Bad for students. Bad for higher education. Bad for Ohio.
Your Voice is Critical
Urge Your State Representative to Oppose Substitute Senate Bill 83
Substitute Senate Bill 83, sponsored by Senator Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), is a sweeping piece of legislation that is currently under consideration in the Ohio House Higher Education Committee. Currently, the committee is debating the eleventh version of the bill. SB 83 was narrowly passed with a vote of 8 to 7 by the Ohio House Higher Education Committee at its meeting on December 6, 2023.
While the current version removed the prohibition of faculty and employees to strike, the bill still contains provisions that cause serious concerns as it pertains to labor rights, job security, and academic freedom which have to potential to negatively impact the quality of higher education in Ohio.
In its current version, SB 83 eliminates the collective bargaining rights of higher education faculty members to bargain over certain working conditions. This includes prohibiting bargaining over faculty evaluations, tenure, and retrenchment (the process for reduction of force). This bill represents the largest attack on collective bargaining rights since Senate Bill 5 in 2011.
Additionally, SB 83 contains language that micromanages higher education classrooms and threatens academic freedoms on Ohio’s public university and college campuses. OEA believes that these policies are best developed locally by faculty and administration determining the systems that work best for their campuses, and not top-down state mandates.
We must stop Substitute Senate Bill 83! Email your Ohio House member and urge them to oppose this bill.
We must stop Substitute Senate Bill 83! Email your Ohio House member and urge them to oppose this bill.
Ohio Education Association deeply troubled with the Senate’s anti-public education substitute version of House Bill 33
The Senate’s budget includes provisions that will have a negative impact for Ohio’s public schools when compared to the budget passed by the Ohio House—including a school funding plan that will shift responsibility of funding our schools to local communities, the lack of a comprehensive plan to address the educator staffing crisis and pay gap, universal expansion of vouchers, allowing a test score to dictate when a student is retained under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, eroding educator and community input on K-12 Education Governance, rolling back gains made in childhood nutrition, and issues related to licensure for educators.”
“We are also highly dismayed with the Senate’s inclusion of Senate Bill 83, the Higher Education “Destruction” Act. OEA is opposed to the addition of HB 83 into the Senate’s version of the budget as it represents the largest attack on collective bargaining rights since Senate Bill 5 in 2011. It will censor honest and truthful education in our institutions of higher learning.”
The following are OEA’s positions on some of the public policy proposals contained in the Senate’s amended substitute version of the bill:
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- Schools Funding– OEA continues to support the Fair School Funding as passed by the Ohio House. While we are still analyzing the Senate school funding changes, OEA has serious concerns with the Senate’s adjustment to the methodology in calculating the state/local share formula.
- Voucher Expansion– OEA is opposed to the expansion of the EdChoice voucher program to universal eligibility for K-12 students. OEA recommends returning to current law with eligibility for income-based EdChoice vouchers at 250% of poverty. Expansion of vouchers should only be considered once the legislature has fully implemented the Fair School Funding Plan.
- Educator Staffing Issues– Reinstate the state minimum teacher salary from $30,000 to $40,000 and provisions from HB 9 that created a “Grow your Own Teacher Program” and Ohio Teacher Loan Repayment program.
- Mandatory Student Retention– OEA opposes removing language in the House-passed budget that would eliminate mandatory student retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee. OEA firmly believes that high-stakes decisions about students should not be based on standardized test scores.
- School Meals– OEA opposes removing language in the House-passed budget to make school breakfast and lunch accessible to more children by having the state cover the cost between free and reduced-priced meals.
- Licensure– Reinstate teacher apprenticeship program leading to professional licensure, remove the provision allowing unlicensed military veterans to teach core subjects (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Languages, Fine Arts), and remove the modification of teacher licensure grade bands to preK-8 and 6-12 and maintain current licensure bands (preK-5, 4-9, and 7-12).
- Graduation Requirements– Social Studies and Financial Literacy- The substitute bill could reduce student exposure to social studies. OEA requests the removal of the provisions that permit a student to substitute one-half unit of financial literacy instruction for a one-half unit of social studies instruction to meet the financial literacy requirement for graduation.
