Tips for Education Support Professionals
Fitting In
Regardless of what job you do in your school district, it’s important to build relationships with your fellow workers–and that’s not only the support staff. Getting to know the other staff members and the administration can only help to make your time at work be more pleasant. Knowing what staff members do can help you better understand their specific needs.
The Supervisor
Assess your supervisor’s style as soon as possible. Talk to your colleagues to get some idea of what he/she is like. At the same time, don’t take everything you are told as the absolute truth. Don’t make hasty judgments. Probably the best advice is to try to deal with as many things as possible on your own or with the help of the association. Reserve going to the supervisor for major issues.
The Principal
The principal may or may not be a factor in your daily work life but he/she is still someone to know. Follow the same advice for the principal as you would for your supervisor.
The Teachers
“Make friends before you need them,” is good advice with the teachers in a school building. Getting to know who teaches what and what their classroom rules are can make doing your job easier. It may sometimes feel as if teachers are just another level of supervisors above you. Remember-you all share the same concern-kids. Doing what’s best for the teacher can also be what’s best for the students.
The School Secretary
Many people consider the secretary to be one of the most important staff members. Secretaries can hold things together and keep the school running smoothly, even when no administrator is present. They can answer school-related questions, handle your paperwork for the district, and help you with emergencies. It’s a good idea to get to know the secretaries. You can help them do their job by doing everything they request in a timely fashion.
The Custodian
Like many other support staff employees, good custodians don’t get paid nearly what they’re worth. With their help, the building runs smoothly and efficiently. Find out what their specific job duties are. Can you change a light bulb or is that in their job description? If you have a concern about the cleanliness of a room, talk to them first before going to their supervisor.
The Bus Driver
Each day they perform the miraculous job of getting students safely to school and home again while driving a massive piece of machinery. Since their job demands that they stick to a schedule, their needs are usually urgent. Safety is their primary concern and they will do everything necessary to make sure that their bus is in the best working condition possible. Realize that the school bus is their classroom.
The School Board
They are your ultimate employers. They decide the rules and policies that run the school district. Find out who your board members are. Did you vote for one of them in the last election? Find out how he/she is doing by going to a board meeting.
The Cafeteria Staff
It seems that food service employees come with their own built-in reputation of being mean and never smiling. Yet every day they try to please everyone with a nutritious meal that many times relies on limited resources. If your work takes you into the food service area, know the rules and help these employees keep a safe and happy and work environment.
The Paraprofessionals
In comparison to other support staff employees, this group probably has the more direct daily contact with students. The parapro may be your direct contact into a teacher’s classroom when there is a question or concern about a student or a classroom need. Find out who they are and what they do.
Library or Media Specialist
They are in charge of one of the most used areas in a school building. In addition to being a storehouse for all books and magazines, the media center may also be a place for meetings, to house technology and to serve as a classroom. The media specialist may also be the only person doing that job in the whole district.
The School Nurse
If your district or school is lucky enough to have a nurse on staff, you can help keep them informed of health-related situations you encounter. Many times support staff employees are more aware of bruises, upset stomachs and bloody noses than classroom teachers are.
Start the Job Off Right
You were hired because you are the best candidate for the job. Keep that positive image going by practicing some of these tips.
- Learn School Policies: You need to know what the administration expects from students and staff in regard to areas of school life.
- Learn Work Rules: These rules effect and direct your job and employment, e.g. applying for vacation time or taking a sick day.
- Discuss Expectations: Within the first few days, talk to your fellow employees. Ask them what their expectations on the job are. Tell them what your job expectations are. This helps you as a member of a positive employee team.
- Plan Your Work: You will want to be organized and have “all bases covered.” What you do during the first week or two will help establish expectations of your value as a team employee.
- Learn Names: As quickly as possible, learn the names of your unit coworkers. Once this is done learn the names of other work site personnel.
