to adopt the amended rules at the March 2013 meeting.
-The committee reviewed the draft Financial Literacy Standards for primary and middle grades. The standards align to the financial literacy standards for high schools adopted by the Board in June 2012. The draft standards have been posted on the ODE website for feedback.
The Capacity Committee, chaired by Tom Gunlock, discussed the following items:
-The committee voted to move Rule 3301-24-08, Professional and Associate License Renewal to the State Board, which will consider an intent to adopt resolution in January 2013. The rule is being amended to align with HB153 FY2012-13 budget bill, and eliminates the requirement that teachers with career-technical licenses complete a degree in order to renew their license.
-The Committee requested that ODE staff bring the proposed Rules 3301-24-19 to -22, Alternative Resident Educator License Rules, back in January 2013 with more information about how the rules relate to the requirements for teachers under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
As proposed the rules expand from grades 4-12 to grades K-12 the designated subject alternative license, which makes it valid for teaching a single subject in grades K-12; add the option for teachers to complete a summer training institute approved by the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents to meet the pre-service teacher training requirement for alternative licensure; add the option for teachers to complete a professional development program approved by the Chancellor in place of 12 additional semester hours of professional education college coursework in the principles and practices of teaching; and remove the requirement for applicants for alternative licensure to have completed a major in the subject area to be taught, and instead specifying a particular number of hours.
-The Committee voted to recommend to the full State Board the approval of Craig Burford to serve as the third member of the panel of experts to evaluate the teacher licensure standards of identified states pursuant to ORC 3319.228.
-William Gorth of the Evaluation Systems Group of Pearson presented to the committee information about the transition to new licensure assessments provided by Pearson, which are to be administered to Ohio licensure candidates beginning in September 2013.
The Committee on Urban Education, chaired by Joe Farmer, approved documents presented by the ODE staff related to single-gender schools after discussion and revisions, and discussed principles that support student achievement in high poverty schools identified in the report Failure Is Not an Option.
The Legislative and Budget Committee, chaired by C. Todd Jones, discussed the federal sequestration process and its impact on Ohio’s schools, and received an update on HB555 (Stebelton) Accountability System for Districts/Schools.
Meeting on December 11, 2012
Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Acting Superintendent Michael Sawyers updated the Ohio Department of Education on a number of topics. The first part of his presentation included information on the following items:
•Dr. John Richard the current superintendent of the Perry Local School District (Stark County) has been appointed to the position of Senior Executive Director at the ODE. He will start at the ODE in February 2013 and will oversee accountability and improvement.
•Auditor of State David Yost has informed the ODE that his office will release a data integrity report about the investigation of student attendance data irregularities in January 2013. The report is likely to be released at the January meeting of the State Board of Education. The report will include the findings of the auditor’s investigation and recommendations. The ODE is preparing to respond to the report and will release the complete local report cards as soon as possible after the release of the report. According to Acting Superintendent Sawyers it will take 7-14 days to produce the report cards.
•The ODE has prepared a video to help parents and communities understand the implementation of the Third Grade Guarantee. The ODE is also producing other videos for parents and communities, and the next video available will be about the Common Core Standards.
Acting Superintendent Sawyers spent more time with the State Board discussing a report released by the U.S. Department of Education on November 26, 2012 with preliminary data on the four-year high school graduation rates for the 2010-11 school year. The new method to calculate the graduation rate tracks individual students who start as first-time 9th graders and graduate with a standard diploma within four years. The October 2008 federal Title I regulations require each state to establish a single graduation rate goal and annual targets that reflect improvement from the prior year. Approved goals and targets for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are included in each state’s approved Accountability Workbook or in the state’s approved ESEA flexibility request.
According to the preliminary data released, the graduation rate in Ohio was 80 percent overall. Ohio students posted a 59 percent graduation rate for African American students; 53 percent rate for students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP); and a 65 percent rate for students from economically disadvantaged families. Ohio’s goal is to reach a 90 percent graduation rate by 2019 through incremental increases.
Acting Superintendent Sawyers emphasized the need to motivate and create an urgency in the state and in the schools to ensure that all students graduate in four years. Implementation of the Common Core standards, new rigorous assessments, and the more rigorous graduation requirements will raise the bar for students and schools even higher. Ohio’s schools must be better prepared in the next few years to meet the higher standards and challenges. Ohio’s schools, leaders, and policy-makers must not be pressured, like in the past, to lower the bar because it is difficult.
Superintendent Sawyers also reminded the State Board about the “Are You Ready?” campaign that was launched last year to inform schools and communities about the higher standards that are going to required by 2014-15. This year the campaign has been delayed because of the late release of the report card data, but Acting Superintendent Sawyers intends to reach-out to all districts over the next months to encourage them to take action to better prepare students to meet the higher standards.
Ohio Assessments for Educators: The State Board of Education also received a presentation from Dr. Bill Gorth and Donna Hanby from Evaluation Systems (Pearsons), which will implement new assessments for Ohio teachers starting in September 2013. The new assessments, referred to as Ohio Assessments for Educators, will replace the Praxis exams, published by Education Testing Services.
According to the presentation, Ohio’s new teacher assessment program will be developed with Ohio educators. Each of the 46 specific tests areas will be developed by an advisory committee of classroom teachers and college faculty. The committees will identify what is to be tested, and, after developed, will review the assessments for content accuracy and content bias. A larger group of teachers will then be surveyed to ensure that the appropriate content is being assessed. After the assessments are developed, the State Board will set the passing scores for the new assessments in June 2012. The assessments will be administered by computer, throughout the year, in multiple sites across the state.
To communicate the new assessment program Evaluation Systems will create a web site that will include information about Ohio policies and regulations for teaching. The web site will have registration and program preparation information, and candidates will be able to have preliminary results immediately. The results will be generated in reports for the ODE, other Ohio agencies, teacher preparation programs, and the U.S. DOE.
Board President Debe Terhar and Acting Superintendent Michael Sawyers also proposed that the State Board of Education consider moving its meetings to the conference center at the Ohio Department of Education, 25 Front Street in Columbus. The conference center is being renovated and will be able to seat 75 persons. The renovations should be complete in February 2013. The State Board discussed setting their March 2013 meeting at the new conference center.
The following is a summary of the resolutions that the State Board of Education considered at their December 11, 2012 meeting:
#3 Approved. Resolution of Intent to Amend Rule 3301-4-01 of Administrative Code entitled “Notice of Meetings”.
#4 Approved. Resolution of Intent to Amend Rule 3301-23-44 of the Administrative Code entitled “Temporary and Substitute Licenses.”
#5 Approved. Resolution of Intent to Amend Rule 3301-24-09 of the Administrative Code entitled “Performance-Based Licensure for Administrators.”
#6 Approved. Resolution of Intent to Consider Confirmation of the Rocky River City School District’s determination of impractical the transportation of certain students attending St. Bernadette Elementary School, Westlake, OH.
#7 Approved. Resolution of Intent to Consider Confirmation of the Rocky River City School District’s determination of impractical the transportation of certain students attending St. Paul Lutheran School, Westlake, OH.
#8 Approved. Resolution of Intent to Consider Confirmation of the Rocky River City School District’s determination of impractical the transportation of certain students attending St. Raphael Elementary School, Bay Village, OH.
#9 Approved. Resolution to Confirm and Approve the Recommendation of the Hearing Officer and to Approve the Transfer of school district territory from the Toledo City School District, Lucas County to the Ottawa Hills Local School District, Lucas County, pursuant to Section 3311.24 of the Ohio Revised Code.
#18 Approved. Resolution to Amend Rule 3301-24-01 of the Administrative Code entitled “Glossary/Definitions.”
#19 Approved. Resolution to Amend Rule 3301-24-05 of the Administrative Code entitled “Licensure.”
#20 Approved. Resolution of Appointment of Venezuela Robinson to the Educator Standards Board.
#21 Approved. Resolution to Adopt Standards for Determining Annual Operating Expenditures Pursuant to ORC 3302.20.
#22 Approved. Resolution to Approve a Third Member of the Panel of Experts to Evaluate the Teacher Licensure Standards of Identified States Pursuant to ORC 3319.228. The Committee voted to recommend to the full State Board the approval of Craig Burford to serve as the third member of the panel of experts.
#23 Approved. Resolution to Adopt Standards Allowing the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to Grant Waivers of the Operating Standards for Schools in Accordance With R.C. 3301.07 (O).
#24 Approved. Emergency Resolution to Delegate the Acting Superintendent of Public Instruction to Engage a Hearing Examiner to Act as the State Board of Education’s Designee to Conduct a Hearing Pursuant to ORC 3314.074.
#25 Presented a Certificate of Commendation to Kristen McKinley for her service on the State Board of Education.
4) HB555 (Stebelton/Butler) Accountability/School/District Ratings: The Ohio Senate completed work on Am. Sub. HB555 on December 12, 2012 after making several changes in the bill, and approved the bill by a vote of 27 to 6. Some of the changes made in the Senate Education Committee were removed when the bill came to a vote in the Senate to avoid a conference committee in the Ohio House. This strategy worked, because the Ohio House concurred with the Senate changes on December 13, 2012 by a vote of 56 to 31. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature.
Work on HB555 began last spring when lawmakers debated SB316 (Lehner), the mid-biennial review for education. A new A-F report card rating system for schools/districts was originally included in SB316 to comply with Ohio’s application for waivers from the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Lawmakers decided to hold-back on the changes in Ohio’s rating system for schools and pulled them from SB316 before it was approved and signed into law in June 2012. But, as a result, lawmakers were still required to return to the drawing board and finalized a new rating system for Ohio’s schools/districts in order to comply with the federal waiver Ohio was subsequently granted.
HB555 includes a variety of changes in education law, but primarily does the following:
•Creates a new academic performance rating system for public schools
•Requires an alternative rating system for community schools with dropout prevention and recovery programs
•Creates a new evaluation process for community school sponsors
•Abolishes the Ohio Accountability Task Force
•Makes changes in the third grade reading guarantee and the requirements for qualified reading teachers
•Modifies the procedure for approving the opening of new Internet- or computer-based community schools
•Makes changes in the War Orphans Scholarship and Ohio National Guard Scholarship programs
The act also includes a new section 3302.034 Additional Measures, which is of interest to arts education advocates. This new section of law requires the State Board of Education to adopt measures in addition to the report card, and report them separately for school districts, buildings, community schools, STEM schools, and college preparatory boarding schools. The new measures include the availability of courses in the fine arts and the amount of extracurricular services offered to students. The ODE is required to report this information annually beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, and make this information available on its web site for comparison purposes.
The act directs the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Ohio Department of Education to calculate standards, benchmarks, and approve rules to implement the provisions in the act in a very short amount of time. Some lawmakers and school leaders are questioning the capacity of the ODE to complete this work after years of cut-backs and loss of staff.
The following is a summary of some of the provisions included in the act as passed by the Senate and concurred with by the House:
Amended Section 3301.079 (D) Academic Standards
Replaces references to “English language arts” with the terms reading and writing.
Amended Sec. 3301.0710 (A)(2) Assessments
Increases the number of statewide assessments in the forth grade to three: English language arts, mathematics, and social studies.
Decreases the number of statewide assessments in the fifth grade to three: English language arts, mathematics, and science.
Increases the number of statewide assessments in the sixth grade to three: English language arts, mathematics, and social studies.
Decreases the number of statewide assessments in the eighth grade to three: English language arts, mathematics, and science.
Increases the number of ranges of scores students can achieve on the achievement assessments from three to five: advanced level; accelerated; proficient; basic; and limited.
Amended Sec. 3301.0711 Graduation Requirements
Technical changes. Removes terms that are being phased-out.
Amended Sec. 3301.0714 EMIS
Allows entities contracted by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to “develop” state assessments to access certain EMIS reports with staff and/or student information.
Amended Sec. 3301.0715 Diagnostic Assessments
Requires students in the third grade to take a diagnostic assessment. Allows districts that received an excellent or effective rating to use an assessment other than the one determined by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE).
Amended Sec. 3302.01 Report Card Ratings Definitions
Performance Index Score: Allows the ODE to assign an additional weight to students who have passed over a grade or subject and have attained a proficient score or higher on a state assessment. The ODE shall assign each year an additional proportional weight to students who attain an advanced score. For each school year that such a student’s score is included in the performance index score and the student attains the proficient score on an assessment, that additional weight shall be assigned to the student on a subject-by-subject basis. The State Board must approve this weight.
Subsets of Students: Adds students identified as gifted and students in the lowest quintile for achievement to the subset of students included in the performance index score. Students identified as gifted in superior cognitive will be included in the subset, along with students identified as gifted in reading and math. The ODE shall also include data for students with specific academic ability in other fields, if the field is assessed.
Value Added progress dimension: Requires the “value-added progress dimension” be developed and implemented in accordance with section 3302.021 of the Revised Code.
Graduation Rate: Includes the definition of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and the five-year adjusted cohort.
Annual Measurable Objectives: Defines annual measurable objectives as the progress determined in accordance with an agreement between the ODE and the U.S. Department of Education.
Amended Sec. 3302.02, Performance Indicators
Requires the State Board to establish a “set” of performance indicators “that considered as a unit will be used as one of the performance categories for the report cards.”
Removes attendance from the set of performance indicators that the State Board of Education is required to establish, but retains the “breadth of coursework available within the district.”
Adds to the performance indicators for gifted education in the 2014-2015 school year the performance of students identified as gifted on state assessments and value added growth measure dis-aggregated for students identified as gifted.
Directs the State Board to set the percentage at 80 percent for all of the state achievement assessments for the 2013-2014 school year and 85 percent for 11th grade students. Permits the State Board to adopt rules by July 1, 2014, establishing a different percentage to begin with the 2014-2015 school year.
Amended Sec. 3302.021 Value Added
Eliminates the Ohio Accountability Task Force and the Ohio Accountability Advisory Committee, which was included in the House version of the bill.
Amended Sec. 3302.03 Report Cards
Eliminates the current report card criteria.
States that annually, not later than the fifteenth day of September or the preceding Friday when that day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the ODE shall issue annual report cards for each school district and building.
Establishes a new system for rating school districts and buildings based on letter grades A-F outlined in division (E) of this section. The State Board of Education is required to establish the performance criteria for each letter grade and prescribe a method to assign a letter grade. The bill states in division (E) that “A” means making excellent progress; “B” means making above average progress; “C” means making average progress; “D” means making below average progress; “F” means failing to meet minimum progress. The current requirement in law to disaggregate the data according to certain categories is retained with some changes for gifted education, and added is a new category comprised of students who achieve in the lowest quintile.
States that for a school building to which any of the performance measures do not apply, due to grade levels served by the building, the State Board shall designate the performance measures that are applicable to the building. This designation must be calculated separately and used to calculate the building’s overall grade.
Requires the ODE to issue annual report cards reflecting the performance profile of each school district, each building within each district, and for the state as a whole, using the performance measures and letter grade system. Requires the ODE to include on the report card for each district the most recent two-year trend data in student achievement for each subject and each grade.
Outlines in Section 3302.03 (A)(1) a-f; (B)(1) a-g; and (C)(1) a-n how grades in the performance measures for school districts and schools will be phased-in over school years 2012-13; 2013-14; and 2014-15. For some school years the percentage of students needed to receive a certain grade level changes, and indicators are added. States that there shall not be an overall letter grade for school districts or buildings for the 2012-13 or 2013-14 school years.
The following performance measures will be reported and graded starting in the 2012-13 school year:
-Annual measurable objectives, which replaces adequate yearly progress.
-Performance index score for a school district or building as a percentage of the total possible points as adopted by the State Board.
-Performance Indicators earned expressed as a percent.
-Four and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates overall.
-Value added score based on three years of value added data.
-The value-added progress dimension score for a school district or building disaggregated for each of the following subgroups: students with disabilities and students whose performance places them in the lowest quintile for achievement on a statewide basis. Each subgroup shall be a separate graded measure. The Senate removed students who are gifted from this provision in 2012-13 school year, but added students identified as gifted in superior cognitive ability and specific academic ability fields starting in the 2013-14 school year.
The following additional performance measure will be reported and graded starting in the 2013-14 school year:
-The progress school districts and schools are making in improving literacy in grades kindergarten through three, as determined using a method prescribed by the state board. The state board shall adopt rules to prescribe benchmarks and standards for assigning grades to districts and buildings. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades the state board shall determine progress made based on the reduction in the percentage of students scoring below grade level, or below proficient, compared from year to year on the English language arts diagnostic assessments and the third grade English language arts assessment as applicable. The state board shall designate for a “C” grade a value that is not lower than the statewide average value for this measure. No grade shall be issued for a district or building in which less than five per cent of students have scored below grade level on the diagnostic assessment administered to students in kindergarten.
Beginning in the 2013-14 school year the following indicators will be reported, but not graded pursuant to (B)(2) a-f of this section. Not later than December 31, 2013, the state board shall adopt rules that prescribe the methods by which the performance measures for value added and improving literacy in grades K-3 will be assessed and assigned a letter grade, including performance benchmarks for each grade.
-The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building participating in advanced placement classes and the percentage of those students who received a score of three or better on advanced placement examinations.
-The number of a district’s or building’s students who have earned at least three college credits through dual enrollment programs, such as the post-secondary enrollment options program and state-approved career-technical courses offered through dual enrollment or statewide articulation, that appear on a student’s transcript or other official document, either of which is issued by the institution of higher education from which the student earned the college credit. The credits earned shall not include any that are remedial or developmental and shall include those that count toward the curriculum requirements established for completion of a degree.
-The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who have taken a national standardized test used for college admission determinations and the percentage of those students who are determined to be remediation-free.
-The percentage of the district’s or the building’s students who receive industry credentials. The state board shall adopt criteria for acceptable industry credentials.
-The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who are participating in an international baccalaureate program and the percentage of those students who receive a score of four or better on the international baccalaureate examinations.
-The percentage of the district’s or building’s students who receive an honors diploma.
The following additional performance measures will be reported and graded starting in the 2014-15 school year:
-The overall score under the value-added progress dimension, or another measure of student academic progress if adopted by the state board, of a school district or building, for which the department shall use up to three years of value-added data as available. The state board shall prohibit the assigning of a grade of “A” for this measure unless the district’s or building’s grade assigned for value-added progress dimension for all subgroups is a “B” or higher. The state board may adopt a student academic progress measure to be used instead of the value-added progress dimension. If the state board adopts such a measure, it also shall prescribe a method for assigning letter grades for the new measure that are comparable with other provisions in the act.
The following performance indicators will be included on the report card without a grade in the 2014-15 school year:
-The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who have taken a national standardized test used for college admission determinations and the percentage of those students who are determined to be remediation-free in accordance with the standards adopted under division (F) of section 3345.061 of the Revised Code;
-The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building participating in advanced placement classes and the percentage of those students who received a score of three or better on advanced placement examinations;
-The number of a district’s or building’s students who have earned at least three college credits through dual enrollment programs, such as the post-secondary enrollment options program and state-approved career-technical courses offered through dual enrollment or statewide articulation, that appear on a student’s transcript or other official document, either of which is issued by the institution of higher education from which the student earned the college credit. The credits earned that are reported in this section shall not include any that are remedial or developmental and shall include those that count toward the curriculum requirements established for completion of a degree.
-The percentage of the district’s or building’s students who receive an honor’s diploma.
-The percentage of the district’s or building’s students who receive industry credentials
-The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who are participating in an international baccalaureate program and the percentage of those students who receive a score of four or better on the international baccalaureate examinations;
-The results of the college and career-ready assessments.
Sets the deadlines for the State Board of Education to adopt resolutions describing the performance measures, benchmarks, and grading system for the 2012-13; 2013-14 and the 2014-15 school years.
