Oppose SB 295 and Protect Our Public Schools
SB 295 represents an overreach that threatens public education and educators’ rights. This bill expands criteria for labeling schools as underperforming, forcing districts to take drastic actions such as closing schools, transferring control to private operators, or replacing staff—while overriding collective bargaining law and local collective bargaining agreements.
SB295 is a continuation of failed policies that punish schools without addressing root issues like poverty, underfunded mental health resources, and educator shortages. SB 295 ignores the real reforms we need to close opportunity gaps and instead repeats mistakes like HB 70 and academic distress commissions.
Even more concerning, legislators may attempt to pass this bill with limited public testimony during the final weeks of lame duck, violating normal order and silencing Ohioans.
We must act now. Contact your legislators and urge them to oppose SB 295. Let’s stand together for solutions that invest in our schools and empower educators to provide every child with the quality education they deserve.
Ohio Senate reintroduced as Senate Bill 1
Ohio Senate reintroduced as Senate Bill 1
Despite strong opposition to Senate Bill (SB) 83 during the 135th General Assembly, the Ohio Senate reintroduced it as SB 1, sponsored by Senator Jerry Cirino (R-Kirkland). The bill is expected to be on the fast track for passage clearing both chambers as early as the end of February.
Notably, SB 1 restores the faculty strike ban for full-time faculty members from the original version of SB 83 and contains the previous collective bargaining restrictions. This includes prohibiting bargaining regarding faculty evaluations, tenure, and retrenchment (the process for reduction of force).
SB 1 represents the largest restriction collective bargaining rights since Senate Bill 5 in 2011.
The bill also contains language that micromanages higher education classrooms and threatens academic freedom on Ohio’s public university and college campuses. OEA believes that these policies are best developed locally by faculty and administration determining systems that work best for their campuses, not top-down state mandates.
The Ohio Senate passed SB 1 on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, despite the thousands of Ohioans that called, emailed, and provided testimony against the bill. The bill now heads to the Ohio House of Representatives for its consideration.
Email your State Representative and urge them to oppose Senate Bill 1!