- K12 Education Governance– OEA opposes the inclusion of Senate Bill 1 into the budget bill. The language in the bill would neuter the role of the State Board of Education by shifting the vast majority of its powers and duties to a cabinet agency. There is not broad consensus or buy-in among key educational stakeholders about this change.
- Higher Education– OEA opposes inclusion of SB 83 into the Senate’s version of the State Budget. SB 83 will only serve to drive students, faculty, and staff away from Ohio’s institutions of higher learning, while ultimately harming the economic future of our state. Additionally, SB 83 represents the single largest attack on collective bargaining rights in Ohio since Senate Bill 5 in 2011. OEA urges the Ohio General Assembly to remove all provisions of SB 83 from the budget.
Finally, OEA urges the Ohio House to vote against concurrence with the changes proposed by the Ohio Senate to HB 33. We call on members of the General Assembly to work across party lines to craft a final budget that supports the needs of public schools that serve 90 percent of Ohio’s students.
OEA to continue fighting for pension security in wake of STRS election
“The Ohio Education Association thanks Arthur Lard for his unwavering commitment to our pension security and the long-term health of the system for all active, retired and future teachers during his time on the STRS Board.
As the Board moves forward, it is more important than ever that every teacher in Ohio takes an active interest in the work of the STRS Board. STRS must make good on its promise to ensure that every teacher receives a guaranteed pension they can’t outlive, not just for active and retired teachers today but to make sure we can continue to bring excellent educators into the profession in the future to serve Ohio’s students. Risky investment schemes that undermine the future of the pension cannot be tolerated.
STRS faces difficult challenges in the years ahead, including market instability and growing inflation, and the work of the STRS Board will be critical if our pension system is to weather those storms. We wish Pat Davidson the best as he assumes his new responsibilities on the Board. We also look forward to working with all members of the STRS Board to ensure that all members, current and future, have a pension they can count on for the rest of their lives.”
OEA applauds public education investments in House-passed budget
“The Ohio Education Association applauds the Ohio House for prioritizing the students of our state in the budget bill passed in that chamber this week. This budget includes significant investments in public schools—including a plan to increase the minimum teacher salary to address growing teacher shortage issues—and it promotes a number of sound public education policies, like repealing the punitive mandatory retention provision of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee while maintaining an emphasis on the importance of literacy for our children. Additionally, this budget proposal makes school breakfast and lunch accessible to more children by having the state cover the difference in the cost between free and reduced-price meals.
More importantly, the House has demonstrated its commitment to working to fully and fairly fund the public schools that serve 90 percent of students in our state. This budget measure increases state funding to public schools by nearly $1 billion over the biennium by ensuring updated data is used in the Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) formula to determine the actual costs of providing an excellent education to every child while continuing to provide more of the funding necessary to fulfill that promise, when the FSFP is fully implemented. OEA thanks the House for taking this important step forward.
The budget bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, and OEA urges our state Senators to build on the positive momentum of the House’s work and pull back on the proposed expansion of voucher schemes that would amount to near universal eligibility in our state. The Senate must do the right thing for Ohio’s 1.6 million public school students, and OEA looks forward to working with lawmakers from both parties to ensure the best budget bill possible is adopted for the next biennium.
OEA would like to thank House Speaker Jason Stephens, Leader Allison Russo, House Finance Committee Chair Jay Edwards, and Ranking Member Bride Rose Sweeney for their bipartisan efforts to bring the budget to this point. The budget proposal they produced puts Ohio students first and shows that the House supports what Ohioans believe so strongly, that public education matters in our state.”
Hunger-Free Schools Ohio calls for immediate relief for child hunger crisis
“Every child in Ohio, regardless of where they’re from, what they look like, or how much money their parents make, needs to be able to eat full, nutritionally complete meals at school. Therefore, allowing them to focus on what they’re learning, not on the hunger pangs they’re feeling,” said Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro, who hosted Monday’s discussion on behalf of the Hunger-Free Schools Ohio coalition. “Although the pandemic-era federal programs that ensured every Ohio child could receive free meals at school have ended, there is more than enough money in Ohio right now to ensure no student goes without the meals they need.”