Does not require an overall letter grade for a school district or school in the 2012-2013 or the 2013-2014 school years, but requires the ODE to establish a method to assign an overall grade for a school district or school building for the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter. The State Board shall adopt a grade for each separate component and an overall grade for the following:
(a) Gap closing, which shall include the performance measure for annual measurable objectives
(b) Achievement, which shall include the performance measures for the performance index score and performance indicators
(c) Progress, which shall include the performance measures, value added, and the rate of participation and scores on a national standardized test for college admission
(d) Graduation rates
(e) Kindergarten through third-grade literacy
(f) Prepared for success, which shall include the performance measures for participation and scores on a national standardized test for college admission, indicators for college and career ready, participation and scores on advanced placement exams, college credits earned, honors diploma, results of the college and career-ready assessments, and industry credentials.
States further that when determining the overall grade for the prepared for success component, no individual student shall be counted in more than one performance measure. However, if a student qualifies for more than one performance measure in the component, the state board may, in its method to determine a grade for the component, specify an additional weight for such a student that is not greater than or equal to 1.0. In determining the overall score the state board shall ensure that the pool of students included in the performance measures aggregated under that division are all of the students included in the four- and five-year adjusted graduation cohort.
Requires the ODE to conduct a public presentation before the House and Senate education committees at least forty-five days prior to the State Board’s adoption of rules to prescribe the methods for calculating the grades for the individual components and the overall grade for the report card and describe the format for the report card, the weights that will be assigned to the components of the overall grade, and the method for calculating the overall grade.
Requires the State Board not later than July 1, 2015 to develop a measure of student academic progress for high school students, which shall be included on the report card beginning in the 2015-2016.
Requires the ODE to report when a particular student group did not receive a student performance data report, because there were less than ten students.
Amended Sec. 3302.033 Report Cards for Joint Vocational School Districts and Career Technical Planning Districts.
Allows data to be dis-aggregated for each joint vocational school district. Includes districts that are not joint vocational.
NEW Section 3302.034 Additional Measures
Requires the State Board of Education by December 31, 2013 to adopt measures in addition to the report card, and report them separately for school districts, school buildings, community schools, STEM schools, and college preparatory boarding schools.
-Data for students who have passed over a grade or subject area under an acceleration policy prescribed under section 3324.10 of the Revised Code
-The number of students who are eligible to receive and those that are receiving free lunch under the “National School Lunch Act,” 42 U.S.C. 1751, as amended, and the “Child Nutrition Act of 1966,” 42 U.S.C. 1771, as amended
-The number of lead teachers employed by each district and each building once the data is available through the education management information system established under section 3301.0714
-The amount of students screened and identified as gifted under Chapter 3324. of the Revised Code
-Postgraduate student outcome data as described under division (E)(2)(d)(ii) of section 3314.017 of the Revised Code
-Availability of courses in fine arts
-Participation with other school districts to provide career-technical education services to students
-The amount of extracurricular services offered to students.
The department shall report this information annually beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and make this information available on its web site for comparison purposes.
Amended Section 3302.04 Transition for Designations
Clarifies that after the 2014-2015 school year, when a provision in law refers to a school or school district in academic emergency, academic watch, continuous improvement, it means the following: Academic emergency = F, Academic Watch = D, Continuous Improvement = C.
Maintains current agreements with the U.S. Department of Education regarding low performing schools.
States that for the 2012-2013 school year schools or districts that receive an “F” rating for the number of performance indicators met; performance index score; or a rating of “D” or “F” for value added, shall be subject to intervention rules and a site evaluation.
Amended Sec. 3302.041 Corrective Action Plans
Clarifies that corrective action plans for schools are contingent upon the approval of the U.S. Department of Education.
The Senate Removed Changes to Amended Sec. 3302.042 Parent Trigger Pilot Project
Amended Sec. 3302.05 Exemptions from Mandates
Identifies the school districts eligible for exemptions from state mandates adopted by the State Board of Education based on the new rating system for schools.
Amended Sec. 3302.10 Academic distress commission
Identifies the school districts that must implement an academic distress commission based on the new rating system.
Amended Sec. 3302.12 Low Performing Schools
Identifies the school districts that must implement certain provisions regarding low performing schools based on the new rating system.
Amended Sec. 3302.20 Annual Operating Expenditures for Classroom Instruction
Removed the House requirement that data to be collected and reported from the college preparatory boarding school after two years of operations about operating expenditures for classroom instruction and non classroom purposes.
Excludes community schools subject to Section 3314.17 (dropout prevention and recovery schools) from performance index scores rankings.
Amended Sec. 3302.21 Ranking City, Exempted Village, Local School Districts, and Community Schools
States that community schools subject to Section 3314.17 (dropout prevention and recovery schools) and STEM schools subject to Section 3326 are excluded from rankings.
Permits the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop another measure of student academic performance based on similar data and performance measures and to rank districts, schools, or buildings to which the performance index score does not apply.
Allows alternative student academic progress measures to be used to rank schools if adopted under division (C)(1)(e) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code.
Excludes from an annual report about school rankings issued by the ODE each September community schools subject to 3314.17; and STEM schools subject to 3326.
Amended Section 3310.03 Educational Choice Scholarship
Aligns the eligibility requirements for students seeking an Educational Choice Scholarship with the new rating/accountability system for schools/districts.
A student shall not be eligible for a scholarship if the student’s resident building meets any of the following in the most recent rating under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code published prior to the first day of July of the school year for which a scholarship is sought:
-The building has an overall designation of excellent or effective under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to the effective date of this amendment.
-For the 2012-2013 or 2013-2014 school year or both, the building has a grade of “A” or “B” for the performance index score and for the value-added progress dimension; or if the building serves only grades ten through twelve, the building received a grade of “A” or “B” for the performance index score and had a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate of greater than or equal to seventy-five per cent.
-For the 2014-2015 school year or any school year thereafter, the building has a grade of “A” or “B” and a grade of “A” for the value-added progress dimension; or if the building serves only grades ten through twelve, the building received a grade of “A” or “B” for the performance index score and had a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate of greater than or equal to seventy-five per cent.
A student who is eligible for kindergarten shall not be eligible for a scholarship if the student’s resident district meets any of the following in the most recent rating under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code published prior to the first day of July of the school year for which a scholarship is sought:
-The district has an overall designation of excellent or effective under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to the effective date of this amendment.
-The district has a grade of “A” or “B” for the performance index score and for the value-added progress dimension for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years.
-The district has an overall grade of “A” or “B” and a grade of “A” for the value-added progress dimension for the 2014-2015 school year or any school year thereafter.
Amended Section 3310.06 Educational Choice Scholarship
Eliminates the terms academic emergency or academic watch and replaces them with “persistently low-performing school buildings” in the description of the intent of the Educational Choice Scholarship.
New 3310.16 Two Application Periods for the Educational Choice Scholarship
Establishes for the 2014-2015 school year and thereafter two application periods, the first day of February to July 1st and July 1st through mid August, for the Educational Choice Scholarship.
Amended Sec. 3311.80 Municipal School District
Permits the municipal school district to use an alternative student academic progress measure adopted by the State Board of Education in place of value added as a component of teacher evaluation.
States that “Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, the requirements of this section prevail over any conflicting provisions of a collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after October 1, 2012.”
Amended Sec. 3313.473 Site-based management councils
Aligns the requirements for a site-based management council with the new rating system for school districts and schools.
Amended Sec. 3313.608 Third Grade Reading Guarantee/Teacher Qualifications
Changes the term English language arts to reading and writing.
Requires students identified with a reading deficiency to receive intensive reading instruction services and regular diagnostic assessments until the development of the reading improvement and monitoring plan is implemented. Students are to receive not less than 90 minutes of reading instruction per day.
Includes in division (H) the qualifications of a teacher to provide the reading instruction. States that prior to July 1, 2014, each eligible student who enters third grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2013, shall be assigned a teacher who satisfies one or more of the following criteria:
-holds a reading endorsement on the teacher’s license and has attained a passing score on the corresponding assessment for that endorsement
-has completed a master’s degree program with a major in reading
-has demonstrated evidence of a credential earned from a list of scientifically research-based reading instruction programs approved by the department
-was rated “above value added,” which means most effective in reading, as determined by the department, for the last two school years
States that effective July 1, 2014, each eligible student shall be assigned a teacher who satisfies one or more of the following criteria:
-holds a reading endorsement on the teacher’s license and has attained a passing score on the corresponding assessment for that endorsement.
-has completed a master’s degree program with a major in reading.
-was rated “above value added,” which means most effective for the last two school years.
-has earned a passing score on a rigorous test of principles of scientifically research-based reading instruction. This test shall be selected through a competitive bidding process and shall be approved by the state board.
Also states that, if on the effective date of this amendment, a school district or community school cannot furnish the number of qualified teachers the school district or community school shall develop and submit a plan by June 30, 2013, in a manner determined by the department indicating the criteria that will be used to determine those teachers in the school district or community school who will teach and how the school district or community school will meet the qualifications.
A school district or community school may include in this plan the option to contract with another school district or private provider that has been screened and approved by the department to provide intervention services. If the school district or community school’s plan is not approved by the department by August 15, 2013, the school district or community school shall use a private contractor from a list approved by the department or contract with another district to provide intervention services for these students.
Amended Sec. 3314.011 Fiscal Officers
Requires fiscal officers of community schools to be licensed under Section 3301.074 of the Revised Code.
Amended Sec. 3314.012 Report Cards for Community Schools
Exempts schools subject to Section 3314.017 (dropout and prevention recovery schools) from the ODE requirement to issue annual report cards for community schools.
Requires the report card for community schools to align with divisions (A), (B), (C) and (D) of Section 3302.03 of the Revised Code, rating system for schools.
Amended Sec. 3314.013 Internet or computer-based schools
Extends until the 61st day after the law has been enacted or after July 1, 2013 the prohibition regarding the opening of new internet/computer-based schools, with some exceptions. New schools may open subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Requires the Superintendent to approve applications for new internet/computer-based school from only those demonstrating experience and quality.
Requires the Superintendent to adopt rules prescribing measures to determine experience and quality of applicants. Measures shall include, but are not limited to, the sponsor’s experience, the operator’s experience, the sponsor and operator’s previous record of student achievement, a preference for operators with previous experience in Ohio.
Amended Sec. 3314.015 Community School Sponsors
Requires the ODE to evaluate the effectiveness of any and all sponsors of community schools.
Requires the State Board rather than the ODE to determine whether the mission proposed in the contract of a community school to be sponsored by a state university board of trustees complies with the requirements in the division, and if any tax exempt entity is an education-oriented entity for the purposes of sponsoring a community school.
Amended Sec. 3314.016 Rating Sponsors of Community Schools
Prohibits an entity from sponsoring additional community schools if it is rated as ineffective.
Requires the ODE to develop and implement an evaluation system that rates each entity that sponsors a community school based on the following components:
-Academic performance of students enrolled
-Adherence to the quality practices prescribed by the ODE. This provision can not be implemented until the ODE develops the quality practices and an instrument to measure adherence.
-Compliance with applicable laws and administrative rules by an entity.
Requires the ODE to exclude from the academic component community schools in operation for less than two full years and community schools in division (A)(4)(b) of Sec. 3314.35. (Dropout recovery and prevention)
Requires the ODE to prescribe quality practices for community school sponsors and develop an instrument to measure adherence to the quality practices.
Requires the State Board of education not later than July 1, 2013 to adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code prescribing standards for measuring compliance with applicable laws and rules under division (B)(1)(c) of this section.
Requires the ODE to rate all entities that sponsor community schools as either “exemplary,” “effective,” or “ineffective,” based on the components prescribed by division (B) of this section, where each component is weighted equally, except that entities sponsoring community schools for the first time may be assigned the rating of “emerging” for only the first two consecutive years.
Requires the ODE to publish the ratings between the first day of October and the 15th day of October.
States that prior to the 2014-2015 school year, student academic performance prescribed under division (B)(1)(a) of this section shall not include student academic performance data from community schools that primarily serve students enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery program as described in division (A)(4)(a) of section 3314.35 of the Revised Code.
For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, student academic performance prescribed under division (B)(1)(a) of this section shall include student academic performance data from community schools that primarily serve students enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery program.
Allows the ODE to assume sponsorship of a community school that has not yet opened and for which the sponsor has becomes ineligible until the governing authority of the new community school has secured a new sponsor or until two years has expired. The sponsorship by the ODE of a school under these circumstances does not count toward the ODE sponsor limit.
Amended Sec. 3314.017 Report Cards for Dropout and Prevention Community Schools
Requires the State Board of Education to adopt academic performance rating and a report card system for community schools that primarily serve students enrolled in dropout prevention and recovery programs beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.
States that nothing in this section shall at any time relieve a school from its obligations under the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001” to make “adequate yearly progress.” The department shall continue to report each school’s performance as required by the act and to enforce applicable sanctions under section 3302.04 or 3302.041 of the Revised Code.
Requires the State Board to adopt the following performance indicators for the rating and report card system required by this section:
-Graduation rate for students graduating in four years or less; those graduating in five years; those graduating in 6 years, 7 years, and 8 years with a high school diploma.
-The percentage of twelfth-grade students currently enrolled in the school who have attained the designated passing score on all of the applicable state high school achievement assessments required under division (B)(1) or (2) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code and other students enrolled in the school, regardless of grade level, who are within three months of their twenty-second birthday and have attained the designated passing score on all of the applicable state high school achievement assessments by their twenty-second birthday.
-Annual measurable objectives as defined in section 3302.01 of the Revised Code
-Growth in student achievement in reading, or mathematics, or both as measured by separate nationally norm-referenced assessments that have developed appropriate standards for students enrolled in dropout prevention and recovery programs, adopted or approved by the state board.
Requires the State Board rules to prescribe the expected performance levels and benchmarks for each of the indicators based on the data gathered by the department. Based on a school’s level of attainment or non attainment of the expected performance levels and benchmarks for each of the indicators, the department shall rate each school in one of the following categories: Exceeds standards, Meets standards, or Does not meet standards.
Requires the State Board to establish performance levels and benchmarks for the indicators by certain dates.
Prescribes the percentage of the score that will determine each indicator.
States that if both of the indicators for graduation rate and student achievement on certain state assessments improve by ten per cent for two consecutive years, a school shall be rated as “meets standards.”
Prescribes the components of the report cards for the 2012-2013; 2013-2014; 2014-2015 school years. Requires the ODE to also include student outcome data such as postsecondary credits earned, nationally recognized career or technical certificates, military enlistment, job placement, attendance rate, and progress on closing achievement gaps for each school.
Requires the ODE to gather data and work with stakeholders to determine how to measure student growth and requires schools to cooperate.
Requires the ODE to identify one or more states that have established or are in the process of establishing similar academic performance rating systems for dropout prevention and recovery programs, and consult with the departments of education of those states in developing the system required by this section.
Amended Sec. 3314.02 Challenged School District
Aligns the definition of a challenged school district with the components of the new rating system. States that a challenged school district is one that:
-On the effective date of this amendment, the district was in a state of academic emergency or in a state of academic watch as described in law section prior to the effective date of this amendment.
-For two of the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 school years, the district received a grade of “D” or “F” for the performance index score and a grade of “F” for the value-added progress dimension.
-For the 2015-2016 school year and for any school year thereafter, the district has received an overall grade of “D” or “F”, or, for at least two of the three most recent school years, the district received a grade of “F” for the value-added progress dimension under division (C)(1)(e) of that section.
Allows the governing board of an educational service center to sponsor a new start-up school in any challenged school district in the state if all of the following are satisfied: If applicable, it satisfies the requirements of division (E) of section 3311.86 of the Revised Code; it is approved to do so by the ODE; or it enters into an agreement with the ODE under section 3314.015 of the Revised Code.
Amended Sec. 3314.05 Community School Multiple Facilities
Allows community schools to be located in multiple facilities if certain conditions are met. Aligns those conditions with the new rating system for community schools.
Amended Sec. 3314.35 Community School Closure
Describes the circumstances that would lead to the closure of a community school using the new rating system for schools before July 2013 and after July 2013.
States that for purposes of division (A)(3) of this section only, the value-added progress dimension for a community school shall be calculated using assessment scores for only those students to whom the school has administered the achievement assessments prescribed by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code for at least the two most recent school years.
New Sec. 3314.351 Dropout Prevention and Recovery Community Schools
States that beginning on or after July 1, 2014, any such community school that has received a designation of “does not meet standards” as described in division (D)(1) of section 3314.017 of the Revised Code on the report card issued under that section, for at least two of the three most recent school years, shall be subject to closure.
Requires the ODE to notify each school subject to closure by the first day of September.
Amended Sec. 3314.36 Waivers for Dropout Prevention and Recovery Community Schools
States that until June 30, 2014, the ODE shall grant a waiver to a dropout prevention and recovery program, within sixty days after the program applies for the waiver, if the program meets all of the certain conditions unchanged by the bill.
States that beginning on July 1, 2014, all community schools in which a majority of the students are enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery program are subject to the provisions of section 3314.351 of the Revised Code, regardless of whether a waiver has been granted under this section. Thereafter, no waivers shall be granted under this section.
Amended Sec. 3314.361 Community School Drug Recovery Program
Defines a community school operating a drug recovery program with a court as a dropout prevention and recovery school program regardless of the ages of the students or grade levels served.
Amended Sec. 3319.11 Teacher Evaluations
States that “Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, the dates set forth in this section as “on or before the first day of June” or “on or before the fifteenth day of June” prevail over any conflicting provisions of a collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after the effective date of this amendment.”
Amended Sec. 3319.111 Teacher evaluations/contracts
States that the teacher evaluation provisions do not apply to a person employed as an instructor of adult education.
Allows alternative student academic progress measures to be used if adopted by the state board of education.
States that “Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, the requirements of sections 3119.11 and 3119.112 of the Revised Code prevail over any conflicting provisions of a collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after September 24, 2012 and the effective date of this amendment.”
Amended Sec. 3319.112 Teacher Evaluation Framework Criteria
Requires multiple evaluation factors for the teacher evaluation framework. States that one factor shall be student academic growth which shall account for fifty per cent of each evaluation. When applicable to the grade level or subject area taught by a teacher, the value-added progress dimension or an alternative student academic progress measure shall be used in the student academic growth portion of an evaluation in proportion to the part of a teacher’s schedule of courses or subjects for which the value-added progress dimension is applicable. If a teacher’s schedule is comprised only of courses or subjects for which the value-added progress dimension is applied, until June 30, 2014, the majority of the student academic growth factor of the evaluation shall be based on the value-added progress dimension or after July 1, 2014, the entire student academic growth factor of the evaluation shall be based on the value-added progress dimension. In calculating student academic growth for an evaluation, a student shall not be included if the student has sixty or more unexcused absences for the school year.
States that the value-added progress dimension established under section 3302.021 of the Revised Code or an alternative student academic progress measure if adopted under division (C)(1)(e) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code shall be used in the student academic growth portion of an evaluation.
Amended Sec. 3319.58 Ineffective Teachers
Exempts community schools subject to Section 3314.017 (dropout prevention and recovery schools) from requiring classroom teachers in schools ranked in the lowest ten percent of all public school buildings to register for and take all written examinations of content knowledge selected by the ODE.
Amended Sec. 3326.03 STEM Schools
Allows an educational service center to submit proposals for new STEM schools through a partnership of public and private entities to the STEM committee.
Amended 5910.02 Ohio War Orphans Scholarship
Defines “veteran” as any person who was a member of the armed services of the United States and participated in an operation for which the armed forces expeditionary medal was awarded.
Permits the War Orphans Scholarship Board to apply for, receive, and accept, grants, gifts, bequests, and contributions from public and private sources, including agencies and instrumentalities of the United States and this state, and shall deposit the grants, gifts, bequests, or contributions into the Ohio war orphans scholarship fund.
New Sec. 5910.07 Ohio War Orphans Scholarship Fund
Creates the Ohio war orphans scholarship fund in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of gifts, bequests, grants, and contributions made to the fund. Investment earnings of the fund shall be deposited into the fund. The fund shall be used to operate the war orphans scholarship program and to provide grants under sections 5910.01 to 5910.06 of the Revised Code.
