Rocky River City Schools News Article

The ESC Bridge - Week of 10/23/16

The ESC BRIDGE

Bridging Resources, Information, and Data from

Government and Education

For the Week of October 17^th, 2016

National, Federal, US Department of Education

ESSA: Mapping opportunities for the arts Education Commission of the States

This special report highlights the ways that states and districts can engage the arts in the ongoing work of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Modern E-Rate Puts Telephones On Hold in K-12 Education Week

Even in the internet age, the lowly telephone remains an indispensable tool in the day-to-day operations of nearly every school. But thanks to the double whammy of declining state aid and disappearing federal subsidies for such "legacy" technology services, districts nationwide are scrambling to fill a roughly $359 million hole in their collective budgets, according to a new analysis by the Edmond, Okla.-based consulting firm Funds for Learning.

Federal Education Chief Speaks in Columbus Hannah

U.S. Secretary of Education John King Jr. spoke to the Rural Educational National Forum in Columbus on Thursday, discussing the Obama administration's ideas for addressing the challenges rural schools face in technology, talent recruitment and other areas. Ohio Superintendent Paolo DeMaria introduced King, describing him as an inspirational leader. "I consider him an education hero," DeMaria said.

See Ed. Dept. Guidance on Using Federal Aid for School Turnarounds Under ESSA Education Week

How can schools and districts use federal money intended for at-risk and needy students to improve general learning conditions? The U.S. Department of Education has some suggestions. Last month, the department released "Supporting School Reform by Leveraging Federal Funds in a Schoolwide Program." It specifies how schools can use federal money to drive comprehensive turnaround efforts and help all of their students, regardless of whether those children are identified as Title I (or disadvantaged) students.

4 ways ESSA will change how schools serve ELL students Education Dive

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, first passed in 1965, is at its heart a piece of civil rights legislation. Its whole purpose is to provide federal funds to states and districts to overcome disadvantages faced by students who have traditionally fallen through the cracks or been intentionally ignored.

Ohio Legislation Update (recent bill action in red)

131^st General Assembly

House

HB1 WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM (Rep. Kirk Schuring, Rep. Nathan Manning) To establish the Workforce Grant Program, to authorize an income tax credit equal to 25% of the student loan payments a grant recipient makes per year, and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Re-Referred to House Finance Committee

HB2 CHARTER SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP (Rep. Mike Dovilla, Rep. Kristina Roegner) With regard to sponsorship and management of community schools

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective 2/1/16

HB5 PUBLIC OFFICE-STATE AGENCY EFFICIENCY STUDIES (Rep. Stephanie Kunze, Rep. Kyle Koehler) To allow the Auditor of State to conduct business case studies regarding the efficiency of local public offices and state agencies

STATUS: (Passed by House) Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee – Reported out; Passed by Senate, Vote 30-0

HB7 ASSESSMENT SCORE DETERMINATIONS (Rep. Jim Buchy) To prohibit individual student scores from certain elementary and secondary achievement assessments administered for the 2014-2015 school year from being used to determine promotion or retention or to grant course credit

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective immediately

HB12 TIF-INCENTIVE DISTRICTS (Rep. James Butler, Jr., Rep. Tony Burkley) To establish a procedure by which political subdivisions proposing a tax increment financing (TIF) incentive district are required to provide notice to the record owner of each parcel within the proposed incentive district before creating the district

STATUS: House Ways & Means Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by House, Vote 65-22

HB15 STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERSHIP (Rep. Ron Gerberry) To change the voting membership of the State Board of Education to consist of a member from each of several electoral districts with boundaries coinciding with the state's Congressional districts and a president to be appointed by the Governor if there is an even number of such electoral districts

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB20 CONCEALED CARRY-SCHOOL SAFETY ZONE (Rep. Anne Gonzales, Rep. Kyle Koehler) To expand and clarify the authority of a concealed handgun licensee to possess a handgun in a school safety zone

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House State Government Committee

HB25 FOOD-DRINK SCHOOL SALES (Rep. Stephanie Kunze) To require the State Board of Education to adopt rules regarding the sale of beverages and food during the regular school day in connection with a school-sponsored fundraiser

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB27 FINANCIAL AID-FINISH FUND (Rep. Dan Ramos) To create the Finish Fund and the Finish Reserve Fund to provide grants to students who are nearing completion of their associate or bachelor's degrees and display financial need or hardship

STATUS: Referred to House Finance Committee

HB28 SUICIDE PREVENTION-HIGHER EDUCATION (Rep. Marlene Anielski) With regard to suicide prevention programs at state institutions of higher education

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective 10/14/15

HB39 SCHOOL-CAMP INHALER PERMIT (Rep. Mike Duffey, Rep. Anthony DeVitis) To permit schools and camps to procure and use a metered dose inhaler or dry powdered inhaler used to alleviate asthmatic symptoms in accordance with prescribed policies and to exempt them from licensing requirements related to the possession of these inhalers

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective 2/1/16

HB42 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUND (Rep. Ron Gerberry, Rep. Jack Cera) To require that, for fiscal year 2016 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Local Government Fund must receive the same proportion of state tax revenue that the Fund received in fiscal year 2005

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Finance Committee

HB43 CLASSROOM FACILITIES-PROPERTY TAX ROLLBACKS (Rep. Ron Gerberry) To revise the law governing classroom facilities assistance programs and to restore the application of the 10% and 2.5% property tax rollbacks to school district tax levies approved on or after the effective date of Am. Sub. H.B. 59 of the 130th General Assembly

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB44 LOTTERY PROFITS-SCHOOLS (Rep. Ron Gerberry) To require that a portion of lottery profits be distributed annually on a per pupil basis to public and chartered nonpublic schools