“Having meals provided for my child when universal meal programs were in place in Ohio made a huge difference in our lives. Now, every dollar we’re spending on meals is a dollar we can’t spend on the other things we need,” said Megan Thompson, a parent in the Wellington Exempted School District in Lorain County who shared her family’s story during the Hunger-Free Schools Ohio discussion this week.
“Our students are keenly aware of the difference having nutritious school meals makes in their days along with the struggles some of their peers face in trying to pay for those meals,” said Bluffton Middle School Principal Josh Kauffman, whose Allen County students hosted a bake sale to pay off the lunch debts of their classmates. “Unfortunately, there is a stigma around accepting necessary help to access school meals. But that stigma disappears when systems are in place to provide healthy school meals for all.”
“One in six children, and as many as one in four children in certain counties, lives in a household that faces hunger—that’s 413,000 kids across Ohio. School meals play an essential role in alleviating child hunger and improving child wellbeing. We hope lawmakers will prioritize our kids and school nutrition programs in this biennial budget by expanding critical access to school meals,” said Katherine Ungar, a Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio Policy Associate who wrote the “School Meals Support Ohio Student Health and Learning” white paper.
“It has been heartbreaking to see students who are unable to pay for their school lunches turned away from the nutritious food they need. Our dedicated cafeteria staff should never have to serve as both caring food service professionals and hard-hearted debt collectors,” said Daryn Guarino, Director of Food and Nutrition for Alexander Local Schools in Athens County.
“School meals are a basic need for every student to be able to learn and reach their full potential in our classrooms,” agreed Lindy Douglas, Special Programs Coordinator for Alexander Local Schools. “Especially here in rural Appalachia, where our kids already struggle to have a level playing field in so many ways, our kids can’t afford to have our state leaders fail to act on this urgent issue. Ohio lawmakers must act now to make sure every child is fed.”
ABOUT HUNGER-FREE SCHOOLS OHIO
We are a passionate collective representing more than 40 local and statewide anti-hunger, education, food, and nutrition organizations and associations who are working to take hunger off the table, committed to ensuring that every student in Ohio has access to healthy school meals. Learn more at hungerfreeschoolsoh.org
OEA lays out bold vision for 135th General Assembly
“This legislative session presents a tremendous opportunity to address school funding, the educator shortage, the well-being of our students and staff, and other issues that affect our members and the learners we serve,” OEA President Scott DiMauro wrote in a letter to state lawmakers and the governor laying out OEA’s legislative priorities for the 135th General Assembly.
“OEA looks forward to working collaboratively with lawmakers in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle to achieve these important goals for our students and the dedicated teachers, support professionals, and faculty members who work with them every day,” DiMauro said.
Priority education issues for this General Assembly to address include the following:
- Fully funding the Fair School Funding Plan
- Alleviating school staffing shortages
- Ending the expansion of private school voucher programs
- Repealing mandatory student retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee
- Supporting student and staff wellbeing
- Protecting the voice of educators by supporting unions and defending collective bargaining rights
More information about each of these legislative priorities can be downloaded here
All in for Ohio Kids responds to Gov. DeWine’s proposed budget
OOC Co-Executive Director Molly Shack, PMO Executive Director Hannah Halbert, OFT President Melissa Cropper, and OEA President Scott DiMauro released the following joint statement:
“No matter where they live or what they look like, all of Ohio’s kids deserve a public school that inspires their creativity, unlocks their potential, and nurtures their dreams. But according to the EdWeek Research Center, Ohio is among the least equitable states for education resource distribution in the country. While we recognize Governor DeWine’s commitment to continuing implementation of the Cupp-Patterson school funding formula, also known as the Fair School Funding Plan, we are calling on Ohio’s lawmakers to take bold action and implement full funding for that plan.
Fully and fairly funding Ohio’s public schools will give school districts a permanent, adequate, stable funding stream that will allow them to make necessary investments to meet the needs of students and address education staffing shortages. Legislators should also avoid competing funding obligations, such as an expansion of private school vouchers or charter schools, that would hinder our ability to fully fund the public schools that 90% of Ohio students attend.