- Be Consistent: Begin the year with confidence in yourself and in your ability to do your job and become better at it. Be firm in your belief of yourself and your abilities.
- Deal with Disruptive Student Behavior: Know your school policies. Ask for clarification of the policies before events occur. Remember that 89% of violent acts that occur in schools occur outside the classroom. These are the areas where ESP employees are found. By knowing and enforcing school safety policies, you are contributing to the overall quality of the school.
- In a tense situation, the use of humor might be the best course of action. When a possible challenge is perceived, humor can be used to negate the challenge.
- Don’t be ashamed or hesitant to ask for help. Association representatives and other school employees are there to help-use them.
- Schedule When Necessary: Many employees are successful when they regularly plan meeting their work responsibilities. Your first few weeks are crucial to your career. Using administrative guidance, plan, plan, and plan again for this time period. Then follow through. It will demonstrate your interest and value. As you gain experience in your job, the planning will become easier. It will lead to recognition of your abilities.
Keep These in a Safe Place!
Maintain an easily accessible personal file(s) at home or at school to contain important documents such as:
- Licenses and/or certificates
- Diplomas
- Transcripts of credits and degrees
- Record of job-related seminars, workshops and conferences
- Letters of appointment or hire
- Employee contracts, including any supplemental contracts
- Record of hire from the employer’s official minutes (Board meeting minutes)
- Record of accumulated sick leave and other leave days (personal, vacation)
- Copy of assignment schedule
- Log of tax-deductible job-related expenses
- Copies of insurance policies
- Information from the retirement system
- Yearly salary notice provided by the employer
- Documentation of commendations, awards and honors
- Employee salary or wage schedule; pay stubs
- All evaluation records
- Letters to and from parents and students
- Letters to and from administrators/supervisors and department heads
- District policies on student discipline, suspension, expulsion, corporal punishment
- Record of disciplinary methods used in handling student problems, including date and witnesses involved
- Record of assaults, violence, or workplace thefts
- Written personal reconstruction of events surrounding student injuries
- School calendar
- Fringe benefit information; claim records
Social Media Guidelines for Educators
Dos And Don’ts For Educators
Whether you’re just considering becoming involved with social media or you’ve already established an identity on one or multiple sites, you need to use these channels wisely. OEA has developed the following guidelines on using social media to help protect yourself both personally and professionally.
- DO: Know the privacy settings of every channel you use and keep abreast of any changes to them (see Additional Resources). You have to decide for yourself what level of privacy is right for you, however OEA recommends sharing only with people you know personally. For instance, on Twitter we recommend blocking your tweets so only individuals you approve can see them. Taking just a few minutes to establish strict online settings will go a long way toward keeping what you post restricted. Additionally, try to be “anonymous” whenever possible. Don’t include information that could put your identity at risk.
- DO: Understand that there’s no such thing as a truly “private” post. Once you publish something through social media, you lose a degree of control over your message. Even if you set your privacy settings appropriately, to be shared only with people you know, your posts can still be captured via screenshot, printed, or copied and pasted into an email and shared beyond your intended audience.
- DO: Understand the limits of your First Amendment rights. Free speech rights are fairly limited for educators: their speech is protected only if they speak out as citizens on “matters of public concern” and their speech doesn’t disrupt the school. So matters of personal concern, e.g. social activities, partying, personal gripes, etc., are not protected. Tenured teachers have far greater job security than probationary teachers — they can’t be fired except for “just cause” — but it’s not the First Amendment that protects them.
- DO: Learn The Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators.
- DO: Find out if your school or district has an Acceptable Use Policy for the Internet and/or social media. Make sure everything you do online is in keeping with these and other pertinent policies, as well as state and federal laws and regulations. You will be held responsible for what you post both by your school and legal entities. If your school doesn’t have an official policy, take this opportunity to help develop one.