Amended Sec. 5919.34 National Guard Scholarship Fund
Permits the chancellor and the adjutant general to apply for, and receive grants, gifts, bequests, and contributions, from public and private sources, including agencies and instrumentalities of the United States and this state, and shall deposit the grants, gifts, bequests, or contributions into the national guard scholarship reserve fund.
Temporary Law:
Section 3: Includes the following description of the General Assembly’s intent regarding these changes in law: “As Ohio prepares to transition to the more rigorous Common Core State Standards that are scheduled to be fully implemented in the 2014-2015 school year, it is the intent of the General Assembly to put a new accountability system in place to help prepare the state’s students, parents, schools, and communities for the increased demands of a 21st Century education and to assure that our youngest students are provided the skills to successfully progress through our primary and secondary education system as evidenced by an emphasis on early literacy. The General Assembly intends that the system created in this act will assist our schools in the move to the Common Core through a comprehensive, data-driven evaluation system that can lead to academic excellence in schools across Ohio and will focus on the goal of assuring that all of our children graduate from high school adequately prepared to be successful in college or in the career of their choice. Further, the General Assembly intends that the system will pay special attention to closing the achievement gap that historically has left too many of our students behind.”
Section 4: Not later than August 31, 2013, the state board of education shall submit to the General Assembly under section 101.68 of the Revised Code recommendations for a comprehensive statewide plan to intervene directly in and improve the performance of persistently poor performing schools and school
districts.
Section 5. Not later than December 31, 2013, the Department of Education shall review the additional information included on the school district and building report cards described in division (H) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code, as amended by this act, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, recommendations for revisions to make the report cards easier to read and understand.
Section 6. Requires the State Board of Education not later than March 31, 2013, to submit to the General Assembly a one-year safe harbor for districts and schools for the first year that the assessments developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers are administered in this state as achievement assessments. The recommendations shall include a method to exempt from sanctions and penalties prescribed by law, based on report card ratings, school districts, buildings operated by districts, community schools, STEM schools, and college preparatory boarding schools that have a decline in performance index score that is within two standard errors of measure below the Ohio statewide average decline in performance index score when compared to the performance index score from the previous year as determined by the Department of Education. However, districts or schools that have received an “F” for performance index score on the report card issued for the previous school year shall not be eligible for the exemption.
The recommendations shall specify that for those districts and schools to which the exemption applies, for purposes of determining whether a district or school is subject to any sanctions or penalties, the year that the assessments developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers are first administered in this state shall not be considered.
However, the ratings of any previous or subsequent years shall be considered in determining whether a school district or building is subject to sanctions or penalties. Accordingly, the ratings for the year that the assessments developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers are first administered shall have no effect in determining sanctions or penalties, but shall not create a new starting point for determinations that are based on ratings over multiple years.
The recommendations shall include the provisions from which an applicable district or building would be exempt, including, but not limited to, the following:
-Any restructuring provisions established under Chapter 3302. of the Revised Code, except as required under the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001”;
-Provisions for academic distress commissions under section 3302.10 of the Revised Code;
-Provisions prescribing new buildings where students are eligible for the Educational Choice Scholarships under section 3310.03 of the Revised Code;
-Provisions defining “challenged school districts” in which new start-up community schools may be located, as prescribed in section 3314.02 of the Revised Code;
-Provisions prescribing community school closure requirements under section 3314.35 of the Revised Code.
Section 7. Amends section 3314.016 (Sponsorship of Community Schools) to take effect January 1, 2015.
Section 8. Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with entities that sponsor community schools, to prescribe quality practices for community school sponsors, develop an instrument to measure adherence to those quality practices, and publish the quality practices and instrument, so that they are available to entities that sponsor community schools prior to their implementation. The quality practices developed under this section shall be based on standards developed by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers or any other nationally organized community school organization.
Section 9. Amends Sec. 267.10.90 of HB153 of the 129th General Assembly to require the State Board of Education to set rules and dates for the administration of the English language arts assessments for the elementary grades.
FYI ARTS
1) Vans Custom Culture Competition: The Vans Custom Culture invites high school arts classes to compete in a competition to win money for their visual art program. Registered schools will receive four pairs of blank Vans sneakers to be customized in four themes: ART, MUSIC, ACTION SPORTS, AND LOCAL FLAVOR.
Custom Culture is a national high school shoe customized contest where schools from all over the United States compete for a chance to win money for arts programs. The Top Five finalists will be flown to New York City for an exclusive final event where the winner will be selected. The grand prize winning school will receive a $50,000 prize for their arts programs and the chance for their shoes to be produced and sold in Vans’ retail stores. The four runner up schools will also receive money for their arts programs. Additionally, national retail partner Journeys will award a separate $10,000 prize to one of the final five schools with the best local flavor themed pair of shoes.
Registration for the competition begins on January 2, 2013.
Information is available at http://www.vans.com/customculture/
2) Arts Education Means More: Rob Schultz writes on the ARTSblog that arts education must exist beyond evaluation, measurement, and standards. (Arts Education Must Exist Beyond Evaluation, Measurement, and Standards by Rob Schultz, ARTSblog, December 11, 2012.)
According to the author, comprehensive approaches to learning that include the arts are important to address the personalized needs of students, but sometimes it is important for arts education to exist “... simply for the sake of enjoying what our students are doing, and just letting them do it. Without demands. Without complications. To allow expression to happen without worrying about whether or not it’s planned, measured, defined, linked, collaborative, progressive, sustainable, integrated, modeled, informed, competent, or transformational.”
The blog is available at http://blog.artsusa.org/2012/12/11/arts-education-must-exist-beyond-evaluation-measurement-and-standards/
3) NEA Grants Awarded: The National Endowment for the Arts announced on November 27, 2012 awards for 71 arts education programs totaling over $2.023 million. Two awards were made to Ohio arts education organizations.
The Granville Studio of Visual Arts in Granville, OH was awarded a $15,000 grant to support Journey: Art of the Self-Portrait, a studio arts program for high school students. Students will gain curatorial skills by developing a public exhibition of their own art work in a community setting. Teaching artists will document each phase of the project using photography, journaling, and video of peer critiques.
The other Ohio grant was awarded to YS Kids Playhouse in Yellow Springs, OH. The program was awarded
$10,000 to support the Summer Theater Arts Immersion program. Led by local, national, and international artists, students will study acting, technical theater, and music and create original and adapted performances that will be presented to the public.
Congratulations to the Ohio recipients!!
Information is available at http://www.arts.gov/grants/recent/disciplines/disc13.php?CAT=Art%20Works&DIS=Arts%20Education&TABLE=1
4) Students Learn to Read Through the Arts: Melissa Jenco writes in the Chicago Tribune that at-risk students in 21 Chicago city schools are using the arts to help them learn to read through the Reading in Motion’s Benchmarks program. (A musical twist to reading education: Reading in Motion’s Benchmarks program uses the arts to help at-risk students, December 12, 2012, by Melissa Jenco, Chicago Tribune.)
According to the article Reading in Motion, Karl Androes executive director, founded in 1983, partners with schools and teachers to create and deliver an innovative, supplemental reading program that uses music and drama to engage students. Reading In Motion’s mission is to get every at-risk student reading at or above grade level within the first years of school through the power and discipline of the arts. The program is supported by the Chicago Tribune Charities, a McCormick Foundation Fund.
The program uses the arts to reinforce reading including vocabulary development, sounding-out letters, and shaping letters using Play-Doh, pictures, and drawings. Teachers use the program 40 to 50 minutes a day, five days a week with kindergarten and first graders. A study of the effectiveness of the program found that 92 percent of the kindergarten students in the program for one year were reading at grade level, compared to 63 percent at grade level when the program began.
The program provides training for teachers during the summer and throughout the school year, and Reading in Motion coaches visit classrooms monthly to provide support.
The article is available at http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-12-12/news/ct-met-holiday-giving-reading-in-motion-20121212_1_grade-level-karl-androes-end-of-first-grade
Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
Arts On Line Education Update
December 3, 2012
Joan Platz
1) 129th General Assembly: The Ohio House and Senate will hold hearings and sessions this week.
•Senate Leaders Elected: Ohio Senate Republicans elected last week Keith Faber Senate President for the 130th General Assembly. Senator Faber will take over the presidency from Senator Tom Niehaus, who was term-limited and will complete his term at the end of December 2012. Other members of the Senate Republican leadership team in the 130th General Assembly are Senators Chris Widener (Springfield) president pro tempore; Tom Patton (Strongsville) majority floor leader; and Larry Obhof (Medina) majority whip.
•House Leaders Elected: House Republicans re-elected William Batchelder (Medina) as speaker for the 130th Ohio General Assembly. Other members of the Republican leadership team include Representatives Matt Huffman (Lima) speaker pro tempore; Barbara Sears (Sylvania) majority floor leader; John Adams (Sidney) assistant majority floor leader; Cheryl Grossman (Grove City) majority whip, and Jim Buchy (Greenville) assistant majority whip.
•Education Bills Approved: The Ohio House approved two education bills last week, Sub. HB555 (Stebelton) and HB191 (Patmon/Hayes). An analysis of HB555 is included at #5 below.
HB191 was approved by a vote of 53 to 38. The bill would establish a minimum school year for school districts based on hours, rather than days of instruction. No hearings on this bill have been scheduled in the Senate.
•Superintendent’s Search: Ray and Associates, the search firm hired by the State Board of Education to help them hire a superintendent of public instruction, is seeking comments from stakeholders regarding the characteristics and qualifications of the new superintendent. Comments will be accepted until December 6, 2012 at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T55WDBV.
•House Education Committee Update: The House Education Committee, Representative Stebelton chair, reported-out HB462 (Pelanda) Withholding grades or credits-abused child. This bill addresses circumstances in which school districts withhold or transfer to another district or school the grades and credits of a child who is alleged or adjudicated as abused, neglected, or dependent. The bill was amended allowing schools to request a copy of any order regarding the child’s custody or placement issued pursuant to a complaint filed under Sec. 2151.27 of the Revised Code.
2) Hearings this Week:
•Senate Education Committee: The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Lehner, will meet on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 9:00 PM in the South Hearing Room and Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 10:00 AM in the North Hearing Room to consider Sub. HB555 (Stebelton) Accountability-New Report Cards and HB543 (Anielski) Suicide Awareness Training.
•Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee: The Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee, chaired by Senator Coley, will meet on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 9:30 AM in the South Hearing room to receive sponsor testimony on SB391 (Niehaus) Ethics Laws, a proposal by Senate President Niehaus to modernize Ohio’s ethics laws. The bill would require the Ohio Ethics Commission to publish the financial disclosure forms of public officials online and would update the reporting requirements for lobbyists.
•House Finance and Appropriations Committee: The House Finance and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Representative Amstutz, will meet on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 9:30 AM in hearing room 313. The committee will receive testimony regarding funding for primary and secondary education and funding online instructional models.
3) National News
•Finalists for Race to the Top: Three Ohio school districts/partnerships are among 61 finalists in the federal 2012 Race to the Top - District Competition. The Ohio finalists include the Cleveland Metropolitan School District; the Reynoldsburg City Schools, and the Ohio Appalachian Personalized Learning Network Collaborative. The schools are competing for funding from the $400 million federal Race to the Top - District Competition to support personalize learning, improve student achievement and educator effectiveness, close achievement gaps, and prepare every student for success in college and careers. According to the U.S. Department of Education only 15-25 applications will be accepted. The awards will range from $5 million to $40 million, and will be announced at the end of December.
•New Campaign to Support Learning: The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) launched last week “Learning Is More Than a Test Score,” a campaign to inform the public about the components of high quality teaching and learning and de-emphasize high stakes testing. The campaign promotes student access to instruction in the arts and physical education and high-quality standards such as the Common Core. The AFT believes that policy-makers are fixating too much on testing, which is limiting student access to a well-rounded education.
According to the web site, “Public school educators, parents and students report that as low-quality standardized tests have taken on more importance, the amount of testing in school has increased while nontested subjects like social studies, art, music and hands-on science instruction have been reduced or squeezed out of the curriculum entirely. Because many of these subjects help students develop critical thinking, creativity and other vital 21st-century skills, forcing some students to forgo these experiences in exchange for testing and test preparation puts them at an unfair disadvantage.”
The AFT will be working with affiliates, communities, school districts, and states to help ensure that testing does not encroach on the instructional time students need to learn how to think critically and creatively.
In the next few months, the AFT will convene leaders and external experts to look at promising practices and develop a road map of promising policy alternatives to balance the emphasis on testing. The Albert Shanker Institute also will devote its Good Schools conference to this topic.
The AFT’s campaign includes a website, a toolkit and other items. The website is available at http://www.learningismore.com/.
4) Court Decides on Redistricting Maps: The Ohio Supreme Court issued a 4-3 decision on November 27, 2012 in Wilson et at v. Kasich, et. al denying plaintiffs’ request to declare unconstitutional the state’s current apportionment plan for the Ohio General Assembly. The majority opinion was written by Justice O’Donnell. Justices Lanzinger, Cupp and Judge Willamowski of the Third Appellate District concurred. Justices O’Connor, Pfeifer, and McGee Brown dissented. Judge Willamowski was sitting in for Justice Stratton.
The case was filed in January 4, 2012 by 36 electors living in various House Districts, and challenged the constitutionality of the apportionment plan approved by the Apportionment Board on September 30, 2011 based on Article XI, Sections 7 and 11.
Justice Terrence O’Donnell wrote the majority opinion saying that “....The Ohio Constitution does not mandate political neutrality in the reapportionment of house and senate districts” and that the burden of proof is on the plaintiffs to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the apportionment plan developed by the apportionment board is unconstitutional.
The minority disagreed with the majority’s arguments regarding burden of proof and whether or not the constitutional requirements for compactness and minimal splitting within single governmental districts had been met by the apportionment board.
The opinion is at
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/SlipOpinion.pdf
5) Update on HB555: The Ohio House approved on November 29, 2012 HB555 (Stebelton) School Accountability/Local Report Card by a vote of 58 to 27. The bill now moves to the Senate Education Committee, which is expected to complete action on it before the 129th General Assembly ends this month.
The bill includes a variety of changes in education law, but focuses on three main issues: a new rating system for Ohio’s schools/districts; evaluations of sponsors of charter schools; and evaluations of dropout prevention and recovery schools. The bill directs the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Ohio Department of Education to calculate standards, benchmarks, and approve rules to implement the provisions in the bill in a very short amount of time. Some school leaders are questioning the capacity of the ODE to complete this work after years of cut-backs and loss of staff.
Some of the provisions in the bill were originally included in SB316 (Lehner), the mid-biennial review for education, to comply with Ohio’s application for waivers from the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Lawmakers decided to hold-back on the accountability changes, which were pulled from SB316 before it was approved and signed into law in June 2012. As a result, some provisions need to be finalized in order to comply with the waiver Ohio was granted.
The following is a summary of some of the provisions included in the bill:
Amended Section 3301.079 (D) Academic Standards
Replaces references to “English language arts” with the terms reading and writing.
Amended Sec. 3301.0710 (A)(2) Assessment
Increases the number of ranges of scores students can achieve on the achievement assessments from three to five: advanced level; accelerated; proficient; basic; and limited.
Amended Sec. 3301.0711 Graduation Requirements
Technical changes.
Amended Sec. 3301.0714 EMIS
Allows entities contracted by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to “develop” state assessments to access certain EMIS reports with staff and/or student information.
Amended Sec. 3302.01 Report Card Ratings Definitions
Performance Index Score: Allows the ODE to assign an additional weight to students who have passed over a grade or subject and have attained a proficient score or higher on a state assessment. The ODE shall assign each year an additional proportional weight to students who attain an advanced score. The State Board must approve this weight.
Subsets of Students: Adds students identified as gifted and students in the lowest quintile for achievement to the subset of students included in the performance index score. Students identified as gifted in superior cognitive will be included in the subset, along with students identified as gifted in reading and math. The ODE shall also include data for students with specific academic ability in other fields, if the field is assessed.
Graduation Rate: Includes the definition of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and the five-year adjusted cohort.
Annual Measurable Objectives: Defines annual measurable objectives as the progress determined in accordance with an agreement between the ODE and the U.S. Department of Education.
Amended Sec. 3302.02, Performance Indicators
Removes attendance from the set of performance indicators that the State Board of Education is required to establish, but retains the “breadth of coursework available within the district.”
Adds to the performance indicators for gifted education in the 2013-2014 school year, the level of gifted services provided; performance of students identified as gifted on state assessments; value added growth measure dis-aggregated for students identified as gifted; the level of gifted identification effort; appropriate licensed gifted staff levels; and the level of professional development provided to general education teachers working with gifted students and gifted spending.
Directs the State Board to set the percentage at 80 percent for all of the state achievement assessments for the 2013-2014 school year. Permits the State Board to adopt rules by July 1, 2014, establishing a different percentage to begin with the 2014-2015 school year.
Amended Sec. 3302.021 Value Added
Retains this section mostly unchanged, but eliminates the Accountability Task Force and creates the Ohio Accountability Advisory Committee, which consists of 14 members, and changes the membership categories and voting privileges of members of the new committee.
-Retains the chairs and ranking minority members of the House and Senate education committees as voting members;
-Retains the superintendent of public instruction or designee, but removes the voting privilege;
-Removes one representative from the teachers’ unions, but adds three members from the public who have experience or expertise in education, statistics, and student data analysis or education public policy, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
-Removes one representative of school boards of education, but adds three members of the public who have experience in education, statistics, and student data analysis or education public policy, appointed by the President of the Senate;
-Removes one school district superintendent, but adds two members of the public who have experience in education, statistics, and student data analysis or education public policy, appointed by the Governor;
-Removes members representing business, nonprofit organizations, school building principal, and a member of the State Board of Education, and replaces them with a member, who shall have experience or expertise as an analyst or auditor appointed by the Auditor of State.
Requires the committee to meet at least twice each calendar year, and report to the Governor, General Assembly, and State Board about the state’s accountability system.
Requires the committee to adopt recommendations to improve the school district and building accountability system.
Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to annually submit to the Accountability Advisory Committee the results of the report cards.
Amended Sec. 3302.03 Report Cards
Eliminates the current report card criteria and establishes a new system for rating school districts and buildings based on letter grades A-F outlined in section (E). The State Board of Education is required to establish the performance criteria for each letter grade and prescribe a method to assign a letter grade. The bill states in part (E) that “A” means making excellent progress; “B” means making above average progress; “C” means making average progress; “D” means making below average progress; “F” means failing to meet minimum progress. The current requirement in law to disaggregate the data according to certain categories is retained with some changes for gifted education, and added is a new category comprised of students who achieve in the lowest quintile.
States that for a school building to which any of the performance measures do not apply, due to grade levels served by the building, the State Board shall designate the performance measures that are applicable to the building. This designation must be calculated separately and used to calculate the building’s overall grade.
Requires the ODE to issue annual report cards reflecting the performance profile of each school district, each building within each district, and for the state as a whole, using the performance measures and letter grade system. Requires the ODE to include on the report card for each district the most recent two-year trend data in student achievement for each subject and each grade.
Outlines in Section 3302.03 (A)(1) a-i; (B)(1) a-l; and (C)(1) a-n how grades in the performance measures for school districts and schools will be phased-in over school years 2012-13; 2013-14; and 2014-15. For some school years the percentage of students needed to receive a certain grade level changes, and indicators are added.
The following performance measures will be reported:
-Annual measurable objectives, which replaces adequate yearly progress
-Performance index score for a school district or building as a percentage of the total possible points as adopted by the State Board
-Performance Indicators earned expressed as a percent
-Four and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates overall
-Value added score based on three years of value added data
-The rate of participation and average score among students enrolled in a district or building on a national standardized test for college admission, selected by the State Board
-The percent of students in a district or building who enroll in state institutions of higher education or enroll out of state, and who are determined not to be college ready. (Excludes students not enrolled in college or who go in the military.)
