New effort in Ohio to transfer power over public K-12 education

Education has become an increasingly central focus of legislation coming out of Columbus these days.

TOLEDO, Ohio — Thursday, I reported on Senate Bill 83, which would cut down on mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training and programs at Ohio’s public higher education institutions. Now, the story behind an effort to strip down the responsibilities of the state board of education.

Senate Bill 1, introduced by Tiffin Republican Senator Bill Reineke back in January, would rename the Ohio Department of Education the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, while creating the new position of director of education and workforce.

This reorganized department would include the newly-formed Division of Primary and Secondary Education and the Division of Career-Technical Education, each headed by a deputy director to be appointed by the director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, with approval from the senate.

SB 1 would, as mentioned previously, transfer most of the powers and duties of the State Board of Education and superintendent of public instruction to the new education and workforce department. However, it would retain the board and state superintendent’s powers with regard to educator licensure, licensee disciplinary actions, school district territory transfers, and other areas.

Following passage of the bill in the senate, Reineke said in a news release that “Our education system is in drastic need of an overhaul to end the unaccountable bureaucracy that is stifling our children’s education.” Adding his belief that the bill would ensure the department and board are held accountable.

With regard to the workforce part of this reorganized department of education, he said, “Senate Bill 1 is driven by the needs of our workforce and our local communities while helping students find their purpose. We need to be educating our students for the needs of the workforce.”

Senate Bill 1 has since been referred to the house Economic and Workforce Development Committee, to receive further consideration.