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB46 GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE DATABASE (Rep. Mike Dovilla, Rep. Jonathan Dever) To require the Treasurer of State to establish the Ohio State Government Expenditure Database

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Finance Committee

HB50 FOSTER CARE-ADOPTION ASSISTANCE AGE (Rep. Dorothy Pelanda, Rep. Cheryl Grossman) - To extend the age for which a person is eligible for federal foster care and adoption assistance payments under Title IV-E to age twenty-one, to provide a ward's bill of rights, to require that a guardian receive the Ohio Guardianship Guide, and to make an appropriation

STATUS: (Passed by House) Senate Finance Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by Senate, Vote 33-0; House concurs, Vote 87-7

HB52 WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW (Rep. Robert Hackett) To make changes to the Workers' Compensation Law, to make appropriations for the Bureau of Workers' Compensation for the biennium beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2017, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of the Bureau's programs

STATUS: Passed House 96-0

HB54 VOCATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS-OFFICE TERMS (Rep. Marlene Anielski) To revise the law regarding terms of office of members of certain joint vocational school district boards of education

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Education Committee

HB55 THIRD-GRADE READING GUARANTEE (Rep. Robert Sprague) To specify deadlines for the administration of reading skills assessments for purposes of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Education Committee

HB56 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT-CRIMINAL RECORDS (Rep. Kirk Schuring, Rep. Stephen Slesnick) To limit the use of criminal records in the hiring and employment practices of public employers

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective 3/23/16

HB63 CHILD ABUSE-NEGLECT REPORTING (Rep. Dorothy Pelanda, Rep. Cheryl Grossman) To require mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect to notify the county public children services agency when an attorney in fact under a document that purports to grant parental rights requests services from them

STATUS: Referred to Senate Civil Justice Committee

HB64 OPERATING BUDGET (Rep. Ryan Smith) To make operating appropriations for the biennium beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2017, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective immediately

HB70 SCHOOL RESTRUCTURING (Rep. Denise Driehaus, Rep. Andrew Brenner) To authorize school districts and community schools to initiate a community learning center process to assist and guide school restructuring

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective 10/14/15

HB74 PRIMARY-SECONDARY ASSESSMENTS (Rep. Andrew Brenner) With regard to the administration of state primary and secondary education assessments

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Education Committee

HB81 SPECIAL ELECTIONS (Rep. Steve Hambley) To eliminate the ability to conduct special elections in February and to require a political subdivision to prepay sixty-five per cent of the estimated cost of a special election

STATUS: Referred to House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee

HB85 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION (Rep. Dan Ramos, Rep. Christina Hagan) With respect to age-appropriate student instruction in child sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention and in-service staff training in child sexual abuse prevention

STATUS: Referred to the Senate Education Committee

HB89 MEDICAID SCHOOL PROGRAM (Rep. Anthony DeVitis) Regarding the Medicaid School Program

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Education Committee

HB92 SCHOOLS EMPLOYEES-SEXUAL CONDUCT (Rep. Christina Hagan) To prohibit an employee of a public or nonpublic school or institution of higher education who is not in a position of authority from engaging in sexual conduct with a minor at least four years younger than the employee who is enrolled in or attends that public or nonpublic school or who is enrolled in or attends that institution of higher education

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee

HB99 INCOME TAX-SCHOOL FUNDING (Rep. Mike Curtin) To require that an amount equal to state income tax collections, less amounts contributed to the Ohio political party fund via the income tax checkoff, be distributed for the support of elementary, secondary, vocational, and special education programs

STATUS: Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB113 CPR-GRADUATION REQUIREMENT (Rep. Cheryl Grossman, Rep. Nathan Manning) To require instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator as a requirement for high school graduation

STATUS: (Passed by House) Senate Education Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by Senate, Vote 33-0; House concurs, Vote 81-11

HB114 SCHOOL DOOR-BARRICADE (Rep. Kristina Roegner, Rep. Heather Bishoff) To require the Board of Building Standards to adopt rules for the use of a barricade device on a school door in an emergency situation and to prohibit the State Fire Code from prohibiting the use of the device in such a situation

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate State & Local Government Committee

HB118 TUITION FEES (DeVitis, T., Patmon, B.) With respect to tuition overload fees at state institutions of higher education.

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB120 HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (Schuring, K.) To create the Ohio Higher Education Innovation Grant Program and to make an appropriation.

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB130 PUBLIC RECORDS-DATA BOARD (Rep. Christina Hagan, Rep. Mike Duffey) To create the DataOhio Board, to specify requirements for posting public records online, to require the Auditor of State to adopt rules regarding a uniform accounting system for public offices, to establish an online catalog of public data at data.Ohio.gov, to establish the Local Government Information Exchange Grant Program, and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Passed by House, Vote 90-0

HB132 CONTRACEPTION COVERAGE-EDUCATION (Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, Rep. Heather Bishoff) Regarding coverage for prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, the provision of certain hospital and pregnancy prevention services for victims of sexual assault, and comprehensive sexual health and sexually transmitted infection education in schools

STATUS: Referred to House Health & Aging Committee

HB133 NONPROFIT DEGREE-TAX CREDIT (Rep. Tim Schaffer, Rep. Michael Ashford) To authorize an income tax credit for individuals that earn a nonprofit management degree or certain professional designations and to allow a sales tax exemption for out-of-state nonprofit corporations that relocate jobs to Ohio

STATUS: Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB136 STEM PROGRAM-LAKE COUNTY (Rep. Ron Young, Rep. John Rogers) To fund the Lake County Educational Service Center pilot project to support STEM initiatives for middle school students and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to House Finance Committee

HB137 ORGAN DONATION-HEALTH CURRICULUM (Rep. Cheryl Grossman, Rep. Debbie Phillips) To require the health curriculum of each school district to include instruction on the positive effects of organ and tissue donation