-Value added scores for subgroups of students
-The percent of students who receive an honors diploma
Adds for the 2013-2014 school year three additional indicators: whether a school district or building is making progress in improving literacy in grades K through 3 as determined by the State Board of Education; the percentage of students who receive an honors diploma; and the results of the college and career ready assessments.
Adds for the 2014-2015 school year additional indicators: the results of the college and career-ready assessments and the percentage of students who receive industry credentials.
Includes on the report card without an assigned letter grade the rate of participation among students enrolled in a district or building in advanced placement classes and the percentage of those students who receive a score of three or better on advanced placement examinations; and the number of high school and college credits a district’s or building’s students have earned in that school year through dual enrollment programs.
Sets the deadlines for the State Board of Education to adopt resolutions describing the performance measures, benchmarks, and grading system for the 2012-13; 2013-14 and the 2014-15 school years.
Does not require an overall letter grade for a school district or school in the 2012-2013 or the 2013-2014 school years, but requires the ODE to establish a method to assign an overall grade for a school district or school building for the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter. The State Board shall adopt a grade for each separate component and an overall grade for the following:
(a) Gap closing, which shall include the performance measure for annual measurable objectives
(b) Achievement, which shall include the performance measures for the performance index score and performance indicators
(c) Progress, which shall include the performance measures, value added, and the rate of participation and scores on a national standardized test for college admission
(d) Graduation rates
(e) Kindergarten through third-grade literacy
(f) Prepared for success, which shall include the performance measures for participation and scores on a national standardized test for college admission, indicators for college and career ready, participation and scores on advanced placement exams, college credits earned, honors diploma, results of the college and career-ready assessments, and industry credentials.
Requires the ODE to conduct a public presentation before the House and Senate education committees at least forty-five days prior to the State Board’s adoption of rules to prescribe the methods for calculating the overall grade for the report card and describe the format for the report card, the weights that will be assigned to the components of the overall grade, and the method for calculating the overall grade.
Requires the State Board not later than July 1, 2015 to develop a measure of student academic progress for high school students, which shall be included on the report card beginning in the 2015-2016.
Requires the ODE to report when a particular student group did not receive a student performance data report, because there were less than ten students.
Amended Sec. 3302.033 Report Cards for Joint Vocational School Districts and Career Technical Planning Districts.
Allows data to be dis-aggregated for each joint vocational school district.
Includes districts that are not joint vocational.
NEW 3302.04 Additional Measures
Requires the State Board of Education by December 31, 2013 to adopt measures in addition to the report card, and report them separately for school districts, school buildings, community schools, STEM schools, and college preparatory boarding schools.
-Data for students who have passed over a grade or subject area under an acceleration policy prescribed under section 3324.10 of the Revised Code;
-The number of students who are eligible to receive and those that are receiving free lunch under the “National School Lunch Act,” 42 U.S.C. 1751, as amended, and the “Child Nutrition Act of 1966,” 42 U.S.C. 1771, as amended;
-The number of lead teachers employed by each district and each building once the data is available through the education management information system established under section 3301.0714
-The amount of students screened and identified as gifted under Chapter 3324. of the Revised Code;
-Postgraduate student outcome data as described under division (E)(2)(d)(ii) of section 3314.017 of the Revised Code;
-Availability of courses in fine arts;
-Participation with other school districts to provide career-technical education services to students;
-The amount of extracurricular services offered to students.
The department shall report this information annually beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and make this information available on its web site for comparison purposes.
Amended Section 3302.04 Transition for Designations
Clarifies that after the 2014-2015 school year, when a provision in law refers to a school or school district in academic emergency, academic watch, continuous improvement, it means the following: Academic emergency = F, Academic Watch = D, Continuous Improvement = C.
Maintains current agreements with the U.S. Department of Education regarding low performing schools.
States that for the 2012-2013 school year schools or districts that receive an “F” rating for the number of performance indicators met; performance index score; or a rating of “D” or “F” for value added, shall be subject to intervention rules and a site evaluation.
Amended Sec. 3302.041 Corrective Action Plans
Clarifies that corrective action plans for schools are contingent upon the approval of the U.S. Department of Education.
Amended Sec. 3302.042 Parent Trigger Pilot Project
Specifies that for the 2014-2015 school year and thereafter, schools in the pilot project (Columbus City School District) with a rating of “D” or “F” on the value-added progress dimension for three or more consecutive school years are eligible for the pilot project in addition to a school ranked by the performance index in the lowest five percent of public school buildings statewide.
Amended Sec. 3302.05 Exemptions from Mandates
Identifies the school districts eligible for exemptions from state mandates adopted by the State Board of Education based on the new rating system for schools.
Amended Sec. 3302.10 Academic distress commission
Identifies the school districts that must implement an academic distress commission based on the new rating system.
Amended Sec. 3302.12 Low Performing Schools
Identifies the school districts that must implement certain provisions regarding low performing schools based on the new rating system.
Amended Sec. 3302.20 Annual Operating Expenditures for Classroom Instruction
Requires data to be collected and reported from the college preparatory boarding school after two years of operations about operating expenditures for classroom instruction and non classroom purposes.
Adds the requirement that the ODE categorize all college-preparatory boarding schools in a single category.
Excludes community schools subject to Section 3314.17 (dropout prevention and recovery schools) from performance index scores rankings.
Amended Sec. 3302.21 Ranking City, Exempted Village, Local School Districts, and Community Schools
States that community schools subject to Section 3314.17 (dropout prevention and recovery schools), STEM schools subject to Section 3326, and college-preparatory boarding school subject to Section 3328 are excluded from rankings.
Permits the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop another measure of student academic performance based on similar data and performance measures and to rank districts, schools, or buildings to which the performance index score does not apply.
Allows alternative student academic progress measures to be used to rank schools if adopted under division (C)(1)(e) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code.
Excludes from an annual report about school rankings issued by the ODE each September community schools subject to 3314.17; STEM schools subject to 3326; and college preparatory schools subject to 3328.
Amended Section 3310.03 Educational Choice Scholarship
Aligns the eligibility requirements for students seeking an Educational Choice Scholarship with the new rating system for schools/districts.
New 3310.16 Two Application Periods for the Educational Choice Scholarship
Establishes for the 2014-2015 school year and thereafter two application periods, the first day of February to July 1st and July 1st through mid August, for the Educational Choice Scholarship.
Amended Sec. 3311.80 Municipal School District
Permits the municipal school district to use an alternative student academic progress measure adopted by the State Board of Education in place of value added as a component of teacher evaluation.
States that “Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, the requirements of this section prevail over any conflicting provisions of a collective bargaining
agreement entered into on or after October 1, 2012.”
Amended Sec. 3313.473 Site-based management councils
Aligns the requirements for a site-based management council with the new rating system for school districts and schools.
Amended Sec. 3313.608 Third Grade Reading Guarantee
Changes the term English language arts to reading and writing.
Requires students identified with a reading deficiency to receive intensive reading instruction services and regular diagnostic assessments until the development of the reading improvement and monitoring plan is implemented.
Amended Sec. 3314.011 Fiscal Officers
Requires fiscal officers of community schools to be licensed under Section 3301.074 of the Revised Code.
Amended Sec. 3314.012 Report Cards for Community Schools
Exempts schools subject to Section 3314.017 (dropout and prevention recovery schools) from the ODE requirement to issue annual report cards for community schools.
Requires the report card for community schools to align with divisions (A), (B), (C) and (D) of Section 3302.03 of the Revised Code, rating system for schools.
Amended Sec. 3314.013 Internet or computer-based schools
Extends until the 61st day after the law has been enacted or after July 1, 2013 the prohibition regarding the opening of new internet/computer-based schools, with some exceptions. New schools may open subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Requires the Superintendent to approve applications for new internet/computer-based school from only those demonstrating experience and quality.
Requires the Superintendent to adopt rules prescribing measures to determine experience and quality of applicants. Measures shall include, but are not limited to, the sponsor’s experience, the operator’s experience, the sponsor and operator’s previous record of student achievement, a preference for operators with previous experience in Ohio.
Amended Sec. 3314.015 Community School Sponsors
Requires the ODE to evaluate the effectiveness of any and all sponsors of community schools.
Requires the State Board rather than the ODE to determine whether the mission proposed in the contract of a community school to be sponsored by a state university board of trustees complies with the requirements in the division, and if any tax exempt entity is an education-oriented entity for the purposes of sponsoring a community school.
Amended Sec. 3314.016 Rating Sponsors of Community Schools
Prohibits an entity from sponsoring additional community schools if it is rated as ineffective.
Requires the ODE to develop and implement an evaluation system that rates each entity that sponsors a community school based on the following components:
-Academic performance of students enrolled
-Adherence to the quality practices prescribed by the ODE. This provision can not be implemented until the ODE develops the quality practices and an instrument to measure adherence.
-Compliance with applicable laws and administrative rules by an entity.
Requires the ODE to exclude from the academic component community schools in operation for less than two full years and community schools in division (A)(4)(b) of Sec. 3314.35. (Dropout recovery and prevention)
Requires the ODE to prescribe quality practices for community school sponsors and develop an instrument to measure adherence to the quality practices.
Requires the State Board of education not later than July 1, 2013 to adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code prescribing standards for measuring compliance with applicable laws and rules under division (B)(1)(c) of this section.
Requires the ODE to rate all entities that sponsor community schools as either “exemplary,” “effective,” or “ineffective,” based on the components prescribed by division (B) of this section, where each component is weighted equally, except that entities sponsoring community schools for the first time may be assigned the rating of “emerging” for only the first two consecutive years.
Requires the ODE to publish the ratings between the first day of October and the 15th day of October.
States that prior to the 2014-2015 school year, student academic performance prescribed under division (B)(1)(a) of this section shall not include student academic performance data from community schools that primarily serve students enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery program as described in division (A)(4)(a) of section 3314.35 of the Revised Code.
For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, student academic performance prescribed under division (B)(1)(a) of this section shall include student academic performance data from community schools that primarily serve students enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery program.
Allows the ODE to assume sponsorship of community schools that has not yet opened and for which the sponsor has becomes ineligible until the governing authority of the new community school has secured a new sponsor or until two years has expired. The sponsorship by the ODE of a school under these circumstances does not count toward the ODE sponsor limit.
New Sec. 3314.017 Report Cards for Dropout and Prevention Community Schools
Requires the State Board of Education to adopt academic performance rating and a report card system for community schools that primarily serve students enrolled in dropout prevention and recovery programs beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.
States that nothing in this section shall at any time relieve a school from its obligations under the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001” to make “adequate yearly progress.” The department shall continue to
report each school’s performance as required by the act and to enforce applicable sanctions under section 3302.04 or 3302.041 of the Revised Code.
Requires the State Board to adopt the following performance indicators for the rating and report card
system required by this section:
-Graduation rate for students graduating in four years or less; those graduating in five years; those graduating in 6 years, 7 years, and 8 years with a high school diploma.
-The percentage of twelfth-grade students currently enrolled in the school who have attained the designated passing score on all of the applicable state high school achievement assessments required under division (B)(1) or (2) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code and other students enrolled in the school, regardless of grade level, who are within three months of their twenty-second birthday and have attained the designated passing score on all of the applicable state high school achievement assessments by their twenty-second birthday.
-Annual measurable objectives as defined in section 3302.01 of the Revised Code
-Growth in student achievement in reading, or mathematics, or both as measured by separate nationally norm-referenced assessments that have developed appropriate standards for students enrolled in dropout prevention and recovery programs, adopted or approved by the state board.
Requires the State Board rules to prescribe the expected performance levels and benchmarks for each of the indicators based on the data gathered by the department. Based on a school’s level of attainment or non attainment of the expected performance levels and benchmarks for each of the indicators, the department shall rate each school in one of the following categories: Exceeds standards, Meets standards, or Does not meet standards.
Requires the State Board to establish performance levels and benchmarks for the indicators by certain dates.
Prescribes the percentage of the score that will be based on each indicator.
States that if both of the indicators for graduation rate and student achievement on certain state assessments improve by ten per cent for two consecutive years, a school shall be rated as “meets standards.”
Prescribes the components of the report cards for the 2012-2013; 2013-2014; 2014-2015 school years. Requires the ODE to also include student outcome data such as postsecondary credits earned, nationally recognized career or technical certificates, military enlistment, job placement, attendance rate, and progress on closing achievement gaps for each school.
Requires the ODE to gather data and work with stakeholders to determine how to measure student growth and requires schools to cooperate.
Requires the ODE to identify one or more states that have established or are in the process of establishing similar academic performance rating systems for dropout prevention and recovery programs and consult with the departments of education of those states in developing the system required by this section.
Amended Sec. 3314.02 Challenged School District
Aligns the definition of a challenged school district with the components of the new rating system.
Allows the governing board of an educational service center to sponsor a new start-up school in any challenged school district in the state if all of the following are satisfied: If applicable, it satisfies the requirements of division (E) of section 3311.86 of the Revised Code; it is approved to do so by the ODE; or it enters into an agreement with the ODE under section 3314.015 of the Revised Code.
Amended Sec. 3314.05 Community School Multiple Facilities
Allows community schools to be located in multiple facilities if certain conditions are met. Aligns those conditions with the new rating system for community schools.
Amended Sec. 3314.35 Community School Closure
Describes the circumstances that would lead to the closure of a community school using the new rating system for schools.
States that for purposes of division (A)(3) of this section only, the value-added progress dimension for a community school shall be calculated using assessment scores for only those students to whom the school has administered the achievement assessments prescribed by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code for at least the two most recent school years.
New Sec. 3314.351 Dropout Prevention and Recovery Community Schools
States that beginning on or after July 1, 2014, any such community school that has received a designation of “does not meet standards” as described in division (D)(1) of section 3314.017 of the Revised Code on the report card issued under that section, for at least two of the three most recent school years shall be subject to closure.
Requires the ODE to notify each school subject to closure by the first day of September.
Amended Sec. 3314.36 Waivers for Dropout Prevention and Recovery Community Schools
States that until June 30, 2014, the ODE shall grant a waiver to a dropout prevention and recovery program, within sixty days after the program applies for the waiver, if the program meets all of the certain conditions unchanged by the bill.
States that beginning on July 1, 2014, all community schools in which a majority of the students are enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery program are subject to the provisions of section
3314.351 of the Revised Code, regardless of whether a waiver has been granted under this section. Thereafter, no waivers shall be granted under this section.
Amended Sec. 3319.111 Teacher evaluations/contracts
States that notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, the requirements of sections 3119.11 and 3119.112 of the Revised Code prevail over any conflicting
provisions of a collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after September 24, 2012 and the effective date of this amendment.
Amended Sec. 3319.112 Teacher Evaluations
States that the value-added progress dimension established under section 3302.021 of the Revised Code or an alternative student academic progress measure if adopted under division (C)(1)(e) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code shall be used in the student academic growth portion of an evaluation.
Amended Sec. 3319.58 Ineffective Teachers
Exempts community schools subject to Section 3314.017 (dropout prevention and recovery schools) to require classroom teachers in schools ranked in the lowest ten percent of all public school buildings to register for and take all written examinations of content knowledge selected by the ODE.
Amended Sec. 3326.03 STEM Schools
Allows an educational service center to submit proposals for new STEM schools through a partnership of public and private entities to the STEM committee.
Amended 5910.02 Ohio War Orphans Scholarship
Permits the War Orphans Scholarship Board to apply for, receive, and accept, grants, gifts, bequests, and contributions from public and private sources, including agencies and instrumentalities of the United States and this state, and shall deposit the grants, gifts, bequests, or contributions into the Ohio war orphans scholarship fund.
New Sec. 5910.07 Ohio War Orphans Scholarship Fund
Creates the Ohio war orphans scholarship fund in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of gifts,
bequests, grants, and contributions made to the fund. Investment earnings of the fund shall be deposited into the fund. The fund shall be used to operate the war orphans scholarship program and to provide grants under sections 5910.01 to 5910.06 of the Revised Code.
Amended Sec. 5919.34 National Guard Scholarship Fund
Permits the chancellor and the adjutant general to apply for, and receive grants, gifts, bequests, and contributions, from public and private sources, including agencies and instrumentalities of the United States and this state, and shall deposit the grants, gifts, bequests, or contributions into the national guard scholarship reserve fund.
Temporary Law:
Section 4: Not later than August 31, 2013, the state board of education shall submit to the General Assembly under section 101.68 of the Revised Code recommendations for a comprehensive statewide plan to intervene directly in and improve the performance of persistently poor performing schools and school
districts.
Section 5. Not later than December 31, 2013, the Department of Education shall review the additional information included on the school district and building report cards described in division (H) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code, as amended by this act, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, recommendations for revisions to make the report cards easier to read and understand.
Section 7. Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with entities that sponsor community schools, to prescribe quality practices for community school sponsors, develop an instrument to measure adherence to those quality practices, and publish the quality practices and instrument, so that they are available to entities that sponsor community schools prior to their implementation. The quality practices developed under this section shall be based on standards developed by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers or any other nationally organized community school organization.
Section 8. Amends Sec. 267.10.90 of HB 153 of the 129th General Assembly to require the State Board of Education to set rules and dates for the administration of the English language arts assessments for the elementary grades.
6) Higher Education Leaders Propose New Funding Formula: Governor Kasich requested in September 2012 that a commission of college and university leaders propose a new state funding system for higher education based on the current level of state funding, which is expected to be available in the FY14-15 biennial budget. On November 30, 2012 the commission, led by Ohio State University president E. Gordon Gee, presented the recommendations and policy changes to Governor Kasich and Chancellor Jim Petro in a report entitled, Recommendations of the Ohio Higher Education Funding Commission. The recommendations and policy changes will be phased-in over three years.
According to the report, Ohio’s is leading the nation in efforts to “invest in institutions that demonstrate a commitment to student success and economic development”. The Ohio Higher Education Funding Commission will remain intact throughout the budget process to continue to refine the recommendations and to support the implementation of the policy changes.
The following recommendations are included in the report:
•Funding for community colleges in Ohio should transition from a system that mainly rewards enrollment in classes to one that rewards the completion of classes, certificates and degrees.
•All university students on all campuses (main or regional) should be treated equally in the funding formula and in any relevant state laws.
•Colleges and universities should be rewarded if they attract out-of-state students to Ohio and keep them in the state for employment or continued education.
•Historical set-asides and earmarks should be eliminated so that all of the state’s funding flows through the new completion-based formula.
•Ohio’s community colleges should review the current success points incentive system, which has proven very successful, to ensure it is fully capturing the range of activities that lead to completion.
•Ohio’s community colleges should develop a new degree incentive component for the second year of the biennium that rewards the completion of an associate degree, certificate or transfer to a university.
•The Ohio board of regents should work with campus leaders and faculty to begin establishing statewide standards for certificates. Once a standard is developed for a specific certificate, it should be rewarded through the state formula.
•A new weighting system is recommended in the second year of the biennium for non-traditional and at-risk students to ensure that Ohio’s schools maintain their access mission.
To implement the recommendations, the commission proposed the following policy changes incorporated into the new university formula:
-Move 50 percent of state funding into degree completion. In the current formula, 20 percent of state funding is awarded based on degree attainment. This proposal increases the percentage to 50 percent.
-Remove the separate funding formula for regional campuses. In the current formula, funding is set aside for regional campuses and distributed on a course completion basis. This proposal removes the set-aside, and treats all students in the university sector the same, regardless of where they are located.
-Out of state undergraduate students. The new formula proposes a 50% FTE credit in the degree attainment portion for out-of-state undergraduate degrees. However, those students would have to remain in Ohio after graduation to be counted in the formula. The State of Ohio would be asked to cross-reference student graduation data with other state data to ensure they are still in Ohio one year after being awarded a degree. Graduate funding would apply to all students.
-Award credit for Associate Degrees. The new proposal gives credit within the state formula for associate degrees earned at all regional and main campuses. Currently, only a small number of main campuses earn credit for associate degrees.
