The mission of the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign is to organize and advocate for high quality public education opportunities for all Ohio children wherever they live, whatever their race and whatever their family background.

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To: LWVO
From: Joan Platz
Education Update for March 5, 2007

1)  127th General Assembly: 
The House and Senate will hold sessions this week and many committees, including the Senate and House education committees, will also hold hearings.  (See # 2 below for details.)

*Last week the Senate passed SB26 (Kearney), which designates February as "Black History Month."

*Governor Strickland introduced on March 1, 2007 FY08-09 state budget proposals for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) and Industrial Commission.  The BWC budget is $328.9 in FY08 and $329.2 million in FY09, and the budget for the Industrial Commission is $61.8 million in both FY08 and FY09.  The BWC budget also includes changes in governance and oversight.  A 15 member independent board of directors would be appointed and take over fiduciary responsibility for the fund, replacing the current advisory board. To view copies of the proposed budgets please visit http://www.obm.ohio.gov/

Governor Strickland has now submitted three of the four budgets for FY08-09, Transportation; Bureau of Workers' Compensation; and Industrial Commission, to the General Assembly for consideration. The state biennial budget will be introduced on March 15, 2007, a day following Governor Strickland's State of the State Address. *Governor Strickland appointed on March 3, 2007 Heather Heslop Licata to the State Board of Education, 7th District seat.  The position was open after Tom Sawyer resigned from the State Board to replace Kimberly Zurz in the Ohio Senate 28th District.

2)  This Week at the Statehouse
MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2007
*The House Finance and Appropriations Committee chaired by Representative Dolan (614-644-5088) will meet at 1:30 PM in room 313. The committee will begin work on the budgets of the Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Industrial Commission, and continue hearings on HB 67 (Patton), the transportation budget for FY08-09.

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2007
*The House Finance and Appropriations Committee chaired by Representative Dolan will meet at 1:00 PM in room 313 to continue hearing testimony on the budgets for the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, the Industrial Commission, and HB 67 (Patton), the transportation budget for FY08-09.

*The Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee, chaired by Senator Carey, will meet at 2:30 PM, or after session, to consider appointments made by Governor Strickland.

*The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Setzer, will meet at 4:00 PM in room 116.  The committee will hear testimony on HB2 (Webster) -- allows the governor to appoint the chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents and makes other changes regarding the Ohio Board of Regents; HB85 (Webster) -- expands the authority of the Ohio Board of Regents; HB 27 (Wolpert) -- revises Ohio's academic accountability rating system for schools; and SB 66 (Collier) -- bases the minimum school year on hours rather than days of instruction.

*The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Padgett (614-466-8076), will meet at 4:00 PM in the North hearing room.  The committee will consider appointments made by Governor Strickland.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2007
*The Senate Ways and Means and Economic Development Committee, chaired by Senator Amstutz (614-466-7505), will meet at 9:00 AM in the South hearing room.  The committee will hear testimony on SB8 (Coughlin) -- restores the income tax deduction for college tuition and fees.

*The House Finance and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Representative Dolan, will meet at 10:00 AM in room 313 to continue hearing testimony on the budgets for the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, the Industrial Commission, and HB 67 (Patton), the transportation budget for FY08-09.

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2007
*The House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization Committee, chaired by Representative Wolpert (614-466-9690), will meet at 8:30 AM in room 018 to hear testimony on HB60 (Evans) -- authorizes boards of county commissioners to exempt from taxation the homesteads of qualifying members of the National Guard and reserve components of the Armed Forces who have been deployed outside the state.

*The House State Government and Elections Committee, chaired by Representative Daniels (614-466-3506), will meet at 11:00 AM in room 122 to hear testimony on HB26 (Wolpert) -- permits the creation of urban homestead zones in cities to encourage the re-population of certain city cores, creates a state urban homestead scholarship program, and requires tax increment financing in urban homestead zones that participate in the scholarship program to help fund the program.  This bill includes a voucher program which would provide public funds for eligible students to attend eligible private schools.

3)  U.S. Chamber of Commerce/Education: 
The U. S. Chamber of Commerce released a report in February 2007 called "Leaders and Laggards - A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness."  The report rates the K-12 education systems in each state based on educational effectiveness in nine categories: Academic Achievement based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP); Academic Achievement of low income and minority students based on NAEP; Return on Investment; Truth in Advertising About Student Proficiency; Rigor of Standards; Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness; 21st Century Teaching Force; Flexibility in Management and Policy; and Data Quality.

According to the Chamber, "To our knowledge, for example, this is the first national report that has examined each state's return on its educational investments. Where most previous report cards have focused primarily on inputs in terms of spending or regulations, this report card reflects our premise that American education should be accountable, rigorous, innovative, and focused on achievement."  The following are the major findings from the report:

*States need to do a far better job of monitoring and delivering quality schooling.
*State education systems lack reliable and available data on state performance.
*"The academic performance of every state needs to improve. This is true for all demographic groups, but especially for poor and minority students, who have too often been ill-served by today's schools."
*Return on investment varies greatly across states.
*Certain states with a large percentage of low-income and minority students score far better than others on achievement tests.
*States could do much more to ensure a 21st century teaching workforce.
*Truth in advertising is inconsistent.
*State standards are too often inadequate.
*Forward-looking states are fostering innovation.
*High school graduation rates and college preparation levels are much higher in some states than others.
*States have begun to improve data collection efforts.