STATUS: House Education Committee – Reported out

HB138 STATE TESTING WAIVER (Rep. Paul Zeltwanger, Rep. Kyle Koehler) To revise the requirements regarding the administration of the state achievement assessments, to require the Department of Education to request a waiver from federal testing requirements, and to declare an emergency

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB145 STEM PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (Rep. Robert McColley, Rep. Stephanie Howse) To establish the STEM Public-Private Partnership Pilot Program to provide high school students the opportunity to receive education in a targeted industry while simultaneously earning high school and college credit and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to House Finance Committee

HB146 CURSIVE HANDWRITING (Rep. Cheryl Grossman, Rep. Andrew Brenner) To require instruction in cursive handwriting

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB148 CLASSROOM FACILITIES ASSISTANCE (Rep. John Patterson, Rep. Sarah LaTourette) To require the Ohio School Facilities Commission to provide classroom facilities assistance to a school district resulting from the consolidation of two or more school districts or from the voluntary transfer of the entire territory of a school district if specified conditions are satisfied

STATUS: House Education Committee – Substitute bill accepted & reported out

HB153 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DATE (Rep. Mike Dovilla) - To change the date on which presidential primary elections are held

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective 9/10/15

HB156 CHARTER SCHOOL OVERSIGHT (Rep. Kristina Roegner, Rep. John Patterson) To make changes to the law regarding governance, operation, and management of community schools, and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB158 INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY TERM (Rep. Jonathan Dever, Rep. Stephanie Howse) To change the variations of the term "mentally retarded person" to "person with an intellectual disability”

STATUS: (Passed by House) Senate State & Local Government Committee – Reported out as amended

HB160 TEXTBOOKS-HIGHER EDUCATION (Rep. Anthony DeVitis) With regard to the selection, availability, and purchase of textbooks that are required for a course offered by any state institution of higher education

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB166 LOCAL TAX-FISCAL REVISIONS (Rep. Doug Green) To extend the deadline for filing an application for the homestead exemption or 2 1/2% property tax rollback to the end of the tax year, to require that auditors certify Local Government Fund allocations to subdivisions by regular or electronic, rather than certified mail, and to repeal laws requiring county auditors to issue permits for traveling shows, issue licenses for new merchandise public auctions, certify the annual state tax interest rate to local courts, and provide certain certifications related to the repealed personal property tax

STATUS: (Passed by House) Passed by Senate, Vote 30-0

HB174 GRADUATE DEGREE-ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS (Rep. John Barnes, Jr.) With regard to entrepreneurial skills education requirements for professional graduate degree programs at state institutions of higher education

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB181 ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION-AUTO UPDATE (Rep. Kathleen Clyde) To require that eligible persons in certain government and school databases be automatically registered to vote or have their registrations updated automatically unless those persons decline to do so and to create an online voter registration system

STATUS: Referred to House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee

HB183 STUDENT TRUSTEE-VOTING AUTHORITY (Rep. Niraj Antani, Rep. Michael Stinziano) To grant student members of the boards of trustees of state universities and the Northeast Ohio Medical University voting power and the authority to attend executive sessions

STATUS: House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee – Reported out as amended

HB192 SAFETY ENHANCEMENT STANDARDS (Rep. John Rogers, Rep. Rick Perales) To require the State Board of Education to adopt rules prescribing standards for safety enhancements to new public and nonpublic school facilities and to require the Ohio School Facilities Commission to revise its construction and design standards to comply with the State Board's standards

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB200 EPINEPHRINE AUTOINJECTORS (Rep. Christina Hagan) To permit epinephrine autoinjectors for which no prescriptions have been written to be stored and accessed for use in case of emergency

STATUS: (Passed by House) Senate Health & Human Services Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by Senate, Vote 33-0; House concurs, Vote 92-0

HB212 ACADEMIC STANDARDS-CURRICULA (Rep. Andrew Thompson) With regard to state achievement assessments, statewide academic content standards and model curricula, and teacher and administrator evaluations

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Education Committee

HB221 TOBACCO USE-PUBLIC SCHOOLS (Rep. Margaret Ann Ruhl, Rep. Michael Ashford) To revise the law regarding tobacco and nicotine use in public schools and at public school-sponsored functions

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Health & Aging Committee

HB223 YOUTH ATHLETICS-MINOR EMPLOYMENT (Rep. Michael Stinziano) To allow minors to be employed by a youth athletic program if certain conditions are satisfied

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee

HB231 PROPERTY VALUATION COMPLAINTS (Rep. Cheryl Grossman, Rep. Jeffrey McClain) To require counties, municipal corporations, townships, and school boards that file complaints against the valuation of property they do not own to pass a resolution approving the complaint and specifying the compensation paid to any person retained to represent the county, municipal corporation, township, or school board in the matter of the complaint

STATUS: Introduced

HB274 APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS (Hagan, C.) To create a subprogram of the College Credit Plus Program that permits students to participate in certified apprenticeship programs. Am. 3365.16

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB287 YOUTH SUMMER EMPLOYMENT (Rep. John Barnes, Jr.) To require the Director of Development Services to establish a youth summer jobs pledging initiative to increase access to summer employment opportunities for high school and college youth

STATUS: Referred to House Economic & Workforce Development Committee

HB299 CUSTODIAN-AUTISM SCHOLARSHIP (Rep. Louis Blessing III, Rep. Jeffrey Rezabek) To permit the temporary, legal, or permanent custodian of a qualified child to apply for an Autism Scholarship

STATUS: (Passed by House) Passed by Senate, Vote 32-0

HB308 TEXTBOOKS-TAX EXEMPTION (Rep. Mike Duffey, Rep. Michael Stinziano) To exempt from sales and use tax textbooks purchased by post-secondary students