- DO: Keep work and play separate. Regardless of your school or district’s policy, never use school property for personal communications. Do not log onto your email on the school’s computer. Do not bring your laptop to school and access the school’s network. Never access your personal email or send texts on your mobile device using the school’s Wi-Fi. Also keep a clear distinction between your personal and professional identities online. Don’t friend students, parents, and people you only know professionally, or otherwise connect with them through your personal account. If you want to use social media professionally, create a separate account for this and maintain appropriate boundaries and language at all times. Alternatively, you could use a social network specifically designed for connecting professionally.
- DO: Monitor your own internet presence, so you’re aware of content posted by others about you or content posted by an imposter posing as you. Create a Google alert to notify you when anything about you has been posted. Monitor comments that are posted to your page and your friends’ photographs. Delete inappropriate language or content. If someone “tags” you in an inappropriate photograph, remove the tag and ask the friend to take the photo down.
- DO: Contact OEA if you have any questions. If you’re about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, feel free to discuss it with your Labor Relations Consultant.
- DON’T post profanity, obscenity or anything that depicts you in an unfavorable light, including, but certainly not limited to, any images with you drinking, using drugs, in questionable settings, with disreputable companions, in inappropriate attire, or engaging in illegal activities.
- DON’T vent online. Under no circumstances should you ever tell stories about work that include personally identifiable details, such as full names, job titles, addresses, phone numbers, pay, or other information protected by state and federal privacy laws. Even eliminating any specific information about your situation and/or presenting it as a hypothetical puts you at risk.
- DON’T post anything related to a student, no matter how harmless you think it is. Never counsel a student online.
- DON’T accept an online relationship with anyone who you do not know offline. This is true for everyone, not just educators. Don’t assume Facebook friends of your friends are safe.
- DON’T join groups that may be considered unprofessional or inappropriate, and leave any such group of which you are already a member.
Additional Resources
Facebook Privacy Settings and Tools: https://www.facebook.com/about/basics
Twitter Support: https://support.twitter.com
YouTube Help Center: https://support.google.com/youtube
Pinterest Help Center: https://help.pinterest.com
Help for Flickr: https://help.flickr.com
How to Create Social Media Guidelines for Your School: http://bit.ly/Lx3bJV
Online Database of Social Media Policies: http://bit.ly/KPYOJA
Download these guidelines.
Commonsense Pointers for Avoiding False Allegations
Whenever possible, never be alone with a student. That’s because a student’s allegations made when there are no other witnesses hinge on credibility, and authorities often tend to favor the alleged victim in these circumstances. So don’t be alone with a student in a house or a car, and never give a student a ride home. To the extent possible, avoid being alone with a student in a classroom.
Risky situations include: one-on-one tutoring, counseling, after-school or recess detention, and make-up tests. If you can’t avoid being alone with a student at school, keep the door open and stay in plain sight.
Always maintain a professional demeanor and distance. That means: no flirting, teasing, or joking about sex. Don’t socialize with students or treat them as “pals” or “friends.” Never give gifts, unless you give one to every student, and don’t single out any one student for constant special attention or flattery.
Never send e-mails, text messages, or cards to students unrelated to schoolwork. Don’t ask students about their social lives or comment on their personal appearance and avoid discussing intimate details of your own private life. Don’t hire students to babysit or allow them to visit your home. Be the adult and maintain boundaries.
Avoid physical contact with students. This is a particularly difficult area. Younger children often seek and need physical comfort from their teachers who, sadly, may be the only source of compassion and love that some students have. In the early elementary grades, an occasional hug is probably OK. But as a general rule, it’s best to avoid most forms of physical contact, especially kissing, hair stroking, tickling, and frontal hugging. And use common sense: a “high five” to acknowledge a job well done is fine; a slap on the bottom is not.
Male teachers have to be especially careful when it comes to physical contact of any sort. While a female teacher’s touch may be perceived as comforting, a male teacher’s may be viewed as sexually suggestive. And male employees are far more likely to be accused of inappropriate contact with students than female employees. According to one expert, accusations involving female teachers and male students make up less than 5 percent of the cases.
