The mission of the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign is to organize and advocate for high quality public education opportunities for all Ohio children wherever they live, whatever their race and whatever their family background.
To:      LWVO
From:     Joan Platz,
Education Update for November 19, 2007

1)  127th General Assembly: 
The Ohio House and Senate are not meeting this week.  The next sessions are scheduled for mid December, although some committee hearings may be held in the mean time.

*Governor Strickland signed several bills into law last week. HB166 (Schindel) creates an Office of Internal Auditing within the Office of Budget and Management, and establishes a State Audit Committee. On November 14, 2007 Governor Strickland signed into law HB 190 (Hite), which includes several educational provisions and language strengthening laws regarding teacher misconduct.  HB190 was approved as emergency legislation, and goes into effect immediately.  Also signed into law was SB 116 (Padgett), which ends the reduction of unemployment compensation benefits by the amount of Social Security benefits for individuals participating in the same programs.

*The Ohio Senate completed work on several education-related bills last week.  Senators adopted SCR 18 (Padgett), which approves a plan by the Ohio Department of Education to add a value added "growth model" to Ohio's accountability system for schools.  This change will give districts and schools another way show adequate yearly progress. SCR 18 also establishes a minimum subgroup of 30 students for calculating adequate yearly progress.  Senators also approved HB 142 (Batchelder), which increases the penalty for inducing panic to a felony of the second degree when a school or an institution of higher education is involved, and permits school districts to make up calamity days (not caused by a bomb threat), and in excess of the total number of days specified in their contingency plans, by adding extra hours to the remaining days in the school year.

*The Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Cates, reported out favorably last week a resolution sponsored by Senator Stivers (SCR9) that proclaims April as Community Theatre Month, to recognize the importance of community theatre in our society.

*The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Padgett, met on November 14, 2007.  The committee accepted a substitute bill for SB 141 (Padgett), which strengthens accountability requirements for community schools.

2)  STEM Subcommittee to Meet this Week: 
The STEM Subcommittee of the Partnership for Continued Learning will meet on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 from 12:30 to 2:30 PM in rooms South B&C, 31st floor of the Riffe Center, 77 S. High Street, Columbus, OH.  Governor Strickland is the chair of the Partnership for Continued Learning; Dr. Julie Schaid is the Executive Director; and Mr. Gary Allen is the Director.

The STEM Subcommittee (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) of the Partnership for Continued Learning was established through Am Sub. HB 119 in June 2007.  The charge of the subcommittee is threefold:
-Select an Ohio-based nonprofit enterprise to assist in supporting the strategic and operational coordination of the public and private STEM education initiatives and resources focused on curriculum development, instruction, assessment, teacher quality enhancement, leadership recruitment and training, and community engagement; -Authorize and award grants to establish up to five STEM schools beginning in July 2008 through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process; and
-Award grants to support the operation of STEM programs of excellence to serve students in any grades kindergarten through eight, through a RFP process.

The members of the STEM Subcommittee are Eric D. Fingerhut, Chair - Chancellor, Ohio Board of Regents; Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, Director, Ohio Department of Development; Dr. Susan Tave Zelman, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Dr. Neil Gupta, Ashland City Schools; Cynthia Hummel, Worthington City Schools; Ed Muransky, President, The Muransky Companies and Scott Sullivan, President, SelectTech Services Corporation.

According to the minutes posted on the Partnership's web site, the STEM subcommittee held its first meeting on October 30, 2007 and discussed the draft Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Ohio nonprofit enterprise, and the two draft RFPs for establishing STEM Schools and K-8 STEM Programs of Excellence.  The subcommittee agreed that the RFQ and RFPs would be released on November 30, 2007; a bidders conference will be held on December 12, 2007; proposals for the RFQ will be due January 11, 2008 and for the RFPs on January 18, 2008; and selected proposals will be notified sometime in February 2008.

3) Federal Update:

-ESEA/NCLB Reauthorization:  According to reports in the media, completion of the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2007 (H.R. 648-NCLB Improvements Act of 2007) is unlikely this year. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, chaired by Senator Kennedy, and the House Committee on Education and Labor, chaired by Representative George Miller, are currently working on drafts that make over 40 changes in the law.