STATUS: Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB311 PENSION-SALARY PERCENTAGE (Rep. Kirk Schuring) To base the percentage of an employee's salary that must be contributed to the State Teachers Retirement System to mitigate the effect of the employee's participation in an alternative retirement program on the average percentage used to amortize the Retirement System's unfunded actuarial accrued pension liabilities

STATUS: Referred to House Health & Aging Committee

HB323 SCHOOL DISTRICTS-LICENSE PLATES (Rep. Marlene Anielski, Rep. Bill Patmon) To provide for the issuance of public school district license plates and private school license plates

STATUS: Referred to House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

HB340 LOCAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATION COUNCIL (Rep. Ron Amstutz) To extend the operation of the Local Government Innovation Council until December 31, 2019, and to declare an emergency

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective immediately

HB346 PER-PUPIL STATE FUNDING (Rep. Andrew Brenner) To require that each city, local, and exempted village school district receive a per-pupil amount of state funding that is at least as much as the statewide per pupil amount paid for chartered nonpublic schools in Auxiliary Services funds and for administrative cost reimbursement

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to House Finance Committee

HB350 AUTISM TREATMENT-COVERAGE (Rep. Cheryl Grossman, Rep. Louis Terhar) To mandate coverage of autism treatment

STATUS: House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee – Reported out

HB355 EMPLOYEE DEFINITION (Rep. Wes Retherford) To create a generally uniform definition of employee for specified labor laws and to prohibit employee misclassification under those laws

STATUS: Referred to House State Government Committee

HB372 EDUCATIONAL SERVICE PERSONNEL (Rep. Debbie Phillips) To require city, exempted village, and local school districts to employ, for each 1,000 students, at least five full-time equivalent educational service personnel in specified areas

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB379 ACADEMIC DISTRESS COMMISSIONS (Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan) With regard to the operation of academic distress commissions and to modify the earmarked funding for the establishment of academic distress commissions

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB382 OHIO PRINCIPALS MONTH (Rep. David Leland) To designate the month of October as "Ohio Principals Month”

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB383 INFORMED STUDENT DOCUMENT (Rep. Christina Hagan, Rep. Robert McColley) To require one-half unit of economic and financial literacy in the high school social studies curriculum, to require the Chancellor of Higher Education to prepare an informed student document for each state institution of higher education, to require the State Board of Education to include information on the informed student document in the standards and model curricula it creates for financial literacy and entrepreneurship

STATUS: Referred to the Senate Education Committee

HB384 HIGHER EDUCATION AUDITS (Rep. Tim Schaffer, Rep. Mike Duffey) To specify that state institutions of higher education may be subject to performance audits conducted by the Auditor of State

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Finance Committee

HB391 FINANCE LITERACY PROGRAM (Rep. Louis Terhar) To require the Chancellor of Higher Education to create the SmartOhio Financial Literacy Pilot Program at the University of Cincinnati to operate for the 2016-2017 school year and to make an appropriation

STATUS: (Passed by House) Senate Finance Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by Senate, Vote 33-0; House concurs, Vote 95-1

HB399 COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS-HOME INSTRUCTION (Rep. Kyle Koehler) To increase the earmarked funding for the College Credit Plus Program for home instructed students

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB410 TRUANCY (Rep. Jeff Rezabek, Rep. Bill Hayes) - With regard to habitual and chronic truancy and compulsory school attendance

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Education Committee

HB420 OPT-OUTS-STATE ASSESSMENTS (Rep. Kristina Roegner) To prohibit the Department of Education from including students who "opt-out" of state assessments in calculations of certain grades in the state report card and to declare an emergency

STATUS: House Education Committee – Bill amended

HB425 RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION-STUDENTS (Rep. Bill Hayes) Regarding student religious expression

STATUS: (Passed by House) Referred to Senate Education Committee

HB426 CAREER COLLEGES-JOB PLACEMENT (Rep. Niraj Antani) To require the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools to report and post job placement information

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB438 WEEK DESIGNATION (Rep. John Patterson) To designate the week prior to the week of Thanksgiving Day as "Ohio Public Education Appreciation Week”

STATUS: Referred to the Senate Education Committee

HB445 COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS-EXTRACURRICULARS (Rep. Mike Dovilla, Rep. Marlene Anielski) To make changes to the College Credit Plus program and to specify that students participating in the program shall not be denied the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities based solely upon participation in the CCP program

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB454 SALES TAX HOLIDAY-PERMANENT (Rep. John Patterson) To provide for a permanent three-day sales tax "holiday" each August during which sales of back-to-school clothing and school supplies are exempt from sales and use taxes

STATUS: Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB455 BOARDING SCHOOL ZONE (Rep. John Patterson, Rep. Kristina Roegner) To authorize a municipal corporation or township to establish a boarding school zone and a special speed limit within that zone

STATUS: Passed by House, Vote 89-0

HB458 FOSTER CARE-KINSHIP CAREGIVER (Rep. Janine Boyd, Rep. Jeffery Rezabek) - To provide foster care maintenance payments for children in the care of a kinship caregiver without requiring the caregiver to be certified to provide foster care and to require, rather than permit, the creation of the statewide program of kinship care navigators

STATUS: Referred to House Community & Family Advancement Committee

HB459 EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER-AUDIT (Rep. Kirk Schuring) - To authorize the Auditor of State to conduct a performance audit of an educational service center and to require a comprehensive performance audit of all educational service centers

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB474 HIGHER EDUCATION-COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS (Rep. Tim Brown) With respect to the coordination and administration of higher education programs and the College Credit Plus program

STATUS: Referred to House Finance Committee

HB481 STUDENT ENROLLMENT REPORTING (Rep. Andrew Thompson, Rep. Kyle Koehler) To revise the requirements regarding student enrollment reporting for public schools, mandatory student withdrawal policies, and scholarship program eligibility relative to students who choose not to take state assessments during the 2015-2016 school year and to declare an emergency