Avoid using physical force to enforce discipline. When students are misbehaving or out of control, avoid touching or grabbing them to get their attention. Instead, use verbal commands and other disciplinary methods.
There may be a rare occasion when you will have to use physical force in self-defense or to prevent injury to others. If that happens, use the minimum force necessary to prevent harm and immediately call for help. Also, if this is a persistent problem, you may want to ask your district for special training.
Never allow a student to obsess over you. While a crush can be flattering, it also can be fatal, so always nip it in the bud. An unfulfilled fantasy can result in a student acting out to gain attention or retaliating for being ignored. If a student expresses a love interest, respond with an unambiguous “no.” Don’t equivocate and certainly don’t encourage the student by acting pleased by the attention. It’s also advisable to share this information with another adult and your Association representative. In some circumstances, it may be appropriate to tell your supervisor and ask that the student be transferred.
Be particularly wary of “troubled” students. This is a tough one. Some students come to school with a host of emotional needs and chronic problems, and they may confide in their classroom teacher and ask for support and guidance. Particularly for a student with emotional problems, a teacher’s efforts to help unfortunately can be misconstrued as something more and may lead to an infatuation or dependence. Plus you don’t have the skills or training needed to assist.
While you can and should express concern and compassion, don’t take on the role of confidant or counselor. Instead, refer the student to the school counselor, a trained professional who has both the expertise to assess what services the student may need and the experience to know how to arrange for the delivery of those services to the student.
Be especially vigilant if you hold certain teaching positions. Anecdotal evidence suggests that employees who perform certain jobs are at increased risk of false allegations. These include athletic coaches and performing arts teachers —drama, band, chorus, and debate, as well as publications advisers. This trend may be the product of the intense nature of such activities, which may weaken teacher/student boundaries, coupled with a substantial amount of after-school, weekend, and off-campus contact.
This publication was prepared by Michael D. Simpson, NEA Office of General Counsel, with input and assistance from attorneys for numerous NEA state affiliates.
September 2006
Teachers and Children’s Services Investigations
Investigations by Children’s Services are NOT legal proceedings. Therefore, BEFORE talking with ANYONE from Children’s Services, please follow these important steps:
- If you are notified that a complaint against you has been filed with Children’s Services regarding your treatment of a student in your care, DO NOT make any statement regarding the allegations until you contact the Association President.
- After briefing your local president and principal on the allegations, immediately contact your OEA Labor Relations Consultant (LRC). An attorney will be assigned for any Children’s Services hearings or investigations.
- You are NOT entitled to have an attorney for meetings with the administration and parents if Children’s Services is NOT involved. Your local association will provide representation for meetings such as this.
- NEVER agree to meet with a Children’s Services representative regarding allegations against YOU as a teacher until you have followed steps 1. and 2. above. You DO NOT have to meet on their schedule and you always have the right to consult with legal counsel. Your future as an educator is at stake – don’t risk it. OEA provides assistance; please avail yourself of that assistance.
Teachers’ Duty to Report to Children Services
Ohio Revised Code Section 2151.421 (Key Provisions)
A.1. (a) — Duty to Report
Persons in certain official positions who know or suspect that abuse or neglect has occurred to a child under eighteen (18) or mentally retarded, developmentally disabled or physically impaired child under age twenty-one (21) shall immediately report that knowledge or suspicion to the county public children services agency or the municipal or county peace officer in the county in which the child lives.
A.1. (b) — People Required to Report
Total of twenty-two (22) are listed including licensed school psychologist, speech pathologist, or audiologist, school teacher, school employee, or school authority.
G.1 — Immunity for Making Report
Persons making the report or participating in the investigation IN GOOD FAITH are immune from civil or criminal liability.
