A publication by Amy Goodson Co.,LLC . for Community School Board members Legal Update

January 2017

Transportation Opt out reminder If your school wishes to This Issue avail itself of transportation funds and is prepared to National School Choice Week arrange for its own transportation for the 2017- Legislative Updates 18 school year, your notice of such is due to the relevant district boards of education by January 31, 2017. As such, your board should pass such a National School Choice Week resolution at its meeting this month. National School Choice Week (NSCW) NSCW encourages everyone to be is January 22-28, 2017. NSCW is held involved with activities throughout this Similarly, if you wish to every year in January with the goal of week to continue raising awareness relinquish the responsibility raising awareness for all types of about school choice. education options. The week is a of transportation for 2017- nonpartisan, nonpolitical public There are many ways to get involved, 18 back to the district, awareness event. including visiting the NSCW website at notice of that is likewise due https://schoolchoiceweek.com/. to the district by January 31, In 2016, the week included 16,745 total 2017. events throughout the U.S.: 13,224 Other ways to get involved include

schools held events, 808 homeschool sending letters to legislators requesting College Credit Plus groups held events, 1,012 chambers of more access to education options, Program deadlines commerce held events, 33 governors attending local school board meetings; The College Credit Plus issued proclamations recognizing joining local, state, or national groups Program allows students School Choice Week, over 200 mayors and using social media to repost to take college classes or county leaders issued proclamations information about school choice. and receive high school and events were held at 20 state capital and college credit. buildings. Schools can sign up with NSCW to receive a box of supplies and materials In order to participate in The Senate voted to help with participation. The NSCW the program, students unanimously to recognize school choice website also provides an “I Love My week for 2016. Speaker School Sign” that can be printed and must notify the school and Senator Ted Cruz joined other used for school-wide activities with administration prior to members of congress for a special students. Other ideas for schools April 1 to participate in event at the U.S. Capital. include holding a community open the following year. house, inviting special guests to a Over 153 million Americans were able school-wide assembly, holding a family The school must provide to read 7,589 positive new stories that night, decorating classroom doors or information regarding the were generated during school choice lockers and announcing winners, or program to students and week. More than 32 million people hosting a game night. Many other ideas worldwide were witness to over 40,000 parents prior to March 1 are listed on the NSCW website. tweets from school choice supporters. each year. Be certain The NSCW Facebook page saw an your school is planning increase to 225,000 likes of their page. now that 2017 is here. © Copyright 2017 Amy Goodson Co., LLC

ISSUE MONTHLY Legislative JOURNAL OF Updates

00 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HB 410: Addresses habitual and chronic

truancy.

HB 498: Addresses

student expulsions for communicating threats of violence on school

grounds.

Senate Bill 3 HB 544: Allows high Title of One of the Topics school students to take a assessments for the third- Community School Board The fall lame duck session for civics assessment instead the Ohio legislature saw the grade reading guarantee, Member Conflicts of American Government passage of Senate Bill 3. The assessments to identify gifted For purposes of bill will take effect on March students, and alternatives to disqualification as a end-of-course exam. 15, 2017. The bill saw many certain end-of-course community school board amendments added during examinations are exempted member, in-laws as HB 560: Addresses “immediate relatives” will the final months of from the time limit. verification of community now be limited to include discussion. Therefore, a wide school enrollments. range of issues are covered High Performing Districts only in-laws who are in the bill. Some of the topics Certain school districts will be residing in the same include the following: exempted from state household as the board HB 570: Addresses regulations pertaining to member. funding for students

Limitations on State teacher licenses. To qualify The provision, which enrolled in community for the exemption, the Assessments prohibited community schools through Beginning in the 2017-2018 school’s report card must school board members and interdistrict open- school year, standardized indicate at least an 85% their immediate relatives performance index score, a enrollment. testing will be reduced to no from being employed by more than 2% of the school grade of “A” on performance “any” operator or sponsor year with no more than 1% indicators met, a four-year until at least one year had HB 594: Addresses the adjusted graduation rate of at spent on practice testing. passed since the board return of public money least 93% and a five-year membership, will now be recovered pursuant to an Assessments given to adjusted graduation rate of at limited to “the” school’s audit of the community students with disabilities, least 95%. sponsor or operator. school

Q & A

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Q: What was the outcome of the take the district 10 position and state board of education election Antoinette Miranda will fill the district 6 This publication is provided this fall? seat. These five new members will take for informational purposes their positions in January. only. The information

A: Seven state board of education contained herein does not The complete make-up of the Ohio State seats were up for election this past constitute legal advice nor Board of Education includes 19 members. November. Two of the seats were does it create an attorney- Eleven of those members are elected and filled by incumbents, client relationship. For more eight are appointed by the governor. The and Stephanie Dodd. information about the superintendent of public instruction contents of this publication or serves as secretary of the state board and Another incumbent, Roslyn Painter- for legal services contact: the chairs of the education committees in Goffi, lost her seat to Lisa Woods in the House of Representatives and Senate the 5th district. Meryl Johnson, a Amy E. Goodson, Esq. serve as non-voting members. retired area educator will [email protected] succeed for the 11th http://education.ohio.gov/State- district seat. Linda Haycock with take 330.962.6776 Board/State-Board-Members the district 1 seat, Nick Owens will www.amygoodsonlaw.com

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