-2008 Appropriations:  President Bush vetoed on November 13, 2007 H.R. 3043, FY 08 appropriations for the departments of Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education.  The bill includes a $3.2 billion increase over 2007 levels for K-12 programs, including special education, teacher quality grants, arts education, and school improvement grants.  The House was not able to override the veto on November 15, 2007, which means that Congress will need to extend the current law at current funding levels until a new law takes effect.

-Head Start Reauthorization:  Lawmakers approved the reauthorization of the Head Start Act - H.R. 1429 (Head Start for School Readiness Act) on November 14, 2007.  Lawmakers have been working on this reauthorization since 2003.  The reauthorization updates educational standards and requires alignment with early learning standards; eliminates the controversial National Reporting System; requires better coordination with elementary schools; expands eligibility for children from low income families with incomes of up to $26,800 to participate; and increases funding levels to $7.35 billion for fiscal year 2008, $7.65 billion for fiscal year 2009, and $7.99 billion for fiscal year 2010.  The bill also sets a goal that all Head Start teachers have an associate's degree and half of all teachers nationwide have a bachelor's degree by 2013, and increases accountability for the fiscal management of the programs.  President Bush is expected to sign this legislation.  To read a summary of the legislation please visit http://edlabor.house.gov/publications/20071108HeadStartSummary.pdf

-Higher Education Act:  The House Committee on Education and Labor approved the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (H.R. 4137) on November 15, 2007. The bill encourages colleges to keep tuition down; restores integrity and accountability to the student loan programs; simplifies the federal student aid application process; makes textbook costs more manageable; strengthens workforce competitiveness; expands college access and support for low income families; increases college aid and support for veterans and military families; ensures equal college opportunities for students with disabilities; and increases campus safety and disaster readiness plans. To read a summary of the legislation, please visit http://edlabor.house.gov/publications/20071109COAASummary.pdf

4)  State Board of Education:  
The State Board of Education (SBE), Jennifer Sheets president, met on November 12 & 13, 2007 at the Ohio School for the Deaf, 500 Morse Road, Columbus, OH.

SUBCOMMITTEES:  The State Board's Quality Middle and High Schools subcommittee met on Sunday evening, November 11, 2007, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbus, and heard a presentation about Ohio's Career and Information System.  The SBE's School Funding subcommittee also met, and discussed how to develop recommendations regarding six questions pertaining to school funding.  At the next meeting the subcommittee will focus their discussions on what programs and services are needed in an education system, and how much money is needed to support them.

The Capacity Committee, Rob Hovis and Jane Sonenshein co-chairs, and the Achievement Committee, Michael Cochran and Ann Womer Benjamin co-chairs, met on November 12, 2007.

CAPACITY COMMITTEE:  The Capacity Committee discussed and took action on the following:
-Approved an intent to amend Rule 3301-52-01 (screening and assessment).  This rule was reviewed to comply with JCARR's five year review process, and technical changes were made.
-Discussed the recision of Rules 3301-69-11 & 12 (Head Start), which relate to subject matter that is no longer relevant due to changes in the law.
-Discussed an intent to adopt Rules 3301-48-01 and 02 (Open Enrollment), which will improve the monitoring of intra-district and inter-district open enrollment.
-Discussed Rule 3301-44-09 (Post Secondary Enrollment Options).  HB 119 directs the SBE to adopt rules governing how Post Secondary Enrollment funds for chartered and non-chartered nonpublic schools are distributed.  Stakeholder comments were shared with the committee.
-Adopted the Praxis II Test for Intervention Specialists.  The current Praxis II test for intervention specialists is being replaced by a new assessment.  The committee adopted this new test to be used beginning September 1, 2008.   The committee adopted a cut score of 160, which will be the highest cut score in the nation, and adopted a passage rate of 82-83 percent.
-Discussed a plan to establish the Praxis II Test Score Review Panel to examine the Ohio's 40+ Praxis II cut scores.  The Panel will make recommendations to the Educator Standards Board, which will then bring those recommendations to the SBE.  The review of the Praxis cut scores will begin in January 2008, and a second round will be conducted in January 2009.
-Discussed a plan to conduct validation studies for Praxis subject area tests in 6-10 subjects that are not being used in Ohio, such as Drama/theatre, to determine whether or not a test would be an appropriate assessment for licensure in these areas.

ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE:  Ohio Treasurer of State, Richard Cordray and Tom Rutan, ODE Associate Director, Center for Curriculum and Assessment, met with the Achievement Committee to discuss personal financial literacy in schools.  Financial literacy was included as a requirement for students to learn in SB 311 as part of the Ohio Core legislation, adopted by the Ohio General Assembly in 2006.  The ODE and the Treasurer's Office are making progress to make this requirement "substantial" for students, and are working with the Ohio Commission for Personal Finance Education, Financial Literacy Implementation Subcommittee, to develop flexible delivery models and options for school districts.  Teacher academies have already been organized to provide professional development and resources to help teachers become better prepared to provide instruction in financial literacy through a variety of courses, such as business courses, Family and Consumer Science courses, social studies courses, and career-tech courses.  Licensure requirements are also being examined to determine whether or not some teachers may need an endorsement to teach financial literacy.  How student competency in financial literacy is assessed is also being discussed, and a new metric may be proposed.  Local communities are also being engaged.  An update on these efforts will be provided over the next few months.

The Achievement Committee also discussed and took action on the following:
-Approved a resolution of intent to transfer the Northwest Local School Career-Technical Programs and Services to the Butler Technology & Career Development Schools.
-Approved a resolution of intent to adopt physical education standards to meet a December 31, 2007 deadline required in HB 119 (Dolan) - the biennial budget bill.  The committee agreed to adopt the standards developed by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) at this time, and review those standards at a later date.
 -Approved a resolution of intent to adopt recommendations regarding information to be submitted to the eTech Clearinghouse by districts that want to offer interactive distance learning courses.
-Approved a resolution to refile Rule 3301-13-11.  This rule pertains to the assessment of students in Limited English Proficient Programs, and requires students to take Ohio's Test of English Language Acquisition, even after they have passed it, to monitor their progress in the language.
-Discussed Rule 3301-51-15 (Gifted Education).  The committee will consider an intent to adopt these rules in December, and adopt the rules in March 2008.
-Discussed Rules 3301-35-05 & 06 (Operating Standards), which require technical changes that replace the term "disadvantaged pupil impact aid" with "poverty based assistance."
-Discussed end of course exams, which are recommended in the Achieve Report.

REPORT FROM THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE ADVISORY COUNCIL:  The full Board heard a presentation regarding draft recommendations of the Foreign Language Advisory Council (FLAC).  Jennifer Stewart and Lou Ann Harrold are co-chairs of the Council, and led the discussion about the Council's report, which will be available in December.  FLAC was created through SB 311 - Ohio Core legislation, and is charged with developing a statewide P-16 world language implementation plan, including recommendations for legislation to implement the plan by the 2014-15 school year.  The SBE is not required to take any action on this plan, which will be submitted to the Governor and leaders in the State and General Assembly.

According to background information included in the presentation, 19 countries require students to learn a second language in elementary school, but in Ohio three percent of students are learning another language in grades K-5.  In grades 6-8, 19 percent of students are learning another language; in grade 9, 50 percent; grade 10, 61 percent; grade 11, 42 percent; and grade 12, 21 percent.  The world languages most frequently taught in Ohio are Spanish, French, and German, but Latin, Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, Italian, and American Sign Language are also taught.  For additional information about the status of language acquisition in Ohio, please visit the Ohio Roadmap for the 21st Century web site at http://chineseflagship.osu.edu/ohiolanguagesummit/

The draft report makes the following recommendations:
-Provide access to a sequence of world language instruction across grades P-16, so that instruction at each level builds upon the proficiency that students have attained at an earlier level.
-Retain capacity in commonly taught languages such as French, Spanish, German, Latin, and American Sign Language, while building capacity in languages critical for economic and strategic importance such as Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese.
-Use proven programs with the goal of developing longer sequences of P-16 language learning and advanced levels of proficiency in adulthood.
-Use multiple means to deliver language instruction.
-Create a seamless system for granting world language credit based on demonstration of proficiency.
-Increase the number and build the capacity of qualified world language instructors in the state of Ohio.

The following legislative recommendations were included in the draft report:
-Include foreign language in the Ohio Core graduation requirements at or before high school level.
-Allow students to earn credit by demonstrating proficiency, and
-Fund the administration of existing, recognized assessments to determine students' proficiency.

The report recommends the following changes in Administrative Code:
-Extend alternative licensure to elementary grades
-Add a foreign language endorsement to teacher licenses

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Legislative liaisons John Bender and Carl Wick provided information regarding federal and state legislation, and led the Board in a discussion about the proposed recommendations regarding teacher misconduct and the 2008 Federal Funding and Legislative Platform.