-Remove the stop loss. This historical safeguard, which redistributes funding from high performing
schools to prevent funding losses at other schools, is recommended for elimination.
-Remove Access Challenge & square footage (POM) based earmarks from regional campuses. These historical earmarks are applied to a limited number of campuses. In the most recent budget, Access Challenge totaled $17 million (mostly at regional campuses) and POM totaled $3 million. The commission recommends removing the Access and POM set-asides on regional campuses for the FY13 budget, and fully removing the appropriations for main campuses in the following budget.
-Adopt a standard three-year average The current formula uses several different methods of averaging. In the interest of appropriate planning and transition, the commission recommends adopting a standard three-year average in year one of the budget and all future years.
-Apply STEM weights to degree completion model. In the current formula, the STEM weights only apply at the course level. Under the new proposed formula, STEM weights would also apply at the degree level.
-Proportional credit for transfer students. In the current formula, degree attainment funding is awarded exclusively to the institution from which the student graduated. The new formula proposes to award proportional degree credit to each university based on the actual amount of credits taken at that university.
-Apply at-risk weights at the student level in the formula. In the current formula, at-risk weights are applied at the campus level through a campus index, which attempts to reflect the proportion of at-
risk students at each campus. The new formula proposes to remove the campus index, and instead apply the at-risk weights directly at the student level when they graduate based on their precise level of at-risk categories.
The following are policy changes for the community college formula:
-Transition funding from enrollment to completion. In the current formula, only 10 percent of state funds are distributed by success points. Recommendation: In the first year of the biennium, funding is distributed 25 percent to success points, 25 percent based on course completion and 50 percent based on enrollment. In the second year of the biennium, the community colleges will make a recommendation to the Chancellor on how to distribute the funds, although none of those categories will be awarded based on enrollment.
-Develop a degree completion incentive. A new formula provision will be developed for the second year of the budget to reward the successful completion of an associate degree, certificate or transfer to a university.
-Develop a new at-risk formula weight. In order to protect the access mission of Ohio’s community colleges, a new formula weight is recommended for the second year of the budget to reward schools that are successful in educating non-traditional and at-risk student populations.
-Remove the stop loss. This historical safeguard, which redistributes funding from high performing schools to prevent funding losses at other schools, is recommended for elimination.
-Remove Access Challenge earmarks from regional campuses. These historical earmarks are applied to a limited number of campuses. In the most recent budget, Access Challenge totaled $54.4 million.
The recommendations are available at https://www.ohiohighered.org/sites/ohiohighered.org/files/uploads/financial/ssi/Ohio%20Higher%20Education%20Funding%20Commission%20-%20Report.pdf
FYI ARTS
1) Governor’s Awards in the Arts Announced: Governor Kasich's office announced last week the following winners of the 2013 Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio:
Arts Administration - Jill Snyder, Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (Cleveland);
Arts Education - Stivers School for the Arts (Dayton);
Arts Patron - Charlotte Kessler (New Albany) and Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Schuster (Dayton);
Business Support of the Arts - PNC Bank (Statewide)
Community Development and Participation - Raymond Shepardson (Cleveland);
Individual Artist - Jack Earl (Lakeview) and Joseph O’Sickey (Kent).
The winners were selected from 66 nominations submitted by individuals and organizations throughout Ohio. They will receive an original work of art by Parma painter Susan Danko at the 2013 Governor’s Awards for the Arts luncheon ceremony, which will be held at 12:00 PM on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at the Columbus Athenaeum in downtown Columbus. The event will be hosted by the Ohio Arts Council and Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation and presented in partnership with The Ohio Channel. The award luncheon is held each year in conjunction with ARTS DAY, a day-long event sponsored by the Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation. Other ARTS DAY events include an arts advocacy briefing, legislative visits by students representing ten high schools in Ohio, an arts showcase, and student exhibitions.
More information on Arts Day 2013 can be obtained at http://www.ohiocitizensforthearts.org, or by calling 614-221-4064.
2) The 2013 Best Communities for Music Education survey has launched! Teachers, parents, school administrators and board members are invited to complete the 2013 Best Communities survey online now through Friday, January 18, 2013. Many districts reported that making the “Best Communities” list has had a positive effect on their ability to sustain and advance music education programs. In 2012, 176 communities were recognized, including 166 school districts and 10 schools.
“The designation has helped to validate the work of the students, faculty, administration and community in building a music program of which we all can be proud,” said Brian P. Timmons, district music coordinator of Bergenfield public schools, in Bergenfield, N.J. “Though the economic crisis, we have been able to continue to grow and develop our program with unprecedented participation. Our designation has undoubtedly been a positive factor in that success.”
The BCME survey asks detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and other relevant factors about their communities’ music education programs. One application may be submitted for school districts and community members are encouraged to work together to complete the comprehensive survey.
The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service of Lawrence, Kansas, an affiliate of the University of Kansas, hosts the survey and has updated and refined processes for assessment of community selection. Survey responses are verified with district officials and then advisory organizations review the data.
The survey is available for review at
http://www.nammfoundation.org/research/best-communities-music-education-survey>.
Complete the District Survey today at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JXHRLFZ>!
Complete the School survey today at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2013SCHOOLCOMPETITION>!
3) Holiday Performances at the Statehouse: Musical groups from schools in central Ohio will be performing at the Statehouse starting Wednesday December 4, 2012 at noon. The performances will take place in the Museum Gallery on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. The concerts are free and open to the public.
Scheduled musical performances include the following:
Dec. 4 - Westland High School, Galloway
Dec. 5 - Hamilton Twp. High School, Columbus
Dec. 6 - Eastmoor Academy, Columbus
Dec. 7 - Grove City Christian School, Grove City
Dec. 10 - Johnstown-Monroe High School, Johnstown
Dec. 11 - Jackson Center High School, Jackson Center
Dec. 12 - FCI Kindergarten Village, Columbus
Dec. 13 - Kenton Ridge High School, Springfield
Dec. 14 - Lancaster High School, Lancaster
Dec. 17 - Centennial High School, Columbus
Dec. 18 - Northside Christian School, Westerville
Joan Platz
Director of Research
Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
77 South High Street Second Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
614-446-9669 - cell
Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
Arts On Line Education Update
November 26, 2012
Joan Platz
TAKE ACTION: Preserve the Charitable Deduction
Contact members of Congress and the President and urge them not to limit the charitable deduction in the lame duck session and to avoid deficit reduction and tax reform solutions that would increase poverty and widen income inequality.
Contact information for Congress and the President is available at http://action.independentsector.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8728
Background: Recent reports suggest that modifications or limitations to the income tax charitable deduction might be under consideration as a revenue source to offset the deficit or the cost of another legislative priority during the lame duck session.
Potential changes to incentives for charitable giving in the tax code have been an ongoing part of deficit reduction and tax reform discussions, including a proposal offered by President Obama that would cap the charitable deduction at 28 percent for high-income taxpayers.
The charitable deduction is an important and effective incentive for giving, and strengthens the nonprofit and philanthropic sector’s capacity to meet the needs of our communities.
As non profits continue to see increasing demand for programs and services, our elected officials should support policies that encourage all Americans to give more to charitable organizations and protect the most vulnerable in our society.
1) 129th Ohio General Assembly: The Ohio House and Senate will hold sessions and committee hearings this week.
The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Stebelton, will meet on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 5:00 PM and Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 5:00 PM in hearing room 313. The committee will continue to discuss Sub. HB555 (Stebelton) Accountability-New Report Cards and HB462 (Pelanda) Student Transfers. A vote on HB555 is possible.
The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Lehner, will meet on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 10:00 AM in hearing room 110. The committee will receive testimony on HB543 (Anielski) Suicide Awareness Training.
The Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee, chaired by Senator Coley, will meet on Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 9:30 AM in the South Hearing room. Pending referral, the committee will receive sponsor testimony on SB391 (Niehaus) Ethics Laws, a proposal by Senate President Niehaus to modernize Ohio’s ethics laws. The bill would require the Ohio Ethics Commission to publish the financial disclosure forms of public officials online and would update the reporting requirements for lobbyists.
2) 130th General Assembly: Last week House Democrats elected their leadership team for the 130th Ohio General Assembly. Democrats re-elected Representatives Armond Budish (D-Beachwood) as Minority Leader; Matt Szollosi (D-Oregon), Assistant Minority Leader; Tracy Heard Minority Whip; and Debbie Phillips as Assistant Minority Whip.
3) National News:
•How Well Are SIGs Working? The U.S. Department of Education released on November 19, 2012 a report entitled Snapshot of School Improvement Grants Data, which includes preliminary information about student achievement at schools that have received federal School Improvement Grants (SIG) program funds.
According to the press release, the Obama administration has invested over $4.5 billion since 2009 in 1300 low performing schools through the SIG program. Schools participating in SIG agreed to initiate one of the following four school reform strategies:
•Turnaround model: The Local Education Agency (LEA) replaces the principal and rehires no more than 50 percent of the staff; gives greater principal autonomy; implements other prescribed and recommended strategies.
•Restart model: The LEA converts or closes and reopens a school under a charter school operator, charter management organization, or education management organization.
•School closure: The LEA closes the school and enrolls the students in other schools in the LEA that are higher achieving.
•Transformation model: The LEA replaces the principal (except in specified situations); implements a rigorous staff evaluation and development system; institutes comprehensive instructional reform; increases learning time and applies community-oriented school strategies; and provides greater operational flexibility and support for the school.
This report includes data about the first cohort of schools (730 out of 831 SIG awarded TierI/II schools) after one year of implementing SIG in the 2009-2010 to the 2010-2011 school years. The data shows positive momentum and progress in many SIG schools, but student achievement in one third of the participating schools actually declined. The report notes the following results:
-Two thirds of schools showed gains in math and two thirds of schools showed gains in reading.
-A larger percentage of elementary schools showed gains than did secondary schools, suggesting that it is easier to improve student performance at a young age than to intervene later.
-Seventy percent of elementary schools showed gains in math, and seventy percent showed gains in reading, a higher percentage of improving schools than was found in middle or high schools.
-Some of the greatest gains have been in small towns and rural communities.
The Institute for Education Sciences is conducting a long-term evaluation of the SIG program using student-level longitudinal data. The evaluation will also compare SIG schools to similarly situated schools that did not receive SIG funds.
The snapshot is at http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-releases-early-snapshot-school-improvement-grants-data
•What’s Next for the 113th Congress: An article in the Washington Post on November 9, 2012 reviews some of the challenges facing public education and possible items on the Obama administration’s education agenda for the next four years. (Obama’s education agenda may look less like real reform and more like tying up loose ends by the Associate Press, Washington Post, November 9, 2012)
According to the article, there will be little change in the education policy gridlock among the Obama Administration, the Democrat-leaning Senate, and the Republican-dominated House, since the control of the Presidency, House, and Senate remain pretty much the same after the November 2012 election. Arne Duncan is expected to stay-on as Secretary of Education, and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Representative John Kline (R-MN) are expected to remain chairs of the Senate and House education committees.
Lawmakers have already returned to Washington, D.C. for a lame duck session to work-out a solution to avoid the budget cuts and tax increases that will begin in January 2013 as a result of the expiration of certain tax laws and the implementation of the Budget Control Act of 2011. Failure to resolve the “fiscal cliff” could lead to significant cuts in federal education programs in 2013, which would mean more financial trouble for local schools.
The 113th Congress will also need to address several major education-related laws that are due for re-authorization this session, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Career and Technical Education Act, and the Higher Education Act. Key among the laws that need to be reauthorized is the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind), now five-years overdue. The legislative impasse stalling the ESEA reauthorization has led the Obama Administration to initiate a controversial process and grant 34 states and the District of Columbia waivers from the most cumbersome provisions of the law including Adequate Yearly progress. In return for the waiver, states had to implement their own reforms for college and career readiness, school improvement, and teacher effectiveness.
As some lawmakers publicly support efforts to reauthorize ESEA, including Education Committee chair, Senator Tom Harkin, the article notes that President Obama is not waiting for Congressional action, but is moving forward with his own education agenda. This includes fine-tuning current initiatives such as teacher preparation programs, principal preparation and evaluation, early childhood education; making higher education more affordable; and leveraging federal funds to improve education at the state and local levels.
The effectiveness of the President’s education initiatives will be the focus of the U.S. House as Congress and the President also have to work-out another budget extension in 2013. The current agreement to fund federal programs in FY13 expires in March 2013. Many lawmakers disagree with the federal government’s expanded role in education, including the competitive process the Obama administration has established for funding federal grants and support for the Common Core Standards and new assessments. Lawmakers will be scrutinizing how well school improvement strategies supported by the Administration are increasing student achievement, at the same time new rigorous standards and graduation requirements will be taking effect in most states.
The article is available at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/loose-ends-recurring-partisan-tensions-to-drive-education-agenda-in-obamas-second-term/2012/11/19/3fb8277c-3221-11e2-92f0-496af208bf23_story.html
4) Study About Head Start Available: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, headed by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, released in August 2012 a report entitled Advisory Committee on Head Start Research and Evaluation. The report was prepared by a panel of experts who were asked to advise the agency on how to improve the effectiveness of the federal Head Start and Early Start programs, which cost almost $8 billion a year to operate.
According to the report, “.....Head Start has a powerful legacy of innovation, and a strong identity as a nationwide program with uniform performance standards and significant cumulative impact on the early childhood field due to its accomplishments, scale, and reach into every state and most local communities. These attributes equip Head Start well to respond to new challenges and opportunities present in today’s policy context for early childhood programs.”
After a review of previous studies and evaluations of Head Start, the panel developed the following findings:
•Compared to care at home by families and in the other early care and education settings available in communities experienced by control group members at the time of the evaluations, both Head Start and Early Head Start result in statistically significant short-term (by end of program) improvements in children’s functioning in important areas of cognitive-academic development, social-emotional development, approaches to learning, and health as well as improvements in parenting and-for Early Head Start-in some parent self-sufficiency outcomes.
•These impacts are in line with the magnitude of findings from other scaled-up programs. Larger impacts may be possible, e.g., by increasing dosage in Early Head Start and Head Start or improving instructional factors in Head Start.
•Impacts do not persist into elementary school, but the literature suggests there could still be longer-term effects. The Committee notes that some early childhood interventions showed impacts into adulthood although impacts faded in childhood, and describes non-experimental studies showing impacts of Head Start in adulthood. The Committee notes that the role of elementary school quality in supporting gains from intervention programs is not well understood.
•Certain subgroups have stronger short-term impacts and persisting positive effects. Depending on the outcome domains assessed, some important and substantial impacts persisted for the lowest-academically performing Head Start children, and for African American children both in Head Start and in Early Head Start. In Early Head Start there was also evidence of some sustained effects for Whites and for children and families who enrolled in Early Head Start home visiting models.
The panel of experts believe that Head Start should be focused on outcomes, guided by research and data, support collective ownership of results for children and families, and support innovative strategies to reach its goals in a variety of locally individualized ways. The report includes the following recommendations:
•Using data to improve school readiness and other key outcomes.
Strengthen Head Start as a learning organization that: (1) is characterized by a commitment to using data for continuous improvement to further strengthen outcomes; (2) develops appropriate assessments and helps programs use their results to guide practice; and (3) integrates and aligns all practices, policies, and supports toward achieving these outcomes within local programs, across federal components of the program, and from federal to local levels.
•Using evidence-based practices.
Implement the strongest and most current evidence-based practices that either: (1) benefit all children; or (2) are tailored for population subgroups. Continue to develop and test new refinements, particularly for specific subgroups, thereby further building the evidence.
•Improving the coordination of services from prenatal to age 8.
Improve alignment and linkages between Head Start and other early childhood standards, child assessments, program monitoring, data, professional development, and technical assistance initiatives, including efforts to include Head Start children in state data systems. Steps toward improved alignment may include federal collaboration with states as well as federal encouragement for Head Start programs to collaborate with states.
The report is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/eval_final.pdf
FYI ARTS
1) After School Programs Recognized: First Lady Michelle Obama presented on November 19, 2012 the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards to 12 after-school programs. The awards include $10,000 in federal grants. The awards are administered by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, First Lady Michelle Obama honorary chair. The following programs received awards this year:
-African Culture & History through traditional dance and music (Omaha, NE)
African Cultural Connection (ACC) provides youth throughout the state of Nebraska with year-round residencies and workshops that focus on traditional African art forms. By engaging students in activities such as drumming, dancing, storytelling, jewelry making, and textile design, the program presents an in-depth perspective on the culture and history of Africa, particularly that of West Africa.
-Arts Education Program for Youth (Seattle, WA)
Arts Corps was founded in 2000 as a strategy to bring out-of-school arts and creative engagement to low-income communities. A multidisciplinary program, Arts Corps partners with a wide range of community organizations and agencies to bring after-school arts classes to 2,000 K-12th grade students every year, at over 30 sites throughout Seattle. Professional teaching artists are placed at partner sites to lead classes in dance, digital media, music, spoken word, theatre, and visual arts.
-AS220 Youth Studio (Providence, RI)
AS220 Youth is a free arts education program serving young people ages 14-21, with a special focus on those in the care and custody of the state. AS220 serves over 450 Rhode Island youth in three separate sites – the Rhode Island Training School (RITS), Urban Collaborative Accelerated Program (UCAP) – a nationally recognized Rhode Island public middle school dedicated to keeping at-risk kids in school, and AS220’s downtown Providence studio. The program goal is to engage youth in a creative process that will lead to positive social, educational, and vocational outcomes.
-ICA Out-of-School Teen Programs (Boston, MA)
Out-of-school programs for teens at the ICA provide young people with the opportunity to engage with art, artists, and the creative process, while also developing confidence and transferable skills. Out-of-school programs for teens utilize the ICA’s physical and artistic resources, including contemporary art and artists, to address a wide range of topics such as personal identity, social change, and innovation.
-Mariachi Master Apprentice Program (San Fernando, CA)
Mariachi Master Apprentice Program (MMAP) brings together Grammy award-winning mariachi music masters Mariachi Los Camperos, led by Natividad Cano, with primarily Mexican middle and high-school students in intensive instructional experiences that preserve the genre of mariachi music.
-Myth and the Hero (Copley, OH)
Myth and the Hero is a humanities-based program that supports the development of African-American adolescent males through the telling, discussion, and interpretation of mythology and fairy tales told to the beat of an African drum. The program offers weekly support groups that utilize the analysis of mythological stories and fairy tales to explore themes that are relevant to the lives of the participants, such as sacrifice, conflict resolution, perseverance, humility, and confidence
-New York City Urban Debate League (Bronx, NY)
The New York City Urban Debate League (NYCUDL) program is dedicated to giving all students the opportunity to become highly-skilled debaters. Since the program’s inception, the NYCUDL has partnered with schools across New York City, particularly Title I public schools, to build successful debate teams. This network of over ten schools offers an array of workshops held after school, on Saturdays, and during the summer. Each workshop immerses the participants in a number of subjects including public speaking, research techniques, philosophy, public policy, civics, international affairs, law, and ethnic studies.
-Out of School Programs (Bronx, NY)
DreamYard’s Out of School Programs (OSP) offer South Bronx teens after-school, Saturdays and summer opportunities. Led by professional teaching artists, OSP participants and teaching artists collaborate in rigorous art-making experiences that hone artistic craft, inspire imagination, and promote social consciousness. DreamYard invests a great deal of time and resources in providing professional development to its teaching artists to ensure high-quality arts teaching practices and deep impact for the students. 100% of OSP participants graduate from high school and attend college.
-Paso Nuevo/Next Step (Washington, DC)
Paso Nuevo is a year-round after-school performance workshop for Latino and multicultural youth, ages 12- 18. While incorporating aspects of acting techniques (including voice and movement), the program focuses on individual creative expression and performance in a safe, collaborative environment. Paso Nuevo uses theatre arts as a vehicle for enhancing self-esteem, developing language and communication skills, strengthening cultural identity, and promoting literacy in both English and Spanish.
