President Obama invited states that want to opt out of 11 major provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act to submit their own plans for improving schools.  Federal regulators have granted waivers to 11 states so far.  Proposals must demonstrate how states will use their plan to implement college- and career-ready expectations for all [...]

As reported at www.ed.gov, the Obama Administration’s 2013 proposed budget includes a new $5 billion competitive program to challenge states and districts to work with teachers, unions, colleges of education and other stakeholders to comprehensively reform the field of teaching. The proposal touches on every phase of teaching from training and tenure to compensation and career [...]

On February 8, 2012, Ohio legislators introduced House Bill 444, which would be a pilot program in Montgomery County to “demonstrate the effect of profit-making activities by school districts.”  The bill would permit boards of education in Montgomery County to approve, by majority vote, certain profit-making activities related to the ordinary functions of the school [...]

On February 8, 2012, House Bill 437 was sent to the education committee.  The bill would increase the miles a school board may authorize its motor vehicles for out-of-state-travel to 1,000 miles.  Ohio Revised Code Section 3327.15 currently limits an out-of-state trip to 240 miles, round trip. Click here to view the bill.

On February 2, 2012, Governor Kasich signed into law House Bill 116, known as the Jessica Logan Act.  The new law, which will become effective on May 2, 2012, enhances the requirements for school district policies on bullying and harassment.   While school districts already must have anti-bullying policies in place, the new law requires school [...]