OEA applauds court decision striking down gerrymandered maps
“The Ohio Education Association (OEA) applauds the wisdom of the Ohio Supreme Court in striking down the gerrymandered maps that would have denied Ohioans a real voice in the Statehouse. This is a huge victory for Ohio voters and for Ohio schools, which are greatly impacted by the decisions of the state’s elected lawmakers.
OEA looks forward to seeing newly drawn, fair maps that will reflect the will of the two-thirds of Ohio voters who demanded an end to Ohio’s broken mapmaking process. Ohio voters deserve to choose their politicians, not the other way around. Today’s Ohio Supreme Court decision represents a major step toward making that a reality.”
December – January 2022 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Stepping Up for Schools
- Educator voice key to successful school board races in Ohio
- NOTEBOOK
- OEA Local Associations Stand in solidarity for Members and Students
- MAKING THE GRADE
- Findlay Paraprofessionals Form OEA’s Newest Local Association
- OEA Members Receive Top Educator Awards from Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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The Benefits of Shopping with NEA Member Benefits
HOLIDAY SHOPPING USING NEA MEMBER BENEFITS
NEA Members can really make their membership pay this holiday season using their NEA Member Benefits! Want to learn how? Join us through ZOOM on any of the dates and times below using the same zoom link for any and all. Give us 30 minutes and we just might change the way you shop now and after the holidays. No pre-registration is required.
December 6 starting at 4:30 P.M. Eastern and REPEATED again at 5:05 and 5:40
December 8 starting at 7:30 A.M. Eastern and REPEATED again at 7:35 and 8:10
December 9 starting at 6:00 P.M. Eastern
These events have ended.
ESP Educator Voice Academy
Overview
In 2019, the NEA created the Educator Voice Academies (EVAs) to help build an understanding of opportunities within ESSA and the power of lifting and amplifying educator voices for state and local affiliate members. This effort was led by NEA Education Policy and Practice in partnership with NEA’s Center for Organizing, Center for Social Justice, Center for Advocacy, Center for Great Public Schools, and Center for Governance. The first cycle featured in-person learning opportunities that brought state and local teams together to brainstorm, collaborate, and create plans of action to help continue this work in their school communities. Ohio’s 2019 team chose to organize around improving our state’s school accountability system, and that work helped lead to the successful passage of HB 82, which eliminated the A-F school report card and instituted an OEA-sponsored “student opportunity profile” which will be implemented after the 2022-23 school year.
After the success of the initial Educator Voice Academies, the NEA collectively and collaboratively sought to continue moving this work forward to leverage the voices of our members as partners in delivering equitable opportunities for all students across race, ZIP code, background, and ability. These efforts moved us into the next phase of our work: highlighting educator-created plans to improve public education focused on specific priority issues.
In 2022, OEA formed state Educator Voice Academy teams to address issues related to Teacher Recruitment & Retention and Social & Emotional Learning. From that process, OEA has laid out a comprehensive set of recommendations for addressing the growing educator shortage crisis. (Click here for details.) One of the signature recommendations of the team working on the teacher shortage was establishing a new team to focus specifically on the need to recruit and retain education support professionals (ESPs) in Ohio’s public schools. Acute shortages of bus drivers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, school secretaries, and other essential workers have significantly disrupted student learning, strained school working conditions, and highlighted the need to invest in our ESPs. The OEA Educator Voice Academy cadre for Education Support Professionals will develop advocacy and organizing strategies to ensure every student in Ohio is served by caring, qualified support professionals who are respected, given the resources they need to be successful, and reflect the diversity of our population.
Process
OEA is currently building a team of ESP members from a diverse mix of races, genders, job classifications, experience levels, and education settings from across Ohio. Applications may be submitted using the form linked on this page. This Educator Voice Academy team will be facilitated by an OEA officer with support OEA staff and will draw on resources from NEA. The schedule and format of meetings will be determined by the team, but it will involve a combination of virtual and in-person meetings held between January and the summer of 2023. Members will not be required to meet during normal working hours.
October-November 2021 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Empowering Students
- 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell, a social studies teacher at Oberlin High School, wants his students to be authentic, confident, and know their potential.