Ohio Supreme Court Decision: Campbell v. Burton (imposing individual liability for failure to perform duty to report known or suspected child abuse)
In Campbell v. Burton, decided on July 25, 2001, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that a school teacher and her school district could be sued for the teacher’s negligent failure to report her knowledge or suspicion of child abuse to the public children services agency of the jurisdiction.1 In so holding, the Supreme Court reversed the decisions of lower courts that had relied on Ohio’s sovereign immunity law to dismiss lawsuits against teachers and school boards alleging negligent failure to report child abuse.2 The Court held that the abuse reporting statute expressly imposes liability on the individuals designated as mandatory reporters, and thereby creates an exception to sovereign immunity for the teacher and school district. The decision therefore opens the door to lawsuits against school teachers should they have knowledge of possible child abuse and fail to report such knowledge to the appropriate children services agency.
The decision does not expand the mandatory duty of school teachers to report knowledge or suspicion of child abuse; these laws have existed for many years. In this regard, teachers already face the possibility of criminal liability for failure to report suspected child abuse.3The Ohio Supreme Court also noted that individuals who report suspicions of child abuse in good faith are granted immunity from civil and criminal liability pursuant to R.C. §2151.421(G). By granting broad immunity to individuals who report suspicions of child abuse in good faith, the law encourages reporters to err on the side of disclosure in all instances of suspected child abuse.
The decision increases the likelihood of teachers becoming defendants in lawsuits where a third party is the actual child abuser, and the teacher has failed to report her suspicion of abuse. OEA members should be aware that boards of education have a duty to defend and indemnify teachers and other employees from such lawsuits under R.C. §2744.07. Even though school districts have a duty to defend and indemnify employees from such lawsuits, teachers and support staff will still face the burden of litigation, including time and inconvenience required to participate in litigation. The best advice to give teachers and support staff is to always err on the side of disclosure of suspected child abuse to the appropriate children services agency.
1School teachers have a mandatory duty to report knowledge or suspicion of child abuse pursuant to §2151.421(A) of the Ohio Revised Code.
2Ohio’s sovereign immunity statute provides: “In a civil action brought against a political subdivision or an employee of a political subdivision to recover damages for injury, death, or loss to property allegedly caused by any act or omission in connection with a governmental or proprietary function . . . the employee is immune from liability unless one of the following applies: (a) His acts or omissions were manifestly outside the scope of his employment or official responsibilities; (b) His acts or omissions were with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner; or (c) Liability is expressly imposed by a section of the Revised Code.”
3A violation of R.C. §2151.421(A), i.e. the failure of a mandated reporter such as a school teacher to report known or suspected child abuse, is a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
Disruptive or Violent Students
If you have a Concern with a Student
Emergency Removal
- You have the right to remove a disruptive student from the classroom.
- You have the right to impose necessary disciplinary action to students in keeping with Board policy.
Physical Assault Involving a Unit Member
- You have the right to defend yourself and/or obtain assistance.
- The principal should be immediately notified to call police, parents, and the Superintendent.
- You have the right to legal aid from the County Prosecutor’s Office.
- You need to be sure to document the entire incident in writing by including the date, time, witness (es) present, location; any events leading up to the assault, and specifically, what took place during the assault.
For Your Own Protection
You should immediately contact your Association President and the Superintendent, and file charges with the local police department
Employee Use of the Internet
In the past several years, OEA has had a rash of contractual and legal issues regarding alleged misuse of the Internet – school and personal. Therefore, we wanted to remind you of the following common sense applications of Internet usage.
- You have Internet access at your school, you probably have signed a copy of the District’s “Acceptable Use Policy.” PLEASE READ IT!
- Do NOT visit Internet sites from your school computer that would be objectionable if a student saw the information posted there.
- Be VERY CAREFUL in your e-mail correspondence to students. Do not send even marginally questionable jokes, notes, etc. to students EITHER from your school computer or from your home computer. Your e-mail correspondence to students should ONLY be classroom-related. In fact, it would be better to e-mail to the PARENT, rather than the student.