STATUS: House Education Committee – Reported out as amended

HB482 EXEMPT PROPERTY-VALUE CALCULATION (Rep. Jonathan Dever) To change the calculation of the exempt value of improved property subject to a community reinvestment area exemption, to clarify the calculation of the exempt value of property subject to a brownfield remediation exemption, and to authorize the filing of a complaint with the county auditor challenging the assessed value of fully or partially exempt property

STATUS: Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB483 DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES-MBR (Rep. Ron Amstutz) To modify programs administered by the Department of Developmental Disabilities and to make an appropriation

STATUS: (Passed by House) Senate Finance Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by Senate as amended on floor, Vote 33-0; House concurs, Vote 91-3

HB485 INCOME TAX DEDUCTION-TUITION (Rep. Dan Ramos) To reinstate the state income tax deduction for qualified higher education tuition and fee payments that expired December 31, 2005

STATUS: Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

HB487 STATE SEAL-BILITERACY (Rep. Sarah LaTourette, Rep. Kristina Roegner) To require the State Board of Education to establish the state Seal of Biliteracy to be attached or affixed to the high school transcripts of qualifying students

STATUS: House Education Committee – Reported out as amended

HB496 STUDENTS-UNIFORMED SERVICES (Rep. John Boccieri) To enact the "Student to Soldiers Support Act (S3A)" regarding the participation of students who are serving in the uniformed services in extracurricular activities at public and nonpublic schools and public and private colleges

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB498 EXPULSION-THREAT OF VIOLENCE (Rep. Stephanie Kunze) With respect to the expulsion of a student from a school district, community school, or STEM school for communicating a threat of violence to occur on school grounds

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB501 YOUTH STEM PROGRAM (Rep. Mike Dovilla, Rep. Marlene Anielski) To support the Youth STEM Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Program and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to House Finance Committee

HB504 HIGHER EDUCATION-PUBLIC RECORDS (Rep. Kirk Schuring) To generally protect a private, nonprofit institution of higher education from liability for a breach of confidentiality or other claim that arises from the institution's disclosure of public records

STATUS: Referred to House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee

HB508 FISCAL DISTRESS-LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING (Rep. Kent Smith, Rep. Kristin Boggs) To make supplemental appropriations to the Auditor of State for purposes of distributing these funds to political subdivisions in fiscal caution, watch, or emergency

STATUS: Referred to House Finance Committee

HB520 PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEMS (Rep. Kirk Schuring, Rep. Dan Ramos) To revise the law governing the state's public retirement systems

STATUS: Introduced

HB524 STATE REPORT CARD MEASURE (Rep. Bob Cupp, Rep. Ryan Smith) To review the value-added progress dimension measure used for purposes of state report card ratings for school districts and schools

STATUS: Introduced

HB530 SICK-CHILD CENTER-LICENSURE (Rep. Wes Retherford) To provide for the licensure of sick-child care centers

STATUS: Referred to House Commerce and Labor Committee

HB544 HIGH SCHOOL CIVICS ASSESSMENT (Rep. Kyle Koehler, Rep. Al Landis) To permit high school students to take a civics assessment instead of the American government end of-course examination

STATUS: Introduced

HB547 OBM-MBR (Rep. Ryan Smith) To provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs and to make appropriations

STATUS: House Finance Committee – Substitute bill accepted

HB549 STEM DEGREE LOAN REPAYMENT (Rep. John Patterson) To create the STEM Degree Loan Repayment Program and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Introduced

HB550 SCHOOL FACILITIES-TECHNOLOGY PURCHASING (Rep. Steve Arndt) To require the Ohio School Facilities Commission to establish a program assisting school districts in purchasing technology and making physical alterations to improve technology infrastructure and school safety and security

STATUS: Introduced

HB556 SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES (Rep. Mike Duffey, Rep. Heather Bishoff) To make boundaries of certain school districts that are parties to an annexation agreement permanent under state law

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB560 COMMUNITY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT (Rep. Steve Hambley) Regarding verification of community school enrollments

STATUS: Introduced

HB563 INCOME TAX-LAYOFFS (Rep. Dan Ramos) To provide for payments to municipalities or school districts for their lost income tax revenue after a business lays off 50 or more employees within their jurisdiction

STATUS: Introduced

HB564 STUDENT IMMUNIZATION (Rep. Dan Ramos) To make changes to the law governing immunizations for pupils

STATUS: Introduced

HB565 TAX CREDIT-STUDENT LOANS (Rep. Dan Ramos) To allow a credit against the income tax or commercial activity tax for graduates or employers who make payments on student loans obtained by the graduate to earn a degree from an Ohio college or university

STATUS: Introduced

HB568 EMPLOYEE DEFINITION-LABOR LAWS (Rep. Debbie Phillips, Rep. John Rogers) To create a generally uniform definition of employee for specified labor laws, to create a uniform standard to determine whether an individual performing services for an employer is an employee of that employer, and to regulate the payment of wages via payroll card

STATUS: Introduced

HB570 INTERDISTRICT-OPEN ENROLLMENT (Rep. Brian Hill) Regarding funding for students enrolled in community schools, STEM schools, and other districts through interdistrict open enrollment

STATUS: Introduced

HB571 CAREER INFORMATION-STUDENTS (Rep. Mike Duffey, Rep. Kristin Boggs) Regarding the presentation of career information to students

STATUS: Introduced

Senate

SB3 HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICT EXEMPTION (Sen. Cliff Hite, Sen. Keith Faber) To exempt high-performing school districts from certain laws