The Federal Platform is approved by the SBE each year and includes the following topics:  NCLB/ reauthorization; State Assessment Systems; Intervention and School Improvement; Data Systems and Technology; Students with Diverse Learning and Language Needs; Educator Quality and Effectiveness; Early Childhood Education/Head Start/ Literacy/Even Start; Middle and High Schools/STEM/Career Technical Education; Student Transportation; and School Safety.  The SBE was asked to add to the draft Federal Platform a request to Congress to develop a data base on teacher misconduct to ensure that states have recent and accurate information available when considering the employment of teachers.  The SBE will adopt the 2008 Federal Platform in December 2007.

The SBE also discussed HB 190 (Hite) - Administration of Achievement Tests, which was amended in the Senate Education committee to include several changes regarding teacher misconduct and funding for all day Kindergarten.  The bill was signed into law by Governor Strickland on November 14, 2007.  Additional recommendations regarding teacher misconduct were discussed by the Board during the meeting.  The following amended recommendations were adopted by the SBE on November 13, 2007:
-Automatic revocation of an educator license for certain convictions, such as rape, child molestation, etc.
-Provide ODE with BCII 'wrap back" service for licensed educators.
-Require districts to remove teachers from the classroom upon arrest for specific offenses, such as murder, kidnapping, rape, etc. Require districts to notify ODE that a teacher has been removed from a classroom due to an arrest.
-Require educators who are arrested or convicted of an offense to notify their employer of the arrest, and require penalties for those who fail to notify an employer.
-Provide statutory permission that certain sealed convictions are a matter of public record, and that the sealing/expunction of conviction records shall have no effect on disciplinary actions.
-Give the Department of Education access to the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OLEG).
-Provide statutory permission for the State Board of Education to impose disciplinary actions based upon a judicial finding that a person holding a license or seeking to hold a license is eligible for an intervention in lieu of conviction program, diversion program, or fist time offender's program.
-Provide protection for persons reporting educator misconduct.
-Require increased access to Public Children Services Agencies (PSCA) information.

SCHOOL CLIMATE UPDATE:  A policy discussion focusing on the initiatives and tools that Ohio has in place to support a positive school climate in schools was led by Mitch Chester, Senior Associate Superintendent for Policy and Accountability, Mary Lou Rush, Executive Director, Center for Students, Families, and Communities, and Dr. Zelman, Superintendent for Public Instruction.  The SBE was provided with statewide data on student behavior, such as fighting, truancy, use/possession of drugs, etc.; vandalism/theft/threats; use/possession of fire arms; and harassment/intimidation; etc. 473,000 discipline occurrences were reported in Ohio's public schools during the 2006-2007 school year.  Overall the number of student discipline incidents has dropped from 2006 to 2007 in the areas of fighting and truancy.  There has been a slight increase in reports of harassment.

A positive school climate ensures that students have the right conditions and motivation for learning.  Schools must have supportive educational environments in order for students to realize their full potential. According to research, policies that support positive school environments keep students and staff safe from internal and external threats; help students learn to behave in non-violent ways; identify students who exhibit warning signs early; and ensure identified students receive help.

Current SBE policies, initiatives, guidance, and tools provide schools with support to create positive school environments, but gaps have been identified, such as infrequent practice of emergency management plans; funding for school resource officers; addressing fighting and gang violence; teaching civic and social responsibility; providing education and support services for students who are no longer in school; supporting partnerships with law enforcement, health, and human service agencies; measuring school climate and 21st Century skills.

Over the last few years the SBE has developed the following reports, policies, and tools to help schools and school districts improve school climate:
-Sponsored Six Safe Schools Summits in Ohio
-Piloted the School Climate Survey
-Developed the Ohio Safe School Center at http://www.ebasedprevention.org
-Developed an "Anti Harassment and Bullying Policy" (Adopted by SBE in October 2004)
-Developed a "Social Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention Policy" (Effective March 2006)
-Developed "A Comprehensive System of Learning Supports Guidelines" (Approved by the SBE in July 2007)
-Developed "A Safety and Violence Prevention Curriculum Overview" (Draft available in October 2007)
-Developed "Creating a Positive School Climate in Ohio's Schools:  A Policy Analysis on School Safety" (October 2007)