- Do your best to monitor what students are viewing over the Internet sites in your workplace. Be sure that you have a classroom policy on use of the computers and Internet sites.
- Always remember that SOMEONE can read any e-mail you send or receive from the school’s computer.
- Illegal use of the Internet and e-mail ARE grounds for termination.
- When in doubt, DON’T! YOUR career is at stake!
If A Member Is Assaulted
If a member is the victim of an assault while on school property, the following procedures are recommended:
- Write down as soon as possible after the assault incident all particulars of the situation, including names, witnesses, date, time(s), location, and general conditions.
- Contact the proper school authorities.
- Contact the local association.
- Have the person determine his/her rights to assault leave under the Ohio Revised Code or the collective bargaining agreement.
- Take pictures, if relevant and possible, of injuries or property damage.
- Get a doctor’s statement if there is even a remote possibility of personal injury.
- File all appropriate police reports.
- Press charges against the assaulting student(s) or others.
- Avoid talking to anyone representing the student or others without prior counsel.
- Remember, members are covered by the OEA/NEA Legal Services Program if charges are filed against them.
For Member Protection
Under Ohio law, public employers bear responsibility to indemnify their employees against certain tort claims for acts occurring within the scope of their employment. However, as OEA members, individuals have the additional protection of $1 million in professional liability insurance. This program provides for: *
- Liability Protection. Payment of up to $1 million in damages assessed against a member as a result of a lawsuit.† There is a $3 million aggregate limit per occurrence for this coverage. This is excess coverage, meaning that it is available when the employer declines to provide coverage or where liability limits are exceeded.
- Legal Costs. Payment of all legal costs in defending such cases.
- Civil Rights. Payment of up to $300,000 in damages, attorney fees, and court costs if a member is charged with the violation of the civil rights of an individual.†
- Criminal Cases. Reimbursement of attorney fees and other legal costs up to $35,000 if a member is charged with violating a criminal statute in the course of employment, provided the member is found innocent of the charges or the charges are dropped. If charges stem from an incident involving corporal punishment, the member can be reimbursed up to $35,000, regardless of the outcome of the case.
- Bail Bond. Reimbursement of up to $1,000 of the bail bond premium if the member must post bond.†
- Personal Property Damage. Payment of up to $500 for damages to personal property when caused by an assault in the course of employment. If you believe there is a claim under the liability protection program, contact your local OEA/NEA Labor Relations Consultant immediately.
†In an incident arising out of the member’s education employment.
* In civil actions related to your education employment activities. Please note: This is not a full description of the coverage. For a complete description of OEA/NEA liability coverage, please contact your Labor Relations Consultant.
ESSA Fact Sheet
For 14 long years, students and educators have lived under the deeply flawed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) returns decision making for our nation’s education back where it belongs — in the hands of local educators, parents, and communities — while keeping the focus on students most in need.
Summary of ESSA Workgroup Collaborative Items
Statement of Purpose
Education organizations and stakeholders across Ohio embrace the opportunities provided within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to set forth a vision of high-quality education in Ohio. Our group of education stakeholder organizations has identified five key areas that must be improved to ensure a better learning environment for students. Embedded within these opportunities is an emphasis on providing all students the support and resources needed to succeed in school and prepare them for college or careers.
Early Childhood
- Focus on early literacy and childhood education — providing needed support to students in their earliest years of learning rather than intensive interventions later in their educational career.
- Equity in resources serving our neediest learners in order to improve services to children and their families.
- Coordination among Head Start, early childhood initiatives (Birth-Age 8), and Title funding. Using best practices and educator professional development on the academic, social, and emotional needs of learners to ensure educational opportunities for the whole child.