STATUS: (Passed by Senate) Referred to House Education Committee

SB4 IN-STATE TUITION REDUCTION (Sen. Keith Faber) To require each state institution of higher education to develop a plan to reduce in-state student cost of attendance by five per cent for the 2016-2017 academic year

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB6 JOINT COMMITTEE ON OHIO COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY (Sen. Shannon Jones, Sen. John Eklund) To increase the maximum income tax deduction for college savings contributions to $10,000 annually for each beneficiary

STATUS: (Passed by Senate) Referred to House Ways & Means Committee

SB12 INCOME TAX CREDIT-SCIENCE RELATED DEGREE (Sen. Jay Hottinger) To grant an income tax credit to individuals who earn degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math-based fields of study

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Ways & Means Committee

SB19 OHIO COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY GRANT (Sen. Tom Sawyer) To make changes to the Ohio College Opportunity Grant, to limit state university over load fees, and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB20 CHARTER SCHOOLS-RECORD KEEPING (Sen. Joe Schiavoni) Regarding audit and record-keeping requirements for community school sponsors and operators

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB22 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUND-ALLOCATION INCREASE (Sen. Charleta Tavares) To increase monthly allocations to the Local Government Fund from 1.66% to 3.68% of the total tax revenue credited to the GRF each month

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB24 OHIO COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY GRANT QUALIFICATION (Sen. Sandra Williams) To qualify students in noncredit community college programs for Ohio College Opportunity Grants and to require the awarding of academic credit for community colleges’ career certification programs

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB34 SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY-DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR (Sen. Charleta Tavares) With respect to school district policies for violent, disruptive, or inappropriate behavior

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB39 PEDESTRIAN RIGHT OF WAY-SCHOOL ZONE (Sen. Bill Beagle) To increase the penalties for failing to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian who is crossing a roadway within a crosswalk when the crosswalk is located within a school zone

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Criminal Justice Committee

SB43 COLUMBUS STATE LOGISTICS PROGRAM (Sen. Jim Hughes) To establish the Columbus State Logistics Program and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB59 COMMUNITY SCHOOLS-STATE APPROPRIATED FUNDS (Sen. Michael Skindell) With respect to the use of state-appropriated funds by operators of community schools

STATUS: Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB71 TRIO-PROGRAM APPROPRIATION (Sen. Charleta Tavares) To make an appropriation for the provision of state matching funds for federal TRIO programs at Ohio institutions of higher education for FY 2016 and FY 2017

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB73 MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (Sen. Charleta Tavares) To require community colleges, state community colleges, technical colleges, and university branches to comply with minority business enterprise set-aside requirements, and to require the Director of Administrative Services to establish guidelines for these entities, and the Northeast Ohio Medical University, to establish procurement goals for contracting with EDGE business enterprises

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB78 GED GRANT PROGRAM (Sen. Sandra Williams) To create the GED Grant Program for undergraduate students who have earned high school equivalence diplomas and are enrolled in two-year state institutions of higher education and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB82 GED-TEST COST (Sen. Sandra Williams) With regard to the administration and cost of the tests of general educational development required to earn a high school equivalence diploma

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB85 PROPERTY-TAX COMPLAINTS (Sen. William Coley) To limit the right to initiate most types of property tax complaints to the property owner and the county recorder of the county in which the property is located

STATUS: Referred to Senate Ways & Means Committee

SB92 SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDS (Sen. Joe Schiavoni) To require the State Board of Education to establish criteria and procedures for the awarding of school safety funds to school districts and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB93 BULLYING PREVENTION FUNDS (Sen. Joe Schiavoni) To require the State Board of Education to establish criteria and procedures for the awarding of bullying prevention and education funds to school districts and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB94 MEDICAID SCHOOL PROGRAM (Sen. Kevin Bacon, Sen. Peggy Lehner) Regarding the Medicaid School Program

STATUS: Referred to Senate Medicaid Committee

SB101 CONTRACEPTION EDUCATION (Sen. Capri Cafaro) Regarding coverage for prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, the provision of certain hospital and pregnancy prevention services for victims of sexual assault, and comprehensive sexual health and sexually transmitted infection education in schools

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Health & Human Services Committee

SB121 IMMUNIZATIONS (Hite, C.) To require pupils to be immunized against meningococcal disease at an age recommended by the Department of Health.

STATUS: Signed by Governor – Effective 10/14/15

SB122 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION (Gentile, L.) To extend eligibility for the homestead exemption to elderly or disabled homeowners who did not receive the exemption for 2013 and have $30,000 or more in Ohio adjusted gross income.

STATUS: Introduced

SB125 SCHOOL BARRICADES (LaRose, F., Hottinger, J.) To require the Board of Building Standards to adopt rules for the use of a barricade device on a school door in an emergency situation and to prohibit the State Fire Code from prohibiting the use of the device in such a situation.

STATUS: Referred to Senate Transportation, Commerce & Labor Committee

SB126 OPEN ENROLLMENT (Sawyer, T.) To terminate interdistrict open enrollment on that date with the possibility of renewal following the General Assembly's examination of the study's findings.