For decades, Ohio policymakers had allowed unconstitutional funding guidelines to determine how resources flow to our public schools. The Fair School Funding Plan created a student-centered school funding formula which put us on the path toward finally meeting our constitutional obligation to Ohio’s students. However, without fully phasing in the necessary funding levels we are still falling short of what our children deserve.
Ohio’s students can’t wait any longer for lawmakers to deliver on the promise of world-class opportunities for all. We urge legislative leaders to finish what they started, refine the components of the school funding formula, and finally dedicate the resources needed for each and every Ohio student to succeed.”
All in for Ohio Kids represents a broad group of concerned organizations and individuals who are working together to fully and fairly fund our schools.
OEA reflects on final days of Lame Duck
Senate Bill 178 would have moved most of the oversight of education in Ohio away from the State Board of Education and into a newly created cabinet-level department under the Governor. Late Wednesday night, the Senate amended SB 178 into House Bill 151, which was originally intended to improve the state’s resident educator program and summative assessment. Harmful and unnecessary language to ban transgender girls from playing high school sports was also added to that bill by the House earlier this year. Early Thursday morning, in the final hours of the session, Ohio House members voted against concurring with the Senate’s Lame Duck changes. A new version of SB 178 will likely be reintroduced in the new year.
“OEA believes it is worth taking a hard look at how Ohio’s schools are governed and supported at the state level. However, collaboration is key,” OEA President Scott DiMauro said. “Stakeholders need to be at the table. The voices of Ohio’s educators need to be heard, valued and central to any change. That is how we will get the best results for Ohio’s students.”
OEA appreciates the work of legislators in the 134th General Assembly who adopted educator’s recommendations on Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA), the funding component that supports economically disadvantaged students, resulting in an increase of approximately $56 million in additional state funding in FY ‘23. Additionally, lawmakers increased allocations of the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for our public schools and provided an additional $112 million in federal funds for school building security and safety grants.
OEA remains hopeful that the next General Assembly will once again take up the cause of ending mandatory retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, after the Senate failed to act on the House-passed House Bill 497 this session.
OEA also looks forward to collaborating with Ohio’s elected leaders to ensure the Fair School Funding Plan is fully implemented in the new state budget. That plan, which represents the first constitutional school funding system in the state in decades, was adopted in the last budget but only funded through the end of this biennium.
“Certainly, there is more work to be done, especially around issues like addressing growing educator shortages and supporting student and educator mental health and wellness,” DiMauro said, “but OEA is proud of what our members have been able to accomplish through their diligent advocacy work this session. We all look forward to working collaboratively with members of the 135th General Assembly to ensure their important public education priorities are front and center as new legislation is introduced.”
Social Links
ACTION ALERT – Urge your State Representative to Oppose SB 83
RESOURCES
Resources from NEA
- Student and Educator Mental Health
- Safe School Communities
- School Gun Violence Prevention and Response Guide
- Context for Teaching Students with Autism
Read Across America
- Video recordings – Watch OEA-R and OEA members celebrate Read Across America by reading books
- Or watch any of the recordings on Facebook: Read Across America Playlist
- Create and Celebrate a Nation of Diverse Readers – resources from NEA
Ohio Schools Magazine digital editions
- October/ November 2024
- 2024-2025 Member Resource Guide
- June/ July 2024
- February/ March 2024
- December 2023/ January 2024
- October/ November 2023
- Ohio Schools archive
PRESS RELEASES
