Higher Education Resources
OEA Higher Education Resources
OEA member advocates and staff can provide a range of resources for your local, including assistance with grievances, contracts, professional issues, and organizing. Please contact your local president for more information.
NEA Higher Education Advocate
Recent issues of the NEA Higher Education Advocate are available
College and University Data Analysis System (CUDAS):
This CD-ROM allows members to analyze their institution by a series of indicators and to compare it with their peer institutions. The source of the data is the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. The CUDAS CD-ROM can be found in the NEA Almanac of Higher Education published annually.
To access this information, login as a member. If you have any questions or concerns after reading the instructions, contact Russ Harris, the OEA Higher Education Liaison (harrisr@ohea.org).
Higher Education Contract Analysis System (HECAS):
HECAS CD is a CD-ROM with full-text retrieval software, containing over 840 higher education collective bargaining contracts. The system, updated twice a year, has contracts for faculty, support staff, and academic professionals. The most up-to-date collection of contracts resides on the Web-based version, which is updated monthly. Access to HECAS on the Web and the HECAS CD is restricted to NEA state affiliate staff and local leaders. You must contact the higher education contact person in your state to be granted access to both products.
To access this information, instructions and an example, login as a member. If you have any questions or concerns after reading the instructions, contact Russ Harris, the OEA Higher Education Liaison (harrisr@ohea.org).
The Ohio Board of Regents:
The Ohio Board of Regents, a nine-member advisory board to the chancellor with two ex-officio representatives from the state legislature, was created in 1963 by the general assembly. Members of the Board of Regents are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Responsibilities of the board include, developing an independent annual report on the Condition of Higher Education in the Ohio, and issuing an annual performance review of the chancellor. The board is also responsible for advising the chancellor on issues of statewide importance affecting higher education.
About the Ohio Education Department of Higher Education
Higher Education Data & Reports:
These reports provide statistical data related to the enrollments, student preparation and academic progress, degrees awarded, post-graduation employment outcomes, tuition, financial aid, and costs and expenditures per student at Ohio’s higher education institutions.
- College Readiness
- Credit Transfer Reports
- Degrees
- Employment of Graduates
- Enrollment
- Finances, Faculty & Facilities
- Graduation & Retention Rates
- Tuition & Financial Aid
Historical Reports: Student Inventory Data and Basic Data Series Reports (1966 through 2006) Annual reports containing enrollment, facilities, faculty/staff and financial data for state-supported colleges and universities.
Special Topics Reports
Reports responding to specific questions or concerns about higher education in Ohio.
Inter-Generational Mentoring
The Inter-generational Mentoring Program is a collaborative project between OEA-R and the OSEA with support from OEA and NEA. The program pairs retirees with students working toward a degree in education.
The Inter-generational Mentoring Program is designed to help student teachers and new teachers as they finish their studies and move into their first year of teaching.
Brochures
Below are the two OEA-R Mentoring Brochures. One is for OEA-R members and one is for OEA Students members. Brochures include an application form to register for the program.
OEA-R Member Brochure
OEA-R Student Brochure
Ohio Learning Standards
Ohio’s students are instructed on learning standards that were adopted through the legislative process. Students are also assessed according to these standards. To find out more about the Ohio’s Learning Standards, please visit our coalition partnership page with The Ohio Standard at: http://www.theohstandard.org/ Questions and resources regarding the Common Core Standards, Ohio Learning Standards, and developmentally appropriate standards can be found on this site.
Content areas and grade level bands which have identified and articulated standards can be found on the Ohio Department of Education page: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohios-Learning-Standards
Ohio’s Learning Standards are currently in a revision process. OEA has identified members to serve on the Ohio Learning Standards Advisory Committees for Social Studies, Science, and Financial Literacy. It is important that throughout the revision process, educators and OEA members who work most closely with the content and with students learning the content are acknowledged for their expertise in both teaching and learning.
To provide your feedback on Ohio’s Learning Standards, please select your area of interest on the Ohio Department of Education Standard Revision Overview page at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohios-Learning-Standards/Standard-Revision-Overview
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Remember that the sole purpose of a conference is to allow the parent and teacher to understand more fully the student’s performance in school and ways to enhance that performance. Communicate this purpose to parents. Keeping this in mind keeps the focus of discussion efficient and productive and discourages extraneous issues.
A note to parents suggesting issues to think about before the conference can be helpful in making the conference productive and setting the scene for mutual information sharing and problem solving. List some possible questions the parents may want to ask such as:
- What are my child’s areas of strength and weaknesses?
- Is my child involved in any special instruction?
- What mathematics or reading group is my child in?
- What method is used to evaluate or grade school work?
- What is teacher’s policy on homework?
- Are there any special problems relating to discipline or socialization?
- What can I do at home to help my child improve in a difficult subject?
- How well does my child communicate?
- Is my child motivated?
- What are the learning objectives for each subject during the current report card period?
- What specific suggestions for improvement does the teacher have for my child?
Encourage the parents to discuss the planned conference with the child, asking of there is anything the child would like the parent to see or discuss. Point out that it is a good idea for parents to confer with the child after the meeting, relating to the student any appropriate information learned in the conference and reinforcing the idea that the teacher and parents are working together in the child’s best interests.