According to the report, "Business leaders can support educators' efforts to reform curricula, teaching practices, and more by providing leadership and know-how in refashioning schools into accountable, flexible, high-achieving organizations."

Ohio received the following grades in the nine categories:
Academic Achievement - B
Academic Achievement on Low-come and Minority Students - C
Return on Investment - C "Student achievement in Ohio is mediocre relative to state education spending (after controlling for student poverty, the percentage of students with special needs, and cost of living)."
Truth in Advertising About Student Proficiency - C
Rigor of Standards - D
Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness - C
21st Century Teaching Force - B
Flexibility in Management and Policy - C
Data Quality - B

The report is available at http://www.uschamber.com  

4)  Budget Priorities from the Campaign to Protect Ohio's Future:
The Campaign to Protect Ohio's Future, John Corlett, Amy Rohling McGee, and Gayle Channing Tenenbaum co-chairs, are urging lawmakers to provide adequate support in the FY08-09 budget for programs that affect the lives of Ohioans.  The Campaign is a coalition of health, human services, and education organizations that advocates for adequate funding to meet basic human needs and invest in Ohio's future. 

The following are the FY08-09 state budget priorities:
*Develop a unified long-term care budget, which allows consumer choice for a full range of services including PASSPORT, assisted living, and nursing facilities when appropriate.

*Provide voluntary, high quality early care and education for all Ohio children, aged birth through six - including behavioral health care services for 20,000 more children, full-day kindergarten option for 150,000 children; and increased access to primary health care, and strengthen Ohio's Help Me Grow Program.

*Expand funding for after school programs that are serving a growing population of children in need of community support.

*Protect Ohio's most vulnerable children and older adults through increased funding for child protection, foster care reform, and adult protective services.

*Place all proceeds from the Housing Trust Fund fee in the Housing Trust Fund.

*Fully fund the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks for the purchase of food and grocery products, capacity building grants, and distribution of these products through Ohio's 12 foodbanks and 3,300 member charities participating in the emergency food distribution program.

*Adequately fund community based mental health and addiction, prevention, early intervention and treatment services for Ohio's adults, children and families.

*Create a medicaid buy-in that allows Ohioan's with disabilities to work while retaining their health care coverage.

*Fund a health care safety net for Ohioans who do not qualify for Medicaid and can not afford private health insurance; support Disability Medical Assistance, free clinics, and community health centers, and fully fund dental services under Medicaid.

*Provide waivers to 1,500 individuals with MR/DD, with priority for 200 persons who choose to leave institutions; and implement the Martin lawsuit settlement.

*Create a refundable state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

*Cut the number of uninsured Ohioans in half by supporting the development of the Ohio Health Care Exchange.  In the meantime provide bridge funding to restore Medicaid coverage to working parents between 90 and 100 percent of the federal poverty level; fund the Ohio Healthy Workers Initiative; increase Medicaid outreach and retention; and cover 32,000 additional Ohio children through an expansion of SCHIP eligibility.

*Increase the ease and effectiveness by which Ohio citizens access health and human services.

For information about the Campaign to Protect Ohio's Future please visit http://www.protectohio.org/Background.htm . 

5)  National Governors' Association (NGA) Meets: 
The 2007 National Governors' Association held its winter meeting in Washington, D.C. on February 24-27, 2007.  Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano is the current NGA chair. Governors from 48 states discussed a variety of topics including the federal role in innovation and competitiveness; early childhood education; energy priorities; children's health care; and globalization, trade, and competitiveness.

On February 25, 2007 the governors focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, and heard presentations from education and business experts.  The governors were urged to take a leadership role to improve student achievement in STEM areas; encourage students and teachers to pursue careers in STEM; improve worker training; and align education to better meet the needs of the business community. The NGA also announced K-12 STEM grants through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Intel Foundation to help states redesign STEM education programs.  For more information about the NGA 2007 Winter Meeting please visit http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga .

6)  Early Learning Conference: 
The Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children and the Ohio Department of Education's Office Early Learning and School Readiness will sponsor the Ohio Early Care and Education Conference in Columbus on April 12 -14, 2007.  The conference is focused on children from birth through third grade, and will provide information about the latest research, best practices, and resources available for educators and advocates for young children.  The deadline for registration is March 16, 2007. For more information please visit the following web site:  http://www.oaeyc/se .

7)  Bills Introduced the Week of February 26 - March 2, 2007:
HB81 (Brown, E.) HPV Vaccination.  Requires girls entering the sixth grade be vaccinated against HPV.
HB82 (Chandler) School Bus Seat Belts.
HB85 (Webster) Ohio Board of Regents.
SB89 (Gardner) Prohibits schools from opening before Labor Day.
HCR9 (Skindell) No Child Left Behind.  Urges lawmakers to fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act.

8)  Grant Opportunities
*The National Endowment for the Arts' Big Read initiative provides grants to literary organizations, libraries, and community organizations for innovative reading programs that encourage reading in communities throughout America.  The maximum awards vary.  The deadline for application is April 12, 2007.  For more information visit http://www.neabigread.org/application_process.php. 
Ohio Fair Schools Campaign, 94 Columbus Road
Athens, Ohio 45701
Tel. (740)592-2866 Fax (740)593-5451