The Roetzel legislative team has been busy working on three (3) policy issues, all of which are poised for reform in 2020.
ADC Reform
The Roetzel legislative team has been leading the charge for recognizing verifiable academic improvement. After over eighteen (18) months on continued advocacy, the legislature is close to adopting meaningful reform. The most recent legislative draft proposals, and there has been many, include:
(a) Dissolution of the three (3) existing ADCs in Youngstown, Loraine and East Cleveland;
(b) State financial support along with targeted and district coordinated early intervention strategies for academically struggling school districts;
(c) An extended timeline (5 years) for districts to implement improvement strategies;
(d) Incentives for utilizing proven school improvement experts to include peer-to-peer modeling;
(e) Restoration of collective bargaining rights for struggling districts while identifying and reforming any CBA impediments to improving academic performance.
We believe ADC reform legislation is close to agreement and should be adopted in this Spring of 2020.
Report Card Reform
The report card study committee released its findings on December 16, 2019 as required by H.B. 166. While some members of the committee wanted to make specific recommendations, the report, more or less, described the testimony of several witnesses. BASA provided comprehensive testimony with several recommended changes. A subgroup of the Ohio 8 also provided comprehensive changes to include aligning the report card with the ODE strategic plan for education. Adoption of either organization’s plan will require separate legislation. Most education advocacy groups are pushing for significant changes. While there may be a few minor changes in 2020, significant reform will probably not happen until next general assembly.
EDChoice Grants
The State has seen explosive growth in the availability of EdChoice vouchers, due in part, to changes adopted in the biennial budget bill, H.B. 166. Any student assigned to a building with low or failing marks on one (1) of several measures, is eligible for an EdChoice voucher. Ohio is the only State that funds its EdChoice voucher program by deducting the funds from specific school districts. Many advocacy groups, to include some who are proponents to EdChoice, believe the district deduct method needs to be addressed or modified. We think this issue will be addressed in early 2020.