ESSA provides for Professional Development Grants through a competitive Preschool Development Grant. These grants provide funding to states to promote coordination and collaboration between existing early childhood programs and systems to improve the access to quality programs for low income and disadvantaged children. ESSA authorizes a new $250 million early childhood education program. Whether or not Ohio is a recipient of these funds, the fact that these funds are being provided within ESSA demonstrates the need for quality programs with a focus on interventions, support, and equity for our youngest learners.
Assessments
- Identify and articulate the purpose and use of state mandated assessments. Assessments should be communicated in a language that is easily understood by families, educators, and other education stakeholders. This would include a description and purpose of each assessment, valid uses of the data, and a clear explanation of the results.
- Audit the current assessments utilized for Ohio’s accountability and explore alternative methods of assessment in order to assess students in the least invasive way possible. The amount of time spent on state mandated testing should be further reduced to absolute minimums in order to provide more time for learning and local formative assessment.
- Apply the 1% limit on alternative assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities on a statewide basis, as opposed to being applied at the district or school level.
- Establish a period of stability for tests and testing windows. Provide timely feedback to allow for the testing data to be used to inform instruction and enhance student learning.
- Utilize test data for the purposes identified by the selected assessment to ensure validity. Assessment results should not be utilized in making high-stakes decisions concerning students, staff, or schools. The impact of student growth/test scores on educator evaluation and school effectiveness should be eliminated.
ESSA provides the opportunity to further reduce the amount of standardized testing. It decouples testing and high-stakes decision making for students and educators. It further allows states to set a cap limiting the amount of time students spend taking annual standardized assessments. The SMART Act provides funding for states to audit and streamline assessments, and eliminate those that are duplicative. Reducing the amount of time spent on testing results in more time for teaching and learning to take place in the classroom.
Accountability/State Report Card/School Improvement
- Focus on the purpose of Ohio’s Report Card including what is being reported as well as how the results are reported and interpreted within the community.
- Develop an easily understood guide for community members to be able to make sense of the data being reported about their schools/districts.
- Simplify the state report card, while allowing for a district’s unique circumstances (such as poverty level) which can be identified within a non-academic indicator as provided for in ESSA.
- Provide an opportunity for schools and districts to add explanatory comments to the report card in order to provide additional context to the community.
- Identify those schools needing comprehensive supports and interventions for lowest performing schools based on “what works,” including evidence-based interventions and resource equity. The development of any intervention strategies should allow for local decision making in the school improvement process.
ESSA gives states discretion to choose at least one school quality and student success indicators within two parameters: the indicators must (1) allow for meaningful differentiation in school performance; and (2) be valid, reliable, comparable, and statewide. Additionally, ESSA provides five examples of indicators and then adds that the state may use “any other indicator the state chooses that meets the requirements of the school quality and success clause”. ESSA allows for more than one non-academic indicator. Any selected indicator(s) must be applied across the state.
Of note, the four academic indicators in the aggregate must have greater weight than the 5th non-academic indicator (school success/student support). Discussions around the non-academic indicators of school success or student support allowed within ESSA can provide schools and districts an opportunity to tell their story and focus on the varied educational supports/opportunities that are provided for all students through a well-rounded curriculum but are not reflected in the academic indicators.
Family Engagement
- Provide equity of resources for “special families” – special education, English Language Learners, military families, and socioeconomic status throughout the state. These needs are large and evolving as the student population of Ohio continues to diversify.
- Invest more than 1% of Title I funding for family engagement. A key component in family engagement is providing for supportive professional learning on effective family engagement practices for teachers and school leaders.
- Use clear, consistent language with communities and families to develop stronger connections and school/family partnerships that endure.
ESSA authorizes Statewide Family Engagement Centers to support and provide comprehensive training on parent education and family-school partnerships. Multiple provisions in ESSA ensure that every student has access to a high quality education, regardless of zip code, and that strategies to engage families and communities are central to school improvement efforts. ESSA includes provisions for the Community Support for School Success program, which provides grants for Full-Service Community Schools. A focus on families and communities prepares all stakeholders to truly partner in student-focused programs and supports when education, accountability, interventions, and successes are shared. Collaborative partnerships should focus on valid programs and supports for students with a shared sense of accountability and success.