STATUS : Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB136 SCHOOL SECLUSION ROOMS (Sen. Charleta Tavares) To prohibit the use of seclusion on students in public schools

STATUS: Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB144 STEM PROGRAM-LAKE COUNTY (Sen. John Eklund) To fund the Lake County Educational Service Center pilot project to support STEM initiatives for middle school students and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB148 CHARTER SCHOOL OVERSIGHT (Sen. Peggy Lehner, Sen. Tom Sawyer) To make changes to the law regarding governance, operation, and management of community schools, and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance – Education Subcommittee

SB158 AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION (Sen. Kenny Yuko) To require that eligible persons in certain government and school databases be automatically registered to vote

STATUS: Referred to Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee

SB163 COMMON CORE STANDARDS (Sen. Kris Jordan) With respect to the Common Core State Standards academic standards, powers of the State Board of Education, and the distribution of student information

STATUS: Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB168 STUDENT VIOLENT BEHAVIOR INFORMATION (Sen. Frank LaRose) To require the Education Management Information System to include information regarding persons at whom a student’s violent behavior that resulted in discipline was directed

STATUS: (Passed by Senate) Referred to House Education Committee

SB173 SPECIAL ELECTIONS (Sen. Kris Jordan) To eliminate the ability to conduct special elections in February and August

STATUS: Referred to Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee

SB217 LOCAL OFFICIAL-CONTINUING EDUCATION EXEMPTION (Sen. John Eklund) To permit exemptions for local officials from continuing education requirements of the office for an illness or disability or for out-of-state military service

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee

SB220 OHIO PUBLIC EMPLOYEE-ROTH FEATURES (Sen. Jay Hottinger) To authorize the Ohio Public Employees Deferred Compensation Board and local governments to establish designated Roth account features and other tax-deferred or non-tax deferred features permitted for government deferred compensation plans

STATUS: Introduced

SB230 ACADEMIC DISTRESS COMMISSION (Sen. Joe Schiavoni) With regard to the operation of academic distress commissions and to modify the earmarked funding for the establishment of academic distress commissions

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB234 STUDENT ENROLLMENT-CHILDREN SERVICES (Sen. Capri Cafaro) To require specified public and nonpublic school officials to search the Uniform Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System

STATUS: Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB235 INCREASED VALUE-PROPERTY TAX (Sen. Bill Beagle, Sen. William Coley) To exempt from property tax the increased value of property on which industrial or commercial development is planned until construction of new commercial or industrial facilities at the property commences

STATUS: Passed by Senate, Vote 22-11

SB238 MONTH NAME DESIGNATION (Sen. Charleta Tavares) To designate the month of October as "Ohio Principals Month”

STATUS: Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB240 FEDERAL FOSTER CARE (Sen. John Eklund) To extend the age for which a person is eligible for federal foster care and adoption assistance payments under Title IV-E to age twenty-one; and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Introduced

SB241 EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS-EMPLOYMENT (Sen. Frank LaRose) With regard to the employment of specified education professionals by city, exempted village, and local school districts

STATUS: Introduced

SB246 CAUV COMPUTATION-CAPITALIZATION RATE (Sen. Cliff Hite) To require that the computation of the capitalization rate for the purposes of determining CAUV of agricultural land be computed using a method that excludes appreciation and equity buildup

STATUS: Referred to Senate Ways & Means Committee

SB247 SCHOOL DISTRICT-SUMMER MEALS (Sen. Edna Brown, Sen. Peggy Lehner) To require school districts to allow alternative summer meal sponsors to use school facilities to provide food service for summer intervention services under certain conditions

STATUS: Senate Finance Committee – Reported out as amended; Passed by Senate, Vote 33-0

SB250 CHARTER SCHOOLS-STATE MONEY (Sen. Joe Schiavoni) To prohibit community schools from using state moneys to pay for advertising, recruiting, or promotional materials

STATUS: Referred to Senate Education Committee

SB264 SALES TAX HOLIDAY-PERMANENT (Sen. Kevin Bacon) To provide for a permanent three-day sales tax "holiday" each August during which sales of back-to-school clothing and school supplies are exempt from sales and use taxes

STATUS: (Passed by Senate) Passed by House, Vote 94-1

SB274 SMARTOHIO FINANCIAL LITERACY PILOT PROGRAM (Sen. Bill Seitz) To require the Chancellor of Higher Education to create the SmartOhio Financial Literacy Pilot Program at the University of Cincinnati to operate for the 2016-2017 school year and to make an appropriation

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB309 SCHOOL BUS OPERATOR-REPORT (Sen. Frank LaRose) To require a school bus operator who files a report alleging that a vehicle passed the school bus while stopped to include in the report a description of the operator of the vehicle if possible, rather than requiring a description of the operator in all circumstances

STATUS: Introduced

SB310 CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS (Sen. Scott Oelslager) To make capital appropriations and changes to the law governing capital projects for the biennium ending June 30, 2018

STATUS: (Passed by Senate) House Finance Committee – Reported out

SB321 PUBLIC RECORDS (Sen. Keith Faber) To create a procedure within the Court of Claims to hear complaints alleging a denial of access to public records and to modify the circumstances under which a person who files a mandamus action seeking the release of public records may be awarded court costs and attorney's fees

STATUS: (Passed by Senate) House Government Accountability & Oversight – Reported out as amended; Passed by House, Vote 91-0; Senate concurs, Vote 33-0

SB323 CHILD ABUSE-NEGLECT REPORTING (Sen. Shannon Jones) To make changes in the child abuse and neglect reporting law

STATUS: Introduced; Referred to Senate Civil Justice Committee

SB326 SCHOOL DISTRICTS-TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT (Sen. Randy Gardner) To require the Ohio School Facilities Commission to establish a program assisting school districts in purchasing technology and making physical alterations to improve technology infrastructure and school safety and security

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance Committee

SB328 HOST FAMILY AFFIDAVITS (Sen. William Coley) Regarding host family affidavits for the care of children

STATUS: Senate Civil Justice Committee – Bill amended

SB354 SCHOOL FACILITIES COMMISSION-FUNDING (Sen. John Eklund, Sen. Capri Cafaro) To require the School Facilities Commission to give priority for project funding to school districts that resulted from certain types of transfers, mergers, or consolidations and demonstrate an efficient use of facility space as determined by the Commission

STATUS: Introduced

Ohio Department of Education/State Board of Education

Ohio education board will see at least four new faces Columbus Dispatch

There could be significant turnover on the State Board of Education next year with seven of 11 elected seats on the Nov. 8 ballot, including three now held by incumbents prevented by term limits from seeking re-election.

