Gongwer News Service – Thursday, March 27, 2008
GOVERNOR RELEASES SUMMARY OF EDUCATION REFORM PROPOSALS UNDER DISCUSSION
A statewide minimum levy for school districts, a revised method for assessing local residents' contribution, and a separate education budget are among the ideas Gov. Ted Strickland has been discussing, according to a document released Thursday.
The governor has been meeting with various education, business, and community groups to solicit proposals for reforming education on a variety of levels, spokesman Keith Dailey said. The document summarizes ideas that have been tossed around, many of which have surfaced in the legislature in some form over the years.
"These do not represent the governor's endorsed views and they do not represent a sketch of his education reform plan," he said, noting the exception of the proposal for an appointed cabinet-level director of education. "It is a summary overview of what's been discussed throughout the past year and to direct some of the discussion going forward."
As for the governor's plan to overhaul school funding, "he'll have a plan before the people next year like he pledged in the State of the State address," he said.
The document outlines the governor's plan for moving forward throughout the next year: hold stakeholder meetings in March; create a committee to review education and tax policy changes since 1997 and another research panel of think tanks and business groups; host 12 regional education reform summits and solicit public feedback via Internet; then begin drafting and implementing the plan from October to March 2009.
Among the ideas are proposals to:
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Create weighted funding for gifted, English as a second language, and high-risk pupils.Expand the parity aid program.Eliminate guarantees from the school funding formula.Earmark certain general revenue funds for education.Adopt a funding model based on schools' and districts' unique size and demographics.Base each school district's local funding share on residents' median income or a combination with property valuation.Create a separate P-16 education budget that the General Assembly would have to adopt prior to the biennial operating budget.Require school districts statewide to contribute a 22 mills base contribution.
Other proposals would: make teachers a year-round profession through professional development, summer courses, and tutoring; eliminate the Ohio Graduation Test in favor of other factors; establish a differentiated pay scale for teachers based on experience and training.