-RISE! (Rhythm in Setting Expectations) (Norfolk, VA)
RISE! (Rhythm in Setting Expectations) is a multidisciplinary program that provides underserved youth, ages 7-17, with year-round arts-based workshops. The program is housed in the historic Attucks Theatre, a 30,000 square foot facility, which is the oldest theatre in the country that was constructed, owned, and operated by African Americans and considered to be a national landmark.
-Student Historians High-School Internship Program (New York, NY)
The New-York Historical Society’s (N-YHS) Student Historian Internship Program offers high school students access to over four centuries of art, documents, and artifacts in New York’s oldest museum. In response to the growing need to make history matter for young audiences, the Student Historian High School Internship Program was launched in 2005. The program is called Student Historian Program because students take on the role of real historians, researching, analyzing, and interpreting the past.
-Youth Radio (Oakland, CA)
Youth Radio is a Peabody Award-winning youth media organization that provides free, intensive training in media arts and journalism to underserved youth, ages 14-18. Upon completing six months of intensive media training, participants are able to work as interns on a diverse range of arts and humanities programs at Youth Radio that cover areas such as arts and culture, a spoken word showcase, eclectic/urban music, and current events.
Information about the awards program is available at
http://www.pcah.gov/news/first-lady-michelle-obama-honors-2012-nahyp-awardees-white-house
2) Panel Discusses Teacher Evaluations: The ASCD November 2012 Whole Child Podcast, hosted by Molly McCloskey, featured a panel discussion on fair and effective teacher evaluations. Included on the panel were National Association for Music Education’s Mike Blakeslee, McREL’s Bryan Goodwin, and Superintendent and Educational Leadership contributor Cindy Weber. The panelists discussed the purpose of teacher evaluations and how they can be more effective when they are based on multiple measures, such as observations, peer reviews, parental or student input, and an analysis of agreed-upon student learning evidence, and not solely based on student achievement.
ASCD’s Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education, seeks to inform and engage educators, parents, and community members about what works in today’s schools. Guests include educational leaders, practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and students from around the globe who share their insights about sound education policies and practices that ensure that each student is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. New podcasts are available the first Thursday of the month. Podcasts are archived from 2008.
The Podcast is available at http://ec.libsyn.com/p/9/e/e/9ee6d0634c6727c6/wcpodcast-111512.mp3?d13a76d516d9dec20c3d276ce028ed5089ab1ce3dae902ea1d01cd8430d9cd595ecf&c_id=5143733
Information about other Whole Child Podcasts is available at
http://www.wholechildeducation.org/podcast/about
3) Technology to Support Music Instruction: A November 15, 2012 article in Forbes entitled The Musician’s OS: Tech for Music Education, Lori Kozlowski contributor, describes the work of Matt Sandler, musician, former music teacher, and co-founder of Chromatik, a music technology company that focuses on education.
The company recently launched its free platform (Chromatik) on iPad and the Web. Chromatik allows musicians to upload, record, annotate, and share music with Chromatik’s web and laptop, desktop, iPad, or cell phone.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is just one of several school districts that are using Chromatik to support music instruction and help music teachers provide more individualized support for students. In addition, some educators see Chromatik and other similar technologies as a way to measure student achievement of student learning objectives in music, now required as part of teacher evaluations in many states.
The article is available at
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorikozlowski/2012/11/15/the-musicians-os-tech-for-music-education/
Information about Chromatik is available at
4) Students Overcome the Odds to Graduate: An article in the Cincinnati Enquirer on November 22, 2012 recognizes the number of school districts that are graduating students with disabilities in the greater Cincinnati area, and describes how the artistic talents of Withrow University High School senior Brandon Camp have helped him achieve success even as he copes with autism. (We’re great at providing for special needs kids. Even so, we have difficulties helping them pass state tests by Denise Smith Amos, Cincinnati Enquirer, November 22, 2012)
According to the article, nine Southwest Ohio school districts graduated 100 percent of students with special needs in the 2009-10 school year, outpacing school districts in other parts of Ohio. Many of these special needs students have special talents and abilities that could lead to careers after graduation, so schools must develop education and career plans for these students to ensure that their abilities are developed.
Brandon Camp has difficulty communicating and reads at a third grade level, but he excels at art, especially abstract expressionism. His teachers are working with his parents to develop a career plan that includes training and job shadowing after graduation to help him find a career that utilizes his talents.
The article is available at http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121123/NEWS0102/311230052&Ref=AR?nclick_check=1
Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
Arts On Line Education Update
November 19, 2012
Joan Platz
1) Ohio News
•Election News: The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals granted on November 16, 2012 a motion to temporarily stop an order issued by U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley requiring boards of elections to count provisional ballots even if they do not include accurate voter identification information on the affirmation form.
Secretary of State Jon Husted appealed the order which stems from the enforcement of the decision in Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) v. Husted. Plaintiffs filed a motion seeking the ruling in response to a directive issued by Secretary of State Jon Husted days before the November 6, 2012 election.
According to Judge Marbley’s order, the Secretary of State’s directive violates Ohio Law and a 2010 federal consent decree, because it directed county boards of elections to task voters, rather than poll workers, to record the type of identification that voters presented to vote. This task, according to Ohio law, is the responsibility of the poll worker. The Judge’s order directs county boards of elections to count provisional ballots cast if the affirmation form includes the last four digits of the voters Social Security number, unless it can be proven that a poll worker recorded on that form that a voter must return to a county board of elections with proper identification, what identification must be presented at the county board, and that the voter did not go to the board within 10 days of the election.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, however, found that poll workers use a separate “verification statement” to verify voter identification, and Judge Marbley’s order changes the rules by which provisional voters affirm their identification. The order is available at http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/StayGranted.pdf.
•College Affordability Website: The Ohio Board of Regents has developed a new website called OhioMeansSuccess.org that includes several online tools to help students find affordable and efficient higher education opportunities that will lead to a degree. The website provides information about comparing college costs; transferring credits between state colleges, universities, and career-technical centers for more than 60 degree programs; obtaining financial aid; and how veterans can use their military training and experience to obtain college credit.
The website is part of the Board of Regents “Complete College Ohio Initiative,” to graduate more students and encourage them to remain in Ohio. According to Board of Regents Chancellor Jim Petro, currently 26 percent of Ohioans have a bachelor’s degree compared to 31 percent nationally. The website is available at http://www.ohiomeanssuccess.org.
•Senate Democrats Elect Leadership: Democrats in the Ohio Senate re-elected Senator Eric Kearney as minority leader; Senator Joe Schiavoni (D-Youngstown), assistant minority leader; Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland), minority whip; and Senator Edna Brown (D-Toledo), assistant minority whip. The leadership team will serve in the 130th General Assembly beginning in January 2013.
•OLBC Elects Leadership: The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) elected Representative Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) president for the 130th General Assembly. Also elected are Senator Edna Brown first vice president (D-Toledo); Representative Roland Winburn (D-Dayton) second vice president and treasurer; Representative Dale Mallory (D-Akron) secretary; and Representative Vern Sykes (D-Akron) sergeant-at-arms. The leadership team will serve in the 130th General Assembly beginning in January 2013.
•Tool Kit Available to Increase Efficiency: Rick Lewis, Executive Director of the Ohio School Boards Association and Randy Cole, President of the State Controlling Board, announced last week an online tool kit that will help schools/districts reduce costs and become more cost effective. The tool kit includes examples of shared services and business practices that school districts are using to become more effective with tax dollars. The tool kit is available at http://beyondboundaries.ohio.gov/toolkit.aspx.
2) National News:
•Lame Duck Session/Effect on Education: Members of Congress returned to Washington, D.C. last week to tackle the pending 8 percent across the board reductions in funding for some federal programs on January 2, 2013; the repeal of tax cuts initiated under President George W. Bush; and the end of the temporary reduction in Social Security payroll taxes and the Alternative Minimum Tax. The culmination of these events is referred to as the “fiscal cliff.”
Across the board cuts in discretionary federal programs, also known as sequestration, are set to go into effect on January 2, 2012 as a result of a deal made last year through the Budget Control Act of 2011, to reduce federal spending by $1.2 trillion over 10 years. The deal was made after Congress and President Obama were not able to agree on recommendations to reduce the deficit proposed by a joint committee of Congress, and instead postponed action until January 2013. Budget cuts will not be made in several programs, including Social Security, school lunch, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Pell Grants.
Just a reminder, the U.S. Department of Education has identified $3.5 billion of its budget that could be affected by sequestration. The FY2014-15 biennial budget proposed by the State Board of Education includes over $3 billion in federal funds for Ohio’s schools. If Congress does not reach an agreement on the federal budget by January 2, 2013, Ohio’s schools could see significant declines in funding for federal programs, such as Title 1, special education, school improvement, Head Start, etc. The effect on local school district budgets could lead to more cuts in music and arts programs, as school districts re-distribute funds to compensate mandated programs for the loss in federal funds.
•Ohio Congresswomen to Lead Congressional Black Caucus: U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge (D-Warrensville Heights) was selected last week to chair the Congressional Black Caucus during the 113th Congress. The Caucus also unanimously elected G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) to serve as First Vice Chair, Yvette Clarke (NY-11) as Second Vice Chair, Representative André Carson (IN-07) as Secretary, and Representative Karen Bass (CA-33) as Whip. Currently the caucus has 43 members, and advocates for jobs, equal access to health care and educational opportunities, balancing the federal budget in a fair and fiscally responsible way, etc. A press release is available at http://thecongressionalblackcaucus.com/2012/11/14/congressional-black-caucus-announces-marcia-fudge-as-cbc-chair-of-the-113th-congress/
3) Sub. HB555 Includes New School Accountability System and More: The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Stebelton, accepted on November 13, 2012 a substitute bill for HB555 (Stebelton).
The bill includes a new A-F rating system for districts/schools that will be presented in a new
“dashboard-style” report card that includes indicators for student achievement, student progress, achievement gap closure, graduation rates, K-3 literacy, and college-career readiness.
The new report card would be phased in over school years 2012-13 and 2013-14 to accommodate the transition to the new and more rigorous Common Core standards and aligned assessments. Schools/districts would receive separate grades for individual components of the dashboard for two years and a composite A-F grade starting in 2014-15.
A separate report card for drop-out recovery schools would also be develop based on graduation rates with four-, five-, six-, seven- and eight-year graduation cohorts; test passage rates, student progress, and gap closing using the Annual Measurable Objective standard.
The bill also includes criteria to evaluate and rate community school sponsors based on student performance, quality practices, and compliance with laws and rules.
Changes are also being proposed for the current Ohio Accountability Task Force, which would become the Ohio Accountability Advisory Committee.
The committee is expected to consider amendments to the bill following the Thanksgiving break. An analysis of the substitute bill is available at http://www.lsc.state.oh.us/analyses129/h0555-i-129.pdf.
4) State Board of Education Meeting
The State Board of Education, Debe Terhar President, met on November 11, 12, and 13, 2012 in Columbus and at the Ohio School Boards Association annual meeting. The following are highlights of the meeting.
Executive Committee: The Executive Committee, chaired by President Terhar, met with representatives from Ray & Associates on November 11, 2012 to discuss the timeline for the State Board to hire a new superintendent. The current plan is to have a permanent superintendent in place by March 2013. The committee also discussed new rules for notifying the public about meetings of the State Board.
Update on Race to the Top: Maggie Niedzwiecki, Director of Ohio’s Race to the Top (RttT) initiative, and two guests, Marlene North, Superintendent and K-6 principal at North Baltimore Local Schools, and Dr. Mary Jo Scalzo, Superintendent of Oakwood City Schools, presented an overview of the progress that schools and districts have been making as participants complete the second year of Ohio’s federal RttT grant program. In December the U.S. Department of Education will publish a report analyzing Ohio’s progress in meeting the goals in Ohio’s Race to the Top grant. Ohio’s Race to the Top grant proposal includes five over arching goals:
-Increase high school graduation rates by .5 percent per year
-Reduce graduation rate gaps by 50 percent
-Reduce performance gaps by 50 percent
-Reduce the gap between Ohio and the best-performing states in the nation by 50 percent
-More than double the increase in college enrollment for 18 and 19 year olds
In addition to working with participating schools and districts, Ohio’s Race to the Top initiative has made available to all Ohio schools and districts important findings and resources. For example, the November 1-2, 2012 statewide education conference was supported by the Race to the Top grant, and a number of presenters highlighted what has been learned through the initiative so far.
To achieve the goals, Ohio’s RttT initiative has developed a number of strategies and initiatives, referred to as Paths to Success, that support the work of RttT schools and districts, and direct the work of the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). These strategies include Learning New Standards - Common Core, Educator Evaluation, Value Added, Formative Instructional Practices (FIP), grants and awards, turning around the lowest achieving schools, and support for schools/districts (Local Education Associations - LEAs).
Ms. Niedzwiecki was pleased to share with the State Board that Ohio’s schools/districts have already met one of the goals of the initiative and have increased the graduation rate by .5 percent per year. In 2010 Ohio’s graduation rate was 78 percent, but in 2011 it had increased to 79.7 percent, which is even higher than the goal of 79.6 percent.
To support professional development for teaching the new Common Core and revised Ohio standards the ODE has trained 147 regional education personnel and 100 content specific specialists. The rigor of the new Common Core standards and Ohio’s revised standards in science and social studies will require students to demonstrate deeper knowledge and understanding of the content in order to be successful. The ODE has also been working with the Ohio Board of Regents to align college and career readiness standards to the entrance requirements of Ohio’s institutions of higher education.
One of the most expansive projects of the Race to the Top initiative has been the development of new evaluations for teachers and principals. The framework for Ohio’s Teacher Education System (OTES) has been piloted within 136 LEAs and the ODE has trained over 3000 credentialed evaluators in the state. Individual districts are developing their own systems with the involvement of teachers.
In June 2012 the ODE met its target of generating value-added reports for eligible teachers in 60 percent of LEAs statewide (representing 100 percent of eligible teachers in all RttT LEAs) for SY 2011-2012, and is now moving forward with activities to expand value-added report awareness and accessibility.
Working with Battelle for Kids the ODE is supporting implementation of formative instructional practices (FIP) to all RttT participating LEAs. FIP services include 56 customized web-based English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies modules for grades pre-K-12; formative instructional awareness professional development sessions; and online training modules for LEAs.
RttT has also awarded thirty competitive grants to participating LEAs to create and implement innovative models for school reform. The ODE has designed mini-competitive grants for LEAs to develop additional growth measures. Through a contract with Battelle for Kids, the ODE has awarded grants in 2011-2012 to thirteen LEAs in the Ohio Appalachian Collaborative (OAC). In June 2012 the ODE conducted a best practice conference for its persistently lowest achieving schools and early warning schools. The ODE also offered 16 technical assistance sessions to all persistently lowest performing schools.
Ohio’s School Turnaround Leader Program, a training program required for all School Improvement Grant cohort 1 and 2 school principals and assistant principals, graduated its second cohort of 50 principals, resulting in 150 total graduates of the program to date.
To support all LEAs the Ohio Department of Education Ohio held a Statewide Education Evaluation Symposium in May 2012 with more than 2,300 attendees, and in November 2012, Ohio’s Annual Statewide Education Conference had 2,663 attendees (participating and non-participating RttT LEAs). The conference featured over 100 presentations focused on student achievement, best practices, and education reform.
Ms. Niedzwiecki cited several examples of school districts that have been successful in using their Race to the Top grant funds to improve student achievement, and noted that these grants have provided the only support for professional development to many school districts struggling financially.
The powerpoint presentation is available at
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=11&ContentID=110651&Content=135963
•Update on the Restraint and Seclusion Policy: The Achievement Committee, chaired by Angela Thi Bennett, voted to recommend to the Full Board the adoption of the Restraint and Seclusion Policy at their December 2012 meeting. The Committee received a presentation on the feedback received from the online public review of the draft current Restraint and Seclusion policy and rule and discussed key areas such as training and procedures for the use of restraint and seclusion. The external workgroup associated with the policy’s development will meet again in December to discuss the feedback received and make additional recommendations for the policy.
•Standards for Waivers of the Operating Standards: The Capacity Committee, chaired by Tom Gunlock, voted to recommend to the Full Board the adoption of Standards for Waivers of the Operating Standards, and requested that ODE develop a guidance document to assist schools and districts in understanding the waiver request process. In HB153, the General Assembly enacted R.C. 3301.07(O), which permits the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to grant waivers of the operating standards in accordance with standards adopted by the State Board of Education. A draft of the proposed standards states the following:
“The Superintendent shall work with districts and schools to approve waivers of the Operating Standards where such waivers can be granted to increase the flexibility accorded to a districts or schools without materially detracting from the educational program or affecting student safety. However, a waiver of the Operating Standards cannot be used to waive requirements that are set forth in statute. Statutory requirements may, however, be subject to waiver under statues such as R.C. 3302.05, 3302.063, or 3302.07, and a district or chartered non-public school may combine a waiver of the Operating Standards with another available waiver or exemption for the purpose of receiving a waiver of requirements that are found in the Operating Standards and in statute.”
“To apply for a waiver of the Operating Standards, a board of education or governing authority shall apply to the Superintendent, and describe the nature of the waiver requested and the time period for which the waiver is requested. No Waiver shall be granted for a period of time to exceed five years. Prior to approving or disapproving the waiver, the Superintendent may request additional information from the district or school. The Superintendent shall consider every application for a waiver, and notify the applicant if the waiver has been approved or disapproved. A board of education or governing authority may apply to renew a waiver granted in accordance with these standards.”
•Update on Expenditure Standards pursuant to ORC 3302.20: The Capacity Committee voted to recommend to the Full Board the adoption of the revised Expenditure Standards. A vote for adoption by the full Board will take place in December. The ODE has been working with a stakeholder work group to revise the expenditure standards formerly approved by the State Board of Education, due to changes in statute. The revisions focus on the alignment of the standards to federal categories as required by SB316.
Business Meeting on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Superintendent’s Report: Acting Superintendent Michael Sawyers presented to the State Board an update on the following topics:
-Audit of State Report: The investigation of school/district attendance report irregularities being conducted by the Auditor of State David Yost will be completed in mid December 2012, and the final report will be released then.
-Early Learning Task Force: The State Board of Education is required by law to work with the Early Childhood Advisory Council in consultation with the Governor’s Office for 21st Century Learning to develop legislative recommendation for literacy policy from birth through third grade by February 28, 2013. To facilitate this work a sub group of the State Board of Education’s Early Childhood Task Force and the Task Force on the Third Grade Guarantee will begin work on developing the recommendations.
Public participation on non agenda items: Three individuals addressed the State Board of Education during public participation on non agenda items.
-The State Board received testimony from Charlotte Andrist, Ohio Board of Regents, Dyslexia Task Force and International Dyslexia Association, recommending that the State Board of Education adopt the state of Massachusetts’ existing licensure test in reading (Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure® (MTEL®) Foundations of Reading (90)) so that Ohio classroom teachers can show that they are qualified to teach reading pursuant to requirements included in the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
This issue was also raised by Rob Hovis, who requested clarification of the current qualifications to teach reading in Ohio’s schools. Acting Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Sawyers explained that Ohio teachers with a preK-3 grade license currently have earned at least 12 semester hours in reading. However, this license does not meet the legislative requirements for teachers to be considered “endorsed in reading”. The K-12 endorsement in reading means that the license holder has completed additional hours of reading instruction or has passed a test in literacy. The Ohio Department of Education has requested that the General Assembly clarify what “endorsed” means, and is reviewing exams from other states, including Massachusetts, to find other ways for teachers to show that they are qualified to be considered “endorsed” in reading.
-Mary Heather Munger, also requested that the State Board of Education adopt the MTEL 90 reading exam to ensure that teachers are properly “endorsed” in reading.
-Ida Ross-Freeman, from Canton, Ohio, spoke about how early childhood education prepares students for meeting the Third Grade Guarantee. She warned the State Board about how children are harmed when they are retained, and in many cases African American children are most affected.