- September 20, 2024 – OEA thanks Ohio Congress members from both parties for their work to move bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act forward
- September 13, 2024 – OEA Encouraged by Improved Student Outcomes for 2023-2024, but Notes More Work is Needed to Make State Report Cards a Useful Tool for Parents
- August 29, 2024 – OEA congratulates the 2025 OTOY
- July 1, 2024 – OEA congratulates CNP on ballot signature success
- June 20, 2024 – As teacher license fee hike looms, OEA calls for Controlling Board action
- June 3, 2024 – OEA distributes thousands of free diverse books
- May 15, 2024 – OEA Applauds Cell Phone Law
- Press Release archive
LEGISLATIVE WATCH RELEASES
- September 12, 2024 – This is our chance to end GPO-WEP
- August 23, 2024 – OEA Applauds State Controlling Board Decision to Approve Full Funding for the State Board of Education
- August 9, 2024 – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Calls for Vote on Repeal of GPO/WEP
- July 2, 2024 – Senate Bill 83 Stalls Out Before Legislative Recess; Take Action to Stop Teacher License Fee Increase; House Bill 214 – Professional Conduct Policies; Senate Bill 104 – Transgender Bathroom Restrictions Amended into CCP Bill; Senate Bill 168 – Various Education Regulation Provisions
- Legislative Watch archive
- Legislative Scorecard – An interactive Legislative scorecard for each member of the Ohio General Assembly
EVENTS
- October 23 – Moving from Land Acknowledgements to Action in the Buckeye State
- October 26-27 – Bargaining Boot Camp – Southwest (this event has reached capacity)
- November 2-3 – Bargaining Boot Camp – Northeast (this event has reached capacity)
- November 9-10 – Bargaining Boot Camp – Central (this event has reached capacity)
- November 15 – Cleveland CAVs vs Chicago Bulls
- November 18 – OEA Virtual Trivia Night
- November 19 – OEA New President Power Hour: Advocacy and representing your members
- November 23-24 – Bargaining Boot Camp – Northwest (this event has reached capacity)
- December 10 – CBJ vs Philadelphia Flyers
- December 12 – CBJ vs Washington Capitals
- December 14 – CBJ vs Anaheim Ducks
- January 21 – OEA New President Power Hour: Helpful tips for successful negotiations
- January 25 – Cleveland CAVs vs Houston Rockets
- January 25-26 – AE ONE Annual Conference
- February 2 – Cleveland CAVs vs Dallas Mavericks
- February 18 – OEA New President Power Hour: Best practices in communicating with your members and the community
- February 21 – Cleveland CAVs vs New York Knicks
- March 2 – Cleveland CAVs vs Portland Trail Blazers
- March 18 – OEA New President Power Hour: Your voice in the OEA Democratic Structure and resources available to you and your members
- April 15 – OEA New President Power Hour: “What If” Sharing problem-solving strategies
PUBLIC EDUCATION MATTERS PODCAST
Subscribe and Listen to Public Education Matters on a variety of podcast networks
Transistor RSS feed | Apple podcasts | Listen on YouTube | Spotify | Amazon music
- Season 5, Episode 1 – New school year brings new trends, challenges, and opportunities
- Season 5, Episode 2 – For Sen. Sherrod Brown’s family, supporting public education is a shared mission
- Season 5, Episode 3 – Rhonda Johnson for State Board of Education
- Season 5, Episode 4 – The top NEA Member Benefits deals you can’t afford to miss
- Season 5, Episode 5 – OEA Members: Send Rep. Joe Miller (D-District 53) back to the Statehouse!
- Season 5, Episode 6 – Rep. Justin Pizzulli (R-District 90): ‘I want to be a voice for the voiceless’
- Season 5, Episode 7 – State Bd. of Ed. candidate Chris Orban’s work to transform how math, computer science are taught in Ohio
- Season 4, Episode 1 – Speaking in a united voice because Public Education Matters. Plus, the OEA app.
- Season 4, Episode 2 – Kids Voting Ohio. Plus, Running for Westerville City Council
- Season 4, Episode 3 – On Our Sleeves. Plus, celebrating Public Education Matters Day
- Season 4, Episode 4 – Educators belong on local school boards. Plus, OEA’s Legislative Scorecard
- Season 4, Episode 5 – Supporting student stewards of our democracy. Plus, OEA’s Affiliate Grant Programs
- Season 4, Episode 6 – Meeting the needs of growing numbers of English Learners. Plus, OEA Nights with the Cavs and Blue Jackets.
- Season 4, Episode 7 – The 2024 OTOY’s journey from the newsroom to the classroom. Plus, OEA member deals on grad credit hours.
- Season 4, Episode 8 – Practical guidance for building positive family engagement. Plus, bringing OEA’s Aspiring Educators together.