In preparation for the conference, gather any information pertinent to the student’s performance: grades, sample work, standardized test scores, attendance reports, and other pertinent data. It is also wise to have on hand information about rules and procedures that parents have received prior to the conference. Be prepared to discuss each child in terms of:
- Ability to do school work,
- Grade levels in reading and math,
- Special interests and abilities,
- Relationships with other children,
- Level of self-esteem, and
- Behavior in and out of class.
As the conference begins, greet the parents in a warm, friendly manner so they will be comfortable in asking questions and sharing in the discussion. As you talk with the parents, keep in mind these four principles:
- Speak in an everyday language. Avoid the use of education jargon that tends to confuse the message and to distance the parents from the purpose of your conference.
- When describing student behaviors, describe the circumstances and conditions surrounding the behavior. This allows the parents to understand their child’s behavior in the context of the situation when it occurs.
- Throughout the conference, invite questions and comments from the parents, responding with positive comments about their contributions. Communicate your understanding of any difficulties they are experiencing with the child, yet maintain a focus of student performance.
- Avoid emotionally charged words that alarm parents and prevent them from objectively exploring their child’s progress. Labels such as “hyperactive” or immature” are detrimental to parent-teacher communication, as are polarizing words such as “humanism” and “permissive.”
As you begin to conclude the conference, summarize important topics of discussion, checking with parents for mutual understanding of important issues and plans of action. As the parents prepare to leave, encourage them to get in touch with you later if they wish. Convey your appreciation for their interest and involvement in their child’s schooling.
Write a brief anecdotal record on the conference for future reference.
Some additional tips for successful meetings with parents or guardians:
- Don’t wait to make contact until it’s time to schedule a conference. Send parents/guardians a memo or newsletter when the school year starts or even prior to the start of school.
- Start an anecdotal record for students with serious behavioral or learning problems.
- Schedule adequate time. Remember to allow yourself enough time to write notes after one meeting and before the next conference begins.
- Try scheduling your conferences at unconventional times and places to accommodate the differing needs of today’s families.
- Consider creating a fact sheet about your classroom to give to parents at the conference. Make clear to parents your expectations and important due dates as well as your policies on late homework, absences and makeup work.
- Make parents or guardians feel welcome. Post a sign outside the room with your name, the room number and your conference appointment schedule clearly marked. Try to arrange conference-style seating, rather than sitting behind your desk.
- Arrange for special assistance in advance. If, for example, the parents of a student have difficulty with English, you might arrange for someone who speaks their native language to be present at the conference.
- Set a positive tone. Open with a positive statement about the child’s work habits, interests or abilities. Wherever possible during the conference, include good news about the student.
- Be specific. When commenting on positive or negative aspects of a student’s work, use specific examples.
- Take a problem-solving approach. Focus on the child’s strengths throughout the conference and frame any difficulties as “areas of need.” Ask for the parents’ or guardians’ opinions.
- Stress cooperation. Let parents know that you want to work together to help their child succeed.
- End on a positive note. Summarize the actions each of you will take. Offer to meet again. Be sure to thank the parent(s) or guardians for coming in.
- Keep a record of the conference. Keep notes that summarize your conversations. Include specific suggestions for improvement that were discussed during the conference.
New Teacher Resources
Here are a few helpful websites and other valuable resources for new teachers.
- NEA website
The website of NEA, OEA’s parent organization, is full of professional resources for beginning and veteran educators. - Works4Me
Whether you’re looking for strategies to keep your students on task or just get yourself organized, NEA’s Works4Me program has the answer. The online library includes more than 400 tips, submitted by fellow educators, offering practical solutions to just about any classroom issue. Be sure to join the mailing list to receive new tips by e-mail each week. - Teachers Network
Teachers Network is a nationwide, nonprofit education organization that identifies and connects innovative teachers exemplifying professionalism and creativity within the public schools. The Web site includes lesson plans, online professional development courses, and information about grants and videos available to teachers. Don’t miss the “Daily Classroom Specials,” which feature project ideas, tips for working with parents, and special advice for new and substitute teachers. - Survival Guide for New Teachers
The U.S. Department of Education brings together the reflections of award-winning first-year teachers in this handy online guide for beginning educators. The guide focuses on teachers’ relationships with their colleagues, university professors, and students’ parents, all of which play crucial roles in their success on the job. - Education World
Tips for interviews, lesson plans, technology integration,professional development, and educator issues are just some of the topics covered on the Education World Web site. You’ll also find information on communicating with parents,managing your finances, and even handling holidays in the classroom. Don’t miss the icebreaker suggestions and sample worksheets and handouts. - Teachers.net
Teachers.net is all about peer support and there are plenty of offerings for new teachers. Have a burning question you need answered? Go to the Beginning Teachers chatboard. Need inspiration on how to engage kids with a particular topic? Browse the database of more than 3,500 free lesson plans, collected since the Web site’s inception 11 years ago. You can connect with other new teachers in your subject area or grade level and get in on live chat. - NEA Member Benefits
Gain access to a wide variety of dollar-stretching services and benefit programs through NEA Member Benefits. - A to Z Teacher Stuff
Free resources for teachers - The NEA Master Teacher Project
BetterLesson and the NEA have teamed up to create the NEA Master Teacher Project, a revolutionary effort to highlight and share the best teaching practices around the Common Core.
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!