Ohio state Senator Matt Huffman (R-Lima) has introduced Senate Bill 216, the “Public School Deregulation Act.” The bill has many provisions recommended by school district superintendents in Northwest Ohio. The primary intent of the bill is to create more “flexibility” in Ohio law for school superintendents regarding teacher licensure and classroom assignments, qualifications for educational aide permits, substitutes and continuing contracts (tenure) for non-teaching employees.
OEA is opposed to Senate Bill 216 because most provisions in the bill would eliminate requirements that support educators and protect students. However, the bill makes other proposals regarding testing and evaluations that OEA supports. As OEA continues to work with legislators to address the good and the bad in Senate Bill 216, it is always helpful to hear your feedback.
Please consider taking the time to provide your stories about how the following proposals in Senate Bill 216 would impact you and the students in your school:
SB 216 would permit a school district superintendent to employ a licensed teacher to teach a subject area or grade level for which the person is not licensed.
If your administration could assign people in your school to teach classes outside their license area, how would that affect you and your students?
SB 216 would eliminate the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA).
How does the current requirement to implement the KRA affect you and your students?
SB 216 would require non-teaching school employees that are newly hired by non-civil service school districts (local, exempted village, and some city districts) to be employed for between 6 and 7 years, rather than between 2 and 3 years, prior to receiving a continuing contract (tenure).