Dive Brief:
- The Ohio state Board of Education eliminated a law requiring schools to have a prescribed number of school nurses, librarians, counselors, arts teachers. By an 11-7 vote, the state board decided that each local school board can determine how many specialty positions it needs.
- The law, known as the "5 of 8" rule, required schools to have at least eight specialty teachers for every 1,000 students.
- Since November when the board began toying with the idea of nixing this law in order to give schools more flexibility, educators have been up in arms, fearful that without this law there will be a number of staff cuts.
Dive Insight:
Despite near constant opposition from educators, it was pretty clear how this would play out. When the idea was proposed in November it was approved 4-3 by the Operating Standards Committee, then in December at the initial board vote it was approved 14-5.
It is probably important to point out that the elimination of this requirement doesn't only mean staff cuts, it could also mean less of a focus on special trades and skills. According to the state law specialty teachers included teachers who had a focus in art, music and/or physical education, as well as staff members who were social workers, nurses, guidance counselors, library and media specialists and visiting teachers.