State Board of Education Actions: The following is a summary of the resolutions that the State Board of Education considered at their November 13, 2012 meeting:
#14. Referred back to the Legislative and Budget Committee: Resolution concerning early childhood education. “Resolved, that to the extent the Governor and the General Assembly choose to make additional resources available for K-12 education, such additional revenue be prioritized to fund the expansion of Early Childhood Education, but that no funding for this area be added to the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s recommended biennial budget requests.”
Several State Board members, Deborah Cain, Rob Hovis, Kristen McKinley, Jeff Mims, Ann Jacobs, and Mary Rose Oakar objected to this resolution and urged the State Board to fulfill its Constitutional responsibility to recommend that additional funding be included in the State Board’s FY14-15 Legislative Recommendations. The State currently serves 5000 eligible children in early childhood education programs, but there are potentially 60,000 eligible children that could be served if funding was available.
Kristen McKinley proposed an amendment to the Resolution requesting that the Governor and the General Assembly provide additional funding for schools/districts when they require additional mandates, but no action was taken on it. It was the decision of President Terhar and the Board to refer the resolution back to the Legislative and Budget Committee for reconsideration.
#15. Approved. Resolution concerning technical infrastructure investments. “Resolved, that the $500,000 for school district video conferencing be assumed within the $10 million placeholder for Technical Infrastructure Investments.”
#16. Referred back to the Legislative and Budget Committee: Resolution concerning the Third Grade Reading Guarantee. “Resolved, that to the extent the Governor and the General Assembly choose to make additional financial resources available for K-12 education, such additional revenue be prioritized to provide additional funding for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, but that no funding for this area be added to the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s recommended biennial budget requests.”
Kristen McKinley requested that this Resolution also be referred back to the Legislative and Budget Committee, because it raises similar concerns about unfunded mandates as Resolution #14. President Terhar agreed, and referred the resolution back to the Legislative and Budget Committee.
#17. Pulled. Resolution concerning the Ohio Young Farmers Program. “Resolved, that additional funding is not recommended to be added to the October 1, 2012 Budget Book Scenario submitted to OBM for the Ohio Young Farmers program.”
#18. Pulled. Resolution to adopt an amendment to the operator contract with the SEED Foundation.
#20. Approved. Resolution regarding the appointment Mark Hartman, Senior Director of Client Engagement and Ohio Portfolio Manager, Battelle for Kids, and Kathleen Paliokas, Program Director, Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), Council of Chief State School Officers, to a panel of experts to evaluate the adequacy of the teacher licensure standards of identified states. A third panel member will be appointed in the future.
ORC 3319.228 requires the State Board of Education to establish and approve a panel of experts to evaluate the adequacy of the teacher licensure standards of identified states appearing on the list that the Superintendent of Public Instruction was to develop by July 1, 2012. According to statute, the panel of experts is to make recommendations to the State Board no later than April 1, 2013 regarding whether the list should be approved by the Board without changes, or that the specified states should be removed from the list prior to approval. The State Board is to approve a final list of states no later than July 1, 2013.
#21. Approved. Resolution appointing Tina Thomas-Manning as associate superintendent for the Division of Accountability and Quality Schools. Tina Thomas-Manning most recently served in the Reynoldsburg City Schools. She replaces William Zelei who resigned.
#22. Approved. Under New Business Rob Hovis introduced a resolution referring to the Legislative and Budget Committee two items: A request for the Legislature to rescind a prohibition of State Board of Education standing committees and a prohibition of members of the State Board of Education to serve on other types of boards and committees, except for those committees and boards that would be in direct conflict with the work of the State Board.
5) Report Analyzes Cuts to Local Governments: Policy Matters Ohio released on November 13, 2012 a new report entitled Intensifying Impact, State budget cuts deepen pain for Ohio communities by Wendy Patton and Tim Krueger. The report identifies the amount of funding and services that Ohioans have lost as a result of successive annual cuts to the Local Government Fund and Public Library Fund, and the accelerated phase-out of tax reimbursements to communities for lost revenue from the phased elimination of the public utility tax and the tangible personal property tax.
The report and the Policy Matters web site include graphs and Fact Sheets about the amount of funding cuts since 2007 for Ohio’s 88 counties, various cities, school districts, townships, libraries, and special districts in the county, and compiled reports from the media and local officials about how the cuts have affected staffing and services.
For example, according to the Fact Sheet for Franklin County, schools and jurisdictions lost $262 million; county health and human services levies lost $37 million over the biennium; Columbus City lost $36 million; Hilliard residents will pay $188 a year for trash services; and public service jobs between 2008 and 2011 declined by almost 4000 in the Columbus metropolitan area.
The largest cuts in state aid to local government in the current state budget came from The Local Government Fund (LGF) and tax reimbursements provided to compensate for several local property taxes eliminated as part of tax reductions during the past decade. Losses from these two sources in calendar years 2012-13 total just over a billion dollars, a reduction of nearly half of what was
distributed in 2010-11. Revenue in the local government fund dropped from $663 million in FY2010 to $356 million in FY2013. Tax reimbursements dropped from $576 million in FY2010 to $133 million in FY2013.
The Public Library Fund, another branch of local government funding, was reduced by $15 million in calendar years 2012 and 2013 compared to 2010 and 2011, and lost another $20.8 million as a result of the loss of tax reimbursements to local library levies.
The Estate Tax, which affected 8 percent of Ohio estates, was eliminated in the current budget bill as of 2013. The estate tax brought in $419.2 million in 2011, of which $337.5 million (80 percent) went back to communities. This tax supported cities, communities, and townships, based on the wealth of residents. Some communities depended on this revenue source more than others. According to the report, on average between 2007 and 2010, Cincinnati received $14.36 million each year from the estate tax; Columbus, $7.41 million, and Cleveland, $3.77 million.
According to the report, the impact of the budget reductions affected municipalities, townships, counties, and multi-jurisdictional entities. Municipalities lost $419 million in 2012-2013 compared to 2010-2011; townships, $116.8 million; and counties, $471.8 million. County health and human services levies (special districts) received $210 million less in tax reimbursements, and multi-jurisdictional or sub-county levies received $70.3 million less for levies. For example, children’s services levies lost $39 million; levies for county health districts lost $32 million; senior levies lost $12 million; and mental health and developmental disabilities levies lost $127 million.
The authors of the report note that the reductions in the local government fund have reduced services for seniors, children, recreation, yard and litter waste, mental health and substance abuse treatment, streetlights, road repair, and more; reduced police and fire services; and the reduction in the estate tax, will further erode local public services. Ohio has lost 33,500 jobs in local government since the end of the recession.
Hamilton County has cut its budget since 2007 and more cuts are proposed for investigating child abuse; the coroner’s office; the sheriff’s department; the probation department; and the clerks office. Maintenance and repairs of roads and bridges are on-hold in several communities. (Mansfield and Wyoming). Swimming pools have closed; staff laid off; and services for seniors cut. (Norwood) Police and firefighers are losing their jobs also. (Eastlake)
The authors write that, “The public sector is the platform upon which private wealth, both residential and commercial, is built. How far can we cut it before our common wealth starts to erode. It’s a question that concerns our economy and our quality of life.”
The report recommends that “The pending budget offers an opportunity to consider a more balanced approach to rebuilding Ohio’s common wealth and job base. It is time for investment for the future.
The report is available at http://www.policymattersohio.org/county-budgets-nov2012.
County fact sheets are at
http://www.policymattersohio.org/county-links-nov2012.
6) Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About.......: The Center for Community Solutions (CCS) released on November 13, 2012 an analysis of the effects of the Great Recession of 2008; background information about the state of the economy and unemployment; the history of Social Security programs; an analysis of Medicare and Medicaid programs; and the consequences of the “fiscal cliff”. (State Budgeting Matters: Social Policy and the Fiscal Cliff: Background and Observations by John Begala, CCS executive director, and Joseph Smith)
The Great Recession of 2008 has impacted Americans with the lowest incomes levels the most. According to the authors 61 million Americans live in households with an average annual income of $11,034 or less. To get a sense of what this means, these Americans “....outnumber the entire populations of all but 23 of the world’s 195 countries.”
Congress and President Obama are meeting in Washington, D.C. for a lame duck session to work-out how to avoid the “fiscal cliff” on January 2, 2013, a situation brought about by a number of factors: 1) the failure of our leaders in 2011 to close the national deficit, and instead, to agree to $1.2 trillion in across the board cuts in discretionary federal programs over ten years, also known as sequestration; 2) the expiration of reductions in income taxes and Social Security Payroll taxes; 3) the expiration of extended Unemployment Insurance benefits; and 4) the expiration of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).
Although support for some health and social service programs are exempted from across the board cuts, the authors believe that, “reductions to other programs would be deep, while leaving unaddressed the long-term financial sustainability of these major programs”. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the U.S. economy could be put back into recession as a result of the cuts in federal programs and the impact the cuts will have on all segments of the economy.
According to the authors “...extensive adjustments are needed to rationalize health and social policy” in the U.S. The number and complexity of federal domestic assistance programs, now over 2,100, has become a barrier to their effectiveness, and Social Security has become much more than a pension system for older adults; “it is the architecture supporting national policies for helping nearly half of all Americans meet their basic needs.”
The authors state that “Long-term changes in the major income support, and health and social service programs, which account for most of the spending, could entail major realignment of spending programs and tax credits, as well as a reorganization of roles in the federal system between the federal government, states and communities.” And, because public and private segments of the American economy are interdependent at every level, “It is counter-productive to frame policy questions as though they are somehow separable or antithetical.”
The report makes the following recommendations:
-“A balanced approach to addressing short-term deficit reduction will have to include new revenue. This can be done several ways -- by increasing federal income tax rates, broadening the base of the income tax (reducing tax expenditures/closing loopholes), or accelerating economic growth. It will probably take a combination of all three, mathematically and politically.”
-“In addressing short-term spending cuts, exemptions to sequestration for the major programs comprising social security broadly construed (i.e., the major Social Security Act programs, plus veterans benefits, housing, nutrition, child development and senior services ... along with the EITC), provide supporters of a strong federal role in meeting basic human needs considerable ‘cover.’ Because these include the largest and most important domestic programs, they will have to be included in any alternative to the ‘fiscal cliff.’ Yet, if the current ‘hands-off’ approach to most of them is impossible to sustain, protecting the fundamentals of these programs represents a valid first line of defense and a foundation for reforms aimed at simplifying, stabilizing and sustaining them.”
-“Long-term, revenue questions, such as comprehensive tax reform, might be more politically feasible with the emergency of the ‘fiscal cliff’ so near, or might be ‘kicked down the road.’” However, CCS suggests this should include reducing tax expenditures for special interests and a rethinking of “off budget” programs such as Medicare and OASDI which are supported by their own payroll taxes, albeit inadequately.”
-“Long-term reform of Social Security broadly construed needs to be brought ‘in-bounds’ by the political left, with the aim of adapting it to a different, and evolving, economy. The economies of the 1930s and 1960s, during which the fundamentals of these programs were developed, have given way to globalization, technology, and an increasingly skilled, specialized, and female workforce.”
-“There are constructive ideas from the political right for making social welfare affordable, sustainable, and comprehensible to the general public. In particular, libertarian approaches built more upon respect than concern, trusting that most people acting for themselves will get things right most of the time, offer a path not only to program innovations, but perhaps to a new consensus.”
The authors conclude by saying that fixing the “fiscal cliff” and its complexity will take years of work, but the grassroots work of civic leaders, human service professionals, ‘policy wonks,’ and advocates can have an impact over the long haul “....by engaging elected officials at home where their votes matter”, and helping them to understand the consequences of their actions or inactions.
The report is available at
http://www.communitysolutions.com/associations/13078/files/sbmV8N7FiscalCliffBegala111412_Final.pdf
7) Recommendations to Increase College Graduation Released: The Ohio Board of Regents released on November 13, 2012 a report entitled Complete College Ohio prepared by the Complete College Ohio Task Force. The task force, created by Chancellor Jim Petro, was charged with developing recommendations to increase the percentage of Ohioans with a degree or certificate.
According to the report, “It is well documented that high levels of educational attainment yield substantial economic and noneconomic benefits for individuals and communities. And yet, more than half of all Ohioans who enroll in college fail to earn a degree and often leave with high levels of debt. Additionally, the percentage of Ohio adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher remains in the bottom quartile of states, typically five percentage points below the national average.”
To prepare the recommendation, task force members worked in three subgroups that focused on preparing student to be college ready; maximizing the college/career experiences; and ensuring that students complete college. The report includes the following 20 recommendations for policy makers and institutions of higher education, grouped under seven categories:
Campus Completion Plans
-Require institutions to develop Campus Completion Plans. This recommendation is the centerpiece of this report. “The Task Force views campus completion plans as an essential institutional commitment
that will drive our collective success in dramatically improving college completion throughout Ohio. We expect each institution to draw heavily from the recommendations and tactical options contained in the report, customized to build on existing institutional strengths and align with institutional mission and priorities. What we seek are focused, impactful, locally driven action plans.”
Foundations for Access and Success
-Adopt a consistent, statewide definition of “college and career readiness.”
-Adopt a consistent, comprehensive statewide definition of “college completion” and uniform statewide requirements for common college credentials.
-Establish stronger collaboration and tighter alignment across the P-16 education continuum.
-Establish a new system of high school assessments to improve preparation and readiness for college.
Connecting with College & Preparing for Success
-Intensify engagement of students and families prior to students’ enrollment in college.
-Broaden awareness of connections between college completion and career opportunities.
-Enhance financial literacy and planning for students and families.
-Expand opportunities for earning college credits that count toward a degree or certificate before graduating from high school.
-Increase opportunities for adults to earn college credits for meaningful knowledge and skills documented through prior learning assessments.
Ensuring & Supporting First-Year Success
-Adopt more holistic college placement assessments and policies.
-Redesign and personalize remedial education course content and policies, especially for adults returning to school.
-Develop comprehensive, mandatory orientation and first-year experiences, as well as robust support and interventions for all students.
Staying on Track & Accelerating Progress
-Develop institutional systems that accelerate students’ connection to clear and concise degree pathways, track progress toward academic goals and intervene when help is needed.
-Implement “intrusive” advising supported by robust academic support systems and services.
-Devise more flexible, innovative scheduling, registration and degree-granting policies and practices.
-Strategically expand and enhance Ohio’s articulation and credit transfer programs.
Rewarding Success & Incentivizing Completion
-Expand programs for rewarding and leveraging meaningful “packages” of academic program work that have been completed, or nearly completed, but not formally credentialed.
-Expand and diversify financial opportunities and incentives for achieving critical benchmarks and timely completion.
Strategic Communications
-Mount a comprehensive statewide communications strategy about college completion.
The report calls for the Chancellor to determine a dissemination strategy for sharing this
report with campus leaders and frontline higher education professionals throughout the University System of Ohio. The Chancellor should also work with state policy leaders to determine specific
state-level commitments and actions required to advance the recommendations in this report.
The Chancellor will continue to engage higher education leadership, with input from P-12 educators and leaders, to reach consensus on uniform statewide definitions of “college and career readiness” and “college completion” as called for in Recommendations 2 and 3. With input from college and university leadership, a framework and timeline will be developed to receive campus-level Campus Completion Plans called for in Recommendation 1. The Chancellor should also initiate work on developing a comprehensive statewide communications strategy to drive and support efforts to increase completion in Ohio.
The report is available at https://www.ohiohighered.org/completion.
8) Report Highlights Successful Schools: Public Agenda released on October 12, 2012 a new report entitled Failure is Not an Option: How principals, teachers, students and parents from Ohio’s high achieving, high poverty schools explain their success by Carolin Hagelskamp and Christopher DiStasi and sponsored by the Ohio Business Roundtable, the Ohio Department of Education, and The Ohio State University.
The report examines the success of Ohio “Schools of Promise” to learn how schools with high levels of students from lower income families can achievement at high levels, and includes profiles of nine schools (six of which are Schools of Promise) to identify conditions and practices that support student achievement.
Schools of Promise meet the following criteria:
-At least 40 percent of the student body was “economically disadvantaged” based on a student’s eligibility for free or reduced-price lunches.
The schools selected for this study actually had a student body in excess of 50 percent “economically disadvantaged”.
-The school met adequate yearly progress.
-The school’s graduation rate1 was at least 85 percent.
-On the Ohio Achievement Test (OAT) and/or Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) in reading and mathematics:
In 2010–11, at least 75 percent of all students in tested grades passed, at least 75 percent of students in the economically disadvantaged subgroup2 in tested grades passed and at least 75 percent of students in each racial or ethnic subgroup3 in tested grades passed; and
-In 2009–10, at least 65 percent of all students in tested grades4 passed.
-On OGTs, in 2010–11, at least 85 percent of all eleventh graders, 85 percent of economically disadvantaged eleventh graders and 85 percent of eleventh graders in each racial or ethnic subgroup3 passed.
-If applicable, the school received a “Met” or “Above” for the 2010–11 value-added composite score.
-The requirements for the 2009–10 Schools of Promise award were identical except that on the OATs and OGTs, passage percentages were required for either reading or mathematics. In 2010–11, requirements included both—not either—of the subjects.
The schools that are profiled in this report are East Garfield Elementary School, Steubenville; Citizens Academy Elementary School, Cleveland; Grove Patterson Academy Elementary School, Toledo; River Valley Middle School, Bidwell; Hannah J. Ashton Middle School, Reynoldsburg; Northwest High School, McDermott; Eastmoor Academy High School, Columbus; Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School, Cincinnati; and MC2 STEM High School, Cleveland.
The researchers identified the following conditions that contributed to student achievement in the profile schools:
•Principals lead with a strong and clear vision for their school, engage staff in problem solving and decision making and never lose sight of their school’s goals and outcomes.
•Teachers and administrators are dedicated to their school’s success and committed to making a difference in their students’ lives.
•School leaders provide genuine opportunities and incentives for teachers to collaborate, and teachers say that collaboration and sharing best practices are keys to their effectiveness.
•Teachers regard student data as clarifying and helpful, and they use it to plan instruction.
•Principals and teachers have high expectations for all students and reject any excuses for academic failure.
•School leaders and teachers set high expectations for school discipline and the behavior of all students.
•Schools offer students nontraditional incentives for academic success and good behavior.
•Students feel valued, loved and challenged. They are confident that their teachers will help them succeed and be at their side if they hit a rough patch.
•While parent and community support can be an asset, principals and teachers do not see their absence as an insurmountable barrier to student learning and achievement.
•School leaders and teachers seek to continuously improve practices and student achievement. They
take today’s success as tomorrow’s starting point.
•Each school tells its own story of change and improvement, yet some commonalities exist.
Researchers also examined how these successful schools sustained their achievements and found that leaders plan for smooth principal transitions, expect change, engage teachers, ensure that new teachers endorse the school’s vision and practices, leverage a great reputation, and celebrate success.
The report is available at http://www.publicagenda.org/pages/failure-is-not-an-option.
FYI ARTS
1) Project-Based Learning Through the Arts: An article in the Newark Advocate on November 4, 2012 entitled School within a school project focuses on hands on learning within a school by A. Jeffries describes a new project that has brought five Newark High School teachers together with the Granville Studio of Visual Arts to provide project-based classes for about 250 students in grades 9-12.
The project was the brain child of Newark Superintendent Doug Ute, and was developed to provide students with alternative ways to earn credits for graduation. According to Maura Horgan, director of secondary curriculum instruction for the Newark City Schools, the goals of the new “school within a school” project are to engage students in the best way they learn; get students excited about learning; reshape how instruction is delivered; and help students stay on track for graduation.
Students in the project take traditional classes along with their school within a school classes, which are designed to incorporate all subjects including math, science, English, social studies, economics, technology, and art. The project pairs classroom teachers in social studies, business, science, and English with arts educators from the Granville Studio of Visual Arts. This year students are exploring the themes Food, Hunger, and Poverty at the local and global levels and are using a variety of media to integrate what they are learning. Even though the project started in August 2012 students have already displayed their art work based on the themes.