GIFTED RULES:  A proposed revision of the Ohio Administrative Code rules 3301-51-15 for gifted students called "Operating Standards for Identifying and Serving Gifted Students," was presented by Greg Maloney, Director, Office for Exceptional Children and Eric Calvert, Assistant Director, Office for Exceptional Children.  These rules were adopted by the SBE under ORC Section 3324.01-10.  An intent to adopt these revised rules will be presented to the SBE in December 2007, and the rules will be presented to the SBE for final approval in March 2008.  The following are some of the issues raised in discussions with stakeholders regarding the proposed gifted standards:
-dilution of gifted coordinator services
-requirements for the Written Education Plans
-assignment of intervention specialists and related issues, such as class size; relaxed student caseload; delivery of services in general education classrooms; unit funding to support online delivery of instruction by an intervention specialist and the establishment of a minimum classroom size for online instruction
-online gifted services
-maximum number of students in self-contained classroom
-contact time with intervention specialists

EDGE SUBCOMMITTEE:  The subcommittee for Education in the New Global Economy (EDGE), chaired by Colleen Grady and Steve Millett, approved a workplan through June 2008.  The subcommittee will develop a "top ten" list of knowledge, skills, and behaviors that Ohio students need to be able to know and do to be competitive in the global economy. This top ten list will be based on the input of stakeholders through a survey, interviews, and outreach;  include information obtained through research; and reflect what Ohio employers need.  The top ten list will be presented to the SBE in June 2008.

BUSINESS MEETING ON NOVEMBER 13, 2007:  Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Susan Tave Zelman, presented a monthly report to the Board, updating them about the following initiatives:
-Ohio has received a $1.25 million grant from the Gates Foundation to develop a new vision for assessment at the middle and high school levels.  The grant will also be used to identify best international practices for intervention in low performing schools, including the development of a new generation of assessments and diagnostic tools using technology to improve the external and internal accountability systems in schools.  It is hoped that this work will have an effect on assessment at the national level as well.
-The ODE is seeking additional funding to develop an assessment model in which teachers would generate their own assessments as part of a student portfolio system.
-The ODE is working with Chancellor Fingerhut to establish a seamless PK-16 education system that does not allow students to drop out, but provides a variety of education plans and supports to keep students in school.
-There are also discussions about a Mott Foundation initiative called "A New Day for Learning", and how to create a Learning Day, in which time is used differently to address the learning needs of students.

The Board took action on 12 personnel items and the resolutions included below during the business meeting.  The next State Board of Education meeting is December 10-11, 2007.

State Board of Education Agenda for November 13, 2007

#6-Approved a resolution to refile Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Rule 3301-13-11 (LEP Students)
#7-Approved a resolution of Intent to amend OAC Rule 3301-23-44 (Temporary Teaching Licenses)
#8-Approved a resolution of Intent to rescind and adopt OAC Rule 3301-24-09 (Performance Based Licensure for Administrators)
#9-Approved a resolution of Intent to amend OAC Rules 3301-48-01 & 02 (Open Enrollment)
#10-Approved a resolution to adopt recommendations for Physical Education Standards
#11-Approved a resolution of Intent to adopt recommendations for the eTech Ohio Clearinghouse
#12-Approved a resolution of Intent to transfer the Northwest Local School Career-Technical Programs and Services to the Butler Technology & Career Development Schools
#15-Approved a resolution to accept the determination of the hearing officer that the Watkins Christian Academy should not be registered for the 2007-2008 school year as a participant in the Ohio Educational Choice Scholarship Program under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3310
#16- Pulled from the Agenda.  Resolution to confirm the Norwood City School district's determination of impractical the transportation of certain students attending St. Nicolas Academy, Cincinnati, a charter nonpublic school, Hamilton County
#17-Approved a motion to adopt legislative recommendations regarding teacher misconduct.  (These recommendations are included under the Legislative Report above.)  There were nine recommendations presented to the Board in this resolution.  The Board amended number three to add the words, "and specify penalties for superintendents of districts which fail to report."
#18 Approved a motion to revise and refile Rule 3301-13-02 (administering required assessments at designated grades)
#19 Approved the appointment of Cynthia Johnson as Interim Superintendent for the Ohio School for the Blind.