ECOT appeals attendance finding Columbus Dispatch

As promised, ECOT Tuesday appealed a finding by the Ohio Department of Education which could force the state’s largest online school to return $60 million of $106 million it received in state aid last year. At issue is the school’s reported attendance figures used to calculate funding. The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow claimed 15,322 full-time students last year, but education officials who reviewed enrollment data said that figure was inflated by 143 percent.

ECOT Appeals to School Board; Filings Detail Business Woes from Court Ruling Hannah

Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) is seeking expedited appellate consideration of its lawsuit against the state, citing the effect of the Ohio Department of Education's (ODE) enrollment findings on its relationship with lenders. Meanwhile, the school also started an administrative appeal this week of the state's finding that its 2015-2016 enrollment was substantially lower than the online charter school reported.

School Board Agenda: Honors Diplomas, Reading Guarantee, Budget Hannah

The State Board of Education is slated next week to approve its biennial budget requests for FY18-19, increase the third grade reading cut score and adopt an updated and expanded honors diploma program for Ohio high school students. Resolutions addressing all three of those topics are on the board's voting agenda for the board's Tuesday, Oct. 18 business meeting. The board will start its meeting early this month, with a Sunday evening session scheduled at 5 p.m. to hear from Jonathan Plucker, a professor at Johns Hopkins University's School of Education, who will discuss his research on the "excellence gap" and the untapped potential of academically gifted students from low-income families.

Grade 3 Reading Promotion Score Discussion Sparks Debate Hannah

Tuesday’s State Board of Education (SBOE) discussion to set the third grade reading guarantee promotion score drew disagreement seated in some perceptions that students are being subjected to a double increase. Jim Wright, director of the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Office for Curriculum and Assessment, presented the ODE staff recommendation for the state board to set the promotion score for the 2016-17 school year at 44 on the state’s third grade reading sub score. He said this would be “in line with a move toward proficient” and follows state law prescribing an annual increase.

State Board of Education Approves New Honors Diplomas Hannah

Work from the State Board of Education's (SBOE) Standards and Graduation Requirements Committee resulted in expansion of Ohio high school students’ options for attaining an honors diploma.Three new honors diplomas -- for science/technology/engineering and mathematics (STEM), arts, and social science and civic engagement -- are combined with updates to the existing honors diplomas for academic honors, International Baccalaureate, and career-tech and two new criteria involving field experiences and a student portfolio to round out the new opportunities.

School Board Hears Public Comments on New Graduation Requirements Hannah

The State Board of Education heard concerns about the graduation threshold for end-of-course exams during its public comment session at this week's meeting. Wes Weaver, Licking Valley High School principal, told the board he believes the new 18-point graduation requirement will bring “a disaster of epic proportions.” He was joined by Dave Hile, Licking Valley School District superintendent, in comments before the board during the public participation portion of the agenda.

College Readiness

Experts: Performance Funding for Higher Ed Yielding Mixed Results Diverse Issues in Higher Education

With the higher education mid-biennium review bill not clearing the Legislature before it went on its summer break, Ohio community colleges went on their own initiative and signed an agreement with the online Western Governors University (WGU) to provide opportunities that the MBR bill called for. The Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC) joined with representatives of WGU to sign the agreement, which will allow community college graduates to transfer their credits seamlessly to WGU, plus allow nursing students to work towards their bachelor’s and master’s degrees while attending a community college campus.

Community Colleges Jump Ahead of MBR, Sign Agreement with Western Governors University Hannah

Study: To raise graduation rates, increase number of adults in community USA Today

For decades, communities across the USA have tried all manner of raising high school graduation rates: higher academic standards, better school funding, stricter testing and calls for arts, vocational, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. New research suggests there’s another way to raise graduation rates: simply increase the number of adults in a community.

Gallup Gauges Graduate Degree Holders' Views Inside Higher Ed

Three-quarters of recipients of graduate degrees said their graduate program was worth the cost and that they were applying the knowledge and skills they gained in the program in their jobs, according to a Gallup study of Americans with graduate degrees. The survey, which was commissioned and released by Walden University, questions graduate-degree holders who also participated in the Gallup-Purdue Index, which aims to measure and link graduates' sense of well-being to their college experiences.

High School Graduation Rate Hits Record High of 83.2 Percent Associated Press

The nation’s high school graduation rate reached a record 83.2 percent, continuing a steady increase that shows improvement across all racial and ethnic groups, according to federal data released Monday. President Barack Obama welcomed the higher rate as “good news.” But the gains come against a backdrop of decreasing test scores on national math and reading tests. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. acknowledged worries about sagging achievement. “A higher graduation rate is meaningful progress, but certainly we share the concern that we have more work to do to make sure every student graduates ready for what’s next,” he said.

Northeast Ohio Schools

Cuyahoga County

Poor students can lag four years behind rich ones nationwide: See where your school district stands academically, economically The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Berea school board gets transportation stats, supervisor's exemplary efforts recognized Cleveland.Com

Cleveland school district CEO Eric Gordon named "Urban Educator of the Year" by big-city schools group The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cleveland school district enrollment up since 2012 levy after decades of decline The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Promotion of Fairview Schools facilities issue continues WestLife

Independence Local Schools' Director of Curriculum and Instruction Represents District at Ohio Department of Education: Community voices Independence Schools

Lakewood High School to receive more than $10,000 for arts and music programs, host festival The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Lakewood Schools assisting English Language Learners with special Emerson Elementary program Cleveland.Com

Ground is broken in North Olmsted for $90 million school project Cleveland.Com

North Royalton City Schools' Assistant Superintendent Jim Presot named "Outstanding Business Manager of the Year": Community Voices North Royalton Schools