The article is available at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20121104/NEWS01/311040015?nclick_check=1
We are pleased to offer this SPECIAL REPORT: Election Recap as the first article in today's Arts on Line:
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were re-elected with a three percent lead in the popular vote (51 to 48 percent) and a 332 to 206 lead in electoral votes over GOP candidates former Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan.
The 113th U.S. Congress will meet on January 3, 2013 through January 3, 2015 and by all accounts will be the most diverse legislative body in the history of the United States. According to press reports, the next Congress will include the largest number of Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and twenty female Senators, including Mazie Hirono, the first Asian-American women to serve in the Senate. The Hill's Congress Blog by Representative Michael Honda.
Unofficial results show that Republicans will control at least 234 seats and Democrats 195 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Six races are still undecided. Democrats will control 53 seats, Republicans 45 seats, and Independents 2 seats in the U.S. Senate. The House will welcome up to 85 new members and the Senate twelve.
Ohio's delegation to Washington, D.C. will include 16 members of the U.S. House, a decrease of two seats as a result of the 2010 Census, and two Senators, Sherrod Brown (D), re-elected on November 6, 2012, and Rob Portman (R). New House members from Ohio include Brad Wenstrup (R) (2nd House District); Joyce Beatty (D) (3rd House District); and David P. Joyce (R) (14th House District). Representatives to the U.S. House include the following twelve Republicans and four Democrats:
1st House District Steve Chabot (R-Cincinnati) RE-ELECTED
2nd House District Brad Wenstrup (R-Cincinnati) NEW. Replaces current Representative Jean Schmidt who lost in the primary election.
3rd House District Joyce Beatty (D-Columbus) NEW. Newly formed district.
4th House District Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) RE-ELECTED
5th House District Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) RE-ELECTED
6th House District Bill Johnson (R-Poland) RE-ELECTED
7th House District Bob Gibbs (R-Lakeview) RE-ELECTED
8th House District John Boehner (R-West Chester) RE-ELECTED Unopposed
9th House District Marcie Kaptur (D-Toledo) RE-ELECTED. Split district with Representative John Kucinich (D), who lost in the primary election.
10th House District Mike Turner (R-Dayton) RE-ELECTED. Split district with Representative Steve Austria (R) who did not run for re-election.
11th House District Marcia Fudge (D-Cleveland) RE-ELECTED. Unopposed
12th House District Pat Tiberi (R-Galena) RE-ELECTED
13th House District Tim Ryan (D-Niles) RE-ELECTED
14th House District David P. Joyce (R-Russel Township) NEW. Replaces current Representative Steve LaTourette, who did not run.
15th House District Steve Stivers (R-Columbus) RE-ELECTED. Newly formed district.
16th House District Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Alliance) RE-ELECTED. Split district with Representative Betty Sutton (D) who lost in the election.
Ohio Results: According to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, 5 million of the 7.95 million registered voters in Ohio voted on November 6, 2012, including 1.78 million voters who took advantage of absentee and in-person early voting opportunities. At least three close races won't be decided until provisional ballots are counted beginning November 17, 2012. The official count for the November 6, 2012 Election will not be announced by Secretary of State Husted until December 7, 2012.
Statewide Issues: Ohio voters defeated statewide ballot issues 1 & 2 by large margins. Issue 1, a proposed constitutional convention, was opposed by 68.3 percent of voters, and Issue 2, the proposed constitutional amendment on redistricting and reapportionment, was opposed by almost 64 percent of voters.
School Funding Issues: The results for school funding issues were more encouraging. According to the unofficial results, voters approved 55 percent of school funding issues. There were 192 tax/bond issues, and 105 were approved. According to the Ohio School Boards Association, 122 of the issues were new school taxes, and 45 were approved. This is the highest number of new tax issues on the ballot in over a decade. Information about the school funding issues on the November ballot is available at the Ohio School Boards Association websitehere.
Ohio Senate: Republicans will maintain control of both the Ohio House and Senate with large majorities. Eighteen of the 33 Senate Districts (mostly even-numbered districts) were open in this election, and six races were unopposed. Republican incumbents in thirteen districts were re-elected; two current House members, Representatives Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green) and Joseph Uecher (R-Loveland), were elected to the Senate; and Democrats were re-elected in three incumbent races. Senate Republicans will maintain a 23-10 majority in the Ohio Senate.
Ohio House: Although three House races are too close to call, Republicans have at least 58 seats and Democrats 38 seats, compared to the current 59-40 majority for Republicans. A decision in the three contested races in the 5th, 7th, and 98th House districts will not be available until after provisional ballots are counted beginning November 17, 2012. The official count for the November 6, 2012 Election will not be announced by Secretary of State Husted until December 7, 2012.
Ohio Supreme Court: Three seats were also open on the Ohio Supreme Court. Two incumbents, Justices Yvette McGee Brown and Robert Cupp, were replaced by Judge Sharon Kennedy and William O'Neill, respectively. Justice Terrence O'Donnell was re-elected.
State Board of Education: Five incumbents and two new members of the State Board of Education were elected on November 6, 2012.
The current membership of the State Board includes eleven members who are elected through nonpartisan races, and eight members appointed by the governor with the consent of the Ohio Senate. The governor can also appoint members to vacant seats. Currently there is one at-large vacant seat on the State Board as a result of the resignation of Dennis Shelton in September 2012.
The terms of elected and appointed members are four years, and are staggered so that half of the State Board is elected or appointed every two years. Members are limited to serving two terms.
The elected members represent districts comprised of three Ohio Senate Districts, and, due to reapportionment this year, these districts have changed. The following members of the State Board were elected/re-elected on November 6, 2012:
2013 State Board of Education
District 1: Ann Jacobs (Lima) RE-ELECTED
District 5: Bryan Williams (Fairlawn) NEW DISTRICT. RE-ELECTED. Bryan Williams, who currently represents the 7th State Board of Education District, will represent a newly configured District 5. The current representative, Rob Hovis, is term-limited.
District 6: Michael Collins (Westerville) NEW DISTRICT. RE-ELECTED. Kristen McKinley (Columbus) currently represents the 6th State Board of Education district, but was defeated in a close election by Michael Collins in a re-configured 6th district. Mike Collins currently represents the 9th State Board of Education District, which has also been re-configured.
District 7: Sarah Fowler NEW
District 9: Stephanie Dodd NEW
District 10: Jeff Hardin (Milford) RE-ELECTED
District 11: Mary Rose Oakar (Cleveland) RE-ELECTED
Appointed at-large State Board members completing terms on December 31, 2012 include Angel Thi Bennett (East Cleveland); Dannie Greene (Gallipolis); Stanley Jackson (Marion); and C. Todd Jones (New Albany). All of these members are currently serving first terms, so they could be reappointed by Governor Kasich. Three were appointed by Governor Kasich and one, Dannie Greene, was appointed by Governor Strickland.
Elected Board members remaining on the State Board in 2013 and completing their terms on December 31, 2014 include Kathleen A. McGervey District 2 (Avon); Jeffrey J. Mims, Jr. District 3 (Dayton); Debe Terhar District 4 (Cincinnati); and Deborah Cain District 8 (Uniontown), who will be completing her second term and will be term limited.
Appointed Board members remaining on the State Board in 2013 and completing terms on December 31, 2014 include Tom Gunlock (Centerville); Tess Elshoff (New Knoxville); and Joe Farmer (Baltimore). All will be completing their first term on the State Board, and can be reappointed by the governor.
*129th Ohio General Assembly: The Ohio House and Senate have scheduled several sessions and committee meetings this week as lawmakers return to Columbus to complete the business of the 129th Ohio General Assembly, which ends on December 31, 2012. On committee agendas so far are SB130 (Hughes) Puppy Mills; HB555 (Stebelton) rating system for schools/districts; HB601 (Grossman) municipal income tax; SB510 (Amstutz) MBR-Financial Institutions; HB125 (Wachtmann) Heartbeat Bill; HB298 (Roegner-Rosenberger) family planning grants; and more. Legislation regarding election reform, severance taxes on oil and gas production, and other tax reforms are also expected to be considered even if no action is taken in this session. The debate about some of these issues in the lame-duck session will set the stage for further action when the 130th Ohio General Assembly begins in January 2013.
*OSBA Conference: The Ohio School Boards Association will hold its annual Capital Conference and Trade Show on November 11-14, 2012 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The convention will present over 150 workshops, nationally known speakers, and the annual Student Achievement Fair, which highlights innovative education programs in Ohio's traditional public schools. The conference is expected to attract more than 10,000 public school leaders, educators, and students. For information please visit http://www.ohioschoolboards.org/2012-capital-conference.
*College and Career Readiness: Governor Kasich and business leaders announced last week a new college and career readiness initiative in central Ohio called the Road to Readiness. The initiative provides high school students with opportunities to learn about the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career by networking with local employers. Participating in the initiative with the governor's office are the Columbus Partnership, the Columbus City Schools, Columbus State Community College, Ohio State University, financial institutions, health organizations, and several major employers in Ohio. The initiative is based on a high school internship program started by Nationwide Insurance.
*Promoting Public Education: Strong Schools Strong Communities is a new nonpartisan coalition that supports local citizen advocacy for quality schools and robust communities. Currently the coalition includes education organizations such as the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials, the Ohio Education Association, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, the Ohio Coalition of Equity and Advocacy, the Alliance for High Quality Education, the Parent Teacher Association, and the Council of Rural and Appalachian Schools. Organizations that support public education are urged to join. The purpose of the coalition is to create a mechanism for advocates of public education to work together at the community level to understand, to appreciate, and to support our public schools. More information about the initiative will be announced at the Ohio School Boards Association annual Capital Conference and Trade Show on November 12, 2012. For information please visit this site.
The Ohio House and Senate will hold a joint meeting on November 15, 2012 at 11:00 AM in the House Chambers to present the Military Medal of Distinction to the families of fallen service members.
*The House Education Committee, chaired by Gerald Stebelton, will meet in hearing room 313 on November 13, 2012 at 4:30 PM; November 14, 2012 at 5:00 PM; and November 15, 2012 at 3:00 PM.
The committee will take-up action on HB555 (Stebelton), which currently is a place-holder for revamping Ohio's system for rating schools/districts based on academic performance; attendance; graduation rates; etc. A substitute bill will be introduced to implement a new A-F rating system for schools/districts in order to comply with Ohio's request to the U.S. Department of Education to waive requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. The A-F rating system was originally included in SB316 (Lehner), but was held back for more discussion when SB316 was approved in June 2012. Other items that could be added to the bill through an omnibus amendment include recommendations from State Auditor David Yost regarding school/district attendance data reports. The Ohio Department of Education also has a number of legislative changes that it hopes to have approved by lawmakers this year.
The committee will also consider HB519 (Patmon) School Metal Detectors Requirement; HB397 (Antonio) High School Physical Education; and HB462 (Pelanda) Withholding grades or credits-abused child.
*The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Lehner, will meet on November 14, 2012 at 10:00 AM in hearing room 110. The committee will receive testimony on HB543 (Anielski) Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention.
*Arizona: DEFEATED. Proposition 204 The Quality Education and Jobs Act, would renew a one-cent sales tax (created as a temporary tax by Prop. 100 in 2010), and provide dedicated funding for students of all ages, and prevent legislators from cutting K-12 funding.
*California:
APPROVED. Proposition 30 is an initiative that would increase the personal income tax on annual earnings over $250,000 for seven years; increase the sales and use tax by ¼ cent for four years; and allocate temporary tax revenues 89 percent to K-12 schools and 11 percent to community colleges.
-DEFEATED. Proposition 38 is an initiative that would increase personal income tax rates for annual earnings over $7,316 using a sliding scale, and would end after twelve years. During the first four years, 60 percent of revenues would be allocated to K-12 schools, 30 percent to the state debt, and 10 percent to early childhood programs. Thereafter, 85 percent of revenues would be allocated to K-12 schools, and 15 percent to early childhood programs. The initiative would provide K-12 funds on a school-specific, per-pupil basis, subject to local control, audits, and public input, and would prohibit the state from directing or using new funds.
*Florida: DEFEATED. Amendment 8, also known as the Florida Religious Freedom Amendment, is a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment that would remove the following language from the Florida Constitution: "No revenue of the state or any political subdivision or agency thereof shall ever be taken from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution."
The above language would be replaced with the following language: "No individual or entity may be discriminated against or barred from receiving funding on the basis of religious identity or belief."
*Georgia: APPROVED. Amendment 1 authorizes the General Assembly to provide by law for the creation of public state charter schools, which would operate under the terms of charters between the State Board of Education and charter petitioners, while preserving the authority of local boards of education to establish local charter schools. The amendment would also prohibit the incurrence of bonded indebtedness or the levy of school taxes for the support of special schools without approval of the local board of education and the voters in the affected school system; would authorize the expenditure of state funds for special schools; and would prohibit the deduction of certain state funds from local school districts as a direct result or consequence of the enrollment of students in the state charter schools. The Georgia General Assembly already approved this law, and now is seeking approval from voters to implement it. (2012 HB 797, Act No. 766.)
*Idaho:
-DEFEATED. Proposition 1 is a referendum on S1108, which limits negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ends the practice of renewable contracts.
-DEFEATED. Proposition 2 is a referendum on S1110, which provides teacher performance pay based on state-mandates test scores, student performance, hard to fill positions, and leadership.
-DEFEATED. Proposition 3 is a referendum on S1184, which amends school district funding, and requires provisions for computing devices and online courses for high school graduation.
*Maryland: APPROVED. The DREAM Act, which would provide in-state tuition rates for unauthorized immigrants who graduate from a high school in the state.
*Michigan: DEFEATED. Emergency Manager Law, a provision that would allow state-appointed emergency managers to terminate public employee contracts and collective bargaining agreements.
*Missouri: DEFEATED. Proposition B is an initiative to amend Missouri law to create the Health and Education Trust Fund with the proceeds of a tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The fund would be used to reduce and prevent tobacco use and support elementary, secondary, college, and university public schools.
*New Mexico: APPROVED. Question B is a referendum on a law that authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to make capital expenditures for academics, public schools, tribal and public library resources acquisitions and construction, and provides for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on, and expenses incurred, in connection with the issuance of the bonds.
*Oregon: APPROVED. Measure 85 is a constitutional amendment to allocate corporate income/excise tax "kicker" refunds to additionally fund K-12 public education.
*South Dakota:
-DEFEATED. Initiated Measure 15 would increase state general sales and use taxes (from 4 percent to 5 percent) for additional K-12 public education and medicaid funding. The additional funding cannot replace or reduce state funding levels set for fiscal year 2012 relating to existing Medicaid and K-12 public education programs, including state aid to education.
-DEFEATED. Referendum on Law 16 to support an education reform act that establishes a teacher scholarship program; creates a program for math and science teacher bonuses; creates a program for teacher merit bonuses; mandates a uniform teacher and principal evaluation system; and eliminates state requirements for teacher tenure.
*Washington: UNDECIDED. Initiative 1240 would allow a newly-created state commission or approved local school boards to authorize certain nonreligious, nonprofit organizations to operate public charter schools, limited to forty schools over five years. Public charter schools would receive standard per-student public school funding and be open to all students without tuition. Public charter schools would be subject to teacher certification requirements, government oversight, and performance reporting requirements, but would be exempt from certain state laws and school district policies.
For more information about these initiatives please visit http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/elections/ballot-measures-database.aspx
Recap of State Issues on the November Ballot: The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) tracks education issues on the November 2012 ballot by state and topic on its web site. This year voters in several states considered referendums and initiatives on a variety of education related topics, such as increasing taxes to support schools, charter schools, teacher evaluation, tenure, merit pay, vouchers, and more. The following is a recap of some of the status of education issues on the November 2012 ballot:
Community Research Partners (CRP) and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute released on November 9, 2012 a report entitled Student Nomads: Mobility in Ohio's Schools. The report is based on a study of over 6 million student records from the Ohio Department of Education's Education Management Information System (EMIS) from October 2009 to May 2011, to gauge the mobility of students across Ohio's 3,500 plus traditional, charter, and e-schools. The report also focuses on student mobility in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo and Ohio's major e-schools.
Researchers developed two indicators to describe student mobility in this study. Stability rate means the percentage of a school's students who stayed in a school from October 2009 to May 2011. The Churn rate means the number of student admits plus withdrawals relative to the enrollment size of a school, over a single school year (October 2010 to May 2011).
Using these indicators, researchers found, "...that the prevalence of student mobility is considerably greater than most of us appreciate or fully understand. Student mobility verges on the epidemic in inner-city schools; but, it is also common in suburbs and rural schools."
According to the report 44 school districts in central Ohio exchanged 18,877 students over two school years and 20,345 students between public districts and charter schools. Columbus City Schools alone exchanged about 1,600 students with the Electron Classroom of Tomorrow.
The researchers also observed a correlation between student achievement and mobility. "CRP found that frequent school movers face a general downward trend in average test scores and passage rates. For example, Figure 2 depicts the impact of moves for 3rd and 8th graders in Columbus City Schools on both reading and mathematics tests. All lines trend downward."
Three characteristics of students were identified that significantly affected student achievement: multiple moves, economically disadvantaged, and African-American.
The report also notes that many students in Ohio are moving from a lower rated school to a higher rated school. "Of the 5,473 students over two years who exited Columbus City Schools (CCS) for another district, 52 percent moved to a school with a performance rating at least two ratings higher than their CCS school of origin. The percentages where similar for Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo and it shows us that many kids across the state are moving to a better situation when they change schools."
According to the report, 556 school districts with grades K-7 had a stability rating over 80 percent and 382 school districts with grades 8-11 had a stability rating over 80 percent. For grades K-7, six districts had a stability rate of less than 70 percent; for grades 8-11 five districts had a stability rate of less than 70 percent. Canton, Akron, and Springfield had stability rates over 81 percent in grades K-7 and high levels of economically disadvantaged students.
Eighty charter schools had a stability rate below 40 percent; 95 had a stability rate between 40-59 percent; 82 had a rate of 60-79 percent; and 15 had a rate greater than 80 percent.
No e-schools had stability rates higher than 59 percent. Twenty e-schools had a stability rate below 40 percent; and six had a stability rate of between 40 - 59 percent.
The churn rates (the number of admissions and withdrawals during a school year as a percent of enrollment) for most school districts with grades K-8 (523) was less than 14 percent. Eight school districts with grades K-8 had a churn rate over 25 percent. The churn rates for districts with grades 9-12 is higher. Fifteen districts with grades 9-12 had a churn rate over 25 percent and 142 had churn rates between 10-14 percent.
Sixty charter schools had a churn rate over 100 percent; 25 between 60-99 percent; 29 between 40-59 percent; 76 between 20-39 percent; and 122 below 20 percent.
For e-schools, 20 had a churn rate over 100 percent; four between 60-99 percent; and two between 40-59 percent.
Although the report does not include recommendations, the Fordham Institute intends to continue research and work in this area, and urges policy makers to begin discussions about how to address the mobility of Ohio's students.
The Ohio Statewide Mobility Project is supported by the Fordham Institute, the Siemer Institute for Family Stability, the Nord Family Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation, KnowledgeWorks, KidsOhio.org, American Federation of Teachers/Ohio Federation of Teachers, School Choice Ohio, United Way of Central Ohio, United Way of Greater Toledo, and the Columbus Foundation.
The report is available here.This update is written weekly by Joan Platz, Research and Knowledge Director for the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education. The purpose of the update is to keep arts education advocates informed about issues dealing with the arts, education, policy, research, and opportunities. The distribution of this information is made possible through the generous support of the Ohio Music Education Association (www.omea-ohio.org), Ohio Art Education Association (www.oaea.org), Ohio Educational Theatre Association (www.Ohioedta.org); OhioDance (www.ohiodance.org), and the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education (www.OAAE.net).