For more information about the State Board of Education meetings, please visit http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE ODEPrimary.aspx?page=2&TopicRelationID=574

5) AIR Report Compares Student Achievement in Math and Science:  
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) released a report on November 14, 2007 called "Chance Favors the Prepared Mind: Mathematics and Science Indicators for Comparing States and Nations" by Gary Phillips. The report provides a comprehensive state by state statistical analysis of how 8th grade students are preforming in math and science based on data from the 2005 and 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) compared to data collected and statistically analyzed from 45 countries that participated in the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
According to the report, 8th grade students in most states are performing better in math and science than students in other countries, but overall the highest performing states still rate below the highest performing countries. The states in which students are achieving at high levels in math or science include Massachusetts (51 in math and 41 in science), Minnesota (43 in math and 39 in science), Montana (38 in math and 42 in science), New Hampshire (38 math and 41 science); New Jersey (40 math and 33 science); North Dakota (41 math and 43 science); South Dakota (39 math and 41 science); Vermont (41 math and 41 science); and Wisconsin (37 math and 39 science).  The countries/cities in which students achieve the highest levels include Singapore (73 in math and 55 in science); Hong Kong (66 in math and 44 in science), South Korea (65 in math and 44 in science); Taiwan (61 in math and 52 in science); and Japan (57 in math and 42 in science).

Ohio's 8th grade students rated 35th in math results compared to top rated Singapore (73); Hong Kong (66); Korea (65); Taiwan (61); Japan (57); Belgium (40); Hungary (37); and Estonia (36).

Ohio's 8th grade students rated 35th in science results compared to top rated Singapore (55); Taiwan (52); Korea (45); Hong Kong (44); Japan (42); Estonia (41); England (38); and Hungary (38).
The report is available at http://www.air.org/news/default.aspx#8thGrader.

6)  Poll Links Music Education and Advanced Studies/Income Levels:
MENC, the National Association for Music Education, released on November 12, 2007 the results of a new Harris Interactive Poll which "...shows the positive association of music with lifelong educational attainment and higher income."

According to the MENC press release, "Respondents of the Harris Poll cite skills they learned in music as helping them in their careers today. Seventy-two percent of adults with music education agree that it equips people to be better team players in their career and nearly six in ten agree that music education has influenced their creative problem solving skills. Many also agree music education provides a disciplined approach to problem solving, a sense of organization and prepares someone to manage the tasks of their job more successfully."

The poll, which was conducted by Harris Interactive among 2,565 adults in October 2007, found the following:
-37 percent of respondents say that music was extremely or very influential in contributing to their current level of personal fulfillment, while 33 percent say it was somewhat influential.
-Most respondents reported that music was extremely, very, or somewhat important in learning skills such as working toward common goals - 66 percent; striving for individual excellence in a group setting - 65 percent; disciplined approach to solving problems - 62 percent; creative problem solving - 59 percent, and flexibility in work situations - 58 percent.
MENC intends to use these results to advocate for music education during the reauthorization of the NCLB Act.  Even though music education is recognized in NCLB as part of the core curriculum for students to learn, and research shows how music education helps increase student achievement, music and arts courses are often the first courses to be cut when school budgets are tight.  MENC is requesting Congress to include in the reauthorization of NCLB the following:
-retain the arts in the definition of core academic subjects of learning
-require annual state reports on student access to core academic subjects
-improve national data collection and research in arts education
-reauthorize the arts in education programs of the U.S. Department of Education

For more information about MENC's legislative agenda, please visit http://www.menc.org/

To read more about the Harris Interactive Poll results, please visit http://www.menc.org/unlinked/HarrisPollSummaryMemo.pdf

MENC also includes on its web site information about how the 2008 presidential candidates view the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, and the role of music education in our schools. To view these responses please visit http://www.menc.org/information/legislationpolicy/statements.html

7)  The Great Ohioan Award: 
The Capitol Square Foundation's "Great Ohioan Award" is presented to an individual Ohioan or group of Ohioans, who have made a significant or lasting contribution to World, American, or Ohio history.  To be considered for the award the nominee must have been born in Ohio or lived in Ohio for a minimum of five years; at least 25 years must have passed since the event being commemorated took place; and a compelling reason must exist to commemorate this event or individual at the Ohio Statehouse, rather than some other location in the state.  Nominations for this award are being accepted through December 1, 2007.  For more information, please visit http://www.capitolsquarefoundation.org.



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