- Season 4, Episode 9 – Creating welcoming P.E. classes for every student – no exceptions. Plus, new resources for OEA members to hold legislators accountable.
- Season 4, Episode 10 – Rolling out Ohio’s dyslexia policies. Plus, OEA’s Educational Foundation grants.
- Season 4, Episode 11 – Elevating Education Support Professionals’ voices. Plus, OEA’s Ohio Schools magazine goes digital.
- Season 4, Episode 12 – See Educators Run. Plus, OEA’s continued fight against SB 83
- Season 4, Episode 13 – NPE report gives Ohio failing grade on state’s support for public education. Plus, OEA members talk banned books.
- Season 4, Episode 14 – Educators serving as DNC delegates. Plus, fun opportunities to support the OEA Fund.
- Season 4, Episode 15 – 5 things you didn’t know about OASNP. Plus, MCTA’s PD Day success.
- Season 4, Episode 16 – When THAT Student Becomes the Teacher: A neurodiverse educator’s perspective. Plus, advocating for Developmentally Appropriate Practice in early childhood education
- Season 4, Episode 17 – Storytelling as an Organizational Tool. Plus, Sandy Smith Fischer for STRS
- Season 4, Episode 18 – Erase the Space. Plus, meet OEA’s NEA fellow.
- Season 4, Episode 19 – Vouchers hurt educators’ pensions. Plus, OEA support of the One Fair Wage campaign
- Season 4, Episode 20 – Amplifying immigrant students’ voices. Plus, OEA celebrates diverse readers in East Cleveland.
- Season4, Episode 21 – Citizens Not Politicians aims to end gerrymandering in Ohio. Plus, OEA members’ power to shape our state’s future.
- Season 3, Episode 1 – Celebrating Our Wins
- Season 3, Episode 2 – Ohio Parents Trust Teachers
- Season 3, Episode 3 – The Hard Choice to Walk Away
- Season 3, Episode 4 – Choosing the OEA Member-Recommended Candidates
- Season 3, Episode 5 – “The Kindness Machine”
- Season 3, Episode 6 – Educators on the Ballot
- Season 3, Episode 7 – State Supreme Court Candidate Spotlight
- Season 3, Episode 8 – Supporting Diverse Educators
- Season 3, Episode 9 – The Case Against Mandatory Retention Under the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee
- Season 3, Episode 10 – A Legacy of Education: The Jessens
- Season 3, Episode 11 – A Legacy of Education: Sandra Dowdy & Calista Altenburger
- Season 3, Episode 12 – Ohio Teacher of the Year Melissa Kmetz
- Season 3, Episode 13 – What’s next for the NEXUS pipeline school funding?
- Season 3, Episode 14 – Standing Together for Education
- Season 3, Episode 15 – A Legacy of Education: Jillian Majzan & Stephanie Hall
- Season 3, Episode 16 – Remembering OEA Awards & Scholarship namesakes
- Season 3, Episode 17 – Working to Repeal GPO/WEP
- Season 3, Episode 18 – Bringing Special Needs Professionals Together
- Season 3, Episode 19 – The ABC’s of CEA’s Larry Carey
- Season 3, Episode 20 – The Columbia Giving Tree
- Season 3, Episode 21 – ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’
- Season 3, Episode 22 – Beyond the Headlines: Cleveland’s Promise
- Season 3, Episode 23 – The Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition’s Vision of Child Wellbeing
- Season 3, Episode 24 – Supporting HBCUs and future educators of color
- Season 3, Episode 25 – Hunger-Free Schools Ohio: Expand meal access for all now
- Season 3, Episode 26 – Arthur Lard for STRS
- Season 3, Episode 27 – Brothers RISE
- Season 3, Episode 28 – #columbusstudentsdeserve: Six months after the CEA strike
- Season 3, Episode 29 – DeRolph, 26 years later
- Season 3, Episode 30 – From the classroom to the Mansfield mayor’s office?