Educator Capacity
- Promote professional learning that provides time to collaborate, work with data to make informed decisions, and be involved in guiding the instructional decisions.
- Decouple assessments from educator evaluations (teacher and principal) in order to emphasize educator performance and growth.
- Adjust OTES and OPES to drive professional growth rather than serve as compliance checklists.
Consider the interwoven relationship between educator capacity and other key decisions within ESSA. ESSA provides that Title II grant funding continues to be used to increase student achievement while increasing quality and access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders. Title II also ends federally mandated evaluations. States will be allowed to develop, improve, and implement educator evaluation systems, so long as they consult with stakeholders including educators, paraprofessionals, and their unions. ESSA makes resources available to states that could be used to develop or strengthen educator induction and mentoring programs. This is of particular importance given recent polls that show that fewer college bound students are electing to go into the education profession. Further, ESSA allows district funds to be used to enhance collaboration and teacher-led professional development aligned with students’ learning needs. Quality professional learning opportunities support growth in educator learning which in turn impacts student learning.
Collaborative Educator Stakeholder Organizations:
- Buckeye Association of School Administrators
- Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators
- Ohio Association of School Business Officials
- Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators
- Ohio Education Association
- Ohio Federation of Teachers
- Ohio Parent Teacher Association
- Ohio School Boards Association
For more information, visit NEA’s ESSA site, getessaright.org.
Affiliate Grants Program
The OEA Affiliate Grant Program was created to build strong and effective locals.
The Program makes grants available to all local OEA affiliates, whether a large local or a small local. To be eligible for a grant, the affiliate must provide a statement of how its program will strengthen the Association at the local, state, and/or national level. OEA Districts are not eligible.
There are four (4) types of grants available:
- One-Year Special Project Grant – available every year.
- Two-Year Special Project Grant – available every two (2) years only, must apply in a fiscal year beginning with an odd number. (e.g., 2023-2024 fiscal year application cycle)
- Effective Locals Grant – available every two (2) years only, must apply in fiscal year beginning with odd-numbered year. (e.g., 2023-2024 fiscal year application cycle)
- Release Time Grant – available every year, approval subject to NEA’s guidelines.
Click here to download a flier with additional program details and general grant requirements, or download a description of the different affiliate grants types. | Click the icon above or click here for an OEA Affiliate Grant Application
Applicants must apply using an application downloaded from the OEA website, or by request via email to Grants@ohea.org. Click here to download a timeline of the Affiliate Grant application process (Oct. 1, 2024, through midnight Jan. 31, 2025).
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Updated: October 2, 2024
OEA Friend of Education Award
The Ohio Education Association Friend of Education Award recognizes a person and/or organization whose leadership, actions, and support have contributed to the improvement of public education on a statewide and/or national level. Past recipients include a U.S. Senator, U.S. Representatives, and a corporation.
Any member of the Ohio Education Association may nominate an individual or organization to receive this award. The OEA President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer shall review the nomination(s) and supporting rationale.
Current members of the OEA Board of Directors and association staff members are not eligible for this scholarship. In addition, OEA Awards and Scholarship Committee Members are not eligible for two years after completion of service on the committee to apply or to be nominated.
The online nomination form must be completed in a single session, as you will not be able to save, and return to it at a later time without starting over. In addition it must be received on or before February 29, 2024. Late applications will not be considered. The OEA Awards and Scholarship Committee reserves the right to present no award or to refer an applicant to another award or scholarship.
TIP: Consider using this nomination worksheet as a guide prior to completing the online form. This guide can not be submitted in lieu of the online nomination form.
Please click here to see the rubric that the OEA Awards Committee will use to evaluate each submission.
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