- NOTEBOOK
- 2021 NEA Representative Assembly Looks Ahead to New Challenges and Opportunities
- MAKING THE GRADE
- OEA Member Receives National Award for Teaching Excellence
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
2021-2022 OEA Member Resource Guide
Use this guide as an overview to help you make the most of your OEA Membership. Within, you’ll learn more about:
- Ways to Become Involved
- Fighting for Public Education
- OEA Staff, Leadership, and Board of Directors
- OEA Higher Education Benefit
- Awards and Scholarships
- Valuable NEA Member Benefits and Services
Throughout our more than 150-year history, OEA members have been involved in every struggle and effort to advance the finest of America’s dreams: a quality public education for every child.
If you have additional questions, contact us at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or send us an email to: membership@ohea.org.
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
2020-2021 OEA Member Resource Guide
Use this guide as an overview to help you make the most of your OEA Membership. Within, you’ll learn more about:
- Ways to Become Involved
- Fighting for Public Education
- OEA Staff, Leadership, and Board of Directors
- OEA Higher Education Benefit
- Awards and Scholarships
- Valuable NEA Member Benefits and Services
Throughout our more than 150-year history, OEA members have been involved in every struggle and effort to advance the finest of America’s dreams: a quality public education for every child.
If you have additional questions, contact us at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or send us an email to: membership@ohea.org.
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
2019-2020 OEA Member Resource Guide
Use this guide as an overview to help you make the most of your OEA Membership. Within, you’ll learn more about:
- Ways to Become Involved
- Fighting for Public Education
- OEA Staff, Leadership, and Board of Directors
- OEA Higher Education Benefit
- Awards and Scholarships
- Valuable NEA Member Benefits and Services
Throughout our more than 150-year history, OEA members have been involved in every struggle and effort to advance the finest of America’s dreams: a quality public education for every child.
If you have additional questions, contact us at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or send us an email to: membership@ohea.org.
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
President’s Message: Support, Protection, Power
Our Union Helps Us Make Our Students’ Lives Better And Our Communities Stronger
I can’t begin to tell you how much of an honor it is to have the opportunity to serve as your president.
OEA is an incredible organization for two fundamental reasons: who we are, and why we’re here. We have caring, committed, qualified educators in all 88 of Ohio’s counties performing in a wide variety of roles who are united in a single cause—to ensure that every single one of our students is provided a quality public education that inspires their natural curiosity, imagination and desire to learn.
Driven by the desire to foster the critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills my students needed to become effective citizens in our democracy, I became a high school social studies teacher 28 years ago. I didn’t go into education to help kids pass tests, but to create lifelong learners.
I wanted to make a difference, and I know you do too. That’s our purpose. That’s our mission.
That’s why I believe in you and your power to change lives and shape the future. My desire to make a difference naturally led to my active involvement in my local union.
I knew even before my first day of teaching American history at Tolles Technical Center in Plain City I would need the support of my colleagues if I had any hope of success.
That’s why I proudly joined the 45-member strong Tolles Education Association and soon found myself attending Labor- Management Committee meetings and advocating at the bargaining table.
As I continued my career in Worthington and through nearly three decades of activism at all levels of this organization, I have learned that it is only through our union that members are given the support and relationships to necessary to nurture our work with students. It is only through our union that we have the protection and advocacy needed to do our jobs without having to look over our shoulders. And it is only through our union that we are able to harness our collective influence and power to protect public education and improve the lives of our fellow educators and the students we serve.
“I wanted to make a difference, and I know you do too. That’s our purpose. That’s our mission.”
Many colleagues have supported and encouraged me throughout my union journey.
Wendy Nichols, my teaching mentor at Tolles, first invited me to belong to the association and provided me with opportunities to get involved in my local. Kathy Broom, who had been fired early in her marriage and teaching career simply for being pregnant and used the power of her union to successfully win her job back, helped me understand the power of collective advocacy. Suzanne Kaszar, my first OEA Labor Relations Consultant, taught me about bargaining and connected
me to programs to develop my leadership skills.
So many others have made a difference for me because they recognized my leadership potential and provided opportunities for me to play an active role in servingmy fellow members. It began with a simple invitation to belong to a movement that was larger than myself.