- Season 3, Episode 31 – Senate Bill 83: Bad for students, bad for higher education, bad for Ohio
- Season 3, Episode 32 – Echoes and Reflections: Improving Holocaust education in Ohio
- Season 3, Episode 33 – Ohio’s schools by the numbers: Policy Matters research examines funding, discipline, absenteeism, and more
- Season 3, Episode 34 – Natasha Hurt-Hayes, Education Champion
- Season 3, Episode 35 – Preparing for a Summer Celebration of Diverse Readers
- Season 3, Episode 36 – Vote NO in August
- Season 3, Episode 37 – A Legacy of Education: The Johnsons
- Season 3, Episode 38 – Retiree answers the call to return to the classroom
- Season 3, Episode 39 – Council on American-Islamic Relations offers new Educator Resource page
- Season 3, Episode 40 – Public Education Matters because…
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
Updated October 17, 2024
Ohio Education Association Candidate Recommendations
Ohio’s General Election is on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Make sure educators voices are heard this November by making your plan to vote. Please see below for some important dates and links for information on voting in the upcoming General Election.
Important Dates
- Monday, October 7, 2024 – Deadline to register to vote and update registrations in advance of the General Election Boards of Election will be open until 9:00 PM for individuals to drop off registrations. See below links for how to check your registration status, register to vote, or update your registration online.
- Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – Early voting for the 2024 General Election begins. See links below for in-person early voting locations, dates, and times.
- Monday, November 4, 2024 – Absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date if returned by mail.
- Tuesday, November 5, 2024 – General Election: Polls are open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM and absentee ballots may be returned by 7:30 PM to your Board of Elections if not returned by mail.
Important Links
- To check your registration status, please click here.
- To register or update your registration, please click here.
- To find your county’s early voting location, please click here.
- To find the schedule for early in-person voting, please click here.
- To find out how to request a mail in ballot and vote by mail, please click here.
Click here to look up your current legislative district under the latest state maps.
As part of your voting plan, we urge all OEA members to check out the list of candidates recommended by the OEA members below. Many more candidate recommendations will be made after the Primary, so please continue to check for updates.
It is important to note that OEA members across the state—not OEA staff or leaders—make all the endorsement decisions. In each race, candidates from both parties are asked to fill out questionnaires describing their positions on education issues, and those who are state officeholders are also rated on their education votes in the General Assembly. Candidates are then interviewed by OEA members who work in the district or area in which candidates are seeking office. Based on the candidate’s views on public education issues—and only on public education issues—the OEA Fund State Council and District Screening Committees vote on whether to endorse specific candidates.
You can learn more about the OEA Fund and the screening process here.
**If viewing the recommended candidates list on a mobile phone or small screen, please rotate your device to a horizontal orientation for better viewing.**
President and Vice-President | Kamala Harris (D)/Tim Walz (D) |
US Senate | Recommended Candidate |
US Senate – OH | Sherrod Brown (D) |
Judicial Seat | |
Associate Justice of the OH Supreme Court | Melody Stewart (D) |
Associate Justice of the OH Supreme Court | Michael Donnelly (D) |
Associate Justice of the OH Supreme Court (Unexpired Term) | Lisa Forbes (D) |
Ohio House | Recommended Candidate |
District 1 | Dontavius Jarrells (D) |
District 2 | Latyna Humphrey (D) |
District 3 | Ismail Mohamed (D) |
District 4 | Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D) |
