Dive Brief:
- Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a bill into law last Thursday overhauling what actions the state and local governments can take in struggling school districts.
- The bill includes provisions that allow the state to appoint a CEO who would have the power to override some parts of union contracts and also lets mayors appoint school board members.
- Charter schools would also be promoted as possible choices for families, and community panels would play a role in monitoring schools and ensuring quality.
Dive Insight:
The bill itself received a mixed response, as did its path to the Kasich’s office. Critics of the new law say the process to pass the bill was rushed and opaque, with its introduction hearing and vote happening on the same day with little debate. The Ohio School Boards Association called it a “threat to elected school boards,” and Democratic leaders have raised worries about the new CEO position, which is unelected and has broad powers.
Still, within the Ohio district most likely to be affected, the bill got a more positive reaction. For years, Youngstown has been ranked near or at the bottom, based on test scores, on state lists of poor-performing districts. The town’s school district already has an Academic Distress Commission and could face further state intervention by 2017. A former superintendent of the district, as well as local church and business representatives, backed the new law.
Of course, the law may never go into effect. One state board member and a former judge, A.J. Wagner, says that mayorally appointed school boards may not be constitutional without local approval. He says the constitution puts the power of organizing the board in the hands of the district, not the state.