If you’re new to your role as an educator or education support professional, or if you have been in the profession for a while but have not yet become a member, I invite you to belong to the OEA and to tap into the support, protection and power your union has to offer.
If you’re returning as a member, I encourage you to be actively involved. Consider following the example Wendy provided to me and invite at least one colleague to join you and feel included. We’re all in this together.
I’m inspired by you and all that you do every day to make our students’ lives better and our communities stronger. You have challenged, nurtured and supported me throughout my union journey, and I look forward to continuing our journey together.
Sincerely,
Scott W. DiMauro, President
Ohio Education Association
Vote for Arthur Lard for STRS Board
OEA’s recommended candidate is dedicated to the financial security of our pensions and acting in the best interest of all STRS members.
All educators deserve the ability to retire with financial security. Strong pensions provide a predictable, guaranteed benefit for educators when they retire.
That is why OEA continues to advocate for policies and support board members on the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board who have the best interest of members in mind and that ensure the financial security of the system.
The STRS Board makes critical decisions that affect both active and retired teachers. That’s why a panel of active and retired OEA members interview prospective candidates for the STRS Board based on their knowledge and experience on retirement issues. The screening committee makes recommendations to the educators who serve on the OEA Board of Directors who then vote on these recommendations.
In 2023, OEA members have the opportunity to elect an active seat representative to the STRS Board. For the active seat on the STRS ballot this year, OEA has recommended Arthur Lard for re-election.
Lard is a business education teacher in Portsmouth City Schools with 30 years of experience and has served as treasurer of his local association for more than 20 years. This background has served him well as an OEA representative on the STRS Board since 2019.
As an OEA member, Lard knows what retirement security means. It means having a retirement system that is stable and well-funded so that members can afford to retire comfortably knowing their benefits will last the rest of their lives. Now that he is completing his first term on the STRS Board, Lard wants to continue to be a voice for all teachers.
Like many teachers, Lard wanted to be sure that the people making decisions about his retirement money had the best interests of educators at heart. To ensure this, he ran for the STRS Board. As a member of the STRS Board—which now includes only two OEA members—Lard has advocated for the best interests of OEA members and educators across the state. He has fought for and supported policies that have kept STRS financially secure, worked to return benefits to members, and opposed initiatives that would put the pension at risk.
As a member of the Board, he helped remove an age 60 requirement so many teachers can retire earlier and secured a three percent cost-of-living increase for retirees. Today, the STRS pension and healthcare plans are stronger.
“It has been my honor to represent you on the STRS Pension Board and to work to protect our STRS pension—the cornerstone of our financial security in retirement as educators,” Lard said.
“Beginning in 2019, when I started on the Board, the plan’s funding status improved from 75.5% to 80.9%, with an estimation at being 100% funded by 2044. This improvement ensures that all Ohio educators’ pensions will be there for them in the future.
“Under my watch, the retiree health care benefit’s solvency improved enough that we could lower health care premiums and provide hundreds of dollars in rebates to each retiree on their medical premiums. This fiscal year, we were able to pay a 3% cost of living (COL) increase to current retirees and eliminate the age-60 retirement eligibility requirement for future retirees allowing educators to retire earlier.”
Lard’s opponent, and his supporters on the STRS Board, continue to make empty promises for policies that would put our pension at risk. OEA members need to re-elect Lard to the STRS Board because he is dedicated to keeping our pension financially secure long into the future.
For Ohio’s teachers, the benefits provided by STRS are crucial to our economic security in retirement. It is important that we ensure that the members elected to the STRS Board are prepared, dedicated, and will protect our interests.
Lard is dedicated to ensuring all OEA members have secure, reliable pensions and access to health care benefits in retirement. What drives me to seek reelection as an STRS Board member is to ensure that all educators, and those who have yet to enter the profession, have a safe, reliable pension that they cannot outlive,” Lard said. “That’s something that all Ohio educators deserve and need.”
Ballots for the STRS Board election will be mailed in early April to eligible voters at their home address. When your ballot arrives, vote right away to re-elect Arthur Lard to the STRS Board so we can continue to build a strong pension for all Ohio educators. Votes can be cast by mail, phone, or online. The deadline for voting is May 1, 2023.
Why should you vote for Arthur Lard for the STRS Board?