District 5 | Meredith Lawson-Rowe (D) |
District 6 | Christine Cockley (D) |
District 7 | Allison Russo (D) |
District 8 | Anita Somani (D) |
District 9 | Munira Abdullahi (D) |
District 10 | Mark Sigrist (D) |
District 11 | Crystal Lett (D) |
District 12 | Brad Cotton (D) |
District 13 | Tristan Rader (D) |
District 14 | Sean Brennan (D) |
District 15 | Chris Glassburn (D) |
District 16 | Bride Rose Sweeney (D) |
District 17 | No Position |
District 18 | Juanita Brent (D) |
District 19 | Phil Robinson (D) |
District 20 | Terrence Upchurch (D) |
District 21 | Eric Synenberg (D) |
District 22 | Darnell Brewer (D) |
District 23 | Daniel Troy (D) |
District 24 | Dani Isaacsohn (D) |
District 25 | Cecil Thomas (D) |
District 26 | Sedrick Denson (D) |
District 27 | Rachel Baker (D) |
District 28 | Karen Brownlee (D) |
District 29 | Cindy Abrams (R) |
District 30 | Stefanie Hawk (D) |
District 31 | Bill Roemer (R) |
District 32 | No Position |
District 33 | Veronica Sims (D) |
District 34 | Derrick Hall (D) |
District 35 | Mark Curits (D) |
District 36 | No Position |
District 37 | No Position |
District 38 | No Position |
District 39 | No Position |
District 40 | No Position |
District 41 | Erika White (D) |
District 42 | Elgin Rogers, Jr. (D) |
District 43 | Michele Grim (D) |
District 44 | David Blythe (D) |
District 45 | No Position |
District 46 | Benjamin McCall (D) |
District 47 | Vanessa Cummings (D) |
District 48 | Scott Oelslager (R) |
District 49 | Krista L. Allison (D) |
District 50 | Matthew Kishman (R) |
District 51 | No Position |
District 52 | Gayle Manning (R) |
District 53 | Joe Miller (D) |
District 54 | No Position |
District 55 | Laura Davis (D) |
District 56 | Cleveland Canova (D) |
District 57 | Jamie Callender (R) |
District 58 | Lauren McNally (D) |
District 59 | No Position |
District 60 | Rachael Morocco (D) |
District 61 | David Hagan (D) |
District 62 | Katie Vockell (D) |
District 63 | No Position |
District 64 | Lauren Mathews (D) |
District 65 | No Position |
District 66 | No Position |
District 67 | No Position |
District 68 | No Position |
District 69 | Jamie Hough (D) |
District 70 | No Position |
District 71 | No Position |
District 72 | Nathaniel Adams (D) |
District 73 | No Position |
District 74 | No Position |
District 75 | Haraz Ghanbari (R) |
District 76 | No Position |
District 77 | No Position |
District 78 | No Position |
District 79 | Monica Robb Blasdel (R) |
District 80 | No Position |
District 81 | James Hoops (R) |
District 82 | No Position |
District 83 | No Position |
District 84 | Arienne Childrey (D) |
District 85 | No Position |
District 86 | Tracy Richardson (R) |
District 87 | No Position |
District 88 | No Position |
District 89 | No Position |
District 90 | Justin Pizzulli (R) |
District 91 | No Position |
District 92 | Mark Johnson (R) |
District 93 | Jason Stephens (R) |
District 94 | Wenda Sheard (D) |
District 95 | Don Jones (R) |
District 96 | No Position |
District 97 | No Position |
District 98 | No Position |
District 99 | Louis Murphy (D) |
Ohio Senate | Recommended Candidate |
District 2 | Paloma De La Fuente (D) |
District 4 | Thomas Cooke (D) |
District 6 | Willis Blackshear (D) |
District 8 | Louis Blessing, III (R) |
District 10 | Daniel McGregor (D) |
District 12 | No Position |
District 14 | Shane Marcum (D) |
District 16 | Beth Liston (D) |
District 18 | Katie O’Neill (D) |
District 20 | No Position |
District 22 | No Position |
District 24 | Tom Patton (D) |
District 26 | Mohamud Juma (D) |
District 28 | Casey Weinstein (D) |
District 30 | Iva Faber (D) |
District 32 | Michael Shrodek (D) |
District 33 | No Position |
U.S. Congress | Recommended Candidate |
District 1 | Greg Landsman (D) |
District 2 | |
District 3 | Joyce Beatty (D) |
District 4 | |
District 5 | |
District 6 | |
District 7 | |
District 8 | |
District 9 | Marcy Kaptur (D) |
District 10 | |
District 11 | Shontel Brown (D) |
District 12 | |
District 13 | Emilia Sykes (D) |
District 14 | |
District 15 | Adam Miller (D) |
State Board of Education | Recommended Candidate |
SBOE 1 | Kristie Reighard |
SBOE 5 | Mary Binegar |
SBOE 6 | Chris Orban |
SBOE 7 | Rhonda Johnson |
SBOE 8 | Karen Lloyd |
SBOE 11 | Delores Ford |